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VWB Ned Daniels Deputy of the Grand Master in District 4 of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington for 1999-2000 |
The Beginning of Modern Freemasonry (November 2000)
The Temple of Solomon occupied seven years in its construction. There were employed Grand Masters; Masters, or overseers of the work; Fellowcrafts, or hewers of wood and stone; and Entered Apprentices, or bearers of burden." (68)From this information, found in our Washington Monitor and Freemason's Guide, we recognize and accept that Freemasonry dates back to at least the time of the building of King Solomon's Temple.
Granted, we can trace our roots back through history, back through the time of the Knights Templar in the 12th century to the building of King Solomon's Temple, and even beyond, some trace our origins back to the beginnings of mankind.
As one source I discovered conveyed, "According to Masonic pietists, the innermost secrets were conveyed to Adam by God; were concealed and preserved during the Flood in a cave dug by Enoch; and were codified in the Temple of Solomon." (Axelrod, 91)However, in answer to the question of when was the beginning of "modern Freemasonry," we must turn to sources other than our Monitor. And even then there is a great deal of speculation and conjecture as to the actual origins.
My source continued, "Although the original Freemasons were actual workers in stone, honorary membership is recorded as early as 1600 in the Edinburgh Lodge, the 17th century saw a considerate growth in "speculative" Masonry, the Masonic term for admission of members who were not stone workers or "operative" masons. Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723) was. also said to have joined, though conclusive evidence is impossible to find.
"In 1717, four London Lodges united to form the United Grand Lodge, and their authority rapidly spread throughout England and into the colonies. Scotland and Ireland retard their own Grand Lodges." (Axelrod, 92)Another source elaborated that the four Lodge were "the Lodge that used to meet at The Goose and Gridiron Ale-House in St. Paul's Churchyard; the Lodge at The Crown Ale-house in Parker's Lane near Drury Lane; the Lodge at The Apple Tree Tavern in Charles' Street, Covenant Garden; and the Lodge at the Rummer and Grapes tavern in Westminster.
"These four Lodges met in February, 1717, at The Apple Tree Tavern and having voted the oldest Master Mason then present into the chair, constituted themselves a Grand Lodge — pro tempore in due form." (Piatigorsky, 38) However, the beginning of "modem Freemasonry" is dated, one aspect is for sure, as one of my sources stated (Axelrod, 90), "Freemasonry is unquestionably the largest, oldest, and most influential of all fraternal orders and social societies." Sources:
Thanks to both the District Deputy of the Grand Master in District 4, and the Masonic Monitor which publishes his articles for allowing us to reprint them. The Masonic Monitor is published monthly (except August) under approval of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington. The Masonic Monitor can be contacted at: 6619 132nd Avenue NE, PMB 237, Kirkland, WA, 98033-8627, USA. Phone: (425) 822-4605 - FAX: (425) 822-2535 - Email: masonicmonitor@earthlink.net.