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Master Mason Handbook
THE MM'S BOOK
by J.S.M. Ward
PREFACE
THE third degree in Freemasonry is termed the Sublime Degree and the
title is truly justified. Even in its exoteric aspect its simple, yet
dramatic, power must leave a lasting impression on the mind of every
Cand.. But its esoteric meaning contains some of the most profound
spiritual instruction which it is possible to obain to-day.
Even the average man, who entered The Craft with little realisation of
its real antiquity and with the solemnity of this, its greatest
degree. In its directness and apparent simplicity rests its tremendous
power. The exoteric and esoteric are interwoven in such a wonderful
way that it is almost imopssible to separate the one from the other,
and the longer it is studied the more we realise the profound and
ancient wisdom concealed therein. Indeed, it is probable that we shall
never master all that lies hidden in this degree till we in very truth
pass through that reality of which it is a allegory.
The two degrees which have gone before, great and beautiful though
they be are but the training and preparation for the message which the
third degree holds in almost every line of the ritual. Here at length
we learn the true purpose of Freemasonry. It is not merely a system of
morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols, but a great
adventure, a search after that which was lost; in other words, the
Mystic Quest, the craving of the Soul to comprehend the nature of God
and to achieve union with Him.
Different men vary greatly; to some the most profound teachings
appeal, while to others simpler and more direct instruction is all
they crave. But there is hardly a man who has not, at some time or
other, amid the turmoil and distraction of this material world, felt a
strange and unaccountable longing for knowledge as to why he was ever
sent here, whence he came, and whither he is wending. At such times he
feels Iike a wanderer in a strange land, who has almost forgotten his
native country, because he left it so long ago, but yet vaguely
realises that he is an exile, and dimly craves for some message from
that home which he knew of yore.
This is the voice of the Divine Spark in man calling out for union
with the Source of its being, and at such times the third degree
carries with it a message which till then, perhaps, the brother had
not realized. The true s...ts are lost, but we are told how and where
we shall find them. The gateway of d. opens the way to the p. within
the c., where the longing spirit will find peace in the arms of the
Father of All.
Thus it will be seen that the third degree strikes a more solemn note
thane even that of d. itself, and I have endeavoured in this little
book to convey in outline form some part at least of this sublime
message.
As in my previous books, I freely confess that I have not covered the
whole ground. Not only would it be impossible to do so in a book of
this size, but in so doing I should have defeated one of my principal
objects in writing namely, to inspire others to study for themselves
and endeavour to find in our ceremonies further and deeper meanings.
The success of the earlier books shows clearly that my efforts have
not been in vain, and that the brethren are more than anxious to
fathom the inner meaning of the ceremonies we all love so well. This
book completes the series dealing with the meaning of the three craft
degrees, but their popularity has convinced me that the experiment of
producing a small and inexpensive handbook has been completely
justified. I have therefore been encouraged to write further volumes,
and the next of the series will be an outline history of Freemasonry "
from time Immemorial."
PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION
The success of the first edition of this book has necessitated a
second wherein I have corrected a few printing errors and added a few
points which may help my brother students.
From the number of letters I have received from all parts of the
world, thanking me for the light these books throw on the meaning of
our ceremonies, it is clear that the new members who are entering our
Order are tending to take an increasing interest in the meaning of our
Rites and are no longer content to regard the Ceremonies merely as a
pastime for an idle hour.
J.S.M. WARD.
CONTENTS
Introduction by The Hon. Sir John Cockburn, M.D., K.C.M.G.,
P.G.D.Eng., P.D.G.M. S.Australia
Chapter 1 Questions and P.W.
Chapter 2 The Opening
Chapter 3 The Symbolical Journeys, etc.
Chapter 4 The Exhortation
Chapter 5 The S..s
Chapter 6 The Badge
Chapter 7 The Legend
Chapter 8 The Tracing Board, etc.
Chapter 9 Closing
Chapter 10 Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
By Sir John A. Cockburn,
W.Bro. Ward has lost no time in supplying his large circle of readers
with this little book on the 3 degree. With becoming reverence he
touches on the last great lesson which Masonry presents to the mind of
the Craftsman. Among the manifold blessings that Freemasonry has
conferred on mankind none is greater than that of taking the sting
from death and robbing the grave of victory. No man can be called Free
who lives in dread of the only event that is certain in his life.
Until emancipated from the fear of death, he is all his life long
subject to bondage. Yet how miserably weak is this phantom king of
Terrors who enslaves so many of the uninitiated. As Francis Bacon
remarked, there is no passion in the mind of man that does not master
the dread of death. Revenge triumphs over it; love slights it; honour
aspireth to it; grief flieth to it. Death has always been regarded as
the elucidation of the Great Mystery. It was only at the promise of
dissolution that the seeker after the Elixir of Life exclaimed Eureka.
Masonry regards death but as the gate of life, and the Master Mason
learns to look forward with firm but humble confidence to the moment
when he will receive his summons to ascend to the Grand Lodge above.
Brother Ward very properly attaches much significance to the Pass Word
leading to the 2 degree and 3 degree. In the Eleusinian Mysteries an
ear of corn was presented to the Epoptai. This, as an emblem of Ceres,
represented by the S.W., is appropriate to the F.C.'s, who are under
the guidance of that officer, while the name of the first artificier
in metals, which is reminiscent of Vulcan, the Celestial Blacksmith,
seems specially befitting to the attributes of the J.W., as it was in
the days before 1740. The author sees in the lozenge formed by two of
the great lights a representation of the Vesica Piscis. This symbol,
whose literal meaning is "the bladder of the fish,' is of deep
significance. Some see in it the essential scheme of ecclesiastical
architecture. But as the spiritually blind are unable to discern
similitudes, so those who are gifted with deep insight are apt to over
estimate analogies. The Vesica Piscis being, as Brother Ward rightly
states, a feminine emblem, and therefore one sided, can hardly
represent the equilibrium attained by the conjunction of the square
and compasses. These respectively stand for the contrasted
correlatives which pervade Creation, and, like the pillars, are
typical when conjoined of new stability resulting from their due
proportion in the various stages of Evolution. The progressive
disclosures of the points of the compasses seems to indicate the
ultimate realisation of the spirituality of matter; the at-one-ment
and reconciliation at which Freemasonry and all true religions aim.
Brother Ward repeatedly points out the similarity that exists between
the lessons of Christianity and of Freemasonry. It is indeed difficult
to distinguish between them, The Ancient Mysteries undoubtedly
possessed in secret many of the truths proclaimed in the gospel. St.
Augustine affirms that Christianity, although not previously known by
that name, had always existed. But whereas the hope of immortality was
formerly in the Mysteries confined to a favoured few, the new
Convenant opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers. Incidentally
this little volume clears up many passages which are obscure in the
Ritual. For example, there could be no object in directing that the
F.C's, who, on account of their trust-worthiness, were selected by the
King to search for the Master, should be clothed in white to prove
their innocence. That was already beyond question. The order was
evidently meant for the repentant twelve who took no actual part in
the crime. This and similar inconsistencies in the Ritual may be
accepted as evidence of its antiquity. Had it been a modern
compilation such contradictions would have been studiously avoided.
It is probable that many earnest Masons may not agree with all Brother
Ward's interpretations. Nor can such unanimity reasonably be expected.
Freemasonry, as a gradual accretion of the Wisdom of Ages Immemorial,
bears traces of many successive schools of thought. But all its
messages are fraught with hope for the regeneration of humanity. The
author intimated his desire in this series of handbooks to lead others
to prosecute the study of Masonry for themselves; and indeed he has
abundantly proved that in its unfathomable depths there are many gems
of priceless ray serene which will well repay the search. Brother Ward
is heartily to be congratulated on having attained the object he had
in view.
John A. Cockburn.
CHAPTER I
QUESTIONS AND P.W.
Those of our Brethren who have read the previous two books of this
series will not need much help in understanding the significance of
the questions which are put to the Cand. before being raised.
Practically every question has been dealt with in detail in the
previous books; the majority of them are taken from incidents in the
Lectures and Tracing Board, and since the latter was explained at some
length we shall not now detain our readers long.
The manner of preparation for the second degree stressed the masculine
side, which is characteristic of it. The admission on a S. indicated
that the Cand. had profited by the moral training rcceived in the
First degree, and that his conduct had always been on the S.. There
is, however a deep esoteric meaning in the apparent platitude that it
is the fourth part of a circle. Among all the ancient nations the
circle is a symbol of God the Infinite, Whose name we discovered in
the second degree in the M.Ch., where we leamt that it consisted of
four letters. Thus the Cand. was admitted on one letter of the Mystic
Name, and if the four Sq.s are united with the circle in a peculiar
way they form the cosmic cross, emblem of matter, within the circle of
the Infinite.
We have in the last book considered at such length what is implied by
the words "Hidden mysteries of nature and science," that we need here
only refer our readers to that section, wherein we saw that in former
times these hidden mysteries undoubtedly referred to certain occult
powers, which would be dangerous if acquired by a man who had not
proved himself to be of the highest moral character.
The "wages" we receive consist of the power to comprehend the nature
of God, Who resides in the M.Ch. of the Soul of every Mason. The F.C.
receives his wages without scruple or diffidence because the Spiritual
benefit he receives from Freemasonry is in exact proportion to his
desire, and ability, to comprehend its inner meaning.
He cannot receive either more or less than he has earned, for if he
has not understood the profound lesson of the Divinity within him,
naturally he cannot benefit therefrom.
His employers are the Divine Trinity, of Whom Justice is one of the
outstanding attributes. God could not be unjust and remain God. This
conception is almost a platitude, but the average man, while realising
that God will not withhold any reward earned, is at times apt to
assume that because God is love He will reward us more than we
deserve. This is clearly a mistake, for God could not be partial
without ceasing to be God, therefore the F.C. receives exactly the
Spiritual wages he has earned, and neither more nor less, but some
F.C.'s will nevertheless obtain a greater reward than others, because
spiritually they have earned it.
The significance of the names of the P....rs was explained in the last
book, but in view of the nature of the third degree it seems advisable
to point out once more that their secret Kabalistic meaning is (1)
Being fortified by every moral virtue, (2) you are now properly
prepared, (3) to undergo that last and greatest trial which fits you
to become a M M.. Thus we see that even the w..ds of the preceding
degrees lead up to this, the last and greatest.
As in the former case, the remark of the W.M. that he will put other
questions if desired indicates the possibility of members of the Lodge
asking qucstions based on the Lectures of the Second Degree, or even
on the Tracing Board. It is, indeed, a pity that this right is
practically never exercised. For example, a particularly appropriate
question would be "What was the name of the man who cast the two great
p....rs ? " As it is, the Cand. in a dramatic way represents the
closing incidents in the life of this great man, whose importance till
then he has hardly had any opportunity of realising.
Having answered these test questions, the cand. is again entrusted
with a P.W., etc., to enable him to enter the Lodge after it has been
raised to the Third degree during this temporary absence. We have in
the previous book explained that the raising of a Lodge should alter
the vibrations of those present by a process well recognised in the
ceremonies of Magic, and, to enable the Cand. quickly to become in
ttme with these higher spiritual vibrations, a word of "power" is
given him, which in a moment places him on the same plane as the other
members of the Lodge. This word he has to give, not only outside the
d....r of the Lodge, but also immediately before his presentation by
the S.W. as "Properly prepared to be raised to the Third Degree." It
is only after this has been done that the real ceremony of the Third
Degree, so far as the c. is concerned, begins, and therefore that the
full force of the vibrations of the M.M.'s come into play.
The P.W. itself is of the greatest significance, more especially when
combined with the P.W. leading from the First to the Second degree. At
one time the P.W.'s were reversed. T.C. being the W. leading to the
Second, and Sh... . the W. leading to the Third. This is still the
case in those foreign Grand Lodges, such as the Dutch and the French,
which derive from us before 1740, when the W.s were altered owing to
certain un-authorised revelations. This alteration was one of the just
grievances which brought about the secession of the so-called
"Ancients," who charged Grand Lodge with altering the Ancient
Landmarks. When the Irish followed our example they continued the
prohibition of the introduction of m..ls until the Third degree, which
is a logical procedure, for clearly you have no right to bring them
into Lodge until you have been symbolically introduced to the first
artificer in that material. As the W.s now stand they convey the
following spiritual lesson:- the F.C. is one who finds the simple
necessities of life, such as C. and W., sufficient for his
requirements. They are plenty to the spiritually minded man, whose
soul becomes clogged and hampered by the acquistion of worldly
possessions and since it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom
of Heaven, immediatdy the Cand. has symbolically received W.P. he is
Sl....n.
T.C. conveys the lesson that W.P. in themselves bring death to the
soul and prevent its upward progress. To-day, the river of death
connected with the P.W. leading to the Second degree has largely lost
its significance, whereas when it was a P.W. leading to the Third, it
was in itself a fine allegory.
We must remember that Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was well known and
widely read at the beginning of the 18th Century, and those who were
re-organising our rituals at that time could not have been blind to
the similarity of the allegory hidden in the w. Sh. and the account by
Bunyan of Christian's fording the river of death on the way to the
Holy City. The change of about 1740 destroyed this allegory, and its
survival in the Tracing Board is now merely one of those numerous
footnotes which, to the careful student, are invaluable indications of
the various transformations though which our ritual has passed during
the course of years. Nevertheless, I do not regret the change, as I
think the present spiritual lesson is even finer than the former one,
but the other arrangement was more logical. Firstly, from the
practical point of view the F.C. required the use of m..1 tools to
perform his operative tasks, and in the process of his work acquired
W.P., in contradiction to the E.A., who did only rough work and
received only maintenance: i.e., corn, wine , and oil. Secondly, from
the symbolical standpoint the sequence was also more logical, for the
F.C., having acquired wealth by means of his skill, was brought to the
river of d., and passed through it in the Third Degree.
According to Bro. Sanderson, in his "Examination of the Masonic
Ritual," the actual translation of the Hebrew w. Sh. is an " e. of c.,
or a f. of w."- hence the manner in which it is depicted in a F.C.'s
Lodge-while the w. T.C. in Hebrew means only a blacksmith, though
another w. similarly pronounced means acquisition. Hence, as he points
out, " an allegorical title has, in translating the Old Testament,
been mistaken for the name of an actual person, for the name itself
means `A worker in M...t...ls'" Therefore the connection with H.A.B.
is obvious. Bro. Sanderson, quoting from the "Secret Discipline," by
S. L. Knapp, says, "In a work on ancient ecclesiastical history the
following occurs, 'By a singular plasus linguae the moderns have
substituted T.C. in the Third Degree for tymboxein-to be entombed.' "
While I am unable to say whether Knapp is justified in this statement,
it is quitee probable that this P.W., and indeed all the P.W.s are
comparatively modern substitutes, taken from the Bible to replace
ancient W.s of power whose full meaning was lost and whose form in
consequence had become corrupt and unintelligible. The Greek word
tymboxein would be peculiariy suitable for a P.W. leading to the Third
Degree, in view of its meaning, and mediaeval magical ceremonies are
full of corrupt Greek words indiscriminately mingled with equally
corrupt Hebrew and Arabic. There is, therefore, nothing intrinsically
improbable in the suggestion that this ancient Greek word was the
original from which T.C. has been evolved. We know as a fact that
large pieces of Biblical history were imported wholesale into our
rituals in the 18th Century, and what is more likely than that an
unintelligible work, already so corrupt as not even to be recognisable
as Greek, should be amended into a well known Biblical character?
However, the word as it stands, because of its Hebrew meaning of
acquisition, can correctly be translated as W.P., while as meaning an
artificer in M. it clearly refers to H.A.B., who made the two
p.....rs, and whom the Cand. is to represent. Thus, following this
line of interpretation, we perceive that the Cand. really represents
H.A.B. when he enters the Lodge, although under the disguised title
conveyed by the P.W..
In dealing with these P.W.s I have endeavoured to show that there are
meanings within meanings, and the same is true of practically every
important incident in the whole ceremony. In a book of thissize it is
obviously impossible to attempt to give all of these meanings, and
even if one did the result would be to befog the young reader and so
prevent him from getting a clear and connected interpretation of the
ceremony. It is for this reason that, in the main, I am concentrating
on one line of interpretation, but I have thought it desirable in this
section to give a hint to more advanced students, so that they can
follow up similar lines of investigation for themselves.
PREPARATION
In English and Scotch workings there is no c.t. around the Cand. in
preparation for the Third Degree, but in the Irish working it is wound
once around his n., in the Second degree twice, and the First three
times. If we regard the c.t. as symbolising those things which hamper
a man's spiritual progress, the gradual unwinding of it as used in
Irish workings becomes of great significance. This interpretation
implies that the Cand. is hampered in Body, Soul and Spirit in the
First Degree, whereas by the time he has reached this point in the
Third Degree the Body and Soul have triumphed over the sins which
peculiarly assail them, and in that stage symbolised by the Degree
itself the Spirit has only to triumph over Spiritual sins, such as
Spiritual Pride. With this exception the manner of preparation is the
same in all these British workings, and indicates that the Cand. is
now about to consecrate both sides of his nature, active and passive,
creative and preservative, etc., to the service of the Most High.
The explanation already given in the previous books of the various
details, such as being s.s., holds here, and a brief glance at the
other volumes will render it unnecessary for me to take up valuable
space therewith in this third book. The Can. is then brought to the
Lodge door and gives the Kn.s of a F.C. These Kn's indicate that Soul
and Body are in union, but the Spirit is still out of contact whereas
the proper Kn's of a M.M. (2/1) indicates that the Spirit dominates
the Soul and is in union with it, the body having fallen away into
significance. It will be remembered that in the first book of this
series I pointed out that the three separate kn's of an E.A. symbolise
that in the uninitiated man, Body, Soul and Spirit are all at
variance. Meanwhile the Lodge has been raised to a Third Degree by a
ceremony whose profound significance demands consideration in a
separate chapter.
CHAPTER II
THE OPENING
Having satisfied himself that all present are symbolically upright and
moral men, the W.M. asks the J.W. if his spiritual nature has evolved
sufficiently to control both soul and body. The J.W. suggests that he
should be tested, not only by the emblem of upright conduct, but also
by the Compasses. Now these combined with the Square form a lozenge,
which is itself a symbol for the Vesica Piscis, emblem of the female
principle. The Compasses, moreover, are the instruments with which
geometrical figures are created, and more especially the Circle. By
means of two circles the triangle, emblem of the triune nature of
God,. is produced, while the Cirde itself is the emblem of Eternity
and therefore of Spirit. A point within the cirle forms the symbol for
the Hindu conception of the Supreme Being, Paramatma, whence we have
come and whither we shall all ultimately return. At the centre of the
circle rests all knowledge; there shall we find every lost secret. Now
such a figure can only be drawn with the help of the Compasses, and in
drawing it the following significant symbolical act takes place.
One point of the Compass rests at the centre, and the other makes the
circle of the Infinite. No matter how far the legs of the Compass be
extended, or how large the Circle, the fact remains that one leg is
always at the centre. Thus the Compasses, while they travel through
infinity, are at the same time never separated from the centre, and
from that point cannot err.
This instrument may therefore be considered as standing for the Divine
Spark in Man, in all its manifestations. One of these is conscience;
but the Divine Spark has many attributes and names.
So the J.W.'s reply indicates that he is prepared to be tested both by
the moral code and by the spiritual laws of our being.
But after these preliminaries the proceedings become of an even more
exalted nature. All that has gone before has been but preparation for
the Great Quest on which we must now set forth. It is the quest of the
Soul for realisation of God, and at-one-ment with Him. This is the
Mystic Quest of all ages, and, true to the ancient symbolism, it
starts from the East, the place of Light, and goes towards the West,
the place of darkness and death.
The East represents God, Who is our home. It indicates that each soul
comes out from the place of Light, from Light itself, that is, from
the very substance of God, descends through the Gateway of the Dawn
and becomes incarnate in Matter. But it brings with it a sense of loss
and separation, for it has come out from God, and the Divine Spark
within it longs return whence it came. Having lost the secret of its
true nature and the way of return, it wanders in darkness, seeking and
for most men the way of return is through the Western portal, the
gateway of Death, for so long as we are finite beings we cannot hope
to comprehend the Infinite.
Yet there are some few exceptions to the general rule, who, while
still in the flesh, have a vision of the Divine splendour, are caught
up in it, and became one with God. To such men the return to ordinary
mundane existence seems unreal and shadowy. Where others believe in
God they Know Him, but it is almost impossible for them to convey to
others the experience through which they have gone. Yet that such
experiences are real, as real as any other fact in life, is attested
by a long line of witnesses right throughout the ages.
To the average man, however, the first real step towards the
realisation of what constitutes God is through the portal of physical
death; - but even then the end is still far off.
Hence the answer explaining how the true secrets came to be lost
indicates, not the cause of the loss, but the first step towards the
recovery, and this fact is borne out by the subsequent events in the
ceremony itself.
Note, it is the body only that dies, and by its death enables the Soul
and Spirit to re-discover in part the secrets which were last. Yet
this death of the Body effectually debars the communication of these
secrets to the sorrowing F.C.'s left behind. It is the passing through
that veil which separates life and death which stars us on the road
which ends with God.
It must never be forgotten, however, that the genuine secrets are
never recovered in the Craft, although symbolically we rise from the
grave, for that secret can only be discovered at or with the C.-i.e.,
with God. To that exalted position we can only attain after long
journeys through the planes of existence beyond the grave. In our
symbolism there is nothing which indicates that immediately after
death man is fit to pass into the presence of the King of Kings.
But the Divine Spark within us is never really separated from the
Great and All-Pervading Spirit. It is still part of it, though its
glory is dimmed by the veil of flesh. Therefore, just as one arm of
the compasses ever rests on the centre, no matter how far the other
leg travels; so however far we may travel from God, and however long
and hard may be the journey, the Divine Spark within us can never be
truly separated from Him, or err from that Centre. Thus the point of
the Compasses at the centre of the circle may be considered to be the
Spirit, the head of the Compasses the Soul, and the point on the
circumference the body.
So the task is set and the brethren go forth on the quest, that quest
which must lead through the darkness of death, as the ceremony that
follows tells in allegory. It is not correct to say that the search
hinted at in the Opening ceremony is suddenly abandoned, and those who
think this misinterpret the whole meaning of the legend. Never in
earthly life shall we find the answer we seek, nay, even death itself
will not give it; but, having passed beyond the grave, through the
four veils of the Scottish rite, and so into the H.R.A., we find an
excellent answer in allegorical and symbolical language, whilst the
jewel of the degree emphasises what the end of the quest is.
Nor must it be forgotten that the body alone cannot realise the nature
of God, and that is why without the help of the other two, H.A.B.
neither could, nor would, disclose the S........t.
The W.M.'s promise to help indicates that the Spirit will render
assistance, but though the Spirit subsequently raises man from the
grave it is not sufficiently evolved to give him the true secret. This
can only come about when the Spirit has raised the Soul to a far
higher stage of spirituality.
Though this is the degree of Destruction, that form of the Trinity is
not invoked, and the title used corresponds more closely to the Hindu
name for the All-Embracing than to their form of the Destroyer. This
no doubt is deliberate, for the symbol of this degree is the same
emblem which among the Hindus denotes the Most High, namely the Circle
with a Point within it. v In some Scotch rituals, after the Lodge has
been opened in the first degree the I.P.M., or the D.C., opens the
V.S.L., and, strange to say, does so with the words, "In the beginning
was the Word." Similarly, when the Lodge is closed in the first degree
the book is closed with the words, "And the word was with God." Here
then we get two striking features: 1) the use of words from the first
chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, and 2) their correlation
with the phrase in the Third Degree, "At, or with the C." This
procedure suggests that the lost W. is the Logos, or Christ, and
remembering what we have previously pointed out in the earlier books,
i.e., that there is a perfectly logical Christian interpretation of
the whole of the Craft ceremonies, this fact becomes of increasing
significance.
Before closing this chapter, I would like to add that the Third Degree
lends itself to a Christian interpretation even more markedly than the
former ones, and several of the higher degrees in Freemasonry adopt
and expand this line of teaching.
In view of the fact that in the Middle Ages Freemasonry was
undoubtedly Christian, we cannot lightly reject this view of the inner
meaning of the ceremonies, but as the frame work of our ceremonies
apparently goes back before Christian times, a non-Christian
interpretation is equally permissible.
CHAPTER III
THE SYMBOLICAL JOURNEYS, ETC.
The Can. is admitted on he C....... s, and this fact is of far greater
significance than most brethren probably realise. Firstly, as has been
noted, one arm of the C.s is always at the C., no matter how far the
other may travel, and from the point of view of the Can., though he
knows it not, this act in a sense indicates that his heart, and
therefore he himself, is at or on the C........e. Secondly, the C....s
in this degree link up with the Sq. used in the former degree on a
similar occasion. We have seen in the previous books that the Sq. and
C........s are united on the Ped. in such a way as to form the vesica
piscis, the emblem of the female principle, and the symbol of birth
and rebirth. Hence symbolically thc Can. passes through the vesica
piscis. Also after entering the Lodge in this, as in the previous
degrees, he kn....s while the blessing of Heaven is invoked, and as he
does so the wands of the deacons are crossed above his head. He thus
kn........s in a triangle, the emblem of Spirit, and itself connected
with the lozenge. Two equilateral triangles make a lozenge, which is
produced from the vesica piscis-formed by two circles, as shown by the
first proposition in Euclid. In view of the great stress laid upon
Geometry throughout the whole of our rituals these facts cannot be
ignored. Our Operative Brn. must have realised that the whole science
of Geometry arises out of this first proposition, which shows how to
make a triangle (the emblem of the Trinity and the Spirit) by means of
two circles whose circumferences pass through the centre of each
other. In doing so they form the vesica piscis, which gives birth
first of all to the triangle, and secondly, to the double triangle, in
the form of a lozenge. This last emblem is symbolised by the sq.,
denoting matter, and the c...s, denoting spirit. The above facts throw
a flood of light upon the interplay between these Masonic emblems.
Before leaving this subject it is worth while pointing out that the
Can. likewise takes every Ob. in Craft masonry within this triangle,
and that the same method is employed in other ancient rites, including
those of the Society of Heaven and Earth in China, where the Can.
kn...s on one sword, while two others are held over his head so as to
form a triangle of steel.
The Can. now starts on his three symbolical journeys. He first
satisfies the J.W., representing the Body, that he is an E.A., i.e., a
man of good moral character. He next satisfies the S.W., representing
the Soul, that he has benefited by the lessons of life and acquired
intellectual knowledge. Then comes the third journey, when he is once
more challenged by the Soul, who demands the P.W., the full
significance of which has already been explained. Let us combine these
meanings! He comes laden with worldly possessions, which in themselves
carry the seeds of death, unconsciously representing in his person the
worker in metals who made the twin colunms, and is about to be
entombed. (tymboxein).
Therefore the Soul presents him to the Spirit as one properly prepared
to carry out the part of his great predecessor. There is a point here
which we need to realise, for it is one which is often overlooked. In
the previous degrees only one Deacon was instructed to lead the Can.
by the proper S...ps to the E., but here both are needed. From the
practical point of view there is no obvious reason why the help of the
J.D. should be invoked at all, and as the ceremony is usually carried
out he does nothing but look on. I believe, however, the S.D. should
first go through the S...ps and the J.D., should assist the Can. to
copy his example. If thus were so we should get an almost exact
repetition of the analogous ceremony in the R.A. where the p.s.,
corresponding to the S.D., is helped by an assistant. Thus, with the
Can., in both cases we get a Trinity, only one of whom actually
descends into the g., or, in the other case, into the v.
As Major Sanderson has pointed out in An Examination of the Masonic
Ritual, among the primitive, races usually, a man who stepped over an
o.g. would be considered to have committed sacrilege, and almost
certainly would be slain, but, on the other hand, we do know that in
many Initiatory Rites either the Can., or someone else for him, steps
down into a gr., and is subsequently symbolically sl...n therein. If
this be the true interpretation of this part of the ceremony, the
reason for the presence of the two deacons in addition to the Can.
becomes clear. It is only the Body that descends into the clear the
Soul and the Spirit have no part therein. Thus, for the moment, though
only temporarily, these three represene the triune nature of man,
while the three principal officers represent the triune nature of God.
The fact that this is undoubtedly true in the case of the R.A., makes
it almost certain that the same idea underlies this apparently
unimportant diffirence between the arrangements in the third degree,
and those followed in the first and second.
Again and again when one comes to study carefully the details of our
ritual, one finds little points, such as these, which would certainly
not have survived the drastic revision of 1816 if there had not been
present some men who really did understand the inner meaning of our
ceremonies, and refused to allow important lessons to be lost by the
removal of what, at first sight, appear to be unnecessary details.
Therefore, those of us who value the inner meaning of our ceremonies
owe a deep debt of gratitude to these men, even though their actual
names be unknown to us, and on our part a duty is imposed on us that
we shall not hastily tamper with the rituals, merely because we do not
ourselves see the full significance of a phrase or think that by
revising it we can make the wording run more smoothly.
The next factor we must consider most carefuUy is the actual sp...s
themselves. These make the Latin cross of suffuring and sacrifice.
Sometimes the sp..s are not done quite correctly, for the Can. should
be careful to face due North, due South, and due East respectively.
This procedure undoubtedly refers to the three entrances of the Temple
through which H.A.B. endeavoured to escape. Hence it is we see that
the Master himself trod out the cross of Calvary during the tragedy,
and in a sense made the Consecration Cross of the Temple.
In a mediaeval church, and even to-day at the consecration of a church
according to the Anglican ordinance, there should be a dedication
cross marked on the building. In the Middle Ages these were usually
marked on the pillars, and apparently corresponded to the mark made by
an illiterate person when witnessing a deed. The Consecrating Bishop
sometimes drew this cross on the pillar or wall, or sometimes merely
traced over a cross already painted there for the purpose. Any new
piece of work in a church, even if only a new fresco, had its
dedication cross. For example :-At Chaldon Church, Surrey, the
dedication cross is marked on the margin of a fresco depicting The
Brig of Dread, described at length in Freemasonry and the Ancient
Gods.
Bearing these facts in mind, we shall perceive that, even from the
Operative point of view, the manner of advancing in this degree, and
the manner in which H.A.B. met his end, had a peculiar significance.
The Great Architect of the Temple must have traced the dedication
cross the whole length and breadth of the Temple in his own blood.
Moreover, such dedication crosses as have actually survived are nearly
always found to be painted in red. Thus, H.A.B.'s last work was, as it
were, to commence the consecration of the Temple which was completed
by K.S., for until that cross had been marked either on the wail or
pavement, according to mediaeval Operative ideas the building could
not be consecrated. Therefore, the Can., who is reenacting the same
drama, must obviously do likewise, and in so doing dedicates the
Temple of his body.
But there is still more hidden within this ceremonial act. The ancient
Knights Templar were accused of trampling on the cr., and a careful
examination of the evidence taken at the trial shows that in reality
they took a ritual sp., somewhat similar to those taken by the Can. in
this degree.
One of the esoteric meanings indicated is the Way of the Cross which
leads to Calvary. Furhermore, having thus traced out a cr. he is
subsequendy laid on it, and this fact is emphasised by the position in
which his legs or feet are placed. The foot of this cr. reaches to the
Ped., on which rests the O.T. If, therefore, this symbolical cr. were
raised as it was on Calvary it would rest on the O.T., and the Can.
would face the E., and would be, as it were, on a mountain. This fact
should be borne in mind by those who seek a Christian interpretation
of our Craft ceremonies. Mystically interpreted, it indicates that
every aspirant for union with the Divine must tread the Way of the
Cross, and suffer and die thereon, in order that he may rise to a new
life, a realisation of his union with the Infinite. v Even those who
are disinclined to admit the possibility of a Christian
interpretatior, of the Craft degrees, must recognise the fact that
this cr. is the cr. of sacrifice and means that the true aspirant must
be prepared to sacrifice everything in his search after Truth.
The number of the sp...s is the combination of the Trinity and of the
four elements, representing matter. It is the same number as forms the
perfect lodge, and also the seven elements which form man, whether we
interpret it according to the ancient Egyptian system, or in the more
modern form of the five physical senses, the Soul and the Spirit. In
the latter case it indicates that the man must be prepared to
sacrifice, or shall we say dedicate to God, Body, Soul and Spirit.
There are yet other profound meanings in this one ritual act, but
enough has been written to set my readers pondering for themselves,
and we will therefore proceed to consider the next point in the
ceremony.
The Ob. itself contains one or two interesting points. Thus it
indicates that a M.M.'s Lodge must always be open on the C.. This
shows us at once that we are dealing with a ceremony with a mystical
meaning, for the C. means the same as the middle ch. in the second
degree-the secret chamber of the heart, where dwells the Divine
Spark-and so tells us in veiled language that all that happens
thereafter is a spiritual experience, which sooner or later comes to
every mystic. The special moral obligations which the Can. undertakes
should be noted, but require no explanation. It is, however, difficult
to understand why they should be deferred until this stage. In the
ancient charges similar obligations are imposed apparently on the
E.A., and this seems more logical.
The Py. varies even in different parts of England, but in essentials
is always the same. You are s. at the c., and the manner of disposal
is very reminiscent of the way in which the dead are cremated in India
in honour of Shiva. There the corpse is burnt near running water,
preferably near the Ganges, and the ashes are thrown into the air over
the river to the four cardinal points, that the winds may scatter
them. It must be remembered that Shiva represents the destructive
attribute of the Diety and he makes the P.S. of a M.M. on his statues.
His is the element of fire, and all these facts must be born in mind
when considering our own Py.
The position of the Sq. and Cs., in addition to the explanation given,
indicates that the spirit, represented by the Cs., now dominates the
body, typified by the Sq..
CHAPTER IV
THE EXHORTATION
The opening part of the exhortation gives a convenient summary of the
previous degress and quite clearly indicates that the first inner
meaning of the series is Birth, Life which is of course educational
and preparatory for its sequel, and Death. The phrase relating to the
second degree "And to trace it, from its devlopment through the paths
of Heavenly Science even to the throne of God Himself," shows plainly
its real significance. As pointed out in the F.C. Handbook, in the
Mid. Ch. the F.C. discovers not only the name of God, but that he
himself is the fifth letter Shin which transforms the name Jehovah
into the name Jeheshue, or Messias, the King.
But according to the old Kabala Jeheshue must be raised on the cross
of Tipareth, and the significance of this fact is impressed on our
Can. by the incidents now to take place. The average Christian need
not trouble about the subtleties of the Kabala, for the story in the
New Testament supplies him with a very similar interpretation.
The W.M. having, almost casually, given him this key to the inner
meaning of what is about to follow, proceeds at once to the most
dramatic part of the ceremony. Up to this point almost all forms of
our ritual are practically the same, but henceforward there are many
marked differences. "Emulation" ritual may be regarded as containing
the bare minimum, but the additional details found in many Provincial
workings in England, and in Scotland, Ireland, America, and many of
the Continental Lodges, are too important to be ignored. There is no
reason to assume that they are innovations; on the contrary all the
evidence points to the fact that they are integral parts of the
ceremony which, for various reasons, were omitted by the revisers of
our ritual who met in the Lodge of Reconciliation. I shall therefore
proceed to note and explain them where necessary.
Whereas in Emulation working as soon as the Ws. are called on the
deacons retire, in most others, in the Provinces, etc., they fall back
to the head of the g.. Thus with the W.M. the W.s form the triangle of
Spirit, and with the D.s the Sq. of matter, on which the triangle
rests, for the M. descends from his chair and stands in front of the
Ped.. As a practical piece of advice I would recommend that the J.W.
should not direct the Can. to c. his f. until after the S.W. has dealt
with him, for it is impossible for him to drop on his respective k...s
if his f. are c., whereas by carrying out these instructions before
the last attack he will fall the more readily.
In most of the old Scotch rituals the Can. journeys round the Lodge,
is attacked by the J.W. in the S., by the S.W. in the W. (note that),
and returns to the M. in the E., where the final incident takes place.
I think, however, our English system of having the attack in the N.
instead of in the W. is preferable, and is probably the correct form.
In the Scotch ritual the three villains have names, and the same is
the case in America. They are Jubela, Jubelo, and Jubelum. The word
itself clearly comes from the Latin word meaning "To command," and
refers to the fact that they commanded him to give up the S....s. But
the terminations of the three names appear to have a curious esoteric
reference to India. It can hardly be by accident that these three
names form the mystic word AUM. The U in India in this case is
pronounced almost like O, and when this word is disguised, as it
usually is, it is written OMN. If this be so we have the Creative
Preservative, and Annihilative aspects of the Deity emphasised in the
Third Degree, and it is the Destructive aspect, symbolised by the
letter M, which deals the final stroke.
This variation is therefore of importance, but I must warn my readers
that not all Scotch workings have it, some of them being much more
akin to our own, even having the attack in the N.. Practically all of
them, however, have the perambulations, during which solemn music is
played. The usual procedure is for the brethren to pass round the gr.
once making the P. S. of an E.A.. When this is done the J.W. makes his
abortive attempt. The second round is made with the H. S. of an F.C.,
after which the S.W. tries and fails. The third round is made with the
S. of G. and D. of a M.M., on the conclusion of which the Can. is r...
by the lion's g.... It is a great pity that the use of this name for
the M. M.'s g. is falling into disuse in London, for it has in itself
important symbolical references, to which we shall refer later in the
chapter.
In many parts of England it is still customary to place the Can.,
either in a c----n or in a g. made in the floor, and the same method
is found in most other parts of tke world. Indeed, in the Dutch ritual
the Can. is first of all shown a c..n in which is a human skeleton.
This is subsequently removed, though he does not know it and he thinks
when he is laid therein he will find himself in its bony clutches.
Even as near London as Windsor there is a Masonic Temple which has a
special chamber of d. with a g. actually in the floor and until
recently it was still used although whether it is to-day I cannot say.
Let us now turn to consider the meanings of the main incidents. The
first meaning of the degree is obvious; it prepares a man for his
final end and hints of a possibility of life beyond the grave but it
must be admitted that the lesson is not driven home with the same
force as it is in most of the ancient mysteries. Osiris Himself rose
from the dead and became the Judge of all who followed after Him, and
because of this fact His worshippers believed that they too would
rise. In our legend, however, it is only the dead body of H.A.B. which
is lifted out ofthe g. in a peculiar manner, and in the legend there
is not even a hint as to what befell his Soul. The question is often
asked why they should have raised a c..s and placed it on its feet.
(1)
(1) See Ward, Who Was Hiram Abiff?
One explanation probably is, by analogy with the Greek story of the
manner in which Hercules recovered Alcestis and ransomed her from the
bondage of Thanatos-Death himself. We are told that Hercules wrestled
with Thanatos and would nor let him go until he had agreed to allow
Hercules to bring her back from the realm of the Shades to the land of
living men. It may be that the corpse here represents Death. It is
also worth noting that Isis joined together the fragments of the body
of Osiris, and the "Setting up" of the backbone of the God was a
ceremony carried out every year by the ancient Egyptian Priests. The
body of Osiris apparently was raised from the bier by Anubis in
precisely the same way as the M.M. is r.. When it was set on its feet
life returned to it. One fact is certain, that in every Rite which has
as its central theme symbolic d. the Can. is r. by the same g., and in
precisely the same manner, and this manner becomes a method of
greeting and of recognition among all who have passed through this
type of ceremony. For example :-it is known and used in the Dervish
Rite, among West African Negroes, among the Red Indians of Central
America, and was apparently known to the ancient Druids, for it is
carved on a stone found at Iona. In the ancient rites of Mithra it
also appears to have been the method used upon a similar occasion.
These facts show that it is an ancient landmark and one to be most
carefully guarded.
The use of the phrase The Lion Grip is peculiarly significant, as
Major Sanderson shows in his work, An Examination of the Masonic
Ritual. Therein he points out that in the Book of the Dead the Supreme
God, whether Ra or Osiris, is appealed to as the " God in the Lion
form," and in all such cases the prayer of the Soul is that he may be
permitted to " Come forth " in the East, rising with the sun from the
d..s of the g.. In Egypt the lion was the `personification of strength
and power, but it is usually associated with the idea of the
regeneration of the Sun, and therefore with the resurrection. Major
Anderson goes on to point out as follows. "Shu (Anheru, `the Lifter')
who as the light of the Dawn was said to lift up the sky-goddess from
the arms of the sleeping Earth, is often represented as a lion, for
only through him was the rebirth of the Sun made possible. Osiris is
called the lion of yesterday, and Ra the Lion of tomorrow : the bier
of Osiris is always represented as having the head and legs of a
lion." Thus as Major Sanderson indicates, the expression "the lion
grip" is a survival from, the Solar cult, and therefore a landmark
which should be carefully preserved.
The Bright Morning Star whose rising brings peace and Salvation,
almost certainly was originally Sirius, but to Englishmen it must seem
strange that Sirius should be said to bring peace and Salvation. The
association of these ideas with the Dog Star is undoubtedly a fragment
which has come down from Ancient Egypt, for the rising of Sirius
marked the beginning of the inundation of the Nite, which literally
brought salvation to the people of Egypt by irrigating the land and
enabling it to produce food. That Sirius was an object of veneration
to the philosophers of the ancient world is well known to all
archaeologists, and many of the Temples in Egypt have been proved to
have been oriented on Sirius. There is also a good deal of evidence
showing that some of the stone circles in Great Britain were similarly
oriented on Sirius by the Druids. It is therefore not surprising that
this star is still remembered in our rituals. Naturally it has
acquired a deeper spiritual meaning in the course of years, and may be
regarded as representing the First Fruits of the Resurrection, the
sure hope of our Redemption. This aspect is set forth in the lectures
drawn up by Dunckerley, who regarded it as the star of Bethlehem, and
as typifying Christ. See Rev. xxii, 16.
At this point the Can.. who has been carefully put in the N., the
place of darkness, is moved round by the right to the South. From the
practical point of view this is to enable the M. to re-enter his chair
from the proper side, but there is also an inner meaning. Immediately
after death the Soul is said to find itself on the earth plane amid
murk and darkness. Lacking mortal eyes, it cannot perceive the sun,
and, on the other hand, is still so immersed in matter that it cannot
yet see clearly with its spirit eyes; but this stage rapidly passes
away, and the Soul is received into a higher plane of existence, being
brought thither by messengers of Light. The position in the North
represents this period of darkness on the earth plane, and that this
is not accidental is shown by the fact that in most rituals the lights
are not turned up until the phrase "That bright morning star, etc."
has been uttered. Then the M., representing one of these spirit
messengers, leads the Can. gently round to the South, thereby
symboling his entry into the place of light. And who is this
messenger? Every installed master who has received the P.W. leading to
the Chair should realise that, no matter how unworthy, he represents
the risen Christ. Thus we see the peculiarly appropriate nature of the
act coming after the reference to the bright morning star, which also
in another sense represents the risen Christ.
CHAPTER V
THE S....TS
Having thus been brought into the place of light the Can. is given not
the Gen. Ss, but only substitued ones. This fact must often have
puzzled the Can.. The pratical reason given in the ritual, though
perfecdy inteligible to a R.A. mason, cannot be the real one. In view
of the unexpected calamity no-one could have thought K.S. was breaking
his ob. by nominating a successor to H.A.B. and giving him the full
ss..ts. Actually according to the R.A. story he did something much
worse, for he wrote them down and placed them somewhere, in the hopes
that they would be subsequently rediscovered, and he had no assurance
that their discoverers would even be masons, much less that they would
keep their discovery secret. Of course this is also an allegory, and
from this stand-point perfectly correct. The lost s...ts are the
nature and attributes of God, which must be realised by each man for
himself, and no other man can really communicate them. Moreover, this
complete realisation of the nature of God, and the union of the Divine
Spark within us with the Source of All, can never be achieved during
mortal life. Even after death we shall need to leave the world long
behind and travel far, before we can hope to attain that state of
spiritual evolution which will enable us to approach the Holy of
Holies, and gaze with unveiled eyes upon Him, Who is the beginning and
the end of all.
With regard to these substituted s..ts. let us note that they grow out
of those used by the F.C.. Having already shown in the last book that
the sn.s of the F.C., and in fact the real s..t of that degree, is the
transformation of Jehovah into Jeheshue,
we see that this is most appropriate. To use modern language, the
second degree teaches of the birth of the Christ Spirit within us,
while the third indicates that mystically we, like the great Master,
must die and rise again. As St. Paul says, " Die daily in Christ."
The sn.s given are probably all of great antiquity. Of some we have
evidence which shows that they were venerated in ancient Egypt and
Mexico, are still employed in the primitive Initiatory Rites of the
savages, and are associated with the Gods in India. For example, the
P.S. is used by Shiva, the Great Destroyer, Who when He makes it,
holds in His hand the lariet of death. The sn. of G. and D. is found
all round the world, as I have shown in full detail in Sign Language
of the Ancient Mysteries. Ancient Mexico, where Quetzacoatl makes it,
can be matched with Easter Island in the far Pacific, Peru, West
Africa, East Africa, New Guinea, Malaya and many other places.
Major Sanderson points out that the second Cas. Sn. is depicted in
Egyptian pictures as being used by those who are saluting Osiris in
his coffin. Those who desire will find it in Papyrus 9,908 in the
British Museum.
The English sn. of g. and d. (for up till now we have been speaking of
the Scotch form) is almost certainly not the correct one. Its general
appearance would incline one to believe that it is a penal sn., though
whence derived it is difficult to say. A little thought will indicate
the nature of the penalty as being somewhat similar to that of one of
the higher degrees. So far as I can find it is not recognised as a sn.
of g. and d. to-day, except among masons who are descended masonically
from the Grand Lodge of England, but in a picture by Guercino of
Christ cleansing the Temple, in the Palazzo Rosso, Crenoa, both this
and the Scotch form are shown, while the G. of H. constantly appears
in mediaeval paintings, e.g., in the Raising of Lazarus. (1)
The so-called Continental form undoubtedly comes from a well known
high degree, where it is much more appropriate: it is apparently
restricted to the Latin countries, whereas even in Germany it is the
Scotch form that is employed.
The sn. of Exul. is a form used to this day in of Asia to indicate
worship, and was similarly employed in Ancient Egypt. Major Sanderson
suggests that it was copied from the position in which Shu upheld the
sky.
Thus we see that six out of the so-called seven sn.s can be shown to
be of ancient origin, and it is quite probable that further research
will enable us to prove that the other one is equally old. Such sn.s
as these originally had a magical significance, and the explanation
given in the ritual as to their
(1) see The Sign Language of the Mysteries by Ward.
origin is no doubt of a much later date than the sn.s themselves.
Indeed, a careful study of certain of the sn.s will show that they are
not the natural sn.s which would have been used to indicate the
feeling they are said to express. For example, in the sn. of h...r the
left hand would not naturally be placed in the position in which we
are taught to put it, if this sn. had originated as related in. the
story. So obvious is this that some modern preceptors of Lodges of
Instruction have to my knowledge altered the position of the left hand
in order to make it conform to the story, but I venture to think that
in so doing they are committing a very serious mistake, nothing less
than the removal of an ancient landnrark.
Some day we shall probably discover the real origin of this sn., but
if it is altered that will of course become impossible.
The lion's grip and the actual position of r..s...g are equally old,
and, so far as we can find, this manner of r..s...g is employed in
every rite, whether ancient or primitive, which deals with the
dramatic representation of d.. As a manner of greeting it is employed
by the initiated men in many Red Indian Trihes, in West Africa, among
the Senussi in North Africa, and in the Dervish Rites. (1)
The parts of the b. brought in contact with each other are all parts
presided over by some sign of the Zodiac, and there would appear to be
some old astrological meaning which has now become lost. It may
possibly have been connected with Gemini, the Twins, and this fact is
made the more probable by the survival of the name "The Ln's Gr." The
explanation given, although possibly of a fairly recent origin,
nevertheless contains a valuable inner meaning, for it shows that we
cannot hope to advance towards God unless we do our duty to our fellow
men. Thus in dramatic form is shown that the brotherhood of man
necessitates the Fatherhood of God.
It hardly seems necessary in this book to point out again that the
regular st. forms a tau cross and teaches us that we must trample
under foot our animal passions, if we desire to approach near to God.
We note, however, that the Can., in advancing to obtain the s..ts, has
perforce to make three tau crosses, and the Christian Mystic will
(1) For further explanation see Ward, Who Was Hiram Abiff?
doubtless perceive in this a hidden reference to the three crosses on
Calvary.
Finally, as has already been pointed out, the penalties of the first
and second degrees draw attention to two important occult centres, and
so also in this degree the Solar Plexus, the most important occult
centre of all, is indicated, and since the object of every Mystic is
to achieve the Beatific vision, the fact that the monks of Mt. Athos,
near Salonica, do so by fixing their eye on this part, shows that
there is a very special reason for the special form of the p.s of the
third degree.
CHAPTER VI
THE BADGE
On his re-entering the Lodge the Can. is presented, and in due course
invested by the S.W., as in the previous degrees, thereby indicating
that even after death man's spiritual advancement is registered by the
Soul. The Badge itself, however, is full of symbolic meaning, and
though in its present form it is of comparatively recent date, it is
evident that those who designed it had a much deeper knowledge of
symbolism than some modern critits are apt to believe.
Firstly, the colour, which is that of Cambridge University, and
likewise that used by Parliament when fighting King Charles, has a
much deeper significance than is generally known. It is closely
related to the colour of the Virgin Mary, which itself had been
brought forward from Isis and the other Mother Goddesses of the
ancient world. It is possible that the designers were also influenced
by the existence of certain Orders of Knighthood which had their
appropriate colours, for the aprons of Grand Lodge Officers have
Garter blue, but this blue is also the colour of Oxford, and the
colour associated with the Royalist cause at the time of the Civil
War. At any rate, it is appropriate that our aprons should thus employ
the colours of the two great Universities of England. There is, of
course, an exception in the case of the red aprons allocated to Grand
Stewarts, for which there are historical reasons into which we need
not now enter. We may, however point out that the dark blue aprons of
Grand Lodge are often, though erroneously, spoken of as the Purple,
indicating a Royal colour, and thereby implying no doubt that Brn.
entitled to wear this colour are rulers in the Craft, and represent
the masculine element. Light blue, on the other hand, represents the
feminine or passive aspect, and is most appropriate for the ordinary
M.M., whose duty it is to obey, and not to command. Indeed, the M.M.'s
apron contain: other emblems which indicate this feminine aspect.
These are the three rosettes, which symbolise the rose, itself a
substitute for the Vesica Piscis, and they are arranged so as to form
a triangle with the point upwards, interpenetrating the triangle
formed by the flap of the apron. The two triangles only interpenetrate
half way, therein differing from the double triangles seen on the
jewels worn by R. A. Masons, which completely overlap. These two
triangles deserve a little careful study. The lower triangle with its
point upwards is the triangle of fire, the emblem of Shiva, and the
symbol of the Divine Spark. The triangle made by the flap of the
apron, which has its point directed downwards, is the triangle of
water, and is thus to some extent representative of the Soul. These
two triangles are within a sq., the emblem of matter, and therefore of
the body, and so we see that the M.M.'s apron symbolically represents
the triune nature of man, whereas the R.A. jewel, (the only high
degree jewel which may be worn in a Craft Lodge) has these two
triangles within a circle, which is the emblem of the Infinite. In
this case the triangle of water presents the preservative aspect, the
triangle of fire, the destructive aspect, the point or eye at the
centre, the creative aspect, and the circle, the everlasting nature of
the Supreme Being. There is therefore a curious correspondence, and
also a marked difference, between the jewel of the R.A. Mason, and the
apron of the M.M..
Viewed from another standpoint the apron has another set of meanings.
The triangle represents Spirit, and the Sq., matter. The flap forms a
triangle entering into the sq., and so depicts the entry of Spirit
into matter, and therefore, man. The E.A.'s apron should have the flap
pointing upward, indicating that the Divine Wisdom has not yet truly
penetrated the gross matter of our bodies. This custom is
unfortunately going out of use in modern Masonry, which is a great
pity, as undoubtedly a valuable lesson is thus lost. The F.C. has the
flap pointing downward for several reasons. Firstly, to indicate that
wisdom has begun to enter and therefore to control matter; secondly,
to represent the triangle of water and thus indicate that Soul and
Body are acting in unison; thirdly, because this triangle is the
emblem of Vishnu the Preserver, and so emphasises - the fact that the
aspect of God taught in this degree is the preservative aspect,
whereas the addition of the three rosettes in the third degree shows,
not only the union of Body, Soul and Spirit, but also that the great
lesson of this degree is the importance of the Destructive side of the
Diety, or as we may prefer to tall it, the Transformative side.
What, however, of the two rosettes worn by the F.C.? Firstly, they
stress the dual nature of man, and have a very clear reference to the
two p...rs. Similarly, no doubt, they indicate that the F.C. is not
yet a complete and united being ; Body and Soul are in union, but
unlike the M.M., these two are not in complete accord with the Spirit.
Thus we obtain a correspondence between the knocks of the F.C. and the
two rosettes. Furthermore, the triangle is incomplete, showring that
the F.C. is not yet a complete F.M., and this correlates with the
position of the C.s when taking the ob. in the F. C. degree.
Two other features of the apron must also be considered. Firstly, the
tassels, which appear originally to have been the ends of the string
with which the apron was bound round the waist. There is little doubt
that in the 18th century the aprons had not the present symbolic
tassels, but were fastened round the body in a very similar way to
that in which the E.A. and F.C. aprons are to this day. It is
interesting to note in this connection that the actual aprons worn by
the officers of Grand Lodge for the year, as distinct from the Past
Grand Officers' aprons, have no tassels at all.
In the course of years, no doubt, the ends of the strings were
ornamented by tassels, and to this day the aprons of the Royal Order
of Scotland are bounmd round the body by an ornamental cord with
tassels, which are tied in front in such a way that the two tassels
stick out from underneath the flap. These tassels, when the final form
of our aprons was fixed, were separated from the bands which fasten
the apron, and attached to the apron itself, becoming as we now see
simply strips of ribbon on which are fastened seven chains. When this
change took place it is clear that those who made the alteration
deliberately chose the number 7, and intended thereby to convey a
symbolic meaning. We have already explained the numerous symbolic
meanings of the number 7; for example, it represents God and Man,
Spirit and Matter, etc.
Naturally they had to have two tassels to balance, and it would have
been very inartistic to have had four chains on one tassel and three
on the other, and so it would be unwise to lay too much stress on the
number 14, which is the sum total. We may regard it merely as a
curious and interesting coincidence that the body of Osiris was stated
to have been divided by Set into 14 pieces. But in addition to these
details as to the historical development of the tassels, we must not
forget that in many of the 18th century aprons the two p....rs are
depicted. These aprons were usually decorated by paintings on the
leather, and varied considerably from Lodge to Lodge, but one of the
most usual kinds of decoration included the two p..rs, and the
remembrance of these may very probably have influenced those who
designed our present apron.
The modern arrangement by which the apron is fastened, namely, a piece
of webbing with a hook and eye attachment, gave a fine opportunity for
some really profound symbolism, and I feel certain that it was not an
accident which led to the universal adoption of the snake to serve
this purpose.
There are two kinds of symbolism attached to the snake in all ancient
religions. Firstly, the snake as the enemy of man, and therefore as
the representative of the powers of evil; and secondly the snake as
emblem of the Divine Wisdom. " Be ye wise as serpents" does not refer
to the craftiness of the Devil, but to the Divine Wisdom itself.
In Ancient Egypt the Soul as he passed through the Underworld met with
serpents of evil, and also with serpents of good. In India, legend
tells us of a whole order of beings, the Serpent Folk, who are of a
Spiritual nature different from man, possessed their own rulers, and
were endowed with superhuman wisdom. Some of these are considered to
be friendly to man, while others are hostile. The Sacred Cobra is well
known to every student of Hindu religions, and is essentially good.
Actual worship is paid to the Serpent throughout the whole of India,
and in many other parts of the world, and in the Kapala we get clear
traces of the fact that under certain circumstances the serpent is
regarded as "The Shining One" -the Holy Wisdom Itself. Thus we see
that the serpent on our apron denotes that we are encircled by the
Holy Wisdom.
Finally, the serpent biting its tail, and thus forming a circle, has
always been regarded as the emblem of eternity, and more especially of
the Eternal Wisdom of God. Nor must we forget that the snake is
peculiarly associated with Shiva, whose close symbolic association
with the third degree has already been clearly shown.
Much more might be written on the meaning of the apron, but we cannot
devote any more space to this subject, interesting though it may be,
although before considering our next point it will perhaps be well to
recall what has already been mentioned in the E.A. handbook, viz.,
that aprons, in addition to their Operative significance, have right
through the ages been employed in connection with religious
ceremonial. On the monuments of Egypt a garment, which can best be
described as a triangular apron with the point upward, is depicted in
circumstances indicating that the wearer is taking part in some kind
of ceremony of initiation. In ancient Mexico the Gods are depicted
wearing aprons, and it is not without interest to note that the modern
Anglican bishop wears an apron, although it appears to have developed
from a long flowing robe somewhat the shape of a cassock.
CHAPTER VII
THE LEGEND
After the ceremonial investiture of the Cand. the W.M. continues the
narrative of the traditional history. At least this is the case in
most English workings, but in some Scotch workings the whole story is
told first, and subsequently the Cand. and the other Brn. act the
chief parts. Perhaps one of the most important points to realise is
the correct meaning of the name H.A.B. . Major Sanderson in An
Examination of the Masonic Ritual gives the following interesting
interpretations, which we will proceed to expand further.-" The title
H.A.B. is taken direct from the Hebrew of 2 Chron., Chapter 4, verse
16., and means, ` H. His father.' H. means 'Exaltation of light, their
liberty or whiteness, he that destroys'; It is of interest to note
that abib in Hebrew means `Ears of corn,' or `Green fruits,' and there
is just a possibility that this is the correct title of H."
Bearing these translations in mind we at once perceive a whole series
of inner meanings hidden in the name of the principal Architect.
Taking the Christian interpretation of our rituals :-firstly, we shall
remember that Christ said " If I am raised up (or exalted) I shall
draw all men unto me." Secondly, Christ died to make us free, that is,
to give us liberty from the bonds of death and hell. Thirdly,
mediaeval divines were never tired of referring to Christ's whiteness
and purity, and relate many beautiful legends and allegories to drive
home this lesson. One phrase alone will suffice to bring this aspect
of the Christ to our minds, i.e. , that He is constantly spoken of as
" the lily of the valley." Fourthly, He came to destroy the bonds of
death and hell, nor must we forget the old prophecy spoken concerning
the coming Christ and the serpent, representing Satan, " It (Christ)
shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel," Gen. 3. v. 15.
It is of interest to note that Quetzacoatl, the Mexican Preserver, who
fought and overthrew the great giant of evil, was himself smitten in
the foot, near to a fall of water, subsequently died from the wound,
and ultimately rose again from the grave. In India Krishna similarly
died from an arrow wound in the heel. Moreover, in mediaeval frescoes
Christ is constantly represented as crushing the head of the great
dragon under His left foot, while in His right hand He upraises a
staff on which is a cross. Such scenes are usually described as " The
Harrowing of Hell."
Fifthly, if the word abib is the correct rendering for the second half
of the name in question, we get a clear reference to the Sacramental
bread. The ears of corn are obviously synonymous with the wafer or
consecrated bread, which in mediaeval days alone was given to the
laity: while the alternative translation, "Green Fruits," brings to
our mind the Biblical saying that Christ is "the first fruits of them
that slept" (1 Corin, 15. 20). Bearing this possible Christian
interpretation in mind, installed masters will perceive the deep
significance of the P.W. which leads from the degree of M.M. to that
of I.M.
But in addition to these Christian interpretations of H.A.B. there was
yet another, which in some senses may be regarded as older, and the
key to which is supplied by India. In this sense H.A.B. takes on the
characteristics of Shiva, the Destroyer.
Firstly, "Exaltation of life" reminds us of the legend that Shiva on a
certain day increased in stature until He overtopped the universe,
and, as a result, overthrew Brahma, the Creator, and was ackowledged
by Vishnu as His superior. On that great day He gathered unto Himself
the beginning and the end of all things, Alpha and Omega, and
henceforth birth and death alike were in His hands.
Secondly, "Their liberty" refers to the fact that, to the pious Hindu,
Shiva by death grants liberty from the toil and anguish of this world,
and sets the soul free to mount to greater heights of spiriruality.
Thirdly, Shiva is always spoken of as the "Great White God, white with
the ashes of the dead who are ever burned in His honour." Nor must we
forget that these ashes are always scattered to the four cardinal
points of Heaven.
Fourthly, He is in His very essence " The Great Destroyer."
The "Ears of corn" are symbols of Vishnu the Preserver, Who Himself,
according to numerous Hindu legends, was slain and rose from the dead,
thereby paying allegiance to the Lord of Death ; and so:
Fifthly, we obtain the idea of the Resurrection as symbolised by the
ears of corn, which are planted in the earth and bring forth an
abundant harvest, the "Green fruits" of the fields. In this connection
it is as well to remember that the central theme of the Eleusinian
Mysteries was the ear of corn which was shown to the Cand. at the most
solemn point of the whole ceremony, and similarly taught the doctrine
of the resurrection from the dead.
The next point that strikes us in the legend is the number of
craftsmen who "went in search." The Irish version is of peculiar
interest, for it relates that it was the twelve who relented who
afterwards "went in search," and not a new company of ffiteen. In many
ways this is more logical, and certainly has a deep symbolic meaning.
It is logical in that it shows that the penitent twelve did their best
to make amends for ever having allowed themselves to listen to the
wicked schemes of the other three, and the subsequent decree of K.S.,
ordering them to wear white gloves and white aprons as a mark of their
innocence, is most appropriate. It was a public announcement that K.S.
forgave them their indiscretion and acquitted them of responsibility
for the crime.
On the other hand, in our version there seems no logical reason why
K.S. should order an entirely new batch of F.C.'s to wear these
emblems of their innocence, since they clearly had nothing to do with
the crime, and moreover, all the others, except the penitent twelve,
were equally innocent, and should therefore likewise have been
instructed to wear white gloves and aprons. It must be remembered that
these white gloves, etc., were not bestowed as a reward for having
taken part in the search, but are specifically stated to have been
ordered to be worn to denote innocence.
The Irish account goes on to state that the twelve set out from the
Temple and went together in one company until they came to a place
where four roads met, and formed a cross; then they divided into four
companies, and three went North, three East, three South, and three
West. Thus they trod the Way of the Cross. In some old Irish workings
we are told that the three who went North never returned. This
symbolically implies that they went into the Place of Darkness. As the
tendency in modern Irish masonry appears to be to adjust its ritual in
main essentials to our English workings, it is but fair that I should
say that I have a tangible proof of this form of legend, in the shape
of an old Irish apron dated 1790, which, unlike modern Irish aprons,
has a number of paintings on it depicting incidents in the ritual. One
of the paintings shows the twelve F.C.'s separating at the four cross
roads. (See frontispiece).
It is clear from all accounts, whether English, Irish, Scotch or
American, that the scoundrels, the agents of death, were found by
those who went in the direction of Joppa, that is in the W., but we
are left in considerable doubt as to whether the b. was found in the
E. or in the S.. Symbolically, however, it would clearly be in the S.,
for H.A.B., like the Christ, was struck down at High Twelve, when the
sun is in the S.. From a practical point of view it is fairly obvious
that the scoundrels who were carrying away the b. could never have
reached Joppa if they had once gone E., for they would have had to
fetch half a circle round Jerusalem, a procedure which would have
rendered their chance of escape almost hopeless. By going S. they
might hope to throw their pursuers off the track, and then turn back
at an angle, reach Joppa, and escape by boat. That this was their
intention is clear from many old forms of the legend, and especially
in those worked in America. King S., however, foresaw this possibility
and prevented their escape by forbidding any ships to sail. In the
American working one of the officers of the Lodge enacts the part of a
sea captain, and even wears a yachtman's cap. The villains come to him
and beg him to take them aboard, but he refused because of the embargo
ordered by K.S.. That the same incident was known in the old Irish
working is shown by the little picture on the same Irish apron
depicting the arrest of the villains on the sea shore, for in the back
ground there is a ship.
Let us interpret the meaning of the Irish working first. From the
Christian standpoint the twelve F.C's represent the twelve apostles,
Mathias replacing the traitor Judas. But in the non-Christian, and
possibly earlier interpretation, these twelve would of course be the
twelve signs of the Zodiac, searching for the sun which had been
eclipsed. We must never forget that in addition to the deep spiritual
meaning hidden in our ritual there is also a Solar Myth embedded,
which has in the course of years become allegorized and filled with
deeper spiritual truths.
But being English masons we must be prepared to find an explanation of
the fifteen. In ancient Egyptian times the month consisted of 30 days,
and the year of twelve such months, plus five extra days. Now the
first fifteen, of whom twelve recanted, presumably represent the first
half of that month, while the second half of the month is represented
by the fifteen who went in search. But spiritually the meaning of the
fifteen is fairly clear. Man has five senses and is triune in nature,
and thus implies that Body, Soul and Spirit must cooperate in trying
to find God, and employ on that quest their five senses.
Lest there be any misapprehension here I would explain that man is
considered to have not only the five physical senses, but also
corresponding senses of Soul and Spirit. The phrase "To see with the
eyes of the Spirit" is perfectly well known, and similarly we can
speak of the eyes of the Soul. To give concrete examples :-Students of
psychic science constantly speak of clairaudience and clairvoyance.
While it is not necessary to accept this type of phenomena, it is
clearly obvious that if man survives death at all his Soul must have a
means of communicating with other Souls and that these correspond in
some way to our physical senses. In like manner how are we to describe
the visions of the great seers and prophets, related in the Bible,
except by the possession of spiritual sight ?
Bearing this in mind, we obtain the following interpretation of the
fate which befell the three F.C. Lodges into which the fifteen formed
themselves. Those who found nothing represent the physical senses of
man, which are useless beyond the grave : the next company must
therefore represent the Soul, for despite the logic of the physical
world, it is the Soul which realises that death does not end all, and
so it was one of these who r...d the M But the power which tells us
what is right and wrong, and which ultimately punishes us for our
offences, is what we call conscience, and thus assuredly is the Divine
Spark within us-the Spirit.
Let us now turn to consider the details connected with the dlscovery
of the body. The incident of the shrub is such a striking analogy with
a similar one found in AEneid, wherein AEneas finds the body of the
murdered Polydorus by plucking up a shrub which is near him on the
side of a hill, that some students suggest that in the revision of our
ritual this incident was copied from Virgil. But, in Who was Hiram
Abiff, I show that both refer back to an ancient source and have an
allegorical meaning. One proof supporting this view; is that this
particular tree, the Acacia, has from time immemorial been more or
less sacred in the near East. In ancient Egypt the earliest forms of
the legend of Osiris relate that it was an acacia which grew up round
the coffin of Osiris, and not a tamarisk as in the later versions.
(See An Examination of the Masonic Ritual, by Major Sanderson). In
like manner this tree is sacred in Arabia, India, and many parts of
Africa, while it is the Shittim wood of the Old Testament, from which
the ark was made. No doubt in this reverence for the acacia we have a
survival of the primitive veneration for trees, usually spoken of as
"tree and serpent worship." In India the assouata tree is stated to be
a symbol of Trimurti, The Three in One. Its roots represent Brahma,
its trunk Vishnu, and its branches Shiva, the Destroyer.
At any rate we can regard the acacia tree as in itself an emblem of
the resurrection, for the tiny seed which is buried brings forth a
mighty tree, covered with fragrant blossoms.
The account of the manner in which the Cas. S...s came into existence,
though ingenious, can hardly be taken as historic. As we have already
dealt with this point previously, we shall only say that every
folk-lore student is well aware that, in the vast majority of cases,
legends purporting to explain the origin of a certain custom do not
give the real origin at all, but merely indicate that the origin of
the custom has been lost, owing to its great antiquity. The very
manner in which some of the S..s are given is sufficient to indicate
that they did not originate in the way suggested, while, on the other
hand, we find these same S...s all round the world, with entirely
different explanations as to their origin. They are indeed ancient
landmarks, and the utmost care should be taken not to alter them in
any way.
The next incident in the legend is the capture of the scoundrels. In
some rituals it is given with much interesting detail of a picturesque
nature. All agree that they were apprehended in a tavern, and many say
explicidy that it was near the sea shore. Some of the rituals state
that the fugitives were overheard lamenting as follows:- "One said,
'Oh, that my t. had been c.a. rather than I should have done it;'
while another more sorrowfully exclaimed, `Oh, that my h...t had been
t.o. rather than that I should have struck him;' and a third voice
brokenly said, `Oh, that my b. had been s. in t. rather than that I
should have smitten him,' " This last version is of interest as
explaining the legendary origin of the py. of the three degrees, and
incidentally it shows how legend incorporates facts into a story, in
order to explain something whose original meaning is lost. It would
also appear from this version as if the scoundrels had not intended to
actually kill their victim but merely to terrorise him, and in the
excitement of the moment lost their heads. Symbolically this contains
a valuable piece of teaching. According to one interpretation the
three scoundrels represent "The lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life" (1 John, 2. 16). In other words, the sins
of the flesh, the sins of the Soul, such as covetousness, and
spiritual pride, the most deadly of all.
These sins assuredly destroy man both physically and spiritually, yet
it can truly be said that in giving way to them no man intends to
destroy himself. From the more strictly Christian standpoint the three
scoundrels are Herod, Caiaphas, and Pontius Pilate, and it is
perfectly clear that Pilate and Herod, at any rate, did not wish to
kill our Lord; but were caught in a position from which they found it
impossible to escape.
Returning to the deeper mystical interpretation we notice that the
scoundrels were found in the West, the region of Death, which teaches
us that the just retribution for all our sins, whether of body, soul,
or spirit, will overtake us after death, and that though in one sense
it is God, here shadowed forth by K.S., who punishes, yet in another
sense it is our five spiritual faculties which themselves rise up in
judgment against us. We ourselves, doom ourselves, and therefore we
can obtain nothing but strict justice.
Without pretending that we have exhausted this subject, this brief
explanation of the true character of the scoundrels and their captors
must suffice, and we will only mention in passing that here also there
appears to be a half forgotten astrological reference to the three
winter months which oppress the sun.
CHAPTER VIII
THE TRACING BOARD, ETC.
The next part of the narrative is incorporated in most English
workings with the Tracing Board. The most interesting feature is the
description of the g.. It is obvious that peculiar stress is laid on
the centre, even in the present form of our ritual, because of the way
in which the measurements are given. Why should it not have been said
that it was six feet long? In some old rituals the g.. or rather the
monument, is described as a dome, which made a complete circle at its
base, and was three feet from the centre every way. If so it must have
been like a small replica of the earliest form of the Buddhist Pagoda,
and the Master was thus buried at the centre. In that case the top of
the dome would have been five feet from the surface of the ground, and
we should thus get the correct symbolic use of 5 as representing the
body, and 3 as representing the spirit, while enabling the human body
to be decorously interred. It seems probably that when the g.. was
made to conform to the type familiar in England, a desperate effort
was made to retain the 3 and 5. It is worth noting that there is no
mention of the use of any c...f...n, despite the picture on the
tracing board, and if a c...f....n had been used at the supposed date
of the incident it certainly would not have been of the European shape
depicted, but much more like an Egyptian Sarcophagus. Nevertheless,
though the ritual does not justify the existence of any c..f....n on
the tracing board, it was an integral part of the ancient mysteries of
Osiris, and its retention in other ritual is almost certainly an
ancient landmark. On the same tracing board may be seen certain
letters in the Masonic cypher, which are practically never explained.
Very often when transliterated, among other things, they will be found
to give the P.W. leading to the three degree. This fact is of
interest, for the true meaning of that W., as already explained, is a
w...k...r in m...ls, the correct description of H.A.B. The fact that
he was buried as near the Sanctum Sanctortum as possible, symbolically
denotes that he had reached the centre, and was in union with the
Source of All.
The Dormer window historically is the hypostyle, the method by which
Egyptian and classical temples obtained light. The pillars of the
central nave of such temples rose considerably higher than the roofs
of the aisles, thus leaving openings through which the light could
enter the building. These, however, were many in number, and it is
difficult to justify the apparent statement that there was only one
such opening. Symbolically it is intended to represent the means by
which the Divine Light penetrates into the deepest recesses of every
man's nature.
The squared pavement has already been explained under the section
dealing with the mosaic pavement, in the first degree, and our readers
are therefore referred to it. Briefly, it indicates that man's
progress towards the centre is through alternate experiences of good
and evil, darkness and light, mercy and severity, life and death.
The Porch which is the entrance to the Sanctum Sanctorum is the
gateway of death.
The working tools, "as in other cases, contain much sound moral
teaching of typical 18th Century work, but there is one implement
which deserves rather more than passing attention. For what follows I
must express my indedtedness to W. Bro. Sir John Cockburn, P.G.D. The
s..k...t does not appear to be much in use among Operative masons. It
is used by gardeners, but the Operative mason has other means for
marking out the ground for the foundations. This implement has more
than a superficial resemblance to the Caduceus of Mercury, and Sir
John Cockburn suggests that it has been employed to replace this
"Heathen" emblem. For my part, I think this is most probable, for it
is clear that at the beginning of the 19th century a deliberate
attempt was made to eliminate this emblem from our ceremonies. The
jewel of the Deacons in the 18th century was not a dove, but a figure
of Mercury, bearing the Caduceus. A number of these old jewels can be
seen in the library of Grand Lodge, and there are still a few old
Lodges which continue to use them, instead of the modern jewel. Now
this jewel is far more appropriate to the Deacons than is a dove. A
dove is the emblem of peace and a carrier pigeon bears messages, but
neither of these birds do all the work of the Deacons. Mercury,
however, was the Messenger of the Gods, and carried the instructions
of Jupiter, thus fulfilling one set of the duties of a deacon. He was
also the conductor of souls through the underworld; taking the dead by
one hand, and uplifting the Caduceus in the other, he led the Shade
from the grave, through the perils of the underworld, to the Elysian
Fields; before his Caduceus the powers of evil fled. In mediaeval
escatology it is Christ who leads the Souls on a similar journey,
uplifting in His Hand the Cross of Salvation. Even to-day the jewels
of the Deacons in a Mark Lodge bear the Caduceus, a mute but
convincing witness to the use of this emblem in Freemasonry.
We can thus see that on the one hand a deliberate effort was made to
delete from our ceremonies the Caduceus, probably because it was
considered to be Pagan, while on the other hand it was clearly quite
easy for ignorant masonic furnishers, in the course of years, to make
the Caduceus approximate more and more to a masonic tool, so as to fit
it in with other avowedly masonic implemens. As a masonic tool it has
very little significance, even to a Speculative, and is of no
practical value to an Operative, but the Caduceus would be peculiarly
appropriate to the third degree. In short, it is an ancient landmark,
an emblem of the dead and forgotten Mysteries, and symbolical of Him
who leads the soul from the darkness of the grave to the light of the
resurrection.
Before leaving the M.M. degree let me say to all installed masters
that if they have received the P.W., not the W. of an Installed
master, but the P.W. leading from the M.M. to that further degree,
they will find in it evidence not of a mere hint of the resurrection,
but of the Resurrection itself, and a close association with the
version of that doctrine set forth in the life of the Perfect Master.
CHAPTER IX
THE CLOSING
Here we are reminded that we are working in symbolism, for we come
back from the West, i.e., the grave, to this material world. But we
have only obtained substitutes, and we offer them as some consolation
to the spirit, i.e., the W.M. The advance to the centre of the room is
an obvious reference to the other centre. The s...s are communicated
by the body to the soul, which passes them on to the spirit. The
meaning of these s....s is dealt with in the ceremony, but it is worth
noting that the word shows clearly that the s....t is to be found only
through the death of the body. The actual Hebrew word whose corrupt
form we use really means " My son is slain." It is also well to
remember that the p.s. and the s. of G.& D. (Scottish form) are, old
signs which come down from the ancient mysteries, and are still found
throughout the world. A brief summary of that has already been said
may be helpful. The p.s. is often associated with Shiva, the
Destroyer, and is also found appropriately used at Burobudor in Java;
it refers to that occult centre, the solar plexus. In view of what the
lost s...t is, this sign is therefore most significant. In other
words, it is a hint to those who deserve to know while it conceals
from those who do not.
The Scottish sign of G. & D. is found all round the world, and always
has the same meaning of an appeal for heIp. It is used in the most
primitive initiatory rites of a boy into manhood, and in Kenya the boy
takes it to indicate that he is ready for the operation of
circumcision to begin. In Nyasaland, among the Yaos, it is associated
with a grave, and in Mexico the Preserver is shown making it. He was
slain and rose from the dead, and it is constantly found in Mexico in
the form of a carving, consisting of a skeleton cut in half at the
centre and making this sign, as, for example, at the Temple of Uxmal.
The manner of communicating the s..s and the gr. are equally old.
Indeed, the lion's grip appears to be the grip of all the Mysteries.
It was the Grip of Mithra, and by this grip Osiris was raised. Among
the Druids it was also known, as is shown by a carving at Iona. I
have, however, gone into the evidence for the antiquity of our signs
so fully that I will not take up further space here.
We may as well add, however, that the number "5" no doubt refers to
the five senses of man, just as the seven steps remind us of the
Egyptian sub-division of every mortal.
Having received the sub. s...s the W.M., or Spirit, confirms their use
till the true ones are discovered. This last remark indicates that the
quest is not ended or abandoned, in reality it has just begun; the
first stage only has been passed, which stage is death. It also tells
every Craft Mason that he a good craftsman till he has at least taken
the Royal Arch.
Thus the spirit acknowledges that death is a step forward. It has
freed the soul of the trammels imposed on it by the body, and so our
life's work on earth, as symbolised in the Lodge, is closed. The
knocks indicate that the spirit now dominates the soul and body and
before we leave these heights it is well to point out that almost all
the great religious teachers have taught that in some mysterious way
this physical body will be transformed, and still be used after death.
In short, that matter, as well as spirit, is part of God. Science has
shown that matter is indestructable, though its form may be changed
completely, and so even after the symbolical death and resurrection,
three knocks are still required.
CHAPTER X
CONCLUSION
This then concludes the third degree. More than any other degree in
Craft Masonry it has embedded in it ancient landmarks, brought down
from a long distant past. Under the surface lie hidden, meanings
within meanings, which I make no pretence to have exhausted. Already
this book has exceeded in length either of the two previous ones, but
to do full justice to the sublime degree one would require a volume
four times as large as this. I trust, however, that I have given some
help, more especially to younger brethren, which will aid them to
glimpse the deeper side of Freemasonry. If they too will strive to
discover further alternative meanings, I shall feel this labour of
mine has been well repaid.
Let me again warn them that just because Masonry is so old, its
rituals, in the course of years, have been again and again revised,
and newer meanings have continually been grafted on to the old stock.
We are not entitled to say one meaning is right and another wrong.
Both may be right. Christianity itself has taken over a vast mass of
pre-Christian ceremonies and symbols, and the student is perfectly
entitled to consider that both the Christian and the pre-Christian
interpretations of these symbols are equally deserving of respect.
There is also another point which should be borne in mind. Again and
again we find that incidents and phrases which appear to have come
from the Bible, on closer investigation are found not to correspond
exactly with the Biblical narrative. At one time there was a tendency
to say that in these cases it was our duty to substitute the Biblical
version for the "Inaccurate" traditional form. With all due respect I
venture to say that such action is totally unjustifiable. Masonry is
not the Bible. It is a traditional ritual into which 18th century
revisers inserted fragments from the Bible, because that was the only
book dealing with the period of the masonic incidents which was then
available to them. To-day, we know a great deal more about this period
than did our 18th century predecessors, and the modern investigator
has just cause to lament the well meaning, but misdirected, zeal of
these worthy masons, who thereby have probably destroyed for ever
valuable landmarks, which would have helped us to discover the
historical growth and the symbolic meaning of many parts of our
ceremonies.
Such apparent contraditions, and even mistakes, as appear to exist,
should be carefully retained, for they are sure indications to the
conscientous student of a connection with a long distant past, which
modern methods of research may enable us finally to trace to its
origin. If, however, they are revised out of existence, future
generations will have nothing to help them in the task of unravelling
the true history and meaning of Freemasonry.
If a Sn. does not correspond with the explanation of the manner in
which it is said to have originated, don't alter the way of giving the
Sn., for it is an ancient landmark. Rather try to discover if anywhere
in the world that Sn. is still used in some old ceremony which may
throw light on its true origin. If H.A.B. was not buried in a
c...f...n, don't eliminate the c...f...n from the tracing board, but
rather bear in mind that his great prototype, Osiris, was so buried
and that the c...f...n played a peculiarly important part in the
legend which recounts his death : which legend was hoary with
antiquity before K.S. was born.
Finally, let me say that even if a man can never fathom the full
meaning of the third degree, yet there is no man worthy of the name
who has passed through that third degree but will certainly have
learnt one important lesson, namely, how to d., and thereby will be
the better man.
Travel to Freemasonry Watch
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