THE ORIGIN OF MASONRY.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3092, 15 January 1879, Page 1

THE ORIGIN OF MASONRY.

Much has been said and written'on this subject, and a recent article/ in Macmillan's Magazine, by Edward F. Willoughby, gives some items in this connection that will be read with interest by the general public as well as the draft. He says:— "'"]'" ' _ ": t "■"■■ ■■'"_ ' ' " " It it to the architectural and masonic guilds of Germany that we must look for the true origin of the order. The Boman's duties and obligations were United to his own collegium; he had nopass-woedor signs by which lie could gain admission to a lodge on hi« travels; the idea Ufa universal brotherhood-may, the rery name of brotherhdbd^had^.riiojan the unselfish spirit of Chnsflais^ ofacured though that religion' was amid the lawlessness, and rapacity of the times. Then peu of the game. trades and | professions formed \thems«»lves into guilds or fraternities for mutual protection, and for the better!maintenance and the transmission of the knowledge and art of which they, in the absence of books, were the liring and only repositories. In the year 1000 the whole of Christendom was possessed with the idea that ihe end of the world and the Day of Judgment was, at hand, and .when the dreaded year had passed; and the panic had subsided, a great' impulse to the building of churches arose throughout Central and^ Western 'Europe. The buildings which were the resul.t^of this impulse gave employment to j^ner^numbers of artificers for periods, of many years. Working at first! under the direction'of the bishops and abbots, they ere ; long acquired considerrable independence. The 'lay brethren/ as they had previously been styled, separating themselves from their clerical! superiors, as well as from the common;labourers, assembled mßauhuticrti or wooden buildings near the site of the churches, where they improved themselves in the principles of tbeir art, blending with mathematical and artistic itudies^ sacred symbolism and Biblical allusions. They were divided into three classes, viz.: Apprentices (~Lekrlingenj~jh\rag men deemed Worthy, of admission' into the fraternity; fellow craftsmen (Gesellerf.), who had so far advanced as to be' able; to work alone on the details .of, the art, and were bound to impart -their.knowledge, to the apprentices; and masters, comparatively ,£ew in number, who were competent to undertake the design or direction of entire, ;^orks? , in the."capacity of,arehi- , teots, "surveyors, or master builders. The entered - apprentice was 'entrusted with a secret • sign and password {Qrxu»), and_ bound on earth to divulge to none but the initiated either the. knowledge he should acquire or the I Writes or practices of his lodge. This ' method of mutual 'was a necessity when indentures and diplomas were unknown; but, taken in conjunction with tho• mystic philosophy inculcated, and the secret ritual practised within the lodges, it acquired in time a solemnity and ■acredness which could attach to no mere certificate of membership or of proficiency. -Farther 'credentials were provided in a set of questions and answers, forming- a sort of eateohism oraHy esmmunicated, and guarded by-th'e; same sanction by which the ' brethren," as they now call one another, could give prbof of their identity wh«rever they might, travel , in search of empitoymetii..'*:7^*',- j,4 • "BauhuUin were permjKi)Botly v established in most of the chief citiftis of 1 the empire, and the reputation, which, their masters acquired.for genius and skill led to the engagement of German -architects in other countries, wherever cathedrals or churches were being erected on a scale of more than, ordinary grandeur. At first the several) lodges worked independently of one another ; but in the fifteenth contury the necessity of further union began to be felt, and on April 25,1459, a gathering of the Master Masons of Central and Southern Gefmaioy'was held at Satisbon, when the regulations of tKe different lodges w«W /: and' 1 contdiidated. In 1492 a second and more general assombly was held: at which 1 the^w'hdlie'bf the Masons of Germany wet« fepreiented, and united into a single brotherhood, of which the chief of the Lodge of Strusburg, which had long been recognised aa a last Court of Appeal, even by the lodges . of 'Austria and Switzerland, was declared perpetual Grand Master. The statutes then drawn up received in 1498, the confirmation of the Smperor Maiimiliam 1., whose example was followed by several of his successors. • v • •-

' " Its transformatioii from a guild of working artists to an agsociation; tor other purposes, is described thus :—Prom 1607 to 1618 Inigo Jones was patron of the Freemasons; the fraternity^ flourished under his direction ; noble, learnedi'.and wealthy men were admitted as a sort of associates or honorary members, or, as they were called by way of diatiuction, •Accepted Mssons Quarterly' meetings and festables were ; litild^.. and lodges of instruction founded.- ;; •'During; the wara of the Parliament, and tho CouimpiiweaStii, Freemasonry, as might-have beon es'peeted from its close connection with art and with the Church,."suffered- greatly; but it experienced'something of a revival ia 1633, when Henry Jermjn, Eitrl of St. Albans, was' elected^ Graud Master. Sir jdhn Denhain, D.(r."M.,.and.Sir- Christopner Wron and, Webb, Grrand Wardens." .; ' • "•' :."-'' - . :.'