Masonic Archaeology, No. 2.

tigatov to-day . For Masonic enquiry and Masonic history , like all other enquiries and histories , seem to be pass ing through , just now , the somewhat unadvisable and unenviable process of a hasty and destructive criticism .

Because in former days some of our miters accepted too much , as it is said , other modern authorities appear disposed to reject everything ; because in olden days our recognized historians exercized , it may be , hardly sufficient

caution in the traditions they received and endorsed with their authority , many modem writers would apparently sweep ruthlessly all those traditions away . They forget that in this , as in all other things here , "almsus non tollifc usum , " and the good old familiar saying , "two black's don't make one white . " So that the Masonic student

has to walk very warily amid these contending schools of criticism , and has ever anxiously to endeavour , above all tilings , to find the "via media" of truth and certainty , not always very easy to find now , amid the extremes of human

pre judice on the one hand , or human partiality on the other . But we have as Masonic archaeologists , some things to cheer us in our sterner labours and

more serious studies . If our progress he necessarily slow , it is , I am inclined to think , notwithstanding , sure ; and if it sometimes seems as if we might get on faster , I am always—nay , more and more—disposed to remember the safer

axiom , " festina lente . " If we have not as yet reached to any very great amount of positive evidence , or approached a general critical agreement on many " vexed questions , " yet our advance , if uupeded , is undoubted , and we have Hiade

some very sensible progress towards harmonizing views of our h'ae and undoubted Masonic history . * w instance , there seems to be , I think , a prett y general agreement now amongst ° jir best writersfollowing in the track

, oi Anderson and Preston , that ours is , a'ter all , an operative origin . I need not now allude to that theory , started of late years , which would limit

the origin of Freemasonry to 1717 , as I do not for one moment believe that either any such proposition is tenable in itself , or is likely to be accepted by Freemasons generally . But I will assumeratherthat the operative origin

, , of Freemasonry is conceded ; and I may be asked , How do you trace alike the developement of those ancient guilds of Craftsmen and the connexion of our

present speculative order with these operative sodalities ' . Bro , Findel has suggested that in order to get over the difficulties which belong to such an investigation , we should accept his idea of the guild of German operative Masons—the Sfceiimietzeu—in the 12 th

century as the actual foundation of our order . But so many patent objections exist to such a theory , however ingenious in itself , that , as I have often before said , I have always been of opinion , that , it is wiser and safer to accept the

far wider view of our history , Avhich finds many supporters at home and abroad , and which would link our specidative Freemasonry to the operative assemblies of earlier times , and through them to the Soman Collegia .

No doubt such a view of our history requires a great amount of careful study and authentic evidence . I am not prepared to say that we shall ever be in a position to prove the fact conclusively according to the demands of

sifting scrutiny or exhaustive criticism , but , at any rate , all that we have now before us so far leads to the conclusion , that , the fair presumption is on our side , who cling to this old and straightforward view of our true Masonic history and

existence . In the course of this enquiry , as was but natural and to be expected , some controversy has cropped up in respect of the antiquity of our Masonic Situal , and this question has been revived by

the recent publication of Bro . D . M . Lyon ' s most interesting history of the Edinburgh Lodge . In Scotland I think that we must accept as a fact , on Bro . D . M . Lyon ' s assurance , that no evidence , so far , is forthcoming of degrees L 2