Masonic quotes by Brothers |
Help Me Maintain OUR Website!!!!!! |
THE TRADITIONAL DEGREES IN FREEMASONRYCHAPTER VIIIpart I - the heritage of freemasonryTHE SQUARE AND COMPASSES
|
1 | Entered Apprentice | 964 BCE |
Apprenticeship begins |
2 | Fellowcraft | 957 BCE |
Site prepared for building |
3 | Mark Master Mason | 957 BCE |
Stones shaped for secret vault |
4 | Select Master | 956 BCE |
Start constructing secret vault |
5 | Royal Master | 955 BCE |
Word deposited
in secret vault |
6 | Master Mason | 951 BCE |
Master builder slain |
7 | Most Excellent Master | 950 BCE |
Dedication of the temple |
8 | Super Excellent Master | 587 BCE |
Destruction of the temple |
9* | Knight of the Sword | 538 BCE |
Release from captivity |
10 | Excellent Master | 536 BCE |
Return to temple site |
11 | Royal Arch Mason | 535 BCE | Word found and work stopped |
12* | Knight of the East | 520 BCE |
Zerubbabel
visits Darius |
13* | Kt. of the East & West | 515 BCE |
Rebuilding completed |
The
three degrees marked with an asterisk constitute the Red Cross of
Babylon, also called the Babylonish Pass in the Scottish and some
other workings. In the Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees there is
an equivalent of these degrees, but the work is not identical. In
addition there are ceremonies of installation in the Craft, the
Mark, the Royal and Select Masters, the Red Cross of Babylon and
also the Royal Arch, which enhance and amplify the narrative and
helps to bind it into a cohesive whole. Although the Ark Mariner is
not a Solomonic degree, but is the foundation of the Genesis theme
mentioned earlier, it is usually attached to and works in
conjunction with a Mark or Red Cross lodge. It also has a separate
installation ceremony that contributes to the overall theme.
From
the above summary it is evident that the narrative is woven round a
series of events recorded in the Old Testament and that the secret
vault is an essential ingredient. Jewish tradition relates that a
secret vault was constructed beneath the temple, in which
confidential meetings could be held and all sacred treasures and
secret documents could be stored. The construction of such a vault
under ecclesiastical and other buildings of importance was not
unusual in ancient times and the custom was continued into medieval
times when crypts were provided under most cathedrals, monasteries
and castles. Underground excavations carried out by the Knights
Templar between 1118 and 1125 and by the Royal Engineers of Britain
in 1895, as well as modern seismological and archaeological surveys
carried out by the Israelis, all confirm the existence of passages
and vaulted chambers beneath the mosque now erected on the original
temple site.
The
circumstances and history of the construction of the temple at
Jerusalem is well documented in the Bible. The establishment of the
work force is relevant to the masonic theme and is recorded in 1
Kings 5:13-16 of the New English Bible in the
following words:
“King Solomon raised a forced levy from
the whole of Israel amounting to thirty thousand men. He sent them
to Lebanon in monthly relays of ten thousand, so that the men spent
one month in Lebanon and two at home; Adoniram was superintendent
over the whole levy. Solomon had also seventy thousand hauliers and
eighty thousand quarrymen, apart from the three thousand three
hundred foremen in charge of the work who superintended the
labourers.”
The
provision of an experienced craftsman to carry out the required
designs is also referred to in a letter from Huram King of Tyre to
King Solomon, which is recorded in 2 Chronicles 2:13-14 of the
New English Bible and says:
“I
now send you a skilful and experienced craftsman, master Huram. He
is the son of a Danite woman, his father a Tyrian; he is an
experienced worker in gold and silver, copper and iron, stone and
wood, as well as . . .
. . who will be able to
work with your own skilled craftsmen . . . . . to any design submitted to
him.”
The
scene of the degree of Mark Master Mason is the stone yard, where
the stones for the temple are being prepared. The degree has two
distinct parts. In the first part the candidate represents one of
the craftsmen preparing the stones. In the second part he represents
one of the 3,300 foremen who are responsible for ensuring that all
the stones are properly prepared in accordance with the working
plans and that they are correctly fitted, marked and numbered ready
for erection at the site. The ritual is very dramatic. The degree
teaches that every diligent workman has a chance to distinguish
himself by preparing some special and superior piece of work that
will strengthen and adorn the structure, for which he will be
appropriately rewarded provided that he has carried out the work
strictly in accordance with the Divine Plan. It would be appropriate
at this point to emphasise a significant difference between the
symbolisms used in operative and speculative rituals. In the
operative rituals it is impressed upon the candidate that in each
degree he represents a particular stone in the building, which will
become part of the spiritual temple above, until ultimately the
candidate represents the plan of the building itself. This important
symbolism has been omitted from the speculative rituals.
When
the temple site was ready and the building stones were being
prepared, twenty-seven experienced and trustworthy craftsmen were
chosen and appointed as Select Masters to construct a secret
underground vault below where the future Holy of Holies would be
located. This underground vault had a hidden access from King
Solomon’s most retired apartment. In the degree of Select Master the
candidate represents Zabud, a particular friend of King Solomon who
had some important business to communicate to him, but Zabud
inadvertently entered the apartment without King Solomon’s
authority. The unworthy guard whose laxity allowed Zabud to enter
without warning was condemned to death, but he was pardoned and
obligated as a Select Master. This degree warns of the great danger
of carelessness and teaches the need for constant care, uprightness
and integrity in the fulfilment of one’s allotted duties, coupled
with justice and mercy. In the Allied Masonic Degrees, the Grand
Tilers of Solomon has a similar legend with interesting variations.
The degree of Intimate Secretary or Master by Curiosity in the
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite also has an equivalent
degree.
When
the secret vault was complete, the three Grand Masters deposited
true copies of the holy vessels therein, also an exact copy of the
Book of the Law. It was agreed that if any one of the
three Grand Masters should die, the other two would also deposit the
Word in the secret vault so that it could be preserved
and restored if the temple were destroyed. In the degree of Royal
Master the candidate represents Adoniram who, we are told in
I Kings 4:16 I Kings 5:14, was the official in
charge of the forced labour under King Solomon. Adoniram is anxious
to know when he might receive the master’s word, to which the third
Grand Master responds with an elegant and striking discourse, during
which he inadvertently reveals the place where the
Word would be preserved. Adoniram is told that he must
continually strive in his search for truth, but that only after the
temple of this life has been destroyed by death can the temple of
the life hereafter be built on its foundations.
The
temple was completed soon after the death of the third Grand Master,
who was the principal architect, as portrayed in the degree of
Master Mason. When the death of the third Grand Master had been
mourned, the Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holies
under the outspread wings of the cherubim and the other holy relics
from the tabernacle were also moved into the Holy Place. The temple
was then consecrated and dedicated in all its glory and beauty,
which is portrayed in the degree of Most Excellent Master. King
Solomon then resolved to reward the most skilful of his workmen,
which he did by acknowledging them as Most Excellent Masters, thus
creating a new tie with his faithful craftsmen. This degree teaches
that faithful service will be justly rewarded and that the tenets of
freemasonry should bind us together in one fraternal union. This
union is symbolised by the wavy cord depicted on some early English
tracing boards. It was knotted at the four corners and terminated in
a lovers knot with the two ends of the tassel hanging down, which
should not to be confused with the four tassels. The wavy cord is an
important symbol in European lodges. Nowadays in some lodges the
wavy cord and the tassels are shown in the tessellated
pavement.
The
temple retained its original splendour for thirty-three years, but
soon after the death of King Solomon ten of the tribes revolted and
formed the nation of Israel, leaving the temple in the possession of
the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, known as the Kingdom of Judah.
About 921 BCE Shishak, King of Egypt, raided the temple and carried
away the treasures. Thereafter idolatrous rulers desecrated the
temple and allowed it to fall into decay, although it was partially
restored by Josiah around 635 BCE. The ten tribes were captured and
progressively deported into captivity in Assyria, beginning in about
722 BCE. The temple was destroyed in 587 BCE when
Nebuchadnezzar plundered Jerusalem and took the people of Judah
captive to Babylon. In the degree of Super Excellent Master,
Zedekiah the last King of Judah had already fled, leaving his people
to their fate. The biblical record tell us that he was captured by
the Chaldean army on the plains of Jericho, when his eyes were put
out and he was carried into captivity bound in chains of brass.
Before their capture the loyal craftsmen, including Gedaliah who was
appointed and became the wise and gentle governor of Judea, pledged
themselves to continue faithful to their trust, to be true to their
obligations and to be honourable on all occasions. The objective of
the degree is to inculcate true devotion to God, whilst at the same
time we strive to enlighten our minds and purify our hearts. The
narrative is resumed towards the end of the sixty years that the
Hebrews were captive in Babylon.
In
539 BCE Cyrus, King of Persia, captured Babylon. He was a great and
humane ruler who gave permission to the Hebrew captives to return to
their homeland and rebuild their temple. He issued the Decree
recorded in Ezra 1:2-3 of the New English Bible
which says:
“This
is the word of Cyrus, King of Persia: ‘The Lord the God of heaven
has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he himself has
charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. To every man
of his people now among you I say, God be with him and let him go up
to Jerusalem in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord . . . . . And every
remaining Jew, wherever he may be living, may claim aid from his
neighbours in that place’
. . . . .”
The
Decree of Cyrus is the foundation of the degree of Knight of the
Sword, which takes place in the palace at Babylon. The candidate
represents Zerubbabel who was born in Babylon, his name meaning
the Exile. Zerubbabel obtained an audience with Cyrus
and requested permission to return to Judea to rebuild the temple,
which was granted. Cyrus set Zerubbabel free, appointed him chief
among his brethren and exacting a tribute as evidence to the
neighbours that the returning captives were still under the
protection of the King of Persia. Cyrus issued his decree and
created Zerubbabel a Knight of the Sword, investing him with a sash
and sword as the emblems of his office. It has been suggested that
Zerubbabel was the same person as Sheshbazzar, the Prince of Judah
under whose leadership the rebuilding of the temple was commenced,
but the evidence suggests that Sheshbazzar almost certainly would
have been Zerubbabel’s uncle. The concluding episode of degree
relates to Zerubbabel’s hazardous return to Jerusalem, and includes
the ancient drama of “crossing the bridge”.
As
the Decree of Cyrus applied only to the descendents of the captives
from the Kingdom of Judah, it was necessary to make sure that only
they were returning to Jerusalem to work on the temple. So that the
craftsmen working on the temple could be identified easily,
Zerubbabel decided to institute a new degree, called Excellent
Master, founded on the history and traditions of their ancestors.
This was especially significant, because it related their new
release to their previous release from Egyptian bondage, when the
Lord called Moses from his exile to lead the Chosen
People out of captivity, as well as to their travels in the
years that followed. The portions of Scripture selected for this
degree, as well as the modes of recognition adopted, relate to those
visions in which God gave to Moses certain signs by which the people
would know that he came with Divine authority. Relevant aspects of
the symbolism of the Tabernacle, which God commanded Moses to
institute during the wanderings of the Israelites after the Exodus
from Egypt, also receive attention. However, they are neither the
basis of the degree nor its principal component. Tradition says that
the degree was conferred on the craftsmen before they left Babylon,
when they pledged themselves to serve God, their brethren and their
chosen leaders. They also were enjoined to journey through life with
humility and to render to God that honour and praise which are most
justly due to Him. The degree is commonly called Passing the
Veils. There is no English equivalent of the Scottish form
of this degree in regular use, but variations of Passing the
Veils are incorporated in some workings the Royal Arch
degree as an essential preamble. An equivalent of the degree is also
worked in some Irish chapters of the Royal Arch.
The
records show that about 42,360 of the remnant of the Jews in exile
returned to Jerusalem progressively, the first contingent under the
leadership of Zerubbabel in 535 BCE, followed by Ezra in 458
BCE and finally Nehemiah in 445 BCE. In the traditional Scottish
degree three exiles from Babylon, having received the tokens of an
Excellent Master and wishing to take advantage of the Decree of
Cyrus and assist in rebuilding the temple, present themselves to the
Sanhedrin on their arrival. They are engaged immediately and begin
clearing away the rubbish from the first temple, which is the
setting for the Royal Arch degree. The three workmen detect a hollow
sound when digging at the site of the previous Holy of Holies. On
further investigation, after removing the keystone, they discover
the secret vault. Gaining access through the opening, they safely
recover the items previously deposited. Thus the Word
was restored and the degree of Royal Arch Mason was established. The
candidate represents one of the workmen who made the discovery and
was rewarded by exaltation as a Royal Arch Mason. The candidate
receives several lectures on the historical, philosophical and
mystical aspects of the degree, which are intended to impress upon
him that freemasonry is that great and universal science which
includes almost every other, but that more particularly freemasonry
teaches us our duty to God and to our neighbour and a knowledge of
ourselves.
Shortly
after the work of reconstruction had commenced, the Samaritans in
the surrounding areas sought to join in the work, but were told that
they were not among those who had the right to build. Thereafter the
Samaritans harassed the builders and also enlisted the support of
Tattenai, the Persian governor of Samaria. Cyrus died in 530 BCE and
Artaxerxes usurped the throne for a brief period. In the year
522 BCE, by which time the site had been surveyed, the
foundations laid and the walls commenced for the second temple,
Artaxerxes stopped the rebuilding of the temple at the instigation
of the Samaritans. Tattenai and another Persian officer of rank,
Shethar-boznai, went to Jerusalem and sent a fair report to Darius,
the new King of Persia, suggesting that a search should be
instituted to learn whether construction of the temple was being
carried out in accordance with a royal decree. At the request of the
Sanhedrin, Zerubbabel also went to Babylon in 522 BCE, where he
attended the King’s court and made a personal plea to Darius while
Tattenai’s report was being considered.
During
his visit to Babylon, Zerubbabel was asked to participate in a
debate in the Persian court on questions posed by Darius, who asked
which was the strongest of wine, the king or women. Zerubbabel
convinced Darius that women were the strongest of those three, but
that truth was stronger than all things, which is the moral taught
in this degree. The story of this debate in the Persian court and
also its outcome are recorded in I Esdras 3-4. In summary, Darius
accepted Zerubbabel as his Kinsman who would sit by
him, then said that he would be happy to grant Zerubbabel’s
requests, even beyond what was in writing. Zerubbabel’s statements
concerning the rebuilding of the temple were verified by the
discovery of the original decree, in the personal records of Cyrus
that had been held in the castle at Ecbatana in the province of
Media. Darius issued a written confirmation of the Decree of Cyrus
and gave instructions that the rebuilding was to be given every
support and that no taxes should be levied. Tattenai and his
colleagues thenceforth applied themselves with vigour to execute the
royal commands. All of these events are recorded in the
Scriptures.
Two the Allied Masonic Degrees have already been mentioned briefly in the context of their Christian connection, namely St Lawrence the Martyr and the Knights of Constantinople. These two degrees and the Grand Tilers of Solomon, mentioned earlier in relation to the degree of Select Master, typify the method of communicating moral instruction in medieval operative lodges. All are brief and to the point, so that the message can be understood easily by the youngest apprentice. In St Lawrence the Martyr the candidate is told that the degree was of great value to the operative masons, although the reason only becomes evident during the ceremonial of installing a master. Another important degree, in effect a Masonic Order of Knighthood, is the Red Cross of Babylon, which recounts the story of the Knight of the Sword and Knight of the East and West as outlined in the preceding section. The “crossing of the bridge” is an important episode in both variations of the story, when the candidate must cross the River Jordan. It is a symbolic journey of great significance in worldwide religions, derived from ancient folklore. Traditionally the soul must cross the “river of death” on its journey to rejoin its creator. In the Knight of the Sword the journey is made in the traditional direction from east to west during the return to Jerusalem, but in the Red Cross of Babylon it is made on the outward journey to Babylon. In both variations the characteristic colour is green, an emblem of immortality.
To
conclude this summary of the Allied Masonic Degrees, it is important
not to overlook the Holy Order of Grand High Priest. The country and
year of origin of this degree are not known, but it might have
descended from the “High Grades” worked on the Continent of Europe
during the 1700s. It has much in common with various other
Melchizedek degrees and orders, including the French version of the
Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priest, which have been worked in the
English-speaking world without interruption since the second half of
the 1700s. The modern degree probably amalgamates two older degrees,
because the story jumps four centuries from when Abram from
Mesopotamia was blessed in Canaan by Melchizedek, the King of Salem
and Priest of the Most High God, to when Aaron the Levite was
anointed as the first Jewish High Priest. The name Melchizedek means
“King
of Righteousness”
and Salem means
“peace”.
The colours are white and a fiery red, emblems of harmony, devotion
and zeal.
Important
aspects of the symbolism that is a fundamental element in all
branches of freemasonry are discussed in some detail in the second
part of this book, but some comments on the regalia and symbolism of
the traditional degrees would be appropriate now. Although aprons
are worn in speculative Craft Lodges, in Mark Lodges and in Royal
Arch Chapters, they are not always worn in the other degrees.
Sometimes only the jewel of the degree is worn, even though in
earlier times there may have been an apron for the degree. In some
jurisdictions, for example, the apron and sash of the Royal Arch
Chapter are often worn when working in the Cryptic Council or Lodge
and Council, together with a jewel appropriate to the degree.
Although there are aprons for some of the degrees worked in the
Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees, nowadays only the jewels of the
degrees are worn. The following comments are not exhaustive, because
although the fundamental concepts are similar in all jurisdictions
there are many variations from one jurisdiction to another.
The
pure white lambskin of an Entered Apprentice’s apron is a universal
emblem. The addition of two blue rosettes for a Fellowcraft
Freemason is well known, but the custom is not universal. Likewise
the addition of a third blue rosette to signify a Master Mason will
be familiar to most. White is the symbol of purity and innocence and
blue denotes universal friendship and benevolence. In a Mark Lodge
the customary jewel is the keystone of an arch and the colours are
light blue coupled with red, which is as a symbol of fervency and
zeal. Aprons and sashes in the Royal Arch usually incorporate an
intermeshing design of red and deep blue triangles or lozenges,
which have the same symbolism. In addition, the intermeshed
triangles on the apron symbolise action and reaction combining to
achieve the desired result, while the intermeshed triangles and
lozenges on the sash symbolise the border of the temple and also the
bonding of the companions in God’s service. In contrast, Royal Arch
aprons and sashes in the Irish jurisdiction do not incorporate blue,
while the sash is worn over the right shoulder instead of the left
as in most jurisdictions. A jewel commonly used in the Royal Arch
comprises two interlaced equilateral triangles, forming a star of
six points, also called the Shield of David.
The
work and symbolism portrayed in the degrees of the Cryptic Council
are a synthesis of the fundamental teachings of pure ancient
freemasonry. Black, red and purple are all significant colours, but
purple is the characteristic colour as a symbol of royalty because
Solomon King of Israel, Hiram King of Tyre and Hiram Abif, the chief
builder during the construction of the temple at Jerusalem, are key
figures in the narrative. The principal jewels are the equilateral
triangle as an emblem of God, coupled with the trowel symbolising
the spirit of devotion and self-sacrifice that should unite all
freemasons in the bonds of brotherly love and affection. In the
Scottish jurisdiction the working apron of a Royal Master is a black
triangle with a red border. The black alludes to the grief of the
craft for the loss of the chief builder and the red alludes to the
blood he shed in defence of his integrity. In the Select Master nine
white five-pointed stars are added to the apron, arranged as
triangles in each of the three corners of the apron, together with
the Hebrew characters Yod Samech in white in the
centre. The black of the apron in this degree alludes to secrecy and
silence and the red to fervency and zeal. The nine stars are
important. On the physical plane they allude to the nine arches in
the secret vault, but five-pointed stars also allude to the
application of the mental faculties of man. Nine white stars signify
perfection and completeness and when arranged in triangles pointing
upwards they indicate that the faculties of man are being employed
in God’s service. The Hebrew characters typify the degree because
they signify “man of my choice”.
In the English jurisdiction a
triangular white apron with crimson and gold borders is worn in all
degrees of the Cryptic Council and the jewel is a hollow white
equilateral triangle surmounted by a crown and suspended from a
crimson ribbon. The important teachings of the Cryptic Council
culminate in the work and symbolism of the degree of Super Excellent
Master. The apron is black edged with red as in the Select Master,
with similar symbolism, but there is a silver sword in the centre
instead of the Hebrew characters and the nine stars. The silver
sword is the Sword of Truth, emblematic of true
devotion in spirit and in truth to the Great I AM,
which is an important moral inculcated in this degree. It also
reminds us of the Flaming Sword that God placed at the
east of the Garden of Eden, which turned every way to uphold the way
of the Tree of Life. The work of the degree is
exemplified by the formation of various geometric figures by twelve
members who represent the tribes of Israel. In this respect the
Super Excellent Master is similar to the Sublime Prince of the Royal
Secret in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. The principal
tenets of freemasonry are exemplified in this part of the work in
the Super Excellent Master, so a brief explanation of the ceremonial
will be given.
The
exemplification begins with a square, the first emblem in
freemasonry, formed around the altar to represent an encampment of
the Israelites protecting the Ark of the Covenant in the centre. The
standard of the eastern division, led by the tribe of Judah, depicts
a lion as a symbol of strength and power. The standard of the
southern division, led by the tribe of Reuben, depicts a man as a
symbol of reason and religion. The standard of the western division,
led by the tribe of Ephraim, depicts and ox as a symbol of patience
and labour. The standard of the northern division, led by the tribe
of Dan, depicts an eagle as a symbol of wisdom and sublimity. This
was the traditional order in which the tribes of Israel set forth
during their journeys through the wilderness. The exemplification
continues with a triangle, the second emblem in freemasonry, formed
around the altar as an emblem of the Deity. The three sides typify
the Divine attributes of Omnipotence,
Omniscience and Omnipresence. The
triangle is also a symbol of the three principal masonic supports of
Wisdom, Strength and
Beauty; the three masonic graces of
Faith, Hope and Charity;
and finally the triple duty that every freemason owes to God, to his
neighbour and to himself. The exemplification concludes with a
circle formed around the altar to represent the third emblem of
freemasonry, the point within a circle from which a
freemason must not err. The circle is an emblem of eternity, which
inspires us to cherish the hope of immortality by having faith in
the Divine providence of Him who is the Soul and Centre of the
Universe.
The
rituals used in the degrees of the ancient craft of operative free
masonry and the dramas performed at their annual assemblages and on
other special occasions are the basis of the rituals used in modern
speculative craft freemasonry. In 1913 the old lodges of operative
free masons still extant in England were becoming inactive, as a
result of which the remaining members feared that their ancient
rituals and ceremonials might be lost. Accordingly those lodges
decided to amalgamate in the formation of The Worshipful
Society of Free Masons, Rough Masons, Wallers, Slaters, Paviors,
Plaisterers and Bricklayers, now commonly referred to as
“The Operatives”. The minimum qualifications required
for entry are those of Master Mason, Mark Master Mason and Royal
Arch Mason, but only those who have been installed in the chairs of
the Craft lodge and also the Mark lodge are permitted to advance
beyond the fifth degree. There are seven degrees in the Society, the
titles and relevant jewels of which are as follows:
I°
Indentured Apprentice -
Blue
neck cord.
II°
Fellow of the Craft -
Square
gauge with a blue neck cord.
III°
Super-Fellow, Fitter & Marker -
Running
stone gauge with a blue neck cord.
IV°
Super-Fellow, Setter Erector -
Footing
corner stone gauge with a blue neck cord.
V°
Intendent, Overseer, Superintendent and Warden –
Elbow square gauge with a blue collarette.
VI°
Passed Master –
Silver gallows square with a blue collarette.
VII°
Master Mason and Grand Master Honoris Causa –
Gold gallows square with a blue collarette.
The
ancient drama accompanying the appointing a new Grand Master Mason
is the core element of the modern degree of Master Mason.
Traditionally the operative free masons annually re-enacted the
dedication of King Solomon’s temple, which is still used in the
Society as its dedication ceremony.
The
degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite reviewed in the
next chapter, with those of this chapter, are only a few of the
several hundred once worked, most of which disappeared during the
1800s. Several other unrelated Orders, like the Knight Templar
Priests and the Societas Rosicruciana, have not been described.
However the following summaries have been included because the
Orders have something in common with the Solomonic degrees.
The
ritual of the Royal Order of Scotland is in doggerel verse arranged
in the old catechistic form that was customary in the ancient St
John’s lodges in Scotland. It has a strong Christian element, but
aspects of the Royal Arch and Cryptic degrees are present as well as
elements of other degrees. Heredom of Kilwinning is the first
degree, followed by the Knight of the Rosy Cross. The ritual
interconnects the Old Testament with the New Testament and
culminates with the doctrines inculcated by the life and death of
Jesus. The characteristic colours are thistle green and crimson. In
this Order green is an emblem of Scotland, but it also is a symbol
of loyalty, wisdom, rebirth and immortality. Crimson alludes to
sacrifice and the willingness to shed one’s own blood in a just and
righteous cause, but it is also a symbol of devotion, fervency and
zeal.
The
Masonic and Military Order of Rome and the Red Cross of Constantine
and appendant Orders of Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and of St John
the Evangelist also connect the teachings of the Old and New
Testaments. The narrative alludes to the founding of freemasonry by
our ancient brethren, based on instructions received from Moses,
Solomon and Zerubbabel. It continues in some detail from the
rebuilding of the second temple to the death of Christ on the cross
and the destruction of the temple by the Romans. The Knight of St
John the Evangelist is the Christian element of the Palestine Order
of St John. Ultimately the pillars of the New Law are discovered,
which leads to the recovery of the True Word. The
vision that the Emperor Constantine saw in the sky and
his conversion, leading to the establishment of the Christian
religion in Rome, also are recounted. Black, white and purple are
the characteristic colours, with the usual symbolism.
The
Religious, Military and Masonic Order of the Temple, including the
Knights of Malta and of St John of Jerusalem, unites the teachings
of two Orders that originally were militant rivals. The narrative
recounts the establishment of the Knights of the
Temple at Jerusalem under the leadership of Hugo de Payens
and Godfrey de St Omer in 1118 and its history until their
persecution by King Philip of France and Pope Clement V, when
hundreds were tortured and burnt at the stake, including their Grand
Master Jacques de Molay on 11th March 1314. The Order
inculcates in freemasons the holy, charitable and honourable
purposes of the original knights and hospitallers as Soldiers and
Servants of the Cross. The rituals also have a mystical aspect in
relation to resurrection. The characteristic colours are white, red
and black, with the usual symbolic meanings.
[What is Freemasonry] [Leadership
Development] [Education] [Masonic
Talks] [Masonic
Magazines Online] This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United
States or elsewhere. Last modified: March 22, 2014 |