Why did men of wealth, education, and power, join an organisation of artisans at a time when class was of the very first importance?

I do not think that we can now do more than guess. Some clues are to be found in the habits and tastes of the times. The earliest speculatives belong to the same time as the founding of the Royal Society, the first, and still one of the leading learned societies in the world. It was patronised by Charles II, and by Pepys, Evelyn, and other notable figures. Antiquarian research was the in thing. Before the Civil War, no one was the least interested in history, or the past. From the Restoration down to the middle of the 19th century, antiquarianism was fashionable. No doubt there were traditions, and probably actual practical mathematical knowledge of the rule of thumb variety, to be learned for the operatives.

The interest in architecture also dates from the Restoration. Before the civil war, houses were still fortresses. Many of them could, and did, withstand sieges for most of the war. After the war, men were more interested in comfort, and in beautifying their homes. Gardening for pleasure rather than utility became common, and a knowledge of architecture was deemed an essential part of a gentleman's education. Where better to seek a knowledge of architecture than from the men who had contributed most to it in the last three or four centuries.

Finally, this was the period of Clubs. There were clubs for every conceivable, and in some case inconceivable, taste - cards, music, gambling, talk, horse racing, prize fighting, drinking, you name it, there was a club for it. A new club of any kind was bound to attract members.

There can be no doubt, however, that those first speculatives found something in the Craft which held them to it. The ritual we know it developed during the first four decades of the 18th century, but there must have been a nucleus of moral and religious teaching from which this ritual could grow.

That moral teaching has since spread over most of the civilised world, and has been a source of inspiration and comfort to millions who have ranged themselves under the banner of Freemasonry. May our descendants enjoy the same comfort and inspiration, and may each one of us ensure that we uphold the high ideals of the Craft, and demonstrate them to the world at large. May we dedicate ourselves once more to the service of God, and of our fellow men, for unless we do so, the Craft will eventually perish, and our descendants will be the poorer.

By: Bro. AW Wood, PG Supt. Wks, EC, Secretary. Published October 1988 and republished in SELECTED PAPERS, Vol. 3; United Masters Lodge, No. 167; Auckland, New Zealand.