Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

DKRMOTT'S AHIMAN REZON. 123
CHAPTER XX.
A. R. 26. 193. Brick and Mortar origin of the " Divine
Crafts
" Hail Masonry! thou craft divine!
u Glory of earth, from heaven revealed!
"Which doth with jewels precious shine,
u From all but Masons 9 eyes concealed,*
CalooU y $ Duqumtions, p. 231.
IT is important t6 the truth, that clear proof be furnished
of the brick and mortar origin of the " divine craft;" that
within a hundred years, it has assumed its heavenly character,
has exalted itself above all principalities of the earth,
and now spurns its honest progenitors.
The high claims have come in abundance; now follow
some extracts of a more humble character. They are taken
from an ancient author, already quoted in these pages, and
again to be quoted, Lawrence Dermott, whose work has
high celebrity among Masons, and is entitled, "Ahiman
Rezon," the most truly masonic name of any author I have
read.* The edition I use, was printed in London, 1764.
The author assures us, in his preface, p. 15. " In the following
sheets, I have inserted nothing, but what are undeniable
truths." He is not so desperate a foe to truth as some. He
sides with the ancient, in distinction from the modern Masons,
and has not all the extravagance of the " young archi-
* From this, the Book of Constitutions of South Carolina is called M Ahiman
Rezon;" and the second title of the F. M. Library, which is the Book
of Constitutions of Maryland, is w Ahiman Rezon ; w ** The F. M. L. and General
Ahiman Rezon."'