Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

Or FREE MASONRY. 327
CHAPTER XLVIII.
Owing some account of German Masonry, and, of the embassy
in pursuit of the Masonic secret to the caves of Old
Aberdeen*
t
(P. 53.) " BUT it is now time to turn our eyes to the
progress of Free Masonry in Germany, and the north of
Europe; there it took a more serious turn. Free Masonry
was imported into Germany somewhat later than into
France. The first German lodge that we have any account
of, is that at Cologne, erected in 1716, but very jsoon suppressed.
Before the year 1725, there were many, both in
Protestant and Catholic Germany. Those of Wetzlar,
Frankfort on the Maine, Brunswick, and Hamburg, are
the oldest, and their priority is doubtful. All of them received
their institution from England, and had patents from
the mother lodge in London. All seem to have got the
mystery through the same channel, the banished friends of
the Stuart family. Many of these were Catholics, and entered
into the service of Austria and the Catholic princes.
" The true hospitality, that is no where more conspicuous
than in the character of the Germans, made this institution
a most agreeable and useful passport to these gentlemen;
and as many of them were in military stations, and in garrisons
they found it a very easy matter to set up lodges in
all parts of Germany. These afforded a very agreeable
pastime to the officers, who had little to occupy them, and
were already accustomed to a subordination which did not
affect their vanity on account of family distinctions. As