The foundations of Freemasonry

In a seminal event in the Freemasons’ calendar, members met at Grand Lodge for a very special celebration to mark the Tercentenary of The 1723 Constitutions

More than 1,600 people attended the Especial Meeting of Grand Lodge on 31 January, including Grand Masters and representatives from American and European Grand Lodges, as well as the Grand Masters of the Order of Women Freemasons and HFAF – Freemasonry for Women.

The programme, which was titled ‘The 1723 Constitutions: Inventing the Future’, included interesting talks from Dr Ric Berman and Akram Elias,

The event also featured outstanding filmed entertainment produced by Matthew Mitchell and narrated by David Jacobi.

It was, in the words of Pro Grand Master Jonathan Spence, a truly extraordinary and wonderful event.

The Constitutions gave the world an astonishingly bold, almost revolutionary proclamation of values. Starting with their promulgation, Freemasons became an important vector for the principles of the Enlightenment, confidently propagating notions of religious tolerance, meritocracy, self-improvement by education and even democratic elections.

Over time, these ideas spread to and were embraced across Europe and in the United States, shaping models of governance.

Celebrating 300 years

Freemasons are celebrating the Tercentenary of The 1723 Constitutions in 2023. To mark this significant occasion, a year-long free exhibition opened on 9 January at the Museum of Freemasonry. This will be accompanied by national events throughout the Provinces in England and Wales, as well as internationally.

Under the banner of ‘Inventing the Future’, the exhibition features digital displays and items from the collections that have never previously been on public display.

Among them is a personal copy of the Constitutions belonging to the Duke of Montagu, the first noble Grand Master; the box that contained the Duke of Richmond’s miniature working tools; a maul purportedly belonging to Sir Christopher Wren and rare early and mid-18th-century items relating to Freemasonry and the Enlightenment.

‘Masonic historian and academic Richard Berman, PhD, FRHistS, says, ‘The 1723 Constitutions was based on Enlightenment foundations, values that lie at the core of modern Freemasonry in England and internationally. The Constitutions set a pattern for Freemasonry throughout the world. Understanding the context helps explain the origins of modern Freemasonry and sheds light on the relationship between Freemasonry and society today.’

As well as the exhibition, a dedicated website www.1723constitutions.com provides a comprehensive picture of the context, content and consequences of this remarkable book.

The website sets out Freemasonry’s principles and considers the people involved, not least French Protestant refugees, the Huguenots, and explores the context and framework within which their ideas were formed. It also discusses the impact of The 1723 Constitutions in England, Ireland and Scotland, as well as in Europe, North and South America, and elsewhere across the globe.

To commemorate this special occasion, the United Grand Lodge of England is launching a series of podcasts on The 1723 Constitutions, which include episodes on subjects such as the Dukes of Montagu and Richmond, Black Freemasonry and Black Freemasons, Royal Freemasonry, and ‘Inventing the Future’.

Find out more about the ‘Inventing the Future’ exhibition at www.museumoffreemasonry.org.uk