{"collection":"mas","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/mas/gar/gar74.htm","path":"mas/gar/gar74.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/mas/gar/gar74.htm","text":"General Ahiman Rezon, by Daniel Sickels, [1868]\nTHE ordinary calendar, or vulgar era, is not generally used by Freemasons in dating their official documents. They have one peculiar to themselves, differing according to their various rites. The Masons in all parts of the world working in the York and French rites add 4000 years to the Christian era, calling it ANNO LUCIS\u2014Year of Light; abbreviated A\u2234 L\u2234; thus the year 1865 would be A\u2234 L\u2234 5865. *\nMasons practicing in the ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE use the Jewish Calendar, which adds 3760 to the vulgar era, styled ANNO MUNDI\u2014A\u2234 M\u2234\u2014year of the world. Or they sometimes use the Hebrew year, which begins on the 17th of September, or 1st of Tisri, using the initials A\u2234 H\u2234\u2014ANNO HEBRAICO\u2014Hebrew year.\nROYAL ARCH MASONS date from the building of the second temple\u2014530 B.C. Their style is therefore ANNO INVENTIONIS\u2014A\u2234 Inv\u2234\u2014in the year of the Discovery.\nROYAL AND SELECT MASTERS should date from the Completion of Solomon's Temple, which would add 1000 to the Christian era. Their style is ANNO DEPOSITIONIS\u2014A\u2234 Dep\u2234\u2014in the year of the Deposit.\nKNIGHTS TEMPLAR date from the organization of the Order-1118. Their style is therefore ANNO ORDINIS\u2014A\u2234 O\u2234\u2014in the year of the Order.\nThose of the rite of MIZRAIM add four years to the usual computation of the age of the world: thus the year 1865 would stand A\u2234 L\u2234 5869.\nMASONS OF THE YORK RITE begin the year on the first of January; but in the FRENCH RITE it commences on the first of March.\n388:* This fact has a symbolic reference, not because they believe Freemasonry is, but that the principles and light of the institution are, coeval with the creation.","title":"General Ahiman Rezon: Masonic Calendar","type":"page"}