The masonic society is organized exclusively as a center of union for freemasons who desire to study and promote the mystic art, its history, philosophy, rites, customs, and practices while promoting the common good and general welfare of its community by espousing and promulgating those tenets of freemasonry that bring about civic betterment. The following are the principal editions of the book of constitutions to have been published since the formation of the united grand lodge of england. A new edition of the constitutions was published in 1754, by john entick. The recorded history of grand lodge dates only from 1723 when the first minute book was commenced, and so for a contemporary account of the formation of grand lodge, and of the first six years of its existence, we have to depend almost exclusively on dr. Also researching internet, the warren harding library in marion ohio has a excellent display of his masonic artifacts. This is the seminal work of american masonry, edited and published by one of the founding fathers, and of great importance. The illustrations of masonry by william preston pdf. The book of constitutions is the rule book of the united grand lodge of england that regulates all lodges and freemasons. The masonic meaning of the let ter g never has been esoteric.
Book of constitutions northumberland mark master masons. Occasionally the text of a book will be put into a specialized book press and painted, often with a scene from the book or a landscape, so that the painting is invisible when the book is closed but visible when somebody bends the text and fans the pagesknown as a foreedge painting. Regulations and edicts of tee grand lodge of the most ancient and honorable socty of free and accepted masons for the state of new jersey also a digest of masonic law and a code bor mz trat. Grand lodge approve a merger of the activities and financial and. Every candidate is required to take his obligation on that book or on the volume which. This is an online electronic edition of the the first masonic book printed in america, which was produced in philadelphia by benjamin franklin in 1734, and was a reprint of a work by james anderson who is identified as the author in an appendix printed in london in 1723. The constitutions of the grand lodge of england require that it must be recommended by the officers of some regular lodge.
Our rich collection of freemasonry books includes the bestselling book of constitutions united grand lodge of england and mark masons combined book of constitutions and yearbook 2014 2015. Masons played an important part in the formation of the united states and especially in the revolutionary war and the events that led up to this war. In presenting an american edition of andersons constitutions to the masonic fraternity, the publisher feels confident that there are but few readers in the order who have not dwelt with interest and delight on the pages of this most popular work popular at least with masons, and esteemed by them as the written landmarks of masonry. The constitutions of the freemasons, free pdf global grey.
The official monitor, the officers manual, the book of. The whole world has been told that the symbol owes its prominence to the. Drummond was originally published by the grand lodge of maine in 1877 for the purpose of assisting the lodges in resolving the questions which continually arise, and as a monitor of the various ceremonies. Book of constitutions craft rules sept 2016 281 kb book of constitutions craft plates may 2016 916 kb book of constitutions general index may 2016 258 kb book of constitutions grand charity dec 2015 52 kb. The oldest known work of this type, the halliwell manuscript, or regius poem, dates from between 90 and 1425. The united grand lodge of england book of constitutions of the united grand lodge of england. Book of constitutions northumberland mark master masons yumpu. The key event in the development of freemasonry into the one of the largest and most influential social organisations in the world was the establishment of a grand lodge in london in 1717, and the fundamental starting point for investigations into the early history of the grand lodge remains the book of constitutions of the freemasons published in london in february 1723. The constitutions of the freemasons, containing the history, charges, regulations and of that most ancient and right worshipful fraternity, for the use of the lodges contains a number of standard masonic commandments and rules including obedience to the rule of a higher power in this iteration the interpretation is strictly christian however. The grand lodge of england has been asked if it still stands by this declaration, particularly in regard to paragraph 7. The masonic book of constitutions guarded by the tylers sword pamphlet masonic service association on.
The online version is fully searchable, whilst pdf copies can be downloaded as follows. Grand lodge then annually met, in book 9 of corporation. These references are exclusively in the commentary sections. To provide for the acquisition, preservation, cataloguing. The charges of a freemason, extracted from the ancient records of lodges beyond sea, and of those in england, scotland, and ireland, for the use of the lodges in london, printed in the first edition of the book of constitutions, and to be found from p. Soon after the publication of the edition of 1769 of the book of constitutions, the. The two constitutions are the part i want to focus on for a bit, tonight. So we have two constitutions plus the statutes along with the normal masonic caveat of edicts and decisions as well as the broader, and not commonly defined, landmarks.
He reverted to the charges as drawn up in 1723 into which, especially in the first charge, anderson had introduced various modifications in the 1738 edition. The masonic book of constitutions guarded by the tylers. The principles of masonic law a treatise on the constitutional laws. The online version is fully searchable, whilst pdf copies can also be. The grand secretary was instructed to purchase twelve copies of it 1802. The ancient grand lodge of england, as it is known today, or the grand lodge of the most ancient and honourable fraternity of free and accepted masons according to the old constitutions granted by his royal highness prince edwin, at york, anno domini nine hundred and twenty six, and in the year of masonry four thousand nine hundred and twenty six as they described themselves on their. These books will surely prove beneficial for you by upgrading your knowledge of freemasonry world. Book of constitutions united grand lodge of england.
The authority for this book is to be found in the recommendation of the grand master 1915, as approved by the grand lodge. Masonic, not held by virtue of a warrant or constitution from the. Andersons constitutions of 1723 freemason information. Any two or more lodges may consolidate or merge under the name. The book of constitutions grand lodge of colorado page 1 constitution preamble we, the grand lodge of ancient free and accepted masons of colorado, in order to form a more perfect fraternal union, and to provide for and promote the general welfare of the masonic craft, do ordain and establish this constitution. The masonic book of constitutions guarded by the tylers sword pamphlet. Overall it seems the general writing about folks we consider noted masons make little reference to their masonic activity. Book of constitutions of the grand lodge of kentucky. Ben franklin was a master mason in philadelphia when he published the first masonic publication in the new world, the book of constitutions, in 1734. Including the book of constitutions, rules of order, the old charges, code of procedure, benevolent orders law, handbook of masonic law and supplement, and a comprehensive index. Book of constitutions of the grand lodge of kentucky free and accepted masons containing the constitution, code for masonic trials, and other information twelfth edition prepared by joseph r. The principles of masonic lawchapter vi wikisource, the. In england of the eighteenth century a permanent association or society was required to have a sponsor, the more exalted in the rank the better, who was named as its patron as the king himself was patron of the royal scientific society. The book of constitutions and regulations grand lodge of british.
Rituals or manuals rituals and manuals usually abound in old book stores. James anderson the constitutions of the freemasons 1734. The grand lodge was founded by eleven delegates, of whom andrew g. Hughan adds at the sale of his spencers masonic library in 1875, it was purchased by me for the late mr. A foundational masonry text that expounds on the masonic creation myth purported by james anderson. Book of constitutions royal arch regulations, author. Today we value the doctors labours less highly, but the constitutions of 1723 is nevertheless one of the most important records of the craft. The recommendation of a neighboring lodge is the general usage of the craft, and is intended to certify to the superior authority, on the very best evidence that can be.
A copy of james andersons constitutions in electronic format. This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no. The grand constitutions have for many years referred to opinions given in moores freema sons monthly, a magazine published in boston between 1841 and 1873 and edited by charles w. Digital masonic library onondaga and oswego masonic. The updated 2019 book of constitutions is available to view and download online from. This document has a brief history in its introduction, stating that the craft of masonry began with euclid in egypt, and came to.
Book of constitutions general index 254 kb also available for download is the current edition of the booklet entitled information for the guidance of members of the craft 2018 591 kb. Book of constitutions royal arch regulations by ugle issuu. To establish this principle in the literature of freemasonry, to divest the legends of the craft of the false value given to them as portions of authentic history by blind credulity, and to protect. Contains illustrations of all authorised jewels,chains collars and aprons. Book of constitutions of the ancient and honorable fraternityof free and accepted masons containing their history, charges, regulations, etc collected and digested by order of the grand lodge from their old records, for use of the lodges.
Royal arch masons of england when the rules of craft. Brother henry pirtle has submitted to me a digest of the decisions and opinions of the grand lodge and the amendments to the book of constitution made since the publication of the last edition of our book of constitutions. Andersons constitutions were based on the old masonic manuscripts also called gothic constitutions and on the general regulations which had been compiled first by george payne in 1720. Book of constitutions craft plates jan 2017 944 kb book of constitutions general index jan 2017 254 kb also available for download is the current edition of the booklet entitled information for the guidance of members of the craft nov 2018 592 kb. These documents are the constitutions and regulations of 1762 and the grand constitutions of 1786. This pamphlet is now in the library of the grand lodge of iowa, being one of the most valuable books of the celebrated bower col lection. The earliest masonic texts each contain some sort of a history of the craft, or mystery, of masonry. The grand lodge of england replied that it stood by every word of the declaration, and has since asked for the opinion of the grand lodges of ireland and scotland. James anderson, the authorcompiler of the constitutions ii of 1723. Index to andersons constitutions of 1723 until a full transcription of the 1723 edition is completed, researchers are directed to the text of the 1734 edition, transcribed by paul royster, university. With da vinci code author dan browns new book, the lost symbol, focusing on the group, thats a question even more will be asking.