History Of Freemasonry.*

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY . *

LONDON , SATURDAY , JULY 27 , 1861 .

A reliable history of Freemasonry las long been wanted , and we have therefore perused with great pleasure the first portion , just published , of an interesting work by Bro . Findel , bearing the above title , which is likely to prove a boon to German literature in general , and especially to the craft . Indeed , we cannot express

with more exactitude and impartiality our opinion on the incontestible merit of it than by subjoining the sentiments of the author himself relating to the subject , which are well defined and , consequently , of much value as regards his labours : —

"If the author , " says Bro . Findel ( Page 18 ) , "does not succeed in furnishing much that is essentially new , and to find everywhere the true and the just , this essay will , at any rate , have the merit of laying before the readers the entire history of the Order , in a condensed form , and also of giving an . outline of the present state of historical discovery , thus showing the gaps which still exist in the same , and

invite those who feel an interest in them , to fill them up , to create a fundamental basis , on which may sucessfully he sustained for the . discoveries in order to impart more light . "

The contents of this work fully carries out the promise thus set forth in the introduction , and which doubtless is a great point gained towards obtaining a perfect and reliable history of the order . Bro . Findel considers the origin of Freemasonry , as it at present exists , to date from about the middle ages—the 9 th or the 10 th century . But this he appears to attribute more to associations of those architects and masons who commenced

to flourish at that period , especially in Germany , under the form of corporations , sanctioned by law . But the true spirit of Freemasonry , considered as a universal and cosmopolitan institution , does not , Bro . F . truly asserts , stop at emblems and at corporations of artists who assembled in the middle ages and united themselves

in brotherhood for their own convenience and interest , in order to create those marvellous structures which , up to the present time , are admired with such astonishment . But the author says the true origin of Freemasonry , in the sense of the sublime art as we now understand it , is of ancient date without appertaining exclusively to any sect , school , or special corporation .

"To the glory of the G-. A . O . T . TJ . In the sense the sublime art has been the fundamental idea and the soul of the profound wisdom of the Pentateuch of the Zend-averta and the Evangile . A divine spirit presided at the Construction of the temple of the Sun in the plain of Shinaar , as well as in the house of God in Jerusalem , also in the temple erected to the glory of the Supreme Being by This sublime art animated the

Netzahanalcoyotl . Persians , Sofees , and Togeian Hindoos , with the same holy fire which burnt in the souls of the heroes of antiquity the true emanations of the heavenly genius , such as Moses , Pythagoras , Plato and Socrates , the Chinese deist philosophers Con-fee-tsen et Loa-tsen , & c . Everywhere ( continues the author ) we have found and we shall find the true spirit of Freemasonry , and shall discover those sublime souls , those

History Of Freemasonry.*

master Masons , whose efforts have so much contributed to create and systematically spread the sublime art over the whole surface of the world . " The author also describes with great care and ingenuity the admirable progressive organisation of modern Freemasonry , by various highly-interesting

documents not only for the brotherhood , but for those who do not' belong to the Order , and the public are much indebted for Bro . Findel ' s highly meritorious and conscientous work . " We shall look for the continuation of this work with great pleasure , when we shall probably

allude to it at greater length . Bro . Findel has reserved to himself the right of transalation , and we trust that some brother will be found with spirit enough to present it us in an English garb , though we will fairly admit that it is mixed up with much of German philosophy , in which we do not entirely agree .

Freemasonry And The Fraternity.*

FREEMASONRY AND THE FRATERNITY . *

From its very orig in the Society of Freemasons has attracted the attention of the world , has stimulated and occupied many learned and able men , and maintained a more or less vivid interest among the cultivated part of society in general . "Without protection , either from the

state or the church , hardly tolerated in some countries , sometimes even cruelly persecuted and oppressed , it has , notwithstanding , in the space of a few centuries , from a small number of true and sincere believers , grown into an association which—extending over all the civilized parts of the world—now-a-days comprehends several

hundreds of thousands of free men , of all opinions and of every creed , united for the pm-pose of elevating , by amiable and reciprocal influence , and far from the noise of the world , their souls and hearts to a clearer and purer conception of human nature , and of their own eixstence . "Whatever may hare been done to drag it down into

the dust and to raise suspicion against its operations and its tendency , it not only still exists , but even has extended and developed itself , and has , in the course of time , in no small degree contributed to the ennobling of social life and of morals . Grounded on eternal truth , on an indelible necessity of human nature , it has ,

notwithstanding its manifold errors , truly fulfilled its peaceful and sublime mission , inciting its members to love and charity , to moral strength and resignation , to truth and faith ; it has comforted the afflicted , brought back the erring on the path of truth , has dried the tears of widows and orphans , and created many institutions for public .

good . The great and mighty of the earth have entered this bond , simple citizens and artizans have by its influence been brought back to the consciousness of their innate worth , flowers of friendship have sprung from its stem , and good men , separated by the barriers of social life , have been united for noble ends .