12 Speculative Freemasonry
The Speculative Nature of
Craft FreemasonryIt is customary to oppose modern speculative Freemasonry and
ancient operative masonry. In reality, the masonic organizations we
have studied—the collegia, monastic associations, brotherhoods, craft
communities, compagnonnages—were never invested with a strictly
professional nature. All of these associations pursued religious, charita-
ble, and social goals as well as those pertaining to the defense of their
craft interests.
In this chapter, we will not revisit the initiatic, religious, and cul-
tural character of the craft brotherhoods and communities, particu-
larly those of the masons. For these workers, they could claim the pure
quality and perfection of their work only by integrating it into the cre-
ative work of God, the Great Architect of the Universe, the sole dis-
penser of the Good and the Beautiful. It is up to humans, through their
conduct and effort, to earn the essential grace of this assistance from
on high. All the old statutes expressly mention the religious, moral,
and social duties imposed upon the association's brothers. It was a
requirement that the initiate had been born free (meaning he was not
from a servile or vassal status), and that he was a legitimate son of
good moral character who was religious, honest, and of calm tem-
perament. Those who failed to perform their duties, led a libertine or