I am a day dreamer at times. Day dreaming has been something I have dealt with since I was little.
One thing I can get lost into is wondering what the meetings were like pre 1717 when Operative Freemasons began to allow the Speculative Freemasons to join their guilds.
At this time Stone Mason Guilds were vanishing throughout Europe and being replaced with the early pre cursor to the Fraternal Organizations of today.
To be a fly on the wall…. To be a witness to the old operative stone mason watching and listening to these men of upper society explain how they would like to implement the old guild charges and rituals into an organization of men for the purpose of teaching lessons by using the tools of the old operative trade.
The rough and broken hands of stone masons of old looking at the soft hands of men who were merchants who sold and traded goods and men of aristrocraticy.
I can imagine how the operatives were thinking how foolish these men were.
The loss that these old operatives might have fealt seeing their way of life of so many years vanishing into symbolism and allegories.
I am sure these guilds were paid much money to use their guild halls as a place to meet and talk about the creation of the Ancient Craft of Freemasonry.
Two different social groups, two different means of providing for their families. Different dress codes and different ways of life.
Really not much different than the Ancient Craft Freemasons enjoy today. Doctors, academics, mechanics all meeting in one place. All the same while on the level.
Question:
How do you think these early discussions transpired? Were the old guild men / stone masons just taking in money from these nicely dressed aristrocrats or were they involved in the transition to Speculative Freemasonry?
3.5.7. 