Copper Board
Something to Think About
MASONIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
*Mehr Licht!*
*More
Light!*
*Number 275 – April 26, 2010*
*Dear Masonic
Student,*
**
*The following information comes from the 7 volume
set of Mackey's Revised History of Freemasonry - Clegg edition; by
Robert Ingham Clegg. There are at least 2 revised editions of
Mackey’s History of Freemasonry. I think the Clegg edition
gives much more detail that the other editions. However, for the
Masonic student the original as well as the Singleton and Clegg
edition are all quite useful.*
**
*Below are included some
segments of text from pages 692 & 693 of volume 3 of the Clegg
edition. If you have access to this set you will enjoy reading
the ‘preceding chapter’ Brother Clegg mentions
below.*
**
*"The use of prayer in the Scottish Lodges of
the 17th century is not a supposition. That is proved by actual
records. Brother Lyon, in his invaluable work, to which we have been
almost wholly indebted for the facts in the present and the preceding
chapter, supplies us with two forms of prayers, one 'to be said at
the convening,' and the other 'to be said before dismissing.' Both
are taken from the minute-books of Mary’s Chapel Incorporation
for the year 1699." *
**
*"Oh Lord, we most humblie
beseech theee to be present with us in merecy, and to bless our
meeting and haill (whole) exercise which wee now have in hand. O
Lord, enlighten our understanding and direct our hearts and mynds, so
with thy good Spirit, that wee may frame all our purposes and
conclusions to the glory of thy name and the welfare of our Brethren;
and therefore O Lord, let no partiall respect, neither of ffeed
(enmity) nor favour, draw us
out of the right way. But grant that
we may ever so frame all our purposes and conclusions to the glory of
thy name and the welfare of our Brethren. Grant these things, O Lord,
unto us, and what else thou sees more necessarie for us, and that
only for the love of thy dear son Jesus Christ, our alone Lord and
Saviour; To whom with thee, O Father, and the belessed Spirit of
Grace, Wee render all praise, honor and glory, for ever and ever.
Amen." *
**
*"The Second Prayer, or that used at the
dismissal of closing of the Lodge is as follows: *
**
*"Oh
Lord, wee most humbly acknowledge the goodnesse in meeting with us
together at this tyme, to confer upon a present condition of this
world. O Lord, make us also study heaven and heavenly
myndednesse, that we may get our souls for a prey, and O Lord, be
with us and accompany us the rest of this day, now and forever.
Amen." *
**
*"The importance of this record of
prayers at opening and closing in the Scottish Lodges, is that it
adds great force to the claim that a similar custom existed in the
English Lodges at the same period." **
"Therefore we may fairly
conclude that it was the practice of the Scottish Lodges of the 17th
century to open and close their meetings with prayer, a ceremony that
we have reason to infer was also practiced by the English Lodges of
the same period."*
**
*Ed’s note: *
*Prior to the
formation of the Premiere Grand Lodge in 1717 (The Grand Lodge of
England), which phrased what we now know as Anderson’s
Constitutions, and which opened up the door for admittance of men
other that of the Christian religion, the craft of operative Masons
was predominately Christian; The predominately Christian population
of the Craft could have been because of the customs of the population
in which the operative Masons lived and operated. And it could be
that for this same reason it remained as such during the period of
transition from purely operative Lodges to accepting non-operatives
into their Lodges. The earliest records of accepting non-operatives
into the Masonic Lodges of the 16th & 17th centuries come from
Scotland, and the earliest is dated in 1598. *
**
*Regarding
the prayers above: it is thought that the Lodges in England also
opened and closed their Lodges with prayers, but the information
above is an account of the earliest know record of such, and that
record comes from Scotland too. *