Landmarks Of Freemasonry

The term "Landmark" is used to define the set of principles that many Freemasons claim to be ancient and unchangeable precepts of Masonry. In Masonic history, there are many efforts made by masonic authors to deal with the Landmarks of our Craft and it is generally agreed that the definition of what the Landmarks are is not easy.

They are said to be the foundation on which Freemasonry stands; having existed since time immemorial. In other words, they are the core beliefs that define us and cannot be altered, repealed, or removed without doing major damage to the Fraternity.

The oldest known Masonic writing, the Regius Manuscript or "Poem of Moral Duties," was discovered to be a Masonic document by a non-Mason, J. O. Halliwell, in 1839. It was written about 1390 and was given the name "Regius" because it was found in the Royal Library of England. It is now a part of the British Museum.

The manuscript, an epic poem That's existence has been known for quite a TIME, but it's contents were mistaken until Mr. Halliwell-Phillips drew attention to it in a paper "On the introduction of Freemasonry into England," read before the Society of Antiquaries in the 1838-9 session.

He thereafter published two small editions of a work entitled "The Early History of Freemasonry in England," giving a transcript of the poem. Some common Masonic Ritual terms in use today are found in it such as "So Mote It Be."

It should be stressed that boundary lines or border marks, have in all ages been regarded by men as most important and zealously kept. In the Bible, they are regarded as sacred and frequently designated by stone pillars. It is for this reason that the Masonic term "Landmark" is considered to have been derived from scripture. In Deuteronomy 27:17 we find: "Cursed be he that removeth his neighbor's Landmark".

Proverbs 22:28 says, "Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set,"

In Jewish law: "Thou shalt not remove thy neighbors' landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance". Many believe that this illustrates that Masonic Landmarks have been inherited and are visible/recognized boundaries even if they are not written/defined/enumerated/codified.

However, the regularity" of a Grand Lodge or impenitent body that is judged in the context of the "Landmarks". Whilst each Grand Lodge is self-governing with no single body exercising authority over the whole of Freemasonry, the interpretation of these principles can and do vary, leading to controversies of recognition.

In 1720 George Payne, Grand Master of England, compiled the General Regulations, which were approved by the Grand Lodge of England in 1721 and published by Dr. James Anderson in 1723. Regulation XXXIX reads "Every Annual Grand Lodge has an inherent power and Authority to make new Regulations or to alter these, for the real benefit of this Ancient Fraternity; provided always that the old Land-Marks be carefully preserved." The first attempt to codify the old Landmarks of Freemasonry was made by Albert G. Mackey as an article in the October 1858 edition of the American Quarterly Review of Freemasonry.

Then in his Text Book of Masonic Jurisprudence. Since then, his Ancient Landmarks of Freemasonry (sometimes referred to as Mackey's Twenty-Five or Mackey's Landmarks) has been adopted by a number of Grand Lodges (mainly North American) as the definitive list. As you know, In present Masonry each year the Conference of Grand Masters receives requests from various "new" Grand Lodges seeking recognition, and the Conference makes recommendations which are generally followed by our Grand Lodge as well as most other Grand Lodges.

The first standard of recognition is "Legitimacy of Origin." The second, is "Exclusive Territorial Jurisdiction, except by mutual consent and/or treaty." And the third, is "Adherence to the Ancient Landmarks specifically, a Belief in God, the Volume of Sacred Law as an indispensable part of the Furniture of the Lodge, and the prohibition of the discussion of politics and religion. Of course they/we are concerned about more than just the organizational structure of Freemasonry and how Grand Lodges are organized, and so we need to consider also what might be called
the personal Landmarks of a Master Mason.

These are the moral lessons and fraternal obligations taught in our ritual and which must ultimately reside in our hearts. These Landmarks should guide our thoughts, words, and actions, and define for us what it means to be a Freemason and how to
act like a Master Mason.

When applying for membership to a subordinate Lodge of a just and rightfully constituted Grand Lodge. A man is to identify with around ten attributes that

Masonry believes best defines the behavior of a Master Mason.
What are these ten "Landmark attributes?" - They were that a Mason:

1.Believes in a Supreme Being
2.Has Moral Values
3.Exemplifies Honor and Integrity
4.Believes in the Brotherhood of Man
5.Fulfills obligations
6.Practices Charity
7.Exercises Brotherly Love
8.Is committed to Family
9.Demonstrates Patriotism
10.Supports Widows and Orphans

We seek to be virtuous and honorable men. We believe that every human being has a claim upon our good offices, and we see it as our duty to assist in making the world a better, more loving, and more compassionate place. So we search for truth, we support justice, we show toleration, and we act charitably. Landmarks are supposed to be principles on which all Masons would agree. Unfortunately Masons and Grand Lodges have not unanimously agreed which items should be included on the list of things that are "universal, and cannot be altered,
repealed, or removed."

1. The Modes of recognition.
2. The division of Symbolic Masonry into three degrees.
3. The legend of the third degree.
4.The government of the fraternity by a presiding officer called a Grand Master, who is elected from the body of tile craft.
5. The prerogative of the Grand Master to preside over every assembly of the craft, wheresoever and whensoever held.
6. The prerogative of the Grand Master to grant dispensations for conferring degrees at irregular times.
7. The prerogative of the Grand Master to grant dispensation for opening and holding lodges.
8. The prerogative of the Grand Master to make Masons on sight.
9. The necessity of Masons to congregate in lodges.
10.The government of every lodge by a Master and two Wardens.
11.The necessity that every lodge, when duly congregated, should be tyled.
12.The right of every Mason to be represented in all general meetings of the craft and to instruct his representatives.
13.The right of every Mason to appeal from the decision of his brethren in lodge convened, to the Grand Lodge or General Assembly of Masons.
14.The right of every Mason to visit and sit in every regular lodge.
15.That no visitor, not known to some brother present as a Mason, can enter a lodge without undergoing an examination.
16.That no lodge can interfere in the business or labor of another lodge.
17.That every Freemason is amendable to the laws and regulations of the Masonic Jurisdiction in which he resides.
18.That every candidate for initiation must be a man, free born and of lawful age.
19.That every Mason must believe in the existence of God as the Grand Architect of the Universe.
20.That every Mason must believe in a resurrection to a future life.
21.That a book of the law of God must constitute an indispensable part of the furniture of every lodge.
22.That all men, in the sight of God, are equal and meet in the lodge on one common level.
23.That Freemasonry is a secret society in possession of secrets that cannot be divulged.
24.That Freemasonry consists of a speculative science founded on an operative art.
25.That the landmarks of Masonry can never be changed. These constitute the landmarks, or as they have sometimes been called, "the body of Masonry," in which it is not in the power of man or a body of men to make the least innovation.

Brother and Dr. George Oliver in his 'Historical Landmarks' said in referring to the Four Old Lodges that formed the Premier Grand Lodge in 1717:

"that every privilege which they collectively enjoyed by virtue of their immemorial rights, they should still continue to enjoy and that no law, rule or regulation should ever deprive them of such privilege, or encroach on any Landmark which was at that time established as the standard of Masonic government." The Masonic government and Landmark Brother Oliver was referring to were the Old Charges, (The Charges of a Freemason,) which were contained in the "Constitutions of the Freemasons" of 1723."

Brother and General Albert Pike had said

"The ancient charges show by what principles the relations of those of the fellowship to each other were regulated; and these may not improperly be said to have been 'Landmarks' of the Craft."

One Brother Elbert Bede has said

"Freemasonry is the only Fraternity claiming to have landmarks, and the only Fraternity old enough to have Landmarks" under the accepted definition of a Landmark by Mackey "is that it must have existed from time whereof the memory of man runneth not to the contrary."