Encyclopedia Masonica

A university Lodge is any regular Lodge "on the campus" of a college or university, and designed to serve the needs of faculty and students. In America such a Lodge has no special membership provisions in its charter, but it may carry them in its by-laws. The Lodge lists published in Grand Lodge Proceedings are so completely non-descriptive that from them it is impossible to learn how many university Lodges there are in the United States, but there the number is not small. In England where the Craft has always maintained a closer liaison with colleges and with scholarship the number is large relative to the number of schools A University Lodge was constituted in London, in 1730. No. 293 was constituted at Cambridge University ak 1763. The Lodge of Alfred, No. 455, was formed Oxford University, in 1769; it was succeeded by the Apollo University Lodge, No. 357, in 1818. Isaac Newton University Lodge was formed at Cambridge 1861; the Alma Mater, No. 1492, at Cambridge, in 1874; University Lodge at Sheffield, in 1919 Achilles, No. 4078, at Newcastle, in 1920; University Lodge at Liverpool, in 1921; Imperial College Lodge, London, in 1923; Universities Lodge Cardiff, Wales, in 1934; at Birmingham, in 1936- the University of Manchester Lodge, in 1937. The Earl of Harwood, Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, is an honoraria Member or the last named. (The above list is from United Grand Lodge Sheffield, No. 5911;1919-1944; by Douglas D Enoop; printed by the Lodge; a brochure of 15 pages.)

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.