The Original Freemasons.

the country , combined in promoting talent and industry . Eor this purpose ifc was enacted that every one who wished to become an artificer should study for a certain number of years—that is , serve an apprenticeship ; associations of artificers were formed , to which were given exclusive privileges in carrying on their trades , ancl these associations were called free corporations and guilds . One of these guilds was formed by the Freemasons , who carried the architecture of their country throughout the whole of Europe .

The Freemasons , ic is often asserted , originated in the building of tho Tower of Babel . Other persons , again , say that they are only so old as the building of Solomon ' s Temple . It is also asserted that there is nothing to support these notions , nofc even a tradition . Some historians have fancied that a peculiar masonic language may be traced in the rei of Charlemange the Greatand have therefore

maingns , tained that Ereemasonry existed in the seventh century in France and England ; bufc it is far more probable that it originated , as we have said , with the Lombards , in a later century ; but it is certain they first made use of that body .

The Masons of Lombardy having joined themselves into a guild in common with other trades , the better to enjoy the exclusive benefit of their '" ' art and mystery , " as indentures of apprenticeship oven now saj r , they initiated only those who were to form members of their body ; they bound them to secrecy by imposing oaths ; they carefully concealed , and even destroyed , documents which might disclose their

knowledge ; they formed a secret language , that they might describe their art ; to each other without uninitiated persons understanding them ; and they formed a code of secret signs that they might recognise each other as Masons , though personally unknown to each other , and keep strangers from getting into fellowship with them . They became very skilful masons aud bricklayersespecially the inhabitants of

, Como , who were , therefore , distinguished by the name of "Masters from Como ; " and the Lombard kings having been very zealous in spreading tho Christian religion , the Freemasons werelargely employed in filling fclieir dominions -with churches and monasteries . Lombardy having at length been covered with these edifices , the Freemasons spread

into other countries in search of work . They became troops of labourers following in the trades of tbe Christian missionaries , and building the churches required for the converts ; iu fact , no sooner did a missionary reach a remote place to convert the inhabitants than a troop of Freemasons appeared ready to raise a temple in which they might worship . The Popes of Eome , under these circumstances , were

induced to grant protection to the Freemasons in all the countries under the influence of the Latin or Romanist Church ; they were furnished with papal bulls confirming the corporate powers given to them bj" - the kings of Lombardy ; granting them exemptions from the laws and taxes which affected the natives of the countries in wbich they worked ; empowering them to fix the price of their labour ,

and forbidding their native sovereigns from encouraging their own subjects to compete with the Freemasons in their trade , on pain of being treated as rebels . All workmen were , in short , required to obey the authority given to the Ereemasons , on pain of excommunication ; and this was justified by the example of Hiram , king of Tyre , when he sent architects to build the Temple of Solomon .

The Freemasons were divided into troops or lodges , the whole troop was governed by a surveyor , and each ten of ts members were governed by a warden . They came organized in this manner when required to erect ; an edifice First , they built temporary huts for their own accommdation ; then tbe different departments set to work , each under its own warden . Whilst each ten men had a particular

duty asssigned to them , they all laboured in carrying out one common design . One calculated the weight and . presure of the arches ; another fashioned the forms of the pillars , buttresses , and pinnacles ; another raised the walls ; another carved the stonework ; and so on . The organisation of the Freemasons thus led to a subdivision of labour , and this to excellence and speed iu all parts of the work , as it does in making a pin or a watch . Hence ifc is thafc in the ancient Gothic structures which are the work of the Freemasons ,

nothing has been done in a slovenly manner ; the crypt , which is always buried iu darkness under ground , being often decorated with carving as beautiful as that of the nave wbich is exposed to the light of day . As an edifice advanced they sont for more of their brethren ; and being authorised by the Pope , backed by kings , ancl upheld in public opinion by the sanctity of their work , they demanded

and obtained materials , carriages , and manual assistance from tbe neighbouring gentry . They also imposed conditions on the parishes in which the } r laboured ; thus a covenant was entered into between a lodge of Freemasons and thechurchwardens of a parish in Suffolk , during the reign of Henry VI ., amongst the stipulations of which is that every Freemason should be furnished with a pair of leather gloves and a white apron , and that a lodge , properly tiled , should , bo built for their meetings at the expense of the parish .

The privileges conferred upon the Freemasons , the usefulness of their services , and the great wealth which they obtained , tended to swell their numbers greatly . People inall countries sought admission into their ranks ; in fact , noman could work as Mason without being a member of one of these guilds . Thus a knowledge of achitecture was diffused from Italy wherever the Latin church spread . As

architecture gave dignity to the rites of religion also , theclergy joined the Freemasons that they might learn how to practise the art . Bishops , abbots , and simple priests gavedesigns for churches aud other ecclesiastical buildings , while the inferior clergy executed the artificers' work , ani by those many of these many of the earliest structures were raised . Whilst war was the pastime of kings and the

employment of the people , the clergy in their monasteries were the industrious bees of the community . Often whena new church was required fche abbot or superior gave : the plan , and while some of the monks raised walls , others amongst them wrought the sculptures . It is no wonder that architecture spread when ifc was patronised by powerful kings , carried on by a learned clergy , and regarded ss a . holy work .

The existence of Freemasons accounts for a fact which might otherwise be unaccountable ; we mean the striking resemblance which pervades the early Christian buildings in all countries . The principles were derived from one source , Italy ; the builders belonged to one body of men ,, the Freemasons ; they were in constant communication , aud . every improvement , even the most minute , became the

common property of the whole Order . Hence ifc is that thechurches in the north of Scotland are exactly the same as those in the south of Italy . Hence improvements spread with such marvellous rapidity as to appear almost simultaneously in different countries ; and we have a remakable instance of ifc in tbe fact that Gothic architecture spread throughout the west of Europe so suddenly that it is impossible to determine where ifc originated .

Freemasonry was at its height in fche tenth century . An idea became prevalent amongst Christians that Christ would re-appear on earth 1010 years after His death upon the cross , and that the world would come to an end . Formally years preceding , then , very few churches were built , and those which existed were suffered to fall into decay . But when the time had passed , and the idea proved to be

ftdelusion , people aroused themselves from this fear of death , and desired churches thafc their souls might be saved . Then , the Freemasons scattered themselves far and wide ; strong in their union , protected by the great and powerful , receiving asylums in the religious houses , finding work to be clone everywhere ; they poured out of Italy through the west ,, proceeding further and further , advancing from country to country , from Italy to Germany , from Germany to France , from France to Belgium , and from these places crossing the sea into England .

Bufc as civilisation rose Freemasonry fell . The Pope ' spower was diminished ; fche natives of each country asserted their right to work ; native skill increased ; and native sovereigns regarded these foreign workmen with jealousy , The secret signs aud practices of the Freemasons brought suspicion on them ; they were deprived of their privileges in some countries ; they were expelled from others ; and as