masonry (catholic cyclopaedia)

8/9/2019 Masonry (Catholic Cyclopaedia)

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FREEMASONRY1

. Gruber

I. NAME AND DEFINITION

Leaving aside various fanciful derivations we maytrace the word masonto the French maon (Latin matioor machio), "a builder of walls" or "a stone-cutter" (cf.German Steinmetz, from metzen, "to cut"; and utchvrijmetselaar).

!he comound termFreemasonoccurs #rst in $%&'-- according to a recently found writing, even rior to$$'' $ -- and, contrary to Gould * means rimarily amason of suerior s+ill, though later it also designatedone who enoyed the freedom, or the rivilege, of a tradeguild. % n the former sense it is commonly derived from

freestone-mason, a mason hewing or building in free(ornamental) stone in oosition to a rough (stone)

mason. !his derivation, though harmoni/ing with themeaning of the term, seemed unsatisfactory to somescholars. 0ence 1eth roosed to interret the word

freemasons as referring to those masons claiminge2emtion from the control of local guildsof the towns,where they temorarily settled. ' n accordance withthis suggestion the "3ew 4nglish ictionary of the5hilological 1ociety" (62ford, $787) favours theinterretation of freemasons as s+illed artisans,emanciated according to the medievalractice from therestrictions and control of local guildsin order that theymight be able to travel and render services, wherever anygreat building (cathedral, etc.) was in rocess ofconstruction. !hese freemasons formed a universal craftfor themselves, with a system of secret signs andasswords by which a craftsman, who had been admittedon giving evidence of cometent s+ill, could be

1

"Masonry (Freemasonry)." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New Yor! o#ert$ppleton Company% 191&. ' ec. &&9
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recogni/ed. 6n the decline of Gothic architecture thiscraft coalesced with the mason guilds. 9

:uite recently .


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which are ac+nowledged and recommended byresonsible members of the craft, as stated in thebibliograhy aended to this article. "t is theorobrium of Freemasonry", says Aac+ey $% that its

history has never yet been written in a sirit of criticaltruth; that credulity . . . has been the foundation on whichall masonic historical investigations have been built, . . .that the missing lin+s of a chain of evidence have beenfreDuently sulied by gratuitous invention and thatstatements of vast imortance have been carelesslysustained by the testimony of documents whoseauthenticity has not been roved.

"!he historical ortion of old records", he adds $ aswritten by =nderson, 5reston, 1mith, Ealcott and otherwriters of that generation, was little more than acollection of fables, so absurd as to e2cite the smile ofevery reader.

!he germs of nearly all these fantastic theories arecontained in =ndersonBs "!he Eonstitutions of FreeAasons" ($&*%, $&%7) which ma+es Freemasonrycoe2tensive with geometry and the arts based on it;insinuates that God, the Great =rchitect, foundedFreemasonry, and that it had for atrons, =dam, the5atriarchs, the +ings and hilosohers of old. 4venesusEhrist is included in the list as Grand Aaster of theEhristian Ehurch. Aasonry is credited with the buildingof 3oahBs =r+, the !ower of


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the creation of this globe, di?used amidst the numeroussystems with which the grand emyreum of universalsace is furnished". $9

t is not then di?icult to understand that the attemt torove the antiDuity of Freemasonry with evidencesulied by such monuments of the ast as the 5yramidsand the 6belis+ (removed to 3ew Jor+ in $7&8) shouldhave resulted in an e2tensive literature concerning theseobects. $& !hough many intelligent Aasons regardthese claims as baseless, the maority of the craft $7still accet the statement contained in the "Eharge" afterinitiation@ "=ncient no doubt it is, having subsisted from

time immemorial. n every age monarchs =mericanrituals@ "the greatest and best men of all ages" have beenromoters of the art, have not thought it derogatory totheir dignity to e2change the scetre for the trowel, havearticiated in our mysteries and oined in ourassemblies". $8 t is true that in earlier times gentlemenwho were neither oerative masons nor architects, the so-called geomatic Aasons *> oined with the oerative, ordogmatic, Aasons in their lodges, observed ceremonies ofadmission, and had their signs of recognition.


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rather that it is a new order of no greater antiDuity thanthe #rst Duarter of the eighteenth century.

III. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND SPIRIT

!here have been many controversies among Aasons asto the essential oints of Aasonry. 4nglish-sea+ingAasons style them "landmar+s", a term ta+en fromeuteronomy $8@$, and signifying "the boundaries ofAasonic freedom", or the unalterable limits within whichall Aasons have to con#ne themselves. Aac+ey *'seci#es no less than twenty-#ve landmar+s. !he samenumber is adoted by hitehead *9 "as the ith of theresearches of the ablest masonic writers". !he rincileof them are *&

the method of recognition by secret signs, words,gris, stes, etc.;

the three degrees including the Hoyal =rch; the 0iram legend of the third degree; the roer "tiling" of the lodge against "raining" and

"snowing", i.e., against male and female "cowans",or eavesdroers, i.e., rofane intruders;

the right of every regular Aason to visit everyregular lodge in the world;

a belief in the e2istence of Godand in future life; the Kolume of the 1acred Law; eDuality of Aasons in the lodge; secrecy; symbolical method of teaching; inviolability of landmar+s.

n truth there is no authority in Freemasonry to constitutesuch "unchangeable" landmar+s or fundamental laws.1trictly udicially, even the "6ld Eharges", which,according to =ndersonBs "Eonstitutions", contain theunchangeable laws, have a legal obligatory character onlyas far as they are inserted in the "


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editions ($&*% and $&%7) of =ndersonBs "Eonstitutions".!hese te2ts, though di?ering slightly, are identical as totheir essential tenor. !hat of $&*%, as the original te2t,restored by the Grand Lodge of 4ngland in the editions of

the "Eonstitutions", $&'9-$7$%, and inserted later in the"


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Lodge nor ever will. !his charge has been always strictlyenoinBd and observBd; but esecially ever since theHeformation in


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lodges of "oerative" Aasonry till and after $&&. !heseinunctions are uniformly summed u in the simle words@"!he #rst charge is this that you be true to Godand 0olyEhurch and use no error or heresy". *8 !he radical

contrast between the two tyes is obvious. hile a Aasonaccording to the old Eonstitution was above all obliged tobe true to God and Ehurch, avoiding heresies, his"religious" duties, according to the new tye, areessentially reduced to the observation of the "moral law"ractically summed u in the rules of "honour andhonesty" as to which "all men agree". !his "universalreligion of 0umanity" which gradually removes theaccidental divisions of man+ind due to articular oinions

"or religious", national, and social "reudices", is to bethe bond of union among men in the Aasonic society,conceived as the model of human association in general."0umanity" is the term used to designate the essentialrincile of Aasonry. %> t occurs in a Aasonic addressof $&&. %$ 6ther watchwords are "tolerance","unsectarian", "cosmoolitan". !he Ehristiancharacter ofthe society under the oerative rMgime of formercenturies, says 0ughan %* "was e2changed for the

unsectarian regulations which were to include under itswing the votaries of all sects, without resect to theirdi?erences of colour or clime, rovided the simleconditions were observed of morality, mature age and anaroved ballot". %% n Eontinental Aasonry the samenotions are e2ressed by the words "neutrality", "laNcitM","Eonfessionslosig+eit", etc. n the te2t of $&%7 articularstress is laid on "freedom of conscience" and theuniversal, non-Ehristian character of Aasonry isemhasi/ed. !he Aason is called a "true 3oahida", i.e. anadherent of the re-Ehristian and re-Aosaic system ofundivided man+ind. !he "% articles of 3oah" are mostrobably "the duties towards God, the neighbour andhimself" inculcated from older times in the "Eharge to anewly made


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6f the ancient Aasons, it is no longer said that they wereobliged to "be of the religion" but only "to comly withthe Ehristianusages of each Eountry". !he designation ofthe said "unsectarian" religion as the "ancient catholic+"

betrays the attemt to oose this religion of "0umanity"to the Homan Eatholic as the only true, genuine, andoriginally Eatholic. !he unsectarian character of Aasonryis also imlied in the era chosen on the title age@ "n the

year of Aasonry '&*%" and in the "0istory". =s to the"0istory" =nderson himself remar+s in the reface($&%7)@

6nly an e*&ert #rother, by the true light, canreadily+nd

man% useful hints in almost ever% &age of this bookwhichEowans and others not initiated (also among Aasons)cannotdiscern.

0ence, concludes rause %' =ndersonBs "0istory" isallegorically written in "ciher language". =art, then,from "mere childish allusions to the minor secrets", thegeneral tendency of this "0istory" is to e2hibit the"unsectarianism" of Aasonry.

!wo oints deserve secial mention@ the utterances onthe "=ugustan" and the "Gothic" style of architecture andthe identi#cation of Aasonry with geometry. !he"=ugustan" which is raised above all other styles alludesto "0umanism", while the "Gothic" which is charged withignorance and narrow-mindedness, refers to Ehristianand articularly Homan Eatholic orthodo2y. !heidenti#cation of Aasonry with geometry brings out thenaturalistic character of the former. Li+e the Hoyal

1ociety, of which a large and most inOuential roortionof the #rst Freemasons were members %9 Aasonryrofesses the emiric or "ositivist" geometrical methodof reason and deduction in the investigation of truth. %&n general it aears that the founders of Aasonryintended to follow the same methods for their socialuroses which were chosen by the Hoyal 1ociety for itsscienti#c researches. %7 "Geometry as a method isarticularly recommended to the attention of Aasons."

"n this light, Geometry may very roerly be consideredas a natural logic; for as truth is ever consistent,
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invariable and uniform, all truths may be investigated inthe same manner. Aoral and religious de#nitions, a2iomsand roositions have as regular and certain deendenceuon each other as any in hysics or mathematics." "Let

me recommend you to ursue such +nowledge andcultivate such disositions as will secure you the


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in $7' into its Eonstitutions, by which the e2istence ofGodand the immortality of soul were declared the basisof Freemasonry * and gave to the #rst article of itsnew Eonstitutions the following tenor@ "Freemasonry, an

essentially hilanthroic, &hiloso&hic (naturalist,adogmatic) and &rogressiveinstitution, has for its obectthe search after truth, the study of universal moralit%, ofthe sciences and arts and the ractice of bene#cence. thas for its rinciles absolute libert% of conscience andhuman solidarit%. ,t e*cludes none on account of hisbelief. ts device is Liberty, 4Duality, Fraternity." 6n $>1etember, $7&7, the Grand 6rient, moreover, decreed toe2unge from the Hituals and the lodge roceedings all

allusions to religious dogmas as the symbols of the Grand=rchitect, the


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instance that shoc+ religious feeling and bring Aasonryinto bad reute. =nd even such a stuid=theistincurs nostronger censure than the simle ascertaining of the factthat he does not rightly understand the art, a merely

theoretical udgment without any ractical sanction. 1ucha disavowal tends rather to encourage modern ositivistor scienti#c =theism. 1carcely more serious is thereection of =theismby the


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man; others conceive Godas the highest idea a man canform in the sense of esoteric religions." !he latter arecalled =theists according to the e2oteric notion of Godreudiated by science, but they are not =theists

according to the esoteric and true notion of God. 6n thecontrary, add others 8 they are less =theists thanchurchmen, from whom they di?er only by holding ahigher idea of Godor the ivine. n this sense !hevenot,Grand 1ecretary of the Grand 6rient of France, in ano?icial letter to the Grand Lodge of 1cotland (%> anuary,$7&7), states@ "French Aasonry does not believe thatthere e2ist =theists in the absolute sense of the word"'> and 5i+e himself '$ avows@

= man who has a higher concetion of God than thoseabout him and who denies that their concetion is God, is

very li+ely to be called an=theistby men who are reallyfar less believers in Godthan he, etc.

!hus the whole controversy turns out to be merelynominal and formal. Aoreover, it is to be noticed that theclause declaring belief in the great =rchitect a conditionof admission, was introduced into the te2t of theEonstitutions of the Grand Lodge of 4ngland, only in$7$' and that the same te2t says@ "= Aason therefore is&articularl%bound never to act against the dictates of hisconscience", whereby the Grand Lodge of 4ngland seemsto ac+nowledge that liberty of conscience is the sovereignrincile of Freemasonry revailing over all others whenin conOict with them. !he same suremacy of the libertyof conscience is imlied also in the unsectarian character,which =nglo-=merican Aasons recogni/e as the

innermost essence of masonry. "!wo rinciles", said theGerman 4meror Frederic+ , in a solemn address toAasons at 1trasburg on $* 1etember, $779,"characteri/e above all our uroses, vi/., liberty ofconscience and tolerance"; and the "0andbuch" '*

ustly observes that liberty of conscience and tolerancewere thereby roclaimed the foundation of Aasonry bythe highest Aasonic authority in Germany.

!hus the Grand 6rient of France is right from theAasonic oint of view as to the substance of the Duestion;
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but it has deviated from tradition by discarding symbolsand symbolical formulP, which, if rightly understood, inno way imly dogmatic assertions and which cannot bereected without inuring the wor+ of Aasonry, since this

has need of ambiguous religious formulP adatable toevery sort of belief and every hase of moraldeveloment. From this oint of view the symbol of theGrand =rchitect of the Cniverse and of the


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situation. 1ince $&*$ it has sread over 4uroe. '' !hisraid roagation was chieOy due to the sirit of the agewhich, tiring of religious Duarrels, restive underecclesiastical authority and discontented with e2isting

social conditions, turned for enlightenment and relief tothe ancient mysteries and sought, by uniting men of+indred tendencies, to reconstruct society on a urelyhuman basis. n this situation Freemasonry with its

vagueness and elasticity, seemed to many an e2cellentremedy. !o meet the needs of di?erent countries andclasses of society, the original system ($&$&-*%)underwent more or less rofound modi#cations. n $&$&,contrary to Gould '9 only one simle ceremony of

admission or one degree seems to have been in use '&in $&*% two aear as recogni/ed by the Grand Lodge of4ngland@ "4ntered =rentice" and "Fellow Eraft orAaster". !he three degree system, #rst ractised about$&*', became universal and o?icial only after $&%>. '7!he symbols and ritualistic forms, as they were ractisedfrom $&$& till the introduction of further degrees after$&%7, together with the "6ld Eharges" of $&*% or $&%7,are considered as the original ure Freemasonry. =

fourth, the "Hoyal =rch" degree '8 in use at least since$&>, is #rst mentioned in $&%, and though e2traneousto the system of ure and ancient Aasonry 9> is mostcharacteristic of the later =nglo-1a2on Aasonry. n $&'$a rival Grand Lodge of 4ngland "according to the 6ldnstitutions" was established, and through the activity ofits Grand 1ecretary, Lawrence ermott, soon surassedthe Grand Lodge of $&$&. !he members of this GrandLodge are +nown by the designation of "=ncient Aasons".!hey are also called "Jor+ Aasons" with reference, not tothe ehemeral Grand Lodge of all 4ngland in Jor+,mentioned in $&*9 and revived in $&9$, but to theretended #rst Grand Lodge of 4ngland assembled in 8*9at Jor+. 9$ !hey #nally obtained control, the CnitedGrand Lodge of 4ngland adoting in $7$% their ritualisticforms.

n its religious sirit =nglo-1a2on Aasonry after $&%>undoubtedly retrograded towards biblical Ehristian

orthodo2y. 9* !his movement is attested by the
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Ehristiani/ationof the rituals and by the oularity of thewor+s of 0utchinson, 5reston, and 6liver with =nglo-

=merican Aasons. t is rincially due to theconservatism of 4nglish-sea+ing society in religious

matters, to the inOuence of ecclesiastical members and tothe institution of "lodge chalains" mentioned in 4nglishrecords since $&%%. 9% !he reform brought by thearticles of union between the two Grand Lodges of4ngland ($ ecember, $7$%) consisted above all in therestoration of the unsectarian character, in accordancewith which all allusions to a articular (Ehristian) religionmust be omitted in lodge roceedings. t was furtherdecreed "there shall be the most erfect unity of

obligation of disciline, or wor+ing . . . according to thegenuine landmar+s, laws and traditions . . . throughoutthe masonic world, from the day and date of the saidunion ($ ecember, $7$%) until time shall be no more".9 n ta+ing this action the Cnited Grand Lodgeoverrated its authority. ts decree was comlied with, to acertain e2tent, in the Cnited 1tates, where Aasonry, #rstintroduced about $&%>, followed in general the stages ofAasonic evolution in the mother country.

!he title of Aother-Grand Lodge of the Cnited 1tates wasthe obect of a long and ardent controversy between theGrand Lodges of 5ennsylvania and Aassachusetts. !herevailing oinion at resent is, that from timeimmemorial, i.e., rior to Grand Lodge warrants 9'there e2isted in 5hiladelhia a regular lodge with recordsdating from $&%$. 99 n $&%


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n France and Germany, at the beginning Aasonry wasractised according to the 4nglish ritual 9& but so-called "1cottish" Aasonry soon arose. 6nly nobles beingthen reuted admissible in good society as fully Duali#ed

members, the Aasonic gentlemenBs society wasinterreted as society of Gentilshommes, i.e., of noblemenor at least of men ennobled or +nighted by their veryadmission into the order, which according to the old4nglish ritual still in use, is "more honourable than theGolden Fleece, or the 1tar or Garter or any other 6rderunder the 1un". !he retended association of Aasonrywith the orders of the warli+e +nights and of the religiouswas far more accetable than the idea of develoment out

of stone-cuttersB guilds. 0ence an oration delivered by the1cottish Ehevalier Hamsay before the Grand Lodge ofFrance in $&%& and inserted by !ierce into his #rstFrench edition of the "


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be the acobite 5retender, Eharles 4dward, who himselfdeclared in $&&&, that he had never been a Aason. 98

=lmost all the lodges of Germany, =ustria, 0ungary,5oland, and Hussia were, in the second half of the

eighteenth century, involved in the struggle betweenthese two systems. n the lodges of France and othercountries &> the admission of women to lodge meetingsoccasioned a scandalous immorality. &$ !herevolutionary sirit manifested itself early in FrenchAasonry. =lready in $&9 in the boo+ "La Franc-AaQonnerie, McrasMe", an e2erienced e2-Aason, who,when a Aason, had visited many lodges in France and4ngland, and consulted high Aasons in o?icial osition,

described as the true Aasonic rogramme a rogrammewhich, according to


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degrees. !he same system is ractised by the GrandLodge of 1weden, 3orway, and enmar+. !hese twosystems still declare Aasonry a Ehristianinstitution andwith the Grand Lodge Hoyal Jor+ refuse to initiate ews.

Findel states that the rincial reason is to reventAasonry from being dominated by a eole whose strongracial attachments are incomatible with the unsectariancharacter of the institution. &'

!he rincial system in the Cnited 1tates (Eharleston,1outh Earolina) is the so-called =ncient and =cceted1cottish Hite, organi/ed in $7>$ on the basis of theFrench 1cottish Hite of erfection, which was established

by the Eouncil of the 4merors of the 4ast and est(5aris, $&'7). !his system, which was roagatedthroughout the world, may be considered as therevolutionary tye of the French !emlar Aasonry,#ghting for the natural rights of man against religiousand olitical desotisms, symboli/ed by the aal tiaraand a royal crown. t strives to e2ert a reonderantinOuence on the other Aasonic bodies, wherever it isestablished. !his inOuence is insured to it in the Grand6rient systems of Latin countries; it is felt even in 7) twenty-si2 universally recogni/ed 1uremeEouncils of the =ncient and =cceted 1cottish Hite@ C.1.of =merica@ 1outhern urisdiction (ashington),established in $7>$; 3orthern urisdiction (; Greece (=thens), $7&*; Guatemala(for Eentral =merican), $7&>; reland (ublin), $7*9; taly(Florence), $7'7; Ae2ico ($797); 5araguay (=suncion);5eru (Lima), $7%>; 5ortugal (Lisbon), $798; 1cotland(4dinburgh), $79; 1ain (Aadrid), $7$$; 1wit/erland(Lausanne), $7&%; Cruguay (Aontevideo); Kene/uela

(Earacas). 1ureme Eouncils not universally recogni/ed
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5ractically, it is true, the rescritions concerning theintellectual and moral endowments are not rigourouslyobeyed@

"3umbers are being admitted . . . whose sole obect is toma+e their membershi a means for advancing theirecuniary interest". &8

"!here are a goodly number again, who valueFreemasonry solely for the convivial meetings attached toit."

"=gain have heard men say oenly, that they had oinedto gain introduction to a certain class of individuals as atrading matter and that they were forced to do sobecause every one did so. !hen there is the great classwho oin it out of curiosity or erhas, because somebodyin a osition above them is a mason."

"3ear a+in to this is that class of individuals who wish forcongenial society". 7>

"n Aasonry they #nd the means of ready access to

society, which is denied to them by socialconventionalities. !hey have wealth but neither by birthnor education are they eligible for olite and #neintercourse."

"!he sho is never absent from their words and deeds."

"!he Aasonic body includes a large number of ublicans."7$

6f the Aasonic rule -- brotherly love, relief, and truth --certainly the two former, esecially as understood in thesense of mutual assistance in all the emergencies of life,is for most of the candidates the rincial reason for

oining. !his mutual assistance, esecially symboli/ed bythe #ve oints of fellowshi and the "grand hailing sign ofdistress" in the third degree, is one of the mostfundamental characteristics of Freemasonry.


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assist a Aaster Aason on every occasion according to hisability, and articularly when he ma+es the sign ofdistress. n uncan, "=merican Hitual" (**8), the Hoyal

=rch-Aason even swears@

will assist a comanion Hoyal =rch-Aason, when seehim engaged in any di?iculty and will esouse his causeso as to e2tricate him from the same whether he be rightor wrong.

t is a fact attested by e2erienced men of all countriesthat, wherever Aasonry is inOuential, non-Aasons have tosu?er in their interests from the systematical refermentwhich Aasons give each other in aointment to o?icesand emloyment. 4ven


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=nother characteristic of Aasonic law is that "treason"and "rebellion" against civil authority are declared onlyolitical crimes, which a?ect the good standing of a


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fraternity from annoyance by the civil authorities. =brother, then, guilty of rebellion cannot be e2elled fromthe lodge; on the contrary, his fellow Aasons arearticularly obliged to have ity on his misfortune when

he (in rison or before the courts) has to su?er from theconseDuences of his rebellion, and give him brotherlyassistance as far as they can. Freemasonry itself as abody is very eaceable and loyal, but it does notdisarove; on the contrary, it commends those brethrenwho through love of freedom and the national welfaresuccessfully lot against monarchs and other desoticrulers, while as an association of ublic utility it claimsrivilege and rotection through +ings, rinces, and other

high dignitaries for the success of its eaceful wor+."Loyalty to freedom", says "FreemasonBs Ehronicle" 78"overrides all other considerations". !he wisdom of thisregulation, remar+s Aac+ey 8> "will be aarent whenwe consider, that if treason or rebellion were masoniccrimes, almost every mason in the Cnited Eolonies, in$&&9, would have been subect to e2ulsion and everyLodge to a forfeiture of its warrant by the Grand Lodgesof 4ngland and 1cotland, under whose urisdiction they

were at the time".= misleading adage is "once a Aason always a Aason".!his is often ta+en to mean that "the Aasonic tie isindissoluble, that there is no absolution from itsconseDuences" 8$ or "6bligations" 8* that not evendeath can sever the connection of a Aason withFreemasonry. 8%


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=s to unity, Aasonic authorities unanimously a?irm thatFreemasonry throughout the world is one, and that allFreemasons form in reality but one lodge; that distinctlodges e2ist only for the sa+e of convenience, and that

conseDuently every regular Aason is entitled to bereceived in every regular lodge of the world as a brother,and, if in distress, to be relieved. !he good understandingamong Aasons of di?erent countries is furthered byersonal intercourse and by corresondence, eseciallybetween the grand secretary o?ices and internationalcongresses 89 which led to the establishment, in $8>%,of a ermanent international o?ice at 3euchTtel,1wit/erland. 8& !here is no general Grand Lodge or

direction of Freemasonry, though various attemts havebeen made in nearly every larger state or country toestablish one. ncessant dissensions between Aasonicsystems and bodies are characteristic of Freemasonry inall countries and times.


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Lodges of the Cnited 1tates only the Aasters (thirddegree) are counted, while in other countries thearentices and fellows are added. !here are besidesmany una?iliated Aasons (having ceased to be members

of a lodge) who are not included. !heir number may beestimated at two-thirds of that of the active Aasons. n4ngland a Aason may act as member of many lodges.Eon#rming our statement as to the active members of thestrictly Aasonic bodies, which in calendars and yearboo+s are registered as such, we may, uon recent andreliable sources 88 estimate the actual state ofFreemasonry as follows@ Grand 6rients, Grand Lodges,1ureme Eouncils, and other 1cottish G. ,&*7 members !nited States 0hite./ $*,8$9 lodges; $,*>%,$'8

members !nited States olored./ $,%>> lodges; *7,>>>

members Latin countries/*,'>> lodges; $*>,>>> members 1ther 2uro&ean countries/ &&$ lodges; 8>,&>>

members Africa/'% lodges; *,$'> members 3otal/**,8%& lodges; $,&9&,%77 members

VI. INNER WORK OF FREEMASONRY:

MASONIC SYMBOLISM AND OATHS

"From #rst to last", says 5i+e $>> "Aasonry is wor+".!he Aasonic "wor+", roerly so called, is the innersecret ritualistic wor+ by which Masons are made and

educated for the outer wor+, consisting in action for thewelfare of man+ind according to Aasonic rinciles.


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Aasons are made by the three ceremonies of initiation(#rst degree), assing (second degree), and raising (thirddegree). !he symbols dislayed in these ceremonies ande2lained according to the Aasonic rinciles and to the

verbal hints given in the rituals and lectures of the thirddegrees, are the manual of Aasonic instruction. !heeducation thus begun is comleted by the whole lodgelife, in which every Aason is advised to ta+e an activeart, attending the lodge meetings regularly, ro#ting,according to his ability, by the means which Aasonrya?ords him, to erfect himself in conformity with Aasonicideals, and contributing to the discussions of Aasonicthemes and to a good lodge government, which is

reresented as a model of the government of society atlarge. !he lodge is to be a tye of the world $>$ andAasons are intended to ta+e art in the regeneration ofthe human race. $>* "!he symbolism of Freemasonry",says 5i+e in a letter to Gould, * ecember, $777 $>% "isthe very soul of Aasonry." =nd

!he rincial advantages of this symbolism, which is noteculiar to Freemasonry but refers to the mysteries anddoctrines of all ages and of all factors of civili/ation, arethe following@ ($) =s it is adatable to all ossibleoinions, doctrines, and tastes, it attracts the candidateand fascinates the initiated. (*) t reserves theunsectarian unity of Freemasonry in site of rofounddi?erences in religion, race, national feeling, andindividual tendencies. (%) t sums u the theoretical andractical wisdom of all ages and nations in a universallyintelligible language. () t trains the Aason to considere2isting institutions, religious, olitical, and social, asassing hases of human evolution and to discover by hisown study the reforms to be reali/ed in behalf of Aasonicrogress, and the means to reali/e them. (') t teacheshim to see in revailing doctrines and dogmas merelysubective concetions or changing symbols of a deeeruniversal truth in the sense of Aasonic ideals. (9) tallows Freemasonry to conceal its real uroses from the

rofane and even from those among the initiated, who are


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unable to areciate those aims, as Aasonry intends."Aasonry", says 5i+e, "ealously conceals its secrets andintentionally leads conceited interreters astray". $>'"5art of the 1ymbols are dislayed . . . to the nitiated, but

he is intentionally misled by false interretations". $>9"!he initiated are few though many hear the !hyrsus".$>& "!he meaning of the 1ymbols is not unfolded atonce. e give you hints only in general. Jou must studyout the recondite and mysterious meaning for yourself".$>7 "t is for each individual Aason to discover thesecret of Aasonry by reOection on its symbols and a wiseconsideration of what is said and done in the wor+". $>8"!he universal cry throughout the Aasonic world", says

Aac+ey $$> "is for light; our lodges are henceforth tobe schools, our labour is to be study, our wages are to belearning; the tyes and symbols, the myths and allegoriesof the institution are only beginning to be investigatedwith reference to the ultimate meaning and Freemasonsnow thoroughly understand that often Duoted de#nition,that Aasonry is a science of morality veiled in allegoryand illustrated by symbols."

Aasonic symbols can be and are interreted in di?erentsenses.


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(4ah'eh) and the whole name is e2lained as male ormale-female rincile. $$& n the same sense accordingto the ancient interretation are e2lained the two illars From the olitical oint of

view 5i+e with many other =nglo-=merican 1cotchAasons interrets all Aasonic symbolism in the sense ofa systematic struggle against every +ind of olitical andreligious "desotism". 0iram, Ehrist, Aolay are regardedonly as reresentatives of "0umanity" the "=ostles ofLiberty, 4Duality, Fraternity". $*$ !he Eross (a doubleor Duadrule sDuare) is "no seci#c Ehristiansymbol", "toall of us it is an emblem of 3ature and of 4ternal life;whether of them only let each say for himself". $** !heEross U (Ehrist) was the 1ign of the Ereative isdom orLogos, the 1on of God. Aithraismsigned its soldiers onthe forehead with a cross, etc. $*% .3.H.., theinscrition on the Eross is, Aasonically read@ "gne3atura Henovatur ntegra". !he regeneration of nature bythe inOuence of the sun symboli/es the siritualregeneration of man+ind by the sacred #re (truth andlove) of Aasonry, as a urely naturalisticinstitution. $*"!he #rst assassin of 0iram is Ro%alt% as the commontye of tyranny", stri+ing "with its rule of iron at thethroat of 0iram and ma+ing freedom of seech treason."!he second assassin is the 5onti#cate (5aacy) "aiming

the sDuare of steel at the heart of the victim". $*' Ehrist
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dying on Ealvaryis for Aasonry "the greatest among theaostles of 0umanity, braving Homan desotism and thefanaticism and bigotry of the riesthood". $*9 Cnderthe symbol of the Eross, "the legions of freedom shall

march to victory". $*&!he adosh (thirtieth degree), tramling on the aaltiaraand the royal crown, is destined to wrea+ a ust

vengeance on these "high criminals" for the murder ofAolay$*7 and "as the aostle of truth and the rights ofman" $*8 to deliver man+ind "from the bondage ofesotism and the thraldom of siritual !yranny". $%>"n most rituals of this degree everything breathes

vengeance" against religious and olitical "esotism".$%$ !hus Aasonic symbols are said to be "radiant ofideas, which should enetrate the soul of every Aasonand be clearly reOected in his character and conduct, tillhe become a illar of strength to the fraternity". $%*"!here is no iota of Aasonic Hitual", adds the "Koice" ofEhicago, "which is void of signi#cance". $%% !heseinterretations, it is true, are not o?icially adoted in

=nglo-=merican craft rituals; but they aear in fullyauthori/ed, though not the only ones authori/ed even byits system and by the #rst two articles of the "6ldEharge" ($&*%), which contains the fundamental law ofFreemasonry. =s to the unsectarian character of Aasonryand its symbolism, 5i+e ustly remar+s@ "Aasonryroagates no creed, e2cet its own most simle andsublime one taught by 3ature and Heason. !here hasnever been a false Heligion on the world. !he ermanentone universal revelation is written in visible 3ature ande2lained by the Heason and is comleted by the wiseanalogies of faith. !here is but one true religion, onedogma, one legitimate belief". $% EonseDuently, also,the


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t should be noted, that the great maority of Aasons arefar from being "initiated" and "are groveling in 4gytiandar+ness". $%9 "!he Aasonry of the higher degrees",says 5i+e $%& "teaches the great truths of intellectual

science; but as to these, even as to the rudiments and#rst rinciles,


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the Cniverse, . . . do hereby and hereon solemnly andsincerely swear, that will always hide, conceal and neverreveal any art or arts, any oint or oints of the secretsor mysteries of or belonging to Free and =cceted

Aasons in Aasonry which may heretofore have been+nown by, shall now or may at any future time becommunicated to me" etc. "!hese several oints solemnly swear to observe under no less &enalt%, than tohave m% throat cut across, my tongue torn out by the rootand my body buried in the sands of the sea", "or the moree?icient unishment of being branded as a wilfullyerured individual, void of all moral worth". "1o hel meGod", etc. 1imilar oaths, but with severer enalties

attached, are ta+en in the advanced degrees. !herincile contents of the romises are according to 5i+e@eighteenth degree@ " obligate and ledge myself alwaysto sustain, that it belongs to Aasonry to teach the greatunsectarian truths, that do not e2clusively belong to anyreligion and ac+nowledge that have no right whatever toe2act from others the accetation of any articularinterretation of masonic symbols, that may attribute tothem by the virtue of my ersonal belief. obligate and

solemnly ledge myself to resect and sustain by allmeans and under any circumstances Liberty of 1eech,Liberty of !hought and Liberty of Eonscience in religiousand olitical matters". $% !hirtieth egree@ =. -- "solemnly and freely vow obedience to all the laws andregulations of the 6rder, whose belief will be my belief, romise obedience to all my regular sueriors. . . . ledge myself to be devoted, soul and body, to therotection of innocence, the vindication of right, thecrushing of oression and the unishment of everyinfraction against the law of 0umanity and of AanBsrights . . . never, either by interest or by fear, or even tosave my e2istence, to submit to nor su?er any materialdesotism, that may enslave or oress humanity by theusuration or abuse of ower. vow never to submit to ortolerate any intellectual esotism, that may retend tochain or fetter free thought, etc."


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attain them. solemnly vow and consecrate, to theseends, my words, my ower, my strength, my inOuence, myintelligence and my life. vow to consider myselfhenceforward and forever as the =ostle of !ruth and of

the rights of man." E. " vow myself to the utmost to bringdue unishment uon the oressors, the usurers andthe wic+ed; ledge myself never to harm a nightadosh, either by word or deed . . .; vow that if #ndhim as a foe in the battle#eld, will save his life, when hema+es me the 1ign of istress, and that will free himfrom rison and con#nement uon land or water, even tothe ris+ of my own life or my own liberty. ledge myselfto vindicate right and truth even by might and violence, if

necessary and duly ordered by my regular sueriors." ." ledge myself to obey without hesitation any orderwhatever it may be of my regular 1ueriors in the 6rder".$

VII. OUTER WORK OF FREEMASONRY:

ITS ACHIEVEMENTS, PURPOSES AND METHODS

!he outer wor+ of Freemasonry, though uniform inits fundamental character and its general lines, variesconsiderably in di?erent countries and di?erent Aasonicsymbols. "haritable"or "&hilanthro&ic" uroses arechieOy ursued by 4nglish, German, and =mericanAasonry, while ractically at least, they are neglected byAasons in the Latin countries, who are absorbed byolitical activity.


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understood, their aim is to gain symathy and therebyfurther their real uroses. n 3orth =merica, eseciallyin the Cnited 1tates, a characteristic feature of the outerwor+ is the tendency toward dislay in the construction of

sumtuous Aasonic "temles", in Aasonic rocessions, atthe laying of cornerstones and the dedication of ublicbuildings and even of Ehristianchurches. !his tendencyhas freDuently been rebu+ed by Aasonic writers. "!heAasonry of this continent has gone mad after highdegreeism and grand titleism. e tell the brethren, that ifthey do not ay more attention to the ure, simle,beautiful symbolism of the Lodge and less to the tinsel,furbelow, #re and feathers of 1cotch Hitism and

!emlarism, the Eraft will yet be sha+en to its veryfoundationsV" "Let the tocsin be sounded". $' "Aanymasons have assed through the ceremony without anyinsiration; but, in ublic arades of the Lodges (also in4ngland) they may generally be found in the front ran+and at the masonic banDuets they can neither be eDuallednor e2celled". $9


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Freemasonry was instrumental in forming the =mericanCnion ($&&9), claiming #fty-two $7 or even #fty-#ve$8 out of the #fty-si2 of the "signers of the eclarationof ndeendence as members of the 6rder". 6ther

Aasonic eriodicals, however, claim that only si2 of thesigners $'> and only nine of the residents of theCnited 1tates were Freemasons. $'$ n the FrenchHevolution($&78) and the later revolutionary movementsin France, taly, 1ain, 5ortugal, Eentral and 1outh

=merica, Aasonic bodies, it is claimed, too+ a more orless active art, as is stated by rominent reresentativesof the Grand Lodges in the several countries and in manycases by "rofane" imartial historians. $'* n Hussia

also Freemasonry #nally turned out to be a "oliticalconsiracy" of Aasonically organi/ed clubs that coveredthe land.

4ven with regard to the most recent !ur+ish Hevolution,it seems certain that the Joung !ur+ish arty, which madeand directed the Hevolution, was guided by Aasons, andthat Aasonry, esecially the Grand 6rients of taly andFrance, had a reonderant rWle in this Hevolution. $'%n conducting this wor+ Freemasonry roagatesrinciles which, logically develoed, as shown above,are essentially revolutionary and serve as a basis for all+inds of revolutionary movements. irecting Aasons to#nd out for themselves ractical reforms in conformitywith Aasonic ideals and to wor+ for their reali/ation, itfosters in its members and through them in society atlarge the sirit of innovation. =s an aarently harmlessand even bene#cent association, which in reality is,through its secrecy and ambiguous symbolism, subect tothe most di?erent inOuences, it furnishes in critical timesa shelter for consiracy, and, even when its lodgesthemselves are not transformed into consiracy clubs,Aasons are trained and encouraged to found newassociations for such uroses or to ma+e use of e2istingassociations. !hus, Freemasonry in the eighteenthcentury, as a owerful ally of in#delity, reared theFrench Hevolution. !he alliance of Freemasonry withhilosohy was ublicly sealed by the solemn initiation of

Koltaire, the chief of these hilosohers, & February,
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$&&7, and his recetion of the Aasonic garb from thefamous materialist


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Grand Lodges", in order to increase lodge activity in thesense of the "ultur+amf", declared, * Aay, $7&@ "t isa rofessional duty for the lodges to see to it, that thebrethren become fully conscious of the relations of

Freemasonry to the shere of ethical life and culturaluroses. Freemasons are obliged to ut into e?ect therinciles of Freemasonry in ractical life and to defendthe ethical foundations of human society, whensoeverthese are assailed. !he Federation of the German GrandLodges will rovide, that every year Duestions of actualitybe roosed to all lodges for discussion and uniformaction". $'' German Freemasons ut forth untiringe?orts to e2ert a decisive inOuence on the whole life of

the nation in +eeing with Aasonic rinciles, thusmaintaining a eretual silent "ultur+amf". !herincial means which they emloy are oular libraries,conferences, the a?iliation of +indred associations andinstitutions, the creation, where necessary, of newinstitutions, through which the Aasonic sirit ermeatesthe nation. $'9 = similar activity is dislayed by the

=ustrian Freemasons.

!he chief organi/ation which in France secured thesuccess of Freemasonry was the famous "League ofinstruction" founded in $79& by %, "that itis the sureme duty of Freemasonry to interfere each daymore and more in olitical and rofane struggles".

"1uccess (in the anti-clerical combat) is in a large


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measure due to Freemasonry; for it is its sirit, itsrogramme, its methods, that have triumhed." "f the

#lochas been established, this is owing to Freemasonryand to the disciline learned in the lodges. !he measures

we have now to urge are the searation of Ehurch and1tate and a law concerning instruction. Let us ut ourtrust in the word of our


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in France but throughout the world. !hus FrenchFreemasonry, as the standard-bearer of all Freemasonry,retends to inaugurate the golden era of the Aasonicuniversal reublic, comrising in Aasonic brotherhood all

men and all nations. "!he triumh of the Galilean", saidthe resident of the Grand 6rient, 1enator elech, on *>1etember, $8>*, "has lasted twenty centuries.


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the aacy, and dreams of the establishment of a new anduniversal reublican emire with a Aasonic Home,sulanting the aal and EPsarean as metroolis. !heGrand 6rient of taly has often declared that it is

enthusiastically followed in this struggle by theFreemasonry of the entire world and esecially by theAasonic centres at 5aris,


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universal social reublic, in which, after the overthrow ofevery +ind of siritual and olitical tyranny", of"theocratical" and dynastical owers and class rivileges,reigns the greatest ossible individual liberty and social

and economical eDuality conformably to French Aasonicideals, the real ultimate aims of this social wor+.

!he following are deemed the rincial means@ ($) !odestroy radically by oen ersecution of the Ehurch or bya hyocritical fraudulent system of searation between1tate and Ehurch, all social inOuence of the Ehurch andof religion, insidiously called "clericalism", and, as far asossible, to destroy the Ehurch and all true, i.e.,

suerhuman religion, which is more than a vague cult offatherland and of humanity; (*) !o laici/e, or seculari/e,by a li+ewise hyocritical fraudulent system of"unsectarianism", all ublic and rivate life and, aboveall, oular instruction and education. "Cnsectarianism"as understood by the Grand 6rient arty is anti-Eatholicand even anti-Ehristian, atheistic, ositivistic, or agnosticsectarianism in the garb of unsectarianism. Freedom ofthought and conscience of the children has to bedeveloed systematically in the child at school androtected, as far as ossible, against all disturbinginOuences, not only of the Ehurch and riests, but also ofthe childrenBs own arents, if necessary, even by means ofmoral and hysical comulsion. !he Grand 6rient artyconsiders it indisensable and an infallibly sure way tothe #nal establishment of the universal social reublicand of the retended world eace, as they fancy them,and of the glorious era of human solidarity and ofunsurassable human hainess in the reign of libertyand ustice. $9

!he e?orts to bring about a closer union with =nglo-=merican and German Freemasonry were maderincially by the 1ymbolical Grand Lodge of France andthe "nternational Aasonic =gency" at 3euchTtel(directed by the 1wiss 5ast Grand Aaster :uartier-La!ente), attached to the little Grand Lodge "=lina" of1wit/erland. !hese two Grand Lodges, as disguised

agents of the Grand 6rient of France, act as mediatorsbetween this and the Aasonic bodies of 4nglish-sea+ing


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and German countries. ith 4nglish and =merican GrandLodges their e?orts till now have had but little success.$9' 6nly the Grand Lodge of owa seems to haverecogni/ed the Grand Lodge of France. $99 !he 4nglish

Grand Lodge not only declined the o?ers, but, on *%1etember, $8>&, through its registrar even declared@"e feel, that we in 4ngland are better aart from sucheole. ndeed, Freemasonry is in such bad odour on theEontinent of 4uroe by reason of its being e2loited by1ocialists and =narchists, that we may have to brea+ o?relations with more of the Grand


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only result was a slit between the German Grand Lodgesby which their federation itself was momentarily sha+ento its foundation.


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moral and the mental standard of its members. =s astorehouse of morality it rains benign inOuence on themind and heart". $& "Aodern Freemasonry", accordingto other Aasons, "is a social and moral reformer". $&'

"3o one", says the "eystone" of Ehicago, "has estimatedor can estimate the far reaching character of theinOuence of Aasonry in the world. t by no means islimited the bodies of the Eraft. 4very initiate is a lightbearer, a center of light". $&9 "n Germany as in theCnited 1tates and Great


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e2ternal slendour which their membershi reOected onit.


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Freemasonry is synonomous, it "inOuences society, and,unerceived, sows the seed that brings forth fruit inwholesome laws and righteous enactments. t uholds theright, relieves the distressed, defends the wea+ and raises

the fallen (of course, all understood in the masonic senseabove e2lained). 1o, silently but surely and continually, itbuilds into the great fabric of human society". $7

!he real force of Freemasonry in its outer wor+ is indeed,that there are more Aasons and oftentimes betterDuali#ed for the erformance of Aasonic wor+, outsidethe brotherhood than within it. Freemasonry itself in4uroe and in =merica founds societies and institutions

of similar form and scoe for all classes of society andinfuses into them its sirit. !hus according to Gould $7'Freemasonry since about $&'> "has e2ercised aremar+able inOuence over all other oath-bound societies".!he same is stated by secret societies, wor+ing more or lessunder the veil of forms atterned on Aasonic symbolismand for the larger art notably inOuenced byFreemasonry, so that every third male adult in the Cnited1tates is a member of one or more of such secretsocieties. "Freemasonry", says the "Eycloedia", .v., "ofcourse, is shown to be the mother-Fraternity in fact aswell as in name." "Few who are well informed on thesubect, will deny that the masonic Fraternity is directlyor indirectly the arent organi/ation of all modern secretsocieties, good, bad and indi?erent". $79

Aany =nglo-=merican Freemasons are wont to roteststrongly against all charges accusing Freemasonry ofinterfering with olitical or religious a?airs or of hostilityto the Ehurch or disloyalty to the ublic authorities. !heyeven raise Freemasonry as "one of the strongestbulwar+s of religions" $7& "the handmaid of religion"$77 and the "handmaid of the church". $78 "!here isnothing in the nature of the 1ociety", says the "HoyalEraftsman", 3ew Jor+, "that necessitates the

renunciation of a single sentence of any creed, thediscontinuance of any religious customs or the
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obliteration of a dogma of belief. 3o one is as+ed to denythe


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which begins@ "!here is nothing in the Eatholic religionwhich is adverse to Aasonry", continues,

for the truth is, that masonry embodies that religion in

which all men agree. !his is as true as that all veritablereligion, wherever found, is in substance the same.3either is it in the ower of any man or body of men toma+e it otherwise. octrines and forms of observanceconformable to iety, imosed by siritual overseers, maybe as various as the courses of wind; and li+e the lattermay war with each other uon the face of the wholeearth, but they are not religion.


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suorters of reublican or constitutional governments".$8& "6ur rinciles are all reublican". $87 "Fidelityand Loyalty, and eace and order, and subordination tolawful authorities are household gods of Freemasonry"

$88 and 4nglish Freemasons declare, that, "the loyaltyof 4nglish Aasons is roverbial". *>> !heserotestations of 4nglish and =merican Freemasons ingeneral may be deemed sincere, as far as their owncountries and actual governments are concerned. 3oteven the revolutionary Grand 6rient of France thin+s ofoverthrowing the actual olitical order in France, whichis in entire conformity with its wishes. !he Duestion is,whether Freemasons resect a lawful Government in

their own and other countries, when it is not insired byAasonic rinciles. n this resect both 4nglish and=merican Freemasons, by their rinciles and conduct,rovo+e the condemnatory verdict of enlightened andimartial ublic oinion. e have already above hinted atthe whimsical =rticle of the "6ld Eharges", calculatedto encourage rebellion against Governments which arenot according to the wishes of Freemasonry. !he"FreemasonBs Ehronicle" but faithfully e2resses the

sentiments of =nglo-=merican Freemasonry, when itwrites@

f we were to assert that under no circumstances had aAason been found willing to ta+e arms against a badgovernment, we should only be declaring that, in tryingmoments, when duty, in the masonic sense, to statemeans antagonism to the Government, they had failed inthe highest and most sacred duty of a citi/en. Hebellion insome cases is a sacred duty, and none, but a bigot or afool, will say, that our countrymen were in the wrong,when they too+ arms against ing ames . Loyalty tofreedom in a case of this +ind overrides all otherconsiderations, and when to rebel means to be free or toerish, it would be idle to urge that a man mustremember obligations which were never intended to robhim of his status of a human being and a citi/en. *>$

1uch language would eDually suit every anarchistic

movement. !he utterances Duoted were made in defenceof lotting 1anish Aasons. 6nly a age further the same


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4nglish Aasonic maga/ine writes@ "=ssuredly talianAasonry, which has rendered such invaluable service inthe regeneration of that magni#cent country", "is worthyof the highest raise". *>* "= Freemason, moved by

lofty rinciles", says the "Koice" (Ehicago), "may rightlystri+e a blow at tyranny and may consort with others tobring about needed relief, in ways that are not ordinarily

usti#able. 0istory a?ords numerous instances of actswhich have been usti#ed by subseDuent events, and noneof us, whether Aasons or not, are inclined to condemnthe lots hatched between 5aul Hevere, r. . arren andothers, in the old Green ragon !avern, the headDuartersof Eolonial Freemasonry in 3ew 4ngland, because these

lots were insired by lofty urose and the result notonly usti#ed them, but crowned these heroes with glory".*>% "3o Freemason" said Hight Hev. 0.E. 5otter on thecentenary of the Grand Ehater of Hoyal =rch, 3ew Jor+,"may honourably bend the +nee to any foreign otentate(not even to ing 4dward K of 4ngland) civil orecclesiastical (the 5oe) or yield allegiance to any aliensovereignty, temoral or siritual". *> From thisutterance it is evident that according to 5otter no

Eatholic can be a Aason. n conformity with theserinciles =merican and 4nglish Freemasons suortedthe leaders of the revolutionary movement on the4uroean continent. ossuth, who "had been leader inthe rebellion against =ustrian tyranny", wasenthusiastically received by =merican Aasons, solemnlyinitiated into Freemasonry at Eincinnati, *$ =ril, $7'*,and resented with a generous gift as a roof "that on thealtar of 1t. ohnBs Lodge the #re of love burnt so brightly,as to Oash its light even into the dee recesses andmountain fastnesses of 0ungary". *>' Garibaldi, "thegreatest freemason of taly" *>9 and Aa//ini were alsoencouraged by =nglo-=merican Freemasons in theirrevolutionary enterrises. *>& "!he consistent Aason",says the "Koice" (Ehicago), "will never be found engagedin consiracies or lots for the urose of overturningand subverting a government, based uon the masonicrinciles of liberty and eDual rights". *>7 "


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the sword, we will advance the cause of human rogressand labour to enfranchise human thought, to givefreedom to the human conscience (above all from aalBusurationsB) and eDual rights to the eole everywhere.

herever a nation struggles to gain or regain itsfreedom, wherever the human mind asserts itsindeendence and the eole demand their inalienablerights, there shall go our warmest symathies". *>8

VIII. ACTION OF STATE AND CHURCH

AUTHORITIES

Euriously enough, the #rst sovereign to oin androtect Freemasonry was the Eatholic German 4merorFrancis , the founder of the actually reigning line of

=ustria, while the #rst measures against Freemasonrywere ta+en by 5rotestantGovernments@ 0olland, $&%';1weden and Geneva, $&%7; urich, $&>; in ',rightly declared, a Aasonic association, even thoughestablished in accordance with law, "would be a memberof a large (international) organi/ation (in reality ruled bythe B6ld EhargesB, etc. according to general Aasonicrinciles and aims), the true regulations of which wouldbe +et secret from the civil authorities, so that theactivity of the members could not be controlled". *$> t

is indeed to be resumed that =ustro-0ungarian Aasons,whatever statutes they might resent to the =ustrianGovernment in order to secure their authori/ation wouldin fact continue to regard the French Grand 6rient astheir true attern, and the


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according to a decision of the 1ureme Eourt of ** =ril,$78%, by an erroneous interretation of the organs ofadministration, remained in force till $78%. 1imilarly, in4ngland an =ct of 5arliament was assed on $* uly, $&87

for the "more e?ectual suression of societiesestablished for seditions and treasonable uroses andfor reventing treasonable and seditious ractices".


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Leo U, 4ncycl. "4tsX nos", $' February, $77*; Leo U, "=b =ostolici", $' 6ctober, $78>.

!hese onti#cal utterances from #rst to last are in

comlete accord, the latter reiterating the earlier withsuch develoments as were called for by the growth ofFreemasonry and other secret societies.

Element U accurately indicates the rincial reasonswhy Aasonic associations from the Eatholic, Ehristian,moral, olitical, and social oints of view, should becondemned. !hese reasons are@

!he eculiar, "unsectarian" (in truth, anti-Eatholicand anti-Ehristian) naturalistic character ofFreemasonry, by which theoretically and racticallyit undermines the Eatholic and Ehristian faith, #rstin its members and through them in the rest ofsociety, creating religious indi?erentism andcontemt for orthodo2y and ecclesiastical authority.

!he inscrutable secrecy and fallacious ever-changingdisguise of the Aasonic association and of its"wor+", by which "men of this sort brea+ as thieves

into the house and li+e fo2es endeavour to root uthe vineyard", "erverting the hearts of the simle",ruining their siritual and temoral welfare.

!he oathsof secrecy and of #delity to Aasonry andAasonic wor+, which cannot be usti#ed in theirscoe, their obect, or their form, and cannot,therefore, induce any obligation. !he oaths arecondemnable, because the scoe and obect ofAasonry are "wic+ed" and condemnable, and the

candidate in most cases is ignorant of the imort ore2tent of the obligation which he ta+es uon himself.Aoreover the ritualistic and doctrinal "secrets"which are the rincial obect of the obligation,according to the highest Aasonic authorities, areeither triOes or no longer e2ist. *$* n either casethe oath is a condemnable abuse. 4ven the Aasonicmodes of recognition, which are reresented as therincial and only essential "secret" of Aasonry, are

ublished in many rinted boo+s. 0ence the real"secrets" of Aasonry, if such there be, could only be
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09169a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09169a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14071b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04030a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03712a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10713a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03712a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07759a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11176a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09169a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09169a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14071b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04030a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03712a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10713a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03712a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07759a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11176a.htm


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olitical or anti-religious consiracies li+e the lotsof the Grand Lodges in Latin countries.


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most ernicious. "t is to be deemed certain", says theoe, "that these secret societiesare lin+ed together bythe bond of the same criminal uroses." Gregory UKsimilarly declares that the calamities of the age were due

rincially to the consiracy of secret societies, and li+eLeo U, delores the religious indi?erentism and thefalse ideas of tolerance roagated by secret societies.5ius U*$% characteri/es Freemasonry as an insidious,fraudulent and erverse organi/ation inurious both toreligion and to society; and condemns anew "this Aasonicand other similar societies, which di?ering only inaearance coalesce constantly and oenly or secretlylot against the Ehurch or lawful authority". Leo U

($77) says@ "!here are various sects, which althoughdi?ering in name, rite, form, and origin, are neverthelessso united by community of uroses and by similarity oftheir main rinciles as to be really one with the Aasonicsect, which is a +ind of centre, whence they all roceedand whither they all return." !he ultimate urose ofFreemasonry is "the overthrow of the whole religious,olitical, and social order based on Ehristianinstitutionsand the establishment of a new state of things according

to their own ideas and based in its rinciles and laws onure 3aturalism."

n view of these several reasons Eatholics since $&%7 are,under enalty of e2communication, incurred i&so facto,and reserved to the oe, strictly forbidden to enter orromote in any way Aasonic societies. !he law now inforce *$ ronounces e2communication uon "thosewho enter Aasonic or Earbonarianor other sects of thesame +ind, which, oenly or secretly, lot against theEhurch or lawful authority and those who in any wayfavour these sects or do not denounce their leaders andrincial members." Cnder this head mention must alsobe made of the "5ractical nstruction of the Eongregationof the nDuisition, & Aay, $77 *$' and of the decrees ofthe 5rovincial Eouncils of ; 3ew 6rleans,$7'9; :uebec, $7'$, $797; of the #rst Eouncil of the4nglish Eolonies, $7'; and articularly of the 5lenaryEouncils of


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decrees according to the eculiar condition of theresective ecclesiastical rovinces. !he !hird Eouncil of


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1t. =ugustine in his "e civitate ei", li+e the Aasonicoet Earducci in his "0ymn to 1atan", considers 1atan asthe sureme siritual chief of this hostile army. !hus LeoU($77) e2ressly states@

hat we say, must be understood of the Aasonic sect inthe universal accetation of the term, as it comrises all+indred and associated societies, but not of their singlemembers. !here may be ersons amongst these, and nota few, who, although not free from the guilt of havingentangled themselves in such associations, yet areneither themselves artners in their criminal acts noraware of the ultimate obect which these associations are

endeavouring to attain. 1imilarly some of the severalbodies of the association may erhas by no meansarove of certain e2treme conclusions, which they wouldconsistently accet as necessarily following from thegeneral rinciles common to all, were they not deterredby the vicious character of the conclusions.

"!he Aasonic federation is to be udged not so much bythe acts and things it has accomlished, as by the wholeof its rinciles and uroses."

FOOTNOTES.

$ !he FreemasonBs Ehronicle, $8>7, , *7%, freDuently referred to in this articleas Ehr.* Eoncise 0ist., $>8, $**.% Gould, "0ist.", , %&7, %&8, $>; , $'% sDD. =. :. E., K, %', $'' sD.; sDD.' =. :. E., U, $>-%>; U, $9&.9 =. :. E., U, $99-$97.& Korgeschichte, , $8>8, *-'7.7 =. :. E., U, *>-**.8 Gould, "Eoncise 0istory", $99 sD.$> 1ymbolism of Freemasonry, $798, %>%.$$ $8>>, , %*> sD.$* "!ransactions of the Lodge =rs :uatuor Eoronatorum", U (London, $787),9.$% 4ncycloedia, *89.$ Ehr., $78>, , $'.$' onnelly, "=tlantis the =ntediluvian orld".$9 6liver, , *>, sD.$& Ehr., $77>, , $7; , $%8; $77, , $%>; Gruber, ', $**-$*7.$7 1ee, for instance, "!he Koice" of Ehicago, Ehr., $77', , **9.$8 4nglish ritual, $8>7, almost identical with other 4nglish, rish, 1cottish, and

=merican rituals.*> 1ee Gould, "0ist.", , >7, &%, etc.*$ "0andbuch", %rd ed., , %*$; 8, , $


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sDD.** 0istory, , *, $*$.*% =. :. E., U, $*7.* 4ncycloedia, *89 sD.*' %, $&-%8.*9 Ehr., $7&7, , $7&, $8 sDD.

*& Aac+ey, "urisrudence", $&-%8; Ehr., $7&7, , $8 sDD.; $777, , $$).*7 Fischer, , $ sD.; Groddec+, $ sDD., 8$ sDD.; "0andbuch", %rd ed., , $'.*8 Grand Lodge As. 3o. $, Gould, "Eoncise 0istory", *%9; !hor, As. $9*8, =.:. E., U, *$>; Hawlinson As. $&*8-%8 =. :. E., U, **; 0ughan, "6ld Eharges".%> Groddec+; "0andbuch", %rd ed., , 99 sDD.%$ 6liver, "Hemains", , 89; %%*.%* Ehr., $7&9, , $$%.%% see also Ehr., $7&7, , $7>; $77, , %7; etc., Gould, "Eonc. 0ist.", *78 sD.% Le2icon, *.%' unstur+unden, $7$>, , '*'.%9 , $*& sD., $%& sD.%& Ealcott, "= Eandid isDuisition, etc.", $&98; 6liver, "Hemains", , %>$.%7 Gould, "0istory", , >>.

%8 Ealcott; 6liver, ibid., , %>$-%>%.> "1ign.", $8>, ' sD., '; Gruber ('), 8 sDD.; dem (), *% sD.$ Findel, "ie 1chule der 0ierarchie, etc.", $7&>, $' sDD.; 1chi?mann, "ie4ntstehung der Hittergrade", $77*, 7', 8*, 8' sD.* , , *%.& =cacia, $8>&, , 7.7 1ign., $8>&, $%% sD.8 1ign., $8>', '.'> Ehr., $7&7, , $%.'$ Aorals and ogma, 9% sDD.'* %rd ed., , *>>.'% 1ign., $8>', *&.' Hivista, $8>8, .'' Gould, "0istory", , *7 sD.'9 Eoncise 0istory, %>8.'& =. :. E., U, $*& sDD.; U, & sDD.; UK, *& sDD.'7 Gould, "Eonc. 0ist., *&*; %$>- $&.'8 bid., *7>.9> bid., %$7.9$ 0andbuch, %rd ed., , * sDD.; , ''8 sDD.9* Ehr., $8>9, , $8 sD.; $77, , %>9.

9% =. :. E., U, %.9 5reston, "llustrations", *89 seD.9' Ehr., $77&, , %$%.99 rummond., "Ehr.", $77, , **&; $77&, , $9%; , $&7; Gould, "Eoncise0istory", $%.9& 5richard, "Aasonry issected", $&%>.97 Gould, "Eoncise 0istory", *& sD., %'& sD.; >.&> =ba#, , $%*.&$ , $7% sDD., $8$.&* 1eeLLCA3=!, and %.&% Hobertson, "Ehr.", $8>&, , 8'; see also 4ngel, "Gesch. deslluminatenordens", $8>9.

& 7, %%& sDD.&' 1ign., $787, $>>; $8>$, 9% sDD.; $8>*, %8; $8>', 9.
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&9 , *8* sD.&& French 67n7rable; GermanMeister von Stuhl.&7 Ehr., $77', , *'8.&8 Ehr., $77$, , 99.7> Ehr., $77, , $89.7$ Ehr., $77', , *'8), etc., etc.

7* Gedan+en und 4rinnerungen, $787, , %>* sD.7% 1olstice, * une, $7$, 5rocRs-verb., 9*.7 %rd ed., , $>8.7' 1ee also Freemason, Lond., $8>$, $7$; Elavel, *77 sDD.; Hagon, "Eours",$9; 0erold, $8$, no. $>; "0andbuch", *nd ed., , '$ sDD.79 4.g., rause, ibid., *nd ed., , *, *8; Aarbach, "Freimaurer-GelYbde", **-%'.7& Aac+ey, "urisrudence", '>8.77 !hor, As., $9*8, =. :. E., U, *$>; Hawlinson, As. $8>>, =. :. E., U, **;0ughan, "6ld Eharges".78 Ehr., $7&', , 7$.8> urisrudence, '$>, note $.8$ Ehr., $77', , $9$.

8* Ehr., $778, , '7.8% Ehr., $77%, , %%$.8 Aac+ey, "urisrudence", *%* sD.8' Aac+ey, o. cit., '$ sDD.89 5aris, $778; =ntwer, $78; 0ague, $789; 5aris, $8>>; Geneva, $8>*;; Home, intended for 6ct., $8$$.8& Ehr., $8>&, , $$8.87 6?. '.$>9 ($), 7$8.$>& ($), %''.$>7 (%), $*7.$>8 ($), *$7.$$> nner 1anctuary , %$$.$$$ 6liver, 0ist. Landmar+s, , $*7.$$* 6liver, ibid., , $9, 9'; , & sD.$$% Elavel, Hagnon, etc.

$$ 5i+e, Aac+ey, etc.$$' 5i+e ($), &&$ sD.$$9 (), %8&.$$& 5i+e ($), 987 sD., &'$, 78; (), K, %* sD.; Aac+ey, "1ymbolism", $$* sDD.,$79 sDD.; see also 5reuss, "=merican Freemasonry", $&' sDD.$$7 Aac+ey, "ictionary", s. v.8hallus; 6liver, "1igns", *>9-$&; K. Longo, LaAass. 1ecul.$$8 Hitual, (#rst) degree.$*> 5i+e (%), $*7.$*$ 5i+e (), $$.$** 5i+e, ibid., $>> sD.$*% ($), *8$ sD.$* 5i+e (), , 7$; ($), *8$; Hagon, l. c., &9-79.

$*' (), , *77 sD.$*9 bid., , $* sD.


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$*& bid., , $9.$*7 bid., K, & sD.$*8 bid., K, &7.$%> bid., K, &9.$%$ bid., K, '&.$%* "Aasonic =dvocate" of ndianaolis, Ehr., $8>>, , *89.

$%% Ehr., $78&, , 7%.$% (), , *&$.$%' bid., , *7>; ($), '$9 sD.$%9 Ehr., $7&7, , *7.$%& (), , %$$.$%7 bid., K, %77 sD.$%8 bid, K, %78 sD.$> ($), 78.$$ 6liver, "!heocratic 5hilosohy", %''.$* 6liver, 0ist. Landmar+s, , $$, *$; "FreemasonsB :uarterly Hev.", , %$;Easanova in Hagon, "Hit. %rd egree", %'.$% 5i+e (), , 97.$ bid., K, &>, &8, 77, '*>.

$' Ehr., $77>, , $&8.$9 bid., $78*, , *9. For similar criticism see Ehr., $77>, , $8'; $7&', ,%8.$& Gould, "Eoncise 0istory" $8.$7 Ehr., $78%, , $&.$8 Ehr., $8>9, , *>*.$'> "3ew =ge", Aay, $8$>, 9.$'$ "=cacia", , >8.$'* 1ee EongrMs ntern. of 5aris, $778, in "Eomte rendu du Grand 6rient deFrance", $778; > sD.$'8 Eomterendu Gr. 6r., $8>%, 3ourrisson, "Les acobins", *99-*&$.$9> Eomte-rendu, $8>*, $'%.$9$ Eomte-rendu Gr. 6r. de France, $8>*, %7$.$9* "Hiv.", $78*, *$8; Gruber, "Aa//ini", *$' sDD. and &assim.$9% Eircular of the Grand 6rient of France, * =ril, $778.

$9 1ee "EhaZne dBCnion," $778, $%, *$* sDD., *7 sDD., *8$ sDD.; the o?icialcomtes rendus of the nternational Aasonic Eongress of 5aris, $9-$& uly, $778,and %$ =ugust, $ and * 1etember, $8>>, ublished by the Grand 6rient ofFrance, and the regular o?icial "Eomtes rendus des travau2" of this Grand6rient, $789-$8$>, and the "Hivista massonica", $77>-$8$>.$9' 1ee nternat. 7, $$8, $*&, $%%, $8, $'9; $8>8, $79.$99 Ehr. $8>', , '7, $>7, *%'.$9& From a letter of the Hegistrator . 1trahan, in London, to the Grand Lodgeof Aassachusetts; see "!he 3ew =ge", 3ew Jor+, $8>8, , $&&.$97 Aay, $8>7; 8 une, $* 3ovember, $8>8; ', $8 February, $8$>.$98 8.$&> Eircular of $ 6ctober, $8>8; "Franc-AaQ. dMm.", $8>9, *%> sDD.; $8>&, *,$&9; $8>8, %$>, %%& sDD.; $8$>, an "nternational Aasonic


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$&* 6?icial 9, , $%*.$& Ehr., $78&, , $7.$&' Ehr., $777, , 88.$&9 Ehr., $778, , $9.$&& "eystone", Duoted in Ehr., $77&, , %''.

$&7 1ee -9%.$&8 Gruber (9), $$-*%9.$7> >, , &$.$7* Ehr., $778, , %>7.$7% Ehr., $78&, , %>%.$7 Ehr. $778, , *'& sD.$7' Eoncise 0istory, *.$79 bid., . 2v.$7& Ehr., $77&, , %>.$77 Ehr., $77&, , $$8.$78 Ehr., $77', , %''.$8> Ehr., $77&, , 8.

$8$ Ehr., $7&', , $$%.$8* Ehr., $78>, , $>$.$8% Ehr., $7&', , $$%.$8 Ehr., $77&, , %'.$8' Ehr. $77, , $&.$89 Ehr., $78>, , %&@ see also $787, , 7%.$8& "Koice" Duoted in Ehr., $78>, , 87.$87 "Koice" in Ehr., $78%, , $%>.$88 "Koice" in Ehr., $78>, , 87.*>> Ehr., $788, , %>$.*>$ Ehr., $7&', , 7$.*>* Ehr., $7&', , 7*.*>% Ehr., $778, , $&7.*> Ehr., $778, , 8.*>' "eystone" of 5hiladelhia Duoted by Ehr., $77$, , $; the "Koice" ofEhicago, ibid., *&&.*>9 "ntern.


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its three editions, Duite di?erent from each other, but all of them containingvaluable and accurate information, is considered even by 4nglish and =mericanmasonic criticism (=. :. E., U, $787, 9) as far and away the best masonicencycloedia ever ublished.

ey to numbers@ n the article above, an =rabic number after the name of an

author of several wor+s indicates the wor+ mar+ed with the same number in thefollowing bibliograhy. 6ther numbers are to be udged according to the generalrules maintained throughout the 43EJEL654=.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.3he Freemason9s hronicle(Ehr.), of which two volumes havebeen ublished every year in London since $7&', reroducing on a large scalealso the rincile articles ublished by the best =merican Aasonic ournals,o?ers the best and most authori/ed general survey of =nglo-=mericanFreemasonry. H. FH. G6CL styles it@ "= #rst class Aasonic newsaer" (hr.,$78%, , %%8). !he rincile Aasonic author Duoted by us is the late =L; 4A, (*)Le*icon of Freemasonr%(London, $77); 6LK4H,:ict= of S%mbolic Freemasonr%(London, $7'%); A=E434, 3he Ro%al Masonic %cl= ($7&'-&); 66F6H,5enning9s %cl=($7&7); L4333G,2nc%cl= der Freimaurerei($7**- $7*7); 4A=3 04334 =A H0J3,Allgemeines ;andbuch der Fr=, *nd ed. ($79%-&8);F1E04H,Allg= ;andb= d= Fr=, %rd ed. ($8>>); these editions contain valuableinformation and answer scienti#c reDuirements far more than all the otherAasonic cycloedias (=. :. E., U, 9); 1!4K431, %clo&edia of Fraternities(3ew Jor+, $8>&).

Aasonic Law and urisrudence@ 3he onstitutions of the Freemasons, $&*%,$&%7;"eues onstitutionen #uch, etc. ($&$); 4 L= !4HE4,;istoire$1bligations$ et= Statuts, etc. (Fran+fort, $&*); 6LK4H,Masonic >uris&rudence


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($7'8, $7&); E0=14,:igest of Masonic La'($799); A=E4J, 3e*t #ook ofMason= >uris&rudence($778); K=3 GH64E, etc., 6ersuch einer :arstellungdes &ositiven innern Freimaurer= Rechts($7&&), the best general survey ofAasonic laws of all countries.

0istorical@ =34H163,;ist= of Freemasonr%in the #rst edition and translations

of the#ook of onstitutions(most unreliable, even after $&$&); 5H41!63,,llustrations of Masonr%($&&*), ed. 6LK4H ($7'9), though not reliable in somehistorical articulars, contains much valuable information of historical andritualistic character; F6H!,2arl% ;ist= and Anti(uities of Freemasonr%(5hiladelhia, $7&'); H6); 06LL=3,Freemasonr% from the Great 8%ramidhistoricall% illustrated($77'); E0=5A=3, 3he Great 8%ramid$ etc=($779);4114, 3he 1belisk and Freemasonr%$ according to the discoveries of #elzoniand Gorringe(3ew Jor+, $77>); =!1E0,:ie 2ntstehung und 'ahre 2ndz'eckder Freimaurerei($78&); F34L,;istor% of Freemasonr%($79$-*; $8>'),translated and revised by LJ63, $798; inOuential in sreading more accuratehistorical notions among Aasons; G6CL,;ist= of Freemasonr%(% vols., $77%-$77&), now reuted the best historical wor+ on Freemasonry; E04!64EH=L4J, ?mentaria ;ibernica($78'-$8>>); 0CG0=3, 1rigin of the 2nglishRite of Freemasonr%($77); 3he 1ld harges of #ritish Freemasons(London,$7&*; $78'); L611, Gesch= der Fr= in 2ngl=$ ,rland und Schottland@BC-@DBE($7&); ,$7'&); 54, ($)Morals and :ogma of the A= A= Scot= Rite of Freemasonr% C($77*); 4A, (*) 3he #ook of the 0ords CB($7&7); 4A, (%) 3he 8orch andthe Middle hamber.#ook of the Lodge C($7&*); 4A, () 3he ,nnerSanctuar%($7&>-&8); H=C14,:ie drei Hltesten 5unsturkunden der Frmrei($7$>), still much esteemed, in site of historical errors, as a criticalareciation of Freemasonry; F34L (best German authority), Geist und Formder Fr=($7&, $787); 4A,:ie GrundsItze der Fr= im 6olkerleben($78*);4A,:ie moderne 0eltanschauung und die Fr=($77'); 4A,:er frmischeGedanke($787);#auh').

=nti-masonic ublications@ From $&*%-$&%, 4nglish Freemasonry and=34H163,;istor%, were derided in many ublications (G6CL, *, *8, %*&);against French Freemasonry aeared@L91rdre des Freemasons trahi @DB(=.:. E., U, 7') andLe Secret des Mo&ses r7v7l7($&'); Sceau rom&tu ($&'); onthe occasion of the French Hevolution@ L4FH=3E,Le voile lev7($&8*). n theCnited 1tates the anti-Aasonic movement began $&7%@ EH4G0,Masonr% andAntimasonr%($7'); 1!634,Letters on Masonr% and Antimasonr%($7%*);5433,:o'nfall of Masonr%($7%7) atalogue of anti-Masonic books($); 43GA=,La setta verde($8>9-&);
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GHC$), traces the revolutionarywor+ of talian Aasonry from $7&> till $8>>; G=C!H4L4!,La Franc-maonnerieet la R7volution($7&*); =34!,Les soci7t7s secrtes et la soci7t7%rd ed., $77>-7%), best general survey of the revolutionary wor+ of secret societies in allcountries; >); 4A,Les >acobins au &ouvoir($8>); '); 34C!,La F=-m= soumise au grand jour de la &ublicit7($799), contains valuable documents on French, 9), documents on the most recent oliticalactivity of -&$);

masonry (catholic cyclopaedia)

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