-
Articles/Ads
Article THE FREEMASON'S LEXICON. ← Page 3 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemason's Lexicon.
architecture , into their societies . It is inferred that the Builders' or Architects' Societies of the middle ages , were derived from those Roman Builders' Corporations . We have the following account of the Architect ' s society . The spire on Munster , in Strasburgh , was commenced about the year 1277 , and finished about 1439 . The fame of this noble building induced foreign princes and cities to send to Strasburgh for experienced architects to build similar works for themand in this manner
, the Architects were spread abroad . In order to distinguish themselves from the common Masons , they held closed societies or corporations in different places , unto which they gave the names of Hutts , Halls , or Lodges ; but they acknowledge the precedence of the Strasburgher Hutt , and gave it the title of the Chief Hutt . They regarded their art as vastly superior to that of the common Masons , and used the tools of the operative Mason as symbolsthey also invented words and si
; gns , and were initiated into the degrees of Apprentice , Fellow-craft , and Master , ivith secret ceremonies . They had many customs , which resembled those of the Roman Builders , Hutts or Colleges , as well as of the Freemasons Lodges of the present day , and enjoyed great privileges in France , Italy and England , as well as in Germany . In Saxony they had a peculiar code of laws , and court of justice for their own professionand were so closelconnected with each otherthat the
Work-, y , hutts of twenty-two cities in Anspach , Augsburg , Basel , Constanez , Hagenan , Heidelberg , Heilbroun , Maints , Weisenheim , Muncher , Nuraburg , Plassenburg , Regensburg , Saltsburg , Schlettstadt , Speir , Stutgard , Ulm , and Zural , were dependant upon the Chief or Grancl Hutts at Strasburg ; which union was broken up by a decree of the
Rendsburg Imperial Diet , dated March 16 th , 1707 . In the present meaning of the word they were not Freemasons' Lodges , but the Members were Artists , possessed of very great privileges , and richly endowed with corporate rights and wonderful customs , derived from the tradition of remote antiquity . They were also in possession of much more , both physical and mathematical knowledge than their contemporaries , the possession of which implies that their minds were more cultivated , and
that their views extended far beyond the monkish superstitions of their age ; and those views which it was not prudent to publish , might with very great propriety be called secrets , into which secret distinguished and noble persons , although not Architects , were allowed to be initiated . In England there was also a somewhat similar society , viz . the Masonic regulations , which were agreed to in the Builders Hutt at York , in 906- In France this sort of Architect ' s Union was broken
up about the middle of the 16 th century ; it was afterwards broken up at Strasburg , which at that time did not belong to France , ancl soon after that it ceased to exist altogether . Baukunst , Architecture . —Why have we chosen Architecture as the symbol of our labour ? The answer to this question may be found in the following lines : as soon as uncivilized men began to reflect upon their conditionand to observe the conduct of animalsthey built huts
, , to protect themselves from both cold and heat The first want of an uncivilized man is food , the second protection from wind and weather , from the heat of the sun , and from the attacks of wild animals . Imitating the beast of the field , he first found a refuge in the caves of the earth , or in the thick branches of the trees : ancl when those shelters became scarce , he built himself a hut . Architecture is thus one of the first occupations in which man employed himself , and reflection is the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemason's Lexicon.
architecture , into their societies . It is inferred that the Builders' or Architects' Societies of the middle ages , were derived from those Roman Builders' Corporations . We have the following account of the Architect ' s society . The spire on Munster , in Strasburgh , was commenced about the year 1277 , and finished about 1439 . The fame of this noble building induced foreign princes and cities to send to Strasburgh for experienced architects to build similar works for themand in this manner
, the Architects were spread abroad . In order to distinguish themselves from the common Masons , they held closed societies or corporations in different places , unto which they gave the names of Hutts , Halls , or Lodges ; but they acknowledge the precedence of the Strasburgher Hutt , and gave it the title of the Chief Hutt . They regarded their art as vastly superior to that of the common Masons , and used the tools of the operative Mason as symbolsthey also invented words and si
; gns , and were initiated into the degrees of Apprentice , Fellow-craft , and Master , ivith secret ceremonies . They had many customs , which resembled those of the Roman Builders , Hutts or Colleges , as well as of the Freemasons Lodges of the present day , and enjoyed great privileges in France , Italy and England , as well as in Germany . In Saxony they had a peculiar code of laws , and court of justice for their own professionand were so closelconnected with each otherthat the
Work-, y , hutts of twenty-two cities in Anspach , Augsburg , Basel , Constanez , Hagenan , Heidelberg , Heilbroun , Maints , Weisenheim , Muncher , Nuraburg , Plassenburg , Regensburg , Saltsburg , Schlettstadt , Speir , Stutgard , Ulm , and Zural , were dependant upon the Chief or Grancl Hutts at Strasburg ; which union was broken up by a decree of the
Rendsburg Imperial Diet , dated March 16 th , 1707 . In the present meaning of the word they were not Freemasons' Lodges , but the Members were Artists , possessed of very great privileges , and richly endowed with corporate rights and wonderful customs , derived from the tradition of remote antiquity . They were also in possession of much more , both physical and mathematical knowledge than their contemporaries , the possession of which implies that their minds were more cultivated , and
that their views extended far beyond the monkish superstitions of their age ; and those views which it was not prudent to publish , might with very great propriety be called secrets , into which secret distinguished and noble persons , although not Architects , were allowed to be initiated . In England there was also a somewhat similar society , viz . the Masonic regulations , which were agreed to in the Builders Hutt at York , in 906- In France this sort of Architect ' s Union was broken
up about the middle of the 16 th century ; it was afterwards broken up at Strasburg , which at that time did not belong to France , ancl soon after that it ceased to exist altogether . Baukunst , Architecture . —Why have we chosen Architecture as the symbol of our labour ? The answer to this question may be found in the following lines : as soon as uncivilized men began to reflect upon their conditionand to observe the conduct of animalsthey built huts
, , to protect themselves from both cold and heat The first want of an uncivilized man is food , the second protection from wind and weather , from the heat of the sun , and from the attacks of wild animals . Imitating the beast of the field , he first found a refuge in the caves of the earth , or in the thick branches of the trees : ancl when those shelters became scarce , he built himself a hut . Architecture is thus one of the first occupations in which man employed himself , and reflection is the