Bro Ramsay's Oration that Poked the Bear
Part 2 | Untold Truth of Papal Ban on Freemasonry
The delicate balance of power in early 18th century Europe was about to shift dramatically. In 1736, within a Masonic lodge in Paris, Chevalier Andrew Michael Ramsay delivered an oration that would inadvertently reopen centuries-old wounds and trigger a chain of events leading to one of the most significant religious proclamations against Freemasonry. To understand this pivotal moment, we must examine how Ramsay's carefully crafted words intersected with the Church's historical trauma regarding the Knights Templar.
In this second installment of our investigation into the Papal Ban on Freemasonry, we will uncover:
The profound claims of ancient sacred origins and divine knowledge that challenged traditional ecclesiastical authority
The explicit connections Ramsay drew between Freemasonry, the Templars, and universal brotherhood
The system of secret knowledge, mysteries, and alternative religious authority that paralleled the medieval Templar tradition
What makes this historical moment particularly fascinating is how Ramsay's speech - intended to celebrate Masonic traditions and effectively position Freemasonry as heir to the Templar legacy in order to gain endorsement from the Catholic Church to legitimise the Stuart/Jacobite claim to the Crowns of England, Scotland and Ireland.
Except it backfired, and the implications would reshape the relationship between Freemasonry and the Catholic Church for centuries to come and is perhaps the reason why Freemasonry prohits the discussion of religion or politics.
Let’s take a closer look.
Divine Lineage Through Biblical Patriarchs
In his 1736 oration, Chevalier Ramsay boldly established Freemasonry's claim to divine origins through a carefully constructed genealogy of biblical figures. His narrative began with the assertion that Noah himself was "the first Grand Master of our Order," having received architectural knowledge directly from the "Great Surveyor Architect of the Universe." This divine transmission of knowledge was particularly significant, as Ramsay noted that God himself taught Noah "the proportions of the floating building" that would preserve life during the flood.
This sacred lineage continued through a succession of biblical patriarchs. Ramsay traced how "The Arcane science was transmitted by an oral tradition from him to Abraham and to the patriarchs," establishing an unbroken chain of esoteric knowledge. The oration emphasized that while this wisdom spread throughout ancient civilizations, "the secret science was kept pure only among the people of God," positioning Freemasonry as the inheritor of this pristine divine knowledge.
The culmination of this sacred architectural tradition was found in Solomon's Temple, which Ramsay described as being built according to divine specifications by "more than three thousand princes or master masons." The preservation of this knowledge in "the mysterious Book of Solomon" further reinforced Freemasonry's claim to possess sacred wisdom passed down through millennia.
Templar Heritage and the Holy Land Legacy
Perhaps most provocatively, Ramsay directly linked Freemasonry to the Crusader Knights, with many speculating the reference to mean the Knights Templar through his account of the Crusades. He described how "several princes, lords and artists entered into a society, made a vow to restore the temples of the Christians in the Holy Land." This explicit connection was reinforced by the imagery of warrior-builders who "while some wielded the trowel and the compasses, the others defended them with the sword and the shield."
The oration carefully constructed a narrative of historical continuity from the Templars to contemporary Freemasonry. Ramsay described how Prince Edward of England, "seeing that there would be no more safety for his fellow masons in the holy land," brought this tradition to England during the eighth crusade. This strategic relocation was presented as the preservation of an ancient lineage rather than a break in tradition.
Universal Brotherhood Beyond Traditional Boundaries
Ramsay's vision of universal brotherhood was revolutionary for its time. His declaration that "The whole world is but one great republic, of which each nation is a family, and each individual a child" challenged traditional political and religious boundaries.
This universalist philosophy was reinforced by his assertion that "Men are not essentially distinguished by the difference in the languages they speak, the clothes they wear, or the corners of this anthill they occupy."
The oration positioned Freemasonry as transcending national and religious divisions, stating that "subjects of all different kingdoms can conspire without jealousy, live without discord, and cherish each other." This vision of universal brotherhood was presented as more durable than political systems, noting that "Lycurgus, Solon, Numa and all the other political legislators could not make their republics durable."
Remember, Ramsay’s oration was in French, and here you will note the use of the term “conspire” in “can conspire without jealousy”. In 1736, "conspire" carried a markedly different meaning from its modern connotation. Derived from the Latin "con-spirare" (to breathe together), it expressed the noble Enlightenment ideal of harmonious collaboration across national boundaries, hence the reference to “different kingdoms”.
Where we might read deciet, the period audience understood an elevated vision of intellectual fellowship and transnational cooperation, particularly within the context of philosophical societies and learned academies like Masonic Lodges, Scientific Academies and Literary Societies, all of which Ramsay was a member and participant of. This interpretation aligns with the passage's broader themes of universal brotherhood and the pursuit of knowledge without national prejudice.
Universal Brotherhood Beyond Traditional Boundaries
Ramsay's description of Masonic mysteries echoed ancient traditions while establishing a unique system of knowledge transmission. He spoke of "figurative signs of our science, very ancient hieroglyphs and words drawn from our art," creating a parallel between Masonic practices and ancient mystery schools. The oration explained how "the Orientals, the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the sages of all nations hid their dogmas under figures, symbols, and hieroglyphs."
This system of graduated revelation was carefully structured, as Ramsay noted: "We only disclose the literal meaning to those who we receive for the first time. It is only to followers that we reveal the sublime and symbolic meaning of our mysteries." This hierarchical approach to knowledge preservation mirrored traditional religious structures while maintaining Masonic independence.
Divine Architecture Without Ecclesiastical Mediation
Ramsay's oration established Freemasonry as possessing unique access to divine architectural principles. He argued that Moses "built in the desert a mobile temple conforming to the model he had seen in a celestial vision," suggesting that Masonic architectural principles reflected divine patterns. This was reinforced by the assertion that "the laws of our art are observed in the invisible world where everything is harmony, order and proportion."
The oration positioned Freemasonry as a keeper of divine wisdom, with Ramsay noting that their traditions were "based on the records of the oldest people in the universe." This claim to ancient authority, combined with the preservation of sacred architectural knowledge, presented Freemasonry as a parallel path to divine understanding, independent of traditional ecclesiastical structures.
Through these carefully crafted arguments, Ramsay's oration established Freemasonry as an institution of profound historical and spiritual significance.
Unintended Consequences of Playing Checkers Not Chess
Ramsay's oration presented Freemasonry as inheritor of an ancient wisdom stretching from Noah through Solomon, preserved in "hieroglyphic figures" and "mysterious words" that echoed the Templars' own esoteric claims. His vision of a universal brotherhood "where the whole world is but one great republic" mirrored the transnational influence that had made the Templars both powerful and controversial.
The explicit connection to the Crusades and Holy Land through warrior-builders "wielding both trowel and compasses" and "sword and shield" drew an unmistakable line of succession from the Templars. Most notably, Ramsay's careful balance of divine inspiration and organizational independence paralleled the unique position that had made the Templars both invaluable and ultimately threatening to medieval power structures.
The historical irony unfolds on multiple levels. By connecting Freemasonry to the Military Orders of the Crusades which had Vatican governance, and tracing its biblical lineage, Ramsay sought not only to position Freemasonry for Vatican legitimacy but also to strengthen the Stuart/Jacobite claim to the British throne through ecclesiastical endorsement.
Ramsay’s strategy failed to account for the complex geopolitical chess game being played by Cardinal Fleury, who prioritized maintaining France's delicate alliance with England through his careful diplomatic relationship with Sir Robert Walpole.
While Ramsay was playing checkers and focused narrowly on the Jacobite cause, Fleury was navigating a broader European crisis, particularly concerned with the implications of the 1726 treaty between Prussia, Russia, and Austria that would erupt into conflict with France over the Polish succession in 1732.
Against this backdrop of continental power politics, Ramsay's claims—perhaps too closely echoing an order the Church had previously condemned—would ultimately backfire, catalyzing centuries of ecclesiastical concern and opposition rather than the sought-after legitimacy.
It is perhaps Chevalier Ramsay’s cavalier (reckless) actions that would cause Masonic lodges thereafter to strictly prohibit both political and religious discussions within our circles.