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Freemason Research Paper

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What Were the Origins of Freemasonry?

The origin and history of the fraternal organization known as Freemasonry has been argued by Masonic historians for hundreds of years. Some argue Freemasonry emerged from groups of traveling stonemasons, while others reckon Freemasonry originated and evolved from the Knights Templar who resurfaced as Freemasons after being persecuted throughout Europe. Additionally, some historians derive the origin of Freemasonry from the mysterious order of the Rosicrucian Brotherhood, a secret brotherhood that supposedly existed in Europe in the early 1600’s that claimed to preserve the information of the past. Each of these theories provides evidence as to how Freemasonry originated, however, the evidence has yet …show more content…

However, the most credible theory generally agreed upon amongst most Freemasons and Masonic Historians is that Freemasonry derived from the medieval stonemasons who constructed the great castles and cathedrals during the middle ages. Supporters of this theory suggest the stonemasons gathered in huts – later to be named lodges – to discuss and regulate their projects and crafts. Over time, these lodges became not only a place of meeting for the members of their guild, but a place to also initiate hold ceremonies new apprentices of the stonemasonry craft. In addition, new apprentices were taught a secret word, handshake, or phrase to use when greeting other masons, to prove that he was properly trained and that he was a member of a lodge. However, in the early 1600’s the lodges began to admit men who were not involved with the stonemasonry craft, but were gentlemen. These gentlemen masons, or speculative masons, were admitted more frequently over the course of the 1600’s, and as the century came to an end, the lodges no longer had any connection to the stonemasonry craft. The general problem that arises with this theory is that there is very little evidence proving the existence of these operative lodges. However, followers of this theory use the “evidence” of records of accepted masons to prove and support the link between the stonemasons and Freemasonry. Those who support this indirect link …show more content…

The Rosicrucians were a supposed esoteric order that contained, “secret knowledge” and “esoteric truths of the ancient past”. This information not available to the average man proved attractive, as the publication of the Rosicrucian Manifestos proved very popular. Some Masonic researches argue that Freemasonry derives from the original Rosicrucians, but there is scarcely any evidence this theory could be factual, due to the Rosicrucian Order never existing. The only definitive proof of the Rosicrucians were the three documents published in 1614 and 1616 – Fama Fraternitatis, Confessio Fraternitatis, Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz - that called for intellectual, political, and religious reform in Europe. Without any verification of meetings, masters, or even membership, the order of the Rosicrucians was deemed as a hoax. However, there is still a connection between the Rosicrucians the origins of Freemasonry. Even though the order did not exist, the ideas the Rosicrucians proclaimed, such as social and intellectual reform, might have influenced some of the first Freemasons in the early

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