Table Of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS .

•PAGES THE RETURN VISIT OF THE DORIC LODEE OSI NSTRUCTION TO THE UNITED PILGRIMS' ... 678 I LLUSTRATIONS OF THE HISTORY OF THE

CRAFT 679 & 680 THE P HILOSOPHY OF F REEMASORV ... 680 & 681 GRAND CHAPTER OF ENGLAND 681 THE C ROWN PRINCE OF PRUSSIA ON MASONIC KNOWLEDGE ... 682

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE" Freemasonry and Unitarianisra . " 683 The Purple in West Lancashire ..: ... 683 C OMPLIMENT TO RETIRING VOLUNTEER BRETHREN 68 3

PROV . G RAND LODGE OF DURHAM 683 PROV . GRAND MARK LODGE OP LANCASHIRE ( S . C . ) 684 THE CRAFTMetropolitan 684 & 685

Provincial 685 & 686 ROYAL A RCHProvincial 686 MARK MASONRYMetropolitan 686 Provincial 686

ORDERS OF C HIVALRYKnights Templar 686 MASONIC MEETINGS FOR NEXT WEEK ... 686 & 687 A DVERTISEMENTS 677 , 678 , 687 , H . 688

Illustrations Of The History Of The Craft.

ILLUSTRATIONS of the HISTORY of the CRAFT .

BY A MASONIC STUDENT .

CHAPTER III . I propose in the present chapter to call atten

iion to the evidences which may be adduced relative to the existence of Masonic guilds , or sodalities , up to the fall of the Roman Empire . In 186 3 , I thus stated the general proposition

in words which I venture to repeat to-day : "One thing is plain from history , that , from the earliest period of civilized life in the world , architecture has been considered almost as a sacred art . In

Egypt , Greece , and Rome , the colleges of architects and the sodalities of Masons were recognized by the State and cherished by the priests . For as architecture , by its very symbolism , by

the buildings it reared , the temples it adorned , by the objects of nature it sought to delineate in the ornamentation it employed , as ministering both to utility and beauty , had ever an inner and

mystical teaching , it is not at all surprising that , from the very first , the builders of the world seemed to have thrown around their outward occupation and associated companies , the

attractive if serious conditions , of initiatory probation and secret organization while they carefully guarded both their principles of art , and their ritual of observance , their secrets and their

mysteries , from the sight and knowledge of the outer world . " But what , then , is the actual evidence we are able to put forward , in support of this enlarged

view of our Masonic history ? To answer this fully , let us examine , seriatim , the remarkable and interesting details of Egyptian , Grecian , Tyrian , Jewish , and Roman

Masonry , which archaeological enquiry has collected , and careful study and research have substantiated and approved . To begin with Egypt .

All writers seem to agree in this , however different on other points ( Clavel , Schauberg , Heldmann , Krause ) , that the priests , as a general rule , directed all the works of architecture , and taught the art in secret .

Illustrations Of The History Of The Craft.

They were , as we know , a caste , or close corporation , admitting none into their Order but those who were their relatives , except their kings , and some of the greater princes , whom they elected honorary members . The temples and pyramids were build by

designs traced along by the priests , and there seems little reason to doubt that they initiated all who were permitted to labour in the sacred work of architecture into a secret brotherhood ! Of their mysteries , we now know but very little , having only scattered hints to guide us , alike in

early heathen and Christian writers , but the great central hall of the pyramids , and the inner room of the temples were , we have reason to believe , employed for the purposes of secret reception and trying probation . Many of the implements and special emblems of Masonry still adorn the

walls of Egyptam tombs and temples , especially the tombs of the inspectors of the quarries of Silsilis at Sy 6 ne , and it is impossible to suppose that the use of them is fortuitous or meaningless . It has been before pointed out , that the Masons' marks on the pyramids and temples ,

whether made by Jewish or Egyptain hands , are identical with those of the medieval guilds , as well as with those of Roman and Tyrian workmen . When , then , we remember to-day , that the Egyptians were the oldest and greatest builders in the world , and that they distinctly

communicated their principles of art and sodalities of architecture , to the three greatest building nations of antiquity—tlie Grecians , the Tyrians , and the Etruscans—though we must perforce be content , after this lapse of time , with general and probable evidence of the fact , rather than precise and

particular proof , we need not hesitate to assert or accept the statement , that the building corporations of later times may be traced back , satisfactorily , to the early associations of Egyptian builders , which the priests had contrived to invest with the solemn character of an

impenetrable secrecy and a mysterious lore . When we turn to Greece , if the evidence be still not all we could wish for , the light seems gradually growing clearer . That the sumptuous temples in which ancient Greece abounded , were the works of architects

in combination with a Fraternity of Masons Koivwvia , no reasonable doubt can be entertained , says Dallaway , in his History of Architecture . Other writers ( Thiersch , Schauberg ) have said that tlie priests of Dionysius , having devoted themselves to architectural pursuits , established , about one thousand years before the Christian

era , a society of builders , in Asia Minor , who are styled by ancient writers the Fraternity of Dionysian architects , unto which society was exclusively confine 1 the privilege of erecting temples and other public buildings . Now , there is a considerable amount of striking evidence , which has been collected , in support of the previous statements .

For though it may no doubt be contended successfully , that the Greeks were at a very early period divided into handicraft corporations , yet it is also clearly demonstrable that tlie society of architects , or community , of builders , enjoyed great privileges , and stood higher than all the

others in social importance . Whether we call them TO KOIVOV oreraipia ., whether we accept the account of the Dionysian architects , or that of the Dosdalidce ( Oliver , Mackey , Clavel ) , deriving their name from Dajdilus , the famous artist and builder of Crete , there is so much identity between the general organization

and particular customs of these building lyceums , and our modern Freemasonry , that we are led to the inevitable conclusion , that these Grecian building communities were the forerunners of the Roman collegia , and thereby linked on to these medineval guilds , from which we ourselves clearly and continuously descend .

There are decrees still extant ( " Antiquitates Asiaticne , " of Chandler , Chishull ) conferring the special honours of these communities on members and non-members , and so striking is the

similarity between their customs and ours , that one writer declares , the organization of the building sodality in Teos , 300 years before Christ , offers a striking resemblance to that of the Freemasons at the close of the 18 th century ( Clavel ) .

Illustrations Of The History Of The Craft.

These communities had a secret and distinct organization ; they called each other psirope £ , or brethren , they had words and signs of recognition , and were divided into separate communities or lodges , which had local titles , as aoivov TWV aTTaAis T < uv , community of Attalus , aoivov -njs a ^ ivou o-u / i / iopias , community of the division of Echinos ( Clavel , " Antiquities of Ionia " ) .

Their presidents and officers were elected annually , and persons non-operative were made patrons and honorary members . In the exercise of charity the more opulent were sacredly bound to provide for the exigencies

of the poorer brethren . We have also the fact that priests were attached specially to these communities , as we hear of Kpcmvos lepvs T < DV rexvtriav , Cratinos , priest of the builders or artificers .

They employed in their ceremonialobservances . many of the symbols which are still found among Freemasons , particularly , says Schauberg , the , cubical stone , and the smooth and rough ashlar ,

and their signs of recognition enabled them to . distinguish one another " in the dark as well as in the light" ( Mackey ) , and united the " members scattered over India , Persia , and Syria , into one common brotherhood . "

Bro . Findel has said ( Finders History , pp . 25 and 26 ) , that all that has been stated has only " confirmed anew , what it must be conceded no one doubted , that these institutions and confederations resembled those of the Freemasons , "

and has " furnished fresh material for a more perfect recognition of this , and has shown that everywhere certain tokens are to be met with , the counterparts of which may be found in :

Freemasonry , " yet " it is very evident , that the borrowing and appropriation of these is something nearer the truth than the reception of the improbable presumption of a propagation of some mystic order or other . "

And he goes on to say , if "Freemasonry were really a continuation of these ancient confederacies , we must of necessity know more of their method of instructing , and their internal arrange ments , than the rest of mankind , which is by no means the case . "

But in saying this , Bro . Findel begs the whole question , as regards what is the real origin and meaning of our Masonic symbolism and teaching , and oral traditions . As regards " their method of instruction , " the principles of their operative system have no

doubt passed out of memory , as have also the principles of the masters of the mediaeval guilds . But as no one can safely question , and Bro . Findel does not himself , the existence of the mediaeval guilds , or their identity with our modern Order , though all traces of those plans

and their system of procedure have long since perished utterly , and are practically altogether unknown , so I do not think we can fairly question , on account of the absence of such special and convincing testimony , the general identity of the Grecian with the later building societies , or

the clear continuation of the same great order in the world . All that we can expect to do to-day , is to trace , so far as we are permitted by the change of times and conditions , the general similarity in the usuace of certain well-known forms and

conmon symbols , and , so far as is possible , to educe , from contemporary or later historians , some few scattered hints of their technical system or mystical teaching . Though there is no doubt some difficulty as

regards both the Tynan and Jewish Masons , I do not think that it is insuperable . The Phoenicians were , as all readers of history know , great builders , though all their wondrous works have perished utterly from the earth , and Tyre is as if

she had never been . There is also no doubt that , for all their principles of art-knowledge , their building designs , as well as their building sodalities , they were indebted to the old and wonderful land of Egypt .

It has often struck writers , whether Masonic or not , how very difficult it is to account , on ordinary grounds , for the union of the Tyrian and Jewish workmen at the building of the First Temple at Jerusalem . Knowing the repugnance of the Jews themselves to foreigners , and the