THE ARCANE SCHOOLS - Fort Myers Beach Masonic Lodge No. 362

in some of them in an historical point of view, it is only as
allegories,
or legendary symbols, that they are important.
ALL-SEEING EYE. A symbol of the third degree, of great antiquity. See
_Eye_.
ANCIENT CRAFT MASONRY. The first three degrees of Freemasonry; viz.,
Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason. They are so called
because they alone are supposed to have been practised by the ancient
craft. In the agreement between the two grand lodges of England in
1813,
the definition was made to include the Royal Arch degree. Now if by the
"ancient craft" are meant the workmen at the first temple, the
definition
will be wrong, because the Royal Arch degree could have had no
existence
until the time of the building of the second temple. But if by the
"ancient craft" is meant the body of workmen who introduced the rites
of
Masonry into Europe in the early ages of the history of the Order, then
it will be correct; because the Royal Arch degree always, from its
origin
until the middle of the eighteenth century, formed a part of the
Master's.
"Ancient Craft Masonry," however, in this country, is generally
understood
to embrace only the first three degrees.
ANDERSON. James Anderson, D.D., is celebrated as the compiler and
editor
of "The Constitutions of the Freemasons," published by order of the
Grand
Lodge of England, in 1723. A second edition was published by him in
1738.
Shortly after, Anderson died, and the subsequent editions, of which
there
are several, have been edited by other persons. The edition of 1723 has
become exceedingly rare, and copies of it bring fancy prices among the
collectors of old masonic books. Its intrinsic value is derived only
from
the fact that it contains the first printed copy of the "Old Charges,"
and
also the "General Regulations." The history of Masonry which precedes
these, and constitutes the body of the work, is fanciful, unreliable,
and
pretentious to a degree that often leads to absurdity. The craft are
greatly indebted to Anderson for his labors in reorganizing the
institution, but doubtless it would have been better if he had
contented
himself with giving the records of the Grand Lodge from 1717 to 1738
which
are contained in his second edition, and with preserving for us the
charges and regulations, which without his industry might have been
lost.
No masonic writer would now venture to quote Anderson as authority for
the