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
