Freemasonry: Its Origin, History, And Design.

the art ... These ,, not competent , to engage-in the labour of building , Avere supposed to confine theihsekes to philosophic speculations on the principles of the art , ancl to symbolising or spiritualising its labours and its implements . Hence there resulted a'division of the membership of the brotherhood into two classes , the practical ancl theoretic , or , as . they are more commonly called , the operative and speculative , or " domatic" and " geomctti ' c . " The operative -Masons ¦ ¦ always .-held the ascendency in numbers until the

seA'enteenth century , but the speculative Masons exerted a greater inflxience . by their higher culture , their Avealth , ancl their social position . ¦¦ .. . "In . time , there came a total and permanent disseverance of the tAvo elements . At the beginning of the eighteenth , century there AA'ere several Lodges in England , but for along time there had been no meeting of a great assembly ..- In the year 1717 , Freemasonry AA'as revived , ancl the . Grand Lodge of England established by four of the

Lodges which then existed in London . This revival took place through -the influence and by the exertions of non-operatii'e or speculative Masons , and the Institution has ever since mainly preserved that character . Lodges were speedily estabbshed all over the AA'orld—in Europe , America , and Asia— -by the Mother Grand Lodge at London , Avho , for . that purpose ,, issued prpA'incial deputations or patents ^ of authority to introduce the Order into foreign countries . No important change has taken place in

the'organisation since that , period . NOAV . in . .. everykingdom , of Europe , -AA'ith -two exceptions , in every State . of . the American Union , in the Dominion of'Canada , and other British Provinces , ancl in each of the South American Eepublics , there is a Grand Lodge exercising sovereign Masonic power , Avhile in some colonies which haA'e not attained political independence Provincial Grand Tuoelges have been invested AA'ith slightly inferior prerogatives . ... . .: . .- :

, ., " Freemasonry of the present day is a . philosophic or speculative science , deriA'ed from , . and issuing out of , an operative art . It is a science of symbolism . One , of the authoritative definitions of Freemasonry is , that , it is ' a peculiar system of morality , veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols . ' But a more correct definition would be , that it is- ' a system of morality deA'eloped and inculcated , by the . science of sym . - bolism . ' .

" Its original descent from an association of builders has given-to its symbolism a peculiar character . . All the labours of operative or stone Masonry , its implements and its technical language , have been seized by the speculative Freemasons and . appropriated by them as symbols , each of AA'hich teaches some important moral or religious truth . Tlie cathedrals AA'hich their predecessors erected , some of . which still remain as proud monuments of their surpassing skill in architecture , have been replaced as symbols , for esoteric the le of Solomon

reasons , by Temp , which has become , Avith one exception , the most important and significant of the symbols of the Order . . '¦ : ' . ¦ :, ¦ , "As all these symbols are applied to religious purposes , and receive a religious interpretation , we . must conclude that Freemasonry is a religious institution . It is not a religion . It makes no such claim . It does not ju-ofess to offer the renovating efficacy aud the spiritual consolation AA'hich make religion so necessary an element in the healthful life of But it does inculcate

man . , some religious truths , Avithout any attempt , to define , theological dogmas . .. It demands of its initiates a trusting belief in God , ancl in the immortality of the soul , and its ceremonies and its symbols impress these . truths with all the moral consequences that a belief in them implies . , It recognises : all . religious truth , and tolerates , but does not accept , sectarian dogmas . It repudiates nothing , but atheism-. Around its altar , consecrated to T . G . A . 0 . T . U .,. men of . all creeds may kneelhi worslii

. one common p , each holding in his , heart with , all-tenacity ... his- OAVU peculiar faith , the brotherhood around neither approving nor condemning by Avord or look . Incidental to its . organisation as an association of men engaged in the same pursuit , we have other characteristics common to it Avith all similar human associations , but AA'hich it possesses and practises AA'ith greater perfection because of its universality and its numerical extension . . . . , ... , ---" Suehis its social character . In the Lodge , all artificial , distinctions of rank , and Wealth , and power , are , for the time suspended , "and Masons meet together on the great