Page 92 - Amo Amass A-muse is some of the fruit of a lifetimes love of Freemasonry - the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235

92 Amo Amass A-Muse - Lodge of the Nine Muses

There may be visitors present whose regalia you are unable to recognise. They will
probably be members of other constitutions, each having its own regalia. Grand Officers
from Scotland wear Green and each Lodge has its own apron colours. Grand Officers from
Ireland wear pale Blue with Gold trimmings, their lodges the same with silver trimmings.
Originally all Freemasons wore a white Lamb’s Skin unadorned . Various Orders and
side degrees have their own regalia which must never be worn in a Craft Lodge except
the Jewels of the Order of the Holy Royal Arch.
Perhaps I should introduce you to the History of Freemasonry. A vast and difficult
subject because, having been secret, there is very little source material. Our Free and
Accepted or Speculative Masonry is traditionally descended from the Operative Craft
Masons working temporary Lodges who built our great Cathedrals and Castles in the
Middle Ages. Each Lodge probably had a copy of what are known now as the ‘Ancient
Charges’, which served them as a Warrant, a Book of Constitution, a Traditional History
and a Book of Ritual. The oldest copy discovered is dated about 1380 A.D. By about
1560 A.D., both in England and Scotland educated persons began to join these humble
craftsmen, with no intention of becoming workmen, and were ‘Accepted’ into their
Lodges. The rebuilding of London after the Great Fire of 1666 was quite beyond the
capacity of the Operative Lodges and caused a separate expansion of the building
industries. In 1717 five London and Westminster Lodges, formed .A Speculative Grand
Lodge to administer them and hold an annual Grand Feast. This was the Premier Grand
Lodge of the World and the story of the growth of Speculative Freemasonry throughout
the world from this beginning is a most enthralling story.
I think that you should know the meaning of ‘Antient and Modern’ Freemasons
because they are constantly being referred to.
About the year 1739, the Grand Lodge reversed some of the methods of
recognition and changed other matters in order to prevent imposters being
admitted. By some, this was considered an ‘Innovation in the Landmarks’, which
every Master had sworn never to change. By 1752, another Grand Lodge had come
into existence, mainly by Irish Masons working in London, which claimed to be
adhering to the ancient Landmarks and Lodges which joined this new grand Lodge
were called ‘Antients’. For 60 years there was a most un-masonic rivalry between
them, but finally they agreed to amalgamate in 1813 and hence our English Grand