Illustrations Of The History Of The Craft.

the time of the Emperors , records its existence at Rome , and Ave hear , more than once , of the " marmoreal sodales . " As far as can now be made out , the full name of the collegium of builders Avas » Collegium Fabrornm . " Some writers think that thoy were also sometimes called

" Dcndropheri , " though quite erroneously , while others have alluded to the frequent epitaphs of the " tignarioruni ceutonarionan ; " but , on the Avhole , tho CAddeneo seems to preponderate in favour of the shnplerappellation"Collegium Fabrornm . "

, And for this among other reasons , that as all the other " Crafts " were only uiinistrants , so to say , to the Building Craft , they called themselves " par excellence , " " Collegium Fabrornm , " the college of artificers , or builders , or Masons . Tho

matter I admit , is not yet perfectly clear , hut , I have very little doubt in my own mind , that they are right Avho content themselves ivith the name of " Collegium Fabrornm " as denominative of the Roman building guilds , Avhich Avere always originally connected Avith the temples and governed by the priests . It has been said , and 1 doubt not untruly

that both at Pompeii and Hereulanetun Masonic emblems are still visible on the Avails , and it is also a most note-AVorthy fact that the marks of Roman Masons as still surviving on their Avondrous handiwork , are identically the same Avith earlier and later Masons marksthough of

differ-, ent countries and different faiths . That such corporations existed amongst the Roman municipalities in Italy ancl Gaul , Germany and Britain , up to the fall of the Roman empire , seems to admit of not the slihtest doubtand be proved

g , may m a variety of ways . ^ In one of the famous Pliny ' s ( Plinii E pistoke , Gesnerr Annot . Lib . x ., Epistle xliii . ) letters to the Emperor Trajan , there ; s an interesting proof , if proof Avere Avantwg , of the existence and importance and

secret organization of such an order , and incidentall y , of the custom of admitting honorary members even then . " Plinins Trajano Imperatori . 1 Tu Domine despice , an instituenduin putes Colegium Fabrornmduntaxat

ho-, , nuiniiini 150 ; ego attendam ne quis nisi 'auer reoi piatur , neve jure concesso in ahud utatur . " ¦ the Emperor refuses the request , ancl

alleges as a reason , " seel meminiverrmus provinciam istam , et prsecipiue eas civitates , ah ejus modi factionibus esse vexatas . " A remarkable Avitness , surety , to the poAver and actual customs and usages of such secret confraternities !

That these collegia came over into England may be proved from monumental evidence . There is still extant in Chichester the oldest , so fer , Roman inscription known , Avhich is a tablet declaring that the " Collegium Fabrornm" hi this country

"had erected a temple to Ifejjtiine and Minerva . " This is the first proof , so far , of associated artificers in England . Later proof is , however , supplied by Mnsgrave ' s learned Avork ( "Julii Vitalis Epitaphium" & c . Gull . Musgrave 1711 )

, , of such a sodality in this country . In Sir F . Palgrave ' s interesting work , the " History of the Anglo-Saxons , " referring to the Roman occupation of this country , Ave find the folloAving most striking and apposite passage : —

" Each , city , or ' municipiuni , ' contained various colleges or companies , or guilds of trades and artificers , and if I Avere a Freemason , which I am not , I should , perhaps , be able to ascertain , Avhether the Lodge of Antiquity at l'ork is , as the members of

the Craft say , a real scion from the noble stock , existing through so may changes . " Indeed , it seems almost a work of supererogation to continue the demonstration of Avhat may be received , as an historical fact , namely the existence of the Roman colleges of Masonsunder special forms of

, outAvard organization and secret union . The only question Avhich remains , is , are we Avarranted to-day in claiming them in any Avay as connected Avith ourselves ? The early history of Freemasonry is still ancl must long remainin one sensea

, , structure rather of hypothesis than of proof . But in endeavouring to build up rationally and carefully that early history of our Avonderful society , by the unerring laivs of cause and effect , AVO naturally take the hypothesis to Avhich there is hi itself

the least " a priori " possible objection , and the one Avhich best accords Avith historical , and archajological , and monumental eAddenco of any kind . Our learned Bro . J " . H . Findel , has suggested an hypothesis , Avhich no doubt Ai'ould get rid of all antecedent difficulties , by limiting the histori-