The Origins of Freemasonry
(A brief summary)
There is little doubt that in the 15th century craftsmen had real
grievances with merchants, who hired their services, and the local town
councils. With differing success they formed associations of their own
which sometimes appeared to be so menacing that laws were passed
restricting their activities. Notwithstanding these laws, by 1475, the
Masons and Wrights of Edinburgh were strong enough to secure a 'Seal of
Cause' or Charter from the city of Edinburgh authorities. This
created an Incorporation, roughly equivalent to an English Trade Guild,
which laid down rules for the governance of the Craft. In 1489, Coopers
were included and later other groups of tradesmen joined. These
incorporations framed rules, resolved trade differences, dispensed
charity and controlled entry to the trade. Such incorporations were not
unusual in Scottish Burghs and most of the larger trades and crafts had
an incorporation. Examples of such 'incorporated trades' include:
Wobsters (weavers), Cordiners (shoemakers), Baxters (bakers), and
Hammermen (metal workers). The essential difference between the craft of
stone masonry and these other crafts and trades was that stones masons
had another level of organisation - the Lodge. Thus we find, in 1491,
that the Edinburgh authorities granted the masons the right 'to gett a
recreation in the commoun luge'. This shows that masons used the Lodge
for something much more than storing their working tools. The existence
of Lodges in Scotland is known, therefore, from at least the 15th
century but little can be said regarding the activities of masons. It is
likely that Lodges were not organised on a rigid, formal, basis but that
meetings were called as and when necessary. The reasons why another
level of organisation was required raises many interesting questions.
In 1583, William Schaw was appointed by King James VI as Master of the
Work and Warden General with the Commission of re-organising the Masonic
craft. In 1598, he issued the first of the now famous Schaw
Statutes which set out the duties of all members to the Lodge and to the
public. It also imposed penalties for unsatisfactory work and inadequate
safety during work. More importantly, for Freemasons today, Schaw drew
up a second Statute in 1599. The importance of this document lies in the
fact that it makes the first, veiled, reference to the existence of
esoteric knowledge within the craft of stone masonry. It also reveals
that The Mother Lodge of Scotland, Lodge Mother Kilwinning, No.0, was in
existence, and active, at that time. The impact of these statutes was
dramatic. His instructions, to all LODGES (not incorporations), that
they must begin to keep written records, meet at specific times, test,
annually, members in the 'Art of Memory' and enter apprentices in the
Lodge records meant that Lodges became fixed, permanent, institutions.
It is also why the earliest known masonic records date from this time.
(See the page dealing with the '400th anniversary' ). It can safely be
said, therefore, that William Schaw was the founding father of modern
Freemasonry. In the late 16th and early 17th Centuries important men,
who were not Masons to trade, were admitted to Scottish Lodges. Exactly
why such men were attracted to Scottish Freemasonry is not known. It may
have been simple curiosity. In any event their social position gave
Lodges an element of legitimacy and status. Others joined as literacy
and education spread throughout the country which assisted Lodges to
maintain funds. It is often said that Sir Robert Moray was the first
known non-operative member of a Lodge. Whilst important, (he was the
first to be recorded as being initiated on English soil) his initiation,
in 1641, was not the first initiation of a non-stonemason into a Lodge.
Others who preceded him probably include: William Schaw himself, and his
assistant, James Boswell of Auchinleck. They are believed to have been
initiated in 1598.
In 1634, William, Lord Alexander, his brother, Anthony Alexander
and Sir Alexander Strachen of Thornton were initiated in The Lodge of
Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel), No.1. These men were some of the first
non-operative stone masons to join Scottish Lodges.
From Schaw to the early 18th Century, masonry underwent a change. Schaw
had legislated for operative masons but by the early 18th Century
Freemasonry was being led, mainly, by the new non-operative masons and
it was this group which was to develop and expand within the Lodges. It
seems that only the degrees of Entered Apprentice and Fellow Craft were
worked in Scotland during the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries.
The earliest known record of the degree of Master Mason, being conferred
in a Lodge, is to be found in the minutes, dated 29th January 1726, of
Dumbarton Kilwinning Lodge, No.18.
The Mark degree is recorded as early as 7th July 1778 in the minutes of
Lodge St John Operative, No.92.
The Ceremony of Installed Master is of recent origin being introduced in
1858 and in 1872 revised to the form used today.
In 1717, the Grand Lodge of England was formed and three years later the
Grand Lodge of Ireland. In 1735, four Scottish Lodges discussed the
possibility of forming a Grand Lodge of Scotland. On the 30th November
of the following year representatives from thirty three Lodges met in
Edinburgh. Grand Lodge was formed and William St Clair of Roslin was
elected the first Grand Master Mason. The St Clair family had had long
connection with Masons having in earlier days been Patrons of the Craft.
From 1736, Grand Lodge chartered a steady stream of Lodges and even in
1745, the year 'Bonnie Prince Charlie' attempted to regain the throne of
his ancestors, five charters were issued despite the unsettled
conditions.
In 1747, Grand Lodge issued the first charter to an overseas Lodge
situated in Aleppo in Syria. With a large number of Lodge members
serving in the overseas army, Grand Lodge issued a few (England and
Ireland issued many) 'travelling' Charters to military regiments and
these must be given credit for spreading Freemasonry in the countries
where the army served. Some of these Lodges exist still although they
are now 'stationary'.
Mother Kilwinning, an old and independent Lodge, along with the
Lodges it had chartered and which were still operating, returned to
Grand Lodge following the 1807 Agreement. The numbering of Lodges was
first undertaken in 1737, it was revised in 1771, 1816, 1822 and finally
in 1826 after the admission of the Mother Kilwinning Lodges, and these
are the numbers used today. A few independent Lodges joining up since
have had a number inserted without altering the basic number of the
other Lodges. The last being in 1891 when the Lodge of Melrose St John
joined the Grand Lodge of Scotland and was numbered as 12
Membership and the number of Lodges increased in the 19th and early 20th
centuries, especially during or after war or unsettled times. The
increase in the number of Lodges placed a heavy supervisory role on
Grand Lodge. Geographical groupings of Lodges were made and Provincial
Grand Lodges formed in Scotland and District Grand Lodges overseas to
supervise all the Lodges in their immediate area.
Following the granting of independence to countries such as Egypt, the
United States of America, Canada, and Australia, the Lodges in these
areas formed Grand Lodges of their own and were joined by many Scottish
Lodges already established in those countries.
From 1598, benevolence was the responsibility of local Lodges but in
1846 Grand Lodge established the Fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence,
primarily for Scottish Freemasons and their dependants. Heavy demands on
the Fund, due to the recession in 1875, led to the establishment of the
General Annuity Fund in 1888. This was boosted by the proceeds of the
Grand Bazaar of 1891 amounting to £14,400, a very large sum in those
days. In 1899, Grand Lodge decided that the collection taken at
the Annual Installation Meeting of each Lodge would be added to this
Fund. To celebrate the centenary of the Fund of Scottish Benevolence in
1946, it was decided to have a Home, initially for elderly Freemasons
and their wives, and Ault Wharrie in Dunblane was purchased in 1950.
Since then, further homes have been built with an emphasis on smaller
homes in convenient parts of the country to meet the demand from our
older brethren and their wives who wish to continue to live near their
friends, relatives and their Lodges. While these are homes administered
and maintained by Grand Lodge, there are homes also financed by the
Provincial Grand Lodge of Ayrshire and our District Grand Lodges abroad.
Those who have visited these homes report very favourably upon the
facilities they provide.
Scottish Freemasonry is in good heart. At the last count there were 665
active Lodges in Scotland and 499 overseas.
From the Grand Lodge of Scotland
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