According to Masonic records, the Grand Lodge of England was established June 24, 1717, in London. Soon afterward, Freemasonry, a fraternal society of obscure origins and antiquity, began to spread rapidly throughout and beyond the British Empire. This volume of intriguing essays by eminent and emerging Masonic scholars explores the history and culture of Freemasonry during that period of expansion. What did Masons of the early Grand Lodge era actually do in their lodges? How did these brethren think of themselves and their Craft? What were their motivations and ideals? What was their experience of Freemasonry? By posing such questions, our contributors have been able to study not just an institutional beginning, but the cultural realities of Masonic life in the first decades of the Grand Lodge’s history. This collection of scholarly papers critically re-examines key aspects of early Masonic life and thought, revealing the philosophical and social underpinnings of an organization that remains an intriguing cultural phenomenon.

FEATURING

Foreword by Shawn Eyer, Executive Editor Introduction by Christopher B. Murphy, Editor The Traditional History by James Anderson
A Just and Exact Account of Masonry A Survey of the Constitutions and Pocket Companions of 1723 to 1756 by Christopher B. Murphy
The Essential Secrets of Masonry Insight from an American Masonic Oration of 1734 by Shawn Eyer
Spiritual and Heavenly People in Corners Embracing Masonic Ethos through the Eyes of James Anderson by Dana Scofield Freemasonry, the London Irish, and the Antients Grand Lodge by Ric Berman
Genius of Masonry The Preservation of Masonic Tradition in the Songs of the Freemasons by Nathan A. St. Pierre The Grand Lodge of All England Held at York: An Independent Grand Lodge in England in the Eighteenth Century by David Harrison John Desaguliers: The Balance of Religion and Science by Jedediah French Assessing Authentic Lodge Culture: Moving Beyond the Tavern Myth by Christopher B. Murphy

The collection includes a comprehensive index and full bibliography.