The Constitutions of Anderson (Bonds - 1723)

Bonds a FRANC-MACON

Extract from the Old Book of Lodges beyond the Sea
Must Be Read As soon Initiation Of A New Brother
Or when the Master's Order

HEADS CHAPTERS:

Of GOD and RELIGION.
CIVIL JUDGES The Supremes and Subordinates.
BOXES.
Some MASTERS, Wardens, Fellows and Apprentices.
Management of the CRAFT at work.
DRIVING to take:
In the Lodge when it is incorporated.
After the Lodge is closed and before the start of the Brothers.
When Brethren meet without Strangers, but outside of a Lodge formed.
In the presence of Strangers not Masons.
At home and in your neighborhood.
Brother to a foreigner.
Of GOD and RELIGION.
A Mason is obliged by his title, to obey the Moral Law and if he understands the art, it will never be a stupid Atheist nor an irreligious Libertine. But though in ancient times Masons were required in each country belong to the religion of this country or that nation, whatever it was, it is now considered more appropriate to only submit to all this religion men agree, leaving everyone's individual opinion, which is to be Honest and Good Men or Men of Honour and Honesty, whatever names or beliefs that can distinguish them, so Masonry becomes the Centre Union and the Middle reconcile genuine friendship among persons who should have remained perpetually Outlying.

The CIVIL MAGISTRATES SUPREME and OFFICERS.
A Mason is a peaceable Subject to the against Civilian Powers, wherever he resides or works, and should never be affected by the Plots and conspiracies against the Peace and Welfare of the Nation, or failing in its duties Magistrates against inferior all that Masonry has always been hurt by the war, bloodshed and confusion, so the ancients kings and princes have been always willing to encourage workers Craftsmen, because of their Character of Loyalty Pacific and by which they replied almost barriers of their opponents and developed the Honour of the Fraternity has always flourished in periods of peace. Also, if a Brother should be a Rebel against the State, it should not be supported in his Rebellion, however, it will be watched with pity as an unhappy man, and if not guilty of any crime other Although the loyal Brotherhood has the duty and obligation to disavow his Rebellion, and it does not show any shading or political jealousy towards the Government in power, it can not be excluded from the Lodge and its relations with it remain indissoluble.

BOXES.
A LODGE is a place where Masons assemble and work, hence the assembly, or duly organized Society of Masons, is called a lodge, and every Brother ought to belong to one of them, and must submit to its General Rules and Regulations.
It is either particular or general will be better understood by the attending, as well as the General Regulations of the Lodge or Grand Lodge appended below. In Ancient Times no Master or Journeyman could absent themselves, especially when there had been convened without incurring a severe censure, unless it appeared to the Master or the Supervisors it was delayed by a necessity.
Persons admitted as Members of a Lodge must be good and honest men, born free, mature and discreet age, or serfs or Women or Men immoral or scandalous, but reputable.

The MASTERS, SUPERVISORS, journeymen and apprentices.
Any Promotion among Master Masons is based solely on the actual value and the Merit staff so that the Lords are well served, that the Brothers are not humiliated or disdained the Royal Art, This is no Master or Warden chosen to Seniority, but Merit. It is impossible to describe these things in writing, and therefore every Brother must remain in its proper place and learn them in the manner peculiar to this Fraternity Candidates should at least know that a Master should not take s Apprentice it did not work enough to provide them and without it being a young manhood is not burdened by any mutilation or physical problem that would render him incapable of learning the art of serving the Lord with his Lord and become a Brother and a Companion in time after he served until the end of years set by the Custom of the Country, And he was descended from honest parents, that even otherwise qualified, they can reach Honor to be a supervisor, then the Master of the Lodge, the Grand Warden, and finally, the Grand Master of all Lodges, according to its merit.
No Brother may be Monitor before passing the level of Assistant, or a Master before he served as supervisor, nor Grand Warden until it has been Master of a Lodge, nor Grand Master if n was not before the Assistant Election, which must, moreover, of noble birth or a gentleman of good Manners, or some eminent Scholar, or some curious Architect, Artist or any other descendant of honest parents with extensive personal Esteem in the Opinion of the Lodges.
The Sovereigns and Governors, superiors and subordinates of the former Lodge, must be obeyed in their respective functions by all the Brethren, according to Old Bonds and Regulations, in all humility, reverence, love and diligence.

From the MANAGEMENT for BUSINESS WORK.
All Masons shall work honestly on the days they work to live honorably in the holidays, and the time required by the Act of the country or confirmed habit should be respected. The most expert of the Companions should be chosen as Master or Chief or Superintendent of Works of the Lord shall be called Master by those working under him. The Craftsmen workers should avoid bad language, and do not call them by names objectionable, but known as Brother or Companion, and conduct themselves with courtesy between them-both inside and outside the Lodge.
The Master, knowing himself capable of Ruse, will undertake the work of the Lord as reasonably as possible and really take care of the materials as if they were his own, will grant a salary increase to any Brother or Apprentice who deserve it.
The Master and the Masons receiving their Wages justly, shall be faithful to the Lord and finish their work honestly, whether the task or the Day, Nor will not work a job they have used to do in the day.
No one should discover Envy at the Prosperity of a Brother or not supplant or do apart from all his work, he is capable of finishing the same, because nobody can fully finish the work of Another benefit of the Lord, without his full knowledge of the designs and plans of the man who started it.
When one is selected as the Assistant Supervisor of Labor under the guidance of the Master, it is fair to the Master and the Companions, will carefully monitor the work in the absence of the Master to the glory of the Lord and his brethren will obey him.
All the Masons employees will humbly receive their wages without murmuring or rebellion, and the Lord will not leave without the work is finished. A Younger Brother should be educated labor, to prevent the degradation of materials due to lack of Judgement, and to increase and perpetuate the Brotherly Love.
All tools used must be approved by the Grand Lodge.
No worker shall be employed to clean the masonry work, nor do the Freemasons have to work with those who are not free no compelling need, nor should instruct workers not accepted or the Masons, as they should teach a Brother or Assistant.

DRIVING to keep:
In LODGE while she is ACTING.
You do not have committees or private conversations apart, without leaving the Master, or talk about things impertinent or unseemly, nor interrupt the Master or the Supervisors, or any Brother speaking to the Master; Neither you make a fool or jester during Lodge that deals with what is serious and solemn or inappropriate use of a language for no reason whatsoever, but please be respectful towards your Lord, your Supervisors, and Companions and grant them your loyalty.
If a complaint is filed, the Brother found guilty shall await the decision and determination of the Lodge, which the judges are competent to own and all the Controversies (unless you're doing Appeal to the Grand Lodge), and to whom he must be brought unless the work of a Lord is not hidden, in which case a special procedure may be applied, but you should never use the Act in respect of Masonry, without an absolute necessity recognized by the Lodge.

RIDING LODGE is when Close Brothers and before are gone.
You can enjoy yourself with innocent pleasures, addressing one another with talent, but avoiding any excess, nor does forcing a Brother to eat or drink more than he wants, nor does holding him when his affairs call him, or by not saying and not doing anything offensive or that may prohibit a conversation Easy and Free: for it could destroy our Harmony, and undo our laudable designs. Therefore, no spade or private quarrel should pass the threshold of the Lodge, much less a quarrel about Religion or Nations or the Policy, because we are only as Masons, the Universal Religion above mentioned above, we are also all Nations, Language, Race, and languages and are resolutely against all POLITICAL, as what has not yet contributed to the welfare of the Lodge, or ever will.

DRIVING when BROTHERS meet without strangers, but not in a LODGE FORMED.
You must salute courteously, as you were taught, calling each other Brother, freely exchanging the instructions you may require, without being seen or heard, without encroaching on each other, or fail to Respect is due to a Brother, even though it was not Mason. Because as far as the Masons are all treated the same as Friars Way, Masonry does not deprive a man of Honours which was previously entitled, on the contrary, it prefers to add to his honors, especially if he has served the Brotherhood, the giver of Honor to whom it is due, and which outlaws bad manners.

FOREIGN DRIVING Presence of non-MACON.
You need to pay attention to your behavior and your About, so that the most perceptive foreigner would not be able to discover or guess what is not fit to be discovered, and sometimes you have to divert the conversation and to drive safely for the Honor of Venerable Brotherhood.

CONDUCT A House And In Your Neighborhood.
You should act as a moral and wise man, in particular, do not let your family, your friends and neighbors know what's on the Lodge, etc.. But wisely see your honor, and that of the ancient Brotherhood, for this Reasons not to be mentioned here. You also have your household as Health, does not remain all too late, or too long from home, hours after the Lodge are past, And avoiding Ripaille or drink, so that your family is not neglected or injured, or that you are no longer able to work.

BROTHER DRIVING to a stranger.
You should consider carefully in any Manner that Prudence will inspire you to not let you impose an alleged false ignorant, you must reject with contempt and Derision, keeping you from him reveal the Least Knowledge. But if you recognize him as a Brother genuine and sincere in effect you must comply, and if he is in need you help if you can, or tell him how he can be helped: You need the to use for a few days, or else to recommend it is employed. But you do not have to do more than your means allow you to do, but only to prefer a poor Brother, and a good and honest man, before anyone else in similar circumstances.

Finally, all these duties you must observe, and also those which may be communicated to you in another way; cultivating Brotherly Love, Basis and Key Vault, the Cement and Glory of this ancient Fraternity, avoiding any Dispute and Querelle Slander any and all gossip, nor allow others to slander an honest Brother, but defending his reputation, and give him service, provided that it is compatible with your honor and your safety, but not beyond. And if any of them hurt you, you should use your own Lodge or to his, and that you can appeal to the Grand Lodge at the Quarterly Communication, and that the Grand Lodge Annual as was the ancient laudable Conduct of our Forefathers in every Nation, never speaking of Assisi Legal except when it can not be otherwise, and listen patiently to the Council honest and friendly and the Master of the Companions, when 'They want you to avoid appearing in Justice with foreigners and would make you stop faster to any legal procedure, so that you can take care of affairs of MASONRY with more alacrity and success, but with compliance with the Brothers and Companions on Trial, the Master and Brethren should kindly offer their Mediation, which must be accepted with gratitude by the Brothers involved, and if that submission is impracticable, they must, however, continue the Legal Procedure without Anger or Rancor (unlike usual) by not saying and not doing anything that could not disguise the Brotherly Love, and good relations to be reestablished and continued, so that everyone can see the impact of Benign MASONRY, as all true Masons have done from the beginning of the world, and will until the End of Time.

AMEN. SO BE IT.