Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 133
the inhabitants of the earth to rear houses, as well as to
plant gardens; and this the poet may express without offence,
as he has done.
" Adam, well versed in arts,
, M Gave to bis sons the plumb and lint."
And, in the same manner, labourers might claim Tubal
Cain as a brother artist, for he was an instructer of every
artificer in brass and ironj* but the moment any mystical
meaning is attached to the words, that moment they arc
made to utter falsehood. On the lips of labouring Masons
they have a literal, and natural, and honest meaning; but
with those, like Mr. Hutchinson, who cannot bear to think
of any. thing beneath the highest display of Heaven's mercy,
in connexion with the paltry ceremonies of a nocturnal society,
they are made to mean science, and art, and magic,
and religion, indiscriminately, and the folly of one has been
so played off, as to beguile a thousand.
Previous to 1717, Masonry was this honest society of
labourers; but then a change was introduced, and modern
or speculative Masonry sprung up.
The lodges of operative Masons did study geometry, to
improve them in their art, as artists now study in the Mechanics'
Institutes; but the new and accepted Mason*
" thought expedient to abolish the old custom of studying
geometry in the lodge, "t
From the operative character of the society has arisen
all its mystery to modern and speculative craftsmen.
The ancient regulation concerning qualifications /or
membership are mysterious to the moderns, but capable of
an easy explanation in view of their original application.
44 No person is capable of becoming a member of the
lodge, but such ad are of mature age, upright in body and
* Gen. iv. 22. t Ahunan Rezoa, p. 30.