Why Freemasonry?

The earliest and best known of the English handlers of London Free & Accepted Masonry in the 1720’s, were Dr. Anderson, who wrote the book of Masonic Constitutions, and Dr. Oliver, who wrote extensively on Freemasonry. Briefly, there were other notables at the time of course who simply studied its background and the known initiatory doctrines of antiquity (Ashmole, Desaguliers, et al.), who realized its power in their era as both a movement for the edification of worthy men, and a possible means as a catalyst for advancing, and even hastening, the development of society toward its greater potential, including the promulgation of constitutional governance and rights. This would be accomplished through an “elevated” man who became a Freemason, initiated into a spiritual brotherhood, pursing knowledge promoting civility, and perhaps achieving a higher plane of wisdom. The test of veracity for this view can be observed in the way Freemasonry instigated in the world, so much improvement, in doing exactly what it implied.

Subsequent Masonic authors added to our degrees (Colcott, Preston, Webb) each drawing from sources available to them, shaping them into what we practice today. And indeed many others have attempted to explain and interpret the Craft, collectively writing thousands of books, pamphlets, compendiums, encyclopedias, handbooks, papers and speeches. But none of them “invented” Freemasonry from scratch. The lore from the Stone Masons was probably reshaped by the prominent group of learned insiders (additionally in F. Bacon, I. Newton, J. Dee, and from other influential sources—Templar and Church Architects, Rosicrucians, Alchemists), who knew it had existed in different forms, under different names and was practiced in different historical settings—wherever stone monuments were erected. It is likely beyond our reach to know precisely its complex evolution. But one acknowledgment is true: Freemasonry is perennial, relevant now and will be in the future, wherever a motivated individual wishes to advance toward the Light.

John McCargar, HA

Master