Mackey A G - Encylopedia of Freemasonry - The Grand Masonic ...

LEGISLATION
LELAND 439
their argument cannot but be admired, it is
evident that, by such an interpretation, they
yield all that Masonry has gained of religious
development in past ages, and fall back upon
that corruption and perversion of Sabaism
from which it was the object, even of the
Spurious Freemasonry of antiquity, to rescue
its disciples.
The Templar interpretation of the myth
must at once be discarded if we would avoid
the difficulties of anachronism, unless we -deny
that the legend existed before the abolition of
the Order of Knights Templar, and such
denial would be fatal to the Antiquity of
Freemasonry.
And as to the adoption of the 'Christian
reference, Hutchinson and, after him, Oliver,
profoundly philosophical as are the Masonic
speculations of both, have, I am constrained
to believe, fallen into a great error in calling
the Master Mason's Degree a Christian institution.
It is true that it embraces within
its scheme the great truths of Christianity
upon the subject of the immortality of the
soul and the resurrection of the body ; but this
was to be presumed, because Freemasonry is
truth, and Christianity is truth, and all truth
must be identical . But the origin of each is
different ; their histories are dissimilar. The
creed of Freemasonry is the primitive one of
Noah and his immediate descendants . If
Masonry were simply a Christian institution,
the Jew and the Moslem, the Brahman and
the Buddhist could not conscientiously partake
of its illumination; but its universality
is its boast . In its language, citizens of every
nation may converse ; at its altar men of all
religions may kneel ; to its creed, disciples of
every faith may subscribe .
But the true ancient interpretation of the
legend-the universal, Masonic one-for all
countries and all ages, undoubtedly, was that
the fate of the Temple Builder is but figurative
of the pilgrimage of man on earth, through
trials and temptations through sin and sorrow,
until his eventual tall beneath the blow of
death and his final and glorious resurrection
to another and an eternal life .
And now, in conclusion, a word of historical
criticism may not be misplaced . It is not at
all essential to the value of the symbolism that
the legend shall be proved to be historical .
Whether considered as a truthful narrative of
an event that actually transpired during the
building of the Temple, or simply as a myth
embodying the utterance of a religious sentiment,
the symbolic lesson of life and death
and immortality is still contained in its teachings,
and commands our earnest attention .
Legislation . On the subject of that crying
sin of the Order-over-legislation by
Grand Lodges-Gov. Thomas Brown, formerly
Grand Master of Florida, has wisely
said : "Too much legislation is the vice of the
present day, as well in Masonic as in civil
government . The same thirst for change and
innovation which has prompted tyros and
demagogues to legislate upon constitutional
law, and write expositions of the common
law, has prompted uninformed and unscrupulous
Masons to legislate upon the landmarks
of Masonry ."
Lehrling . German for an Entered Apprentice
.
Leland, John. An eminent English antiquary,
the chaplain of King Henry VIII .,
who appointed him "King's Antiquary," a
title which he was the first and last to bear .
The king also directed him to search after the
antiquities of England, "and peruse the
libraries of all cathedrals, abbies, priories,
colleges, etc ., as also all places wherein records,
writings, and secrets of antiquity were deposited
. ' Leland, accordingly, traveled over
England for several years, and made many
collections of manuscripts, which were afterward
deposited in the Bodleian Library . He
was a man of great learning and industry .
He was born in London in the beginning of
the sixteenth century (the exact year is uncertain),
and died on the 18th of April 1552 .
Anthony Wood says that he was by far the
most eminent historian and antiquary ever
born in England . His connection with Freemasonry
arises from the manuscript containing
the questions of King Henry VI ., which he
is said to have copied from the original . (See
Leland Manuscript .)
Leland Manuscript. There is no one of
the old Records of Freemasonry, except, perhaps,
the Charter of Cologne, that has given
rise to more controversy among the critics
than the one generally known as the "Leland
Manuscript ." It derives this name from the
statement made in its title, which is : "Certayne
questyons with awnsweres to the same,
concernynge the mystery of maconrye ;
wryttene by the hande of Kynge Henry the
Sixthe of the name, and faythfullye copied by
me, Johan Leylande Antiquanus, by the
commaunde of His Highnesse ." It first appeared
in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1753
(p. 417), where it purports to be a reprint of
a pamphlet published five years before at
Frankfort . The title of the paper in the
Gentleman's Magazine is : "Copy of a small
pamphlet, consisting of twelve pages in 8vo,
printed in Germany in 1748, entitled 'Ein
Brief von dem beriihmten Heren Johann
Locke betreffend die Frey-Maurerein . So
auf einem Schreib-Tisch eines verstorbnen
Bruders ist gefunden worden."' That is, "A
Letter of the famous Mr . John Locke relating
to Freemasonry . As found in the writingdesk
of a deceased brother ." Hearne copied
it in his Life of Leland (p . 67), prefacing it
with the remark that "it also appears that an
ancient manuscript of Leland's has long remained
in the Bodleian Library, unnoticed in
any account of our author yet published ."
Hearne speaks of it thus :
"The original is said to be inthe handwriting
of King Henry VI ., and copied by Leland by
order of His Highness (King Henry VIII .) .
If the authenticity of this ancient monument
of literature remains unquestioned, it demands
particular notice in the present publication,
on account of the singularity of the subject,