ORIGINS OF MASONRY

R. Stephen Doan
Grand Master of California Masons
     1111 California Street
San Francisco, California 94108

    The foundations of the philosophical principles of Masonry may be traced 
to the ancient philosophical societies surrounding the building of King 
Solomon's temple in ancient Israel, to the ancient Egyptian mysteries and 
others. While tradition and allegory trace Freemasonry to these early sources, 
history traces Masonry to the growth of Gothic architecture.
    The Egyptian, the Greek and then the Roman methods of architecture were 
based upon the column, which supported, at first, only flat or lightly 
inclined roofs. The Romans also employed a round or semi-circular arch which 
enabled them to place the columns at greater intervals. These styles of 
architecture produced buildings which were heavy, massive and solid in appear-
ance, with many columns, and walls as much as eight to ten feet in thickness.
    About the middle of the Twelfth Century, a new style of architecture began 
to flourish. It differed essentially from these earlier forms in that it 
depended, not on a mass of stones to support its load, but upon the principle 
of counter-balanced forces. Pointed arches could support a much greater weight 
and, therefore, a much larger structure than could horizontal beams placed 
upon columns or placed upon the round or semi-circular Roman arch. Horizontal 
beams cause the entire weight of the building to be placed directly upon those 
columns.
    With pointed arches, however, weight moves diagonally away from the arch.
When two arches are placed together, the diagonal pressure from one arch is 
counter-balanced by the force coming diagonally from the adjoining arch. Thus, 
the downward pressure from one arch serves to support the downward pressure 
from another arch. As pointed arches could support a greater weight and 
therefore a larger structure, walls were less important and could be thinner 
and cut by numerous windows.
    On this basis, Gothic architecture developed. It was used principally for 
cathedrals, built as tall structures topped with spires which seemingly 
reached to the heavens, designed as if the architect wished the building to 
reach to God whom the people intended to honor by their construction, and 
further characterized by many stained glass windows depicting Biblical stories 
important to the faith of the people. Gothic cathedrals reached almost forty 
stories in height, a feat not duplicated before or in any period afterward 
until many centuries later. The first example of this revolutionary type of 
architecture arose in 1135 A.D. just north of Paris. It first appeared in 
England in 1150 A.D. and in Germany in 1235 A.D.
    It has never been conclusively determined how Gothic architecture 
originally arose. Many think that it was borrowed from the Arabs and that it 
was introduced into Europe by Crusaders or Knights Templar returning from the 
Holy Land where they had seen Arab architecture. It is ironic that something 
borrowed from the people whom the Crusaders sought to destroy could so 
revolutionize construction in Europe. The knowledge of this system of 
construction was acquired by the stonemasons of the time who kept their 
system of building as a secret and thus obtained an entire monopoly of both 
temporal and ecclesiastical architecture.
    Some trace the origins of Masonry to the building of the Gothic Cathedral 
of Strasbourg in France in the year 1275 A.D. when the architect of the work 
gathered stonemasons from Germany and Italy and formed them into a brotherhood 
for the construction of the building. Of course, stonemasons existed and plied 
their work before the rise of Gothic architecture. However, Gothic 
architecture and its increased flexibility in construction contributed to an 
explosion in the construction of cathedrals throughout Europe during this
period. This increased building required a tremendous increase in the number 
of stonemasons available to construct such monumental structures.
    The craftsmen of these early days left no plans or drawings. How they 
arrived at the knowledge of counterbalancing forces is not known. The 
secretes of their art were transmitted orally, learned by example, and closely 
guarded. These stonemasons met in entitled or guarded Lodges and took 
apprentices only after careful appraisal of their work and character. The 
primary purpose of this privacy was to maintain the reputation of the craft 
and to assure honest work for wages received by those who, attracted to the 
craft, might apply for admission and become initiates. Only those properly 
trained by an accomplished Master in the principles of architecture were
permitted to call themselves master Masons.
    To assure honesty and fair-dealing, philosophical lessons to inculcate 
those principles were taught the apprentices through the symbolism of the 
Mason's working tools. As the practical use of each tool was taught, the 
philosophical lesson symbolized by the tool was explained. Because of the 
possibility of accident and therefore death or disability of members of the 
craft, the ancient brothers provided for relief or charity for those 
distressed members of their order.
    The apprentices or newest members of the craft were entered on the records 
of the Lodge and did the roughest work, such as mining the stones at the 
quarry and conveying them to the building site. They might, after several 
years, learn the trade sufficiently to become journeymen or fellows of the 
craft who were permitted to cut and fit the stones under the direction of the
Master Masons. This structure of Freemasonry, in three classes or degrees of 
Entered Apprentices, Fellowcrafts and Master Masons, continues to this very 
day.
    Although the exact date is unclear, sometime around 1600, Lodges began to
admit members who did not actually work for their livelihood as stonemasons. 
They were said to be non-operative or "speculative" Masons who joined to 
speculate on, or rather study, the symbolic and theoretical principles of 
Masonry, as opposed to the operative techniques of the stonemasons' 
profession. This change was the result of two developments.
    First, most locales with the resources to build and maintain a large 
Gothic cathedral had one. As the cathedral building boom receded, so did the 
need for operative stonemasons. Second, theoretically inclined scholars and 
professional men were intrigued by the philosophical nature of Freemasonry: 
the tools and the techniques of architecture as they symbolized philosophical 
lessons of brotherly love, charity, truth, temperance, fortitude, prudence 
and justice.
    These non-operative initiates who joined to learn and study the 
philosophical side of Masonry became known as "accepted" Masons because they 
were accepted without the operative skills of the craft. Hence, there 
developed the term "free and accepted Masons" which we use today. Gradually, 
over the next century and a half, the composition of Masonry shifted and 
Lodges became increasingly specuIative and theoretical in their approach to 
the lessons of Freemasonry.
    Modern Freemasonry dates from 1717 when four Lodges in London banded to-
gether to form a Grand Lodge to promulgate rules for the governance of the 
institution. They saw that Masonry was capable of much better organization 
through cooperative effort and could thus be better adapted to inculcate moral 
virtues by its transformation into a purely speculative and symbolic order. 
The laws, customs and tenets of the old operative stonemasons were closely 
followed and the ancient working tools, such as the plumb, square and level, 
preserved. From this beginning, Freemasonry spread quickly and came to the 
United States in 1731. Today, it may be found around the world. In California,
there are more than 130,000 members in more than 480 Lodges.
    Wherever Masons may be found, they continue, as Masons were at the order's
founding, to be builders. They seek not to be builders of material edifices 
as were their ancient brethren but builders of those spiritual edifices which 
the lives of every man and woman should be.
    While our meetings are open only to members, there is no secrecy as to 
where we meet or the principles taught during our ceremonies. By analogy to 
the symbolic meanings of the working tools and techniques of the old 
operative stonemasons, we teach those moral tenets and virtues which 
transcend all ages and times: brotherly love, reIief or charity, truth, 
temperance, fortitude, prudence and justice. These are not secret teachings 
limited to our members alone but are universal principles of upright living 
that each Mason should help foster among all peoples with whom he comes in 
contact through the example of this life in accordance with those principles. 
We strive symbolically to perfect the spiritual edifice of each person with 
those principles common to every Creed.
    It is said, metaphorically, that Masonry is supported (as would be the 
roof of a building) by three columns, denominated wisdom, strength and beauty. 
With wisdom or knowledge to guide us, strength or self-reliance to support us 
and the beauty of righteous purpose to adorn our labors, the spiritual edifice 
or life of each of us shall be devoted to all that stands for good and the 
glory of our Creator.

NOTE: The Grand Master graduated Summa Cure Laude from UCLA and received his 
      Juris Doctorate from the same institution. He is a partner of the 
      prestigious Los Angeles law firm, Adams, Duque and Hazeltine.


