History of Freemasonry
The history of Freemasonry can be traced back through the ages, its history is believed to have started with the Ancient stonemasons, some say that even as far back as ancient Egytian times.
An example of the skill of the Eygptian stonemasons, can be seen in the image of one of the great Pyramids shown here. It is a testament to the vision and skill of these men in ancient times that this building has lasted to the present day.
Stonemasons in medieval times served an apprenticeship, they worked with the rough stone from the quarries. Once the rough stone had been hewn, it was passed over to the more expert workman, someone with more experience who had finished their apprenticeship and then finally on to the Master stonemason who after years of experience could work the stone to create the beautiful buildings of the time.
Many of the Cathedrals that survive to this day, were worked on by these stonemasons and the traditional crafts are still around, to repair and replace those stones which have been ravaged over time.
The Master stonemason was in demand, as in every part of the country the building of ever larger and more beautiful buildings was required.
As education was poor in those times, there was no school as such and people did not learn to read and write, the Master stonemason needed to be recognised, they therefore used unique marks on these buildings, that could be recognised by each other and identified the work carried out by that person. They also developed signs by which they could be known to each other as they travelled around the country, plying their trade, there were no photographs then, to recognise each other, they relied on the signs and the marks on their work so they could be easily identified.
Freemason societies have existed much longer than many people know. The most popular theory is that Freemasonry emerged out of the stonemasonry guilds of the Middle ages. Working stonemasons had lodges where they discussed their trade, but, with the decline of cathedral building, some lodges began to accept honorary members. Some of these operative lodges thus became “speculative” lodges, giving rise to symbolic Freemasonry.
Much of the symbolism that is traditional in todays modern Freemasonry, can be found in the history of these guilds from those times, the wearing of regalia can also be found from the clothing worn by historical stonemasons to protect themselves.
The origins of ‘Modern’ Freemasonry are not known definitively. National organized Freemasonry began in 1717 with the founding of the United Grand Lodge of England, an association of Masonic lodges in England. This brought together 2 seperate Masonic organisations, the Ancient and the Moderns and so begun what is termed to be ‘Modern Freemasonry’
However, Freemason societies have existed for much longer. The most popular theory is that Freemasonry emerged out of the stonemasonry guilds of the Middle ages. Working stonemasons had lodges where they discussed their trade, but, with the decline of cathedral building, some lodges began to accept honorary members. Some of these operative lodges thus became “speculative” lodges, giving rise to symbolic Freemasonry.
In the 17th and 18th centuries these lodges adopted the trappings of ancient religious orders and chivalric brotherhoods. Freemasons themselves, over the centuries, have developed a mythologized history for their society, tracing their lineage back to King Solomon.
Prior to the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England, the Guilds of Master Craftsmen, having banded together were very insular, they had their marks and signs of recognition and as they kept themselves to themselves, they began to be feared, perhaps as conspirators.
The dictionary meaning of ‘conspirator’ is, “a person who is involved in a secret plan to do something harmful or illegal, a person who is involved in a conspiracy”. Because of this irrational fear the members of some of these guilds began to feel persecution and tended to meet more in secret.
Throughout the history of Freemasonry, persecution has been there, in fact during the second world war, many German Freemasons were confined to concentration camps and were executed just because they were a Freemason, they were also executed because a great many of them were helping to hide and look after Jewish people who were in danger of being deported to the camps.
In 1934, soon after Hitler’s rise to power, it became evident that Freemasonry was in grave danger. Realising this danger, Freemasons went under cover and adopted the little blue flower, the forget-me-not to replace the Square and Compasses as the symbol where Freemasons could recognise and identify each other, in public as well as in the concentration camps of Europe. In 1948 when the Lodges re-opened following World War 2, this became the official emblem in honour of the valiant Freemasons who carried on their Masonic work under extremely hazardous and adverse conditions.
Many Freemasons today wear this pin in honour of those Freemasons of the past.
There are still those today who hold prejudices against people who become Freemasons and in a way are persecuting them, the Catholic Church for example.
The Catholic Church first prohibited Catholics from membership in Masonic organizations and other secret societies in 1738. Since then, at least eleven popes have made pronouncements about the incompatibility of Catholic doctrines and Freemasonry. From 1738 until 1983, Catholics who publicly associated with, or publicly supported, Masonic organizations were censured with automatic excommunication. Since 1983, the prohibition on membership exists in a different form. Although there was some confusion about membership following the 1962-1965 Second Vatican Council, the Church continues to prohibit membership in Freemasonry because it believes that Masonic principles and rituals are irreconcilable with Catholic doctrines. The current norm, the 1983 Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s Declaration on Masonic associations, states that “faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion” and membership in Masonic associations is prohibited.
Although the Roman Catholic opposition to freemasonry is common knowledge, it should be known also that there were originally a great many Roman Catholic freemasons in all the countries where freemasonry flourished, among them being priests and high dignitaries of the Church.
The Roman Catholic objections to freemasonry are not difficult to understand, even though we, as freemasons, do not acknowledge their soundness. A pamphlet, Freemasonry (revised edition, 1935), published by the Catholic Truth Society, after describing Anglo-Saxon freemasons as “inoffensive and well-meaning people” and admitting that freemasonry is “beneficial to the country, or at any rate quite harmless,” then makes quite clear that the solemn oath of secrecy is one of the “two main grounds of objection,”
The other and apparently more serious one being that freemasonry ” tends to undermine belief in Catholic Christianity by substituting for it what is practically a rival religion based on deistic or naturalistic principles.” In reply it should be said that freemasonry is not claimed to be a religion. It is a system of morality, of philosophy. A candidate for its privileges is entitled to hold what religious principles and beliefs he pleases; the Craft will not belittle them and will respect their holder as long as he brings into freemasonry just one all-essential part of his code-a belief in the “Glorious Architect of heaven and earth.” Freemasonry calls upon its members to practise the sacred duties of morality, and offers itself, as the Ancient Charges tell us, as “the centre of union between good men and true, and the happy means of conciliating friendship amongst those who must otherwise have remained at a perpetual distance.”
In answer to the Catholic Church’s concerns, we may well give extracts from (but cannot reproduce entire) The Aims and Relations of the Craft, first issued by the English Grand Lodge in 1938 and since fully subscribed to by the Grand Lodges of Ireland and Scotland: The first condition of admission into, and membership of, the Order is a belief in the Supreme Being; The Bible, the Volume of the Sacred Law, is always open in the Lodges. Every Candidate is required to take his Obligation on that book or on the Volume that is held by his particular creed to impart sanctity to an oath or promise taken upon it; While the individual freemason has the right to hold his own opinion with regard to public affairs, neither in any lodge nor in his capacity as a freemason, may he discuss or advance his views on theological or political questions;
The Grand Lodge has always consistently refused to express any opinion on questions of foreign or domestic State policy either at home or abroad, and it will not allow its name to be associated with any action, however humanitarian it may appear to be, which infringes this policy; The Grand Lodge refuses to have any relations with, or to regard as freemasons, any Bodies, styling themselves Freemasons, which do not adhere to these principles. In 1929 the Grand Lodge of England issued Basic principles for Grand Lodge Recognition; this foreshadowed the greater part of the above declaration and laid down that any Grand Lodge asking to be recognized by the English jurisdiction shall strictly observe the principles of the Ancient Landmarks, customs, and usages of the Craft; its membership and that of its individual Lodges shall be composed exclusively of men; there shall be no masonic intercourse with mixed Lodges or with bodies that admit women to membership; the three Great Lights of Freemasonry (the V.S.L., the Square, and the Compasses) shall always be exhibited when it or its subordinate Lodges are at work.
In today’s Freemasonry, the persecution and predujudices it has suffered from in the past are slowly being overcome. Freemasonry is no longer a secret, it is opening its doors as it becomes a modern organisation, and its members are encouraged to engage and talk with others about it openly and freely. It should be realised that Freemasonry is not a “secret society” it is a society with secrets. The aims and relations of the Craft are clearly spelt out above, the fact that it is not a religious or political organisation has been clearly spelled out to all who will listen. The image to the right is what Freemasonry is all about, to “Make Good Men Better” and to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves be they Freemasons or not, is a great ethos to have and an excellent code to live by.
This is a brief history of the Origins of Freemasonry and is not exhaustive, there is a lot more that could be researched, if you wished to do so, it is intended to inform, educate and to make good men think of the possibilities of what becoming a Freemason can be and what it is like to be a potential member.
If you would like to know more of the history of the United Grand Lodge of England and or the Province of East Kent, please go to the ‘History’ menu and visit the appropriate pages or alternatively, please click on the buttons below.
The views expressed on this page are not necessarily those of the United Grand Lodge of England, the Province of East Kent or the Septem Lodge, they are the views of the Author and are his own personal views based on his knowledge and research of the subject.
Interested in Joining? Click on this button to complete an enquiry form
Contact Lodge Secretary? Click on this button to contact