Encyclopedia Masonica

The first recorded Masonic Lodge in Mexico was probably Architecture Moral which met in Mexico City as early as 1806. The Scottish Rite was introduced about four years later and in l813 a Grand Lodge was established with Don Felipe Martinez Aragon as Grand Master.

About 1824 the York Rite was brought into the territory by the American Ambassador, Brother Joel R. Poinsett, who procured a Charter for a Lodge through the Grand Lodge of New York. Brother Mackey states that three Lodges were opened in the year 1825 and that they established a Grand Lodge of the York Rite. The two systems existing side by side were the cause of much bitterness and political strife and in 1830 some of the leading Brethren of both Rites planned to bring about more peaceful conditions by forming a third Rite, consisting of nine Degrees and composed of both York and Scottish Rite Freemasons. A Grand Orient was formed with a National Grand Lodge attached. From 1833 to 1863 Freemasonry, at any rate as far as the activities of the Grand Bodies were concerned, was dormant. In 1859 Brother Lafon de Ladebat had been sent by authority of Brother Albert Pike to organize Freemasonry in Mexico but instead of opening a Grand Lodge of Symbolic Freemasonry as expected he constituted a Supreme Council.

In 1858 the Supreme Councils were fused with the National Grand Lodge. In 1872 dissension again arose. Grand Lodges were probably organized at the time by Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council. A Central Grand Lodge was formed at Vera Cruz but the Supreme Council did not give up its authority.

There were seven Grand Lodges in Mexico when the Grand Lodge of Colon, regarding Mexico as unoccupied territory, proceeded to form three Lodges which in January, 1883, established at Vera Cruz the Mexican Grand Lodge.
On June 25, the same year, twelve Lodges met and established a Grand Lodge of the Federal District of Mexico.

According to Brother Oliver Day Street's Report on Correspondence made in 1922 to the Grand Lodge of Alabama, in 1882 "all Masonry of the Craft, Symbolic or Blue degrees except possibly a few Lodges of the old Mexican National Rite had fallen under the control of Scottish Rite bodies of which there were at least three contending with each other for supremacy."

In February, 1890, was established the Gran Dieta Simbolica which was to be a central governing Body for the entire republic. It started well and had at one time seventeen of the State Grand Lodges under its control. In April, 1901, it was disbanded and with the Grand Lodges became independent. Brother Street remarks: "Our information is that at present there cares or recently were, four Grand Lodges in the Federal District, each claiming to be sovereign and independent, and each exercising jurisdiction not only in the district but in several states."

The Encyclopedia Masonica exists to preserve the wealth of information that has been generated over the centuries by numerous Masonic authors. As Freemasonry is now Speculative and not Operative, the work of a Mason is now conducted in the quarries of symbolism, literature, history and scholasticism. Freemasonry encourages intellectual exploration and academic achievement in its members and many Masons over the years have taken up this calling. The result has been that an incredible amount of philosophy, symbolic speculation and academic insights have been created. However, as Freemasonry teaches, human knowledge is frail and fragile. It is easily lost in the turnings of the ages and unforeseen catastrophes can result in great setbacks to human knowledge.

For too long these great works have sat on forgotten shelves, gathering dust and concealing the light that could be shed on the darkness of our ignorance. The Encyclopedia Masonica has been created to act as an ark, sailing through time, to ensure that future generations of Freemasons have access to the same knowledge that inspired the Brethren that came before them. It will contain the works of such Masonic Luminaries as Albert G. Mackey, Manly Palmer Hall, G.S.M. Ward, Albert Pike and many others. The Encyclopedia Masonica is a living work and the volunteers of Universal Co-Masonry will continue to labor until the most comprehensive Masonic reference work the world has ever seen has been created. The Encyclopedia Masonica is open to any who wish to use it and will remain open so that the treasures contained within may increase the wealth of all those who seek its wisdom.