Masonic History, Its Intentions And Shortcomings.

MASONIC HISTORY , ITS INTENTIONS AND SHORTCOMINGS .

A Paper read before Crescent Lodge , No . 25 A . F . and A . M ., Cedar Rapids , Iowa , 7 th May 1900 , by Jos . E . Wlorcombe . LET me say in preface that there is . no claim made in the present paper to originality in thought or illustration .

It represents merely an expansion of notes taken in a sqme what extensive reading for other purposes , and has the one object of inducing others to follow the same line of study to perhaps better advantage .

Many writers have attempted the compilation of a history of Freemasonry , yet that history still remains to be written . It is unfortunate , but nevertheless a fact , that the young and enquiring Mason can find no one book which will give him a succinct and connected story of the Craft . He that

attempts the study must make arduous search for himself , finding here a little and there a little ; now a gleam of . light that illuminates the past for a moment , and again some slight indication which explains an obscure point in ritual and ceremonial .

One great fault with those who have written has been that they have started out with a pre-conceived theory of the Fraternity ' s origin and line of descent . They are too apt to treat their facts as did Procustes his guests . Were they

too long in stature for the bed provided , an obliging attendant lopped off their limbs sufficiently to fit ; . if too short , an ingenious contrivance stretched them to the required length . The consequence is , in some cases very interesting work , but without value as real history .

It is only within late years that scholars worthy of the name have taken up the work and by careful collection and collation of ancient documents , critical analyses and skilled deductions , have gathered a mass of data which the future historian will combine , condense and classify into a connected and authoritative story .

Masonic history , as we understand the term , dates ,, like the Fraternity in its present form , from the so-called revival of i 7 i 7 . The first period is one of romancing . Partly from

credulity and partly from a desire to dignify the lately , resuscitated and popularised Fraternity , the legends were treated as truth , and such writers as Anderson , Hutchison and Preston produced their works . Yet these had a certain

Masonic History, Its Intentions And Shortcomings.

value . The claims of remote antiquity made attracted many , and in consequence of the activity of these earlier writers the society spread rapidly in England and upon the continent of Europe . Succeeding writers , still accepting the legends as so

much truth , though without real critical ability , yet added scholarship to their work . These beautified the traditions , adorned them with classic example and illustration , and even attempted true history by seeking to trace similarities

in custom , symbols and ceremonials between the great cults of antiquity and the Masonic Fraternity . Of these perhaps the learned Dr . Oliver is the best example . His works have an abiding value and can on no account be neglected by the Masonic student .

A long period followed showing little of value . Many writers appeared , who were ill-informed though ambitious . Then , almost within our own day , arose a new school , cold and critical , believing nothing until it was amply

proven , tearing down the idols that other hands had reverently placed in high places , stripping the legends of their outer covering , that perchance the inner truth might be discovered—a school of writers and thinkers whose work is

of incalculable value , but which has not yet been digested or placed in available form for other than the advanced student . Of this school the honoured names are those of Hughan , Gould and Woodford of England , Findel of Germany , and Upton of our own country .

These men at the outset of their researches found many variant copies of the ancient charges , relics of the operative craft , and by careful collation have reproduced the probable original from which all derived . One or more of these documents were doubtless used by Anderson in preparing

. the Book of Constitutions . ( And by the way , let me here digress to say that the Book of Constitutions is one of the things glibly spoken of in the Lodge , but which comparatively few Masons have ever taken the trouble to read ) . These documents cover a period of time from early in the fifteenth century to but a few years anterior to the revival .

It is not here my purpose to criticise the earlier historians . These old Brethren , with but rude tools , worked to such advantage as they might , and if the ashlars they fashioned are rough and uncouth they still have beauty and strength . Later workmen on the temple , with modern implements and greater skill , are adding to the building their

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