Illustrations Of The History Of The Craft.

except their kings , and some of the greater princes , Avhom they elected honorary members . The temples and pyramids AA'ere built by designs traced alone by the priests , and there seems little reason to doubt that they initiated all AVIIO AA'ere permitted to labour in the sacred AVOI-IC of architecture into a secret brotherhood '

Of their mysteries , Ave IIOAV JCUOAV but very little , having only scattered hints to guide us , alike in early heathen and Christian Avriters , but the great central hall of the pyramids , aud the inner room of the temples Avere , AA'e have reason to believe , emjiloyed for the purposes of secret rece ]}

-tion and trying probation . Many of the implements and special emblems of Masonry still adorn the Avails of Egyptian tombs and temples , especially the tombs of the inspectors of the quarries of Silsilis at Syene , 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 , Avhethor made b y JeAvish or Egyptian hands , are identical Avith those of the median-al guilds , as Avell as Avith those of Roman and Tyrian Avorkmen . When , then . Ave remember to-day , that the Egj-ptians 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—the Grecians , the Tyrians , and the Etruscans—though Ave must perforce be content , after this lapse of timewith general and probable evidence

, of the fact , rather than precise and particular proof , Ave 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 buildersAvhich the priests had

, contrived to invest Avith the solemn character of an impenetrable secrecy and a mysterious lore . "When Ave turn to Greece , if the evidence be still not aU Ave could Avish tor , the light seems gradually groAA'ing clearer .

That the sumptuous temples in AA'hich ancient Greece abounded , were the Avorks ; of architects in combination with a Fraternity of Masons Kotvavea , no reasonable doubt can be entertained , says DallaAvay , in his History of Architecture . . Other Avriters ( Thiersch , Sehatiberg )

have said that the priests of Dionysin $ having deA'oted themselves to architectural pursuits , established , about one thousand years before the Christian era , a societ y of builders in Asia Minor , AA'ho are styled by ancient miters the Fraternity of Dionysian

architects under Avhich society AA'as exclusively confined the privilege of erectiit " temples and other public buildings . NOAV , there is a considerable amount of striking evidence , AA'hich has been collected , in support of the previous statements .

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

importance . Whether AVC call them TO KOIVOV or eraipia , whether Ave accept the account of the Dionysian architects , or that of the Dasdalidse ( Oliver , Mackey , Gavel ) , deriving their name from Dtedalus , the famous artist and builder of Cretethere is so mucli

, identity betAveen the general organization and particular customs of these building lyceums , and our modern Freemas . uny , that we are led to the inevitable conclusion , that these Grecian building communities Avere the forerunners of the Roman collegia

, and thereby linked on to these medheval guilds , from Avhich Ave ourselves clearly and continuously descend . There are decrees still extant ( "Antiquitates Asiatica ? , " of Chandler , Chishull ) conferring the special honours of these

communities on members and non-members , and so striking is the similarity betAveen 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 ( Gavel ) . These communities had a secret and distinct organization ; they called each other < £ pa , Top £ s , or brethren , they had Avoids and signs of recognition , and were divided into separate communities or lodges , which

hadlocaltitles ^ sKoivovTiovATTALISTtoN community of Attains , KOIVOV TIJS E " ' o-uja / xopias , community of the division of Echinos ( Gavel , " Antiquities of Ionia" ) . Their presidents and officers were elected