As to the mysteries of the craft, so much talked of, they are of the same nature as those of carpentry, or any other trade; and consist in a knowledge of the art of masonry; which was thought much more of at the time the society was instituted, than at the present day. The trifling rights and ceremonies, which the masons borrowed from the ancient Druids, are mere allegories, and symbolical signs and words, serving as a medium of secrecy, by means of which the members of the society are enabled to recognize each other.

There is no more propriety in prefixing the term free to masonry, than there is to carpentry, smithery, or to any other trade. It is inapplicable to any art or trade; although it may be applied to the professors of it. At the time the free masons' society was first instituted in England there were in that kingdom both free mer. and slaves in all the mechanical trades then in use. Doctor Henry, in his history of Great Britain, giving an account of the different ranks of people, &c. from 449 to 1066, after stating that slavery had been in some degree meliorated, observes, "But after all these mitigations of the severities of slavery, the yoke of servitude was still very heavy, and the greater part of the labourers, mechanics, and common people, groaned under that yoke at the conclusion of this period."

All the writers upon this subject, who are members of the scciety, endeavour to conceal the origin and object of it. For what reason it is dificult to imagine, except it be to keep the world in amazement respecting it. Or, perhaps, their pride induces them to contemn the humble, though laudable and useful purposes for which the institution was formed. Enough, however, has appeared in the old records which they have published to establish the view I have taken of it, and which, when I commenced this preface, I intended to have inserted; but finding they would extend to too

ing speculative plan, was formed in London, in 1717; and that a similar society was formed in Scotland, in 1736. These two lodges soon began to quarrel about precedency; each endeavouring to prove its priority by existing records of the humble mechanical societies of labouring masons, which had been established in both kingdoms many centuries before. The Yorkites, in England, it is believed, produced the oldest documents: both societies, however, continued to grant dispensations for forming lodges in foreign countries.

From these two sources all the Freemason societies, upon the present establishment, owe their origin. Nothing of the kind ever existed in Europe, or any other quarter of the world, previously to 1717. Although ostensibly founded upon a society of real working masons, nothing is now taught in it, nor ever has been, of that art, or any other art or science.-ED.

great a length, I am under the necessity of omitting them. I will, however, make a few extracts from the old charges of the Free and Accepted Masons, collected from their old records, at the command of the Grand Master, by James Anderson, D. D. Approved by the grand Lodge, and ordered to be printed in the first edition of the book of constitutions, on March 25, 1722.

"Concerning God and religion. A mason is obliged, by his tenure, to obey the moral law; and if he rightly understands the art, he will never be a stupid atheist, nor an irreligious libertine. But though in ancient times masons were charged in every country to be of the religion of that country or nation, whatever it was, yet it is now thought more expedient only to oblige them to that religion in which all men agree, leaving their particular opinions to themselves; that is, to be good men and true, or men of honor and honesty, by whatever denominations or persuasions they may be distinguished; whereby masonry becomes the centre of union, and the means of conciliating true friendship among persons, that must have remained at a perpetual distance.*

"Of lodges. A lodge is a place where masons assemble and work; hence that assembly, or duly organized society of masons, is called a lodge; and every brother ought to belong to one, and to be subject to its By-Laws and the general regulations.

"The persons admitted members of a lodge, must be good and true men, free-born, and of mature and discreet age, no bondmen, no women, no immoral or scandalous men, but of good report.

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Of apprentices. Candidates may know, that no master should take an apprentice, unless he has sufficient employment for him, and unless he be a perfect youth, having no maim or defect in his body, that may render him incapable of learning the art, of serving his master's lord, and of being made a brother, and then a fellow-craft in due time, even after he has served such a term of

William Preston, past master of the lodge of antiquity, in his illustrations of masonry, makes the following remarks on the same subject. "The spirit of the fulminating priest will be tamed; and a 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 hose disputes which imbitter life, and sour the tempers of men, are avoided."

years, as the custom of the country directs; and that he should be descended of honest parents.

Of the management of the craft in working. All masons shall work honestly on working days, that they may live creditably on holy days; and the time appointed by the law of the land, or confirmed by custom, shall be observed.

"The most expert of the fellow-craftmen shall be chosen, or appointed the master or overseer of the lord's work; who is to be called master by those that work under him. The craftsmen are to avoid all ill language, and to call each other by no disobliging name, but brother or fellow; and to behave themselves courteously within and without the lodge.

"The master, knowing himself to be able of cunning, shall undertake the lord's work as reasonably as possible, and truly dispend his goods as if they were his own; nor give more wages to any brother or apprentice, than he really may deserve.

"Both the master and the masons receiving their wages justly, shall be faithful to the lord, and honestly finish their work, whether task or journey; nor put the work to task that hath been accustomed to journey.

"None shall discover envy at the prosperity of a brother, nor supplant him, or put him out of his work, if he be capable to finish the same; for no man can finish another's work so much to the lord's profit, unless he be thoroughly acquainted with the designs and draughts of him that began it.

"When a fellow-craftsman is chosen warden of the work under the master, he shall be true both to master and fellows, shall carefully oversee the work in the master's absence, to the lord's profit ; and his brethren shall obey him.

"All masons employed, shall meekly receive their wages without murmuring or mutiny, and not desert the master till the work is finished.

"A younger brother shall be instructed in working, to prevent spoiling the materials for want of judgment, and for increasing and continuing of brotherly love.

"All the tools used in working shall be approved by the Grand Lodge.

"No labourer shall be employed in the proper work of masonry; nor shall Free Masons work with those that are not Free, without

an urgent necessity; nor shall they teach labourers and unacceptmasons, as they should teach a brother or fellow.

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"Of behaviour in the Lodge while constituted. If any complaint be brought, the brother found guilty shall stand to the award and determination of the lodge, who are the proper and competent Judges of all such controversies, (unless you carry it by appeal to the Grand Lodge,) and to whom they ought to be referred, unless a lord's work be hindered the mean while, in which case a particular reference may be made; but you must never go to law about what concerneth masonry, without an absolute necessity apparent to the lodge.

Raniour in presence of strangers not masons. You shall be cautious in your words and carriage, that the most penetrating stranger shall not be able to discover or find out what is not proper to be inumated; and sometimes you shaii divert a discourse, and manage it prudently for the honour of the worshipful fraternity.

"Behaviour at home, and in your neighbourhood. You are to act as becomes a moral and wise man; particularly, not to let your family, friends, and neighbours know the concerns of the Lodge, &c., but wisely to consult your own honour, and that of the ancient brotherhood. You must also consult your health, by not continuing together too late, or too long from home, after lodge hours are past, ana oy avoiding of gluttony and drunkenness that your families be not neglected or injured, nor you disabled from working.

"Behaviour towards a strange brother. You are cautiously to examine him, in such a method as prudence shall direct you, that you may not be imposed upon by an ignorant false pretender, whom you are to reject with contempt and derision, and beware of giving him any hints of knowledge.

"But if you discover him to be a true and genuine brother, you are to respect him accordingly; and if he is in want, you must relieve him if you can, or else direct him how he may be relieved; you must employ him some days, or else recommend him to be employed. But you are not charged to do beyond your ability, only to prefer a poor brother that is a good man and true, before any other poor people in the same circumstances."

All the old charges have å reference to Free Masons in the ca pacity of labourers, and as "good men and true," and, no doubt,

had a beneficial effect. But the substance has been lost sight of,

and the skeleton, or shadow, only retained. The mummery of the Druidical priests, with infinite additions of the same cast, is cherished as the desideratum of knowledge, calculated to complete the sum of human happiness and perfection. The corruptions of the Society seem to have kept pace with those of the Christian religion. It is at this day as different to what it was, as the Christianity now professed is to the religion taught by Jesus Christ. In his time there were no Doctors of Divinity-Right Reverend Fathers in God, nor their Holinesses the Popes. Neither were there in the Society of Free Masons, at its commencement, any Grand Secretaries Grand Treasurers-Knights of Malta-Captain Generals-Generalissamos-Most Excellent Scribes-Most Excellent High Priests-Most Excellent Kings, &c. &c.* To which might now, perhaps, very appropriately be added, Grand bottle holder and cork drawer.

The admission into the society of kings, princes, noblemen, bishops, and doctors in divinity, as patrons of the institution, has probably been the cause of so great change. These men, it may be presumed, brought much of their consequence with them into the Lodge, and were, no doubt, addressed in a manner suitable to their supposed dignity in other stations. At any rate, by whatever means these high sounding titles may have been introduced, they appear ridiculous when applied to members of an institution founded for such purpose as that of the Masonic Society, and ought to be abandoned.

It is difficult, at this time, for members of the Society, or any body else, to say what benefit is to be derived from the magical arts pretended to be practised in the Lodges. The mystic rites and ceremonies of the Egyptian priests, handed down to the Druids by Pythagoras; the miraculous stories related of the ancient Jews; and the legendary tales of Roman Catholic superstition, fruitful sources of imposition, have been ransacked to find subjects for new degrees to be tacked to the Society of Free Masons. 1 have in my possession a list of forty-three degrees in what is called Free Masonry; one of which is the order of the Holy Ghost.

*This is true, if reference be made to what it was, when under the management of the real masons, the operatives previously to the year 1717.