john-r-bennett-the-origin-of-freemasonry-and-knights-templar

PREFACE.In preparing this work it has been my chief aimto give to the Masonic reader a brief, concise andinteresting documentary compilation of the originof Freemasonry and Knights Templar. The authoritiesconsulted have been those of the world'sbest historians and Masonic writers. In this briefhistory all historical facts, chronological dates, anddocumentary evidence have been taken from suchworks as Ridpath's History of the World, JosephFrancis Michaud's History of the Crusades, Englishand American Encyclopedias, Biblical History,Masonic Encyclopedias by Albert G. Mackey,M.- D., Robert Macoy, 33, and George Oliver,D. D., with many other works of renown, and arrangedin such form as to give to the reader thegreatest amount of information in the least space,saving many hours of necessary labor in the researchof a large number of volumes of dry anduninteresting reading, obtaining in the end onlysuch results as one will find within this little volume.From my early experience in Masonic life, Ilearned that the character of the institution waselevated in every one's opinion just in proportionto the amount of knowledge that he had acquiredof itssymbolism, philosophy and history. But thatfew men have the time, patience or inclination togive the close and attentive reading of the greaterMasonic works to acquire the knowledge that everyMason should possess.