Harris' masonic text-book; a concise historical sketch of masonry, and the organization of masonic grand lodges, and especially of masonry among colored men in America ..

Front matter

Entered according to Act of Congress

in the year 1903, by

HARRISON L. HARRIS,

Preface

In 1882, when the author of this work was a much younger man than he is to-day, and when he was a member of the Grand Lodge of Virginia for the first time, a resolution was offered, which set out the existence of the need of a Text-Book of Masonry, which should be prepared for the use of the Masons who were under the jurisdiction of the (colored) Grand Lodge of A. F. Masons.

Again in 1895, a resolution embodying the same thought was adopted. But this time, it went further, and designated the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge, Dr. H. L. Harris, as the compiler of the work.

At the session of the Grand Lodge in 1896 a synopsis of the compilation was presented and read to the body, which sat as a committee of the whole. It was heartily approved; and arrangements were entered into looking to its publication by the Grand Lodge. In 1901 the Grand Lodge made an appropriation for the publication; and having previously appointed a committee to supervise the work, the author set about the arrangement of his manuscript for publication. And now after several months of earnest labor — during all of which time he has been compelled to attend to an exacting medical practice, and to look after other business matters which could not be neglected, he is pleased to be able to present this work to his brethren who have honored him with their confidence.

In making this presentation it is his earnest wish that the brethren may find some small benefit in their search for information on the subjects usually treated of in a Text-Book on Masonry. The craft is especially recommended to accept the Illustrations as presented: as they have been most carefully compared with the works of such standard authorities as Preston, Webb, Cross, and other equally celebrated masonic lights.

In the hope that they appreciate the work which has been done for their benefit the author respectfully presents the fruits of his labor, to the members of the Ancient and honorable society of Free Masons of the United States of America.

P. G. M. Benj. A. Graves,

P. G. M. James Hugo Johnston,

Committee of Publication of the Attest: M. W. Grand Lodge of Virginia.

H. L. Harris, M. D., Grand Secretary.

HARRIS' MASONIC TEXT-BOOK.

Chapter I. A Definition Of Masonry

As preliminary to the question of its origin, which is the subject with which most authors begin their Text-Books, we will first consider what is Masonry! A very distinguished Masonic author, Dr. John Dove, writing on this subject, says:

At the present day, among all enlightened members of the fraternity, it has two meanings, under the style of operative and speculative Masonry. By the former it is, under its synonyme, Geometry, made to conduce to man's temporal wants by furnishing shelters from the weather, and by the appliances of architectural symmetry, varied by the tastes and talents of succeeding generations, has imprinted its existence into every country and clime where civilization prevails, by those magnificent structures which are the pride and admiration of every nation.

By Speculative Masonry, we mean Virtue in its most tender sense, as taught by the daily exercise of Brotherly love, Relief and Truth, and which compels or requires the initiated to subdue the passions, act upon the square, keep a tongue of good report, maintain secrecy and practice charity. It is so intimately interwoven with religion as to lay its professors under the strongest obligation to pay to the Deity that rational and heart emanating homage which at once constitutes their duty and happiness. Eeasoning, then, on these acknowledged data, it will not be necessary to detain the reader with a long account of the Origin of Masonry. Certain it is, and must be, that when the first man was formed in the image of God, the principles of Masonry, as a Divine gift from Heaven were stamped upon his heart by the Great Architect of the Universe. This then is the explanation of what Masonry is.

CHAPTEE II.

ORIGIN OF MASONRY.

As to its origin I have not been able to find any more fitting or expressive words with which to describe it than the following quotation from the writings of that truly learned Masonic scholar, Brother William Preston, of the Lodge of Antiquity of London, England, who says:

"From the commencement of the world we may trace the foundation of Masonry. Ever since symmetry began, and harmony displayed her charms our Order has had a being. During many ages, and in many different countries, it has flourished. No art, no science preceded it. In the dark periods of antiquity, when literature was in a low state, and the rude manners of our forefathers withheld from them that knowledge we now so amply share, Masonry diffused its influence. Thus science unveiled, arts arose, civilization took place, and the progress of knowledge and philosophy gradually dispelled the gloom of ignorance and barbarism. Government being settled, authority was given to laws, and the assemblies of the Fraternity acquired the patronage of the great and the good, while the tenets of the profession diffused unbounded utility.

" Abstracting from pure pleasures, which arise from friendship, so wisely constituted as that which subsists among Masons, and which it is scarcely possible that any circumstance or occurrence can erase, Masonry is a science confined to no particular country, but extends over the whole terrestrial globe. Wherever arts flourish there it flourishes, too. Add to this, that by secret and inviolable signs, carefully preserved among the Fraternity, it becomes an universal language. Hence many advantages are gained. The distant Chinese, the wild Arab and the American savage will embrace a brother Briton, and will know that beside the common ties of humanity there is still a stronger obligation to induce him to kind and friendly offices. The spirit of the fulminating priest will be tamed, and the moral brother, though of a different persuasion, engage his esteem; for mutual' toleration in religious opinions is one of the most distinguishing and valuable characteristics of the Craft. As all religions teach morality, if a brother be found to act the part of a truly, honest man, his private speculative opinions are left to God and himself.

" Thus, through the influence of Masonry, which is reconcilable to the best policy, all those disputes which embitter life, and sour the tempers of men, are avoided, while the common good the general object, is zealously pursued.

"From this view of our system, its utility must be sufficiently obvious. The universal principles of the art unite, in one indissoluble bond of affection, men of the most opposite tenets, of the most distant countries, and of the most contradictory opinions, so that in every nation a Mason will find a friend, and in every clime a* home.

"Such is the nature of our institution, that in the Lodge, union is cemented by sincere attachment, and pleasure is reciprocally communicated in the cheerful observance of every obliging office. Virtue, the grand object in view, luminous as the meridian sun, shines refulgent on the mind, enlivens the heart, and heightens cool approbation into warm sympathy and cordial attention."

Having learned the origin of Masonry, and what it is, we are prepared in the next chapter to consider its Antiquity.

Chapter III. The Antiquity Of Masonry As Derived From Holy Writ

That Adam, our great progenitor, was ignorant of the principles of geometry can hardly be supposed; for after his expulsion from the garden of Eden, he built an habitation for himself and family, and no doubt instructed his descendants in that noble science, and its application to whatsoever crafts were convenient for those early times.

Cain, with his family and adherents, being preinstructed in the principles of geometry and architecture, built a strong city and called it Dedicate or Consecrate, after the name of his eldest son Enoch, whose race, following his example, improved themselves not only in geometry and masonry, but made discoveries of several other useful arts.

The descendents of Seth came nothing behind those of Cain, in the cultivation of geometry and masonry. This patriarch greatly profited in those noble sciences, under the tuition of Adam, with whom he lived till the year of the world 930, and succeeded him in the direction of the Craft; who, as a monument of his superior abilities, and love to posterity, foreseeing the universal desolation which would happen by fire or water, and deprive mankind of those arts and sciences at that time existing, raised two pillars of stone, and inscribed thereon an abridgement of the arts and sciences, particularly geometry or masonry, in order to withstand the overthrow of the flood, which Josephus, the historian, informs us were to be seen in his time, in the land of Siriad, by the name of Seth's or Enoch's pillars.

Methuselah, with his son Lamech and grand son Noah retired from the corrupt world, and in their own peculiar family preserved the religion of the promised Messiah pure, and also the art of Masonry till the flood.

The ark was built on principles of geometry. Noah and his family, besides a number of all created beings, were saved from the general deluge; he and his three sons are therefore the progenitors of the present race of mankind.

From the Sacred Writings we learn that Noah and his sons, being all of one language and speech, it came to pass as they journeyed from the East to the West, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and dwelt there together as Noachidae or sons of Noah, the first name of Masons, and under which name many brethren are known in France up to the present day.

In following that great luminary of the Craft, the Holy Bible, we fiud the tower of Babel was built, and before its entire completion, by the will of the Divine Architect, the language of the builders were confounded, and the people dispersed, all of which shows that, after the dispersion, they still carried with them the knowledge of Masonry, and improved it to a great degree of perfection.

Nimrod or Belus, the son of Cush, the eldest son of Ham, and founder of the Babylonian monarchy, kept possession of the plain, and founded the first great empire at Babylon.

From Shinar the science and the art were carried to distant parts of the world, notwithstanding the confusion of the dialects and which is presumed to have given rise to the universal practice of conversing without speaking, and communications between Masons by tokens or signs.

Mizraim, the second son of Ham, carried to, and preserved in Egypt, the original skill, and cultivated the arts — monuments of which are still extant in that country under the name of Pyramids, which are, and have been, the universal admiration of succeeding ages. The successors of Mizraim, who were styled the sons of ancient kings, encouraged the art, down to the last of their race, the learned king Amasis.

It is presumed that the offspring of Shem propagated the science as far as China and Japan.

Abraham, born two years after the death of Noah, had learned the science, before the Grand Architect of the Universe called him to travel from Ur of the Ohaldees. He communicated it to the Canaanites, for which they honored him as a prince.

Isaac, Ishmael and Jacob, no doubt were taught the science by their progenitor. Joseph was also well instructed by his father, for the Scripture informs us he excelled the Egyptians in knowledge, and was installed by Pharaoh himself as a ruler over the people.

It is well known and needs no comment here, that Melchizedeck is recognized amongst us as one of the most venerable patrons of the Order.

That the Israelites practiced Masonry in Egypt is a well authenticated fact from the Bible. We read, 1 'they were trained up" to the building of two cities with stone and brick for the Egyptians, and it undoubtedly was the design of the Most High to make them expert Masons before they should possess the promised land.

In their peregrinations through the wilderness, after their singular deliverance from Egyptian bondage, on their voyage to the land which was promised they should possess for an inheritance forever, God was pleased to inspire Moses, and gave him the decalogue, which can be summed up in those two doctrines, honor God and love thy neighbor, (and in what society are those two precepts better exemplified than among Masons ?) When Moses, after a sojourn of forty days on Mount Sinai, came down with the laws, he entered into his tent. Aaron, his brother, who afterwards became high priest, came to visit him, and Moses acquainted him with the laws he had received from God with the explanation of them. After this Aaron placed him at the right hand of Moses; and Eleazer and Ithamar (sons of Aaron) were admitted, to whom Moses repeated what he had said to Aaron. Moses afterwards declared the same over to the elders of the Sanhedrim, composed of seventy members, after which instruction he reduced the law to writing, except the explanations; these he thought sufficient to commit and entrust to their memoiies, with instructions to teach them to their children and their offspring. He also ordered the more skilful to meet him as in a lodge or tabernacle, and gave them wise charges and regulations, from which they should not deviate.

Joshua, the faithful follower of Moses, succeeded him with Caleb and Eleazer, the high priest and Phineas, his deputy.

After the conquest and settlement of the promised land, the Israelites made further progress in the study of geometry and architecture, having many expert artists.

The city of Tyre or Teor was built by a great body of Sidonian Masons from Gabala, under a Grand Master and a number of princes.

In after times, Ahibal, King of Tyre, repaired and beautified that city, and so did his son Hiram, being also a Mason. He became one of the principal architects of that stupendous edifice, Solomon's temple, which has been and always will remain the admiration of the world. Dr. John Dove.

Chapter IV

ANTIQUITY OF MASONRY AS DERIVED FROM A NUMBER OF EXTRACTS OF OLD MANUSCRIPTS AND RECORDS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

I

An old manuscript which was destroyed with many others in 1720, said to have been in the possession of Nicholas Stone, a curious sculptor under Inigo Jones, contains the following particulars:

"St. Albans loved Masons well, and cherished them much, and made their pay right good; for he gave them 2 shillings per weeke, and 3d, to their cheer, whereas, before that time, in all the land, a Mason had but a penny a day and his meat, until St. Albans mended itt, and he gott them a charter from the king and his counsell for to hold a general counsell, and gave it to name assemblie. Thereat he was himselfe, and did helpe to make Masons, and gave them good charges."

II

A record of the society, written in the reign of Edward IV, formerly in possession of the famous Elias Ashmole, the founder of the museum of Oxford, England, reads:

"Though the ancient records of the Brotherhood in England were many of them destroyed or lost in the wars of the Saxons and Danes, yet King Athelstane, (the grandson of King Alfred the Great, a mighty architect,) the first anointed King of England, and who translated the Sacred Scriptures into the Saxon tongue, (A. D, 930,) when he had brought the land into rest and peace, built many great works and encouraged many Masons from France, who were appointed overseers thereof, and brought with them the charges and regulations of the Lodges, preserved since the Eoman times; who also prevailed with the king to improve the Constitution of the English Lodges according to the foreign model, and to increase the wages of the working Masons.

"The said king's brother, Prince Edwin, being taught Masonry, and taking upon him the charges of a Master Mason, for the love he had to the said Craft, and the honorable principles whereon it is grounded, purchased a free charter of King Athelstane, for the Masons having a correction among themselves, (as it was anciently expressed,) or a freedom and power to regulate themselves, to amend what might happen amiss, and to hold a yearly communication and General Assembly.

"Accordingly, Prince Edwin summoned all the Masons in the realm to meet him in a congregation at York," whence the origin of Ancient York Masonry, who came and composed a general Lodge, of which he was Grand Master; and having brought with him all the writings and records extant, some in Greek, some in Latin, some in French and other languages, from the contents thereof the assembly did frame the Constitution and charges of the Ancient English Lodge; they made a law to preserve and observe the same in all time coming, and ordained good pay for working Masons, &c. And he made a book thereof, how the Craft was founded; and he himself ordered and commanded that it should be read, and told when any Mason should be made, and for to give him his charges. And from that day until this time, manners of Masons have been kept in that form, as well as men might govern.

•'Furthermore, however, at diverse assemblies, certain charges have been made and ordained by the best advice of Masters and fellowes, as the exigencies of the Craft made necessarie."

III

In the reign of King Edward the Third, the Eight Worshipful the Master and fellows, with the consent of the Lords of the realm, (for most great men were then Masons,) ordained as follows:

"That for the future, at the making or admission of a Brother, the Constitution and the ancient charges should be read by the Master or Wardens."

"That such as were to be admitted Master Masons, or Masters of the Work, should be examined whether they be able to serve their respective lords, as well the lowest as the highest, to the honor and worship of the aforesaid art, and to the profit of their Lord or Master, for they be their Lords or Masters that employ and pay them for their service and travel."

IV

The following particulars are also contained in a very old manuscript, a copy of which was in the possession of the Right Worshipful George Payne, Grand Master, in 1718:

"That when a Master and Wardens meet in a Lodge, if need be, the sheriff of the county, or the mayor of the city, or aldermen of the town, in which the congregation is held, should be made fellow and sociate to the Master, in help of him against rebels, and for upbearing the rights of the realm.

"That entered prentices, at their making, were charged not to be thieves, or thieves' maintainers; that they should travel honestly for their pay, and love their fellowes as themselves, be true to the King of England, to the realm and to the Lodge.

"That at such congregations it shall be required, whether any Master or fellow has broken any of the articles agreed to; and if the offender, being duly cited to appear, prove rebel, and will not attend, then the Lodge shall determine against him, that he shall forswear (or renounce) his Masonry, and shall no more use this Craft, the which if he presume for to do, the sheriff of the county shall prison him, and shall take all his goods into the King's hands, until his grace be granted him and issued. For this cause principally have these congregations been ordained, that as well the lowest as the highest should be well and truly served in the aforesaid art throughout all the Kingdom of England. Amen — so mote it be."

From this extract we see that the society was maintained as a part of the municipal machinery of the country and was protected by the King's decree.

Chapter V. Ancient Charges At The Constitution Of A Lodge

The following are extracted from a MSS. in possession of the Lodge of Antiquity, London:

"Every man that is a Mason take good heed to these charges (we pray) that if any man find himselfe guilty of any of these charges, that he may amend himselfe, or principally for dread of God, you that be charged to take good heed that you keepe all these charges well, for it is a great evill for a man to forswear himselfe upon a book.

"The first charge is, that yee shall be true men to God and the holy church, and to use no error or heresie by your understanding and by wise men's teaching. Allso,

"Secondly, That yee shall be true liege men to the King of England, without treason or any falsehood, and that yee know no treason or treachery, but ye shall give knowledge thereof to the king or to his counsell; allso yee shall be true one to another, that is to say, every Mason of the Craft that is Mason allowed, yee shall doe to him as yee would be done unto yourselfe.

"Thirdly, And yee shall keepe truely all thecounsell that ought to be kept in the way of Masonhood, and all the counsell of the Lodge or of the chamber. Allso, that ye shall be no thiefe or thieves to your knowledge free; that yee shall be true to the King, Lord or Master that yee serve, and truly to see and worke for his advantage.

"Fourthly, Yee shall call all Masons your Fellowes, or your Brethren, and no other names.

"Fifthly, Yee shall not take your Fellow's wife in villainy, nor deflower his daughter or servant, nor put him to no disworship.

"Sixthly, Yee shall truely pay for your meat or drinke wheresoever ye go, to table or bord. Allso, yee shall do no villainy there, whereby the Craft or Science may be slandered.

"These be the charges general to every true Mason, both Masters and Fellowes.

"Now will I rehearse other charges single for Masons allowed or accepted.

"First, That no Mason take on him no Lord's worke, nor any other man's, unlesse he know himselfe well able to perform the worke, so that the Craft have no slander.

"Secondly, Allso, that no Master take worke but that he take reasonable pay for itt; so that the Lord may be truly served, and the Master to live honestly, and to pay his Fellows truely. And that no Master or Fellow supplant others of their worke; that is to say, that if he hath taken a worke, or else stand Master of any worke, that he shall not put him out, unless he be unable of cunning to make an end of his worke. And no Master nor Fellow shall take no apprentice for less than seaven yeares. And that the apprentice be free born,* and of limbs whole, as a man ought to be, and no bastard. And that no Master of Fellow take no allowance to be made Mason without the assent of his Fellows, at the least six or seaven.

"Thirdly, That he that be made be able in all degrees; that is, free bora,* of a good kindred, true and no bondsman, and that he have his right limbs, as a man ought to have.

"Fourthly, That a Master take no apprentice without he have occupation to occupy two or three Fellows at the least.

"Fifthly, That no Master or Fellow put away any Lord's worke to taske that ought to be journey worke.

"Sixthly, that every Master give pay to his Fellows and servants as they may deserve, so that he be not defamed with false workeing: And that none slander another behind his backe, to make him lose his good name.

"Seventhly, That no Fellow in the house or abroad answer another ungodly or reproveably without a cause.

"Eighthly, That every Master Mason doe reverence his elder, and that a Mason be no common plaier at the cards, dice or hazard, nor at any other unlawful plaies, through the which the Science and Craft may be dishonoured or slandered.

"Ninthly, That no Fellow goe into the town by night, except he have a Fellow with him, who may beare him record that he was in an honest place.

"Tenthly, That every Master and Fellow shall come to the assemblie, if itt be within fifty miles of him, if he have any warning. Aud if he have trespassed against the Craft, to abide the award of Masters and Fellows.

"Eleventhly, That every Master Mason and Fellow that hath trespassed against the Craft shall stand to the correction of other Masters and Fellows to make him accord, and if they cannot accord, to go to the common law.

"Twelfthly, That a Master or Fellow make not a mould stone, square, no rule, no to lowen, no let no lowen worke within their Lodge, nor to mould stone.

"Thirteenthly, That every Mason receive and cherish strange Fellowes when they come over the countrie, and set them on worke, if they will worke, as the manner is; that is to say, if the Mason have any mould stone in his place, he shall give him a mould stone, and sett him on worke; and if he have none, the Mason shall refresh him with money unto the next Lodge.

"Fourteenthly, That every Mason shall truely serve his Master for his pay.

"Fifteenthly, That every Mason shall truely make an end of his worke, taske or journey, whethersoe it be.

"These be all the charges and covenants that ought to be read at the installment of Master, or making of a Free Mason or Free Masons. The Almighty God of

Jacob, who ever have you and me in his keeping, bless us now and ever. Amen."

The intelligent Craftsmen cannot fail to recognize in the foregoing, a striking similarity between the ancient charges in the time of King James the Second and those we use now. And the conclusion must force itself upon all that the Fraternity then and now must be one and the same.

Chapter VI. Antiquity Of Masonry As Derived From Modern Authorities

In Dr. Henry's History, we find the origin of the Free Mason's Society in Britain attributed to the difficulty found in former times, of procuring a sufficient number of workmen to build the multitude of churches, monasteries, and other religious edifices, which the superstition of those ages prompted the people to raise. Hence the Masons were greatly favored by the Popes, and many indulgences were granted, in order to augment their numbers. The Doctor quotes, in confirmation of this, the words of an author who was well acquainted with their history and constitution: "The Italians, (says he,) with some Greek refugees, and with them French, Germans and Flemings, joined into a fraternity of architects, procuring papal bulls for their encouragement and their particular privileges; they styled themselves Free Masons, and ranged from one nation to another, as they found churches to be built; their government was regular; and where they fixed near the building in hand, they made a camp of huts. A surveyor governed in chief; every tenth man was called a Warden, and overlooked each nine. The gentlemen in the neighborhood, either out of charity or commutation of penance, gave the materials and carriages. Those who have seen the accounts in records of the charge of the fabrics of some of our cathedrals near 400 years old, cannot but have a great esteem for their economy, and admire how soon they erected such lofty structures."

By other accounts, however, the antiquity of Masonry is carried up much higher, even as early as the building of Solomon's temple, and these accounts are accepted by a very large number, indeed, by a great majority of the Craft to-day. Dr. Dove says in his Text -Book. In Britain the introduction of Masonry has been fixed at the year 674, when glass-making was first introduced; and it appears, indeed, that from this time many buildings in the Gothic style were erected by men in companies, who are said to have called themselves free, because they were at liberty to work in any part of the kingdom. Others have derived the institution of Free Masons from a combination among the people of that profession not to work without an advance of wages, when they were summoned from several counties, by writs of Edward III, directed to the sheriffs, to assist in rebuilding and enlarging the castle, together with the church and castle of St. George, at Windsor. At this time, it is said, the Masons agreed on certain tokens by which they might know and assist each other against being impressed and not to work unless free, and on their own terms.'7 For a long time the progress of Masonry in Britain was obstructed by the frequent wars which took place; and it did not revive until the time of Carausius, by whom it was patronized. This general, who hoped to be the founder of a British empire, encouraged learning and learned men, collecting also the best artificers from many different countries, particularly Masons, whom he held in great veneration, and appointing Albanus, his steward, the principal superintendent of their assemblies. Lodges or Conventions of the Fraternity, began now to be introduced, and the business of Masonry to be regularly carried on. The Masons, through the influence of Albanus, obtained a charter from Carausius to hold a general council, at which Albanus himself sat President, and assisted at the reception of many new members. This Albanus was the celebrated St. Alban, the first who suffered martyrdom in Britain for the Christian faith. Mr. Preston quotes an old MS. destroyed with many others, said to have been in the possession of Mcholas Stone, a curious sculptor under Inigo Jones; from which we learn that St Alban was a great friend to Masons, and gave them two shillings per week, besides three pence for their cheer; while, before that time, they had no more than one penny per day, and their meat. He likewise obtained "a charter from the King and his Council, for them to hold a general council, which was named an Assembly." The same circumstances are mentioned in a MS. written in the time of James II., only this increases the weekly salary of the Masons to 3s. 6d. and 3d. per day for the bearers of burthens.