Moderns / Antients: A Schism?

[Tamrin]

For upwards of a century the formation of the rival [Antients] Grand Lodge was referred to as a schism, and the men who formed it seceders. 'Schism' is literally a 'splitting,' or 'cleavage'; a 'seceder' is one who formally withdraws from membership of a body. We have plenty of evidence now to prove that the event was not a schism, for while there may have been, and probably were, a number of Brethren who went over to the rival body, for the main part that body came into existence as the result of the determined efforts of Irish and Scottish masons residing in England, helped by English masons who for the most part had never owed allegiance to the first Grand Lodge.

Bernard E. Jones, 1956,
Freemasons' Guide and Compendium,
Harrap Ltd., London, p.196

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Seal of the 'Antients' Grand Lodge

[Tamrin]

While the 'Antients' brought with them the Royal Arch Degree (originally based on Josiah's repairs rather than Zerrubabel's rebuilding);, they also came with the Third Degree (and, indeed, their RA was purportedly the completion of the latter), which had been invented and introduced by the 'Moderns' in the 1720's!? Thus, the 'Moderns' knew the 'Antients' ritual (at least in that respect) to be even newer than their's.

[Tamrin]

The Moderns & The Antients

[Introduction - Paper by Arthur Heiron,
read before the Manchester Association for Masonic Research in May, 1924 - Linked Above]

It is common knowledge that prior to 1813 the Craft had for many years been divided into two great sections, the Moderns and the Antients, and for the benefit of those brethren who have had no opportunity to study the matter on their own account, the following rough epitome by way of general information is given.