I.
Concerning GOD and RELIGION.
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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