Ancient Craft Masonry

Ancient Craft Masonry. A name which became established in the period when it was commonly supposed that Freemasonry originated in ancient times, at least as early as the building of King Solomon’s Temple by the Craft of Masons, led by the First Three Ancient Grand Masters, and divided into 3,300 Masters or overseers of the work, 80,000 Fellow Craft or hewers on the mountains and in the quarries, and 70,000 Entered Apprentices or bearers of burdens. This was correct so far as it laid the origin of the Craft in building and architectural operations but the antiquity was greatly overstated and the locality considerably displaced. (See HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.) The name was, therefore, applied to the Masonry taught and administered in the Three Degrees representing the three grades of stonemasons of ancient times, a craft and supposed ancient craft. Strictly speaking, Craft Masonry would be operative Masonry and, of course, there are today craft masons and craft masonry unconnected with the Masonic Fraternity. There were also ancient masons and ancient craft masonry. Since no one has been able to trace the present organization beyond the latter part of the 14th century, Ancient is no proper part of the name. Craft is proper only so far as indicating that the present Speculative Society grew out of operative or Craft Masonry of the Middle Ages. Craft Masonry is now no more than a convenient expression to indicate the first three degrees, sometimes called Blue Masonry or the Masonry of the Blue Lodge.