ONE HUNDRED "LOST WORDS"
Freemasonry uses many common
English words in a sense other
than that of their usual definition -profane, heal, carpet,
accepted, landmark, etc.
For the benefit of the new Mason - and perhaps for some who
are older but less attentive to Masonic instruction than
they might be - herewith are one hundred words commonly used
in Freemasonry with a short definition of their Masonic
significance.
ACACIA. An Eastern plant, sometimes a tree. Several hundred
varieties are known. Masonically, an emblem of immortality.
ACCEPTED.
Today, all Masons are "free and accepted." In
ancient times members other than working Masons were
"accepted."
AHIMAN REZON.
Title given by Lawrence Dermott to the Book of
Constitutions. Used today by South Carolina and
Pennsylvania. Words have been variously translated but
"intimate brother Secretary" is most commonly agreed upon as
the meaning.
AMPLE FORM.
Opening or closing of any Lodge or Grand Lodge
by the Grand Master; opposed to "due form" or "full form"
which is according to the prescribed ceremonies. Even when
the full form is used in opening or closing a Grand Master's
ceremonies are said to be conducted in "ample form." When
Grand Lodges and Lodges are opened or closed by qualified
officers other than Grand Masters or Masters, they are
sometimes said to be opened or closed "in form."
ANCIENT. The
original Grand Lodge in England, formed in
1717, was followed by another, formed in 1751, which called
itself "ancient" and the older "modern." A union between the
two was effected In 1813.
BATTERY.
Blows of the gavel, or of the hands, in Lodge in
various ceremonies.
BOOK OF
CONSTITUTIONS. Volumes printed by Grand Lodges
containing the laws, by-laws, constitution, edicts,
decisions, ceremonies, etc., authorized by Grand Lodge.
CABLE TOW.
Part of dress of candidate. Symbolically, a
distance variously estimated from three miles to "the scope
of a brother's ability."
CARDINAL.
Principal, as cardinal virtues, cardinal points.
CARPET.
(Sometimes Master's Carpet, sometimes Chart). Cloth
chart on which are illustrated the symbols of Masonry for
instruction of candidates.
CHAPITER. Top
part of a column or pillar; the ornamental
head on a support. Not to be confused with
CHAPTER, which designates a body of Royal Arch
Masonry; a
body in the Scottish Rite, as Lodges designates bodies of
Symbolic or Ancient Craft Masonry.
CHARGE.
Charges; A Charge summarizing his duties is given a
candidate following each degree. "Old Charges"; the ancient
manuscript constitutions of Freemasonry; the rules and
practices therein set forth.
CHARTER.
(Sometimes Warrant of Constitution). The document
given by Grand Lodge under authority of which a Lodge works.
Lodge cannot be opened or do business without its physical
presence.
CIRCUMAMBULATION. A journey around; a part of the ceremonies
of initiation, passing, raising. Symbolically refers to
passage of sun through heavens, from east to west by way of
south. By walking in this direction around their altar,
early fire worshippers imitated the Sun, their god.
CLANDESTINE.
Irregular, unauthorized; illegally made Mason
or Masonic body. CLOTHED.
A Mason is "properly clothed" when
dressed in apron. gloves, emblem of his office, if any, and
other decorations authorized by Grand Lodge (in some cases,
cuffs, collars and hat).
COMMUNICATION. Masonic name for meeting; Communications are
regular, stated, called, special, emergent. Regular and
stated meetings are set forth in the by-laws. Called or
special meetings are at the pleasure of the Master. Emergent
meetings arc special meetings called by the Master or Grand
Master.
COMPASSES.
One of the three Great Lights. In six Grand
Lodges the word compass is used. Usually associated with the
emblem of the Master; square and compasses.
CORNUCOPIA.
An emblem of abundance. Hence generally the
jewel of the Stewards in a Lodge.
COWAN. An
uninstructed Mason, a Mason of lesser degree than
that on which a Lodge is open who gains or tries to gain
admittance; an intruder; a suspended Mason who tries to
enter a Lodge; in general one who has no business in a
Lodge. All profanes who try to enter a Lodge are cowans, but
not all cowans are profanes.
DALE. Masonic terra` for
valley, or depression between high points.
DECLARATION.
The statement made by Masters and Grand Masters
during installation, giving assent to certain charges. Part
of ceremony at opening and closing of Lodge. In some states,
a part of Masonic petition.
DEDICATION.
Setting aside for the use God, the Holy Saints
John, the purposes Masonry.
DEMIT, DIMIT.
To withdraw from a Lodge by its permission;
the paper which attests the fact.
DIPLOMA.
(Sometimes Master Mason's Certificate). Document
given by many Lodges to Masons when made, attesting the
fact. Not to be confused with receipt for dues or good
standing card which attest payment of yearly obligations to
Lodge.
DISCALCEATION.
Removing of foot covering as sign of respect
or veneration for that which is holy.
DISPENSATION. Grand
Master can dispense with certain Masonic requirements; the
dispensation is the paper carrying that permission. Also the
temporary document given a new Lodge by the Grand Master
prior to its receiving a charter or warrant from Grand
Lodge.
DOTAGE. No
set number of years, but enough to have dulled
the senses and impaired the intelligence. Some men live to
an advanced old age without going into dotage; others become
senile early. Dotage is a bar to Masonic initiation.
DUE GUARD.
Probably contraction of the French Dieu Garde-God
guard. A mode of recognition. Salute at Altar.
EAVESDROPPER.
One who listens for that which is private.
Early operative lodge buildings had openings under the eaves
for ventilation. Those who tried to listen through these
openings received the droppings from the roofs; hence the
name.
EDICT. Decree
of Grand Master or Grand-Lodge. Obedience is
obligatory on all Masons. Non compliance with a Masonic
edict is contumacious.
ESOTERIC.
That which is secret, not for the uninitiated, not
printed. Compare with
EXOTERIC.
That which is printed, known, non-secret, available
to any one.
FLOOR-CLOTH.
Same as Carpet. In ancient times emblems were
drawn upon the lodge floor in chalk and erased after a
meeting. To save trouble a cloth was later substituted for
the floor.
FREE-BORN.
Necessary condition for a Masonic initiate.
Denotes one with no known slave ancestry.
FREE WILL. (Free
will and accord) Voluntary. No man is solicited to be a
Mason. He must come of his own will and state that he has
done so, several times during initiation.
GOAT.
Mythical animal supposed to be present in Lodges to
"butt" the candidate. Association of the goat with
Freemasonry came from its enemies in the eighteenth century,
who declared Masonry raised Satan in magical incantations in
Lodge ceremonies; as the goat was associated with the devil,
it became associated with Masonry through its traducers of
two hundred years ago.
GOLDEN
FLEECE. Order of chivalry in Europe, established in
1429.
GORMOGONS.
Anti-Masonic England, 1724.
GRAND HONORS.
Two methods of salute known to Masons; Private
Grand Honors, given only behind tiled doors, and Public
Grand Honors, given at funerals and cornerstone layings.
Grand Honors differ in form in different Grand
Jurisdictions.
GRAND ORIENT.
Governing body of the Scottish Rite in foreign
countries.
GREGORIANS.
Another anti-Masonic body organized in the 18th
century to ridicule Freemasonry.
HAIL. To
greet.
HALE.
Perfect, healty.
HEAL.
Properly to initiate one improperly or illegally made
a Mason.
HEEL. Part of
the foot.
HELE. To
cover or conceal.
HIGH TWELVE.
Noon; twelve o'clock.
HIRAM. Name
of a King; name of the Builder; sometimes the
name of the Master's gavel.
HIRAM ABIFF.
Translated Hiram, my father, or Hiram, his
father; "father" used as a term of respect.
INDENTED
TESSEL. Ornamental border rounding the mosaic
pavement of Solomon's Temple, or in a Lodge.
JEWELS.
(Movable). In this country, the rought ashlar, the
perfect ashlar and the trestleboard. (Immovable). The
square, the level and the plumb, so termed because of the
immovable stations of the officers who wear them. Emblems
worn by Lodge officers.
JUST AND
REGULARLY CONSTITUTED. Said of a Lodge with the
legal number of brethren to open and work, and brought into
existence properly and by lawful authority.
LANDMARKS.
The ancient usages, customs, rules and laws which
cannot be changed without altering the character of
Freemasonry. No final determination, satisfactory to all
Masonic authorities, has ever been made as to an exclusive
list of Landmarks.
LEWIS. The
son of a Mason. In former times a lewis might be
made a Mason before he was of age; North Dakota accepts the
petition of a lewis before he is twenty-one, but will not
initiate him until he is of age.
LIBERTINE.
Today, a dissolute, son; formerly a dissenter, an
unbeliever in religion.
LION'S PAW.
Name of a form of recognition among Masons; is
often associated with the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (The
Messiah).
LOW TWELVE.
Midnight.
MADE. A
Fellowcraft is "made a Mason" in the third degree.
MAKE. "To
make" is to confer the third degree.
MASON AT
SIGHT. In most Grand Lodges the Grand Master may
convene as emergent Lodge under dispensation, and cause it
to confer the degrees on a candidate of his choice. One made
a Mason "at sight" is an unaffiliated Mason; no Grand Master
has the power of making such a Mason a member of a Lodge.
Only the Lodge can do that.
MAUL.
(Usually setting maul). Often confused with gavel; the
setting maul is a heavy instrument used for tapping stones
down in place. Has prominent part in Master's degree.
MOCK MASONS.
Apostate Masons in 1747 who paraded with
profanes to the Grand Feast.
MONITOR,
MONITORIAL. The book containing the exoteric work
of the degrees; monitorial, instructions from the `book. In
many Grand Jurisdictions called manual.
MYSTIC TIE.
Expression used by Robert Burns in poem saying
farewell to friends in a Scottish Lodge; now symbolically
the bond uniting all Masons.
NORTH.
Masonically and symbolically a place of darkness.
NORTH EAST.
Place in which cornerstones are laid; place of
first Masonic instruction. North East, half way between
North, a place of darkness, and East, source of light, has
always been a symbol of a commencement, a beginning; a new
construction, new endeavor.
OATH.
Incorrectly used as synonymous with obligation. The
obligation is a promise; the oath is the calling upon God to
witness. In court one takes an obligation to tell the truth;
the oath is "So help me, God." Tiler's oath; taken by
committee and visitor prior to examination to determine if
visitor is a Mason.
OBLONG
SQUARE. A rectangle; the shape of a Lodge.
OCCASIONAL
LODGE. Same as Emergent Lodge.
OCCUPIED
TERRITORY. State where a single Grand Lodge reigns
or two or more share by mutual agreement, and in which no
other Grand Lodge can come in without committing the Masonic
offense of "invasion of jurisdiction."
PASSED.
Describes the advancement from Entered Apprentice to
Fellowcraft.
PASSWORD.
Word by which one identifies himself to another;
mode of recognition.
PAST.
Describes an officer not now in office, such as Past
Master, Past Grand Master.
PAST MASTER'S
DEGREE. Second degree in Royal Arch Masonry;
also conferred on Masters in many jurisdictions before
installation.
PASSING THE
CHAIR. The ceremony of making an elected Master
eligible to installation, in jurisdictions where this custom
prevails.
PENALTY.
Masonic penalties are expulsion, indefinite
suspension, definite suspension and reprimand.
PLENTY.
Symbolized by sheaf of wheat, or ear of
corn, suspended near a waterfall or waterford.
POMMEL. The
globes topping the pillars in porch of King
Solomon's Temple.
PROFANE. A
non-Mason. From meaning "without the Temple."
RAISED. Word
signifying the completion of the ceremony of
the Master's Degree.
REFRESHMENT.
Lodges are called "from labor to refreshment"
meaning to rest from work. Does not always mean something to
eat and drink.
REGULAR.
According to duly constituted authority. An
"irregular" Lodge is one not properly and legally
constituted by a recognized Grand Lodge.
ROMAN EAGLE.
Symbol of the imperial power of the Roman
empire.
STS. JOHN.
St. John the Baptist, whose "day" is June 24, and
St. John the Evangelist, whose "day" is December 27; both
Masonic dates are usually observed.
SANCTUM
SANCTORUM. The hidden. inner place, the holy of
holies, the secret room of the Temple of Solomon in which
rested the Ark of the Covenant, and where once each year,
alone, the High Priest pronounced the name of the Most High.
SCALD
MISERABLES. Another society opposed to Masonry in the
eighteenth century.
SHIBBOLETH.
Ear of corn; stream of water; password.
SPECULATIVE.
Title formerly applied to a non-operative
member of the builder's craft; now applied to all
Freemasons.
STAR AND
GARTER. A famous English order, A.D. 1349.
SUBLIME.
Applied to the third degree of Masonry, because of
its lofty teachings.
SUMMONS.
Order from Master or Grand Master to appear at a
meeting. Failure to answer is a Masonic offense.
TESSELLATED.
Small mosaic work; a board design, usually of
squares.
TOKEN. Mode
of recognition.
VALE. Same as
dale; valley; a low depression between high
points from which approach of visitors may easily be seen.
VOUCHING.
Statement by one brother another person is a
Mason.
WIDOW'S SON.
Hiram Abiff, "a widow's son, of the tribe of
Naphtali."
WORK.
Masonically, the conferring of degrees.
WORSHIPFUL.
Applied to a Master, a Lodge; Most Worshipful to
a Grand Master or Grand Lodge. In Pennsylvania, the Grand
Master and the Grand Lodge are "Right Worshipful".
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