MassachusettsGC2012 PART I

GRAND CONSTITUTIONS, PART I

PART I: GENERAL

Sec. 100. COMMON LAW

The Common Law of Freemasonry is to be learned from the ancient usages of the Craft as developed and interpreted from and after A. D. 1721. It is the foundation of Masonic jurisprudence.

Earlier Revisions

• GC1918: Section 100; 1918-334
• GC1930: Section 100; 1930-90
• GC1953: Section 100

References

• MFM, Vol. XXV, No. 1, 11/01/1865, Page 21, refers to an essay on the sources and content of Masonic law.
• Woodbury Address, 1877-20; Description of the formation of an independent Grand Lodge.
• 1916-826ff
• 1916-872Aff

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Sec. 101. LANDMARKS: DEFINITION

The Landmarks are those ancient and universal fundamental principles of the Craft which no Masonic authority can alter or repeal.

Earlier Revisions

• GC1918: Section 101; 1918-334
• GC1930: Section 101; 1930-90
• GC1953: Section 101

References

• 1878-85, 09/11/1878, refers to the actions of the Grand Orient of France in removing a belief in Deity from its Grand Constitutions; the Grand Lodge adopted the following resolution: "Resolved, That the belief in God is a Landmark of Freemasonry, incorporated into its creed from the beginning, and must be unequivocally expressed by every initiate into its mysteries; that it is not in the power of any man or body of men to alter or annul it ; that an}T effort to do so has our solemn protest, and will receive, as it will justly deserve, our unqualified condemnation."
• 1902-21, 03/12/1902, refers to a report to Grand Lodge regarding the prerogatives of Grand Lodge. "It is specified in the Ancient Constitutions that the old Landmarks shall be carefully preserved. As to what the Landmarks are, probably no two Masonic writers are in exact accord. Dr. Geo. Oliver, a voluminous writer from 1823 to 1867, says in his Dictionary of Symbolic Masonry that "some restrict them to the O B, signs, tokens and words, others include the ceremonies of initiation, passing and raising; and the form, dimensions and support; the ground, situation and covering; the ornaments, furniture and jewels of a Lodge, or their characteristic symbols. Some think that the order has no Landmarks beyond its peculiar secrets." Further details on the subject follow.
• 1916-805 ff
• 1918-217

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Sec. 102. LANDMARKS: LIST

This Grand Lodge recognizes the following Landmarks:

• a. Monotheism, the sole dogma of Freemasonry;
• b. Belief in immortality, the ultimate lesson of Masonic philosophy;
• c. The Volume of the Sacred Law, an indispensable part of the furniture of a Lodge;
• d. The legend of the Third Degree;
• e. Secrecy;
• f. The symbolism of the operative art;
• g. A Mason must be a freeborn male adult.

The above list of Landmarks is not declared to be exclusive.

Earlier Revisions

• GC1918: Section 102; 1918-334
• GC1930: Section 102; 1930-90
• GC1953: Section 102

References

• MFM, Vol. XXVI, No. 10, 08/01/1867, Page 320, refers to a comment regarding Freemasonry in France. It reads in part, "Masons in Paris have been discussing the question of the existence of God and the immortality of the soul . . . The convention before which the discussion took place finally decided by a vote of 178 that it was proper to retain in their masonic formula the words 'To the Glory of the Grand Architect of the Universe.' "
• MFM, Vol. XXVI, No. 11, 09/01/1867, Page 325, refers to a brief description of the ancient Landmarks.
• MFM, Vol. XXXI, No. 4, 02/01/1872, refers to a discussion of the ancient Landmarks, particularly with respect to the definition of a "freeborn male adult", and whether a man should be allowed to visit if admitted by another jurisdiction at an earlier age than permitted by that of the lodge he seeks to visit.
• The Builder, 1915-38, refers to an article on the Old Landmarks.
• The Builder, 1915-183 and 1915-197, refer to an article on the Landmarks of Masonry, delineated by state.
• 1878-85, 09/11/1878; see previous section.
• 1916-819ff
• 1951-138

• a:
  • 1915-227
  • 1915-381
  • 1916-819
• b:
  • 1916-820
• c:
  • 1915-221
  • 1915-230
  • 1915-379
  • 1916-821
• d:
  • 1916-823
• e:
  • 1916-823
• f:
  • 1916-824
• g:
  • 1916-824

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