On the origin of free-masonry

<p>It is always understood that Free-Masons have a secret which they carefully conceal; but from every thing that can be collected from their own accounts of Masonry their real secret is no other than their origin which but few of them understand; and those who do envelope it in mystery. T. Paine</p><p><br></p><p>On the Origin of Free-Masonry published posthumously in 1810 was regarded after the death of Thomas Paine as a missing chapter belonging to the unpublished third part of the Age of Reason. It presents a description of the Masonic ritual along with his theory that Freemasonry was a form of Sun worship.</p><p><br></p><p>The text is followed by an article by W. L. Wilmshurts: <em>Freemasonry In Relation To The Ancient Mysteries</em>. </p>