THE SYMBOLISM OF
FREEMASONRY
From Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
A widely
quoted definition of Freemasonry states that it is a system of morality
veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.
The dictionary defines "system" as an
assembly of objects united by regular interaction or interdependence, in
accordance with some definite method or plan. This conforms to the scheme
of Freemasonry for it certainly partakes of the nature of the definition,
being orderly in its composition and not merely a heterogeneous collection
of maxims, tenets and commandments. One of the foremost characteristics of
our Fraternity is that it has a constant and consistent theme running
through it from beginning to end, by means of which it can be logically
and reasonably explained.
Freemasonry is a system of morality
---- morality used in its broadest sense to portray right and proper
conduct in the relationship of man to God and of man to
man.
Freemasonry is veiled in allegory. It
is the representation of a figurative story of something suggested, but
not expressly stated. And Freemasonry is illustrated by symbols. It uses
emblems and signs denoting an idea, quality or object with an underlying
meaning relating to, but different from, the symbol
itself.
We know that there are many symbols
in Freemasonry as practiced today, but, for the most part, we are not sure
how or when they were placed there. Many of them were employed for the
communication of ideas since the dawn of authentic history. A close study
of the secret societies of the past, especially the so-called Ancient
Mysteries, reveals the use of numerous symbols, which today form a part of
the ritualistic work of Freemasonry. The doctrines of these Mysteries,
whether they dealt with resurrection, eternal truths or speculative
surmises and ideas, were impressed upon their initiates by sign s,
numerals and figures of speech. Today in Freemasonry a comparable
procedure exists.
The symbolism of this great Order is
of two kinds, the apparent and the hidden. The former comprises the use of
the tools and terms of the Operative Mason for speculative purposes. This
is most beautifully and impressively described in our ritualistic work.
However, it is in the hidden or esoteric symbolism that the real
underlying purpose of the Craft is so wonderfully
revealed.
The one fundamental idea sought to be
inculcated by the several "Blue Lodge Degrees" considered collectively as
a system, is to give a representation of human existence and to portray
the beginning, the struggles, the progress of humanity, individually and
as a race.
The Lodge Room itself is symbolical of the world in which we
live. Its shape is one of those things, which have come down to us from
the past. In the days of the Ancient Mysteries, the entire known world was
the land adjacent to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. This was roughly
in the shape of a rectangle or, as it is sometimes called, an "oblong
square, with its greatest dimension extending east and
west.
In a symbolic sense, the initiate in
Freemasonry may be likened to a human embryo about to be born into a new
world. The preparation of the candidate and the circumstances in
connection with his admittance into the Lodge Room, that is, the world,
may well be compared with the condition of a newly-born babe, who has
little or no power over his actions, knows nothing of the new life he is
entering, and who therefore must necessarily depend upon others for
guidance and direction. Likewise, a candidate for Freemasonry must rely
upon others with implicit and unquestioning obedience, for without that
guidance he cannot advance in those ritualistic ceremonies, which depict
the journey of life.
Almost at the beginning of this
Masonic journey, the candidate is impressed with the fact that he must
have a faith in a Supreme Being, the Great Architect of the Universe,
without whose protection man must inevitably fail in the quest for Divine
Truth. This symbolically represents the religious training to which every
child is entitled.
Then the candidate traverses that
road over which all Freemasons have passed, meeting with obstacles here
and there. He is symbolizing the journey of each of us through the early
stages of childhood, encountering difficulties that can be surmounted only
through the aid of a friend. This is symbolic not only of parents,
teachers and elders who lend their assistance at such times, but, in a
large sense, of an all-wise and all-loving Creator with power to help us
in all the troubles that beset us.
On the floor of the Lodge near the
center stands the Altar as it did in most ancient temples. In many Lodge
Rooms, in other Jurisdictions, the floor about the Altar and to the East
is made of tiling to distinguish it from the rest of the flooring. In King
Solomon's Temple the space between the Altar and the Holy of Holies was
forbidden to all except the High Priest. As the Altar stands in the center
of the Masonic Lodge, so does it symbolize that intangible but potent
force, that spark of Divinity, which must operate at the center of Masonic
life--and of all life, if it is to be worthwhile.
As in most organizations and at the
beginning of many enterprises and undertakings, there is an
obligation--literally a "binding to." Here in Masonry, it is symbolic of
those many and manifold ties and obligations which everywhere and always
bind men together, but particularly those which bind men to their
Creator.
Soon there comes to the candidate an
awareness of his real objective, accompanied by the so-called "shock of
enlightenment" or "battery of acclamation," purported to be an imitation
of feigned thunder in one of the Ancient Mysteries. As from time
immemorial, light has signified knowledge, so in this journey of life as
represented by the candidate's Masonic progress, light becomes symbolic of
the mental and spiritual enlightenment which comes to the child as his
mind, conscience and power of understanding are developed and
quickened.
The symbolic significance of the Holy
Bible, the square and the compasses is to remind us of man's duty to
himself, his neighbor and his God. The Holy Bible is one of the great
lights in Freemasonry. In our ritualistic work it is a symbol representing
the Divine Will in all its forms. Its purpose is to emphasize the
important place and the ever-present effect and influence which the Word
of God has in the life of humans and the dependence of all mankind upon
the will of the Supreme Architect of the Universe.
Inasmuch as Freemasonry is basically
monotheistic it should be noted that, whereas we normally use the Bible as
our Volume of the Sacred Law, in certain countries the Talmud of the
Hebrew, the Koran of the Mohammedan or the Veda of the Hindu could, with
equal propriety, be placed upon the Altar.
Consideration is given to symbols
representing the sun, the moon and the Worshipful Master. From the first
two of these, operative Masons of old obtained all of the natural light by
which they fashioned those great cathedrals whose beauty and symmetry
excite our sense of wonder and delight. But all the skill of those
operative Masons would speedily have vanished, had not the Masters of the
Work communicated to apprentices, from generation to generation, that
mental illumination which kept alive the knowledge of architectural
technique through the centuries. For the true significance of these
symbols, we need only substitute in this analogy the idea of the creation
of a house not made by hands, instead of the wondrous cathedrals of timber
and stone, and an illumination that is spiritual in place of that which is
merely physical or mental.
The symbol of restraint, that
typified those various external checks and prohibitions to which the child
must submit, is laid aside. This means that, with the attainment of light,
which represents the accumulation of knowledge and the development of
intelligence, certain restraints are no longer necessary. Hence the youth
is now given more liberty and a fuller measure of self-control and
responsibility.
In most ancient temples, special
significance was attached to the East, that mystical realm of the Orient,
which has long been deemed the region of knowledge and enlightenment. This
belief presumably resulted from the fact that it is in the East that the
great orb of light and life first makes its appearance after the darkness
of night. All Masons, representing mankind in the pathway of life,
approach the East, source of spiritual light, to gain further knowledge
that may be of value and aid in the search for Divine Truth, the real
objective of human existence.
With advancement to the point of
being entitled to wear the Masonic Apron, should come a realization of its
true meaning. It is a symbol of honorable able and conscientious labor
devoted to creating and constructing the work of the hand and the brain.
But, of greater import, it is symbolic of the labor of the soul; arduous,
ceaseless, resistless as mankind struggles forward and upward in its quest
for the highest and best in life.
The twenty-four inch gauge was an
important tool for ancient builders to divide their work into proper sizes
so that each section would properly fit into the whole structure. Likewise
we must measure the time of our lives so that the necessary things will
properly fill their respective places in order to obtain the highest-
objectives.
The common gavel is an appropriate
tool for the Entered Apprentice, since it was used only in the preliminary
shaping of stones and was not adapted to giving finish or polish. It
represents that initial or preliminary training, mental and moral, by
means of which the character of the child is properly shaped and developed
in its course toward man's estate--that progress of which the First Degree
in Freemasonry is truly symbolic.
From ancient times it has been
customary to lay, with appropriate ceremony, the cornerstones of many
important edifices. Always in the days of old, and now, wherever
practicable, this stone is found at the northeast corner of the building.
The seating of the candidate in the Northeast, at the termination of the
Degree, symbolically marks the completion of the foundation upon which the
remainder of the building will be placed. It is the end of childhood and
youth upon which will be erected a life of usefulness and
beauty.
This then is the underlying idea or
plan by which the so-called hidden symbolism of Freemasonry may be
partially explained. It attempts to portray the various steps by which
each and every member of the human race journeys along the pathway of
life.
The symbolism of our Fraternity may
be considered as somewhat dual, or two-fold, in nature. It not only
represents the course of the individual life, but in a larger sense, the
progress of humanity itself. If instead of considering the candidate as an
individual, we think of him as symbolic of mankind as a whole, we can
readily follow the various steps or stages:
(1) the birth of the human
race;
(2) its struggles in the darkness of ignorance;
(3) the
recognition of the existence of a Supreme Power;
(4) the painful
efforts to emerge from barbarism;
(5) the dawn of light;
(6) the
beginning of civilization; and
(7) the slow accumulation of culture
and knowledge.
While our symbolism is of two kinds,
the apparent and the hidden, it is in the hidden or esoteric symbolism
that the primary purpose of the ceremonies of the Craft is revealed. The
great, vital, underlying idea inculcated collectively by the several
symbolic degrees is to give a representation of human existence, to
portray the beginning, the struggles, and the progress of humanity
individually and as a race.
As has been explained, initiation is
employed as a symbol of birth, and the Entered Apprentice Mason's Degree
represents not only birth but also youth and the preparatory or formative
stage of life. Following this preparation, the Fellowcraft Mason's Degree
is the constructive period of manhood and the prime of life. The
reflective phase, including old age, death, resurrection and life eternal,
is symbolized by the Third Degree.
The Second Degree is intended to
portray the advance from youth to man's estate and the assumption of the
duties and responsibilities of maturity.
The square and compasses are
important symbols to which we are introduced. From time immemorial, the
square has been a symbol of the earth and hence of earthly things, while
the compasses, used in describing arcs, has been suggestive of the sky of
heaven and of things divine. Therefore, the relative position of these
Great Lights in Freemasonry portrays an advance in man, an attainment of
knowledge and the cultivation of the mind. The plumb, the level and the
square are working tools of an operative Mason and important symbols in
Speculative Masonry. They have a deep meaning when considered in
connection with our hidden symbolism representing the improvement of. Man
as he journeys through life.
The plumb symbolizes the ideal, which
suggests that we should strive to excel in all worthwhile efforts in
connection with the development of our minds, our souls and our
consciences.
The level represents the democratic
idealism, which urges I us to join with others in enjoying the precious
privilege of assisting and associating with our fellows.
When a perpendicular, such as the
plumb, is joined with a horizontal, such as the level, a right angle is
formed as represented by the' try square of the operative Masons. The
square then, being a combination of the two, stresses the need for a
proper adjustment of valuable qualities which otherwise might oppose each
other. Just as the plumb and level join to form the square, so should man
join the opposites in his nature and adjust their influences in such a
manner as to counter-balance each other in the development of a purposeful
and productive life.
Every Master Mason has witnessed and played an
important role in a drama which has been described as being one of the
most thrilling and impressive known to man. It is as old as the world, yet
ever new. In one of various forms this same legend, in its essentials, has
existed as the most important feature in practically all of the primitive
fraternal secret societies of mankind.
The Hiramic Legend took its place in
our Masonic ceremonies about 1725. It is quite probable that for many
years prior to that date it had been known as one of the cherished
traditions of the Craft.
This legend is part of that system of
Masonic symbolism, which in its entirety represents the life of man and
the progress of mankind. Although we recognize the fate which each one of
us must eventually face, it is comforting to realize that the culmination
of the drama can have no other logical purpose than the symbolic portrayal
of a resurrection and an entrance into that life for which we hope and
pray.
There are numerous interesting and
illuminating elements of symbolism in the Master Mason's Degree, which the
student of Freemasonry should observe and endeavor to interpret. Probably
the most difficult part to understand is the "Word." This has been called
the master symbol by means from which all other symbols take their
meaning. It is derived from the so-called "Mason Word" which was supposed
to have been the principal secret of operative masonry. Symbolically, the
"Word" signifies truth, particularly Divine Truth.
Hence the search for the "Word" is
the symbolic effort to find abstract truth, the divinity in ourselves and
in others. This is a search in which we may come close to truth; we may
approach near to it; we may secure part of it, but that Divine Truth is
boundless in its scope and limitless in its influence. We should be
satisfied to partake of it gradually as it is disclosed to us from time to
time.
Finally comes the crowning glory of
the Master Mason's Degree. Death comes to every man, as it must. Marking
the grave of the Freemason is a sprig of acacia, or evergreen,
symbolically representing immortality. The doctrine of Freemasonry is
firmly founded on a belief in a Supreme Being and faith in a future life.
To the universal and yearning cry of all mankind throughout all ages
Freemasonry answers in its sublime symbolism. There is life eternal. There
is a Great Architect by whose mercy we live again.
It is through symbolism that the
drama and teachings of Freemasonry unfold. Its hidden, or esoteric,
symbolism portrays the journey of man along the pathway of life into the
darkness of death and thence to the brightness and bliss of eternal dawn.
From beginning to end, the Symbolism of our Fraternity exemplifies the
fundamental doctrines of Freemasonry: The Fatherhood of God, the
Brotherhood of Man and the Immortality of the Soul.
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