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

40 AHIMAN
AID
authority from the Dermott Grand Lodge,
the influence of his Ahiman Rezon was for a
long time exercised over the Lodges of this
country ; and, indeed, it is only within a comparatively
recent period that the true principles
of Masonic law, as expounded in the
first editions of Anderson's Constitutions,
have been universally adopted among American
Masons.
It must, however, be observed, in justice to
Dermott, -who has been rather too grossly
abused by Mitchell and a few other writers,
that the innovations upon the old laws of
Masonry, which are to be found in the Ahiman
Rezon, are for the most part not to be charged
upon him, but upon Dr . Anderson himself,
who, for the first time, introduced them into
the second edition of the Book of Constitutions,
published in 1738 . It is surprising, and
accountable only on the ground of sheer carelessness
on the part of the supervising committee,
that the Grand Lodge should, in 1738,
have approved of these alterations made by
Anderson, and still more surprising that it was
not until 1756 that a new or third edition of
the Constitutions should have been published,
in which these alterations of 1738 were expunged,
and the old regulations and the old
language restored. But whatever may have
been the causes of this oversight, it is not to be
doubted that, at the time of the formation of
the Grand Lodge of the Ancients, the edition
of the Book of Constitutions of 1738 was considered
as the authorized exponent of Masonic
law by the original or regular Grand Lodge of
England, and was adopted, with but little
change, by Dermott as the basis of his Ahiman
Rezon . How much this edition of 1738
differed from that of 1723, which is now considered
the only true authority for ancient
law, and how much it agreed with Dermott's
Ahiman Rezon, will be evident from the following
specimens of the first of the Old
Charges, correctly taken from each of the
three works :
First of the Old Charges in the Book of Constitutions,
edit ., 1723 .
" A Mason is obliged by his tenure to obey
the moral law ; and if he rightly understands
the Art, he will never be a stupid Atheist, nor
an irreligious libertine . But though in ancient
times Masons were charged, in every country,
to be of the religion of that country or nation,
whatever it was, yet it is now thought more
expedient only to oblige them to that religion
in which all men agree, leaving their particular
opinions to themselves ; that is to be good men
and true, or men of honour and honesty, by
whatever denominations or persuasions they
may be distinguished ; whereby Masonry becomes
the centre of union, and the means of
conciliating true friendship among persons
that must have remained at a perpetual distance
."
First of the Old Charges in the Book of
Constitutions, edit ., 1738 .
" A Mason is obliged by his tenure to ob-
never be a stupid Atheist, nor an irreligious
libertine, nor act against conscience .
" In antient times, the Christian Masons
were charged to comply with the Christian
usages of each country where they travelled or
worked. But Masonry being found in all nations,
even of divers religions, they are now only
charged to adhere to that religion in which all
men agree, (leaving each brother to his own
particular opinions;) that is, to be good men
and true, men of honour and honesty, by
whatever names, religions, or persuasions they
may be distinguished ; for they all agree in the
three great articles of Noah enough to preserve
the cement of the Lodge . Thus, Masonry is the
center of their union, and the happy means of
conciliating persons that otherwise must have
remained at a perpetual distance ."
First of the Old Charges in Dermott's
Ahiman Rezon .
" A Mason is obliged by his tenure to observe
the moral law, as a true Noachida ; and
if he rightly understands the Craft, he will
never be a stupid Atheist, nor an irreligious
libertine, nor act against conscience .
" In ancient times, the Christian Masons
were charged to comply with the Christian
usages of each country where they travelled or
worked; being found in all nations, even of
divers religions .
" They are generally charged to adhere to
that religion in which all men agree, (leaving
each brother to his own particular opinions ;)
that is, to be good men and true, men of
honour and honesty, by whatever names, religions,
or persuasions they may be distinguished
; for they all agree in the three great
articles of Noah enough to preserve the cement
of the Lodge .
" Thus Masonry is the center of their union,
and the happy means of conciliating persons
that otherwise must have remained at a perpetual
distance ."
The italics in the second and third extracts
will show what innovations Anderson made,
in 1738, on the Charges as originally published
in 1723, and how closely Dermott followed
him in adopting these innovations .
There is, in fact, much less difference between
the Ahiman Rezon of Dermott and Anderson's
edition of the Book of Constitutions, printed
in 1738, than there is between the latter and
the first edition of the Constitutions, printed
in 1723 . But the great points of difference
between the " Ancients " and the " Moderns,"
points which kept them apart for so man y
years, are to be found in their work and ritual,
for an account of which the reader is referred
to the article Ancient Masons . [E . L. H.]
Ahisar. See Achishar .
Ahollab. A skilful artificer of the tribe
of Dan, who was appointed, together with
Bezaleel, to construct the tabernacle in the
wilderness and the ark of the covenant .
(Exodus xxxi . 6 .) He is referred to in the
Royal Arch degree of the English and American
systems .
serve the moral law, as a true Noachida ; and Aid and Assistance . The duty of aiding
if he rightly understands .the Craft, he will and assisting, not only all worthy distressed