Masonic History.

MASONIC HISTORY .

LONDON , SATXTRDAT , NOVEMBER 20 , 1862 .

[ "We publish the following , which we hai'e received from a brother of great Masonic research , without p ledging ourselves to all his views . ] The history of Freemasonry—during a long time involved in mysterious darkness , ' —interwoi'en AA'ith legendary traditions ancl disfigured by intentional

falsehoods , has only iu modem times gained a solid and scientific basis by the conscientious labours and deep investigations of' a -few unprejudiced brothers . This may be asserted especially in relation to the origin of the brotherhood , ivhich , even at tha present day , is grounded here and there on 'the most absurd and

confused opinions . Blinded by vanity and the desire of ascribing a high antiquity to the Craft , many struggle against the idea of its being derived from the medieval stonemasons ; others , deceived by the simularity of the ceremonies and symbols used in the lodges AA'ith those of the ancient mysteries , have been led to the

most false suppositions . Instead of examining how the said rites were adopted hy the Masonic society , they trace them by hypothesis from the ancient mysteries . Every resemblance ivith a symbol or pretended ceremony of the ancients , has been considered as a sure guide indicating a direct connection with the said institutions . In this Avay accessory circumstances , quite vmimpovtant to the subject , have

been too often vividly discussed , and much time lost on things lying entirely out of the question . These opinions , relative to the ori gin of the Masonic institution , existed during many centuries , and are still partly existing in Germany , * England , and America , but more especially in France , where the learned antiquarian Alex Lenoirdefended them with

, great erudition , t After him all Masonic authors adopted these vieAvs , except Bro . C . Moreau , of Marseilles , editor of the Univers Maconnigue , and Bro . Em . Tieboli , who in his Historic Generate de la Francinaconnerie , ifc , ( Paris , 1851 ) , adopts the opinion of Bro . K . C . F . Krausewho considers he finds the

, origin of our fraternity amongst the Eoman building corporations . Bro . Anderson , who by order and with the approbation of the iirst Grand Jjo & ge , composed the Booh of Constitutions , begins the same with a history of the Craft , borrowed from the old records ; this narration

is essentially a history of architecture , and partly has a legendary character . It begins with Adam , who is said to have instructed his sons in geometry , and its application to the different arts , and continues to record the development of architecture up to the 17 th and ISth centuries . The next author , the learned Bro . Oliver , J in good earnest fixes the ori gin of Freemasonry hefore the creation , and finds vestiges of it continued

even in the honey-moon of paradise ; he calls Moses a Grand Master , ( p . 258 ) , Joshua his Deputy , and Aholiab ancl Belzaheel his Grand "Wardens . Other authors give to the origin of Masonry a more recent date . Some of them fix it in the time of the

construction of the Temple of Solomon , for instance , Bro . Mitchell ;§ others , such as Tom Fayne , in that of the Druids ; || others again seek it in Hercnlaneum , ( Danse de Villoison ) or in the time of the Orusacles , especially amongst the Templars . The first who proved the history of Freemasonry to coincide AA'ith that of the German stonemasons was

Abbe Granddidier , of Strasbourg , fa non-mason , whose JSssai Historique Topograpldgue sur la GntMtlrale de Strasbourg ( Strasb . 1782 ) , secured him a full insight into the archives of the high chapter of our dear lady ' s minster at Strasburg , ancl who openly expressed his vievrs in the Journal da Nancy ( 1779 ) ,

and in the Journal de Monsieur , and even previously , on the 2-I < tk of November , 177 S , in a private letter addressed to a lady of his acquaintance . This letter has been borrowed from De Luchet ' s Essays , and AA'as reprinted in THE FuESitisoss' MA . GA . znrE , June 15 th , 1859 , p . 1114 .

This opinion of Granddidier ' s was first taken up hy Vogel , in his Letters on Freemasonry ( 1785 ) , and later by Bro . Albrecht , in his Materials for a Critical History of Freemasonry ( Hamburg , 1792 ) . These ivritings , hoAvever , ivere of little importance , as the necessary materials to verif y these views had not then been found .

A comparing , sifting , and critical examining of these materials took place in Germany , about the beginning of this century , when the earnest endeavour to exjilore Freemasonry according to its real design , and of preventing the return to former errors became more general . Intelligent and able men began to examine and to publish the Masonic documentsespeciallBro .

, y Schneider , of Altenburg ( Altenh Constitut-Bueh ancl Journalfih- Fr . Mr ., Krause , die 3 altesten Kunsturhun den der Fr . Mr . Bnderscltaft , 2 nd edition , Dresden , 1820-21 . These worts were completed by the further valuable historical researches of Mossdorf , MitfJieilunyen an Denlcend-e Fr . Mr ., and lenniug ' s

Fncyclopcedie , published by the same ; Heldmann , Die 8 Altesten Gescldelitliclien Denhmale der Tentsclien Fr . Mr . Bruderschaft ( 1819 ) , and Schroder who exposed the results of his deep historical researches in his Matcrialien sur QesehicMe der Freimaurerie , a work which has been read as a manuscript by a feAV brethren

only . An authentic ancl general history from this time of struggle and of progress , has been written b y Bro . T . A . Fessler ; this work , which is only in manuscript , bears the title Versuch einer Kritischen GescMchte der Freimaurerei und der Freimaitrer Bruderschaft von den altesten Zeiten Bisanfdas JaJtr , 1 S 12 . These Avorks AA-ere the basis on ivhich other zealous and learned brethren have continued to build . The conviction that the Masonic institution has not nro-