The Virginia Gazette

From the London Magazine, for April, 1737.

Of the FREE-MASONS.

SIR,

Amongst all the Instances, lately produced, of our Advantages over other Nations, in Point of Liberty, there is one that deserves your serious Consideration; I mean the Toleration of that mysterious Society, called FREE-MASONS; who have been lately suppressed not only in France, but in Holland, as a dangerous Race of Men; whereas here they are permitted to hold their private Meetings in every part of the Town, and even to appear in publick Procession, with the Ensigns of their Order.

Indeed, I have often wondered they have not been laid under some Restraints in England; for tho' our present most excellent Ministers have always preserved a sacred Regard to Liberty, I think no Government ought to suffer such dark and clandestine Assemblies, where Plots against the State may be carried on under the Pretence of Brotherly Love and Good-Fellowship.

The Act of Toleration does not allow of private Conventicles, even in Cases of Conscience, but enjoins that all Meeting-Houses or Places of Worship, shall be not only licensed but publick; and all others are punishable as contrary to Law. Shall more Indulgence be granted to this incomprehensible Fraternity, who do not pretend to plead Conscience or any publick Emolument, in their Behalf?

They derive their Original, as I am informed, from the building of Babel, which was an audacious Attempt against Heaven; insomuch that God himself, thought fit to defeat their Design by the Confusion of Tongues, that such impious Offenders might not understand one another. But our modern Masons pretend to a universal Dumb Language, by which People of all Nations, who are initiated into their Mysteries, can easily converse together, by the Help of certain Signs, which nobody understands but themselves.

It is likewise said, that by the Same Signs they can Oblige any of their Brethren to leave off their Business; and follow them wherever they please; a Power of a very dangerous Nature, and which may be some Time or other turn'd to a very ill Use.

The Concord, which reigns amongst them, is very surprising; for tho' they are composed of all Nations, Parties, and Religions, we are told there hath not happened the least Quarrel or Disturbance in any of their Assemblies.

That impenetrable Secrecy, for which they are so famous, is likewise Matter of just Suspicion, and seems to indicate that there is something in their nocturnal Rites which they are afraid of having discovered.

For this Reason, they not only lock themselves into the Room where they meet, and suffer none to wait upon them, except Brethren; but upon all extraordinary Occasions (such as admitting new Members, or instituting Lodges,) a Centinel is placed at the outside of the Door, with a drawn Sword in his Hand, to prevent all Discoveries.

This is not the only Mark of their being a military Order; for they give their chief Officer the Title of Grand-Master; in Imitation, I presume, of the Knights of Malta; nay, he hath a Sword of State carried before him, almost as large and richly ornamented as that of his Majesty. This Sword was presented to them, as I am informed, by a great Roman-Catholick Peer: With what View I shall not take upon myself to determine. But if the Worshipful Mr. B. were taken up and closely examined about it, I fancy he might be induced to make some useful Discoveries.

There seems likewise to be something emblematical in their Gloves and Aprons. A Glove is only another Word for a Gauntlet, and a Gauntlet is a Piece of Armour for the Hands. An Apron indeed, is a proper Badge of Masonry, in the literal Sense; but I am told, it is likewise a Term in Gunnery for a flat Piece of Lead to cover the Touch-hole of a Cannon, when it's loaded; and I leave my Superiors to judge whether it may not be made Use of by our Free-Masons to typify something of the same Nature.

It further deserves Notice how artfully they have dispersed themselves in different Lodges, thro' all Parts of the Kingdom, and particularly in this great Metropolis; as if it were on Purpose to beat up for Volunteers, in which they make no Distinction of Persons; for they not only admit of Turks, Jews, and Infidels, but even Jacobites, Nonjurors, and Papists themselves.

They keep their Proceedings very private, that it is impossible to guess what Seal of Secrecy they have invented, which is able to tie up the Mouths of such Multitudes of People; for there are many of them, whom the most Solemn Oaths could not bind on any other Occasions, and yet nothing hath been able to shake their Fidelity, in this Particular. I wish it may not be somewhat like that horrid Obligation, which Catiline administered to his Fellow-Conspirators.

Upon the whole, this mysterious Society hath too much the Air of an Inquisition, where every Thing is transacted in the Dark; and I wish it may not be spawn'd from the same hellish Original, notwithstanding its pretended Antiquity.

I am sensible that many plausible Reasons may be alleged, in Favour of this Fraternity.

And, first, it may be said, that a learned and worthy Divine of the Church of England hath long ago published the Institutions of the Free-Masons, which contain nothing but what is perfectly innocent, and prove them rather to be a whimsical than a dangerous Set.

But this Book seems design'd rather to amuse than inform the World, and put them upon a wrong Scent; for it is not to be supposed he would reveal these boasted Mysteries, in which the very Essence of their Society consists. They have no Doubt, their Secreta Monita, as well as the Jesuits, and we can never hope to see them in one Case, unless by meer Accident, as it happen'd in the other.

But the most material Argument is, that there are so many of the Nobility, Gentry, and even the Clergy, of the most undoubted Affection to his Majesty, in this Society; that as it will be impossible to carry on any wicked Designs against him, without their Knowledge, so it cannot be supposed they will concur in them, or conceal them. But with all due Deference to those honourable and reverend Persons, I must beg Leave to give my Opinion, that this Argument is very fallacious, and upon which we can have no sure Dependance; for I apprehend
Apprehend the Obligation, which the Free-Masons take, to be of such a Nature, that the blackest Conspiracies or Machinations, will not allow them to break thro' it. Besides, how can we be sure that those Persons, who are known to be well affected, are let into all their Mysteries? They acknowledge there is a Distinction between Prentices and Master-Masons; and who knows whether they may not have an higher Order of Cabalists, who keep the grand Secret of all intirely to themselves? It may likewise be ask'd, perhaps, in what Plots, or ill Designs, they have been engaged, ever since the first Foundation of their Society? This Question is not easily answer'd; for their Principles and Actions are so unfathomable, that nobody can pretend to say with any certainty in what they are, or are not concern'd; but I cannot help thinking them at the Bottom of one Affair, which hath lately happen'd, and is now upon the tapis; I mean the late Tumult at Edinburgh, and the Murder of Capt. Porteous; which was concerted and executed with so much Unanimity and Secrecy, that none but a Mob of Free-Masons could be guilty of it, without the Discovery of one Person in so numerous a Multitude as were concern'd in that atrocious Fact. I am glad to hear that a Law is likely to pass, in the Nature of the Black-Act, (the most compendious of all penal Laws) for preventing any such Riots. for the future, by trying the Authors, or Accomplices of them in England: for, if the Scots will not find one another guilty, there is all the Reason in the World they should be try'd by an impartial Jury, who know nothing of them, or their Characters; and I hope to see the Free-Masons included in the same Bill; for they may be properly said to go in Disguise. I know these Men are generally look'd upon in England, as a Parcel of idle People, who meet together only to make merry, and play some ridiculous Pranks; but it is very plain that the wise Governments of France and Holland look upon them in a very different Light; and I humbly hope to see my own Country follow the Example of the latter, at least, by suppressing Such dangerous Assemblies. But if a total Suppression should be thought inconsistent with our free Constitution, and most incomparable Government, I have an Alternative to offer; which is, to lay a double Tax upon all Free-Masons, as there hath been for many Years upon the Papists. I flatter myself that this Scheme will not prove disagreeable, at present, when great Sums of Money are wanted, and Ways and Means are so very hard to be found. I am sure, it will be more acceptable to the Generality of Mankind, or at least of Womankind. than the Reduction of Interest to 3 per Cent. without any Redemption of Taxes; for, as the Ladies have a very bad Opinion of the Free-Masons, and are incapable of being admitted into that Order, they will never complain of any Tax being laid upon keeping a Secret, which they are not let into themselves.

I am, Sir, &c.
JACHIN.