The constitution freemasonry is unlike any other fraternal organization. Andersons landmark constitutions of the freemasons, 1784 freemasonry anderson, james. On april 15, 1791, the alexandria lodge laid the cornerstone of the capitol city wasserman 46. Intellectual momentum for the albany plan clearly derived from andersons constitutions of the freemasons, which outlined a federal systeman orderly, balanced, and enlightened mechanismthat would eventually form the basis for a unified american nation, according to walter isaacson, a meticulous biographer of franklin. Andersons constitutions of 1723 freemason information. In america franklin reprinted this work in 1734 apparently verbatim. Of that most ancient and right worshipful fraternity, for the use of the lodges classic reprint anderson, james on. The constitutions was edited and reprinted by benjamin franklin in philadelphia in 1734, becoming the first masonic book printed in america. Its constitution shows its extraordinary character and its acceptance of all religions as equally true. Ancient charges, regulations and landmarks canmas may 28th, 2004. M right worshipful fraternity of accepted freemasons.
Andersons constitution is the basis of modern freemasonry and its foundation of operation. Real patriots such as patrick henry, george mason and a few others saw it as a blueprint for empire and fought it. Faq for information about file content and naming conventions. Indeed, anderson s history would have produced the expectation of an older grand lodge at york, and the london lodges were duly furnished with minutes going back some twenty years. The 1989 revision is the last official version prior to the current one. The ashlar company masonic shop for the good of the craft. What is called andersons constitution of 1723 contains both the charges of a freemason and general regulations.
For some background this excerpt from wikipedia offers some insight to its history. The key event in the development of freemasonry into the one of the largest and most influential social organisations in the world was the establishment of a grand lodge in london in 1717, and the fundamental starting point for investigations into the early history of the grand lodge remains the book of constitutions of the freemasons published in london in february 1723. This electronic edition of carliles manual of freemasonry is based on a facsimile of an unspecified printing, issued by kessinger publishing in kila, montana. A few manifest typographical errors have been corrected. Anderson, as he states in constitutions 1738, that the earl of st. The brethren of all the lodges in and about london and westminster, shall meet at an annual communication and feast, in some convenient place, on st. A variety of stories and irregularities exist about its legitimacy and its foundation, yet, it remains an early cannon of masonic history. The laws which govern the institution of freemasonry are of two kinds, unwritten and written, and may in a manner be compared with the lex non scripta, or common law, and the lex seripta, or statute law of english and american jurists. Lodgequatuorcoronati, authorofthestoryofthecraft,etc. Freemasons and the founding of america history essay.
Thegrand lodgewillalwaysconsidertherecognitionofthosegrandlodges. May 27, 2010 anderson s constitutions of 1738 by james anderson. The grand lodge of the most ancient and honourable fraternity of free and accepted masons 1751 18, or more commonly known as the ancients or antients, had its. Regardless of the other forces that affected the formation of the constitution during the constitutional convention in 1787, the fact remains that the federalism created is identical t the federalism of the grand lodge system of masonic government created in anderson s constitutions of 1723. In presenting an american edition of andersons constitutions to the masonic fraternity, the publisher feels confident that there are but few readers in the order who have not dwelt with interest and delight on the pages of this most popular work popular at least with masons, and esteemed by them as the written landmarks of masonry. Freemasons presided over many of the cornerstone laying ceremonies in washington d. The constitution, history, laws, charges, orders, regulations, and usages of the right worshipful fraternity of accepted freemasons 7 the charges of a freemason 47. James anderson 16841739, a scottish presbyterian minister, wrote the book of constitutions, published in 1723 and revised in 1738, which contains the rules and. Dont waste your money on cheap reproductions of famous masonic books when you can download them here for free. The constitutions of the freemasons unl digital commons. Andersons constitutions were based on the old masonic manuscripts also called gothic constitutions and on the general regulations which had been. Anderson and later editors of the constitutions in the eighteenth century, following him copied this feature and brought his own fertile imagination to bear on it. In america, benjamin franklin issued a reprint of andersons constitutions at philadelphia in 1734 12 for the use of american masons. In freemasonry, there is no substitute for quality.
The date and place of his birth have not yet been discovered with certainty, but the date was probably 1680, and the place, aberdeen, in scotland, where he was educated and where he probably took the degrees of master of arts. The us constitution and freemasonry a betrayal of the. These references are exclusively in the commentary sections. The masonic seeding of our commercial republic scottish. The first of these points to which i refer is the establishment of a body of architects, widely disseminated throughout europe during the middle ages under the avowed name of travelling freemasons. Because the freemasons were asked to perform these ceremonies, it shows that the leaders of our country valued the freemasons and their ideals highly. To us american masons, who live under fortynine grand jurisdictions and to whom masonic jurisprudence is an almost necessary preoccupation, any new light on that formative and critical period, and especially on dr. Founding of grand lodge of england in 1717 andersons. Altogether, the judeomasonic symbolism on the dollar bill reveals in a code. It was then approved by a grand lodge committee under his control. He was ordained a minister in the church of scotland in 1707 and moved to london, where he ministered to the glass house street congregation until 1710, to the presbyterian church in swallow street until 1734, and at lisle street chapel until his death. Famous masons through out history and some not so famous listed alphabetically by last name abbott, sir john j. The original anderson s constitutions was published in 1723. The constitutions of the freemasons classic reprint james anderson on.
In presenting an american edition of andersons constitutions to the masonic fraternity, the publisher feels confident. Anderson s constitutions was the original guide for freemasons who were part of the grand lodge of england. Andersons constitution provided the orders rules, as well as some songs meant to accompany lodge meetings generally speaking, the constitutions plan was more social than spiritual in an era marked by divisions engendered by the reformation and counterreformation, freemasonry was content to encourage its members. John evangelist s day, as the grand lodge shall think fit by a new regulation, having of late years met on st. The officers of these lodges are informed, enthusiastic and dedicated to performing their duties. Printed by william hunter, for john senex at the globe, and john hooke at the flowerdeluce overagainst st. Ebscohost serves thousands of libraries with premium essays, articles and other content including freemasonrys contribution to the u. Of that most ancient and right worshipful fraternity. Andersons constitutions were based on the old masonic manuscripts also called gothic constitutions and on the general regulations which had been compiled first by george payne in 1720.
Andersons constitutions were based on the gothic constitutions and on the general regulations which had been compiled first by george payne in 17207. The first 1723 and second 1738 edition were written by rev. The grand constitutions have for many years referred to opinions given in moores freema sons monthly, a magazine published in boston between 1841 and 1873 and edited by charles w. Grand masters warrant, the regular lodges are not to countenance them.
Thepockethistoryoffreemasonry download thepockethistoryoffreemasonry ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub, and mobi format. Andersons constitutions for freemasons, 1723 free download as pdf file. Introduction all successful lodges have one distinguishing characteristic. Payne s, or rather anderson s, regulations were the foundation on which the law of the craft was based, it being developed by a continual process of emendation and addition, and their phraseology can still be traced in our english constitutions today. Anderson whose constitutions is the groundwork of our laws, is not only interesting but useful. The full title of the 1723 edition was the constitutions of the freemasons, containing the history, charges, regulations, etc. In presenting an american edition of anderson s constitutions to the masonic fraternity, the publisher feels confident that there are but few readers in the order who have not dwelt with interest and delight on the pages of this most popular work popular at least with masons, and esteemed by them as the written landmarks of masonry. The historical portion of andersons constitutions consists in essence of a digest of the legendary history of the building craft from the old charges. Published in masonic bulletin, bcy, october 1940 ancient charges, regulations and landmarks are familiar words. The grand lodge of england has been asked if it still stands by this declaration, particularly in regard to paragraph 7. The constitutions of the freemasons was a constitution written for. The constitutions of the freemasons classic reprint.
The constitutions of the freemasons, for the use of the lodges in london and westminster was published in 1723. The publishers introduction from that edition is omitted for reasons. Anderson s constitution 1723 andersons constitution is the basis of modern freemasonry and its foundation of operation. In andersons constitutions, the law is laid down, under the head of duty of members edition of 1755, p. Jan 21, 2003 the constitutions of the freemasons book. Editorial note this electronic edition of carliles manual of freemasonry is based on a facsimile of an unspecified printing, issued by kessinger publishing in kila, montana. See also the what is the directory structure for the texts. Index to andersons constitutions of 1723 until a full transcription of the 1723 edition is completed, researchers are directed to the text of the 1734 edition, transcribed by paul royster, university of nebraskalincoln, february 14, 2006. Andersons constitutions for freemasons, 1723 abraham. Benjamin franklin, grand master of masons of pennsylvania.
Andersons constitutions conformed so perfectly to masonic ideas of government that adoption followed in the irish and scottish grand lodges. The bill of rights was added at their insistence as a defense against the constitution. This association of workmen, said to have been the descendants of the temple masons, may be traced by. Ahiman rezon my freemasonry freemason information and. Regardless of the other forces that affected the formation of the constitution during the constitutional convention in 1787, the fact remains that the federalism created is identical t the federalism of the grand lodge system of masonic government created in andersons constitutions of 1723.
The freemasons purpose is to find the eternal truth about life and to discover the truth about god and the immortality of the soul hieronimus 26. Andersons constitutions of 1723 masonic service association on. The manner of constituting a new lodge 75 approbation 78. Canadian politician who served as prime minister 18911892. Anderson s 1738 constitutions recognised the independence of the old lodge of york city. The grand lodge of england replied that it stood by every word of the declaration, and has since asked for the opinion of the grand lodges of ireland and scotland. He was ordained a minister in the church of scotland in 1707, and moved to london, where he ministered to the glass house street congregation until 1710, and to the presbyterian church in swallow street until 1734, and at lisle street chapel until his death.
Clausen, an attorney, is naturally proud of the constitutions supreme court, with brother john marshall the first. A variety of stories and irregularities exist about its legitimacy and its foundation, yet, it remains an early canon of masonic history. The constitution, history, laws, charges, orders, regulations, and usages, of the right worshipful fraternity of accepted free masons. Anderson s constitution is the basis of modern freemasonry and its foundation of operation. On the 29th of september, 1721, he was commissioned by the grand lodge to collect and compile the history, charges, and regulations of the fraternity from the then existing ancient constitutions of the lodges. The constitutions of the freemasons was a constitution written for the premier grand lodge of england. It was written by james anderson, a presbyterian clergyman, at the request of john theophilus desaguliers, the third grand master of the grand lodge of england. It was edited by james anderson, as a reault of a kind request from john theophilus desaguliers. Constitutions of the antient fraternity of free and accepted masons a new edition.
The us constitution was a betrayal of the declaration of independence. Any number of master masons, not less than seven, being desirous of forming a new lodge, having previously obtained a dispensation from the grand master, must apply by petition to the grand lodge of the state in which they reside, praying for a charter, or warrant of constitution, to enable them to assemble as a regular lodge. Discussion in history and research started by bulldozer harrell, feb 17, 2017. Click download or read online button to thepockethistoryoffreemasonry book pdf for free now. Mar 06, 2004 the us constitution was a betrayal of the declaration of independence. Thereisnosecretwithregardtoanyofthebasicprinciplesof freemasonry,someofwhichhavebeenstatedabove. Founded to further the enlightenment ideals, like freedom and equality, it reflects the very principles our founding fathers, many of them freemasons, used as a model of for our country. The 1723 publication of andersons constitution is the most famous of masonic documents, but this was the rules as established by the premier grand lodge, also known as the moderns. Anderson s constitutions of 1723 masonic service association on. Andersons constitutions of 1723 general regulations, compiled first by m. The constitutions of the freemasons, free pdf global grey.
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