The Origin of Freemasonry and Knights Templar ... - Lodge Prudentia

FREEMASONRY AND KNIGHTS TEMPLARsource. And, if we would respect the axioms of historicalscience, we must say that the body came outis to be tracedof the Middle Ages, but that its spiritto a far remoter periodThe analogy of the legends of the ancient Mysteriesand that of the present form of Freemasonrymust at once be apparent, and the best historians ofthe day, even without documentary evidence, viewthe Temple of Jerusalem and the Masonic Traditionsconnected with itas a part of the great allegory ofMasonry.The Masonic organization has been mouldedinto for,m closely connected with all the events andcharacteristics of the Solomonic temple, so thatnow almost all the symbolism of Freemasonry restsupon or is derived from the "House of the Lord"at Jerusalem. So closely are the two connectedthat to attempt to separate the one from the otherwould be fatal to the further existence of Freemasonry.Each lodgeis and must be a symbol of theJewish temple, each Master in the chair a representativeof the Jewish king, and every -Mason apersonation of the Jewish workman.NOTE. If the reader will review these subjects in the ordernamed and pages given below, he will find that there are sufficientgrounds for the above conclusion of the origin, growthand present form of Freemasonry as traced through the AncientMysteries, Building of King Solomon's Temple, Roman Collegesof Artificers, Building Corporations of the Middle Ages, andthe adoption of Speculative Masonry or present form of Freemasonry.The commencement of each subject will be designated by astar &, ending with &$Ancient Mysteries, pages 4 and 12.Building of King Solomon's Temple, pages 41 and 57.Roman Colleges of Artificers, page 59.Building Corporations of the Middle Ages, page 62.Speculative Masonry, page 65.77