From the book
Ancient Mystic Oriental Masonry
R. Swinburne Clymer · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordThe African Brothers, or Architects of Africa, are an order whose organization and symbolic aims occupy a substantial part of the Foundations division.
- In Ancient Mystic Oriental MasonryThe narrative associates the body with Frederick II, a Masonic academy, collections of manuscripts, and a graded course of instruction.
- In this editionArchitects of Africa and African Brothers are treated as related names as the book treats them.
- A place to readF.1: “The Order of the Architects of Africa or the African Brothers”
Meaning
The African Brothers, or Architects of Africa, are an order whose organization and symbolic aims occupy a substantial part of the Foundations division.
Use in the book
The narrative associates the body with Frederick II, a Masonic academy, collections of manuscripts, and a graded course of instruction. Clymer uses it as evidence that outward fraternities can embody a hidden spiritual direction. The name Africa participates in the book’s Egyptian orientation; it should not be read as a description of the membership’s ancestry or as a present-day organization.
Places to read
- Foundations of Mystic Masonry · Block 1“The Order of the Architects of Africa or the African Brothers”
- Foundations of Mystic Masonry · Block 7“80. They called themselves the Africans, because their studies began with the history of the Egyptians, in whose mysteries they found indications of Freemasonry, although they placed its origin much later,” …
- Foundations of Mystic Masonry · Block 38… “under the name of an extinct society, The Architects of Africa, and established statutes in accordance with the views of the King, who on his side granted privileges, and in 1768” …
- Foundations of Mystic Masonry · Block 40“89. Their library and their archives obtained through the protection of the King and of persons of distinction, among others the Prince von Lichtenstein, at Vienna, some real treasures of manuscripts” …
- Foundations of Mystic Masonry · Block 48… “namely, that all the Societies similar to the African Brothers, the Fratres Lucis and others of like calibre, were but the outward manifestations of hidden forces which were attempting to indoctrinate” …
In this edition
Architects of Africa and African Brothers are treated as related names as the book treats them. The historical name is retained without inventing a modern institutional identity.
Reading the argument
The printed account is evidence for what Clymer and his cited writers said about the order. It does not independently authenticate every document, alleged connection, or claim of ancient continuity placed within that account.
African Brothers
“African Brothers” — 2 occurrences in 2 text blocks: F.1, 48.
Architects of Africa
“Architects of Africa” — 2 occurrences in 2 text blocks: F.1, 38.