In the article above, the writer states that George Oliver was "the Grand Master of England," and then refers to the London grand lodge of 1717 as "the Grand Lodge of England."

However, it is important to correct this. George Oliver was not "the Grand Master of England," but was only "the grand master of grand lodge," there being only one grand lodge at that time, which did not have jurisdiction over the geographic territory of England, but only over lodges, and then, over only those lodges that willingly submitted to this new grand lodge.

Further, this first grand lodge, did not have the name "Grand Lodge of England," nor did its members and officers consider it to be a geographic grand lodge with jurisdiction over, or limited to, a specific geographic territory. It was, in their mind, simply "the grand lodge," with jurisdiction over those lodges in London and Westminster that held warrants from the grand lodge.

At the same time, there were, from before the creation of this grand lodge, other lodges throughout the British Isles that had either existed from time immemorial, or from before the creation of the grand lodge. It is the opinion of many Masonic scholars today that, after the development of speculative Freemasonry in Scotland in the early 17th century, that speculative Freemasonry then spread to England. We see Elias Ashmole being made a Freemason in Warrington, in Cheshire, in 1646. Its spread to London was facilitated by the presence of the Scottish Stewart Court in London, as well as by the large population base there, and the traffic between London and Edinburgh.

Many of these lodges that existed before 1717, were never invited to join or accept a warrant from this new grand lodge, nor can we assume that they would have been interested in doing so if they had been invited. Further, there was no expectation or obligation on these lodges to affiliate under the banner of this new so-called "grand lodge."

By the same token, after the formation of the London grand lodge of 1717, lodges continued to be formed in Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland in the same traditional manner that lodges had always been formed. That is, by the "immemorial right" of Masons to meet and form lodges.

Even after this new grand lodge began calling itself the "Grand Lodge of England," English lodges not under its jurisdiction continued to meet and work. The members and officers of the grand lodge commonly referred to these free lodges as "St. John's lodges," or "Ancient lodges," as they all adhered to what was considered to be a more ancient tradition than that of the lodges under the grand lodge.

Coming from a Scottish Craft Lodge, there is a slightly different "take" on what a "Landmark" of the craft is. Unlike some of the North American authors who believe that there are as many as 50 or perhaps more landmarks of the order, the late W.Bro. Harry Carr, a world-renowned author and researcher, expressed it thus:

"This is one of the most debatable subjects in Masonry and it gives rise to very wide differences of opinion. Any good dictionary will define a "Landmark", but Masonically the term requires a stricter definition. The best writers on the subject are unanimous on two essential points:
(a) A landmark must have existed from the 'time whereof the memory of man runneth not to the contrary', and
(b) A landmark is an element in the form or essence of the Society of such importance that Freemasonry would not longer be Freemasonry if it were removed."

Brother Carr continues:
"Without the least desire to be dogmatic, the following is an attempt to compile a list of acceptable landmarks that would conform to the two point test:
1. That a Mason professes a belief in God (the Supreme Being), the GAOTU.
2. That the VSL is an essential and indispensable part of the Lodge, to be open in full view when the Brethren are at labour.
3. That a Mason must be male, free-born, and of mature age.
4. That a Mason, by his tenure, owes allegiance to the Sovereign and to the Craft.
5. That a Mason believes in the immortality of the soul."

The first 4 items above are derived directly from the "Old Charges" which date back to ca. 1390 or so, and are the oldest documents in the world belonging exclusively to the Craft. The last item, "immortality" is implicit in the religious beliefs of that period.

Allegiance to the "Sovereign", of course, today means to the laws of the country in which you reside…whether you have a single head of government, or a body that governs.

He then goes into a treatise on 10 of Mackey's "Landmarks" which are widely accepted in the USA (and perhaps parts of Canada) to reveal that many of them do not meet the two-point test, and are not "landmarks" per se, but more likely "traditions" which we have all come to accept as normal and a part of our Masonic craft.
By Bill Hickey