The Albury MS. THE AMALGAMATED GUILD OF ... - RoseCroix.org.au

error for fact, and worse still in pandering to that which they know
their readers wish to believe. They allege that symbolical Masonry, as
we now have it, existed before the historic period, whereas the
question really is, at what period Freemasonry ceased to be operative,
and became purely symbolical or speculative.
THE EDITOR
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
INTRODUCTION
THE ALBURY MS.
THE
AMALGAMATED GUILD OF FREEMASONS
AND MASONS
The art of building, in some form or other, was certainly one of the
earliest of civilized man. In cold climates he sought to protect himself
from the inclemency of the weather, and in the tropical zones form the
heat of the sun; in the extreme northern zones, snow-huts
accomplishing that purpose in the first, and natural caverns in the
second case. These ruder structures fell into desuetude with the
invention of tools, and the gradual development of art and science,
comprehended under the general term "civilization;" but still the
structures raised by man were adapted to the exigencies of the
climate, giving rise to the variety of form adopted in different
countries.
Verandahs in the open country, and narrow streets in the cities
betoken a warm climate as a protection from the sun, while compact
buildings and wide streets point to a cold one. Of all the lower animals,
the beaver is the most remarkable for its innate power of construction
of dwellings; all birds indifferently adopt either crevices in rocks or
caverns for their nests, or build them in trees; the swallow tribe being
the only race of birds which have adopted mural architecture
resembling the mud huts of the human race. All other mechanical arts
are, therefore, posterior to the science of construction which must be
held to be the most ancient trade, and consequently the most ancient
guild, providing for the earliest and most imperative necessity of man;
and while all trace of many other arts have vanished, that of building
has steadily improved. Ornamentation followed; the simple house
became a palace, and the palace a temple dedicated to the Supreme