The Origin Of The Names Of The Masonic Fraternity. *

THE ORIGIN OF THE NAMES OF THE MASONIC FRATERNITY . *

By Bro . W . S . ROCKWELL , 33 ° . Albeit the etymology of the names of our Order is not of very great importance in itself , it will , if carefull y gone into , tend to corroborate and support the theory of the great antiquity

which we ascribe to Masonry . Still , this subject has never concentrated upon itself the attention of Masonic writers , and , though some have ventured to set forth ingenious conjectures to account for the ori g in of the name , yet Ave

may say that these are founded rather on hypotheses than serious investigations . Hutchinson supposes the word " Masonry " to be a corruption of jj-vo- riipwv , "mystery ; " others derive it from fiaw < r < W , " I seek Avhat is secure , " or "Salvation ; " others have sought its ori g in in nso -ovpavtw , " to be in the midst of the heavens , "

t . a ., to culminate ; whilst some deduce it from Mafoypwfl , a HebreAY AVOrd written in Greek characters , and which is believed to mean one of the constellations of the zodiacal circle . It has been assumed , likewise , that the origin of Masonry is

to be found in the May festivals of the ancient Druids , and , lastly , certain opinions have been propounded to this effect , that the first members of the Order were onl y stone cutters , and , in fact , working Masons ( architectural Masons ) . Our

most respected authorities connect the labours of the fraternity with the building arts , and assume ( erroneously , in our opinion ) , a strict distinction between worlcing and speculative Masonry . The maintenance of architectural columns amongst

our symbols increases the delusion , whilst , at the same time , its hi g h-bounding symbolism partakes of that obscurity in which our ritual has become

Avrapt up in course of time , through a literal exactitude of interpretation . From this it will be seen that , although the name we bear is connected with the idea of building , it is derived rather from the symbolical than the working chai'acter of the Institution . In fact , the phrase

" Avorking " is taken in the fraternit y in a sense which will in vain be sought in any dictionary ; but I use it here , Avithout prejudice , in that technical meaning that is given to it by us , denoting the idea of manual labour , although a more

minute investigation into the nature of the Institution has convinced me that intellectual labour forms its fundamental and essential characteristics . Erroneous notions of the intrinsic nature of Masonry necessaril y lead to unexpected

conjectures as to the meaning of its name . The only affinit y between the Greek phrase ixvo-rnpiov and the name of the Order , as set forth by Hutchinson , is to be found in the fact that the Greek word may express , in part , AA'hat the thing is ; its literal meaning is " mystery , " or " secret , "

but it may as well be used to denote " reli gious mystery ; " and though the Institution is full y justified in claiming- a reli g ious character , it is certainly entitled to a more extensive and universal designation . The etymology of paa < J 6 OV is more

plausible ; p . aa means to investigate , search , explore ; it is the radix of MS < ra , the Doric form of MoDo- a muse , and of pAa-aw , to feel , grasp , touch , examine — all meanings Avhich may easil y be brought into connection Avith our mystic labour ;

but the radix of the second half of the AYord can hardl y be accepted . 2 fos means secure , but belongs unfortunately to those parts of speech Avhich very seldom serve to qualify verbs ; it is an adjective , and has aiov in the accusative . * From

ix < : o ~ avpo . via is derived the substantive noun p . eo-ovpai > i )/ j . a , and it it is only from the latter , Avhich , by the way , is most barbarous and corrupt Greek , that the term " Masonry " could originate . The Greek language not offering a satisfactory exp lanation of the p hrase , the most remote antiquity has been rummaged . The HebreAV AVOrd