The Origin of Free-Masonry

by Thomas Paine
NOTE: This essay appeared in New York, 1818, with an anonymous preface of which I quote the opening paragraph: This tract is a chapter !e"onging to the Third #art of the Age of Reason, as wi"" !e seen !y the references made in it to preceding artic"es, as forming part of the same work$ It was cu""ed from the writings of %r$ #aine after his death, and pu!"ished in a muti"ated state !y %rs$ &onne'i""e, his e(ecutri($ #assages ha'ing a reference to the )hristian re"igion she erased, with a 'iew no dou!t of accommodating the work to the pre*udices of !igotry$ These, howe'er, ha'e !een restored from the origina" manuscript, e(cept a few "ines which were rendered i""egi!"e$ %adame &onne'i""e pu!"ished this fragment in New York, 181+ ,with the omissions I point out- as a pamph"et$ . /r$ 0o!inet ,/anton - Emigre, p$ 1- says erroneous"y that #aine was a 2reemason3 !ut an eminent mem!er of that 2raternity in 4ondon, %r$ 5eorge &riggs, after reading this essay, which I su!mitted to him, te""s me that his genera" out"ine, remarks, and comments, are fair"y true$ #aine6s intimacy in #aris with Nico"as de &onne'i""e and )har"es 2rangois /upuis, whose writings are rep"ete with masonic specu"ations, sufficient"y e(p"ain his interest in the su!*ect$ . %oncure /anie" )onway The Writings of Thomas Paine 1878 5$#$ #utnam6s 9ons, New York$

The 9ociety of %asons are distinguished into three c"asses or degrees$ 1st$ The Entered :pprentice$ ;d$ The 2e""ow )raft$ <d$ The %aster %ason$ The Entered :pprentice knows !ut "itt"e more of %asonry than the use of signs and tokens, and certain steps and words !y which %asons can recogni=e each other without !eing disco'ered !y a person who is not a %ason$ The 2e""ow )raft is not much !etter instructed in %asonry, than the Entered :pprentice$ It is on"y in the %aster %ason6s 4odge, that whate'er know"edge remains of the origin of %asonry is preser'ed and concea"ed$ In 11<+, 9amue" #ritchard, mem!er of a constituted "odge in Eng"and, pu!"ished a treatise entit"ed Masonry Dissected; and made oath !efore the 4ord %ayor of 4ondon that it was a true copy$ 9amue" #ritchard maketh oath that the copy hereunto anne(ed is a true and genuine copy in e'ery particu"ar$ In his work he has gi'en the catechism or e(amination, in question and answer, of the :pprentices, the 2e""ow )raft, and the %aster %ason$ There was no difficu"ty in doing this, as it is mere form$ In his introduction he says, the origina" institution of %asonry consisted in the foundation of the "i!era" arts and sciences, !ut more especia""y in 5eometry, for at the !ui"ding of the tower of &a!e", the art and mystery of %asonry was first introduced, and from thence handed down !y Euc"id, a worthy and e(ce""ent mathematician of the Egyptians3 and he communicated it to >iram, the %aster %ason concerned in !ui"ding 9o"omon6s Temp"e in ?erusa"em$ &esides the a!surdity of deri'ing %asonry from the !ui"ding of &a!e", where, according to the story, the confusion of "anguages pre'ented the !ui"ders understanding each other, and consequent"y of communicating any know"edge they had, there is a g"aring contradiction in point of chrono"ogy in the account he gi'es$ 9o"omon6s Temp"e was !ui"t and dedicated 1++@ years !efore the christian era3 and Euc"id, as may !e seen in the

ta!"es of chrono"ogy, "i'ed ;11 !efore the same era$ It was therefore impossi!"e that Euc"id cou"d communicate any thing to >iram, since Euc"id did not "i'e ti"" 1++ years after the time of >iram$ In 118<, )aptain 5eorge 9mith, inspector of the 0oya" :rti""ery :cademy at Aoo"wich, in Eng"and, and #ro'incia" 5rand %aster of %asonry for the county of Bent, pu!"ished a treatise entit"ed, The Cse and :!use of 2reeD %asonry$ In his chapter of the antiquity of %asonry, he makes it to !e coe'a" with creation, when, says he, the so'ereign architect raised on %asonic princip"es the !eauteous g"o!e, and commanded the master science, 5eometry, to "ay the p"anetary wor"d, and to regu"ate !y its "aws the who"e stupendous system in *ust unerring proportion, ro""ing round the centra" sun$ &ut, continues he, I am not at "i!erty pu!"ic"y to undraw the curtain, and open"y to descant on this head3 it is sacred, and e'er wi"" remain so3 those who are honored with the trust wi"" not re'ea" it, and those who are ignorant of it cannot !etray it$ &y this "ast part of the phrase, 9mith means the two inferior c"asses, the 2e""ow )raft and the Entered :pprentice, for he says in the ne(t page of his work, It is not e'ery one that is !are"y initiated into 2reeD%asonry that is entrusted with a"" the mysteries thereto !e"onging3 they are not attaina!"e as things of course, nor !y e'ery capacity$ The "earned, !ut unfortunate /r$ /odd, 5rand )hap"ain of %asonry, in his oration at the dedication of 2reeD %ason6s >a"", 4ondon, traces %asonry through a 'ariety of stages$ %asons, says he, are we"" informed from their own pri'ate and interior records that the !ui"ding of 9o"omon6s Temp"e is an important era, from whence they deri'e many mysteries of their art$ Now ,says he,- !e it remem!ered that this great e'ent took p"ace a!o'e 1+++ years !efore the )hristian era, and consequent"y more than a century !efore >omer, the first of the 5recian #oets, wrote3 and a!o'e fi'e centuries !efore #ythagoras !rought from the east his su!"ime system of tru"y masonic instruction to i""uminate our western wor"d$ &ut, remote as this period is, we date not from thence the commencement of our art$ 2or though it might owe to the wise and g"orious Bing of Israe" some of its many mystic forms and hierog"yphic ceremonies, yet certain"y the art itse"f is coe'a" with man, the great su!*ect of it$ Ae trace, continues he, its footsteps in the most distant, the most remote ages and nations of the wor"d$ Ae find it among the first and most ce"e!rated ci'i"i=ers of the East$ Ae deduce it regu"ar"y from the first astronomers on the p"ains of )ha"dea, to the wise and mystic kings and priests of Egypt, the sages of 5reece, and the phi"osophers of 0ome$ 2rom these reports and dec"arations of %asons of the highest order in the institution, we see that %asonry, without pu!"ic"y dec"aring so, "ays c"aim to some di'ine communication from the creator, in a manner different from, and unconnected with, the !ook which the christians ca"" the !i!"e3 and the natura" resu"t from this is, that %asonry is deri'ed from some 'ery ancient re"igion, who""y independent of and unconnected with that !ook$ To come then at once to the point, %asonry ,as I sha"" show from the customs, ceremonies, hierog"yphics, and chrono"ogy of %asonry- is deri'ed and is the remains of the re"igion of the ancient /ruids3 who, "ike the %agi of #ersia and the #riests of >e"iopo"is in Egypt, were #riests of the 9un$ They paid worship to this great "uminary, as the great 'isi!"e agent of a great in'isi!"e first cause whom they sty"ed Time without "imits$ ENOTE: Far'anD :karana$ This personification of &ound"ess Time, though a part of #arsee Theo"ogy, seems to !e a "ater monotheistic dogma, !ased on per'ersions of the Fenda'esta$ 9ee >aug6s 0e"igion of the #arsees$ . Editor$G The christian re"igion and %asonry ha'e one and the same common origin: !oth are deri'ed from the worship of the 9un$ The difference !etween their origin is, that the christian re"igion is a parody on the worship of the 9un, in which they put a man whom they ca"" )hrist, in the p"ace of the 9un, and pay him the same adoration which was origina""y paid to the 9un, as I ha'e shown in the chapter on the origin of the )hristian re"igion$ ENOTE: 0eferring

to an unpu!"ished portion of the work of which this chapter forms a part$ . :merican Editor, 1817 EThis paragraph is omitted from the pamph"et copyrighted !y %adame &onne'i""e in 181+, as a"so is the "ast sentence of the ne(t paragraph$ . Editor$G In %asonry many of the ceremonies of the /ruids are preser'ed in their origina" state, at "east without any parody$ Aith them the 9un is sti"" the 9un3 and his image, in the form of the sun is the great em!"ematica" ornament of %asonic 4odges and %asonic dresses$ It is the centra" figure on their aprons, and they wear it a"so pendant on the !reast in their "odges, and in their processions$ It has the figure of a man, as at the head of the sun, as )hrist is a"ways represented$ :t what period of antiquity, or in what nation, this re"igion was first esta!"ished, is "ost in the "a!yrinth of unrecorded time$ It is genera""y ascri!ed to the ancient Egyptians, the &a!y"onians and )ha"deans, and reduced afterwards to a system regu"ated !y the apparent progress of the sun through the twe"'e signs of Fodiac !y Foroaster the "aw gi'er of #ersia, from whence #ythagoras !rought it into 5reece$ It is to these matters /r$ /odd refers in the passage a"ready quoted from his oration$ The worship of the 9un as the great 'isi!"e agent of a great in'isi!"e first cause, Time without "imits, spread itse"f o'er a considera!"e part of :sia and :frica, from thence to 5reece and 0ome, through a"" ancient 5au", and into &ritain and Ire"and$ 9mith, in his chapter on the antiquity of %asonry in &ritain, says, that notwithstanding the o!scurity which en'e"opes %asonic history in that country, 'arious circumstances contri!ute to pro'e that 2reeD%asonry was introduced into &ritain a!out 1+<+ Years !efore )hrist$ It cannot !e %asonry in its present state that 9mith here a""udes to$ The /ruids f"ourished in &ritain at the period he speaks of, and it is from them that %asonry is descended$ 9mith has put the chi"d in the p"ace of the parent$ It sometimes happens, as we"" in writing as in con'ersation, that a person "ets s"ip an e(pression that ser'es to unra'e" what he intends to concea", and this is the case with 9mith, for in the same chapter he says, The /ruids, when they committed any thing to writing, used the 5reek a"pha!et, and I am !o"d to assert that the most perfect remains of the /ruidsH rites and ceremonies are preser'ed in the customs and ceremonies of the %asons that are to !e found e(isting among mankind$ %y !rethren says he, may !e a!"e to trace them with greater e(actness than I am at "i!erty to e(p"ain to the pu!"ic$ This is a confession from a %aster %ason, without intending it to !e so understood !y the pu!"ic, that %asonry is the remains of the re"igion of the /ruids3 the reasons for the %asons keeping this a secret I sha"" e(p"ain in the course of this work$ :s the study and contemp"ation of the )reator EisG in the works of the creation, the 9un, as the great 'isi!"e agent of that &eing, was the 'isi!"e o!*ect of the adoration of /ruids3 a"" their re"igious rites and ceremonies had reference to the apparent progress of the 9un through the twe"'e signs of the Fodiac, and his inf"uence upon the earth$ The %asons adopt the same practices$ The roof of their Temp"es or 4odges is ornamented with a 9un, and the f"oor is a representation of the 'ariegated face of the earth either !y carpeting or %osaic work$ 2ree %asons >a"", in 5reat IueenDstreet, 4inco"n6s Inn 2ie"ds, 4ondon, is a magnificent !ui"ding, and cost upwards of 1;,+++ pounds ster"ing$ 9mith, in speaking of this !ui"ding, says ,page 1J;,- The roof of this magnificent >a"" is in a"" pro!a!i"ity the highest piece of finished architecture in Europe$ In the center of this roof, a most resp"endent 9un is represented in !urnished go"d, surrounded with the twe"'e signs of the Fodiac, with their respecti'e characters3

:ries 4i!ra Taurus 9corpio 5emini 9agittarius )ancer )apricorns 4eo :quarius Kirgo #isces :fter gi'ing this description, he says, The em!"ematica" meaning of the 9un is we"" known to the en"ightened and inquisiti'e 2reeD%ason3 and as the rea" 9un is situated in the center of the uni'erse, so the em!"ematica" 9un is the center of rea" %asonry$ Ae a"" know ,continues he- that the 9un is the fountain of "ight, the source of the seasons, the cause of the 'icissitudes of day and night, the parent of 'egetation, the friend of man3 hence the scientific 2reeD%ason on"y knows the reason why the 9un is p"aced in the center of this !eautifu" ha""$ The %asons, in order to protect themse"'es from the persecution of the christian church, ha'e a"ways spoken in a mystica" manner of the figure of the 9un in their 4odges, or, "ike the astronomer 4a"ande, who is a %ason, !een si"ent upon the su!*ect$ It is their secret, especia""y in )atho"ic countries, !ecause the figure of the 9un is the e(pressi'e criterion that denotes they are descended from the /ruids, and that wise, e"egant, phi"osophica" re"igion, was the faith opposite to the faith of the g"oomy )hristian church$ ENOTE: This sentence is omitted in %adame &onne'i""e6s pu!"ication$ . Editor$G The 4odges of the %asons, if !ui"t for the purpose, are constructed in a manner to correspond with the apparent motion of the 9un$ They are situated East and Aest$ ENOTE: The 2reemason6s >a"" in 4ondon, which #aine has correct"y descri!ed, is situated North and 9outh, the e(igencies of the space ha'ing !een too strong for %asonic orthodo(y$ Though nomina""y eastward the %aster stands at the 9outh$ . Editor$G The master6s p"ace is a"ways in the East$ In the e(amination of an Entered :pprentice, the %aster, among many other questions, asks him, I: >ow is the "odge situatedL :: East and Aest$ I: Ahy soL :: &ecause a"" churches and chape"s are, or ought to !e so$ This answer, which is mere catechisma" form, is not an answer to the question$ It does no more than remo'e the question a point further, which is, why ought a"" churches and chape"s to !e soL &ut as the Entered :pprentice is not initiated into the druidica" mysteries of %asonry, he is not asked any questions a direct answer to which wou"d "ead thereto$ I: Ahere stands your %asterL :: In the East$ I: Ahy soL :: :s the 9un rises in the East and opens the day, so the %aster stands in the East, ,with his right hand upon his "eft !reast, !eing a sign, and the square a!out his neck,- to open the 4odge, and set his men at work$ I: Ahere stand your AardensL :: In the Aest$ I: Ahat is their !usinessL :: :s the 9un sets in the Aest to c"ose the day, so the Aardens stand in the Aest, ,with their right hands upon their "eft !reasts, !eing a sign, and the "e'e" and p"um! ru"e a!out their necks,- to c"ose the 4odge, and dismiss the men from "a!or, paying them their wages$

>ere the name of the 9un is mentioned, !ut it is proper to o!ser'e that in this p"ace it has reference on"y to "a!or or to the time of "a!or, and not to any re"igious druidica" rite or ceremony, as it wou"d ha'e with respect to the situation of 4odges East and Aest$ I ha'e a"ready o!ser'ed in the chapter on the origin of the christian re"igion, that the situation of churches East and Aest is taken from the worship of the 9un, which rises in the east, and has not the "east reference to the person ca""ed ?esus )hrist$ The christians ne'er !ury their dead on the North side of a church3 ENOTE: In many parts of Northern Europe the North was supposed to !e the region of demons$ E(ecuted crimina"s were !uried on the north side of churches$ . Editor$G and a %ason6s 4odge a"ways has, or is supposed to ha'e, three windows which are ca""ed fi(ed "ights, to distinguish them from the mo'ea!"e "ights of the 9un and the %oon$ The %aster asks the Entered :pprentice, I: >ow are they ,the fi(ed "ights- situatedL :: East, Aest, and 9outh$ I: Ahat are their usesL :: To "ight the men to and from their work$ I: Ahy are there no "ights in the NorthL :: &ecause the 9un darts no rays from thence$ This, among numerous other instances, shows that the christian re"igion and %asonry ha'e one and the same common origin, the ancient worship of the 9un$ The high festi'a" of the %asons is on the day they ca"" 9t$ ?ohn6s day3 !ut e'ery en"ightened %ason must know that ho"ding their festi'a" on this day has no reference to the person ca""ed 9t$ ?ohn, and that it is on"y to disguise the true cause of ho"ding it on this day, that they ca"" the day !y that name$ :s there were %asons, or at "east /ruids, many centuries !efore the time of 9t$ ?ohn, if such person e'er e(isted, the ho"ding their festi'a" on this day must refer to some cause tota""y unconnected with ?ohn$ The case is, that the day ca""ed 9t$ ?ohn6s day, is the ;@th of ?une, and is what is ca""ed %idsummerDday$ The sun is then arri'ed at the summer so"stice3 and, with respect to his meridiona" a"titude, or height at high noon, appears for some days to !e of the same height$ The astronomica" "ongest day, "ike the shortest day, is not e'ery year, on account of "eap year, on the same numerica" day, and therefore the ;@th of ?une is a"ways taken for %idsummerD day3 and it is in honor of the sun, which has then arri'ed at his greatest height in our hemisphere, and not any thing with respect to 9t$ ?ohn, that this annua" festi'a" of the %asons, taken from the /ruids, is ce"e!rated on %idsummerDday$ )ustoms wi"" often out"i'e the remem!rance of their origin, and this is the case with respect to a custom sti"" practiced in Ire"and, where the /ruids f"ourished at the time they f"ourished in &ritain$ On the e'e of 9aint ?ohn6s day, that is, on the e'e of %idsummerDday, the Irish "ight fires on the tops of the hi""s$ This can ha'e no reference to 9t$ ?ohn3 !ut it has em!"ematica" reference to the sun, which on that day is at his highest summer e"e'ation, and might in common "anguage !e said to ha'e arri'ed at the top of the hi""$ :s to what %asons, and !ooks of %asonry, te"" us of 9o"omon6s Temp"e at ?erusa"em, it is no wise impro!a!"e that some %asonic ceremonies may ha'e !een deri'ed from the !ui"ding of that temp"e, for the worship of the 9un was in practice many centuries !efore the Temp"e e(isted, or !efore the Israe"ites came out of Egypt$ :nd we "earn from the history of the ?ewish Bings, ; Bings ((ii$ ((iii$ that the worship of the 9un was performed !y the ?ews in that Temp"e$ It is, howe'er, much to !e dou!ted if it was done with the same scientific purity and re"igious mora"ity with which it was performed !y the /ruids, who, !y a"" accounts that historica""y remain of them, were a wise, "earned, and mora" c"ass of men$ The ?ews, on the contrary, were ignorant of astronomy, and of science in genera", and if a re"igion founded upon astronomy fe"" into their hands, it is a"most certain it wou"d !e corrupted$ Ae do not read in the history of the ?ews, whether in the &i!"e or e"sewhere, that they were the in'entors or the

impro'ers of any one art or science$ E'en in the !ui"ding of this temp"e, the ?ews did not know how to square and frame the tim!er for !eginning and carrying on the work, and 9o"omon was o!"iged to send to >iram, Bing of Tyre ,Fidon- to procure workmen3 for thou knowest, ,says 9o"omon to >iram, i Bings '$ 8$- that there is not among us any that can ski"" to hew tim!er "ike unto the Fidonians$ This temp"e was more proper"y >iram6s Temp"e than 9o"omon6s, and if the %asons deri'e any thing from the !ui"ding of it, they owe it to the Fidonians and not to the ?ews$ . &ut to return to the worship of the 9un in this Temp"e$ It is said, ; Bings ((iii$ J, :nd Eking ?osiahG put down a"" the ido"atrous priests $$$ that !urned incense unto $$$ the sun, the moon, the p"anets, and a"" the host of hea'en$ :nd it is said at the 11th 'erse: :nd he took away the horses that the kings of ?udah had gi'en to the 9un, at the entering in of the house of the 4ord, $$$ and !urned the chariots of the 9un with fire 3 'erse 1<, :nd the high p"aces that were !efore ?erusa"em, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which 9o"omon the king of Israe" had !ui"ded for :shtoreth, the a!omination of the Fidonians ,the 'ery peop"e that !ui"t the temp"e- did the king defi"e$ &esides these things, the description that ?osephus gi'es of the decorations of this Temp"e, resem!"es on a "arge sca"e those of a %ason6s 4odge$ >e says that the distri!ution of the se'era" parts of the Temp"e of the ?ews represented a"" nature, particu"ar"y the parts most apparent of it, as the sun, the moon, the p"anets, the =odiac, the earth, the e"ements3 and that the system of the wor"d was retraced there !y numerous ingenious em!"ems$ These, in a"" pro!a!i"ity, are, what ?osiah, in his ignorance, ca""s the a!ominations of the Fidonians$ ENOTE !y #:INE: 9mith, in speaking of a 4odge, says, when the 4odge is re'ea"ed to an entering %ason, it disco'ers to him a representation of the Aor"d3 in which, from the wonders of nature, we are "ed to contemp"ate her great origina", and worship him from his mighty works3 and we are there!y a"so mo'ed to e(ercise those mora" and socia" 'irtues which !ecome mankind as the ser'ants of the great :rchitect of the wor"d$ . :uthor$G E'ery thing, howe'er, drawn from this Temp"e ENOTE !y #:INE: It may not !e improper here to o!ser'e, that the "aw ca""ed the "aw of %oses cou"d not ha'e !een in e(istence at the time of !ui"ding this Temp"e$ >ere is the "ikeness of things in hea'en a!o'e and in earth !eneath$ :nd we read in I Bings 'i$, 'ii$, that 9o"omon made cheru!s and cheru!ims, that he car'ed a"" the wa""s of the house round a!out with cheru!ims, and pa"mDtrees, and open f"owers, and that he made a mo"ten sea, p"aced on twe"'e o(en, and the "edges of it were ornamented with "ions, o(en, and cheru!ims: a"" this is contrary to the "aw ca""ed the "aw of %oses$ . :uthor$G and app"ied to %asonry, sti"" refers to the worship of the 9un, howe'er corrupted or misunderstood !y the ?ews, and consequent"y to the re"igion of the /ruids$ :nother circumstance, which shows that %asonry is deri'ed from some ancient system, prior to and unconnected with the christian re"igion, is the chrono"ogy, or method of counting time, used !y the %asons in the records of their 4odges$ They make no use of what is ca""ed the christian era3 and they reckon their months numerica""y, as the ancient Egyptians did, and as the Iuakers do now$ I ha'e !y me, a record of a 2rench 4odge, at the time the "ate /uke of Or"eans, then /uke de )hartres, was 5rand %aster of %asonry in 2rance$ It !egins as fo""ows: 4e trentieme *our du si(ieme mois de "Han de "a K$4$ cinq mi""e sept cent soi(ante trei=e3 that is, the thirteenth day of the si(th month of the year of the Kenera!"e 4odge, fi'e thousand se'en hundred and se'entyDthree$ &y what I o!ser'e in Eng"ish !ooks of %asonry, the Eng"ish %asons use the initia"s :$4$ and not K$4$ &y :$4$ they mean in the year of 4ight, as the )hristians !y :$/$ mean in the year of our 4ord$ &ut :$4$ "ike K$4$ refers to the same chrono"ogica" era, that is, to the supposed time of the creation$ ENOTE: K$4$ are the initia"s of Kraie 4umiere, true "ight3 and :$4$ of :nne 4ucis, in the year of "ight$ This and the three preceding sentences ,of the te(t- are suppressed in %adame &onne'i""e6s pamph"et, 181+$ . Editor$G In the chapter on the origin of the )hristian re"igion, I ha'e shown that the )osmogony, that is, the account of the creation with which the !ook of 5enesis opens, has !een taken and muti"ated from the FendD:'esta of Foroaster, and was fi(ed as a preface to the &i!"e after the ?ews returned from capti'ity in &a!y"on, and that the 0o!!ins of the ?ews do not ho"d their account in 5enesis to !e a fact, !ut mere a""egory$ The si( thousand years in the FendD:'esta, is changed or interpo"ated into si( days in the account of 5enesis$ The %asons appear to ha'e chosen the same period, and perhaps to

a'oid the suspicion and persecution of the )hurch, ha'e adopted the era of the wor"d, as the era of %asonry$ The K$4$ of the 2rench, and :$4$ of the Eng"ish %ason, answer to the :$%$ :nno %undi, or year of the wor"d$ Though the %asons ha'e taken many of their ceremonies and hierog"yphics from the ancient Egyptians, it is certain they ha'e not taken their chrono"ogy from thence$ If they had, the church wou"d soon ha'e sent them to the stake3 as the chrono"ogy of the Egyptians, "ike that of the )hinese, goes many thousand years !eyond the &i!"e chrono"ogy$ The re"igion of the /ruids, as !efore said, was the same as the re"igion of the ancient Egyptians$ The priests of Egypt were the professors and teachers of science, and were sty"ed priests of >e"iopo"is, that is, of the )ity of the 9un$ The /ruids in Europe, who were the same order of men, ha'e their name from the Teutonic or ancient 5erman "anguage3 the 5erman !eing ancient"y ca""ed Teutones$ The word /ruid signifies a wise man$ ENOTE: 5erman drud, wi=ard$ )f$ %i"ton6s "ine: The starD"ed wi=ards haste with odours sweet$ The word /ruid has a"so !een deri'ed from 5reek MMMM3, an oak3 )e"tic Hderu,H an oak and Hndd,H "ord3 &ritish Hderuidhon,H 'ery wise men3 >e!$ Hderussim,H contemp"ators3 etc$ . Editor$G In #ersia they were ca""ed %agi, which signifies the same thing$ Egypt, says 9mith, from whence we deri'e many of our mysteries, has a"ways !orne a distinguished rank in history, and was once ce"e!rated a!o'e a"" others for its antiquities, "earning, opu"ence, and ferti"ity$ In their system, their principa" heroD gods, Osiris and Isis, theo"ogica""y represented the 9upreme &eing and uni'ersa" Nature3 and physica""y the two great ce"estia" "uminaries, the 9un and the %oon, !y whose inf"uence a"" nature was actuated$ The e(perienced !rethren of the society, Esays 9mith in a note to this passageG are we"" informed what affinity these sym!o"s !ear to %asonry, and why they are used in a"" %asonic 4odges$ In speaking of the appare" of the %asons in their 4odges, part of which, as we see in their pu!"ic processions, is a white "eather apron, he says, the /ruids were appare""ed in white at the time of their sacrifices and so"emn offices$ The Egyptian priests of Osiris wore snowDwhite cotton$ The 5recian and most other priests wore white garments$ :s %asons, we regard the princip"es of those Hwho were the first worshipers of the true 5od,H imitate their appare", and assume the !adge of innocence$ The Egyptians, continues 9mith, in the ear"iest ages constituted a great num!er of 4odges, !ut with assiduous care kept their secrets of %asonry from a"" strangers$ These secrets ha'e !een imperfect"y handed down to us !y ora" tradition on"y, and ought to !e kept undisco'ered to the "a!orers, craftsmen, and apprentices, ti"" !y good !eha'ior and "ong study they !ecome !etter acquainted in geometry and the "i!era" arts, and there!y qua"ified for %asters and Aardens, which is se"dom or ne'er the case with Eng"ish %asons$ Cnder the head of 2reeD%asonry, written !y the astronomer 4a"ande, in the 2rench Encyc"opedia, I e(pected from his great know"edge in astronomy, to ha'e found much information on the origin of %asonry3 for what connection can there !e !etween any institution and the 9un and twe"'e signs of the Fodiac, if there !e not something in that institution, or in its origin, that has reference to astronomyL E'ery thing used as an hierog"yphic has reference to the su!*ect and purpose for which it is used3 and we are not to suppose the 2reeD%asons, among whom are many 'ery "earned and scientific men, to !e such idiots as to make use of astronomica" signs without some astronomica" purpose$ &ut I was much disappointed in my e(pectation from 4a"ande$ In speaking of the origin of %asonry, he says, 4Horgine de "a maconnerie se #erd, comme tant dHautres, dans "Ho!scurite des termps3 That is, the origin of %asonry, "ike many others, "oses itse"f in the o!scurity of time$ Ahen I came to this e(pression, I supposed 4a"ande a %ason, and on enquiry found he was$ This passing o'er sa'ed him from the em!arrassment which %asons are under respecting the disc"osure of their origin, and which they are sworn to concea"$ There is a society of %asons in /u!"in who take the name of /ruids3 these %asons must !e supposed to ha'e a reason for taking that name$ I come now to speak of the cause of secrecy used !y the %asons$

The natura" source of secrecy is fear$ Ahen any new re"igion o'erDruns a former re"igion, the professors of the new !ecome the persecutors of the o"d$ Ae see this in a"" instances that history !rings !efore us$ Ahen >i"kiah the priest and 9haphan the scri!e, in the reign of Bing ?osiah, found, or pretended to find, the "aw, ca""ed the "aw of %oses, a thousand years after the time of %oses, ,and it does not appear from ; Bings, ((ii$, ((iii$, that such a "aw was e'er practiced or known !efore the time of ?osiah-, he esta!"ished that "aw as a nationa" re"igion, and put a"" the priests of the 9un to death$ Ahen the christian re"igion o'erDran the ?ewish re"igion, the ?ews were the continua" su!*ect of persecution in a"" christian countries$ Ahen the #rotestant re"igion in Eng"and o'erDran the 0oman )atho"ic re"igion, it was made death for a )atho"ic priest to !e found in Eng"and$ :s this has !een the case in a"" the instances we ha'e any know"edge of, we are o!"iged to admit it with respect to the case in question, and that when the christian re"igion o'erDran the re"igion of the /ruids in Ita"y, ancient 5au", &ritain, and Ire"and, the /ruids !ecame the su!*ect of persecution$ This wou"d natura""y and necessari"y o!"ige such of them as remained attached to their origina" re"igion to meet in secret, and under the strongest in*unctions of secrecy$ Their safety depended upon it$ : fa"se !rother might e(pose the "i'es of many of them to destruction3 and from the remains of the re"igion of the /ruids, thus preser'ed, arose the institution which, to a'oid the name of /ruid, took that of %ason, and practiced under this new name the rites and ceremonies of /ruids$ This te(t is taken from %oncure /anie"s )onway6s Writings of Thomas Paine pu!"ished !y 5$#$ #utnam6s 9ons in 1878$ )onway6s comments appear as notes signed editor in the te(t$