Special thanks to George Helmer FPS

FREEMASONRY AND SOCIAL
ENGLAND IN THE EIGHTEENTH
CENTURY

WOR. Bro. GILBERT W. DAYNES.

Part II

Transactions of the Manchester Association for Masonic
Research - 1929

"Grant O God that he (the Initiate) and all of us may live as
men considering the Great end for which we were created,
and do thou give us wisdom to contrive and guide us in all
our doings, strength to support us in all difficulties and
beauty to adorn those Heavenly Mansions where thine
Honor dwells. Grant O Lord that we may agree together in
Brotherly Love and Charity towards one another, and in all
our dealings do justice to all men, Love Mercy and walk
humbly with thee our God so that at last we may be made
Members of an Heavenly Jerusalem."

Each one of the many thousands of Brethren who became
Freemasons listened to these Prayers and to the
ceremonies, not only when made Freemasons but
continually afterwards when attending their Lodges. As a
consequence they must have become very familiar with the
precepts and tenets these prayers and ceremonies laid
stress upon; and it is not unreasonable to suppose that in
very many cases Brethren's characters thereby became
uplifted. Is it not also probable that these Brethren, who
strived to become good Freemasons, were far more
receptive and ready for such social reforms as were initiated
during the century than those who had not received such
instruction? May it not also have been that some of the
leading Freemasons, as a consequence of the teachings of
the Craft, even helped to initiate part of these social reforms.
The first fundamental in Freemasonry was, and still is, a
Belief in God. In the first of the Charges in the Constitutions
of 1723, it is clearly laid down:-

"1. Concerning God and Religion. A Mason is obliged, by his
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 charged
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 and true, or men of Honor and Honesty, by
whatever Denominations or Persuasions they may be
distinguished, whereby Masonry becomes the Center of
Union, and the Means of conciliating true Friendship among
Persons that must have remained at a perpetual distance."

The aim of Freemasonry was universality without restriction
to any Dogma or Creed. This is further stressed in the Sixth
of the Charges, in a paragraph dealing with Politics and
Religion, wherein it is stated:-

"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 Catholic Religion abovementioned; we are
also of all Nations, Tongues, Kindred's, and Languages, and
we are resolved against all Politicks, as what never yet
conduced to the Welfare of the Lodge, nor ever will."

There is no doubt that throughout the 18th century
Dissenters, Jews, and Brethren of other Denominations
mingled harmoniously with the Protestants of the
Established Church in Lodges. Even the Roman Catholics,
notwithstanding the Papal Bulls of 1738 and 1751,
foregathered in Lodges as Freemasons until these Bulls
were formally promulgated in England towards the close of
the century. All this is striking and noteworthy. From 1723
there are Brethren in Lodges with Jewish Names, and, in
1732, from the Press we learn that, on Sunday, 21st
September, at the Rose Tavern, Cheapside, London, a Mr.
Edward Rose was admitted a Brother,

"in the presence of several Brethren of Distinction as well
Jews as Christians . . . . .by Mr. Danl. Delvalle an eminent
Jew Snuff Merchant, the Master."

Lecky, in his monumental History of England in the 18th
century, referring to the Jews, tells us that,

"the hatred, indeed, of that unhappy race in England was
particularly tenacious and intense."

We know that, even in 1753, Pelham's attempt to legalize
the naturalization of the Jews failed. Such toleration as there
was in the early part of the century seems political rather
than individual, and when it occurred was only a necessary
compromise with error for political reasons. It was not until a
later period that it became a matter of principle for practice
by the country as a whole. May not this toleration, in
questions of religion, practiced by Freemasons as a matter
of principle from 1723 or even earlier, gradually have had its
effect on the mind of the country as a whole?

Next let us consider charitableness. This was a virtue
especially inculcated by the tenets of the Craft, Brotherly
Love and Relief being two of their three grand principles. At
the conclusion of the Charges in the Constitutions of 1723
we find :-

"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 Quarreling, all Slander and Backbiting, nor
permitting others to slander any honest Brother, but
defending his Character, and doing him all good Offices."

This true charitableness, and also the principles of relief to
the distressed, were deeply instilled into all Freemasons,
and must surely have had its effect upon the outside world.
Again I quote from Lecky, who, in commenting upon the
period, states :-

"There had always been much unobtrusive charity in
England and causes in a great degree independent of
Religion and constitution to stimulate it. There are fashions
of feeling as well as fashions of thought, and with the
softening manners of the closing years of the century,
benevolence and philanthropy had undoubtedly acquired a
higher place in the category of virtues."

I suggest that Freemasonry certainly contributed to form this
fashion of feeling and to bring about the improved state of
affairs.

It should always be remembered that Masonic Charity was
not confined to objects within the Craft, but that many
objects outside Freemasonry were sympathetically
considered. As an example I would quote the colonization of
Georgia in America. This scheme was started by General
James Oglethorpe, himself a Mason and the first Master of
the Lodge at Savannah, constituted shortly after the first
settlers had arrived in the Colony. In 1733 a general
Subscription throughout the Craft was made to help this
scheme. It was urged by the Rulers of the Craft in the
Meetings of the Grand Lodge in London, and we hear of
sums being raised for the Scheme in Lodges as far North as
Newcastle. Throughout the century press notices record the
generosity of Freemasons, and Minute Books of old Lodges
are full of records of charity given to deserving persons and
causes of every description. The example thus set by the
Brethren all over England must, I maintain, have had its
effect upon the general outlook of Englishmen in the Gospel
of Giving.

In its organized capacity it must have also set an example ;
for in the first half of the century the organization of private
benevolence was as lacking as was social legislation.

The value of Education in the liberal Arts and Sciences was
recognized in Freemasonry from the first. Francis Drake,
Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of All England, in
a speech at York on the 27th December, 1726, pointed out :-

"A Gentleman without some knowledge of the Arts and
Sciences is like a fine Shell of a House without suitable
Finishing, or Furniture."

William Oakley, in his speech in 1728, from which I have
already quoted, exhorted the Brethren that they should be,

"industrious to improve in, or at least to love and encourage
some part of the seven Liberal Sciences."

 From the Minute Book of the Lodge of Friendship we learn
that, from 1738, there was a custom in the Lodge for
members and visitors to give lectures or readings on
scientific subjects. This was also the case with the Old
King's Arms Lodge, No. 28, and it seems probable that the
practice was not unusual among the higher class Lodges of
that period. Lecky tells us that :-

"The 18th century was pre-eminently the century of the
diffusion of knowledge. The great discovery of the lightning
conductor by Franklin as well as his admirable history of
electricity gave an immense popularity to this Branch of
Science."

It is of course well known that Benjamin Franklin was a keen
Freemason, and that another well-known Lecturer upon
Electricity and other scientific subjects - Dr. J.T. Desaguliers
- was also a Freemason, having been Grand Master in 1719.
Desaguliers became Curator of the Royal Society, and was
awarded the Copley Medal in 1739. The continual delivery of
scientific Lectures in Lodges, and the repeated exhortations
to Brethren to acquire a knowledge of the Arts and Sciences,
must have had some collective effect. I think we may
therefore claim that this diffusion of knowledge within the
Craft was a factor in learning, when the education of even
the better classes was of the scantiest description.

With regard to the general habits of the English Citizen the
Old Charges and Regulations of the Freemasons, as well as
the By-Laws and Records of Private Lodges, may usefully
be consulted. From Anderson's Constitutions of 1723 I quote
the following

"You are not to use unbecoming Language upon any
Pretence whatsoever but to pay due Reverence to your
Master, Wardens, and Fellows."

Then again later,

"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."

POTS
Freemasonry is a science of symbols, in which, by their proper
study, a search is instituted after truth, that truth consisting in the
knowledge of the divine and human nature of God and the human
Soul. - DR. A. G. MACKEY.

George Helmer FPS
PM Norwood #90 GRA
PZ Norwood #18 RAM
MBBFMN #362

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