witnessofjesus

Jeff,

Here they are as found at the following website: http://www.gl-slovenia.org/?ln=&s=19


Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark.
(Fifth Book of Moses: Deuteronomy, 27:17)


LANDMARKS OF FREEMASONRY
The term Masonic Landmarks was first introduced by an American Freemason Albert Gallatin Mackey, 33°, (1807-1881). The so-called Landmarks were published in the October issue of the Masonic Quarterly Review (Nr. 2, p. 230) in 1858. He also published them in a somewhat abridged form in his Encyclopedia of Freemasonry.



Mackey did not invent the Masonic Landmarks, he just wrote them down and gave them a common name of ancient customs of Freemasonry that were passed on unwritten or written through the hundreds of years of Freemason's work. There are 25 Mackey's Landmarks. They describe the general principles of Freemasonry that denote the essence of Craft and what Freemasonry is and what it is not. There are also other Landmarks beside Mackey's, the most known among them are the 40 Landmarks written down by George Oliver in 1863. There are also lists that contain almost 100 Landmarks. On the other hand, it was Roscoe Pound (a lawyer by education) who reduced their number to a mere six.

Mackey's Landmarks have gained the widest acceptance. Maybe because they were written down and published first or maybe because they are in complete accordance with the comprehension of Freemasonry in the Anglo-Saxon world or, of course, because they are widely believed to represent the true essence of Freemasonry. They've gained such great acceptance and many Grand Lodges have canonized them as a criterion of identification and recognition of new Masonic bodies. Mackey's Landmarks are translated on the bottom of the page from the original, unabridged form, as they were first published, so that we can become aware of their true image. But before we deal with the Landmarks we should explain the meaning of the term.

Mackey was the first to offer an explanation. He considered the Landmarks as 'those ancient and general rituals of the (Masonic) Order that have gradually become rules of conduct by themselves. Even if they were introduced by some kind of authority, it all happened so many years ago so their origins are not found in any historical records.' The Landmarks are the fundamental principles of Freemasonry and bear a similar role as axioms do in mathematics. They are invariable as such and we do not question or doubt them. Or better said: That is the way it is supposed to be. As we shall see later on, even the ancient Landmarks change in accordance with the historical and social framework in which Freemasonry operates. However, we can say that the Landmarks set the boundaries of Freemasonry sufficiently. If a Masonic body breaks one Landmark or more, it crosses and invisible border and stops being Masonic even if the action is done with good intentions or in best faith. Let us say this in another way: All other Freemasons who respect the Landmarks see the body on the other side of the border and do not consider it Freemason anymore.

Nevertheless, we should not see the Landmarks as dogmas. Some of them have simply become obsolete. For example, the Landmark that states that one should honour aristocrats in the Lodge in the same way as on the outside or the Landmark that no candidates that were born as slaves should be admitted (Mackay's Landmarks were written just before the abolition of slavery in the USA). Some Landmarks are not as ancient as they claim to be. For example, the Landmark about the three-degree system. It's widely accepted that this system appeared as late as 1730. Even the concept of the Grand Lodge develops around 1717. Some Landmarks are philosophically controversial, like the Landmark of the belief in the resurrection to a future life if it is understood word for word.

We also have to bear in mind that although Mackay's Landmarks have broad and ancient roots they are still copyright work that was written within the Anglo-Saxon masonic circle and they represent the point of view of the United Grand Lodge of England from the first part of the 19. century (i.e., relations with the aristocracy, the omnipotence of the Grand Master who had to be in those times in England a member of the Royal family). That is the reason why Mackey's Landmarks are generally not quoted in full, but rather as abstracts of contents. American Grand Lodges in particular do not acknowledge Mackey's Landmarks in full form. On the other hand the contents of the Landmarks are so steadfast that even historical and powerful Grand Lodges lose their recognition. That happened to the Grand Lodge by the name of Grand Orient de France in 1877 when they broke the Landmark of The Book of the Law by placing the Constitution on the altar instead of the Bible. The majority of the Grand Lodges therefore withdrew their recognition and did not acknowledge its regularity.

Before we devote our attention to the text of the Landmarks we should point out some of the peculiarities of the terminology. Mackey's language is rather archaic and special. He uses terms that we are not very familiar with, such as order or craft. We do not denote the fraternity of John's Freemasons with these terms. When he refers to the Statute, we use the term Constitution. When he refers to the Constitution, we understand that as the founding document of a Lodge. Mackey's Landmarks were written in the 19th century so whenever he talks about modern things or gimmicks, he refers to the first half of the 19th century.





LANDMARKS OF FREEMASONRY
~ 1 ~
THE MODES OF RECOGNITION are, of all the Landmarks, the most legitimate and unquestioned. They admit of no variation; and if ever they have suffered alteration or addition, the evil of such a violation of the ancient law has always made itself subsequently manifest. An admission of this is to be found in the proceedings of the late Masonic Congress at Paris, where a proposition was presented to render these modes of recognition once more universal - a proposition which never would have been necessary, if the integrity of this important Landmark had been rigorously preserved.

~ 2 ~
THE DIVISION OF SYMBOLIC MASONRY INTO THREE DEGREES, is a Landmark that has been better preserved than almost any other, although even here the mischievous spirit of innovation has left its traces, and by the disruption of its concluding portion from the third degree, a want of uniformity has been created in respect to the final teaching of the Master's order; and the Royal Arch of England, Scotland, Ireland, and America, and the "high degrees" of France and Germany, are all made to differ in the mode in which they lead the neophyte to the great consummation of all symbolic Masonry. In 1813, the Grand Lodge of England vindicated the ancient Landmark, by solemnly enacting that Ancient Craft Masonry consisted of the three degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason, including the Holy Royal Arch. But the disruption has never been healed, and the Landmark, although acknowledged in its integrity by all, still continues to be violated.

~ 3 ~
THE LEGEND OF THE THIRD DEGREE is an important Landmark, the integrity of which has been well preserved. There is no rite of Masonry, practised in any country or language, in which the essential elements of this legend are not taught. The lectures may vary, and indeed are constantly changing, but the legend has ever remained substantially the same. And it is necessary that it should be so, for the legend of the Temple Builder constitutes the very essence and identity of Masonry. Any rite which should exclude it, or materially alter it, would at once, by that exclusion or alteration, cease to be a Masonic rite.

~ 4 ~
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FRATERNITY, by a presiding officer called a Grand Master, who is elected from the body of the craft, is a fourth Landmark of the Order. Many persons ignorantly suppose that the election of the Grand Master is held in consequence of a law or regulation of the Grand Lodge. Such, however, is not the case. The office is indebted for its existence to a Landmark of the Order. Grand Masters are to be found in the records of the institution long before Grand Lodges were established; and if the present system of legislative government by Grand Lodges were to be abolished, a Grand Master would still be necessary. In fact, although there has been a period within the records of history, and indeed of very recent date, when a Grand Lodge was unknown, there never has been a time when the craft did not have their Grand Master.

~ 5 ~
THE PREROGATIVE OF THE GRAND MASTER TO PRESIDE over every assembly of the craft, wheresoever and whensoever held, is a fifth Landmark. It is in consequence of this law, derived from ancient usage, and not from any special enactment, that the Grand Master assumes the chair, or as it is called in England, "the throne," at every communication of the Grand Lodge; and that he is also entitled to preside at the communication of every Subordinate Lodge, where he may happen to be present.

~ 6 ~
THE PREROGATIVE OF THE GRAND MASTER TO GRANT DISPENSATIONS for conferring degrees at irregular times, is another and a very important Landmark. The statutory law of Masonry requires a month, or other determinate period, to elapse between the presentation of a petition and the election of a candidate. But the Grand Master has the power to set aside or dispense with this probation, and to allow a candidate to be initiated at once. This prerogative he possessed in common with all Masters, before the enactment of the law requiring a probation, and as no statute can impair his prerogative, he still retains the power, although the Masters of Lodges no longer possess it.

~ 7 ~
THE PREROGATIVE OF THE GRAND MASTER TO GIVE DISPENSATIONS for opening and holding Lodges is another Landmark. He may grant, in virtue of this, to a sufficient number of Masons, the privilege of meeting together and conferring degrees. The Lodges thus established are called "Lodges under Dispensation." They are strictly creatures of the Grand Master, created by his authority, existing only during his will and pleasure, and liable at any moment to be dissolved at his command. They may be continued for a day, a month, or six months; but whatever be the period of their existence, they are indebted for that existence solely to the grace of the Grand Master.

~ 8 ~
THE PREROGATIVE OF THE GRAND MASTER TO MAKE MASONS AT SIGHT, is a Landmark which is closely connected with the preceding one. There has been much misapprehension in relation to this Landmark, which misapprehension has sometimes led to a denial of its existence in jurisdictions where the Grand Master was perhaps at the very time substantially exercising the prerogative, without the slightest remark or opposition. It is not to be supposed that the Grand Master can retire with a profane into a private room, and there, without assistance, confer the degrees of Freemasonry upon him. No such prerogative exists, and yet many believe that this is the so much talked of right of "making Masons at sight." The real mode and the only mode of exercising the prerogative is this : The Grand Master summons to his assistance not less than six other Masons, convenes a Lodge, and with out any previous probation, but on sight of the candidate, confers the degrees upon him, after which he dissolves the Lodge, and dismisses the brethren. Lodges thus convened for special purposes are called "occasional lodges." This is the only way in which any Grand Master within the records of the institution has ever been known to "make a Mason at sight." The prerogative is dependent upon that of granting dispensations to open and hold Lodges. If the Grand Master has the power of granting to any other Mason the privilege of presiding over Lodges working by his dispensation, he may assume this privilege of presiding to himself; and as no one can deny his right to revoke his dispensation granted to a number of brethren at a distance, and to dissolve the Lodge at his pleasure, it will scarcely be contended that he may not revoke his dispensation for a Lodge over which he himself has been presiding, within a day, and dissolve the Lodge as soon as the business for which he had assembled it is accomplished. The making of Masons at sight is only the conferring of the degrees by the Grand Master, at once, in an occasional Lodge, constituted by his dispensing power for the purpose, and over which he presides in person.

~ 9 ~
THE NECESSITY FOR MASONS TO CONGREGATE IN LODGES is another Landmark. It is not to be understood by this that any ancient