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MASONRY'S MYSTERY: THE ORIGIN OF RITUAL
The Origin of the Ritual
Further suggested reading: THE SHORT TALK Bulletin Vol. XLVI January 1968
Published Monthly in Two Parts by THE MASONIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION
OF THE UNITED STATES- Washington D.C. 20001
Distributed Freely through AMERICA ON-LINE May 1st, 1995
Torence Evans Ake P.M.
Arcadia Masonic Lodge #1138 A.F. & A.M.
Lansing, Illinois
Screen Name: Yagayagaya@aol.com (Please
let him know what you think of this work)
Prior to 1850, much speculation and elaboration of the origins of Masonic ritual
prevailed. Speculative Masonry was very much in its apprentice stage both with
its appearance and in fact. Its rituals were being refined and much guesswork as
to its history rendered the information passed to its entered apprentices as
fanciful as it was inspirational. Our Masonic forefathers told elaborate stories
about the origin of the Craft, sometimes well intentioned, often "tongue in
cheek" It is no wonder that today so many of the organization's detractors
allow ignorance to cloud their view of this venerable institution. Today,
Masonic scholars work hard to solve the Craft's greatest mystery, the origin of
its ritual.
As any student of the sciences knows, all initial theories have as their basis,
speculation. Historical interpretations, in particular, will have facts to
support its perspectives. However, any study will assume certain precedents
which go back beyond the known facts.
"Masonry was established by King Solomon with the help of Hiram, King of
Tyre."
"Masonry began with Noah and his sons."
"Adam was the first Grand Master because he was the first man to wear an
apron."
This is the kind of Masonic history which prevailed before historians debunked
the tall tales and sought the reality of Masonry in incontrovertible written
documents. Masonry undoubtedly existed in our deeper past, with the cathedral
builders who worked on the great churches of Europe between 1200 and 1500 A.D.
These guilds became organized lodges complete with ceremonies and later
developed into Speculative Masonry first established as a Grand Lodge of Masons
in London, England on June 24, 1717.
About one hundred old manuscripts located in various places are known as the
"Gothic Constitutions" or "Old Charges" They exist as the
earliest written proof of modern Masonry. The most prized is the "Regius
Manuscript" which takes its name from the fact that King George II
presented it to the British Museum in 1757. Composed circa 1390 A.D., written in
verse, it is the oldest preserved Masonic writing. The" Cooke
Manuscript", circa 1400-1410 A.D. was also written for Masons and contains
evidence of having been copied from earlier works.
The Cooke Manuscript begins with the Masonic practice of invoking the blessing
of Deity and ends with the familiar "Amen, so mote it be." It contains
a legendary history of the craft and the guild's regulations or charges. These
Ancient Charges form the basis of our present day rituals and include the
following
directions.
The initiate was instructed to take his oath while his hand was "under the
holy booke" or "upon the booke." It was his duty to "keep
the counsel of his fellows truly", "not to commit adultery with a
fellow's wife, daughter or servant", "not to supplant a master or
fellow in any of their work." He was not to take an apprentice unless he be
"freeborn, come of good kindred, and whole of limb" and to
"slander no Mason behind his back." He was to "come to Assembly
if it is within fifty miles if he have warning." These Charges were to be
read at each assembly of Masons and were often accompanied by lectures on the
history of the craft or some appropriate Masonic subject. Later, these
requirements were adopted in
every well governed Lodge and much of what goes on in Masonic Lodges today stems
from the manner in which these requirements were observed from that time.
The signs and words used to identify one Freemason to another were kept strictly
secret and unwritten, while the charges were considered public and unrestricted.
They were often repeated from memory to accommodate the layman who was more
commonly illiterate. This was a time when reading and writing was considered to
be the exclusive privilege of the wealthy and powerful. Pomposity and decadence
was supported by maintaining the working class in a state of darkness.
Freemasons challenged the established practices by sharing information amongst
themselves without regard to birthright or politics. We often see the same
forces at work today from those who deny others the use of their freewill to
seek the opportun-
ities that Masonic education has to offer. Open discussion of the events that
Masons share serves to overcome these suspicions.
Though modern Masons consider the ritual to be unchangeable, this was not true
in 1717. The original services were brief and simple consisting of the
administering of the oath of secrecy regarding the words and the giving of the
charges which, as previously stated were public. No standard existed and each
individual lodge with their independent Master would perform the ceremonies
according to their individual tastes and preferences. As one gifted Master or
Masonic lecturer would frame a passage of appealing beauty, it would become
accepted and passed along by word of mouth to other lodges. It was a slow
evolution and it was decades before any standardization or uniformization was
considered and sought after. Today there are eight variant rituals in England
that are utilized and accepted as "regular." In the United States
there are as many versions as there are States. Interested Masons should
petition their individual Boards of Masonic Education to obtain a written record
of the development of the rituals in their individual jurisdictions. It is
remarkable to discover the influence that dedicated Masons have had in the
establishment of the Craft historically throughout the country.
During the 1600's, Scottish Freemasons evolved a series of ceremonies whose
central theme was the adoption of the Grand Masonic Word. As trade secrets
were important to the craft, it was important that no "cowans" receive
them. The secrets were communicated on the "five points of
fellowship," which
modern Masons now recognize as "ph't t ph't,n t n, and to n, and er t er."
There was a central ceremony which has now been developed modernly as the
Fellowcrafts degree.
The Grand Masonic Word itself antedated 1598. There is much superstition and
speculation which surrounds it as the fearful fail to understand a word
"too sacred to pronounce." It was revealed to the initiate following
an examination or "catechism" so that each Mason might know that each
were duly vested with the secret. Even today, admittance to a Lodge of Masons is
predicated upon a member's examination, in lieu of another Mason's vouch.
Knowledge of any single element of the ceremonies will not gain him admission.
Hence the response to an inquiry which dates from this period, "by certain
signs, tokens, and other points of entrie."
From the Edinburgh Register House Manuscript we have "The first is to heill
and conceal; second, under no less pain which is then.......for you must make
the sign when you say that." The five points of fellowship is further
demonstrated ending with a primitive version of the penalty of our modern first
degree obligation. Early Scottish operative societies had two ceremonies. One
for "prentices" and the other for "fellows of the craft."
There were, however no uniform lectures though certain traditions grew up around
"the word." Two prominent speculative Freemasons, Dr. James Anderson,
a Scotch Presbyterian
Minister, and Dr. John Theophilus Desaguliers, and Episcopal Clergyman,
contributed much to the organization of the earliest Grand Lodge of 1717. They
were directly responsible for removing the prerequisite for a Christian belief
in Freemasonry thereby opening the beauties of the Craft to all men, freeborn,
of good character. Thus was established the noblest of Masonic tenets, the
universality of mankind, and the Brotherhood of men. In 1723, Dr. Anderson
published his "Constitutions of Freemasonry" from which he drew
inspiration from both The Regius and Cooke Manuscripts and thereby established
the code of Masonic Law which governs lodges today.
During this period, speculative Freemasonry was being exported to both to Europe
and America. In France it proliferated into scores of degrees, while back in
England, according to modern Masonic scholars, two degrees were being practiced.
There was yet to be developed a Master's degree. The initial degree of
"Prentice" contained the primitive version of our current lecture
regarding Geometry. It later became divided into two degrees of admission and
passing and assumed the significance that we assign it today.
The addition of the Master's degree, initially bestowed upon those called to
preside, came from the introduction of the Hiramic Legend. Most likely, this
story was first developed as a miracle play. Religious drama and folklore were
popular entertainment's in Medieval times and we know that this story
developed over several centuries. The story of Hiram, King of Tyre was most
likely referred to in lodges for a half a century before 1717. In 1723, Dr.
Anderson makes no mention of it in the Ancient Charges, but in a revised edition
in 1738 he refers to this figure "whom they decently interr'd in the Lodge
near the Temple, according to ancient usage."
In 1730, Samual Prichard published an expose' entitled "Masonry
Dissected." As with every published intrusion into the privacy of the
lodges much of what is quoted is balderdash. Even today as pretentious
individuals seek to harm the organization, much misinformation is disseminated.
However, Prichards book
is useful as it contains the first proof of the use of the Hiramic Legend in the
third degree.
Hiram is mentioned in the King James Bible (I Kings and II Chronicles) as he is
further mentioned in the Cooke Manuscript of 1400-1410. However the Graham
Manuscript discovered in 1936 and dated 1726 supposes an interesting origin in
the legend of Noah. A valuable secret died with Noah and his sons agreed to
exhume his body from the grave to retrieve it. "Agreeing beforehand that if
they did not find the very thing itself, the first thing they found was to be to
them a secret." It then goes on to describe the condition of the body as
the Brothers discovered it and their attempts to lift it from the grave. This
text seems to
be stolen directly from Masonic material, its authenticity curious to say the
least.
Speculations on the Hiramic story, supposing its prefifteenth century origin
suggest that it is an allusion to political events of the day. The murders of
Thomas a' Becket in 1170, or Jacques de"Molay in 1314 or even Charles I in
1649 have been suggested. The Scottish Jacobites, who supported Charles were
numerous in Masonic membership. The production of this play undoubtedly lended
itself to a most personal revelation in the hearts of those who saw their
futures jeopardized by the cowardly destruction of these noble men.
In 1751 a group of Lodges, expressing alarm at the many innovations that the
Grand Lodge was permitting, established a new order known as the
"Ancients." As a satire they referred to the Grand Lodge as
"Moderns." This new Grand Lodge quickly demonstrated success due to
the energies of their Grand Secretary, Lawrence Dermott. In 1756 he published a
book of Constitutions entitled "Ahiman Rezon" which, incidentally, is
still used as the title to the Book of Constitutions utilized by the Grand Lodge
of Pennsylvania, today.
In 1772, William Preston published "Illustrations of Masonry" which
served as an excellent monitor for the Craft. Though beautiful in character, the
lectures it contained took hours to perform. It was the practice then, to spread
out the use of lectures in degrees amongst several meetings. Later, these
comments were edited to a format which could be delivered in a single sitting.
The "Moderns" established a Lodge of Promulgation which honed the
teaching skills of Masons and brought their ritual more in-line with the
Ancients. In 1813 a reunion between the two was made possible as by then this
organization had eliminated most of the innovations which had been objected to
in 1751.
In 1797, Thomas Smith Webb published a "Freemason's Monitor and
Illustrations of Masonry" which was used as the monitor for Masonry in
America. Based on the earlier work of Preston, the ritual it contains has
changed little to that which is used today.
Moving into the 19th Century, Freemasonry spread across the continent as the
country itself expanded. In 1860, Rob Morris ended his two year term as Grand
Master of Kentucky, he had written the ritual and organized the Eastern Star in
1850. By then he was the best known Mason in America. He then took to organize
the Masonic Conservators, composed of the leading Masons in each state and
attempted to standardize the work of all Lodges with ritual which he supplied
based on the Preston-Webb work. More than 3,000 Masons joined the enterprise but
much of the membership condemned the movement bitterly. Morris utilized a coded
book during ritual which violated Masonic Law in many jurisdictions.
Though controversial and doomed to failure it caused many American Grand Lodges
to reexamine their work and make changes. These changes were more often then not
in-line with the Morris teachings.
Today our rituals stand as some of the greatest material in literature. It is a
noble conception from the mind of Man and serves to teach the recipients some of
the finest standards that a man should choose to live his life by. So long as
the soul of Man aspires to fulfill its destiny in heaven, the teachings, ideals
and philosophy of Masonry will serve to instruct. It is given to every Mason to
preserve its Ancient Usage's and Charges inviolate, and pass them to the
awaiting generations with pride and excellence.
The Holy Saints John
Dedication of Lodges
Lodges were anciently dedicated to King Solomon because he is said to have been our first most excellent Grand Master, but in this country Masons dedicate their Lodges to Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist who are said to have been two eminent patrons of Masonry.
There is represented in every regular and well-governed Lodge a certain point
within a circle embordered by two perpendicular parallel lines, representing St.
John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist; and upon the top rests the Holy
Scriptures.
Symbolism
The point represents the individual brother; the circle, the boundary line of his duty, beyond which he is never to suffer his passions, interests, or prejudices, to betray him.
In going around the circle we necessarily touch on the two parallel lines, as well as the Holy Scriptures; and while a Mason keeps himself circumscribed with these due bounds, it is impossible that he should materially err.
The festival days set aside for these two saints by Freemasonry are June 24, for
Saint John the Baptist and December 27, for Saint John the Evangelist.
Both of these dates coincide with the Summer and Winter Solstices respectively.
The parallel lines which border the circle are also said symbolize these two solstices.
Historical
Prior to Christianity, the celebration of the change of the seasons were marked with many pagan celebrations. For example, December 25 was already a major festival in the pagan Roman world.
The Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, or "Birthday of the Unconquered Sun", falling within the week-long celebration of the Saturnalia, was a feast honoring the renewal of the sun at the winter solstice.
It included feasting, dancing, lighting bonfires, decorating homes with greens, and giving gifts. The early Church wanted these pagan festivals stopped but they were very popular with the people and they continued to celebrate them.
The solution to the problem was simple; substitute Christian meanings and Saints to these holidays and continue to celebrate them.
Therefore, the celebration of the summer solstice became the Festival of Saint John the Baptist and the celebration of the winter solstice became the Festival of Saint John the Evangelist.
But why did Freemasonry select the
Holy Saints John as their patron saints rather than Saint Thomas, who is the
eminent patron of architecture and building?
According to Albert Bede, (3-5-7 Minute Talks on Freemasonry, Macoy Publishing
Co,), adoption of the saints by Freemasonry far antedates the first Grand Lodge
of 1717.
Many of the Operative Lodges had been dedicated to the Baptist and a few to the Evangelist. The Baptist seems to have come into Freemasonry well in advance of the Evangelist.
It may be significant that the first Grand Lodge was formed at a meeting held on the Festival of Saint John the Baptist.
Thereafter London Lodges were dedicated to the two Saints John, and continued to be until the union of 1813, since when they have been dedicated to Solomon.
The festival of the English Lodges has since been changed to the Wednesday after St. George's Day.
American Lodges have continued the
custom brought from England in colonial times, paying no attention to changes
made by the English Lodges and continue to observe the festival of the two
Saints John.
"History does not tell us why the Saints John were selected as the patron saints of Freemasonry. Whatever the facts may be, surely it is in accordance with the fitness of things that we honor these two names, John the Baptist, the stern prophet of righteousness, and John the Evangelist, the teacher of Love.
Righteousness and Love--those two words do not fall short of telling the whole duty of a man and a Mason." (Joseph Fort Newton)
Used with permission of Ancient Accepted
Scottish Rite, Valley of Toledo
http://toledoaasr.com
