What Is Freemasonry?

3 rd Henry YI ., chap . 1 ) making it felony to meet in lodges . " What is Freemasonry ? " was asked by the Princes during the reign of George III . The ansAver Avas , " Come and see ! " They Avent , were initiated , and became eminent in their

devotedness to the Craft . Henry YI ., on attaining his majority , became a Freemason , and took great interest in the Avelfare of the brotherhood . He sought out by every means the mystic knowledge it contains , and Avrote a history of Freemasonry .

Among the LandsdoAvne MSS . in the British Museum is a curious paper on the " Origin of Freemasonry , " collected by Lord Burleigh ( No . 98 , article 48 ) , in Avhich Freemasonry is traced back to the antedeluvians , who erected two pillars

and placed thereon certain characters , and these pillars existed after the Flood , as stated by Josephus , AVIIO says one of them Avas existing in his day . Freemasonry existed in England in the time of the Druids ; their temples Avere lodges ;

their supposed altars have a Masonic meaning , which , being placed east , south , and west , correspond Avith the arrangement of certain portions of the loclge to this day . King EdAvin granted a charter to Freemasons , presided as G . M . at York , and ordered the Masonic archives to be registered .

King Alfred Avas G . M ., and , upon his defeating the Danes at RavensAvorth , in Northumberland , at RavensAving ( Avening ) , in Gloucestershire , and Ravenstone , in Leicestershire , held a lodge , the remains of Avhich are existing at these places to

this day , ancl are identified by all Masons Avho see them . The raven AA as emblazoned on the Royal flag or standard of Denmark , and the above places took their names from the defeats the Danes sustained there . In A . D . 878 , Hubba , a Danish

chief , ancl nearly a thousand folloAvers , Avere slain in an attempt to land in Devonshire , and their magical banner , a raA ^ eii embroidered in one noontide by the hands of the three daughters of the great Lodbroke , Avas taken by the British followers

of King Alfred the Great —( White ' s History ) . Whatever the secrets of Freemasonry may be , it is certain that there is' much that is good in it manifested to the Avorld . The brethren of the Craft cannot be enemies to each other ; the mystic

sign , or mystic word , has often saved the lives and property of captains aud crews , of officers and men in battle . Instances are known Avhere Masons opposed in battle have dropped their arms and embraced each other ; prisoners have been liberated and the Avounded Mason protected

by his foe . There is a gentleman UOAV hvmg m Stockton Avhose father , his creAV and ship , Averesaved by Freemasonry . The pirates had taken the ship , and Avhile searching for plunder discovered certain Masonic emblems , ancl on

ascertaining that the captain Avas a Freemason , by signs only , they restored everything and left the ship . Such instances are numerous . Freemasons make the best soldiers . Field-Marshal the late Lord Combermere stated publicly "that during the time he had been in the army he never knew a bad soldier Avho was a Freemason . " Sir Lucius

Curtis stated publicly that Avhen he was in command at Malta , a Bull Avas issued by the Pope excommunicating all Romanists Avho should become Freemasons , and that his brethren in the army who Avere Romanists publicly renounced

theirreligion rather than their brotherhood . Sir Wm ,. Follett said " that in his early struggles at the bar ,, he required something to reconcile him to the bitterness , rivalry , jealousy , and hatred he had tocontend Avith , and he was thankful to find it in

the principles of Freemasonry , which created kindly sympathies , cordial wide-spread benevolence , and brotherly love . " These are the fruits of Freemasonry—they manifest to the world that there must be

something of intrinsic value in the principles of the-Craft . It is often thought that a banquet or sumptuous dinner is the summuru bommi of

Freemasonry . This is not so . It is usual for lodgesto meet once a year , as other bodies generally do ,, to settle their annual business , ancl then they usually dine and exchange reciprocities of brotherly feeling , Avhile their poorer brethren become the

objects of their benevolence . At the annual meetings of the head lodges in London alone fchesubscriptions for the " Masonic Benevolent Institution , " the " Freemasons' Boys' School , " and the " Masonic Girls' School" average

about-£ 8 , 000 annually , ancl large sums are collected and . disbursed in Masonic charity throughout the provinces . Truly Freemasonry makes " the Avidow ' s heart leap for joy , " and Avipes the tear from the . eye of the orphan . It soothes the rugged pathway

of many an aged and broken doAvn brother as hedescends to the " dark valley . " The virtue elicited in the heart of a true Freemason makes him a

better man , a more affectionate husband , and a kinder father ; he is loving to his country , and loyal to the throne . He is a citizen of the Avorld , and Avherever he may go , at home and abroad , he