The Secret History of Freemasonry

Introduct io n^

Behold the days come, oracle of the Eternal... I will set

my law within them and write it on their hearts...

Behold the days come that city shall be built.

JEREMIAH 31:33-

To find the origins of Freemasonry, it is important first to iso-
late its original characteristics, which can be found in the institutions
from which it appears to have emerged:

1. It was a professional builders—or, more precisely, construc-
   tion—organization; the long-ago vocation of mason does not
   correspond directly to the modern specialization, but included
   an extensive knowledge of architecture. The organization was
   represented hierarchically.


2. The organization extended beyond a strictly professional frame-
   work. Its members considered themselves brothers and provided
   mutual assistance.


3. The association, in both its operations and assistance, followed
   traditional rites. Members were accepted into it through an ini-
   tiation and the brothers were united by sacred practices that
   were illustrative of an asceticism, an indispensable condition for
   the realization of the work.


4. The association accepted members who were not practitioners
   of the trade.


5. The association displayed and highlighted its character of
   universalism.

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