Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Illustrations Of The History Of The Craft.—No. 2.
masonry was introduced by German operative Masons , is , though ingenious and very creditable to his patriotic sympathies , utterly opposed to all the known facts of the case , and completely irreconciliable with the evidence of history , and the
witness of our own English Masonic traditions . No doubt Bro . Finder ' s theory is in itself a very interesting one , and in some respects an easy way of surmounting many of the difficulties and peculiarities of our Masonic annals It may serve
also to dispel some of the doubts and remove some of the objections of hostile criticism , but it does by no means clear the way perfectly for the Masonic or un-Masonic enquirer , and still leaves
unaccounted for , on any safe and satisfactory authority , the origin , existence , progress , and perpetuation of one of the most remarkable institutions the world has ever seen . To say nothing now of other patent objectioas
to it , how are we to deal , if we accept it , with that very important subject of Masons Marks ? Our learned brother E . W . Shaw , contended some years back , and I have never seen any satisfactory reply to his assertions , that one great
principle pervaded ] all the known Masons' marks in the world , namely , that they were outward symbols , of an inner meaning , or teaching . Prom the almost innumerable fac similes he had
collected after many years arduous labour , which I have myself seen , from all quarters of the world , he found the same unity of design and actual identity of form in all the marks he had so carefully gathered together , whether they had been
found on Egyptian pyramids or Roman walls , on Hindoo or on Mexican temples , on early or mediaeval ecclesiastical buildings , on the stones of Tyre , on the very buildings of Jerusalem ! His argument then , which always appeared to
my mind irresistible , that we have in these Masons ' marks a strong proof of the antiquity of our Order , and of its wide diffusion at a very early period , has recently received a striking confirmation by the underground discoveries of Bro . Lieut .
Warren in the Holy City itself , who has brought to light the long buried marks of Tyrian and Jewish Masons .
If however we accept our learned Bro . Pmdel ' s theory , we must surrender this valuable evidence of the great and real antiquity of Preemasonry . Believing then in common with all , who have had the opportunity of studying Lis most interesting work , that a debt of gratitude is owing
Illustrations Of The History Of The Craft.—No. 2.
to him for his careful and accurate investigations , and regarding his history as a most valuable aid and addition to Masonic literature in general , I still think , that we cannot safely adopt his limited view of the antiquity of the Craft , the late origin
he assigns to the operative guilds , or find in his skilfully developed theory , a satisfactory solution of the true and full history of Freemasonry . 2 . —There is a second view of the guild theory , which I may dismiss with a very short notice , for
it is historically and archfeologically untenable . It is that which asserts that the history of Speculative Masonry is to be entirely severed from that of the operative guilds , and that though the guilds existed certainly , they had little or
nothing in common without our modern Order , and that the revival in 1717 , was but the adaptation by Speculative Masons , without any warrant or
natural connection , of the phraseology , usages , and legends , of the operative guilds . In short to repeat the Abbe Grandidier ' s words , Preemasonry as we have it to-day , in its inner speculative teaching and outer and formal
organisation , is but the " servile imitation of an ancient and useful Fraternity of actual Masons . " But this very modern view of the history of the Craft , as far as I know or understand the arguments of its supporters , has so far nothing
but crude hypothesis and intolerant assertion in its favour , and seems destined to land us as a , Fraternity , ere long again on the shore of a most unlearned and unreasoning exposition of our archaeology , our usages , and our history .
If ifc be true , we may as well bring to an end at once , those studies and investigations which of late years have been undertaken by so many able brethren , in order from the unerring records oi . '
the past , to erect a lasting edifice standing on sure foundation , perfect in its parts and honourable to the builders , which shall be able to resist alike successfully the attacks of criticism , aud offer a satisfactory and reasonable history to our bretlniti and the world , of our Jancient and beneficent Order .
3 . —But the third view remains for our constderation , namely , that our Freemasonry may bo safely traced through the mediaeval and early guilds , direct in the first instance to the Roman Collegia , aud then even much further back , iu
harmony with our own ancient traditions . Bro , Dr . Findel puts the whole question most fairly , when admitting that a " certain connection
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Illustrations Of The History Of The Craft.—No. 2.
masonry was introduced by German operative Masons , is , though ingenious and very creditable to his patriotic sympathies , utterly opposed to all the known facts of the case , and completely irreconciliable with the evidence of history , and the
witness of our own English Masonic traditions . No doubt Bro . Finder ' s theory is in itself a very interesting one , and in some respects an easy way of surmounting many of the difficulties and peculiarities of our Masonic annals It may serve
also to dispel some of the doubts and remove some of the objections of hostile criticism , but it does by no means clear the way perfectly for the Masonic or un-Masonic enquirer , and still leaves
unaccounted for , on any safe and satisfactory authority , the origin , existence , progress , and perpetuation of one of the most remarkable institutions the world has ever seen . To say nothing now of other patent objectioas
to it , how are we to deal , if we accept it , with that very important subject of Masons Marks ? Our learned brother E . W . Shaw , contended some years back , and I have never seen any satisfactory reply to his assertions , that one great
principle pervaded ] all the known Masons' marks in the world , namely , that they were outward symbols , of an inner meaning , or teaching . Prom the almost innumerable fac similes he had
collected after many years arduous labour , which I have myself seen , from all quarters of the world , he found the same unity of design and actual identity of form in all the marks he had so carefully gathered together , whether they had been
found on Egyptian pyramids or Roman walls , on Hindoo or on Mexican temples , on early or mediaeval ecclesiastical buildings , on the stones of Tyre , on the very buildings of Jerusalem ! His argument then , which always appeared to
my mind irresistible , that we have in these Masons ' marks a strong proof of the antiquity of our Order , and of its wide diffusion at a very early period , has recently received a striking confirmation by the underground discoveries of Bro . Lieut .
Warren in the Holy City itself , who has brought to light the long buried marks of Tyrian and Jewish Masons .
If however we accept our learned Bro . Pmdel ' s theory , we must surrender this valuable evidence of the great and real antiquity of Preemasonry . Believing then in common with all , who have had the opportunity of studying Lis most interesting work , that a debt of gratitude is owing
Illustrations Of The History Of The Craft.—No. 2.
to him for his careful and accurate investigations , and regarding his history as a most valuable aid and addition to Masonic literature in general , I still think , that we cannot safely adopt his limited view of the antiquity of the Craft , the late origin
he assigns to the operative guilds , or find in his skilfully developed theory , a satisfactory solution of the true and full history of Freemasonry . 2 . —There is a second view of the guild theory , which I may dismiss with a very short notice , for
it is historically and archfeologically untenable . It is that which asserts that the history of Speculative Masonry is to be entirely severed from that of the operative guilds , and that though the guilds existed certainly , they had little or
nothing in common without our modern Order , and that the revival in 1717 , was but the adaptation by Speculative Masons , without any warrant or
natural connection , of the phraseology , usages , and legends , of the operative guilds . In short to repeat the Abbe Grandidier ' s words , Preemasonry as we have it to-day , in its inner speculative teaching and outer and formal
organisation , is but the " servile imitation of an ancient and useful Fraternity of actual Masons . " But this very modern view of the history of the Craft , as far as I know or understand the arguments of its supporters , has so far nothing
but crude hypothesis and intolerant assertion in its favour , and seems destined to land us as a , Fraternity , ere long again on the shore of a most unlearned and unreasoning exposition of our archaeology , our usages , and our history .
If ifc be true , we may as well bring to an end at once , those studies and investigations which of late years have been undertaken by so many able brethren , in order from the unerring records oi . '
the past , to erect a lasting edifice standing on sure foundation , perfect in its parts and honourable to the builders , which shall be able to resist alike successfully the attacks of criticism , aud offer a satisfactory and reasonable history to our bretlniti and the world , of our Jancient and beneficent Order .
3 . —But the third view remains for our constderation , namely , that our Freemasonry may bo safely traced through the mediaeval and early guilds , direct in the first instance to the Roman Collegia , aud then even much further back , iu
harmony with our own ancient traditions . Bro , Dr . Findel puts the whole question most fairly , when admitting that a " certain connection