The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

Chapter 2 – Historical Background 55
lodges were said to submit their members to tests of "the art of memory and
science thereof." 123
Now we will proceed to the development of Freemasonry as a symbolic and
ethical institution. The transition from operative masonry to speculative
Freemasonry is always hard to determine. As we have stated before, the shift
begins with the initiation of men of other professions than the masonic trade, for
example physicians, advocates, or nobles. According to Coil's Masonic
Encyclopedia, the first non-operative Freemason who appeared in a Scottish
lodge was John Boswell, Laird of Aucheinleck, as proven in an entry of the early
records of the Lodge of Edinburgh from June 8 th , 1600. The first initiation of a
non-operative Mason was recorded on July 3 rd , 1734, in the Lodge of Edinburgh,
when the Rt. Hon. Lord Alexander was raised Fellow Craft, and Anthony
Alexander, Master of Work to the King, and Sir Alexander Strachan were
admitted. 124 The by-laws of the Lodge of Aberdeen from 1670 show that only 12
of its 49 subscribers were operative masons; the others were noblemen,
gentlemen, merchants, wrights, ministers, skalaiters (slaters), glassiers, piriuige
(peruke or wig) makers, chyrurgeons (surgeons), advocates, professors of
mathematics, etc.
The Grand Lodge of Scotland was founded in 1736. In succession, there were
arguments between Kilwinning Lodge (rated as the second) and Edinburgh
Lodge (declared the first) about who could claim the oldest age. Kilwinning
Lodge withdrew from the Grand Lodge in 1743, remaining independent until
1807 when it achieved its aim to be recognized as prior to Edinburgh and
received the number 0 while Edinburgh retained its 1. Thus, the argument was
settled.
As to the ritualistic practice, like in England there is no standard ritual in use
in Scotland. However, all Scottish rituals tend to be quite similar in content, even
if their forms vary slightly more than is the case in England. For example, in
some rituals a darkened temple may be used for initiation, or the third degree
ceremony may be acted out extremely dramatically. Also, English visiting
brethren will be astonished that music is often more frugally used than in their
own constitution. 125 A striking difference between English and Scottish lodges is
the Masonic instruction. Scottish Masonry focuses mainly on degree work and
neglects lectures on Masonic topics that play a more important role in English
Masonry:
Lectures on Masonic subjects, while not uncommon in English lodges,
are not nearly as prevalent in Scottish ones. Degree conferment work,
therefore, predominates. Indeed, if for a particular meeting a lodge does
not have a candidate listed, it is far more likely to work a degree using a
substitute candidate. 126
123 CME, p. 594.
124 Ibid.
125 Henderson and Pope, vol. II, p. 141.
126 Henderson and Pope, vol. II, p. 140.