Operative and Speculative Masons
Most people have never heard of these terms. Operative Masons were essentially individuals whose trade was working with stone. The Speculative Masons were individuals who wanted to be a part of the Stone Mason Guild, but they did not wish to learn the trade.
In 1390 the oldest existing Masonic manuscript called the Regius Poem was written. Throughout Europe giant Gothic cathedrals were being built. The guild system was still very popular in the civilized nations. The guild system offered training for the youth. In return for their education they had to serve in a guild and under a Master for many years. In order to protect the trade against shoddy workmen and cheap laborers they bound themselves together, often under severe oaths, to keep the secrets of the trade at all costs.
In an age when tradesmen of all classes were pulling together into guilds, it would have most unusual if the stone masons had not followed suite. We do know that such guilds did exist. When the Exeter Cathedral was built in 1396 it term "Freemasons" was mentioned. In 1537 the London guild of stone workers called itself "Freemasons."
During the Cathedral Age the Masons formed themselves in workmen's Guilds; each Guild forming a Lodge with regular officers and with three degrees of Membership. The first group were apprentices or bearers of burdens, the second were craftsmen or skilled workmen on the Temples and the third were Masters or superintendents of the structures being built.
In order to advance to a higher position each guild member had to obtain certain proficiencies in his work. As he advanced he learned certain attributes of moral conduct. Some believe that it was these guilds that developed into our modern Masonic Lodges.
A Mason was called a Freemason because he was not born into slavery, he had the freedom to travel whereever he wished to work. Another plus for him was that he was sometimes free from paying taxes. Due to all of these distinctions and the fact that he was very skillful in his trade, he was called a Freemason.
SPECULATIVE MASONS
Most of the great Gothic buildings were completed in the 16th century. For some reason the demand for these structures were dwindling. The Guild Lodges were struggling to maintain their existence. The Operative Masons, who found the guilds to be a vital part of their trade had also come to love the rituals, teachings, and fellowship that they found in their guild Lodges. Fearing that the guild would soon pass into obsolescence they had to consider different ways of keeping the Lodge active. There were certain people who saw virtue and honor in belonging to the Lodge and soon they were welcomed into the Lodges as Speculative members. Many of these new members were teachers, mathematicians, artist and poets. When the Lodges began to accept these new members it was said that they were Free and Accepted Masons. The Lodge was slowly transforming from a focus on a skilled trade to a focus on the moral principles and discipline that was found in the Lodge.
New members were accepted into the Lodge but they still had to learn the old rituals of conferring degrees and had to same obligations as the Operative Masons had.
There is much speculation today that Speculative Masonry began in the 15th century, especially in France, England, and Scotland. It has been theorized that many of the banished Knights Templars found a new purpose in the guilds. John J. Robinson, one of the best Masonic writers of recent times feels very strongly that the Templars had a very strong influence on modern Masonry:
My own theory is that Masonry was born in a secret society formed for self-protection by fugitive Knights Templar, along with their employees and their associates, I England and Scotland, who had been found guilty of heresy and excommunicated by Pope Clement V. With their order destroyed by papal decree and themselves branded as excommunicated outlaws, the Templars who managed to escape were in extreme peril. If found, their fate would undoubtedly include torture and burning at the stake. They had a vital need for passwords, recognition signals, and secret meetings. ( A Pilgrim's Path, p. 121)
During the ensuing years (after the Inquisition), the one secret that a man could have had that would cost him his life and property was that he had material disagreement with the Church of Rome, and so could be convicted of heresy…. When revealing oneself could bring such physical and economic tragedy, any man can be expected to demand all the protection from betrayal that he can get. That is why candidates for membership in the society were blindfolded until they had taken their oaths to keep their brother's secrets…. Since even to be spotted attending a clandestine meeting might mean betrayal and death, a lookout or sentry was always posted when members gathered. Freemasons remember that function with the lodge officer called the Tyler… To help a brother on the run from the threat of torture and death, it was essential to have a system of words and signs of recognition that cold be used wherever the Mason might find himself. (A Pilgrim's Path, p. 123-124)
Within few generations the Speculative Masons (be they Knight Templars or not) were growing in strength and the Operative Masons were slowly dying out. Eventually, the Lodge would consist of only Speculative Masons. The Operatives were gone, their traditions remained. The Speculatives would become Entered Apprentices, then Fellow Crafts, and finally Master Masons.