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What is the Masonic Calendar?
When was the first Book of Constitutions
published?
What is "Ahiman Rezon"?
When was the Latin omitted from English Craft
Certificates?
What is a "lewis"?
History of Freemasonry
Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street
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What is the Masonic Calendar?
Although have been a number of Masonic dating systems, the most familiar to
Craft Freemasons will be Anno Lucis (A.L.), which is the system that appears
on certificates. Anno Lucis (the year of light) is based on a chronology that
puts the year of creation as 4,004 B.C. and is traditionally derived by
adding 4,000 to the year in question. For example 1717 A.D. the year Grand
Lodge was formed would become 5717 A.L., and 2003 would become 6003 A.L. The
system was not exclusive to Freemasons having been designed by an Irish
cleric James Ussher (1581-1656) many years before the formation of Grand
Lodge in 1717. (MC, April 2003)
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When was the first Book of Constitutions published?
The Constitutions of the Free-Masons containing the History, Charges,
Regulations, &c. of that most Ancient and Right Worshipful Fraternity:
For use of the Lodges was the first official publication of Grand Lodge
in 1723. It was the work of Revd. Dr. James Anderson (1680-1739), who also
produced a second edition in 1738. Anderson's Constitution contained a
"traditional" history of Freemasonry, rules and regulations of the
Craft and some songs and music for use in Lodges. Copies of both the first
and second edition can be viewed in the Library and Museum under the
following class mark: BE 94 GRA. (MC, April 2003)
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What is "Ahiman Rezon"?
The Antients' Grand Lodge formed in 1751 published a Book of Constitutions in
1756, under the title Ahiman rezon, or a help to a brother. Eight
editions were published in all before the Union of the two Grand Lodges in
1813. Earlier editions were almost copies of Anderson’s Constitutions
produced by the Premier Grand Lodge, although the later editions were less
than complementary about their older rival. There has been considerable
debate over the meaning of the Hebrew title Ahiman Rezon. The will
of selected brethren,The secrets of prepared brethren, Royal
Builders and Brother Secretary are just four of the explanations
that can be found in Masonic encyclopaedias.Copies of various editions can be
viewed in the Library and Museum under the class mark: BE 94 GRA (ANT). (MC,
April 2003)
On
– Line Copy
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When was the Latin
omitted from English Craft Certificates?
In January 1965 United Grand Lodge of England omitted Latin from Grand Lodge
Certificates. The original Grand Lodge Certificates from 1755 until 1819 had
been in English only. The Antients' Grand Lodge had issued certificates in
English and Latin from 1766. In 1819 the United Grand Lodge of England
started producing Certificates in both languages. For further information
about the history of English Craft Certificates see T.O. Haunch's paper in
Ars Quatuor Coronatorum Vol. 82, 1969 (class mark: A 31 QUA), or browse the
subject "certificates" on the Library and Museum
Catalogue.
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What is a "lewis"?
A "lewis" is a Freemason's son, who has not yet been initiated into
Freemasonry. In stonemasonry, a lewis is an iron cramp that is forced into a cavity
of a stone to enable the lifting or lowering of that stone. Although it is
not a working tool used in Masonic ritual it can be seen as a symbol of
strength, which a son is to his father. Under some Masonic Constitutions
"lewises" are granted privileges such as in Scotland where the son
of a Master Mason can be initiated at the age of eighteen rather than
twenty-one. In England the only privilege extended to a "lewis", is
that he takes precedence if he is one of two candidates at initiation.
Those topics shown below are covered on the Grand Lodge web site.
History of Freemasonry
Freemasons' Hall,
Great Queen Street
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Reference material:-
http://freemasonry.london.museum/faqs.php
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