All the Grand Lodges of the
world, all the
Lodges, all
Freemasons,
consider the
Text of the "Old
Charges" as
the
Fundamental
Law of Universal Freemasonry.
The constant and strict respect of this
tradition,
despite the diversity
of nature of
the Grand Lodges or
the various countries, despite the variety of the Lodges
composing
them,
despite the particular tendencies of the Brethren of all races, all
nationalities,
all faiths and all
opinions
composing
them, ensure it
universal character to
the Masonic Order
and allows all Free-Masons to recognize each other as
Brethren. These
traditional
rules are our cement and our
bond. They are of both a
moral and
practical
nature. They set the broad
outlines for the life of
Grand
lodges and
Lodges, and prescribe to
all our Brethren intangible moral
imperatives. They maintain
the framework
of Masonic work, perpetual quest for freedom and
justice,
sheltered from any religious and political
quarrel. They allow Free-Masonry to constitute that true
The Old Charges
The General Heads
Viz.:
I-
Of God and Religion.
II-
Of the Civil Magistrate Supreme and Subordinate.
III-
Of Lodges.
IV-
Of Masters, Wardens, Fellows, and Apprentices.
V- Of the
Management of the Craft in working.
VI-
Of Behaviour, viz.
1. In the
Lodge while constituted.
2. After
the Lodge is over and the Brethren not gone.
3.
When Brethren meet without Strangers,
but not in a Lodge.
4. In
Presence of Strangers not Masons.
5.
At Home, and in the
Neighbourhood.
6.
Towards a strange Brother.
Compiled by the Author in their Old Records, by order of
the Grand Master, the present Duke of Montagu. Approved by the Grand Lodge and printed by order in the
first Edition of the Book of Constitutions, on the
I-
Concerning God and Religion.
A Mason is
oblig'd, by this Tenure, to obey the
moral Law; and if he rightly understands the Art, he will never be a stupid
atheist nor an irreligious libertine. But though
in ancient Times Masons were charg'd in every
Country to be of the Religion of that Country or Nation, whatever it was,
yet ‘tis now thought more expedient only to oblige them to that Religion in
which all Men agree, leaving their particular Opinions to themselves; that
is, to be good Men an true1 or Men of Honour
and Honesty, by whatever
Denominations or
Persuasions they may
be distinguish'd; whereby Masonry becomes
the Centre of Union, and the Means of
conciliating true Friendship among Persons that must have
remain'd at a perpetual Distance.
II-
Of the Civil Magistrate Supreme and Subordinate.
A Mason is a peaceable Subject to the Civil
Powers, wherever he resides or works, and is never to be
concern'd in Plots an Conspiracies against the
Peace an Welfare of the Nation, nor to behave himself
undutifully to inferior Magistrates,' for as Masonry hath been always
injured by War, Bloodshed, and Confusion, so ancient Kings and Princes have
been much dispos'd to encourage the Craftsmen,
because of their Peaceableness and Loyalty,
whereby they practically answer'd the Cavils of
their Adversaries, and promoted the Honour of
the Fraternity, who ever flourish'd in Times of
Peace. So that if a Brother should be a Rebel against the State, he is not
to be countenanc'd in his Rebellion, however he
may be pitied as an unhappy Man; and, if convicted of no other Crime, though
the loyal Brotherhood must and ought to disown his Rebellion, and give no
Umbrage or Ground of political Jealousy to the Government for the time
being; they cannot expel him from the Lodge, and his Relation to it remains
indefeasible.
III-
Of Lodges.
A Lodge is a Place where Masons assemble and
work: Hence that Assembly, or duly organitd
Society of Masons, is
IV-
Of Masters, Wardens, Fellows, and Apprentices.
All Preferment among Masons is grounded upon
real Worth and personal Merit only; that so the Lords may be well served,
the Brethren not put to Shame, nor the Royal Craft
despis'd: Therefore no Master or Warden
is chosen by seniority, but for his Merit. It is impossible to describe
these things in writing, and every Brother must attend in his Place, and
learn them in a way peculiar to this Fraternity: Only Candidates may know,
that no Master should take an Apprentice, unless he has sufficient
Employment for him, and unless he be a perfect Youth, having no Maim or
Defect in his Body, that may render him uncapable
to learning the Art, of serving his Masters Lord, and of being made a
Brother, and then a Fellow-Craft in due time, even after he has served such
a term of Years as the Custom of the Country directs; and that should be
descended of honest Parents ; that so, when otherwise
qualify'd, he may arrive to the Honour of
being the Warden, and then the Master of the Lodge, the Grand Warden, and at
length the Grand-Master of all the Lodges according to his Merit.
No Brother can be a Warden until he has pass'd
the part of a Fellow-Craft, nor a Master until he has acted as a Warden, nor
Grand Warden until he has been Master of a Lodge, nor Grand-Master unless he
has been a Fellow-Craft before his Election, who is also to be nobly born,
or a Gentleman of the best Fashion, or some eminent scholar, or some curious
Architect, or other Artist descended of honest Parents, and who is of
singular great Merit in the Opinion of the Lodges. And for the better, and
easier, and more honourable Discharge
of his Office, the Grand-Master has a Power to chuse
his own Deputy Grand-Master, who must be then, or must have been formerly,
the Master of a particular Lodge, and has the Privilege of acting whatever
the Grand-Master, his Principal, should act, unless the said Principal be
present, or interpose his Authority by a Letter. These rules and Governors,
Supreme and Subordinate, of the ancient Lodge, are to be
obey'd in their respective Stations by all the
Brethren, according to the old Charges and Regulations, with all Humility,
Reverence, Love, and Alacrity.
V-
Of the Management Of the Craft in working.
All Masons shall work honestly on working
Days, that they may live creditably on holy Days; and
the time appointed by the Law of the Land, or confirm'd
by Custom, shall be observ'd. The most expert of
the fellow-Craftsmen shall be chosen or appointed the Master, or Overseer of
the Lord's Work; who is to be called Master by those that work under him.
The Craftsmen are to avoid all ill Language, and to call each other by no
disobliging Name, but Brother or Fellow: and to behave themselves
courteously within and without the Lodge. The Master, knowing himself to be
able of Cunning, shall undertake the Lord's Work as reasonably as possible,
and truly dispend his Goods as if they were his own; nor
to give more Wages to any Brother or Apprentice than he really may
deserve. Both the Master and the Masons receiving their Wages justly, shall
be faithful to the Lord, and honestly finish their Work whether
Task or Journey; nor put the Work to Task that hath been
accustom'd to Journey. None shall discover Envy
at the Prosperity of a Brother, nor supplant him, or put him out
of his Work, if he be capable to finish the same; for no Man can finish
another's Work so much to the Lord's Profit unless he be thoroughly
acquainted with the Designs and Draughts of him that began it. When a
Fellowcrafman is chosen Warden of the Work under
the Master, he shall be true both to Master and Fellows, shall carefully
oversee the Work in the Masters Absence to the Lord's Profit and his
Brethren shall obey him. All Masons employ'd,
shall meekly receive their Wages without Murmuring or Mutiny, and not desert
the Master till the Work is finish'd. A younger
Brother shall be instructed in working, to prevent spoiling the Materials
for want of Judgment, and for encreasing and
continuing of Brotherly Love. All the Tools used in working shall be
approved by the Grand Lodge. No Labourer shall
be employd in the proper Work of Masonry; nor
shall Free Masons work with those that are not free, without an urgent
Necessity; nor shall they teach Labourers and
unaccepted Masons, as they should teach a Brother or Fellow.
VI- Of
Behaviour,
VIZ.
1.
In the Lodge while constituted.
You are not to hold private Committees, or
separate Conversation, without Leave from the Master, nor to talk of any
thing impertinent or unseemly, nor interrupt the Master or Wardens, or any
Brother speaking to the Master: Nor behave yourself ludicrously or
jestlingly while the Lodge is engaged in what
is serious
and solemn;
nor use
any unbecoming Language
upon any
Pretence whatsoever; but to pay due Reverence to your Master,
Wardens, and Fellows, and put them to worship. If any Complaint
be brought, the Brother found
guilty shall stand
to the
Award and Determination
of the Lodge, who are the proper and competent Judges of all such
Controversies, (unless you carry it by Appeal to the Grand Lodge) and to
whom they ought to be referr'd, unless a Lord's
Work be hindered the mean while, in which Case a particular Reference may be
made; but you must never go to Law about what concern the Masonry, without
an absolute Necessity apparent to the Lodge.
2.
Behaviour after the Lodge is over and the
Brethren not gone.
You may enjoy yourselves with innocent Mirth,
treating one another according to Ability, but avoiding all
Excess, or forcing any Brother to eat or drink beyond his Inclination, or
hindering him from going when his Occasions call him, or doing or
saying any thing offensive, or that may forbid an easy and free
Conversation; for that would blast our Harmony, and defeat our
laudable
Purposes. Therefore no private Piques or Quarrels must be brought
within the Door of the Lodge, far less any Quarrels about
Religion, or Nations or State Policy, we being only, as Masons,
of the Catholick Religion above-mention'd;
we are also of all Nations, Tongues, Kindreds,
and Languages, and resolv'd against all
politicks, as what never yet conduc'd to the
Welfare of the Lodge, nor ever will. This Charges has been always strictly
enjoin'd and
observ'd; but especially ever since the Reformation in
3. Behaviour when Brethren meet
without Strangers, but not in a Lodge form'd.
You are to
salute one another in a courteous manner, as you will be instructed, calling
each other Brother, freely giving mutual Instructions as shall be
thought expedient, without being overseen or overheard, and without
encroaching upon each other, or derogating from that Respect which is due to
any Brother, were he not a Mason: For though all Masons are as Brethren upon
the same Level, yet Masonry takes no Honour
to whom it is due, and avoid ill Manners.
4.
Behaviour in Presence of Strangers not Masons
You shall be
cautious in your Words and Carriage, the most penetrating Stranger shall not
be able to discover or find out what is not proper to be intimated; and
sometimes you shall divert a Discourse, and manage it prudently for the
Honour of the worshipful Fraternity.
5-
Behaviour
at Home, and in your Neighbourhood.
You are to act
as becomes a moral and wise Man; particularly, not to let your
Family, Friends, and Neighbours know the
concerns of the Lodge, etc. but wisely to consult your own
Honour,
and that of the ancient Brotherhood, for Reasons not to be
mention'd here. You must also consult your
Health by not continuing together too late, or too long from home after
Lodge Hours are past; and by avoiding of Gluttony or Drunkenness, that your
Families be not neglected or injured, nor you
disabled from working.
6-
Behaviour
towards a Strange Brother
You are cautiously to examine him, in such a Method as Prudence
shall direct you, that you may not be impos'd
upon by an ignorant false Pretender! whom you are
to reject with Contempt and Derision and beware of giving him any Hints of
Knowledge. But if you discover him to be a true and genuine Brother, you are
to respect him accordingly; and if he is in want you must relieve him if you
can, or else direct him how he may be reliev'd:
You must employ him some Days, or else recommend him to be
employd. But you are not charged to do beyond
your Ability, only to prefer a poor Brother,
that is a good Man and true, before any other poor People in the same
Circumstances.
Finally,
All these Charges you are to observe, and also those that shall be
communicated to you in another way; cultivating BROTHERLY-LOVE, the
Foundation and Cape-stone, the Cement and Glory of this ancient Fraternity,
avoiding all Wrangling and Quarrelling, all Slander an Backbiting, nor
permitting others to slander any honest Brother, but defending his
Character. and doing him all good
Offlces, as far as is consistent with your
Honour and Safety, and no farther.
And if any of them do you Injury, you must apply to your own or his Lodge;
and from thence you may appeal to the GRAND LODGE at the Quarterly
Communication, and from thence to the annual GRAND LODGE as has
been the ancient laudable Conduct of our Fore-fathers in every Nation; never
taking a legal Course but when the Case cannot be otherwise decided,
and patiently listening to the honest and friendly Advice of Master
and Fellows, when they would prevent your going to Law with Strangers, or
would excite you to put a speedy Period to all Law-Suits, that so
you may mind the Affair of MASONRY with the more Alacrity and Success; but
with respect to Brothers or Fellows at Law, the Master and
Brethren should kindly offer their Mediation, which ought to be thankfully
submitted to by the contending Brethren: and if that Submission is
impracticable, they must however carry on their Process, Of Law-Suit,
without Wrath an Rancor (not in the common way) saying or doing nothing
which may hinder Brotherly Love, and good Offices to be
renew'd and continu'd; that all may see
the benign Influence of MASONRY, as all true Masons have done from the
Beginning of the World, and will do to the End of Time.