Observations On The Antiquity Of Masons And Masonry In England.

to building , and these AA'ere sufficient in the early ages of Christianity to qualify them for building the most magnificent temples . But religion and architecture AA'ere so connected Avith each other , that where the first AA'as propagated the latter Avas necessarily introducedforAA'hen a

, , nation AA'as converted to Christianity it was necessary to build churches among them , which made tho study of architecture somewhat necessary to tho Ecclesiastics in those days Avho AA'ere sent into different countries to propagate the Christian religion ; * and

in after ages Avhen all useful learning AA'as confined to the cloisters , the greatest architects in every age AA'ere either bishops or persons AA'ho held some high offices in tho Church , AA'ho being zealous in promoting the religion they professed bestoAved much

time in contriving , and adorning many sacred edifices , in Avhich neither ingenuity nor expense AA'as Avanting to make them magnificent as Avell as useful , and many of them Avere so wonderfully well contrived for producing veneration and surprise , that

there are very few , in their present mutilated state ( though stript of every ornament AA'hich decency required ) , Avhich does not excite a religious awe in all AA'ho enter them . As the greatest architects Avere Ecclesiastics , so most of the ingenious arts AA'hich Avere useful in adorninar of churches

Avere practised by the Monks in several monasteries , but the raising of large Fabrics required the assistance of various artists , and as such Avere generally admitted members of those societies of Masons , they never Avanted artists of every denomination capable of executing the greatest designs .

As VitniA'ius did not confine the IQIOAA' - ledge of an architect to the mechanic art of cutting stones and ranging them in buildings , but extended it to all useful arts , so these societies Avere composed of A'arious artists AA-IIO had regular meetings for their

common improvement in the arts and sciences , particularly those relating to building ; and it is probable that some orders and regulations necessary for the good government of their communities AA'ere made at their first institution , AA'hich every member A \ 'as obliged to subscribe and bound to observe before he could be admitted to tho benefits and privileges of the

Fraternity * and Avhile those regulations Avere properly observed these societies Avere esteemed , and great improvements Avere made in the arts they professed ; souvc , hoAvever , Avere not contented Avith the knoAvledge of the useful arts , but pretended to conceal more than they kneAv

, and in those ages of ignorance and superstition they found no difficulty in persuading many to believe that they had the art of finding what arts they pleased t that they concealed the art of keeping secrets and that nothing could be concealed from them ; but

it is probable this art AA'as not knoAvn to every Freemason but by those only Avho being Ecclesiastics and Father-Confessors had an opportunity of learning other men ' s secrets though they kneAvlioAV to preserve their OAVII , and by possessing this art

they Avere better qualified for exercising their skill in wonder-working and foresaying things to come , than many others AA'ho pretended to it ; but they have carefully preserved these arts from the IUIOAA ' - ledge of the vulgar that they may not ho used by the Avicked for evil ends . J They

likeA \ 'ise concealed the art of Chaunges and the Wey of Wynnynge the Faculty of Abrac , but these being obsolete terms unknoAA'n to the Masons of this age , Ave can only guess at their meaning , and as they are reckoned among their choicest secrets , Ave may suppose they had some relation to

the arts of soothsaying , for those arts were too often practised by those AA'ho called themselves Christians , though they Avere condemned by the Fathers in the earliest ages of the Church ; and it is very probable that the art of Chaunges AA'as nothing more

than the Sortes of the Pagans , being a kind of Divination performed by casting or draAA'ing of lots , or some other operation depending upon chance . The Facultye of Abrac may be reckoned among the Promtigiee of the Pagans , being the faculty oi

curing diseases by means of charms , AA'hich AA'as clone in A'arious AA'ays , sometimes by Ligatures and sometimes by magic verses . These diabolical customs were strongly opposed by the Holy Fathers lolm loolced upon them as the relichs of Paganism . Tlvi * S . Atluinasius , after he had exhorted tlifi people to have recourse to God in theff