I.
Concerning GOD and R ELIGION.
A Widows Son, as a Mason is
oblig'd 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 charg’d in every Country to be of
the Religion of that Country or Nation, whatever it was, yet
'tis 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 Honour and Honesty, by whatever Denominations or
Persuasions they may be distinguish’d; whereby Masonry
becomes the Center of Union, and the Means of conciliating
true Friendship among Persons that must have remain'd at a
perpetual Distance.
II.
Of the CIVIL MAGISTRATES supreme and subordinate.
A Widows Sons, as a Mason,
is a peaceable Subject to the Civil Powers, wherever he
resides or works, and is never to be concern'd in Plots and
Conspiracies against the Peace and Welfare of the Nation,
nor to behave himself undutifully to inferior Magistrates;
for as Masonry hath been always injured by War, Bloodshed,
and Confusion, so ancient Kings and Princes have been much
dispos'd to encourage the Craftsmen, because of their
Peaceableness and Loyalty, whereby they practically answer'd
the Cavils of their Adversaries, and promoted the Honour of
the Fraternity, who ever flourish'd in Times of Peace. So
that if a Brother should be a Rebel against the State he is
not to be countenanc'd in his Rebellion, however he may be
pitied as an unhappy Man; and, if convicted of no other
Crime though the loyal Brotherhood must and ought to disown
his Rebellion, and give no Umbrage or Ground of political
Jealousy to the Government for the time being; they cannot
expel him from the Lodge, and his Relation to it remains
indefeasible.
III.
Of LODGES.
A LODGE is a place where
Masons assemble and work: Hence that Assembly, or duly
organiz'd Society of Masons, is call'd a LODGE, and every
Brother ought to belong to one, and to be subject to its
By-Laws and the GENERAL REGULATIONS. It is either particular
or general, and will be best understood by attending it, and
by the Regulations of the General or Grand Lodge hereunto
annex'd. In ancient Times, no Master or Fellow could be
absent from it especially when warn'd to appear at it,
without incurring a sever Censure, until it appear'd to the
Master and Wardens that pure Necessity hinder'd him.
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.
IV.
Of Masters, WARDENS, Fellows and Apprentices.
All preferment among Masons
is grounded upon real Worth and personal Merit only; that so
the Lords may be well served, the Brethren not put to Shame,
nor the Royal Craft despis'd: Therefore no Master or Warden
is chosen by Seniority, but for his Merit. It is impossible
to describe these things in Writing, and every Brother must
attend in his Place, and learn them in a way peculiar to
this Fraternity: Only Candidates may know that no Master
should take an Apprentice unless he has sufficient
Imployment for him, and unless he be a perfect Youth having
no Maim or Defect in his Body that may render him uncapable
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 Years as the Custom
of the Country directs; and that he should be descended of
honest Parents; that so, when otherwise qualify'd he may
arrive to the Honour of being the WARDEN, and then the
Master of the Lodge, the Grand Warden, and at length the
GRAND MASTER of all the Lodges, according to his Merit.
No Brother can be a WARDEN until he has pass'd the part of a
Fellow-Craft; nor a MASTER until he has acted as a Warden,
nor GRAND WARDEN until he has been Master of a Lodge, nor
Grand Master unless he has been a Fellow-Craft before
his Election, who is also to be nobly born, or a Gentleman
of the best Fashion, or some eminent Scholar, or some
curious Architect, or other Artist, descended of honest
Parents, and who is of similar great Merit in the Opinion of
the Lodges. And for the better, and easier, and more
honourable Discharge of his Office, the Grand-Master has a
Power to chuse his own DEPUTY GRAND-MASTER, who must be
then, or must have been formerly, the Master of a particular
Lodge, and has the Privilege of acting whatever the GRAND
MASTER, his Principal, should act, unless the said Principal
be present, or interpose his Authority by a Letter
These Rulers and Governors, supreme and subordinate, of the
ancient Lodge, are to be obey'd in their respective Stations
by all the Brethren, according to the old Charges and
Regulations, with all Humility, Reverence, Love and
Alacrity.
V.
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
confirm'd by Custom, shall be observ'd.
The most expert of the Fellow-Craftsmen shall be chosen or
appointed the Master or Overseer of the Lord's Work; who is
to be call'd 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 to 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 finish'd.
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 employ'd 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 unaccepted Masons as they should teach a
Brother or Fellow.
VI.
Of BEHAVIOUR, VIZ.
1.
In the Lodge while constituted.
You are not to hold private
Committees, or separate Conversation without Leave from the
Master, nor to talk of anything impertinent or unseemly, nor
interrupt the Master or Wardens, or any Brother speaking to
the Master: Nor behave yourself ludicrously or jestingly
while the Lodge is engaged in what is serious and solemn;
nor use any unbecoming Language upon any Pretense
whatsoever; but to pay due Reverence to your Master,
Wardens, and Fellows, and put them to worship.
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 referr'd, unless a Lord's Work be
hinder'd 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.
2.
Behaviour after the LODGE is over and the Brethren not gone.
You may enjoy yourself with
innocent Mirth, treating one another according to Ability,
but avoiding all Excess, or forcing any Brother to eat or
drink beyond his Inclination, or hindering him from going
when his Occasions call him, or doing or saying anything
offensive, or that may forbid an easy and free Conversation,
for that would blast our Harmony, and defeat our laudable
Purposes. Therefore no private Piques or Quarrels must be
brought within the Door of the Lodge, far less any Quarrels
about Religion, or Nations, or State Policy, we being only,
as Masons, of the Catholick Religion above mention'd, we are
also of all Nations, Tongues, Kindreds, and Languages, and
are resolv'd against all Politics, as what never yet
conduct'd to the Welfare of the Lodge, nor ever will. This
Charge has been always strictly enjoin'd and observ'd; but
especially ever since the Reformation in BRITAIN, or the
Dissent and Secession of these Nations from the Communion of
ROME.
3.
Behaviour when Brethren meet without Strangers, but not in a
Lodge form'd.
You are to salute one
another in a courteous Manner, as you will be instructed,
calling each other Brother, freely giving mutual instruction
as shall be thought expedient, without being ever seen or
overheard, and without encroaching upon each other, or
derogating from that Respect which is due to any Brother,
were he not Mason: For though all Masons are as Brethren
upon the same Level, yet Masonry takes no Honour from a man
that he had before; nay, rather it adds to his Honour,
especially if he has deserv'd well of the Brotherhood, who
must give Honour to whom it is due, and avoid ill Manners.
4.
Behaviour 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 intimated, and sometimes you shall divert a Discourse,
and manage it prudently for the Honour of the worshipful
Fraternity.
5.
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 Neighbors know the Concern of the Lodge, &c.,
but wisely to consult your own Honour, and that of the
ancient Brotherhood, for reasons not to be mention'd here
You must also consult your Health, by not continuing
together too late, or too long from Home, after Lodge Hours
are past; and by avoiding of Gluttony or Drunkenness, that
your Families be not neglected or injured, nor you disabled
from working.
6.
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 impos'd 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 reliev'd: you must employ him some days, or else
recommend him to be employ'd. 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
Circumstance.
Finally, All these Charges you are to observe, and
also those that shall be recommended to you in another Way;
cultivating BROTHERLY-LOVE, the Foundation and Cape-stone,
the Cement and Glory of this Ancient Fraternity, avoiding
all Wrangling and Quarreling, all Slander and Backbiting,
nor permitting others to slander any honest Brother, but
defending his Character, and doing him all good Offices, as
far as is consistent with your Honour and Safety, and no
farther. And if any of them do you Injury, you must apply to
your own or his Lodge, and from thence you may appeal to the
Grand Lodge, at the Quarterly Communication, and from thence
to the annual GRAND LODGE, as has been the ancient laudable
Conduct of our Fore-fathers in every Nation; never taking a
legal Course but when the Case cannot be otherwise decided,
and patiently listening to the honest and friendly Advice of
Master and Fellows, when they would prevent your going to
Law with Strangers, or would excite you to put a speedy
Period to all Law-Suits, so that you may mind the Affair of
MASONRY with the more Alacrity and Success; but with respect
to Brothers or Fellows at Law, the Master and Brethren
should kindly offer their Mediation, which ought to be
thankfully submitted to by the contending Brethren; and if
that submission is impracticable, they must, however, carry
on their Process, or Law-Suit, without Wrath and Rancor (not
in the common way) saying or doing nothing which may hinder
Brotherly Love, and good Offices to be renew'd and
continu'd; that all may see the benign Influence of MASONRY,
as all true Masons have done from the beginning of the
World, and will do to the End of Time.
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