MASONS. COMPANY OF.
One of the ninetyone Livery Companies of London, but not one of the twelve greater ones. The arms of the Company are described in the language of heraldry as follows: "Sable or black on a chevron, between three towers argent or silver, a pair of compasses," as represented in Stowers Survey of London (1633) in the original grant of arms. This is quaintly described as follows: "A feld of Sablys A Cheveron silver grailed thre Castellis of the same garaysshed wt dores and wyndows of the feld in the Cheveron a Cumpas of Blak." In some old books, as is pointed out by Brother Edward Conder, Jr., in The Hole Crafte and Fellowship of Masonry (pages 91-7) the field as far back as 1677 has sometimes been described as azure or blue but this is corrected by the quotation from the original grant of arms which Brother Conder gives in full on pages 84-5 of his work. The motto in "In the Lord is all our trust." These were granted by Clarencieux, King of Arals, in 1472, but they were not incorporated until Charles II gave them a Charter in 1677. They are not to be contounded with the Fraternity of Freemasons, but originally there was some connection between the two. At their Hall in Basinghall Street, Ashmole says that in 1682 he attended a meeting at which several persons mrere "admitted into the Fellowship of Freemasons" (see Ashmole, Elias, and Accepted).
"The Company has no authorized motto, but appears to have used since the early part of the seventeenth century, 'In the Lord is all our trust,' founded on an earlier one, in all probability that which is given on Iiirwin's tomb in Mint Helen's Chureh," Brother E(lxvard Conder, Jr. (Hole Crafte and fellowship of Masonry, page 12). His reference to William Kirwin's tombstone in Bishopsgate, London, is to the motto there of "God is our guide." Brother Conder also suggests the influence of the first verse of the Gospel according to Saint Joha, and of the first Chapter of Genesis, upon the Tudor Masons. As to the verse in Saint Joha'g Gospel the earliest known seal of the Grand Lodge of Accepted Masons bears the first portion of this text. Brother Conder says further (page 9)
We cannot overlook the fact that at first the Company was known as the Fellowship of Masons, and it was to this Fellowship that the grant of arms was made in 1472. But about 1530 it changed its title to the Company of Freemasons. This was about the time when the Masons' Fraternities, which were connected with the religious houses, fell with them into a state of collapse by the action of the reformers. From this date tbe Company continued to use the title of ffreemasons, down to 1653, when the prefix free was dropped. From this date the Company is simply known as that of the Masons. This is curious, as the period embraced was the Dark Ages so to speak of symbolical masonry which soon after 1653 showed signs of revival. No doubt, about the same time the speculative element which had for so long taken refuge in the safe haven of the Company, adventured on a new course and possibly soon afterwards several Lodges were formed, still under the wing, so to speak, of the Company and holding their meetings at the Mason's Hall which was still probably looked upon as the only headquarters of the Craft in London. This esoteric portion finally left the Company soon after Ashmole's visit in 1682 and it is to my mind an open question, whether the Lodge of Antiquity in London, which has existed for over two hundred years, does not owe its origin to the Masons' Hall Lodge.
Having headed this Introduction, "Masonry or Freemasonry, ' I cannot conclude without saying emphatically that, in my opinion, the Company of Masons of the City of London, in its early days, praetised, and w as acquainted with, ALL the traditions and moral teachings of the Fraternity, and that when the monastic gilds fell into chaos, the London Company of Masons preserved the ancient traditions of the Gild, and amongst its documents a copy of those manuscripts,
Traditions, with the object of keeping the old order of things alive- and thus assisted in handing them down to the seventeenth century Society of Free and Accepted Masons, which revived the old order some time between 1650 and 1700. Sir Francis Palgrave, writing in the Edinburgh Reriew, in 1839, maintains that " the connection between the Operative Masons and a convivial society of good fellows— who in the reign of Queen Anne met at the Goose and Gridiron in 'St. Paul his Church'-yard—appears to have been finally dissolved about the beginning of the eighteenth century. From an inventory of the contents of the chest of the Worshipful Company of Masons and citizens of London, it appears not long since to have contained a book wrote on parchment, and bound or stitched in parchment containing 113 annals of the antiquity, rise, and progress of the art and mystery of Masonry. But this document is not now to be found." But here I leave it. The one thing certain is that, up to about 1700 the compagny and the Society were hand in hand, but after that date the connexion appears to have ended, and there is nothing to show that Speculative Masonry had a place in the thoughts of the members of the Company.
MASON, SCOTTISH MASTER.
In French, Maçon Ecossais Maître. Also called Perfect Elect, Elu parfait. A Degree in the Archives of the Mother Lodge of the Philosophic Scottish Rite.
MASONS, EMPEROR OF ALL THE.
The French is Maçons, Empereur de tous les. A Degree cited in the nomenclature of Fustier.
MASON, SPECULATIVE.
See Speculative Freemasonry.
MASON, STONE.
See Stone Masons.
MASON SUBLIME.
In French, Maçon sublime. A Degree in the manuscript collection of Peuvret.
MASON, SUBLIME OPERATIVE.
The French name is Maçon Sublime Pratique. A Degree in the manuscript collection of Peuvret.
MASON"S WIFE AND DAUGHTER .
A Degree frequently conferred in the United States on the wives, daughters, sisters. and mothers of Freemasons, to secure to them, by investing them with a peculiar mode of recognition, the aid and assistance of the Fraternity. It may he conferred by any Master Mason, and the requirement is that the recipient shall be the wife, unmarried daughter, unmarried sister, or widowed mother of a Master Mason. It is sometimes called the Holy Virgin, and has been by some deemed of so much importance that a Manual of it, with the title of The Ladies' Masonry, or Hieroglyphic Monitor, was published at Louisville, Kentucky, in 1851, by Past Grand Master William Leigh, of Alabama.
MASON, TRUE.
The French is Maçon Vrai. A Degree composed by Pernetty. It is the only one of the advanced Hermetic Degrees of the Rite of Avignon, and it became the First Degree of the same system after it was transplanted to hIontpellier (see Academy of True Masons).
MASORA.
A Hebrew work on the Bible, intended to secure it from any alterations or innovations. Those who composed it were termed Matsorites, who taught from tradition, and who invented the Hebrew points. They were also known as Melchites.
MASORETIC POINTS.
The Hebrew alphabet is without vowels, which were traditionally supplied by the reader from oral instruction, hence the true ancient sounds of the words have been lost. But about the eighth or ninth century a school of Rabbis, called Masorites, invented vowel points, to be placed above or below the consonants, so as to give them a determined pronunciation These Masoretic Points are never used by the Jews in their Rolls of the Law, and in all investigations into the derivation and meaning of Hebrew names, Masonic scholars and other etymologists always reject them.
MASSACHUSETTS .
The Reverend Brother Montague, of Massachusetts, is said to have received in 1825 or 1826 a document proving that the first regular Lodge in America was held in King's Chapel, Boston, by virtue of a Dispensation from the Grand Lodge of England, about the year 1720. This claim was published by Brother Charles W. Moore, Masonic Mirror, and his standing lends weight to it although further proof is lacking. In 1733, Henry Price was appointed Provincial Grand Master of New England by Lord Viscount Montague, Grand Master of Masons in England. The Brethren assembled on July 30, and a Grand Lodge was formed under the title of Saint John's Grand Lodge. The following Grand Officers were installed: Andrew Belcher, Deputy Grand Master; Thomas Kennelly, Senior Grand Warden; John Quann, Junior Grand Warden pro tempore. Orders were received from the Grand Lodge in England to establish Freemasonry in all North America. In consequence, the Saint John's Grand Lodge was ardent in the work and even established District Grand Lodges in Chile and China. Saint Andrew's Lodge, however, was not recognized by them until the brethren were all. united under one Grand Lodge on March 5, 179°.
Saint Andrew's Chapter was formed by ten members, four of whom, if not more, belonged to Army Lodges, and held its first meeting on August 18, 1769. lentil July 26, 1792, it was called the Roval Areh Lodge of Boston. At that time it was mentioned as Chapter but not until May 11, 1797, was it called Saint Andrexv's Chapter. James Brown was elected Master and Charles Chambers, Senior w arden. When the connection of the Army Brethren with the Chapter was severed, there was some question of its right to continue work, but the use of its own Charter was granted by Saint Andrew's Lodge until the Grand Chapter was established. Delegates from Saint Andrew's, King Cyrus, Providence, Solomon, Franklin, No. 4; Franklin, No. 6, and Hudson Chapters assembled in Hartford, Connecticut, on January 24, 1797, and formed the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the Northern States of America. It was decided that there should be a Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons established in each State. Massachusetts Deputy Grand Royal Arch Chapter held its first meeting on March 13, 1797. The word Deputy was dropped from the title after April, 1799. At the annual meeting in Newburyport, September 17, 1799, it was fully established.
In 1817 Boston Council was organized by nine Royal Arch Masons who had received the Degree of Royal Master. It undoubtedly received written authority from Columbian Council, No. 1, of New York. At a Convention held on February 8, 1825, at Brimfield, for the purpose of establishing a Grand Council! six Councils w ere represented by seventeen delegates, and on June 15, 1826, the Grand Council was fully constituted at Boston.
Newburyport Encampment conferred Degrees as early as 1795. It ceased w ork during the Anti-Masonic movement but was revived in 1855 v hen its Charter was restored. A Convention of Knights Templar held at Providence. Rhode Island, on May 13, 1805, adopted a Constitution for the Grand encampment of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. According to the authorities in Massachusetts this was the first Grand Encampment to be established in the United States, though that honor is also claimed by Philadelphia.
The introduction of the .\neient and Accepted Scottish Rite was as follows: Boston Lafayette Lodge of Perfection, chartered January 21, 1842; Lowell Council of Princes of Jerusalem, Stay May 1858; Mount Calvary Chapter of Rose Croix, Stay 16, 186(); Massachusetts Consistory, May 15, l561.
MASSENA, ANDRE.
Duke of Rivoli, Prince of Essling, and a Marshal of France, born at Nice in 175S. Early in the French Revolution he joined a battalion of volunteers, and soon rose to high military rank. He was a prominent Grand Officer of the French Grand Orient. He was designated by Napoleon his masters as the Robber, in consequence of his being so extortionate.
MASSONUS.
Used in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries according to Carpenter (Glossary), for Mason.
MASTER.--.
MASTER, ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN GRAND.
MASTER AD VITAM.
MASTER, ANCIENT.
MASTER ARCHITECT, GRAND.
MASTER ARCHITECT, PERFECT.
MASTER ARCHITECT, PRUSSIAN.
MASTER, BLUE.
MASTER BUILDER.
MASTER, CABALISTIC.
MASTER, COHEN.
MASTER, CROWNED.
MASTER, EGYPTIAN.
MASTER, ELECT.
MASTERS ENGLISH.
MASTER, ENGLISH PERFECT.
MASTER, FOUR TIMES VENERABLE.
MASTER, GRAND.
MASTER, HERMETIC.
MASTER, ILLUSTRIOUS.
MASTER, ILLUSTRIOUS SYMBOLIC.
MASTER IN ISRAEL.
MASTER IN PERFECT ARCHITECTURE.
MASTER IN THE CHAIR.
MASTERS IRISH.
MASTER, LITTLE ELECT.
MASTER, MOST HIGH AND PUISSANT.
MASTER, MOST WISE.
MASTER, MYSTIC.
MASTER OF ALL SYMBOLIC LODGES, GRAND.
MASTER OF A LODGE.
MASTER OF CAVALRY.
MASTER OF CEREMONIES.
MASTER OF DISPATCHES.
MASTER OF FINANCES.
MASTER OF HAMBURG, PERFECT.
MASTER OF INFANTRY.
MASTER OF LODGES.
MASTER OF MASTERS, GRAND.
MASTER OF PARACELSUS.
MASTER OF SECRETS, PERFECT.
MASTER OF THE CHIVALRY OF CHRIST.
MASTER OF THE HERMETIC SECRETS, GRAND.
MASTER OF THE HOSPITAL.
MASTER OF THE KEY TO MASONRY, GRAND.
MASTER OF THE LEGITIMATE LODGES, GRAND.
MASTER OF THE PALACE.
MASTER OF THE SAGES.
MASTER OF THE SEVEN CABALISTIC SECRETS, ILLUSTRIOUS.
MASTER OF THE TEMPLE.
MASTER OF THE WORK.
MASTER, PAST.
MASTER, PERFECT.
MASTER, PERFECT ARCHITECT.
MASTER, PERFECT IRISH.
MASTER PHILOSOPHER BY THE NUMBER NINE.
MASTER PHILOSOPHER BY THE NUMBER THREE.
MASTER PHILOSOPHER HERMETIC.
MASTER, PRIVATE.
MASTER PROVOST AND JUDGE.
MASTER, PUISSANT IRISH.
MASTER, PYTHAGOREAN.
MASTER, ROYAL.
MASTER, SECRET.
MASTER, SELECT.
MASTER'S EMBLEM.
MASTER'S LIGHT.
MASTERS LODGES.
MASTERS OF COMO.
MASTER SUPREME ELECT.
MASTER THEOSOPHIST.
MASTER THROUGH CURIOSITY.
MASTER TO THE NUMBER FIFTEEN.
MASTER, TRUE.
MASTER, WORSHIPFUL.
MASTER MASON.
MASTER OF SAINT ANDREW.
MASTER, ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN GRAND.
The French name is Souverain Grand Maître absolve the title of the Ninetieth and last Degree of the Rite of Mizraim.
MASTER AD VITAM.
In the French Freemasonry of the earlier part of the eighteenth century, the Masters of Lodges were not elected annually but held their office for life. Hence they were called Masters ad Vitam, or Masters for Life.
MASTER, ANCIENT.
The French name is Maître .Ancien. The Fourth Degree of the Rite of Martinism. This would more properly be translated Past Master, for it has the same position in the refine or Rite of Saint Martin that the Past Master has in the English system.
MASTER ARCHITECT, GRAND.
See Grand Master Architect.
MASTER ARCHITECT, PERFECT.
The French title is Maitre Architecte Parfait. A Degree in the Archives of the Mother Lodge of the Philosophic Scottish Rite, and in some other collections.
MASTER ARCHITECT, PRUSSIAN.
Mature Architecte Prussian. A Degree in the Archives of the Mother Lodge of the Philosophic Scottish Rite.
MASTER, BLUE.
A name sometimes given, in the ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, to Master Masons of the Third Degree, in contradistinction to some of the advanced Degrees, and in reference to the color of their collars.
MASTER BUILDER.
Taking the word master in the sense of one possessed of the highest degree of skill and knowledge, the epithet "Master Builder" is sometimes used by Freemasons as a name of the Grand architect of the Universe. Urquhart ( Pillars of Hercules ii, 67) derives it from the ancient Hebrews, who, he says, "used Algabil, the Master Builder, as an epithet of God."
MASTER, CABALISTIC.
In French the name is Maitre Cabalistique. A Degree in the collection of the Mother Lodge of the Philosophic Scottish Rite.
MASTER, COHEN.
The French expression is Maître Coen. A Degree in the collection of the Mother Lodge of the Philosophic Scottish Rite.
MASTER, CROWNED.
In French, Maitre Couronne A Degree in the collection of the Lodge of Saint Louis des Amis-Reuniist of the reunited fiends, at Calais.
MASTER, EGYPTIAN.
The French name is MaStre Egyptien. A Degree in the Archives of the Mother Lodge of the Philosophic Scottish Rite.
MASTER, ELECT.
See Elect Master.
MASTERS ENGLISH.
In French, Maîre Anglais. The Eighth Decree of the Rite of Mizraim.
MASTER, ENGLISH PERFECT.
The French name is Maitre Parfait Anglais. A Degree in the collection of Le Rouge.
MASTER, FOUR TIMES VENERABLE.
In French, Maître quatre fois Vénérable. A Degree introduced into Berlin by the Marquis de Bernez.
MASTER, GRAND.
See Travel Master.
MASTER, HERMETIC.
The French title is Maître Hermetique.A Degree in the collection of Lemanceau.
MASTER, ILLUSTRIOUS.
In French the name is Maître Illustre. A Degree in the collection of Lemalleau.
MASTER, ILLUSTRIOUS SYMBOLIC.
Tile French name is Maître Symbolique lllustre. .A Degree in the nomenclature of Fustier.
MASTER IN ISRAEL.
See Intendant of the Building.
MASTER IN PERFECT ARCHITECTURE.
The French name is Maître en la Parfaite Architecture. A Degree in the nomenclature of Fustier.
MASTER IN THE CHAIR.
The German name is Meister im Stuhl. The name given in Germany to the presiding officer of a Lodge. It is the same as the Worshipful Master in English.
MASTERS IRISH.
The French name is Maître Irlandais. The Seventh Degree of the Rite of Mizraim. Ramsay gave this name at first to the Degree which he subsequently called Maître Ecossais or Scottish Master. It is still the Seventh Degree of the Rite of Mizraim.
MASTER, LITTLE ELECT.
The French name is Petit Maître elu. A Degree in the Archives of the Mother Lodge of the Philosophic Scottish Rite.
MASTER, MOST HIGH AND PUISSANT.
The French expression is Maître tres haut et tres puissant. The Sixty-second Degree of the Rite of Mizraim.
MASTER, MOST WISE.
The title of a presiding officer of a Chapter of Rose Croix, usually abbreviated as Most Wise.
MASTER, MYSTIC.
In French, Maître Mystique. A degree in the collection of Pyron.
MASTER OF ALL SYMBOLIC LODGES, GRAND.
See Grand Master of all Symbolic Lodges.
MASTER OF A LODGE.
See Worshipful.
MASTER OF CAVALRY.
An Officer in a Council of Companions of the Red Cross, whose duties are, in some respects, similar to those of a Junior Deacon in a Symbolic Lodge. The two offices of Master of Cavalry and Master of Infantry were first appointed by Constantine the Great.
MASTER OF CEREMONIES.
An Officer found in many American Lodges and at one time in the Lodges of England and the Continent. In English Lodges the office is almost a nominal one, without any duties, but in the Continental Lodges he acts as the conductor of the candidate. Oliver says that the title should be, properly Director of Ceremonies, and he objects to Master of Ceremonies as unmasonic. In the Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of England, issued in 1884, the title is changed to Director of Ceremonies.
MASTER OF DISPATCHES.
The Seeretary of a Council of Companions of the Red Cross. The MapisterEpistolarum was the officer under the Empire who conducted the correspondence of the Emperor.
MASTER OF FINANCES.
The Treasurer of a Council of Companions of the Red Cross.
MASTER OF HAMBURG, PERFECT.
The French name is Maître parfait de Hamburg. A Degree in the nomenclature of Fustier.
MASTER OF INFANTRY.
The Treasurer of a Council of Companions of the Red Cross (see Master of Cavalry).
MASTER OF LODGES.
The name in French is Maître des Loges. The Sixty-first Degree of the Rite of Mizraim.
MASTER OF MASTERS, GRAND.
In French, Grand Maître des Maîtres. The Fifty-ninth Degree of the Metropolitan Chapter of France.
MASTER OF PARACELSUS.
The French name is Maître de Paracelse. A Degree in the collection of Pyron.
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