Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

304 TOWN'S
co-existent with true religion, there can be no donbt; yet,
with no semblance of propriety, can we hence date Masonry
under its systematized form. The materiak of an
excellent edifice may all exist, either in a Wrought or (inwrought
state, yet with no propriety can we speak of the
existence of that edifice, until those materials are collected,
and duly put together. Hence, it is evident, if from our
moralizing principles we date the origin of Masonry, we
must fix its era co-existent with the Almighty; but that the
society existed in its organized state previous to the reign
of Solomon, King of Israel, to me appears highly improbable
;" and he thinks we may safely date ancient Masonry,
as a regular institution, from the reign of Solomon, that
u is, the year one thousand and twelve before the birth of
Christ" A. D. 1827, then, is not the year of Masonry
5827; but, by this reckoning, 2839:—3000 years off, makes
a trifling difference, much to Mr. Town's credit.