
THE BUILDER September 1929

Operative versus Speculative Freemasonry

By BRO. CHARLES COMSTOCK, Tennessee.

The following article was published in The Lamplighter of
Chattanooga, Penn., for May and June, 1929, we are reprinting it by
permission as we believe it will be of interest to many of our
readers. Bro. Comstock, the author is Secretary of the Historical
Committee of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee.

THE BUILDER one of the leading Masonic journals of today, published
under the auspices of the National Masonic Research Society, has
for some months past contained a series of articles relating to
"Origin and History of Masonic Degrees," contributed by some of our
foremost research workers. They have gone into the merits of former
discoveries by such noted historians as Albert G. Mackey, Robert
Freke Gould, Lionel Vibert and D. Murray Lyon, as well as others of
more recent times, and are giving to the Craft a thoroughly
complete account of the findings of our illustrious predecessors
along the arduous way of Masonic historical investigation.

The writer who has been a member of the above Society since its
inception in 1915, desires briefly to present to the Craft in
Tennessee, and even beyond our borders where this article may find
its way, certain cited facts concerning the relationship between
Operative and Speculative Masonry which come not through the usual
channels of our historical research.

First, we respectfully tender the statement that there are, or, at
least until quite recently, have been, Operative Lodges still
maintaining an active existence in the Mother Land," which claim a
continuous record both written and unwritten, since the Grand Lodge
of All England was established at York, England, under the
supervision of Prince Edwin, as Grand Master, in the year 926 A. D.
Masonic historians generally agree that whatever may have been the
status or origin of this traditionally important Masonic Assembly,
whether it was duly constituted as a supervising Grand Lodge, or
merely as a General Assembly of the Craft, en masse, it did exert
at times the authority of a governing body, and that it also
functioned as a private lodge, receiving applications and entering
such new Brethren as were approved. This old Lodge continued its
operations for more than eight and one-half centuries, its latest
record bearing date, by authentic account during the year 1791, A.
D. For nearly seventy-five years, it performed the functions of an
Operative Grand Lodge, under the title, "Grand Lodge of All
England," after the formation of what is known as the
"Constitutional Grand Lodge," or the Grand Lodge of "Moderns," at
London, in 1717. During the forty years subsequent to the
establishment of the Grand Lodge of "Antients," sometimes known as
the "Athol Grand Lodge," while the two rival Grand Lodges followed
a course of ofttimes bitter antagonism, the old Operative Grand
Lodge, without contention with either of the younger bodies,
pursued the even tenor of its course, in he supervision of the
Craft acknowledging its obedience. 

The most rational and lucid account of the facts and conditions
affecting the relationship between Operative and Speculative
Masonry, during the primitive days of the latter, when its
ceremonials and regulations were being evolved from the customs and
practices of the Operative Society, is set forth in a valuable
contribution to our modern Masonic literature, entitled, "Guild
Masonry in the Making," compiled by Brother Charles H. Merz, of
Sandusky, Ohio, a member of the Speculative Craft in that Grand
Jurisdiction, and who is also a member of one of the Operative or
Guild Lodges still functioning as late as the present century in
various parts of England. On June 2, 1912, at Leicester, England,
Dr. Merz became regularly indentured as an apprentice to the
Worshipful Society of Free Masons, Rough Masons, Wallers, Slaters,
Paviors, Plaisterers, and Bricklayers, (York Division), to learn
their Art, etc. This occurred in Lodge Leicester, No. 91,
established at Leicester, England, in 1761, under the authority of
the Grand Lodge of All England, which is known historically to have
issued charters to certain Operative Lodge during that year, even
as it had for many years, and doubtless so continued until its
records were closed in 1791.

Brother Merz passed through the simple ceremony of initiation
practiced by the Operative Lodges, which he describes as
substantially comparative to our Speculative ceremonial, and there
can be no logical doubt that our present Entered Apprentice
ceremonial was based on this ancient work of the Operative Craft.
Furthermore, Brother Merz sets forth the regulations of Guild
Masonry, which he informs us is divided into two branches, one
known as "Square Masonry," performing such work as may be founded
on the basis of the square or rectangle, and one designated as
"Arch Masonry," covering the construction of circular or arch work,
so often found in the ancient Temples and Cathedrals of bygone
centuries. Each of these branches of the Operative Craft is divided
into seven degrees, covering the various grades of workmen; the
Entered Apprentices, one grade of Fellows of the Craft; two grades
of Super-Fellows; the fifth is styled Intendent of the Craft of
Free Masons; sixth, the Degree of Passed Master of the Craft; and
seventh, the governing officials, composed of the Three Grand
Masters, representing the two Kings and the Chief Architect.

Our modern Masonic historians have expressed grave doubts as to the
Operative Society having had but one Degree, common to all grades
of Craftsman. This, in the light of Brother Merz' instructive
revelation, is evidently a misconception, and he cites excellent
authorities to refute that assumption. He avers that we, as
Speculative Masons, are much more deeply indebted to Operative
Masonry for, our Ceremonials than many of our leading Craftsmen
realize; and that our present day ritualism is much older than the
transition period from 1717 to 1723. On this hypothesis, it is
highly logical to conclude that founders of our present Speculative
System of Degrees, found enough material in the Operative
ceremonials of those days to form the basis of not only the
symbolic Degrees, but also of the Royal Arch and its preparatory
grades. After long years of participation in the ceremonials of our
present System and dilligent research into the antecedents of our
Craft work, the writer is convinced that the suggestions of Brother
Merz regarding the origin of our Speculative Degrees, are devoutly
worthy of our earnest consideration. His work is highly
illuminating. He states that the Grand Lodge of England, as
recently as 1911, issued a circular letter admitting that "The
ritual of Freemasonry, so far as the first and second Degrees are
concerned, is, in part, no doubt, derived from the ceremonies of
the Operative Guilds." The symbolism of Speculative Masonry finds
its counterpart in the revelations of Operative Society, which
presents in frequent instances a clearer conception of their hidden
significance. In the transition from the Operative to the
Speculative form, much that should be clear, became obscure in the
effort to separate Speculative Masonry from the customs and
practices of the Operative Society, and make it thereby a more
distinctive organization. Brother Merz advances the thought that
those venerated Craftsmen who developed our Speculative system of
ceremonials, while they had been initiated in the Operative
Society, did not attain the Seventh Degree, the grade of the three
Grand Masters, and therefore they were not in possession of
important mysteries and symbolic interpretations which should have
been introduced into the Speculative teachings, and which would
have greatly clarified the deeper significance of our ritualism. It
is undeniably true that beneath the customary explanations of our
Masonic symbols and emblems, is concealed a more profound spiritual
interpretation which is only realized by those who may be said to
"have advanced far toward perfection" in their fervent search after
Truth and At-onement with Infinite Wisdom; after that which was
(not)

lost, only concealed within the depths of our inner consciousness,
until the "scales of doubt and darkness shall fall from our eyes
and the wise purposes of the Divine Architect be displayed in all
their splendor."

The Operative Craft deposited beneath the foundations of the
stately edifices they erected a store of spiritual wisdom and
understanding which our Speculative Builders should zealously
strive to discover and bring to light, that the Craftsmen of far
off futurity may profit by the knowledge and understanding of those
whose genius and skill passed the test of the Chief Architect in
the days when Masonry was young in point of time.

We live in a "rapid" age, whose whirling activities too often leave
us little time for reflection, and frequently cause us to lose
sight of that which is, in our eagerness to attain knowledge of
what may be. Freemasonry, with its beautiful revelations and deeply
hidden interpretations, is worthy of our thoughtful consideration.
Not alone in impressive ceremonials, highly valuable as a means to
an end, we may find revealed the sublime teachings, the inspiring
conceptions of the Mystic Builders' Art. That "we reap what we sow"
is distinctively true of those who follow the winding way of
Spiritual Craftsmanship. The highest realization of Masonry's
"Hiden Mysteries," comes to the inquiring mind of him who fervently
gives himself to the ennobling cause of Brotherhood, without the
hope of recompense. Through secrecy, silence and darkness, lies the
way of attainment, and to each earnest seeker who selfishly follows
the rugged path of accomplishment and willing service, comes at
last the ample compensation for his labor.
