W. Bro. Ward is one of the most able and earnest of Masonic students.
He brings to bear on the task of research the mind of a scholar, enriched
by extensive reading, much travel and a wide experience of men and
affairs. In addition to being a well known author of Masonic Works, he was
the Founder of the Masonic Study Society, whose first President was the
late Sir Richard Vassar Vassar-Smith, 33 degree, and in whose ranks are to
be found many eminent Masonic writers.
Brother Ward has by precept and example led others to become eager
explorers in the realms of Masonic truth. The present volume is No. 1 in a
series of studies as to the meaning of our Ritual. It deals with the
degree of an Entered Apprentice and is calculated to inspire the younger
brethren with the resolve not to content themselves with the outward form
of our ceremonies, beautiful though it be, but to gain a knowledge of the
indwelling soul of Masonry and to comprehend the deep meaning of the
ritual with which they are step by step becoming familiar.
Hence they will learn to regard the Craft not only as a world-spread,
civilising medium, nor yet only as the most benevolent of all
Institutions, but also as a mine of surpassing wealth in which the Wisdom
of the Ages has become embedded and preserved. Bro. Ward at the outset
disarms anything like hostile criticism by admitting that many brethren
may not find themselves in complete accord with all his conclusions.
Indeed, it would be surprising if this were the case.
Like Holy Writ, the Ritual is capable of many interpretations. It is a
gradual accretion in which succeeding epochs have left their mark.
Evolution takes place under the alternation of forces that make for
difference and agreement. The process demands a continual adjustment
between these apparently contrary, but in reality complementary factors.
Each age sets out to balance any deficiency in the preceding period.
When materialism has been pushed to excess, the tendency is rectified
by a spiritual revival. On the other hand, an age in which zeal for the
gifts of the spirit has caused neglect of temporal welfare is naturally
followed by a renaissance of the just claims of the flesh. The subject
matter of Masonry is the relationship between Spirit and Matter, between
Heaven and Earth, between God and Man, between the Soul and the Body.
Emphasis is everywhere laid on the necessity of their reconciliation.
Consequently to attain the juste milieu emphasis has sometimes to be laid
on one side and sometimes on the other. For example, the Cross and the
Square, which have now such deeply spiritual significance , were
originally signs of Earth, and became respectively, the essential symbols
of Christianity and Masonry, because it was necessary to proclaim the fact
that professions of piety towards God were idle, unless they bore fruit in
kindly relationship between man and man.
Bro. Ward regards the J.W. as representing the body, and the S.W. the
soul, although the emblems and jewel of the former are celestial and of
the latter terrestrial. The fact is that things divine and human are so
interwoven in Masonry as to be inseparable. Duty towards God and towards
our neighbour are but different aspects of the same truth. For the
Fatherhood of God implies the Brotherhood of Man, and, conversely, he who
devotes himself to the service of his fellow creatures proves, through his
brotherly relationship, his descent from the Father of All.
The issue of Bro. Ward's series of handbooks cannot fail to accomplish
its main object, which is to lead not only juniors, but also those well
versed in the ritual, to mark, learn and inwardly digest the significance
of the ceremonies, which when properly understood, causes our jewels and
emblems to glow with an inner light which infinitely enhances their
beauty.
The ready reception which Bro. Ward's books have already received at
the hands of the Craft, prove that they meet a recognised requirement as
expositions of the character of a ritual with whose external features we
are familiar, and in which we take our daily delight.
J.A.C.
The Mysteries
In every race and every clime,
Since the earliest days of Time,
Men have taught the Mystic Quest
Shown the Way to Peace and
rest.
Bacchus died, and rose again,
On the golden Asian Plain;
Osiris rose from out the grave,
And thereby mankind did save:
Adonis likewise shed his blood
By the yellow Syrian flood,
Zoroaster brought to birth
Mithra from His Cave of
Earth.
And to-day in Christian Lands
We with them can join
hands.
J.W.
The W.M. calls the brethren together with one knock so as to remind
them that the body must be prepared to obey the higher faculties, for if
it is not, no spiritual progress is possible. The first question and
answer of the J.W. indicate this quite clearly, for the J.W. represents
the body and so he satisfies himself that man's body is on guard against
outside influences. The S.W., representing the Soul, next proves that all
present have made some progress towards the light.
It is only when this has been achieved that any real advancement
becomes possible, and only those who have started can help those who still
remain in spiritual darkness. The next series of questions indicates that
Man has a seven-fold nature. The Ancient Egyptians held this view , and it
is endorsed in Masonry by the fact that it takes seven to make a perfect
lodge.
There is also, no doubt, an astrological reference to the seven planets
and a connection with stellar worship, but as our system is mainly solar,
it is almost impossible to give a logical planetary interpretation to the
seven who form a lodge, or to the seven officers. In short, the planetary
symbolism has become disorganised by the stress laid on the solar aspect
of the three principal officers who rule a lodge. Moreover, the
predominance of the solar aspect has emphasised the triune nature of man,
and symbolises it in these officers.
Thus it will be seen that too much stress must not be laid on the
planets, as represented by the seven officers, and a passing reference to
the fact that it is still remembered in the number seven is all that can
be logically maintained. Similarly there is merely a hint of the
seven-fold nature of man. If ours were a stellar system, then clearly the
Tyler would represent the body, the divine spark would be represented by
the W.M. , the various officers between would symbolise the various
sub-divisions of the non-materials parts of man, such as his astral body,
his intellectual faculties, and so forth.
Since, however, our system is solar in the main, we should continue to
interpret our symbols from that aspect, making but passing reference to
stellar influences when they occur. The duties of the Tyler are considered
elsewhere, so we will pass to the I.G. Although in some popular workings
he and the other two subordinate officers are not allowed to speak for
themselves, the Wardens doing this work, in many other rituals they are
allowed to answer the W.M. direct.
The I.G. stands for the power which permits the Soul to enter flesh at
any given moment. The Soul may desire to become incarnate, but unless its
time has come it is turned back at the threshold, and even if it forces
itself into birth it is cut short. Entry into life is not an accident, but
ordained of God, Who works through His spiritual as well as through His
human agents. Those who saw Maeterlinck's play, "The Blue Bird," will
remember that the same idea is dealt with in one of the scenes.
Spiritually, the I.G. represents the warning which must be given to
those who attempt, without due caution, to probe into the Mysteries of
God. They must neither rush forward hastily, nor, having once started,
withdraw suddenly; for, if they do, dire evil will befall. This warning
all the Mysteries gave, and it is certain that those who dabble in the
so-called occult run grave risks unless they use the utmost caution.
Hence it is absolutely essential that the candidate should be properly
prepared before he starts on his quest. The J.D. represents the physical
means by which the Soul, represented by the S.W., passes on the
inspirations received from the Spirit, the W.M., to the material world. In
this sense therefore he represents intelligence, and the five senses of
man, whereas the S.D. stands for intuition, whereby the Soul obtains its
inspiration from the Divine.
In the ancient operative days these officers no doubt had a practical
use, the S.D. being the personal messenger of the Master, who took
messages to the S.W., not merely when in Lodge, but when he was at a
distance, employed on his task, or possibly when he was resting from his
labours, In like manner the S.W. 's deacon was sent by him to find the
J.W. The J.W. describes his position in L. and indicates quite clearly
that he represents the Sun at noon.
From the operative point of view it must be remembered that Noon has
always been, and still is, a workingman's dinner hour, hence the special
duty of the J.W. ; but in the spiritual sense, since he stands for the
body, it is natural that he should have charge over the body's needs. As
he also represents the preservative side of God, his interest in the
physical well-being of man is appropriate.
With this in mind the F. C. will realise the significance of the P.W.,
and its connection with C. and W. , which are the emblems of the God of
Vegetation in the more primitive rites. When men evolved, and the solar
system of religion developed, the God of Vegetation became the Preserver.
This characteristic of the J.W. is emphasised by the upright lines of his
plumb, which latter reminds us of water which falls from heaven, and of
the cast marks of Vishnu in India.
This aspect of the J.W., as representing the Preserver , is carefully
maintained throughout the whole of the three degrees and must never be
forgotten. In like manner, the fact that he stands for the body is also
maintained throughout. Bearing this in mind , we shall perceive the
significance of the fact that the Architect of K.S. 's Temple was the J.W.
Finally, bread and water represent the bare necessities, without which
mortal life cannot be preserved.
Luxuries, which are obtained when we have acquired worldly possessions,
i.e., wealth, lead to the death of the soul, and even of the body, unless
employed with the greatest caution. Some masons claim that the J.W.
originally sat in the North to mark the Sun at noon, meaning to see, or
point out, that it had reached the midheavens. Honestly, I can find no
real evidence in support of this view, which likewise places the W.M. in
the West and the S.W. in the East. It is due, in my opinion, to a complete
misunderstanding of the use of the words "to mark."
This phrase implies that the J.W. is placed on a certain spot to mark
the position of the Sun at noon, and not that 'he may see it. In a
closed-in building, such as a lodge room was, it would be desirable to
mark the three positions of the Sun, for the candidate has to pass through
each point in turn, and these three officers, who represent the Sun in its
three aspects, would naturally sit in the positions in use in a
speculative lodge.
Any arguments adduced from the rituals of the modern Operative Lodges
are vitiated by two facts-(1) we have no evidence that this peculiarity is
really old (it may be due to Stretton's inventive mind) and (2) the
Operatives, if old, would be descended from the Guild Masons and not from
the Freemasons ; and this might be a peculiarity of theirs, or
deliberately adopted so as to differentiate them from the Freemasons.
That the Guild Masons and Freemasons were quite distinct has been
proved as far back as 1913, and the fact is gone into in my other book,
"Freemasonry and the Ancient Gods." That the Operatives are not descended
direct from the Mediaeval Freemasons is shown by the fact that they have
entirely different signs from our own. Thus we need not discuss further
the question as to whether the J.W. should be in the North or South.
The S.W., as he indicates in his reply to the W.M., represents the Sun
in its setting, and so the Destructive Side of the Deity, or Shiva. He
also stands for the Soul. Shiva shall close not only our mortal life, but
Time itself. But I have dealt with this side of the S.W. very fully
elsewhere. It should be noted, however, that the S.W. is associated with
level and horizontal lines , and not with perpendiculars, and here again
he follows the Hindu system, for Shiva's caste mark is two or more
parallel lines.
As the Great Leveller this is most natural, and it reminds us that in
the sight of God all souls are equal, even though in mortal life their
stations may appear to differ. Shiva is associated with the element of
Fire, whereas Vishnu is associated with Water, and as we see that great
care has been taken to maintain the connection between the J.W. and Water,
so we find that with us the S.W. is similarly associated with Fire, though
perhaps less obviously.
Firstly, his level is of a triangular form with the point upward, the
world-wide symbol for Fire. Again, the S.W. 's P.W. has hidden within it
the same idea. A smith who works in metals can only do so by the help of
fire, and in one ritual this fact is stressed. Thus metals come out from
the dark earth, and the Sun sinks in the West into darkness and the grave,
as does man. But, by means of fire, man obtains wealth from the metals
hidden in the earth, and in like manner the Soul of Man rises refined and
purified from the grave by means of the divine fire within.
Moreover, one cannot ignore the fact that there is here a hint of the
necessity of the purging fire of remorse to cleanse away our sins. The S.
W. is the Soul, the link between mortal life and the Divine Spark , but he
acts on instructions from the Spirit; in other words, it is only when God
decrees our death that the Soul departs from the body. The W.M.
represents, as his words indicate, the creative side of God and the Divine
Spirit in Man. He sets us to work on earth, but delegates to another the
task of calling us back whence we came.
He represents the male aspect of the Deity, as is shown by the tau
crosses, called levels, on his apron, and by his use of the gavel, which
represents the same emblem. The Tau Cross is, of course, a phallic symbol
and stands for the male and creative aspect in Man. As the three principal
officers represent the Sun (a masculine planet) in various phases, it is
natural that they should all wield the gavel, but the two wardens are less
essentially male than the W.M., as is indicated by the fact that they do
not have the tau cross or Master's level on their aprons.
The Spirit, being active, is male; whereas both soul and body, being
more or less passive, are female. The feminine side of the S.W. or Soul is
deliberately emphasised later-in the first degree-by a reference to the
Moon, a feminine planet, the emblem of the Soul and of the psychic nature
in man. Nor can we ignore the fact that the West is known as the feminine
quarter of the heavens, whereas the East is the masculine; it is also
worth noticing that Shiva is often depicted with the moon.
Finally, before declaring the L. open, the W.M. offers up a prayer,
thereby reminding us that the Divine Spark in Man, or the Spirit, must
turn to the Source of All for aid if it would control body and soul. The
three knocks, as distinct from the one knock with which the proceedings
started, indicate that the members are about to work for the union and
advancement of body, soul and spirit, and not for the body only. But the
way in which the three knocks are given show that, as yet, there is no
unity between the three elements which constitute Man.
The first thing that greets the eyes of the aspirant to our Order is a
man, whom he soon discovers is called the Tyler, standing in front of the
door with a d.n. s.d. in his hand. He naturally wants an answer to the
question which actually occurs in a certain famous old ritual, "Why does
the Tyler wear a s.d.?"-and the answer is, "To guard the brethren and to
hele the Word." Let us consider this answer:- "To guard the brethren. "In
certain old rituals of the 18th century we are told that Masons' Lodges
formerly met in the open-"on the highest hill or lowest valley, where
never dog barked nor cock crew."
Brethren will no doubt have read the interesting article in the
"Masonic Record" relating to this state of affairs, but I am bound to say
that I do not think that the ordinary mediaeval lodge met in such places.
The reference to the cock, together with certain details we possess with
regard to those lodges which did meet in the open, (they were mostly in
Scotland) indicate that they were not ordinary Craft lodges, but much more
probably Templar Lodges.
The Templars in the 18th century claimed to be descended from a body
which had been suppressed in the years 1307 to 1314-, and actually
prescribed. There was every reason therefore why they should meet in out
of the way places, but no such reason existed in the case of a lodge of
ordinary Freemasons. That such a phrase should have wandered into a craft
ritual from Templary is perfectly natural, but it is not safe to argue
from this that all Masonic lodges met under the canopy of heaven.
In those early days, many higher degrees were worked in ordinary Craft
Lodges, in a way not permitted to-day; and this may easily account for
phrases more appropriate to a Templar Preceptory being found in a Craft
working. I might add that until the middle of the 19th century Templar
meetings were always called "Encampments," indicating that they were camps
held in the open fields.
But in mediaeval times we know that the Freemasons had Lodge buildings,
and if they went to a new place to build a church or castle , the first
thing they did was to erect a temporary Lodge room, which they attended
before starting the day's work. Those interested will find abundant
details in Fort Newton's interesting little book, "The Builders." There
also it is clearly shown that there were two kinds of masons in those
days, and the man who conclusively proved this was not a modern
Speculative Freemason.
The two groups were the Freemasons and the Guild Masons. The former
were lineal descendents of the Comacine Masons-who, incidentally, knew a
certain Masonic Sign-and these men were skilled architects, free to go
anywhere. They had a monopoly of ecclesiastical building and of work
otlrside the towns, e.g. castles. The Guild Masons were humbler folk. They
were not allowed to build outside their particular city, but had a
monopoly of all building inside that city, with one important and
significant exception:-they were not allowed to build ecclesiastical
buildings.
In return for their charter they had to maintain the fortifications.
When a church had to be built the Freemasons were sent for, and apparently
they called on the Guild Masons to help them with the rough work, e.g., to
square the stones, etc. I suggest that Speculative Freemasonry is mainly
descended from the Freemasons, whereas the few Operative Lodges that
survive are probably descended from the Guild masons. This theory is borne
out by the fact that while the Operatives have our g.s. they have not our
s.ns, yet these s.ns are unquestionably old.
They would all have the same g. for convenience in proving to the
Freemasons that they were really masons, but they would keep their s.ns to
themselves, as did the Freemasons, since they did not want the other group
to have access to their private meetings. Further, we find that the Master
Masons of the Freemasons were entitled to maintenance as "gentlemen,"
clearly indicating that they were different from ordinary craftsmen (See
Fort Newton).
After the Reformation no doubt Freemasons and Guild masons tended to
amalgamate, and this explains much. Now if the Freemasons erected a lodge
before they started to build a church or castle, we shall see that their
meeting in the open would be merely occasional, e.g., while the temporary
lodge was being built, and not a regular custom ; but the very fact that
is was a temporary building, and open to approach by all and sundry who
came to the site of the new edifice, is quite sufficient to explain why
they had someone on guard.
Why, however, is he called a Tyler, instead of Sentinel, or some
similar name? There are three explanations, and we can adopt which we
please:-
1. To tile is to cover in; hence the Tyler is one who covers or
conceals what is going on in the lodge. 2. In the old mediaeval Templar
ceremony there were three sentinels; one inside the door, one outside, and
one on the roof or tiles, who could see if anyone was approaching the
building. It will be remembered that the old Templar Churches were round,
so that a man perched on the roof was able to see in every direction. 3.
That the tilers were inferior craftsmen as compared with the genuine
Freemasons; poor brethren, as it were, and not admitted to full
membership, although one or two were chosen to act as Outer Guards.
I am not greatly impressed with the latter theory, and my person
predilection is in favour of No. 1 ; but there is a good deal to be said
for No. 2. The tyler guarded the brethren from "cowans" or eavesdroppers.
The former word is still used in the country districts of Lancashire and
Westmorland for a dry-dyker, that is, a man who builds rough walls between
the different fields, of rough, uncut, and unmortared stones.
When I was living in Yorkshire I had a number of fields so surrounded;
the stones for which were picked from the hillside, and piled one upon
another. No particular skill was needed to build such a wall; I repaired
several myself. In other words, a "cowan" is one who pretends to be a
mason because he works in stone, but is not one. Some fanciful derivations
have been suggested from "Cohen," the Jewish priest. I disagree entirely
with this view.
Why should the Jewish Cohens be more likely to pretend to be Freemasons
than any other priests? As the other word is spelt as we spell ours, and
means what I have stated, I see no reason to invent this suggestion
regarding the Jewish priests, who were always few in number, and in the
Middle Ages hardly existed:-the Jews were driven out of England by Edward
I., and not re-admitted until the time of Cromwell. "Eavesdroppers" means
men who listen under the eaves.
The eaves of a primitive or of a mediaeval cottage overhung a
considerable distance beyond the walls, and between the roof and the wall
was an open space. Through this space the smoke of the fire escaped; the
general arrangement being very similar to that found in the tropics. The
walls of such a cottage were often only five to six feet high, and thus a
man could stand under the eaves in the shadow, hidden from the light of
the sun or moon, and both see and hear what was going on inside, without
those who were in the lodge knowing he was there.
But the Tyler was on guard outside the door of the Lodge; he was armed
with a d..n s..d, and woe betide any eavesdropper he discovered, for our
mediaeval brethren undoubtedly interpreted their obligations literally.
Incidentally, I understand that nominally the duty of carrying out the
pen. still rests on the shoulders of the Tyler.
With regard to the use of temporary buildings on or near the site of
the edifice, it should be noted that during the building of Westminster
Abbey there was at least one, if not two, such lodges, and they are
mentioned in the records of the Abbey. One seems to have stood on the site
of the subsequent nave. Thus we can see that it was essential that there
should be an Outer Guard to keep off intruders, owing to the fact that
Lodges were usually held in temporary buildings, often with overhanging
eaves and an open space between the top of the walls and the beams which
supported the roof.
The word "hele" should, in my opinion, be pronounced "heal," not
"hale." The use of "hale" is due to the fact that in the 18th century the
words "conceal," and "reveal," were pronounced "concale" and "revale."
Since the words obviously were a jingle, I consider it is more correct
to-day to pronounce it "heal." Moreover, the word "hele" means to cover
over.
You still hear the phrase used, "to hele a cottage," or even a
haystack, and the word "Hell" implies the place that is covered over,
e.g., in the centre of the earth. "Hele" is connected with "heal"-to cover
up, or to close up, a wound-and the meaning therefore is tautalogical,
viz, "to cover up the word." (The Masonic s -t")
The use of the pronunciation "Hale" is to-day most misleading, and is
apt to cause a newly initiated Bro. to think he has to "hail" something,
or "proclaim it aloud." The C. is taken in hand by the Tyler, who makes
him sign a form to the effect that he is free and of the full age of 21
years. Why "free?" Well, in mediaeval days he had to bind himself to serve
as an apprentice for seven years.
Unless he was a free man, his owner might come along and take him away,
before he had completed his apprenticeship and, worse still, might extort
from him such secrets as he had learnt from the masons. Thus the master
might be enabled to set himself up as a free lance, not under the control
of the fraternity. The twenty-one years is, I believe, an 18th century
Speculative innovation, aiming at a similar object.
I think there is no doubt that usually in the Middle Ages an apprentice
was a boy, who placed himself under the control of a Master with his
parents' consent. The Master was henceforth in loco parentis. In the 18th
century without some such safeguard (as 21 years) some precocious youth
might have joined the fraternity without his father's consent.
The father might have been one who disapproved of F.M., and in such a
case would probably have not hesitated to exercise his parental authority
in the drastic manner at that time in vogue, and so exhort the secrets,
which he could then have "exposed." To-day it is still a very reasonable
clause, for it presupposes that man has reached years of discretion and
knows what he is about.
Any real hardship is removed by the fact the G.L. has power to
dispense, which power it constantly uses in the case of the University
Lodges at Oxford and Cambridge. I myself was one of those who thus
benefited. It is, I believe, still the custom in England that a Lewis, the
son of a mason, may be admitted at 18, though the right is seldom claimed;
but in some countries, I understand, it is a privilege highly valued, and
regularly used by those entitled to it.
In masonry a lewis is a cramp of metal, by which one stone is fastened
to another. It is usually some form of a cross, and a whole chapter could
be written on its significance, but this casual reference must suffice.
The next thing that happens is that the C. is prepared by the Tyler.
This is a very important matter. There seems little doubt that originally
candidates were str..d n..d, and even to-day in the U.S.A. C's are left in
their sh-s only. In Burma we changed out of everything into a one-piece
pyjama suit, a most convenient arrangement.
What we now have is a system by which the parts which have to be b. are
made b. We take our ob. on our L.K., therefore that K. must be B.. Why? So
that our flesh may be in contact with Mother Earth. It is possible that
there was a practical as well as a symbolical meaning in this , and also
in the case of our deprivation of m..s. In some of the ancient mysteries
it has been suggested that a charge of electricity was passed through the
C. as he knelt at the altar, either from a battery, or by what is now
called magnetism.
If any question the use of electricity in those days, I would point out
that certain statements of Herodotus, to the effect that the Egyptian
priests brought down lightning by means of rods, can best be explained by
admitting that they had some rudimentary knowledge of electricity. The
b.b. is in order that the S.I. can be applied.
The Scotch ritual, however, says it is to show your sex, but I am
inclined to think this is a modern gloss. Personally, I should not regard
this as conclusive proof in itself, for I have seen (when abroad) many
well grown girls who had no breasts worth mentioning, while many native
men had quite well developed busts.
It should always be remembered that this is the degree of birth and we
were born n..d.. We are s. s. because we are about to tread on holy
ground, just as in the East we wear slippers when entering a mosque. It is
probable that the Scotch ritual has preserved a real tradition when it
refers to the custom in Israel of removing a shoe, as a witness, when
confirming an obligation.
Those interested will find the details in Ruth, where Boaz under-takes
to marry Ruth. A.C.T. is placed about his n.. This piece of symbolism is
old and world wide. On a vase found at Chama, in Mexico, several
candidates are depicted going through a ceremony very similar, apparently,
to a certain degree in M.,* One is being taught a certain sign, and the
others wha stand waiting their turn all have C.T.s with a running noose
about their necks.
In India this C.T. is the emblem of Yama, the God of Death, with which
he snares the souls of men and drags them forth from their bodies. It is
carried by - Shiva to indicate his destructive character in relation to
human life. There are in masonry meanings within meanings, and I will
therefore indicate a few of those associated with the C.T. , but I shall
not do so with all the details upon which I shall touch. The C.T. is an
emblem of Death.
It is fastened round the necks of captives as showing that they are at
the absolute mercy of their conqueror. Thus the burghesses of Calais had
to come before Edward III. in their shirts-note that-with c.T. 's round
their necks. They were only saved by the desperate pleading of good Queen
Philippa. But this is the degree of birth. Some come into the world with a
caul which may strangle them if not removed, and in any case we are said
to be born in original sin and therefore doomed to die.
*See "Freemasonry and the Gods" Birth, in the very nature of things,
means death, and that is why the Hindoos have made Shiva, the Lord of
Death, also the Lord of Birth. We ourselves are captives-souls bound by
the chains of the flesh-and offenders against the Law of the King of
Kings. Further, we come in bondage to sin, seeking to be freed from our
bonds by the word of God.
The holding of the C.T. , and the dangers entailed, are sufficiently
explained to need no further mention just now, though this does not imply
there are not inner meanings. The h.w. is always found in every great
initiatory rite. In general, it reminds us that as in the physical world
we came out of darkness into light, so in the intellectual, and finally,
in the spiritual world.
We come into masonry seeking the Light of God's word. In other
language, to try and comprehend through the use of symbols what God really
is. But as the veil of darkness is slightly lifted as we grow in years and
our intellect awakens , so it is in the craft, and the first thing we see
there is the V.S.L., itself a symbol of Divine inspiration; for without
the Divine spark, which speaks from the inmost recesses of the soul, we
shall remain in spiritual darkness all our natural life.
The C. is then brought to the door of the L. and challenged, but
strange to say, in our ritual there is no p.w.. There was once, I have no
doubt, and it is still in use in Scotland, Ireland and U.S.A. Moreover, it
is one of the tests there when visiting, and if a man cannot give it he
will run a serious risk of being refused admission. Strange to say, we do
get it inside the Lodge, though perhaps most brethren do not realise it.
It is "The T. of G.R." (sometimes it is "Free and of G.R.," though this
is less usual). But before entering we are deprived of M.. Now, among the
Dervishes M. = mineral substances, but we interpret it M . . . 1. It is M
. . . 1s!-that is important. "Valuables" is a real, but subsidiary,
meaning. Let us consider this carefully. There is an explanation of why it
is done in the lecture,-now, alas, seldom read in Lodge-and also, of
course, in the questions.
These lectures were the real instruction; on them were based the
tracing board Lectures, which were pictorial summaries, on which were set
certain questions. Now the lectures (which can be bought at any Masonic
furnishers) tell us that at the building of the Temple no metallic
implements were used. Why? Because metals came from below. They were the
gifts of the Thonic Gods:-the Gods of the Underworld-useful, no doubt, but
being gifts of the Gods of the Underworld they were in their very nature
evil, and abhorrent to the Gods of Light, whom the white races worshipped.
For this reason the Egyptians continued to use stone knives to open the
corpse preparatory to embalming it, long after they used metal knives
constantly. The holy dead must not be polluted with the gifts of the evil
powers. If there is anything in the theory of an electric or magnetic
discharge being made at the time when a metal point is applied to the n.
1. b. at the ob. , this would also be a practical reason; the presence of
metal might make such a charge dangerous.
But the first reason is no doubt the original one, and probably the
only one. The idea that we bring nothing into this world is, of course,
likewise obvious; but its full significance is lost in our ritual,
although seen in the Irish. There a C. is deprived of metals in the first
and in the second degrees. The significance of this will be realised by
M.M.'s if they ponder awhile on the meaning of the S.W.'s P.W.- "How
hardly shall a rich man enter the kingdom of Heaven." That worldly
possessions hamper a man's spiritual progress is proclaimed by every
religion in the world which can truly be called great.
The Buddhist monk and the mediaeval friar alike agree on this. Why
p.w.s. at all? Here we wander into a strange field, no less than that of
old world magic, I think. The C. enters an E. A. Lodge from the outside
world. Prior to his entry this Lodge has been opened by a peculiar
ceremony :- a ceremony which, in the technical language of magic and the
occult, raises the vibrations of those present; thus they are , as it were
, raised to a higher key, and force is generated.
Now those who have studied such matters know that a body of men who are
all concentrating on a particular subject do generate a peculiar, subtle,
but powerful force, which has not been accurately defined by science , but
is loosely called magnetic. In the old days of phenomenal magic certain
words, when uttered in the correct tone, were believed to be in consonance
with this "power," like a tuning fork is to a violin.
Therefore we give this p.w. to the C. to raise him quickly to the same
"power" as the Lodge. But I am afraid I may be getting rather deep for our
younger readers. All I need say further is that such p.w.s are universal
in the great mystery rites, ancient or modern, and it is not surprising,
therefore, that in some rituals we find a P.W. leading to the 1 degree.
Now our C. enters and is received on a S.L.. This signifies many
things, one idea lying within the other. It reminds us of the pain we, as
distinct from our mothers , suffered when we entered this physical world.
It is a test of our courage and obedience. Probably in olden days blood
was drawn, as a sacrifice. The Can. comes seeking for knowledge;
self-restraint and quiet confidence should mark his bearing.
In all primitive initiatory rites most painful tests are applied, and
if the candidate does not bear them with courage he is rejected, and told
that henceforth he is to dress as a woman and will be treated with
contempt by the men of the tribe. We note that the instrument is a Latin
cross, the age-old symbol of suffering, and this is the only place in the
Lodge where the C. sees this cross, (e.g. when it is shown him later)
though M.M. 's may realise that there does come a time when he treads the
Way of the Cross of suffering.
The use of a Latin Cross as the S.I. is peculiarly significant, for it
is associated with pain and the danger of death, and tells us, in symbolic
language, that the way of life is the path of suffering, and begins with
the threat of death and ends in death itself: but by this hard road we
draw nearer to the object of our quest. Next the C. kneels while the
blessing of H. is invoked.
This needs no explanation, for he is about to start on The Quest and
needs Divine help. But the phrase, "Relying on such sure support, you may
safely rise and follow your leader, . . . , for where the name of God is
invoked we trust no danger can ensue" seems pointless in Emulation
working, for the danger was at the door and is passed.
At Leeds, however, they have a working which is, they say, derived from
the Old York ritual, and it does explain this passage. I saw this ceremony
at Alfred 306, Leeds. The C. was brought in h-w and bidden to k . . l.,
and after the prayer, the W.M. said:- "Mr. Brown it is but fair to tell
you of the perilous position in which you are now placed.
Before you stand one with a d.s. in his hand, pointed at your n. l.b. ,
and behind you one holds the end of the c.t. which is about your neck; in
this position of difficulty and danger, in whom do you put your trust?"
Answer:-"In God. " W.M.:-"Right glad am I to see your faith is so well
founded; relying, etc." Here you see the C. is in danger. Next the C. is
taken round with the Sun, for this is the road of life , and in all
ancient religions on entering a temple a man had to follow this path.
In Burma to this day you are expected to pass round the pagoda in this
manner. The words are:-"Brethren in the N.E.S. and W. will take notice. "
It is clear therefore that emphasis is laid on the fact that the candidate
is following the path of the Sun, for otherwise why not employ the more
usual phrase, "North, South, East and West?"
Now the Swastika, which may be regarded as the "lost sign" in
Freemasonry (+), indicates the path of the Sun and is the emblem of life,
whereas the Suwastika is the emblem of the life beyond the grave, for,
according to ancient symbolism and eschatology, the departed soul went
through the underworld the reverse way, just as the Sun was supposed to
do, e.g. W.S.E.N.
This then, is the road of the Spirits. Thus the candidate starts on the
symbolic (+) First suggested by Wor. Bro. Sir John Cockburn. journey of
life, and in some of the eighteenth century rituals there is evidence that
the way was made hard and difficult, to symbolise the trials and
tribulations we meet with in life , particularly if we strive to attain to
the Light.
This lesson is still taught in certain foreign rituals. In "Freemasonry
and the Ancient Gods" I have discussed the probability of the theory that
the Swastika was once used in our Lodges to represent God, as it still is
in the operative lodges, and have shown that a square-a-gamma *, the Greek
"G," and therefore that the fourfold gamma represents the four letters of
the Hebrew alphabet which denote the sacred name of God.
I refer again to this point later, and so will content myself with
saying that in an operative lodge the Swastika if formed of four
gallow-squares, one of which always rests on the open volume of the Bible,
while the other three belong to the three Grand Master Masons, and are
placed by them on the Bible before opening the Lodge, in such a way as to
form a Swastika.
Thus even to-day in the manner of our progress round the L. we are
reminded of that age-old symbol, which is found all over the world, *First
suggested by Wor. Bro. Sir John Cockburn. representing Life and the Sun,
the latter being itself an emblem for God. The C. is then told to step off
with the l. f. f.. Why? Because the Preserver in ancient mythology is
always depicted as trampling with his l. f. on the Serpent of Evil.
This is so, alike in ancient Egypt, in India and elsewhere. But some
may ask "Why should Horus or Krishna plant his l. f. on the serpent of
Evil?" Major Sanderson, who has spent many years in Nyasaland as Medical
Officer of Health and has been initiated into several native rites, tells
me that among many primitive races there is a superstition that when
entering a shed where rice is stored one must enter r. f. first, "so as
not to hurt the Spirit who rules over the rice store." The same idea
prevails among these people wherever food is stored, and we here get an
explanation of "l. f. f.".
When fighting against the Spirit of Evil you do desire to hurt him, and
so reverse the superstition, and step off l. f. f.. This is Major
Sanderson's view, and I consider it is probably the correct one. It may
also be well to point out that our ceremonies have come in contact, at
various periods, with many different religious beliefs, and this fact
explains why there are often several meanings attached to certain points
in the ritual, all of which may be correct.
The great serpent, Apepi, in Egypt, represents the powers of spiritual
evil, e.g. the Devil. But it also specifically refers to ignorance, as is
shown in the Indian legend in which Krishna tramples on the five-headed
cobra. The five heads, moreover, also have a reference to our five senses,
which in that allegory must be cleansed of every evil thought. Thus we may
consider that the World is represented by the C.T. and H.W., and the
brotherhood helps us to free ourselves from them.
The Flesh is represented by the f. r. s. , in which we "trample" on the
Tau Cross, while the Devil is represented by the snake, of whose existence
we are reminded by the warning to "step off with the l. f. f.". Strictly,
the C. should enter the L. in the N. , not in the West. The North is the
place of darkness, and at birth we come out of darkness into physical
light, and so in the spiritual journey.
This is done at Leeds. Out of darkness, Light. But the Light shineth in
the darkness and the candidate comprehends it not, for the darkness of
gross materialism is upon him until he kneels before the emblem of the
divine light, the V.S.L.. The C. is then challenged by the J.W. and the
S.W.. The J.D. gives the pass word "Free and of G.R. ," and the Wardens
acknowledge its potency and bid him enter (Note "enter,") as if he were
outside a door on which he had knocked for admission.
This brings to our mind the three regular knocks. For reasons which
cannot be stated here, but which I will deal with more fully later, I
suggest that the E.A. knocks remind us that man is Body, Soul and Spirit,
and as in this stage of ignorance the Body is as important as the other
two, the three knocks are all of equal duration. Lest any misunderstand
this, I would argue that in the process of creation the Spirit first comes
from God, secondly, clothes itself with a Soul, and finally enters flesh.
Thus, the first knock represents the Spirit, seeking God whence it
came, the second, the Soul, and the third, the Body. To understand the
full meaning of this passing by the Wardens one needs to consider why the
C. is being led round the L..
There are two reasons given- (1) To show that he is properly prepared.
(2) To show that he is a fit and proper person to be made a mason. Being
made a mason symbolises the birth of the Christ within, and before anyone
can attain to this mystical re-birth he must have progressed some way
along the road of evolution, have gained certain experiences, and learned
certain lessons.
Think again of the P.W., F. and of G.R.! In the earlier stages man is
bound in materialism earthly things satisfy, and he is ruled by his
physical passions. The C. for masonry has begun to desire more than the
material: he has felt the desire for spiritual growth and knowledge, and
so has become "free. " This is recognised as he passes the J.W. , who
represents the Material Nature. Next he approaches the S. W.- the
representative of the Soul-and with the aid of the P.W. is again bidden to
enter.
Notice, having passed the material stage, when the Body reigns supreme,
the Soul immediately, takes control, and presents the C. to the W.M.- i.e.
the Soul calls upon the Divine Spirit of God to give L. to the C. The
reply is significant, but is almost incomprehensible unless one
understands the symbolical journey which the C. has just taken, and one is
apt to wonder why the questions which follow were not asked at the very
beginning of the ceremony.
Really they are most important! They constitute the final testing of
the C. before he is bidden to advance towards the E. to receive the L. ,
and enter on the pathway which begins with initiation and ends with God
Himself. Also they "are very searching: the C. being required to declare
solemnly that he comes seeking knowledge, not because others desire him to
do so, nor yet for unworthy motives of personal gain, but because he is
prompted from within by a genuine desire to help Humanity.
Then follows a hint that the journey upwards is by no means easy, and
patience, perseverance, caution and courage are essential if we are to
achieve our goal. The C. having replied satisfactorily, the S.W. is given
permission to direct the guide to instruct him in the proper method of
advancing towards the L. This is by three squares which symbolise, not
only uprightness of life, but also the three letters of the Great Name,
Yod, He, Vau; Male, Female, and Variable.
In other words, God the Father, Mother, and child; and the fourth
square is on the Ped., which gives us the final He, or the complete name
of Him we seek,- Jehovah, or J.H.V.H. But the letter HE (pronounced Hay)
is female, and its female aspect is emphasised by the position of the sq.
and c.s., which form a lozenge, itself a well known symbol for the Vesica
Piscis, as all who study heraldry know ; for in heraldry a woman's arms
are placed, not on a shield, as are a man's, but on a lozenge.
A great truth is here taught,-that each soul is part of the Divine
whole and cannot be separated from the God we seek. The C. is only just
about to emerge from the darkness of gross materialism, yet the God he
seeks is within him. True He is so veiled that many do not realise His
presence, just as hundreds of C's tread out the proper steps without ever
realising their full significance, but those who rise above the material
start on the path of return to God, and each stage that they pass as they
progress along the path, reveals more fully His Nature and Being. Notice,
the C. only treads three squares,-Yod, He, Vau; Male, Female, Variable;
the fourth square needed to complete the whole is on the Ped.
This is particularly significant-never whilst in the flesh shall we be
able fully to comprehend His nature. No finite mind can comprehend the
Infinite Deity. It is only after we have left the first initiation long
behind, and travelled far, that we can hope to obtain that transcendent
knowledge which enables us to understand fully, the Nature and Being of
Him Who is the beginning and end of all.
Again comes the reminder that Masonry is free ; entrance to the path
can only be gained by those who hear the call from within. No-one is
coerced;-even at this late stage the C. is given an opportunity to retire.
Thus he is asked if he is willing to take a serious Ob., and on his
agreeing to do so, the W.M. directs him to k. on his l. k. etc.
It should be noted that the l. side of an individual is usually said to
be "Femine," and it is not surprising, therefore that in this, the first
and femine degree, the C. is told to k. on his l. k.. Notice the exact
position! On the l. k. keeping the r. f. in the f. of a s. Now when you k.
on the l. k. you must of necessity form a sq. at that k. , and, if you try
it, you will find that you cannot keep the r. f. in the form of a sq.
without keeping the r. k. in the form of a sq. also; so once again we get
three sq's, with the fourth on the Ped.
Thus we get another glimpse of the truth already hinted at, that each
soul is part of the Divine whole, and cannot be separated from God. The C.
is only just about to emerge from the darkness of ignorance , and yet he
is instructed so to k. that by his very attitude, -i.e. by forming three
sq.'s with his body (the fourth being on the Ped.) he shows symbolically
that the God he seeks is within.
Possibly the C. is not conscious of His presence , any more than he
realizes the significance of the steps by which he approached the Ped. ,
or of the posture he assumes as he k's thereat, yet verily God is with
him, and within him, and, be the journey short or long, back to God he
must return. Once a M. , ever a M. , there is no such thing as straying
permanently from the path.
Why should there be any ob. ? In all the ancient mysteries an ob. was
exacted, and for this reason: -The secret teachings given in these
mysteries disclosed an inner meaning, often of a most exalted kind,
unsuitable for the general public, who were lacking in education. In the
ancient world the external religion, with its worship of many gods, suited
the ordinary man in the street, who was incapable of comprehending more
advanced spiritual truths.
It would have been dangerous, alike to the populace and to the
preacher, to have shouted aloud such a doctrine as the essential unity of
God, and still more fatal to have attempted to describe His Nature. The
danger to the populace was that the preacher might have destroyed their
belief in the religious system in which they had been reared, while
failing to convert them properly to the new doctrine.
For the preacher, the fate of Socrates, and the failure of the
so-called heretic King of Egypt-who tried to popularise the worship of the
one God, under the symbol of the Atendisk, or disk of the Sun-are
sufficient evidence of the risks which would be encountered. Moreover,
these mysteries all purported to teach certain occult secrets, whose
diffusion among vicious, or ignorant, men would have been dangerous. Even
in the Middle Ages these dangers were still very real.
Any deviation from orthodoxy might have endangered the social fabric of
the community, and such an attempt was certain to involve the advocate of
new doctrines in a struggle with Church and State which could only have
ended at the stake. Within an oath-bound Society men felt free to
speculate and compare their personal standpoints, while to the outside
world they continued to conform to orthodoxy.
The fate of the Templars must have been an ever present warning to the
speculative mind, in the Middle Ages. In addition, there is little doubt
that the building trades, like other Guilds, had important trade secrets,
and wished to safeguard these from interlopers. A mediaeval Guild , on the
one hand protected the interests of its members, while on the other it
trained those members, and inspected and passed their wtirk; thus
protecting the community from deliberate fraud or careless work.
Nor must it be forgotten that in a building bad work might involve
actual danger to the users of that building. For all these reasons it was
right and proper that no one who was not a member of the fraternity should
be in possession of its trade secrets. The ob. is undoubtedly ancient, but
its full significance is realised by few. The penalty is d. , and in the
Middle Ages I do not doubt that it would have been enforced, though to-day
it is purely symbolical.
Studying it carefully, we note in passing the word "hele," whose
meaning has already been explained, -and also that every printed ritual in
existence is a clear breach of our Ob. The strict interpretations of this
clause is one of the reasons why we cannot expect to find any mediaeval
rituals, although the fact that the bulk of the members in those days
could not read or write would lessen the temptation to make them.
From a practical point of view, however, the essential object to-day is
to prevent anyone who has not been regularly initiated from entering our
Lodges and the printed rituals usually does this, for s. ns., w.s. and
g.s. are missing and a careful cross-questioning would undoubtedly lead to
the discovery of an imposter, even if he could produce a stolen G.L.
certificate. In the altered conditions of the present era our secrecy is
more of the nature of privacy, unlike that which prevails in a political
secret society, which usually has revolutionary tendencies.
The old penalty has many striking points. It means that the culprit
will be sl., and his b. b . . d. in unconsecrated ground. More than that,
the ground can never be consecrated, and, according to the beliefs of the
middle ages, and also of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, the soul of a
man so buried could not rest in peace , but would wander up and down in
misery till the Judgment Day.
Suicides, for a similar reason, were buried at the cross road, and to
prevent their bodies being used by vampires a stake was driven through the
middle of the body to keep it nailed down. (It should be noted than even
in England the p . . . s vary in different localities). Thus the culprit
is not only d. . . . d to d . . . h, but to be a wandering outcast spirit
till the day when the Great Judge consigns it to Hell. It is not perhaps a
very charitable, or Christian idea, but that is what is meant all the
same.
The T. is removed so that he cannot s. on his own behalf at the
Judgment Day. The more effective punishment is, of course , a later
"gloss," inserted at a time when; owing to better police supervision, it
would have been dangerous to the members of the Order to enforce the
ancient py. To-day, in England, it is the only effective penalty, but in
some foreign countries d. is still enforced under certain circumstances.
In such cases, however, the Lodges are usually strongly political and
revolutionary in tendency. But with us it still remains an obvious
symbolical meaning. Immediately after the Ob. the W.M. says, "Having been
kept . . . ."etc. We have seen that the C. has already been asked several
questions ; these have gradually led up to this, the greatest and most
important! Now the climax is reached. It is as if the W.M. says, you have
declared that you are here of your own free will, not for unworthy
motives, but led by an earnest desire for knowledge.
Your humility and obedience have been tested, and you are therefore
entitled to request the fulfilment of the greatest desire of your heart.
The question put at this moment can be answered by no one but the C. , for
it is meant to teach him that essential lesson that no appeal for L. is
ever made in vain. His answer given, the w.M. says, "Then let . ." etc.
Notice the word restored.
Mystical rebirth marks the beginning of our journey towards God the
Light, of our ascent towards God, but it is a restoration,-a journey back
to Him from Whom we came. Exactly the same procedure is followed in the
initiatory rites of the Turkish Dervishes. Among them, however, the
incident is followed by a beautiful exposition of the mystical meaning of
Light.
It is the Divine Light, emblem of God Himself, and of Divine
inspiration. It is, moreover, present, not only in the sacred writings,
but in every true believer's heart. The light of the sun itself is but a
faint similitude of the Divine Light of God's love, through which, and in
which, we have our being. Though not expressed in our ritual , this act
has the same inner meaning, as I have explained.
So to the C.L. is restored, and he sees, what? The V.S.L. , the S. and
the C.s. The V.S.L. is in a place of honour, because without its divine
standard and authority the S. and C.s. placed thereon would be practically
meaningless. These latter form a lozenge, which as I have already said ,
is a well known symbol for the Vesica Piscis , which represents the female
or preservative principle of the Deity, without which we could not exist
for a single day, or hope to be preserved from the powers of darkness
which threaten us upon our spiritual journey.
Thus the W.M. 's words teach the aspirant that we have a duty to God,
ourselves, and our brother men. The C. is raised with the proper g. , but
this is not explained at once. Rather his attention is directed to the
three lesser lights, which we are told represent the Sun, Moon and the
Master. As our Lodges are at present arranged the W.M. should point to the
S. for the Sun, and to the W. for the Moon , but it must be admitted that
the lesson to be derived from these three luminaries is not very clear.
Indeed, the Moon plays no real part in our mysteries, which are
essentially solar in character, while the implied contrast between Sun,
Moon and Master is in no way helpful. In reality the three lesser lights
are the W.M. and his two wardens, with their respective candles, and these
officers have a real symbolic meaning of great importance, which symbolic
characters they maintain consistently throughout all three degrees.
My personal view is that it was to the lights on the pedestals, and
their respective officers, that this phrase originally applied, and that
the Sun and Moon are 18th century interpolations.
THE THREE PRINCIPAL OFFICERS In any case this makes a convenient place
in which to consider the symbolic meaning of the three principle officers
in a lodge. The W.M. represents the rising Sun, and in this sense he
covers two distinct meanings: the first in connection with the nature of
God, and the other with regard to the nature of man. And a similar dual
character exists in the case of S.W. and J.W.
The W.M. represents God the Creator, He who calls the Lodge into being,
He who created the World out of Chaos. In India this aspect of God, the
Incomprehensible, has been individualised as Brahma, so that the devotee
many be able to comprehend Him, at least in part. It is the Master who
opens the Lodge, who calls it out of nothing. He sits in the East, the
place of light; but though he opens, he does not close the lodge.
That is the work of another aspect of the Divine Being. In the nature
of man the W.M. represents the Spirit, the Divine Spark within us, ever
striving for the light, never truly separated from the divine source of
its being. This dual aspect of the W.M. and his principal officers must be
borne in mind, if we are to delve down into the inner, or esoteric,
meaning of our wonderful rituals. The S.W. represents the Setting Sun, and
hence the Destructive, or Transformative , aspects of the Deity.
Among the Hindoos this aspect is called Shiva. He shall one day close
the Grand Lodge of this World, when time shall be swallowed up into
Eternity. The S.W. closes the Lodge. As the Destroyer he reminds us that
Death, the great leveller, will bring all men low, and his symbol is the
Level. This in itself reminds us of the caste mark of Shiva, which
consists of horizontal lines. But in the nature of Man he represents the
Soul, which alone enables the Spirit to raise the body towards divine
things.
Without the medium of the Soul, the Spirit would be unable to influence
the body. It is for this reason that the C. is invested in craft masonry
by the S.W. or Soul, and not by the W.M. , representing the Divine Spark.
Thus we learn that we must raise ourselves , step by step , towards the
Divine Light. Shiva is, above all, the great M.M..
The J.W. represents the Sun in its Meridian. He stands for the Way of
Life, the balance between birth and death. His is the sunny side of life.
He calls us from labour to refreshment and from refreshment to labour. In
the divine aspect he represents the Preserver, called Vishnu in India, of
whom it is stated that as Rama he sent the skilful craftsmen , Hanuman ,
to build the bridge for Him , by means of which He crossed the straits to
fight against the powers of evil in ancient Ceylon.
Vishnu is associated with the element of water and with corn, and his
caste mark is a perpendicular, straight line , referring to the rain which
falls from heaven. This symbol is remembered in our lodges by the plumb
rule. In the nature of man he stands for the body, which perishes. He is
H.A.B. in the Grand Lodge at Jerusalem. He represents the life and
sufferings of the body, only terminated by death; the body which in every
man dies before its divine work is accomplished.
Our divine temple is not finished at death: all that we can hope is
that the foundations have been well and truly laid. In short, in this life
we cannot hope to "see God face to face," nor, being finite, can we truly
comprehend the Infinite , but we can hope to make such progress that, when
called hence, we shall be able to continue , and complete , the work of
our own salvation on the foundations of a good and spiritual earthly life.
Finally, it will be noted that in every degree these three officers
co-operate to advance the C., and so it is in the spiritual life, for
body, soul and spirit' must co-operate if real progress is to be attained.
Next the C. is informed of the three great dangers-note the triplicity
again-and the few sentences devoted to them must be considered in the
light of what has already been written by me on the S.I., the C.T., and
the Ob..
At the door of the L. the C. was in great danger, because entrance
thereat marked the beginning of the ceremony of initiation into m., and
initiation symbolises the mystical re-birth, the end of the descent into
matter and the beginning of the ascent to God, and there can be no more
critical time than that. The S.I. warns us of the dangers of rushing
unprepared into the field of occultism, while the C.T. indicates the
danger that the Divine Spark may be quenched, strangled by materialism, if
we do not continue steadfastly.
But even when these dangers are passed, throughout the whole of our
mystic journey there remains that last danger of our ob., namely, that of
infidelity to the vows which marked our entrance, or of abandoning our
further quest for light;-knowing the right, but deliberately choosing the
wrong. This means death; not primarily physical death, but that greater
death, referred to by our Hindoo Brethren as "Being born again at the
bottom of the ladder of evolution up which we have for so long been
ascending. " We next come to the moment, so long expected, when the s. . .
. s are disclosed.
No doubt many Brethren could not suppress a slight feeling of
disappointment at their comparative insignificance. Was such a tremendous
Ob. necessary to safeguard a S. , W. , and G. which appear to be Purely
arbitrary? This question is a fair one, and the answer is that the Ob.
safeguards, not so much the G., etc., which are but the outward and
visible signs, as the inner esoteric meaning, hidden in our ritual, and
never properly explained.
Firstly, the W.M. instructs the C. in the f. r. s., which on
investigation proves to be the tau cross. The tau cross was originally the
phallus, and has many inner meanings. It is the emblem of generation and
creation, but since these powers may be prostituted they must be brought
under control. As the f. r. s. , it represents our natural and animal
passions, which must be trampled underfoot and brought under complete
control, otherwise we cannot make any advancement in Freemasonry.
In plain language , unless we bring our passions into complete
subjection, we cannot hope to advance towards a true knowledge of God. For
that, I consider, is the real search, or quest, in Freemasonry. Therefore
in every one of the Craft degrees we trample on the tau cross. It will be
remembered that one of the charges against the Templars, in 1307, was that
they trampled on the cross, and this charge seems to be correct.
Yet these same men adored the Cross three times a year in their
ceremonies and, moreover, fought and died for it on many a corpse-strewn
field in Palestine. I have no doubt this act of theirs was a symbolic one
, associated more with the cross as an emblem of our passions than with
the Christian cross of suffering. Yet symbols emerge by imperceptible
degrees into each other, and so it is that we can truly say that Christ
was crucified on the Cross of our passions.
In mediaeval pictures you will usually find that while Christ hangs on
a Latin, or fourarmed cross , the two thieves are hung on Tau , or
three-armed crosses. This indicates that they died for their own sins, but
Christ, Who hangs on the cross of sacrifice , died for the sins of others.
Thus, my brothers, the f. r. s. is full of inner meaning nor is this the
only place in which we meet with the tau cross in the craft. Its higher
and holier aspect when associated with the W.M. I shall discuss later.
Having taken the f. r. s. the C. is given the S.. This he is told
refers to the P. of his Ob., and no doubt it does, but it also seems to
refer to something much more startling. The part of the body indicated has
always been regarded as an important occult centre. In some strange way,
the laws of which are but little understood, it has always been associated
with the phenomena known amongst psychic students as Materialisations.
As, however, this subject lies somewhat outside our theme, we will
discuss the point no further. But all our P. 's have a striking analogy to
the legend of the creation of man as given by the Hindoo sages. From
Brahma sprang all four castes. From His head came the Brahmins, from His
Breasts the Kshatra, or fighting caste, from His Belly, the peasants, and
from His feet, the Sudras.
The latter were not true Arians, and were not twice born men; in other
words, only the first three castes were regarded as really and truly
admissible to the Temple of the High Gods, and free to participate in
Their worship. It will be noted that in this degree the S..n suggests the
cutting off of the first caste from those below. This S..n, Bro. Major
Sanderson suggests, was originally a mantra, or magic prayer, which must
be most carefully guarded from the profane.
The T. appears to be an arbitrary one, although it may possibly refer
to a certain piller. Explanations of this, together with the meaning,
derivation , and significance of the W. , are reserved for the next
volume, for reasons which will be obvious to those entitled to know them.
No doubt, however, the basic idea of both pillar and word is phallic, and
other interpretations have evolved later.
Having received s. w. and t. , the C. is warned to be cautious and told
how to receive a challenge, then, having been given strength to help him
on his way, he is sent forth in order that the important lesson of caution
may be implanted in his mind. The testing by J.W. and S.W. are obviously
of practical use, but I think that here also there is an inner meaning.
The Body and Soul test the Cand. to see that the lessons have been well
and truly learnt; also there seems to be a definite astrological
reference.
Having satisfied these important officers, the s.w. asks for some
special mark of favour. That is, the Soul calls on the Spirit, but is told
that it is the Soul which must invest the regenerate man with the outward
signs of the change he has undergone. This point has already been
mentioned, but its deep significance must not be forgotten. It may truly
be said that it is the S.W. who sets the seal on the candidate's
initiation, and proclaims him as at length a member of the Order.
The address of the S.W. and the subsequent one by the Master, are
fairly self-explanatory. But one or two points deserve stressing. The
reference to the antiquity of the apron refers mainly, of course, to its
use among the Operatives, and implies the dignity of honest labour. The
present form of our apron is comparatively modern, but there is evidence
that our predecessors, the Comacine Masons , wore aprons when they met in
Lodge , and aprons have had a special significance among many religious
systems.
Thus some of the Chinese gods wear aprons , and I have a photograph of
one (See The Hung Society, Vol. III., op. p. 122) and this "God" is making
a certain high degree sign. Among the ancient races of America the apron
was also evidently used with a religious significance (see picture of the
Toltec Preserver in "Freemasonry and the Ancient Gods"). The address of
the W.M. lays stress on the importance of not entering the L. if a brother
is at variance with another.
At first sight this may seem a somewhat unnecessary charge. Normal,
well conducted gentlemen are not likely to start an unseemly wrangle in
Lodge , even if they are at enmity; and should two men so far forget the
common decencies of life as to do so, the W.M. has ample power to deal
with the situation. The real significance of the injunction, however, is
that it implies that the mere presence of two brethren who are at variance
will disturb the harmonious atmosphere of the meeting.
This is a purely spiritual atmosphere, and the belief that such
disturbance would occur without any open disagreement, is correct. In
short, such differences disturb the spiritual atmosphere, prevent
concentration, and can be detected by sensitive individuals. Every Lodge
has an "atmosphere of its own," and any sensitive man who comes to it can
detect it* I have myself noticed the different "atmospheres" of various
lodges, and also variations in that of my own.
Too much regard therefore cannot be paid to this rule, and if ignored
the Lodge will certainly suffer. The C. is placed in the N.E. corner of
the Lodge for the reason given in the ritual, but it is important to
remember that he himself is building his own temple-a spiritual temple to
the glory of God. Why should the cornerstone be laid in the N.E.? This was
for a very practical reason; namely, so that the Operatives could work
round with the Sun, and thus obtain the maximum amount of light.
Symbolically, it refers, of course, to the journey of the soul, which
begins in the N., enters life at the East, at birth, and so proceeds to
the West, where death ends our day. The position in which the C. stands is
not only a sq., the emblem of rectitude and of God, but at the particular
point he make a "lewis," or angle clamp, which binds together the life
which has been (in the North) and his future life (in the East).
In physical life the North is pre-natal, but in the spiritual it is
before we turned to better things. Above all, such a clamp gives rigidity
and strength to the corners, and assures stability. It will be noted that
this position in like manner makes a "footing stone." The testing of the
candidate is explained, but perhaps I ought once more to remind my reader
that it is absolutely essential that we should leave behind us the baleful
gifts of the underworld and the canker of wealth, which destroy
spirituality. The lecture on the working tools explains itself. It appears
to be mainly 18th century work.
When the C. has been restored to his personal comfort he receives the
charge. The first significant point is the phrase "Ancient, no doubt it
is, as having subsisted from time immemorial." In "Freemasonry and the
Ancient Gods" I have endeavoured to show that this phrase is literally
true , and a strong claim can be made that modern Freemasonry is the lineal
descendant of the Ancient Mysteries, via the Roman Colleges of Architects,
the Comacine Masons, and the Mediaeval Freemasons.
The other significant phrase is that relating to "The Ancient
Landmarks." Much learned discussion has taken place concerning what these
are. Common sense indicates the following points as obviously falling
within this heading, whereas many others may be matters of opinion, on
which brethren are entitled to differ. 1.-The signs, words and tokens. I
f these were changed it would shatter the universality of Freemasonry
and prevent old masons recognising new ones, or members of various
jurisdictions doing so. It must be acknowledged that the charge mad by the
Ancients against the Moderns, that they had removed the Ancient Landmarks,
was largely justified, for they appear to have transposed the w.s. in the
first and second degrees. Still apparently, they did not entirely change
them. 2 & 3.-Belief in God and a Future Life.
I these are removed, then the object and purpose of masonry is
destroyed, since it is the "quest of knowledge of, and union with, God."
Again, the elimination of the idea of a future life" would destroy the
teaching of one of the most important craft degrees. If these landmarks
were removed, Freemasonry would either perish, or else have to substitute a
new object, as the Grand Orient of France has done. This having become
atheistically, had to turn masonry into a secret political society, with
disastrous results.
Hence it is that the Grand Lodge of England felt compelled to break off
fraternal relations with that body. 4.-The Order of the Degrees. If these
were reversed or changed it would reduce the whole system to nonsense. The
remainder of this address is fairly clear as it stands. It contains
excellent teaching, the meaning of which lies on the surface, and so we
need spend no further space on it here. The first tracing board contains a
great deal of useful instruction, but it is so seldom given in most lodges
that we will pass it by, hoping at some future date to give it the
attention it deserves.
The purpose of these tracing boards will be explained in the book
dealing with the second degree, and we can therefore take leave of the
Entered Apprentice. There is no pretence that we have exhausted the
subject, much more could be written, but in a small book like this the
author must restrict himself to giving an outline explanation, and
suggestions for study, in the hope that his readers will follow the hints
given, and discover further meanings for themselves.
The first degree closing is remarkably short, and its meaning is fairly
clear. The candidate has not yet advanced sufficiently far to be able to
appreciate any more esoteric teaching. He is therefore given one brief and
tremendous lesson. The Destructive side of the Deity is invoked, and the
same officer, it must be remembered, also represents the Soul. Thus, at
the very beginning of his symbolical career, the novice is warned of the
inevitable end.
During the ceremony of his initiation the fact has been impressed upon
him that his spiritual advancement is by means of his soul, i.e. when the
S.W. invests him with his apron. Now he is warned that the same soul which
may help him to rise, may also cause his spiritual destruction. But even
more this fact should show him that, when he has learned all that life can
teach him, the Soul acting on the instructions of God, calls him to other
fields of usefulness. It should also be noted that the S.W. closes in the
name of the G.A., and by command of the W.M. , thus reminding us of Alpha
and Omega, the Beginning and the End
This then concludes our consideration of the meaning of the first
degree. The author has not tried to be exhaustive , and would stress the
point that usually he has only attempted to give one esoteric meaning,
although often there are other inner meanings, each within the other. But
he trusts he will have helped his brethren to perceive that there are
indeed deep and invaluable meanings hidden within our ritual, and that his
readers, having once started on this line of study , will not rest content
until they themselves have discovered further inner meanings. If this be
so, then this little book will not have been in vain.
