The History Of Freemasonry

Written by an expert on "the craft," this classic traces Freemasonry's origins from biblical times to its practice among America's founding fathers. It also explores philosophical, symbolic, and ritual traditions.

Freemasonry is part of a long tradition of Western mysticism, steeped in a long-standing and eclectic mixture of historical fact and legend. Much of the ritual and symbolism prevalent in Freemasonry has developed over many centuries and relies heavily on notions inherited from the customs and practices of medieval stonemasons. Members are still taught its precepts using ritual dramas that follow ancient forms and use stonemasons' tools as allegorical guides.This absorbing and informative book provides an account of the history and legends of the Freemasons, from its links with the Knights Templar, its explorations into alchemy and the hermetic tradition, through the age of Enlightenment and the founding fathers of the USA, to the Victorians and up to the present day.

Explores the hidden history of Freemasonry from ancient Rome, through the Middle Ages, to the present • Shows the close connection between medieval masons and the Knights Templar • Illustrates the sacred nature of Roman and medieval trade associations • Reveals the missing link that connects the lodges of modern Freemasonry to the medieval brotherhoods of builders Historians often make a sharp distinction between the operative Masonry of the Middle Ages and the speculative Masonry of modern times, emphasizing that there is no direct bridge connecting the two. Modern historians also have scoffed at Masonic claims concerning the close relationship between the Lodge and the Temple. Using medieval archives housed throughout Europe, historian Paul Naudon reveals that there was in fact a very intimate connection between the Masons and the Knights Templar. Church records of medieval Paris show that most, if not all, the Masons of that time were residents of the Templar censive, which allowed them to enjoy great exemptions and liberties from both church and state as a result of the protection afforded them by this powerful order. Naudon shows that the origins of Freemasonry can be traced back to the collegia of ancient Rome. He traces the evolution of organizations such as the Comacine Masters, the Arab turuqs, and the brotherhoods of builders created under the aegis of the Benedictines and the Knights Templar, all of which provide the vehicle for the transmission of a sacred tradition from pre-Christian times to the modern era. This tradition is the source of Masonic ritual and symbolism, and it provides the missing link in the transformation of the operative Masonry of the medieval cathedral builders to the spiritual principles of modern speculative Masonry.

A British historian who is not a Freemason debunks myths about Freemasonry being a threat to civilization as he traces this secret brotherhood's origins in Medieval building guilds, role in the French and American Revolutions, scandals, anti-Mason sentiment, spread worldwide, and modern presence in Britain and the US. This is a reprint of a 1999 book. c. Book News Inc.

Insiders call it the Craft. Discover the fascinating true story of one of the most influential and misunderstood secret brotherhoods in modern society. Founded in London in 1717 as a way of binding men in fellowship, Freemasonry proved so addictive that within two decades it had spread across the globe. Masonic influence became pervasive. Under George Washington, the Craft became a creed for the new American nation. Masonic networks held the British empire together. Under Napoleon, the Craft became a tool of authoritarianism and then a cover for revolutionary conspiracy. Both the Mormon Church and the Sicilian mafia owe their origins to Freemasonry. Yet the Masons were as feared as they were influential. In the eyes of the Catholic Church, Freemasonry has always been a den of devil-worshippers. For Hitler, Mussolini and Franco, the Lodges spread the diseases of pacifism, socialism and Jewish influence, so had to be crushed. Freemasonry's story yokes together Winston Churchill and Walt Disney; Wolfgang Mozart and Shaquille O'Neal; Benjamin Franklin and Buzz Aldrin; Rudyard Kipling and 'Buffalo Bill' Cody; Duke Ellington and the Duke of Wellington. John Dickie's The Craft is an enthralling exploration of a the world's most famous and misunderstood secret brotherhood, a movement that not only helped to forge modern society, but has substantial contemporary influence, with 400,000 members in Britain, over a million in the USA, and around six million across the world.

This book is a new edition of David Stevenson's classic account of the origins of Freemasonry, a brotherhood of men bound together by secret initiatives, rituals and modes of identification with ideals of fraternity, equality, toleration and reason. Beginning in Britain, Freemasonry swept across Europe in the mid-eighteenth century in astonishing fashion--yet its origins are still hotly debated today. The prevailing assumption has been that it emerged in England around 1700, but David Stevenson demonstrates that the real origins of modern Freemasonry lie in Scotland around 1600, when the system of lodges was created by stonemasons with rituals and secrets blending medieval mythology with Renaissance and seventeenth-century history. This fascinating work of historical detection will be essential reading for anyone interested in Renaissance and seventeenth-century history, for freemasons themselves, and for those readers captivated by the secret societies at the heart of the bestselling The Da Vinci Code. David Stevenson is Emeritus Professor of Scottish History at the University of St. Andrews. His many previous publications include The Scottish Revolution, 1637-1644; Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Scotland, 1644-1651; and The First Freemasons; Scotland, Early Lodges and their Members. His most recent book is the The Hunt for Rob Roy (2004). Previous edition Hb (1988) 0-521-35326-2 Previous edition Pb (1990) 0-521-39654-9

Its mysterious symbols and rituals had been used in secret for centuries before Freemasonry revealed itself in 1717. But where had this powerful organization come from and why had Freemasonry been attacked by the Roman Catholic Church? Robinson answers those questions and more.