most worshipful grand lodge - Louisiana State University

34 SPECIAL COMMUNICATION OF THE GRAND LODGEartisans, humbly following the laudable occupation of dressing andmanipulating stones and material to be used in the constructionof cathedrals and churches 1The fact is the order '' was composed of peoples of all nations,Italian, Greek, French, German and Flemish artists. They wereeverywhere known and received as Freemasons."The edict discloses the reason: "their assemblies are particularlycomposed of persons of divers nations and conditions,worship and degrees of morality, admitted without distinction ;they can not free themselves from the suspicion that their assembliesare gotten up to arrange the destruction of not only thronesand governments, but even religion itself."Not the work of the hands, but the wisdom, the esoteric workof the order, its rituals, symbols and ceremonials, its philosophy,its freedom of thought, its grand moral lessons—these were theobjective points at which the church hurled its anathemas. Wesee, theiefore, the esoteric teachings were in esse anterior to 1737,as they exist to-day, in all their force, power and beauty. 1SPECULATIVE MASONRY.WHAT DOBS IT TEACH ?Speculative Masonry teaches how the grander temple is tobe erected. With the trowel in his hand, governed by the plumblineof rectitude, the Mason is taught to spread the cement ofbrotherly love, relief and truth.Actuated by these principles, how grand is the Mason's mission!Very much has been accomplished, yet the work has just begun.All the nations of the earth are to be taught—What?Practical lessons in which love to God and love to man are the1. Constitution and laws of Edinburg, 1881, p. 120; Gould's History of Freemasonry,vol. ii. An unbroken series of minutes are preserved of the transactions ofthe Lodge of Edinburg No. 1, from 1599 to 1717, and from 1736 to 1883; Gould's Historyof Freemasonry, vol. 11, p. 19, and authorities there cited.Hallam, Middle Ages, vol. iii, f. 359, note, says: The curious subject of free..masonry has unfortunately been treated only by panegyrists or calumniators, bothequally mendacious. I do not write to pry into the mysteries of the craft, but itwould be interesting to know more of their history during the period when theywere literally architects. * * * It is remarkable that Masons were neverincorporated like other trades, their bond of union being stronger than any charter,