Master Mason Handbook

[Wilbur]

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

Watch out for these Freemason guys. This is a very racist organization.


See - http://www.freemasonrywatch.org


--
WW


.------,
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| WB \ =\ \
| `----------'------'----------,
.' .-.The Wright Brotherz .-.[]`-.
\ _/.____|_|______.------,______|_|_____)
/ /
=/ /
=/ /
=/ /
/_____,'

[Doug Robbins]

WTF does this have to do with photography?

Post by Wilbur

THE MM'S BOOK
by J.S.M. Ward
PREFACE
THE third degree in Freemasonry is termed the Sublime Degree and the title
is truly justified. Even in its exoteric aspect its simple, yet dramatic,
power must leave a lasting impression on the mind of every Cand.. But its
esoteric meaning contains some of the most profound spiritual instruction
which it is possible to obain to-day.
Even the average man, who entered The Craft with little realisation of its
real antiquity and with the solemnity of this, its greatest degree. In its
directness and apparent simplicity rests its tremendous power. The exoteric
and esoteric are interwoven in such a wonderful way that it is almost
imopssible to separate the one from the other, and the longer it is studied
the more we realise the profound and ancient wisdom concealed therein.
Indeed, it is probable that we shall never master all that lies hidden in
this degree till we in very truth pass through that reality of which it is a
allegory.
The two degrees which have gone before, great and beautiful though they be
are but the training and preparation for the message which the third degree
holds in almost every line of the ritual. Here at length we learn the true
purpose of Freemasonry. It is not merely a system of morality veiled in
allegory and illustrated by symbols, but a great adventure, a search after
that which was lost; in other words, the Mystic Quest, the craving of the
Soul to comprehend the nature of God and to achieve union with Him.
Different men vary greatly; to some the most profound teachings appeal,
while to others simpler and more direct instruction is all they crave. But
there is hardly a man who has not, at some time or other, amid the turmoil
and distraction of this material world, felt a strange and unaccountable
longing for knowledge as to why he was ever sent here, whence he came, and
whither he is wending. At such times he feels Iike a wanderer in a strange
land, who has almost forgotten his native country, because he left it so
long ago, but yet vaguely realises that he is an exile, and dimly craves for
some message from that home which he knew of yore.
This is the voice of the Divine Spark in man calling out for union with the
Source of its being, and at such times the third degree carries with it a
message which till then, perhaps, the brother had not realized. The true
s...ts are lost, but we are told how and where we shall find them. The
gateway of d. opens the way to the p. within the c., where the longing
spirit will find peace in the arms of the Father of All.
Thus it will be seen that the third degree strikes a more solemn note thane
even that of d. itself, and I have endeavoured in this little book to convey
in outline form some part at least of this sublime message.
As in my previous books, I freely confess that I have not covered the whole
ground. Not only would it be impossible to do so in a book of this size, but
in so doing I should have defeated one of my principal objects in writing
namely, to inspire others to study for themselves and endeavour to find in
our ceremonies further and deeper meanings.
The success of the earlier books shows clearly that my efforts have not been
in vain, and that the brethren are more than anxious to fathom the inner
meaning of the ceremonies we all love so well. This book completes the
series dealing with the meaning of the three craft degrees, but their
popularity has convinced me that the experiment of producing a small and
inexpensive handbook has been completely justified. I have therefore been
encouraged to write further volumes, and the next of the series will be an
outline history of Freemasonry " from time Immemorial."
PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION
The success of the first edition of this book has necessitated a second
wherein I have corrected a few printing errors and added a few points which
may help my brother students.
From the number of letters I have received from all parts of the world,
thanking me for the light these books throw on the meaning of our
ceremonies, it is clear that the new members who are entering our Order are
tending to take an increasing interest in the meaning of our Rites and are
no longer content to regard the Ceremonies merely as a pastime for an idle
hour.
J.S.M. WARD.
CONTENTS
Introduction by The Hon. Sir John Cockburn, M.D., K.C.M.G., P.G.D.Eng.,
P.D.G.M. S.Australia
Chapter 1 Questions and P.W.
Chapter 2 The Opening
Chapter 3 The Symbolical Journeys, etc.
Chapter 4 The Exhortation
Chapter 5 The S..s
Chapter 6 The Badge
Chapter 7 The Legend
Chapter 8 The Tracing Board, etc.
Chapter 9 Closing
Chapter 10 Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
By Sir John A. Cockburn,
W.Bro. Ward has lost no time in supplying his large circle of readers with
this little book on the 3 degree. With becoming reverence he touches on the
last great lesson which Masonry presents to the mind of the Craftsman. Among
the manifold blessings that Freemasonry has conferred on mankind none is
greater than that of taking the sting from death and robbing the grave of
victory. No man can be called Free who lives in dread of the only event that
is certain in his life. Until emancipated from the fear of death, he is all
his life long subject to bondage. Yet how miserably weak is this phantom
king of Terrors who enslaves so many of the uninitiated. As Francis Bacon
remarked, there is no passion in the mind of man that does not master the
dread of death. Revenge triumphs over it; love slights it; honour aspireth
to it; grief flieth to it. Death has always been regarded as the elucidation
of the Great Mystery. It was only at the promise of dissolution that the
seeker after the Elixir of Life exclaimed Eureka. Masonry regards death but
as the gate of life, and the Master Mason learns to look forward with firm
but humble confidence to the moment when he will receive his summons to
ascend to the Grand Lodge above.
Brother Ward very properly attaches much significance to the Pass Word
leading to the 2 degree and 3 degree. In the Eleusinian Mysteries an ear of
corn was presented to the Epoptai. This, as an emblem of Ceres, represented
by the S.W., is appropriate to the F.C.'s, who are under the guidance of
that officer, while the name of the first artificier in metals, which is
reminiscent of Vulcan, the Celestial Blacksmith, seems specially befitting
to the attributes of the J.W., as it was in the days before 1740. The author
sees in the lozenge formed by two of the great lights a representation of
the Vesica Piscis. This symbol, whose literal meaning is "the bladder of the
fish,' is of deep significance. Some see in it the essential scheme of
ecclesiastical architecture. But as the spiritually blind are unable to
discern similitudes, so those who are gifted with deep insight are apt to
over estimate analogies. The Vesica Piscis being, as Brother Ward rightly
states, a feminine emblem, and therefore one sided, can hardly represent the
equilibrium attained by the conjunction of the square and compasses. These
respectively stand for the contrasted correlatives which pervade Creation,
and, like the pillars, are typical when conjoined of new stability resulting
from their due proportion in the various stages of Evolution. The
progressive disclosures of the points of the compasses seems to indicate the
ultimate realisation of the spirituality of matter; the at-one-ment and
reconciliation at which Freemasonry and all true religions aim. Brother Ward
repeatedly points out the similarity that exists between the lessons of
Christianity and of Freemasonry. It is indeed difficult to distinguish
between them, The Ancient Mysteries undoubtedly possessed in secret many of
the truths proclaimed in the gospel. St. Augustine affirms that
Christianity, although not previously known by that name, had always
existed. But whereas the hope of immortality was formerly in the Mysteries
confined to a favoured few, the new Convenant opened the Kingdom of Heaven
to all believers. Incidentally this little volume clears up many passages
which are obscure in the Ritual. For example, there could be no object in
directing that the F.C's, who, on account of their trust-worthiness, were
selected by the King to search for the Master, should be clothed in white to
prove their innocence. That was already beyond question. The order was
evidently meant for the repentant twelve who took no actual part in the
crime. This and similar inconsistencies in the Ritual may be accepted as
evidence of its antiquity. Had it been a modern compilation such
contradictions would have been studiously avoided.
It is probable that many earnest Masons may not agree with all Brother
Ward's interpretations. Nor can such unanimity reasonably be expected.
Freemasonry, as a gradual accretion of the Wisdom of Ages Immemorial, bears
traces of many successive schools of thought. But all its messages are
fraught with hope for the regeneration of humanity. The author intimated his
desire in this series of handbooks to lead others to prosecute the study of
Masonry for themselves; and indeed he has abundantly proved that in its
unfathomable depths there are many gems of priceless ray serene which will
well repay the search. Brother Ward is heartily to be congratulated on
having attained the object he had in view.
John A. Cockburn.
CHAPTER I
QUESTIONS AND P.W.
Those of our Brethren who have read the previous two books of this series
will not need much help in understanding the significance of the questions
which are put to the Cand. before being raised. Practically every question
has been dealt with in detail in the previous books; the majority of them
are taken from incidents in the Lectures and Tracing Board, and since the
latter was explained at some length we shall not now detain our readers
long.
The manner of preparation for the second degree stressed the masculine side,
which is characteristic of it. The admission on a S. indicated that the
Cand. had profited by the moral training rcceived in the First degree, and
that his conduct had always been on the S.. There is, however a deep
esoteric meaning in the apparent platitude that it is the fourth part of a
circle. Among all the ancient nations the circle is a symbol of God the
Infinite, Whose name we discovered in the second degree in the M.Ch., where
we leamt that it consisted of four letters. Thus the Cand. was admitted on
one letter of the Mystic Name, and if the four Sq.s are united with the
circle in a peculiar way they form the cosmic cross, emblem of matter,
within the circle of the Infinite.
We have in the last book considered at such length what is implied by the
words "Hidden mysteries of nature and science," that we need here only refer
our readers to that section, wherein we saw that in former times these
hidden mysteries undoubtedly referred to certain occult powers, which would
be dangerous if acquired by a man who had not proved himself to be of the
highest moral character.
The "wages" we receive consist of the power to comprehend the nature of God,
Who resides in the M.Ch. of the Soul of every Mason. The F.C. receives his
wages without scruple or diffidence because the Spiritual benefit he
receives from Freemasonry is in exact proportion to his desire, and ability,
to comprehend its inner meaning.
He cannot receive either more or less than he has earned, for if he has not
understood the profound lesson of the Divinity within him, naturally he
cannot benefit therefrom.
His employers are the Divine Trinity, of Whom Justice is one of the
outstanding attributes. God could not be unjust and remain God. This
conception is almost a platitude, but the average man, while realising that
God will not withhold any reward earned, is at times apt to assume that
because God is love He will reward us more than we deserve. This is clearly
a mistake, for God could not be partial without ceasing to be God, therefore
the F.C. receives exactly the Spiritual wages he has earned, and neither
more nor less, but some F.C.'s will nevertheless obtain a greater reward
than others, because spiritually they have earned it.
The significance of the names of the P....rs was explained in the last book,
but in view of the nature of the third degree it seems advisable to point
out once more that their secret Kabalistic meaning is (1) Being fortified by
every moral virtue, (2) you are now properly prepared, (3) to undergo that
last and greatest trial which fits you to become a M M.. Thus we see that
even the w..ds of the preceding degrees lead up to this, the last and
greatest.
As in the former case, the remark of the W.M. that he will put other
questions if desired indicates the possibility of members of the Lodge
asking qucstions based on the Lectures of the Second Degree, or even on the
Tracing Board. It is, indeed, a pity that this right is practically never
exercised. For example, a particularly appropriate question would be "What
was the name of the man who cast the two great p....rs ? " As it is, the
Cand. in a dramatic way represents the closing incidents in the life of this
great man, whose importance till then he has hardly had any opportunity of
realising.
Having answered these test questions, the cand. is again entrusted with a
P.W., etc., to enable him to enter the Lodge after it has been raised to the
Third degree during this temporary absence. We have in the previous book
explained that the raising of a Lodge should alter the vibrations of those
present by a process well recognised in the ceremonies of Magic, and, to
enable the Cand. quickly to become in ttme with these higher spiritual
vibrations, a word of "power" is given him, which in a moment places him on
the same plane as the other members of the Lodge. This word he has to give,
not only outside the d....r of the Lodge, but also immediately before his
presentation by the S.W. as "Properly prepared to be raised to the Third
Degree." It is only after this has been done that the real ceremony of the
Third Degree, so far as the c. is concerned, begins, and therefore that the
full force of the vibrations of the M.M.'s come into play.
The P.W. itself is of the greatest significance, more especially when
combined with the P.W. leading from the First to the Second degree. At one
time the P.W.'s were reversed. T.C. being the W. leading to the Second, and
Sh... . the W. leading to the Third. This is still the case in those foreign
Grand Lodges, such as the Dutch and the French, which derive from us before
1740, when the W.s were altered owing to certain un-authorised revelations.
This alteration was one of the just grievances which brought about the
secession of the so-called "Ancients," who charged Grand Lodge with altering
the Ancient Landmarks. When the Irish followed our example they continued
the prohibition of the introduction of m..ls until the Third degree, which
is a logical procedure, for clearly you have no right to bring them into
Lodge until you have been symbolically introduced to the first artificer in
that material. As the W.s now stand they convey the following spiritual
lesson:- the F.C. is one who finds the simple necessities of life, such as
C. and W., sufficient for his requirements. They are plenty to the
spiritually minded man, whose soul becomes clogged and hampered by the
acquistion of worldly possessions and since it is hard for a rich man to
enter the Kingdom of Heaven, immediatdy the Cand. has symbolically received
W.P. he is Sl....n.
T.C. conveys the lesson that W.P. in themselves bring death to the soul and
prevent its upward progress. To-day, the river of death connected with the
P.W. leading to the Second degree has largely lost its significance, whereas
when it was a P.W. leading to the Third, it was in itself a fine allegory.
We must remember that Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was well known and widely
read at the beginning of the 18th Century, and those who were re-organising
our rituals at that time could not have been blind to the similarity of the
allegory hidden in the w. Sh. and the account by Bunyan of Christian's
fording the river of death on the way to the Holy City. The change of about
1740 destroyed this allegory, and its survival in the Tracing Board is now
merely one of those numerous footnotes which, to the careful student, are
invaluable indications of the various transformations though which our
ritual has passed during the course of years. Nevertheless, I do not regret
the change, as I think the present spiritual lesson is even finer than the
former one, but the other arrangement was more logical. Firstly, from the
practical point of view the F.C. required the use of m..1 tools to perform
his operative tasks, and in the process of his work acquired W.P., in
contradiction to the E.A., who did only rough work and received only
maintenance: i.e., corn, wine , and oil. Secondly, from the symbolical
standpoint the sequence was also more logical, for the F.C., having acquired
wealth by means of his skill, was brought to the river of d., and passed
through it in the Third Degree.
According to Bro. Sanderson, in his "Examination of the Masonic Ritual," the
actual translation of the Hebrew w. Sh. is an " e. of c., or a f. of w."-
hence the manner in which it is depicted in a F.C.'s Lodge-while the w. T.C.
in Hebrew means only a blacksmith, though another w. similarly pronounced
means acquisition. Hence, as he points out, " an allegorical title has, in
translating the Old Testament, been mistaken for the name of an actual
person, for the name itself means `A worker in M...t...ls'" Therefore the
connection with H.A.B. is obvious. Bro. Sanderson, quoting from the "Secret
Discipline," by S. L. Knapp, says, "In a work on ancient ecclesiastical
history the following occurs, 'By a singular plasus linguae the moderns have
substituted T.C. in the Third Degree for tymboxein-to be entombed.' " While
I am unable to say whether Knapp is justified in this statement, it is
quitee probable that this P.W., and indeed all the P.W.s are

comparatively

Post by Wilbur

modern substitutes, taken from the Bible to replace ancient W.s of power
whose full meaning was lost and whose form in consequence had become corrupt
and unintelligible. The Greek word tymboxein would be peculiariy suitable fo
r a P.W. leading to the Third Degree, in view of its meaning, and mediaeval
magical ceremonies are full of corrupt Greek words indiscriminately mingled
with equally corrupt Hebrew and Arabic. There is, therefore, nothing
intrinsically improbable in the suggestion that this ancient Greek word was
the original from which T.C. has been evolved. We know as a fact that large
pieces of Biblical history were imported wholesale into our rituals in the
18th Century, and what is more likely than that an unintelligible work,
already so corrupt as not even to be recognisable as Greek, should be
amended into a well known Biblical character? However, the word as it
stands, because of its Hebrew meaning of acquisition, can correctly be
translated as W.P., while as meaning an artificer in M. it clearly refers to
H.A.B., who made the two p.....rs, and whom the Cand. is to represent. Thus,
following this line of interpretation, we perceive that the Cand. really
represents H.A.B. when he enters the Lodge, although under the disguised
title conveyed by the P.W..
In dealing with these P.W.s I have endeavoured to show that there are
meanings within meanings, and the same is true of practically every
important incident in the whole ceremony. In a book of thissize it is
obviously impossible to attempt to give all of these meanings, and even if
one did the result would be to befog the young reader and so prevent him
from getting a clear and connected interpretation of the ceremony. It is for
this reason that, in the main, I am concentrating on one line of
interpretation, but I have thought it desirable in this section to give a
hint to more advanced students, so that they can follow up similar lines of
investigation for themselves.
PREPARATION
In English and Scotch workings there is no c.t. around the Cand. in
preparation for the Third Degree, but in the Irish working it is wound once
around his n., in the Second degree twice, and the First three times. If we
regard the c.t. as symbolising those things which hamper a man's spiritual
progress, the gradual unwinding of it as used in Irish workings becomes of
great significance. This interpretation implies that the Cand. is hampered
in Body, Soul and Spirit in the First Degree, whereas by the time he has
reached this point in the Third Degree the Body and Soul have triumphed over
the sins which peculiarly assail them, and in that stage symbolised by the
Degree itself the Spirit has only to triumph over Spiritual sins, such as
Spiritual Pride. With this exception the manner of preparation is the same
in all these British workings, and indicates that the Cand. is now about to
consecrate both sides of his nature, active and passive, creative and
preservative, etc., to the service of the Most High.
The explanation already given in the previous books of the various details,
such as being s.s., holds here, and a brief glance at the other volumes will
render it unnecessary for me to take up valuable space therewith in this
third book. The Can. is then brought to the Lodge door and gives the Kn.s of
a F.C. These Kn's indicate that Soul and Body are in union, but the Spirit
is still out of contact whereas the proper Kn's of a M.M. (2/1) indicates
that the Spirit dominates the Soul and is in union with it, the body having
fallen away into significance. It will be remembered that in the first book
of this series I pointed out that the three separate kn's of an E.A.
symbolise that in the uninitiated man, Body, Soul and Spirit are all at
variance. Meanwhile the Lodge has been raised to a Third Degree by a
ceremony whose profound significance demands consideration in a separate
chapter.
CHAPTER II
THE OPENING
Having satisfied himself that all present are symbolically upright and moral
men, the W.M. asks the J.W. if his spiritual nature has evolved sufficiently
to control both soul and body. The J.W. suggests that he should be tested,
not only by the emblem of upright conduct, but also by the Compasses. Now
these combined with the Square form a lozenge, which is itself a symbol for
the Vesica Piscis, emblem of the female principle. The Compasses, moreover,
are the instruments with which geometrical figures are created, and more
especially the Circle. By means of two circles the triangle, emblem of the
triune nature of God,. is produced, while the Cirde itself is the emblem of
Eternity and therefore of Spirit. A point within the cirle forms the symbol
for the Hindu conception of the Supreme Being, Paramatma, whence we have
come and whither we shall all ultimately return. At the centre of the circle
rests all knowledge; there shall we find every lost secret. Now such a
figure can only be drawn with the help of the Compasses, and in drawing it
the following significant symbolical act takes place.
One point of the Compass rests at the centre, and the other makes the circle
of the Infinite. No matter how far the legs of the Compass be extended, or
how large the Circle, the fact remains that one leg is always at the centre.
Thus the Compasses, while they travel through infinity, are at the same time
never separated from the centre, and from that point cannot err.
This instrument may therefore be considered as standing for the Divine Spark
in Man, in all its manifestations. One of these is conscience; but the
Divine Spark has many attributes and names.
So the J.W.'s reply indicates that he is prepared to be tested both by the
moral code and by the spiritual laws of our being.
But after these preliminaries the proceedings become of an even more exalted
nature. All that has gone before has been but preparation for the Great
Quest on which we must now set forth. It is the quest of the Soul for
realisation of God, and at-one-ment with Him. This is the Mystic Quest of
all ages, and, true to the ancient symbolism, it starts from the East, the
place of Light, and goes towards the West, the place of darkness and death.
The East represents God, Who is our home. It indicates that each soul comes
out from the place of Light, from Light itself, that is, from the very
substance of God, descends through the Gateway of the Dawn and becomes
incarnate in Matter. But it brings with it a sense of loss and separation,
for it has come out from God, and the Divine Spark within it longs return
whence it came. Having lost the secret of its true nature and the way of
return, it wanders in darkness, seeking and for most men the way of return
is through the Western portal, the gateway of Death, for so long as we are
finite beings we cannot hope to comprehend the Infinite.
Yet there are some few exceptions to the general rule, who, while still in
the flesh, have a vision of the Divine splendour, are caught up in it, and
became one with God. To such men the return to ordinary mundane existence
seems unreal and shadowy. Where others believe in God they Know Him, but it
is almost impossible for them to convey to others the experience through
which they have gone. Yet that such experiences are real, as real as any
other fact in life, is attested by a long line of witnesses right throughout
the ages.
To the average man, however, the first real step towards the realisation of
what constitutes God is through the portal of physical death; - but even
then the end is still far off.
Hence the answer explaining how the true secrets came to be lost indicates,
not the cause of the loss, but the first step towards the recovery, and this
fact is borne out by the subsequent events in the ceremony itself.
Note, it is the body only that dies, and by its death enables the Soul and
Spirit to re-discover in part the secrets which were last. Yet this death of
the Body effectually debars the communication of these secrets to the
sorrowing F.C.'s left behind. It is the passing through that veil which
separates life and death which stars us on the road which ends with God.
It must never be forgotten, however, that the genuine secrets are never
recovered in the Craft, although symbolically we rise from the grave, for
that secret can only be discovered at or with the C.-i.e., with God. To that
exalted position we can only attain after long journeys through the planes
of existence beyond the grave. In our symbolism there is nothing which
indicates that immediately after death man is fit to pass into the presence
of the King of Kings.
But the Divine Spark within us is never really separated from the Great and
All-Pervading Spirit. It is still part of it, though its glory is dimmed by
the veil of flesh. Therefore, just as one arm of the compasses ever rests on
the centre, no matter how far the other leg travels; so however far we may
travel from God, and however long and hard may be the journey, the Divine
Spark within us can never be truly separated from Him, or err from that
Centre. Thus the point of the Compasses at the centre of the circle may be
considered to be the Spirit, the head of the Compasses the Soul, and the
point on the circumference the body.
So the task is set and the brethren go forth on the quest, that quest which
must lead through the darkness of death, as the ceremony that follows tells
in allegory. It is not correct to say that the search hinted at in the
Opening ceremony is suddenly abandoned, and those who think this
misinterpret the whole meaning of the legend. Never in earthly life shall we
find the answer we seek, nay, even death itself will not give it; but,
having passed beyond the grave, through the four veils of the Scottish rite,
and so into the H.R.A., we find an excellent answer in allegorical and
symbolical language, whilst the jewel of the degree emphasises what the end
of the quest is.
Nor must it be forgotten that the body alone cannot realise the nature of
God, and that is why without the help of the other two, H.A.B. neither
could, nor would, disclose the S........t.
The W.M.'s promise to help indicates that the Spirit will render assistance,
but though the Spirit subsequently raises man from the grave it is not
sufficiently evolved to give him the true secret. This can only come about
when the Spirit has raised the Soul to a far higher stage of

spirituality.

Post by Wilbur

Though this is the degree of Destruction, that form of the Trinity is not
invoked, and the title used corresponds more closely to the Hindu name for
the All-Embracing than to their form of the Destroyer. This no doubt is
deliberate, for the symbol of this degree is the same emblem which among the
Hindus denotes the Most High, namely the Circle with a Point within it. v In
some Scotch rituals, after the Lodge has been opened in the first degree the
I.P.M., or the D.C., opens the V.S.L., and, strange to say, does so with the
words, "In the beginning was the Word." Similarly, when the Lodge is closed
in the first degree the book is closed with the words, "And the word was
with God." Here then we get two striking features: 1) the use of words from
the first chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, and 2) their
correlation with the phrase in the Third Degree, "At, or with the C." This
procedure suggests that the lost W. is the Logos, or Christ, and remembering
what we have previously pointed out in the earlier books, i.e., that there
is a perfectly logical Christian interpretation of the whole of the Craft
ceremonies, this fact becomes of increasing significance.
Before closing this chapter, I would like to add that the Third Degree lends
itself to a Christian interpretation even more markedly than the former
ones, and several of the higher degrees in Freemasonry adopt and expand this
line of teaching.
In view of the fact that in the Middle Ages Freemasonry was undoubtedly
Christian, we cannot lightly reject this view of the inner meaning of the
ceremonies, but as the frame work of our ceremonies apparently goes back
before Christian times, a non-Christian interpretation is equally
permissible.
CHAPTER III
THE SYMBOLICAL JOURNEYS, ETC.
The Can. is admitted on he C....... s, and this fact is of far greater
significance than most brethren probably realise. Firstly, as has been
noted, one arm of the C.s is always at the C., no matter how far the other
may travel, and from the point of view of the Can., though he knows it not,
this act in a sense indicates that his heart, and therefore he himself, is
at or on the C........e. Secondly, the C....s in this degree link up with
the Sq. used in the former degree on a similar occasion. We have seen in the
previous books that the Sq. and C........s are united on the Ped. in such a
way as to form the vesica piscis, the emblem of the female principle, and
the symbol of birth and rebirth. Hence symbolically thc Can. passes through
the vesica piscis. Also after entering the Lodge in this, as in the previous
degrees, he kn....s while the blessing of Heaven is invoked, and as he does
so the wands of the deacons are crossed above his head. He thus kn........s
in a triangle, the emblem of Spirit, and itself connected with the lozenge.
Two equilateral triangles make a lozenge, which is produced from the vesica
piscis-formed by two circles, as shown by the first proposition in Euclid.
In view of the great stress laid upon Geometry throughout the whole of our
rituals these facts cannot be ignored. Our Operative Brn. must have realised
that the whole science of Geometry arises out of this first proposition,
which shows how to make a triangle (the emblem of the Trinity and the
Spirit) by means of two circles whose circumferences pass through the centre
of each other. In doing so they form the vesica piscis, which gives birth
first of all to the triangle, and secondly, to the double triangle, in the
form of a lozenge. This last emblem is symbolised by the sq., denoting
matter, and the c...s, denoting spirit. The above facts throw a flood of
light upon the interplay between these Masonic emblems.
Before leaving this subject it is worth while pointing out that the Can.
likewise takes every Ob. in Craft masonry within this triangle, and that the
same method is employed in other ancient rites, including those of the
Society of Heaven and Earth in China, where the Can. kn...s on one sword,
while two others are held over his head so as to form a triangle of steel.
The Can. now starts on his three symbolical journeys. He first satisfies the
J.W., representing the Body, that he is an E.A., i.e., a man of good moral
character. He next satisfies the S.W., representing the Soul, that he has
benefited by the lessons of life and acquired intellectual knowledge. Then
comes the third journey, when he is once more challenged by the Soul, who
demands the P.W., the full significance of which has already been explained.
Let us combine these meanings! He comes laden with worldly possessions,
which in themselves carry the seeds of death, unconsciously representing in
his person the worker in metals who made the twin colunms, and is about to
be entombed. (tymboxein).
Therefore the Soul presents him to the Spirit as one properly prepared to
carry out the part of his great predecessor. There is a point here which we
need to realise, for it is one which is often overlooked. In the previous
degrees only one Deacon was instructed to lead the Can. by the proper S...ps
to the E., but here both are needed. From the practical point of view there
is no obvious reason why the help of the J.D. should be invoked at all, and
as the ceremony is usually carried out he does nothing but look on. I
believe, however, the S.D. should first go through the S...ps and the J.D.,
should assist the Can. to copy his example. If thus were so we should get an
almost exact repetition of the analogous ceremony in the R.A. where the
p.s., corresponding to the S.D., is helped by an assistant. Thus, with the
Can., in both cases we get a Trinity, only one of whom actually descends
into the g., or, in the other case, into the v.
As Major Sanderson has pointed out in An Examination of the Masonic Ritual,
among the primitive, races usually, a man who stepped over an o.g. would be
considered to have committed sacrilege, and almost certainly would be slain,
but, on the other hand, we do know that in many Initiatory Rites either the
Can., or someone else for him, steps down into a gr., and is

subsequently

Post by Wilbur

symbolically sl...n therein. If this be the true interpretation of this part
of the ceremony, the reason for the presence of the two deacons in addition
to the Can. becomes clear. It is only the Body that descends into the clear
the Soul and the Spirit have no part therein. Thus, for the moment, though
only temporarily, these three represene the triune nature of man, while the
three principal officers represent the triune nature of God. The fact that
this is undoubtedly true in the case of the R.A., makes it almost certain
that the same idea underlies this apparently unimportant diffirence between
the arrangements in the third degree, and those followed in the first and
second.
Again and again when one comes to study carefully the details of our ritual,
one finds little points, such as these, which would certainly not have
survived the drastic revision of 1816 if there had not been present some men
who really did understand the inner meaning of our ceremonies, and refused
to allow important lessons to be lost by the removal of what, at first
sight, appear to be unnecessary details.
Therefore, those of us who value the inner meaning of our ceremonies owe a
deep debt of gratitude to these men, even though their actual names be
unknown to us, and on our part a duty is imposed on us that we shall not
hastily tamper with the rituals, merely because we do not ourselves see the
full significance of a phrase or think that by revising it we can make the
wording run more smoothly.
The next factor we must consider most carefuUy is the actual sp...s
themselves. These make the Latin cross of suffuring and sacrifice.
Sometimes the sp..s are not done quite correctly, for the Can. should be
careful to face due North, due South, and due East respectively. This
procedure undoubtedly refers to the three entrances of the Temple through
which H.A.B. endeavoured to escape. Hence it is we see that the Master
himself trod out the cross of Calvary during the tragedy, and in a sense
made the Consecration Cross of the Temple.
In a mediaeval church, and even to-day at the consecration of a church
according to the Anglican ordinance, there should be a dedication cross
marked on the building. In the Middle Ages these were usually marked on the
pillars, and apparently corresponded to the mark made by an illiterate
person when witnessing a deed. The Consecrating Bishop sometimes drew this
cross on the pillar or wall, or sometimes merely traced over a cross already
painted there for the purpose. Any new piece of work in a church, even if
only a new fresco, had its dedication cross. For example :-At Chaldon
Church, Surrey, the dedication cross is marked on the margin of a fresco
depicting The Brig of Dread, described at length in Freemasonry and the
Ancient Gods.
Bearing these facts in mind, we shall perceive that, even from the Operative
point of view, the manner of advancing in this degree, and the manner in
which H.A.B. met his end, had a peculiar significance. The Great Architect
of the Temple must have traced the dedication cross the whole length and
breadth of the Temple in his own blood. Moreover, such dedication crosses as
have actually survived are nearly always found to be painted in red. Thus,
H.A.B.'s last work was, as it were, to commence the consecration of the
Temple which was completed by K.S., for until that cross had been marked
either on the wail or pavement, according to mediaeval Operative ideas the
building could not be consecrated. Therefore, the Can., who is reenacting
the same drama, must obviously do likewise, and in so doing dedicates the
Temple of his body.
But there is still more hidden within this ceremonial act. The ancient
Knights Templar were accused of trampling on the cr., and a careful
examination of the evidence taken at the trial shows that in reality they
took a ritual sp., somewhat similar to those taken by the Can. in this
degree.
One of the esoteric meanings indicated is the Way of the Cross which leads
to Calvary. Furhermore, having thus traced out a cr. he is subsequendy laid
on it, and this fact is emphasised by the position in which his legs or feet
are placed. The foot of this cr. reaches to the Ped., on which rests the
O.T. If, therefore, this symbolical cr. were raised as it was on Calvary it
would rest on the O.T., and the Can. would face the E., and would be, as it
were, on a mountain. This fact should be borne in mind by those who seek a
Christian interpretation of our Craft ceremonies. Mystically

interpreted, it

Post by Wilbur

indicates that every aspirant for union with the Divine must tread the Way
of the Cross, and suffer and die thereon, in order that he may rise to a new
life, a realisation of his union with the Infinite. v Even those who are
disinclined to admit the possibility of a Christian interpretatior, of the
Craft degrees, must recognise the fact that this cr. is the cr. of sacrifice
and means that the true aspirant must be prepared to sacrifice everything in
his search after Truth.
The number of the sp...s is the combination of the Trinity and of the four
elements, representing matter. It is the same number as forms the perfect
lodge, and also the seven elements which form man, whether we interpret it
according to the ancient Egyptian system, or in the more modern form of the
five physical senses, the Soul and the Spirit. In the latter case it
indicates that the man must be prepared to sacrifice, or shall we say
dedicate to God, Body, Soul and Spirit.
There are yet other profound meanings in this one ritual act, but enough has
been written to set my readers pondering for themselves, and we will
therefore proceed to consider the next point in the ceremony.
The Ob. itself contains one or two interesting points. Thus it indicates
that a M.M.'s Lodge must always be open on the C.. This shows us at once
that we are dealing with a ceremony with a mystical meaning, for the C.
means the same as the middle ch. in the second degree-the secret chamber of
the heart, where dwells the Divine Spark-and so tells us in veiled language
that all that happens thereafter is a spiritual experience, which sooner or
later comes to every mystic. The special moral obligations which the Can.
undertakes should be noted, but require no explanation. It is, however,
difficult to understand why they should be deferred until this stage. In the
ancient charges similar obligations are imposed apparently on the E.A., and
this seems more logical.
The Py. varies even in different parts of England, but in essentials is
always the same. You are s. at the c., and the manner of disposal is very
reminiscent of the way in which the dead are cremated in India in honour of
Shiva. There the corpse is burnt near running water, preferably near the
Ganges, and the ashes are thrown into the air over the river to the four
cardinal points, that the winds may scatter them. It must be remembered that
Shiva represents the destructive attribute of the Diety and he makes the
P.S. of a M.M. on his statues. His is the element of fire, and all these
facts must be born in mind when considering our own Py.
The position of the Sq. and Cs., in addition to the explanation given,
indicates that the spirit, represented by the Cs., now dominates the body,
typified by the Sq..
CHAPTER IV
THE EXHORTATION
The opening part of the exhortation gives a convenient summary of the
previous degress and quite clearly indicates that the first inner meaning of
the series is Birth, Life which is of course educational and preparatory for
its sequel, and Death. The phrase relating to the second degree "And to
trace it, from its devlopment through the paths of Heavenly Science even to
the throne of God Himself," shows plainly its real significance. As pointed
out in the F.C. Handbook, in the Mid. Ch. the F.C. discovers not only the
name of God, but that he himself is the fifth letter Shin which transforms
the name Jehovah into the name Jeheshue, or Messias, the King.
But according to the old Kabala Jeheshue must be raised on the cross of
Tipareth, and the significance of this fact is impressed on our Can. by the
incidents now to take place. The average Christian need not trouble about
the subtleties of the Kabala, for the story in the New Testament supplies
him with a very similar interpretation.
The W.M. having, almost casually, given him this key to the inner meaning of
what is about to follow, proceeds at once to the most dramatic part of the
ceremony. Up to this point almost all forms of our ritual are practically
the same, but henceforward there are many marked differences. "Emulation"
ritual may be regarded as containing the bare minimum, but the additional
details found in many Provincial workings in England, and in Scotland,
Ireland, America, and many of the Continental Lodges, are too important to
be ignored. There is no reason to assume that they are innovations; on the
contrary all the evidence points to the fact that they are integral parts of
the ceremony which, for various reasons, were omitted by the revisers of our
ritual who met in the Lodge of Reconciliation. I shall therefore proceed to
note and explain them where necessary.
Whereas in Emulation working as soon as the Ws. are called on the deacons
retire, in most others, in the Provinces, etc., they fall back to the head
of the g.. Thus with the W.M. the W.s form the triangle of Spirit, and with
the D.s the Sq. of matter, on which the triangle rests, for the M. descends
from his chair and stands in front of the Ped.. As a practical piece of
advice I would recommend that the J.W. should not direct the Can. to c. his
f. until after the S.W. has dealt with him, for it is impossible for him to
drop on his respective k...s if his f. are c., whereas by carrying out these
instructions before the last attack he will fall the more readily.
In most of the old Scotch rituals the Can. journeys round the Lodge, is
attacked by the J.W. in the S., by the S.W. in the W. (note that), and
returns to the M. in the E., where the final incident takes place. I think,
however, our English system of having the attack in the N. instead of in the
W. is preferable, and is probably the correct form. In the Scotch ritual the
three villains have names, and the same is the case in America. They are
Jubela, Jubelo, and Jubelum. The word itself clearly comes from the Latin
word meaning "To command," and refers to the fact that they commanded him to
give up the S....s. But the terminations of the three names appear to have a
curious esoteric reference to India. It can hardly be by accident that these
three names form the mystic word AUM. The U in India in this case is
pronounced almost like O, and when this word is disguised, as it usually is,
it is written OMN. If this be so we have the Creative Preservative, and
Annihilative aspects of the Deity emphasised in the Third Degree, and it is
the Destructive aspect, symbolised by the letter M, which deals the final
stroke.
This variation is therefore of importance, but I must warn my readers that
not all Scotch workings have it, some of them being much more akin to our
own, even having the attack in the N.. Practically all of them, however,
have the perambulations, during which solemn music is played. The usual
procedure is for the brethren to pass round the gr. once making the P. S. of
an E.A.. When this is done the J.W. makes his abortive attempt. The second
round is made with the H. S. of an F.C., after which the S.W. tries and
fails. The third round is made with the S. of G. and D. of a M.M., on the
conclusion of which the Can. is r... by the lion's g.... It is a great pity
that the use of this name for the M. M.'s g. is falling into disuse in
London, for it has in itself important symbolical references, to which we
shall refer later in the chapter.
In many parts of England it is still customary to place the Can., either in
a c----n or in a g. made in the floor, and the same method is found in most
other parts of tke world. Indeed, in the Dutch ritual the Can. is first of
all shown a c..n in which is a human skeleton. This is subsequently removed,
though he does not know it and he thinks when he is laid therein he will
find himself in its bony clutches. Even as near London as Windsor there is a
Masonic Temple which has a special chamber of d. with a g. actually in the
floor and until recently it was still used although whether it is to-day I
cannot say.
Let us now turn to consider the meanings of the main incidents. The first
meaning of the degree is obvious; it prepares a man for his final end and
hints of a possibility of life beyond the grave but it must be admitted that
the lesson is not driven home with the same force as it is in most of the
ancient mysteries. Osiris Himself rose from the dead and became the Judge of
all who followed after Him, and because of this fact His worshippers
believed that they too would rise. In our legend, however, it is only the
dead body of H.A.B. which is lifted out ofthe g. in a peculiar manner, and
in the legend there is not even a hint as to what befell his Soul. The
question is often asked why they should have raised a c..s and placed it on
its feet. (1)
(1) See Ward, Who Was Hiram Abiff?
One explanation probably is, by analogy with the Greek story of the manner
in which Hercules recovered Alcestis and ransomed her from the bondage of
Thanatos-Death himself. We are told that Hercules wrestled with Thanatos and
would nor let him go until he had agreed to allow Hercules to bring her back
from the realm of the Shades to the land of living men. It may be that the
corpse here represents Death. It is also worth noting that Isis joined
together the fragments of the body of Osiris, and the "Setting up" of the
backbone of the God was a ceremony carried out every year by the ancient
Egyptian Priests. The body of Osiris apparently was raised from the bier by
Anubis in precisely the same way as the M.M. is r.. When it was set on its
feet life returned to it. One fact is certain, that in every Rite which has
as its central theme symbolic d. the Can. is r. by the same g., and in
precisely the same manner, and this manner becomes a method of greeting and
of recognition among all who have passed through this type of ceremony. For
example :-it is known and used in the Dervish Rite, among West African
Negroes, among the Red Indians of Central America, and was apparently known
to the ancient Druids, for it is carved on a stone found at Iona. In the
ancient rites of Mithra it also appears to have been the method used upon a
similar occasion. These facts show that it is an ancient landmark and one to
be most carefully guarded.
The use of the phrase The Lion Grip is peculiarly significant, as Major
Sanderson shows in his work, An Examination of the Masonic Ritual. Therein
he points out that in the Book of the Dead the Supreme God, whether Ra or
Osiris, is appealed to as the " God in the Lion form," and in all such cases
the prayer of the Soul is that he may be permitted to " Come forth " in the
East, rising with the sun from the d..s of the g.. In Egypt the lion was the
`personification of strength and power, but it is usually associated with
the idea of the regeneration of the Sun, and therefore with the
resurrection. Major Anderson goes on to point out as follows. "Shu (Anheru,
`the Lifter') who as the light of the Dawn was said to lift up the
sky-goddess from the arms of the sleeping Earth, is often represented as a
lion, for only through him was the rebirth of the Sun made possible. Osiris
is called the lion of yesterday, and Ra the Lion of tomorrow : the bier of
Osiris is always represented as having the head and legs of a lion." Thus as
Major Sanderson indicates, the expression "the lion grip" is a survival
from, the Solar cult, and therefore a landmark which should be carefully
preserved.
The Bright Morning Star whose rising brings peace and Salvation, almost
certainly was originally Sirius, but to Englishmen it must seem strange that
Sirius should be said to bring peace and Salvation. The association of these
ideas with the Dog Star is undoubtedly a fragment which has come down from
Ancient Egypt, for the rising of Sirius marked the beginning of the
inundation of the Nite, which literally brought salvation to the people of
Egypt by irrigating the land and enabling it to produce food. That Sirius
was an object of veneration to the philosophers of the ancient world is well
known to all archaeologists, and many of the Temples in Egypt have been
proved to have been oriented on Sirius. There is also a good deal of
evidence showing that some of the stone circles in Great Britain were
similarly oriented on Sirius by the Druids. It is therefore not surprising
that this star is still remembered in our rituals. Naturally it has acquired
a deeper spiritual meaning in the course of years, and may be regarded as
representing the First Fruits of the Resurrection, the sure hope of our
Redemption. This aspect is set forth in the lectures drawn up by Dunckerley,
who regarded it as the star of Bethlehem, and as typifying Christ. See Rev.
xxii, 16.
At this point the Can.. who has been carefully put in the N., the place of
darkness, is moved round by the right to the South. From the practical point
of view this is to enable the M. to re-enter his chair from the proper side,
but there is also an inner meaning. Immediately after death the Soul is said
to find itself on the earth plane amid murk and darkness. Lacking mortal
eyes, it cannot perceive the sun, and, on the other hand, is still so
immersed in matter that it cannot yet see clearly with its spirit eyes; but
this stage rapidly passes away, and the Soul is received into a higher plane
of existence, being brought thither by messengers of Light. The position in
the North represents this period of darkness on the earth plane, and that
this is not accidental is shown by the fact that in most rituals the lights
are not turned up until the phrase "That bright morning star, etc." has been
uttered. Then the M., representing one of these spirit messengers, leads the
Can. gently round to the South, thereby symboling his entry into the place
of light. And who is this messenger? Every installed master who has received
the P.W. leading to the Chair should realise that, no matter how unworthy,
he represents the risen Christ. Thus we see the peculiarly appropriate
nature of the act coming after the reference to the bright morning star,
which also in another sense represents the risen Christ.
CHAPTER V
THE S....TS
Having thus been brought into the place of light the Can. is given not the
Gen. Ss, but only substitued ones. This fact must often have puzzled the
Can.. The pratical reason given in the ritual, though perfecdy inteligible
to a R.A. mason, cannot be the real one. In view of the unexpected calamity
no-one could have thought K.S. was breaking his ob. by nominating a
successor to H.A.B. and giving him the full ss..ts. Actually according to
the R.A. story he did something much worse, for he wrote them down and
placed them somewhere, in the hopes that they would be subsequently
rediscovered, and he had no assurance that their discoverers would even be
masons, much less that they would keep their discovery secret. Of course
this is also an allegory, and from this stand-point perfectly correct. The
lost s...ts are the nature and attributes of God, which must be realised by
each man for himself, and no other man can really communicate them.
Moreover, this complete realisation of the nature of God, and the union of
the Divine Spark within us with the Source of All, can never be achieved
during mortal life. Even after death we shall need to leave the world long
behind and travel far, before we can hope to attain that state of spiritual
evolution which will enable us to approach the Holy of Holies, and gaze with
unveiled eyes upon Him, Who is the beginning and the end of all.
With regard to these substituted s..ts. let us note that they grow out of
those used by the F.C.. Having already shown in the last book that the sn.s
of the F.C., and in fact the real s..t of that degree, is the transformation
of Jehovah into Jeheshue,
we see that this is most appropriate. To use modern language, the second
degree teaches of the birth of the Christ Spirit within us, while the third
indicates that mystically we, like the great Master, must die and rise
again. As St. Paul says, " Die daily in Christ."
The sn.s given are probably all of great antiquity. Of some we have evidence
which shows that they were venerated in ancient Egypt and Mexico, are still
employed in the primitive Initiatory Rites of the savages, and are
associated with the Gods in India. For example, the P.S. is used by Shiva,
the Great Destroyer, Who when He makes it, holds in His hand the lariet of
death. The sn. of G. and D. is found all round the world, as I have shown in
full detail in Sign Language of the Ancient Mysteries. Ancient Mexico, where
Quetzacoatl makes it, can be matched with Easter Island in the far Pacific,
Peru, West Africa, East Africa, New Guinea, Malaya and many other places.
Major Sanderson points out that the second Cas. Sn. is depicted in Egyptian
pictures as being used by those who are saluting Osiris in his coffin. Those
who desire will find it in Papyrus 9,908 in the British Museum.
The English sn. of g. and d. (for up till now we have been speaking of the
Scotch form) is almost certainly not the correct one. Its general appearance
would incline one to believe that it is a penal sn., though whence derived
it is difficult to say. A little thought will indicate the nature of the
penalty as being somewhat similar to that of one of the higher degrees. So
far as I can find it is not recognised as a sn. of g. and d. to-day, except
among masons who are descended masonically from the Grand Lodge of England,
but in a picture by Guercino of Christ cleansing the Temple, in the Palazzo
Rosso, Crenoa, both this and the Scotch form are shown, while the G. of H.
constantly appears in mediaeval paintings, e.g., in the Raising of Lazarus.
(1)
The so-called Continental form undoubtedly comes from a well known high
degree, where it is much more appropriate: it is apparently restricted to
the Latin countries, whereas even in Germany it is the Scotch form that is
employed.
The sn. of Exul. is a form used to this day in of Asia to indicate worship,
and was similarly employed in Ancient Egypt. Major Sanderson suggests that
it was copied from the position in which Shu upheld the sky.
Thus we see that six out of the so-called seven sn.s can be shown to be of
ancient origin, and it is quite probable that further research will enable
us to prove that the other one is equally old. Such sn.s as these originally
had a magical significance, and the explanation given in the ritual as to
their
(1) see The Sign Language of the Mysteries by Ward.
origin is no doubt of a much later date than the sn.s themselves. Indeed, a
careful study of certain of the sn.s will show that they are not the natural
sn.s which would have been used to indicate the feeling they are said to
express. For example, in the sn. of h...r the left hand would not naturally
be placed in the position in which we are taught to put it, if this sn. had
originated as related in. the story. So obvious is this that some modern
preceptors of Lodges of Instruction have to my knowledge altered the
position of the left hand in order to make it conform to the story, but I
venture to think that in so doing they are committing a very serious
mistake, nothing less than the removal of an ancient landnrark.
Some day we shall probably discover the real origin of this sn., but if it
is altered that will of course become impossible.
The lion's grip and the actual position of r..s...g are equally old, and, so
far as we can find, this manner of r..s...g is employed in every rite,
whether ancient or primitive, which deals with the dramatic

representation

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of d.. As a manner of greeting it is employed by the initiated men in many
Red Indian Trihes, in West Africa, among the Senussi in North Africa, and in
the Dervish Rites. (1)
The parts of the b. brought in contact with each other are all parts
presided over by some sign of the Zodiac, and there would appear to be some
old astrological meaning which has now become lost. It may possibly have
been connected with Gemini, the Twins, and this fact is made the more
probable by the survival of the name "The Ln's Gr." The explanation given,
although possibly of a fairly recent origin, nevertheless contains a
valuable inner meaning, for it shows that we cannot hope to advance towards
God unless we do our duty to our fellow men. Thus in dramatic form is shown
that the brotherhood of man necessitates the Fatherhood of God.
It hardly seems necessary in this book to point out again that the regular
st. forms a tau cross and teaches us that we must trample under foot our
animal passions, if we desire to approach near to God. We note, however,
that the Can., in advancing to obtain the s..ts, has perforce to make three
tau crosses, and the Christian Mystic will
(1) For further explanation see Ward, Who Was Hiram Abiff?
doubtless perceive in this a hidden reference to the three crosses on
Calvary.
Finally, as has already been pointed out, the penalties of the first and
second degrees draw attention to two important occult centres, and so also
in this degree the Solar Plexus, the most important occult centre of all, is
indicated, and since the object of every Mystic is to achieve the Beatific
vision, the fact that the monks of Mt. Athos, near Salonica, do so by fixing
their eye on this part, shows that there is a very special reason for the
special form of the p.s of the third degree.
CHAPTER VI
THE BADGE
On his re-entering the Lodge the Can. is presented, and in due course
invested by the S.W., as in the previous degrees, thereby indicating that
even after death man's spiritual advancement is registered by the Soul. The
Badge itself, however, is full of symbolic meaning, and though in its
present form it is of comparatively recent date, it is evident that those
who designed it had a much deeper knowledge of symbolism than some modern
critits are apt to believe.
Firstly, the colour, which is that of Cambridge University, and likewise
that used by Parliament when fighting King Charles, has a much deeper
significance than is generally known. It is closely related to the colour of
the Virgin Mary, which itself had been brought forward from Isis and the
other Mother Goddesses of the ancient world. It is possible that the
designers were also influenced by the existence of certain Orders of
Knighthood which had their appropriate colours, for the aprons of Grand
Lodge Officers have Garter blue, but this blue is also the colour of Oxford,
and the colour associated with the Royalist cause at the time of the Civil
War. At any rate, it is appropriate that our aprons should thus employ the
colours of the two great Universities of England. There is, of course, an
exception in the case of the red aprons allocated to Grand Stewarts, for
which there are historical reasons into which we need not now enter. We may,
however point out that the dark blue aprons of Grand Lodge are often, though
erroneously, spoken of as the Purple, indicating a Royal colour, and thereby
implying no doubt that Brn. entitled to wear this colour are rulers in the
Craft, and represent the masculine element. Light blue, on the other hand,
represents the feminine or passive aspect, and is most appropriate for the
ordinary M.M., whose duty it is to obey, and not to command. Indeed, the
M.M.'s apron contain: other emblems which indicate this feminine aspect.
These are the three rosettes, which symbolise the rose, itself a substitute
for the Vesica Piscis, and they are arranged so as to form a triangle with
the point upwards, interpenetrating the triangle formed by the flap of the
apron. The two triangles only interpenetrate half way, therein differing
from the double triangles seen on the jewels worn by R. A. Masons, which
completely overlap. These two triangles deserve a little careful study. The
lower triangle with its point upwards is the triangle of fire, the emblem of
Shiva, and the symbol of the Divine Spark. The triangle made by the flap of
the apron, which has its point directed downwards, is the triangle of water,
and is thus to some extent representative of the Soul. These two triangles
are within a sq., the emblem of matter, and therefore of the body, and so we
see that the M.M.'s apron symbolically represents the triune nature of man,
whereas the R.A. jewel, (the only high degree jewel which may be worn in a
Craft Lodge) has these two triangles within a circle, which is the emblem of
the Infinite. In this case the triangle of water presents the preservative
aspect, the triangle of fire, the destructive aspect, the point or eye at
the centre, the creative aspect, and the circle, the everlasting nature of
the Supreme Being. There is therefore a curious correspondence, and also a
marked difference, between the jewel of the R.A. Mason, and the apron of the
M.M..
Viewed from another standpoint the apron has another set of meanings. The
triangle represents Spirit, and the Sq., matter. The flap forms a triangle
entering into the sq., and so depicts the entry of Spirit into matter, and
therefore, man. The E.A.'s apron should have the flap pointing upward,
indicating that the Divine Wisdom has not yet truly penetrated the gross
matter of our bodies. This custom is unfortunately going out of use in
modern Masonry, which is a great pity, as undoubtedly a valuable lesson is
thus lost. The F.C. has the flap pointing downward for several reasons.
Firstly, to indicate that wisdom has begun to enter and therefore to control
matter; secondly, to represent the triangle of water and thus indicate that
Soul and Body are acting in unison; thirdly, because this triangle is the
emblem of Vishnu the Preserver, and so emphasises - the fact that the aspect
of God taught in this degree is the preservative aspect, whereas the
addition of the three rosettes in the third degree shows, not only the union
of Body, Soul and Spirit, but also that the great lesson of this degree is
the importance of the Destructive side of the Diety, or as we may prefer to
tall it, the Transformative side.
What, however, of the two rosettes worn by the F.C.? Firstly, they stress
the dual nature of man, and have a very clear reference to the two p...rs.
Similarly, no doubt, they indicate that the F.C. is not yet a complete and
united being ; Body and Soul are in union, but unlike the M.M., these two
are not in complete accord with the Spirit. Thus we obtain a

correspondence

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between the knocks of the F.C. and the two rosettes. Furthermore, the
triangle is incomplete, showring that the F.C. is not yet a complete F.M.,
and this correlates with the position of the C.s when taking the ob. in the
F. C. degree.
Two other features of the apron must also be considered. Firstly, the
tassels, which appear originally to have been the ends of the string with
which the apron was bound round the waist. There is little doubt that in the
18th century the aprons had not the present symbolic tassels, but were
fastened round the body in a very similar way to that in which the E.A. and
F.C. aprons are to this day. It is interesting to note in this connection
that the actual aprons worn by the officers of Grand Lodge for the year, as
distinct from the Past Grand Officers' aprons, have no tassels at all.
In the course of years, no doubt, the ends of the strings were ornamented by
tassels, and to this day the aprons of the Royal Order of Scotland are
bounmd round the body by an ornamental cord with tassels, which are tied in
front in such a way that the two tassels stick out from underneath the flap.
These tassels, when the final form of our aprons was fixed, were separated
from the bands which fasten the apron, and attached to the apron itself,
becoming as we now see simply strips of ribbon on which are fastened seven
chains. When this change took place it is clear that those who made the
alteration deliberately chose the number 7, and intended thereby to convey a
symbolic meaning. We have already explained the numerous symbolic meanings
of the number 7; for example, it represents God and Man, Spirit and Matter,
etc.
Naturally they had to have two tassels to balance, and it would have been
very inartistic to have had four chains on one tassel and three on the
other, and so it would be unwise to lay too much stress on the number 14,
which is the sum total. We may regard it merely as a curious and interesting
coincidence that the body of Osiris was stated to have been divided by Set
into 14 pieces. But in addition to these details as to the historical
development of the tassels, we must not forget that in many of the 18th
century aprons the two p....rs are depicted. These aprons were usually
decorated by paintings on the leather, and varied considerably from Lodge to
Lodge, but one of the most usual kinds of decoration included the two p..rs,
and the remembrance of these may very probably have influenced those who
designed our present apron.
The modern arrangement by which the apron is fastened, namely, a piece of
webbing with a hook and eye attachment, gave a fine opportunity for some
really profound symbolism, and I feel certain that it was not an accident
which led to the universal adoption of the snake to serve this purpose.
There are two kinds of symbolism attached to the snake in all ancient
religions. Firstly, the snake as the enemy of man, and therefore as the
representative of the powers of evil; and secondly the snake as emblem of
the Divine Wisdom. " Be ye wise as serpents" does not refer to the
craftiness of the Devil, but to the Divine Wisdom itself.
In Ancient Egypt the Soul as he passed through the Underworld met with
serpents of evil, and also with serpents of good. In India, legend tells us
of a whole order of beings, the Serpent Folk, who are of a Spiritual nature
different from man, possessed their own rulers, and were endowed with
superhuman wisdom. Some of these are considered to be friendly to man, while
others are hostile. The Sacred Cobra is well known to every student of Hindu
religions, and is essentially good. Actual worship is paid to the Serpent
throughout the whole of India, and in many other parts of the world, and in
the Kapala we get clear traces of the fact that under certain circumstances
the serpent is regarded as "The Shining One" -the Holy Wisdom Itself. Thus
we see that the serpent on our apron denotes that we are encircled by the
Holy Wisdom.
Finally, the serpent biting its tail, and thus forming a circle, has always
been regarded as the emblem of eternity, and more especially of the Eternal
Wisdom of God. Nor must we forget that the snake is peculiarly associated
with Shiva, whose close symbolic association with the third degree has
already been clearly shown.
Much more might be written on the meaning of the apron, but we cannot devote
any more space to this subject, interesting though it may be, although
before considering our next point it will perhaps be well to recall what has
already been mentioned in the E.A. handbook, viz., that aprons, in addition
to their Operative significance, have right through the ages been employed
in connection with religious ceremonial. On the monuments of Egypt a
garment, which can best be described as a triangular apron with the point
upward, is depicted in circumstances indicating that the wearer is taking
part in some kind of ceremony of initiation. In ancient Mexico the Gods are
depicted wearing aprons, and it is not without interest to note that the
modern Anglican bishop wears an apron, although it appears to have developed
from a long flowing robe somewhat the shape of a cassock.
CHAPTER VII
THE LEGEND
After the ceremonial investiture of the Cand. the W.M. continues the
narrative of the traditional history. At least this is the case in most
English workings, but in some Scotch workings the whole story is told first,
and subsequently the Cand. and the other Brn. act the chief parts. Perhaps
one of the most important points to realise is the correct meaning of the
name H.A.B. . Major Sanderson in An Examination of the Masonic Ritual gives
the following interesting interpretations, which we will proceed to expand
further.-" The title H.A.B. is taken direct from the Hebrew of 2 Chron.,
Chapter 4, verse 16., and means, ` H. His father.' H. means 'Exaltation of
light, their liberty or whiteness, he that destroys'; It is of interest to
note that abib in Hebrew means `Ears of corn,' or `Green fruits,' and there
is just a possibility that this is the correct title of H."
Bearing these translations in mind we at once perceive a whole series of
inner meanings hidden in the name of the principal Architect. Taking the
Christian interpretation of our rituals :-firstly, we shall remember that
Christ said " If I am raised up (or exalted) I shall draw all men unto me."
Secondly, Christ died to make us free, that is, to give us liberty from the
bonds of death and hell. Thirdly, mediaeval divines were never tired of
referring to Christ's whiteness and purity, and relate many beautiful
legends and allegories to drive home this lesson. One phrase alone will
suffice to bring this aspect of the Christ to our minds, i.e. , that He is
constantly spoken of as " the lily of the valley." Fourthly, He came to
destroy the bonds of death and hell, nor must we forget the old prophecy
spoken concerning the coming Christ and the serpent, representing Satan, "
It (Christ) shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel," Gen. 3.
v. 15. It is of interest to note that Quetzacoatl, the Mexican Preserver,
who fought and overthrew the great giant of evil, was himself smitten in the
foot, near to a fall of water, subsequently died from the wound, and
ultimately rose again from the grave. In India Krishna similarly died from
an arrow wound in the heel. Moreover, in mediaeval frescoes Christ is
constantly represented as crushing the head of the great dragon under His
left foot, while in His right hand He upraises a staff on which is a cross.
Such scenes are usually described as " The Harrowing of Hell."
Fifthly, if the word abib is the correct rendering for the second half of
the name in question, we get a clear reference to the Sacramental bread. The
ears of corn are obviously synonymous with the wafer or consecrated bread,
which in mediaeval days alone was given to the laity: while the alternative
translation, "Green Fruits," brings to our mind the Biblical saying that
Christ is "the first fruits of them that slept" (1 Corin, 15. 20). Bearing
this possible Christian interpretation in mind, installed masters will
perceive the deep significance of the P.W. which leads from the degree of
M.M. to that of I.M.
But in addition to these Christian interpretations of H.A.B. there was yet
another, which in some senses may be regarded as older, and the key to which
is supplied by India. In this sense H.A.B. takes on the characteristics of
Shiva, the Destroyer.
Firstly, "Exaltation of life" reminds us of the legend that Shiva on a
certain day increased in stature until He overtopped the universe, and, as a
result, overthrew Brahma, the Creator, and was ackowledged by Vishnu as His
superior. On that great day He gathered unto Himself the beginning and the
end of all things, Alpha and Omega, and henceforth birth and death alike
were in His hands.
Secondly, "Their liberty" refers to the fact that, to the pious Hindu, Shiva
by death grants liberty from the toil and anguish of this world, and sets
the soul free to mount to greater heights of spiriruality.
Thirdly, Shiva is always spoken of as the "Great White God, white with the
ashes of the dead who are ever burned in His honour." Nor must we forget
that these ashes are always scattered to the four cardinal points of Heaven.
Fourthly, He is in His very essence " The Great Destroyer."
The "Ears of corn" are symbols of Vishnu the Preserver, Who Himself,
according to numerous Hindu legends, was slain and rose from the dead,
Fifthly, we obtain the idea of the Resurrection as symbolised by the ears of
corn, which are planted in the earth and bring forth an abundant harvest,
the "Green fruits" of the fields. In this connection it is as well to
remember that the central theme of the Eleusinian Mysteries was the ear of
corn which was shown to the Cand. at the most solemn point of the whole
ceremony, and similarly taught the doctrine of the resurrection from the
dead.
The next point that strikes us in the legend is the number of craftsmen who
"went in search." The Irish version is of peculiar interest, for it relates
that it was the twelve who relented who afterwards "went in search," and not
a new company of ffiteen. In many ways this is more logical, and certainly
has a deep symbolic meaning. It is logical in that it shows that the
penitent twelve did their best to make amends for ever having allowed
themselves to listen to the wicked schemes of the other three, and the
subsequent decree of K.S., ordering them to wear white gloves and white
aprons as a mark of their innocence, is most appropriate. It was a public
announcement that K.S. forgave them their indiscretion and acquitted them of
responsibility for the crime.
On the other hand, in our version there seems no logical reason why K.S.
should order an entirely new batch of F.C.'s to wear these emblems of their
innocence, since they clearly had nothing to do with the crime, and
moreover, all the others, except the penitent twelve, were equally innocent,
and should therefore likewise have been instructed to wear white gloves and
aprons. It must be remembered that these white gloves, etc., were not
bestowed as a reward for having taken part in the search, but are
specifically stated to have been ordered to be worn to denote innocence.
The Irish account goes on to state that the twelve set out from the Temple
and went together in one company until they came to a place where four roads
met, and formed a cross; then they divided into four companies, and three
went North, three East, three South, and three West. Thus they trod the Way
of the Cross. In some old Irish workings we are told that the three who went
North never returned. This symbolically implies that they went into the
Place of Darkness. As the tendency in modern Irish masonry appears to be to
adjust its ritual in main essentials to our English workings, it is but fair
that I should say that I have a tangible proof of this form of legend, in
the shape of an old Irish apron dated 1790, which, unlike modern Irish
aprons, has a number of paintings on it depicting incidents in the ritual.
One of the paintings shows the twelve F.C.'s separating at the four cross
roads. (See frontispiece).
It is clear from all accounts, whether English, Irish, Scotch or American,
that the scoundrels, the agents of death, were found by those who went in
the direction of Joppa, that is in the W., but we are left in considerable
doubt as to whether the b. was found in the E. or in the S..

Symbolically,

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however, it would clearly be in the S., for H.A.B., like the Christ, was
struck down at High Twelve, when the sun is in the S.. From a practical
point of view it is fairly obvious that the scoundrels who were carrying
away the b. could never have reached Joppa if they had once gone E., for
they would have had to fetch half a circle round Jerusalem, a procedure
which would have rendered their chance of escape almost hopeless. By going
S. they might hope to throw their pursuers off the track, and then turn back
at an angle, reach Joppa, and escape by boat. That this was their intention
is clear from many old forms of the legend, and especially in those worked
in America. King S., however, foresaw this possibility and prevented their
escape by forbidding any ships to sail. In the American working one of the
officers of the Lodge enacts the part of a sea captain, and even wears a
yachtman's cap. The villains come to him and beg him to take them aboard,
but he refused because of the embargo ordered by K.S.. That the same
incident was known in the old Irish working is shown by the little picture
on the same Irish apron depicting the arrest of the villains on the sea
shore, for in the back ground there is a ship.
Let us interpret the meaning of the Irish working first. From the Christian
standpoint the twelve F.C's represent the twelve apostles, Mathias replacing
the traitor Judas. But in the non-Christian, and possibly earlier
interpretation, these twelve would of course be the twelve signs of the
Zodiac, searching for the sun which had been eclipsed. We must never forget
that in addition to the deep spiritual meaning hidden in our ritual there is
also a Solar Myth embedded, which has in the course of years become
allegorized and filled with deeper spiritual truths.
But being English masons we must be prepared to find an explanation of the
fifteen. In ancient Egyptian times the month consisted of 30 days, and the
year of twelve such months, plus five extra days. Now the first fifteen, of
whom twelve recanted, presumably represent the first half of that month,
while the second half of the month is represented by the fifteen who went in
search. But spiritually the meaning of the fifteen is fairly clear. Man has
five senses and is triune in nature, and thus implies that Body, Soul and
Spirit must cooperate in trying to find God, and employ on that quest their
five senses.
Lest there be any misapprehension here I would explain that man is
considered to have not only the five physical senses, but also corresponding
senses of Soul and Spirit. The phrase "To see with the eyes of the Spirit"
is perfectly well known, and similarly we can speak of the eyes of the Soul.
To give concrete examples :-Students of psychic science constantly speak of
clairaudience and clairvoyance. While it is not necessary to accept this
type of phenomena, it is clearly obvious that if man survives death at all
his Soul must have a means of communicating with other Souls and that these
correspond in some way to our physical senses. In like manner how are we to
describe the visions of the great seers and prophets, related in the Bible,
except by the possession of spiritual sight ?
Bearing this in mind, we obtain the following interpretation of the fate
which befell the three F.C. Lodges into which the fifteen formed themselves.
Those who found nothing represent the physical senses of man, which are
useless beyond the grave : the next company must therefore represent the
Soul, for despite the logic of the physical world, it is the Soul which
realises that death does not end all, and so it was one of these who r...d
the M But the power which tells us what is right and wrong, and which
ultimately punishes us for our offences, is what we call conscience, and
thus assuredly is the Divine Spark within us-the Spirit.
Let us now turn to consider the details connected with the dlscovery of the
body. The incident of the shrub is such a striking analogy with a similar
one found in AEneid, wherein AEneas finds the body of the murdered Polydorus
by plucking up a shrub which is near him on the side of a hill, that some
students suggest that in the revision of our ritual this incident was copied
from Virgil. But, in Who was Hiram Abiff, I show that both refer back to an
ancient source and have an allegorical meaning. One proof supporting this
view; is that this particular tree, the Acacia, has from time immemorial
been more or less sacred in the near East. In ancient Egypt the earliest
forms of the legend of Osiris relate that it was an acacia which grew up
round the coffin of Osiris, and not a tamarisk as in the later versions.
(See An Examination of the Masonic Ritual, by Major Sanderson). In like
manner this tree is sacred in Arabia, India, and many parts of Africa, while
it is the Shittim wood of the Old Testament, from which the ark was made. No
doubt in this reverence for the acacia we have a survival of the primitive
veneration for trees, usually spoken of as "tree and serpent worship." In
India the assouata tree is stated to be a symbol of Trimurti, The Three in
One. Its roots represent Brahma, its trunk Vishnu, and its branches Shiva,
the Destroyer.
At any rate we can regard the acacia tree as in itself an emblem of the
resurrection, for the tiny seed which is buried brings forth a mighty tree,
covered with fragrant blossoms.
The account of the manner in which the Cas. S...s came into existence,
though ingenious, can hardly be taken as historic. As we have already dealt
with this point previously, we shall only say that every folk-lore student
is well aware that, in the vast majority of cases, legends purporting to
explain the origin of a certain custom do not give the real origin at all,
but merely indicate that the origin of the custom has been lost, owing to
its great antiquity. The very manner in which some of the S..s are given is
sufficient to indicate that they did not originate in the way suggested,
while, on the other hand, we find these same S...s all round the world, with
entirely different explanations as to their origin. They are indeed ancient
landmarks, and the utmost care should be taken not to alter them in any way.
The next incident in the legend is the capture of the scoundrels. In some
rituals it is given with much interesting detail of a picturesque nature.
All agree that they were apprehended in a tavern, and many say explicidy
that it was near the sea shore. Some of the rituals state that the fugitives
were overheard lamenting as follows:- "One said, 'Oh, that my t. had been
c.a. rather than I should have done it;' while another more sorrowfully
exclaimed, `Oh, that my h...t had been t.o. rather than that I should have
struck him;' and a third voice brokenly said, `Oh, that my b. had been s. in
t. rather than that I should have smitten him,' " This last version is of
interest as explaining the legendary origin of the py. of the three degrees,
and incidentally it shows how legend incorporates facts into a story, in
order to explain something whose original meaning is lost. It would also
appear from this version as if the scoundrels had not intended to actually
kill their victim but merely to terrorise him, and in the excitement of the
moment lost their heads. Symbolically this contains a valuable piece of
teaching. According to one interpretation the three scoundrels represent
"The lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1
John, 2. 16). In other words, the sins of the flesh, the sins of the Soul,
such as covetousness, and spiritual pride, the most deadly of all.
These sins assuredly destroy man both physically and spiritually, yet it can
truly be said that in giving way to them no man intends to destroy himself.
From the more strictly Christian standpoint the three scoundrels are Herod,
Caiaphas, and Pontius Pilate, and it is perfectly clear that Pilate and
Herod, at any rate, did not wish to kill our Lord; but were caught in a
position from which they found it impossible to escape.
Returning to the deeper mystical interpretation we notice that the
scoundrels were found in the West, the region of Death, which teaches us
that the just retribution for all our sins, whether of body, soul, or
spirit, will overtake us after death, and that though in one sense it is
God, here shadowed forth by K.S., who punishes, yet in another sense it is
our five spiritual faculties which themselves rise up in judgment against
us. We ourselves, doom ourselves, and therefore we can obtain nothing but
strict justice.
Without pretending that we have exhausted this subject, this brief
explanation of the true character of the scoundrels and their captors must
suffice, and we will only mention in passing that here also there appears to
be a half forgotten astrological reference to the three winter months which
oppress the sun.
CHAPTER VIII
THE TRACING BOARD, ETC.
The next part of the narrative is incorporated in most English workings with
the Tracing Board. The most interesting feature is the description of the
g.. It is obvious that peculiar stress is laid on the centre, even in the
present form of our ritual, because of the way in which the measurements are
given. Why should it not have been said that it was six feet long? In some
old rituals the g.. or rather the monument, is described as a dome, which
made a complete circle at its base, and was three feet from the centre every
way. If so it must have been like a small replica of the earliest form of
the Buddhist Pagoda, and the Master was thus buried at the centre. In that c
ase the top of the dome would have been five feet from the surface of the
ground, and we should thus get the correct symbolic use of 5 as representing
the body, and 3 as representing the spirit, while enabling the human body to
be decorously interred. It seems probably that when the g.. was made to
conform to the type familiar in England, a desperate effort was made to
retain the 3 and 5. It is worth noting that there is no mention of the use
of any c...f...n, despite the picture on the tracing board, and if a
c...f....n had been used at the supposed date of the incident it certainly
would not have been of the European shape depicted, but much more like an
Egyptian Sarcophagus. Nevertheless, though the ritual does not justify the
existence of any c..f....n on the tracing board, it was an integral part of
the ancient mysteries of Osiris, and its retention in other ritual is almost
certainly an ancient landmark. On the same tracing board may be seen certain
letters in the Masonic cypher, which are practically never explained. Very
often when transliterated, among other things, they will be found to give
the P.W. leading to the three degree. This fact is of interest, for the true
meaning of that W., as already explained, is a w...k...r in m...ls, the
correct description of H.A.B. The fact that he was buried as near the
Sanctum Sanctortum as possible, symbolically denotes that he had reached the
centre, and was in union with the Source of All.
The Dormer window historically is the hypostyle, the method by which
Egyptian and classical temples obtained light. The pillars of the central
nave of such temples rose considerably higher than the roofs of the aisles,
thus leaving openings through which the light could enter the building.
These, however, were many in number, and it is difficult to justify the
apparent statement that there was only one such opening. Symbolically it is
intended to represent the means by which the Divine Light penetrates into
the deepest recesses of every man's nature.
The squared pavement has already been explained under the section dealing
with the mosaic pavement, in the first degree, and our readers are therefore
referred to it. Briefly, it indicates that man's progress towards the centre
is through alternate experiences of good and evil, darkness and light, mercy
and severity, life and death.
The Porch which is the entrance to the Sanctum Sanctorum is the gateway of
death.
The working tools, "as in other cases, contain much sound moral teaching of
typical 18th Century work, but there is one implement which deserves rather
more than passing attention. For what follows I must express my indedtedness
to W. Bro. Sir John Cockburn, P.G.D. The s..k...t does not appear to be much
in use among Operative masons. It is used by gardeners, but the Operative
mason has other means for marking out the ground for the foundations. This
implement has more than a superficial resemblance to the Caduceus of
Mercury, and Sir John Cockburn suggests that it has been employed to replace
this "Heathen" emblem. For my part, I think this is most probable, for it is
clear that at the beginning of the 19th century a deliberate attempt was
made to eliminate this emblem from our ceremonies. The jewel of the Deacons
in the 18th century was not a dove, but a figure of Mercury, bearing the
Caduceus. A number of these old jewels can be seen in the library of Grand
Lodge, and there are still a few old Lodges which continue to use them,
instead of the modern jewel. Now this jewel is far more appropriate to the
Deacons than is a dove. A dove is the emblem of peace and a carrier pigeon
bears messages, but neither of these birds do all the work of the Deacons.
Mercury, however, was the Messenger of the Gods, and carried the
instructions of Jupiter, thus fulfilling one set of the duties of a deacon.
He was also the conductor of souls through the underworld; taking the dead
by one hand, and uplifting the Caduceus in the other, he led the Shade from
the grave, through the perils of the underworld, to the Elysian Fields;
before his Caduceus the powers of evil fled. In mediaeval escatology it is
Christ who leads the Souls on a similar journey, uplifting in His Hand the
Cross of Salvation. Even to-day the jewels of the Deacons in a Mark Lodge
bear the Caduceus, a mute but convincing witness to the use of this emblem
in Freemasonry.
We can thus see that on the one hand a deliberate effort was made to delete
from our ceremonies the Caduceus, probably because it was considered to be
Pagan, while on the other hand it was clearly quite easy for ignorant
masonic furnishers, in the course of years, to make the Caduceus approximate
more and more to a masonic tool, so as to fit it in with other avowedly
masonic implemens. As a masonic tool it has very little significance, even
to a Speculative, and is of no practical value to an Operative, but the
Caduceus would be peculiarly appropriate to the third degree. In short, it
is an ancient landmark, an emblem of the dead and forgotten Mysteries, and
symbolical of Him who leads the soul from the darkness of the grave to the
light of the resurrection.
Before leaving the M.M. degree let me say to all installed masters that if
they have received the P.W., not the W. of an Installed master, but the P.W.
leading from the M.M. to that further degree, they will find in it evidence
not of a mere hint of the resurrection, but of the Resurrection itself, and
a close association with the version of that doctrine set forth in the life
of the Perfect Master.
CHAPTER IX
THE CLOSING
Here we are reminded that we are working in symbolism, for we come back from
the West, i.e., the grave, to this material world. But we have only obtained
substitutes, and we offer them as some consolation to the spirit, i.e., the
W.M. The advance to the centre of the room is an obvious reference to the
other centre. The s...s are communicated by the body to the soul, which
passes them on to the spirit. The meaning of these s....s is dealt with in
the ceremony, but it is worth noting that the word shows clearly that the
s....t is to be found only through the death of the body. The actual Hebrew
word whose corrupt form we use really means " My son is slain." It is also
well to remember that the p.s. and the s. of G.& D. (Scottish form) are, old
signs which come down from the ancient mysteries, and are still found
throughout the world. A brief summary of that has already been said may be
helpful. The p.s. is often associated with Shiva, the Destroyer, and is also
found appropriately used at Burobudor in Java; it refers to that occult
centre, the solar plexus. In view of what the lost s...t is, this sign is
therefore most significant. In other words, it is a hint to those who
deserve to know while it conceals from those who do not.
The Scottish sign of G. & D. is found all round the world, and always has
the same meaning of an appeal for heIp. It is used in the most primitive
initiatory rites of a boy into manhood, and in Kenya the boy takes it to
indicate that he is ready for the operation of circumcision to begin. In
Nyasaland, among the Yaos, it is associated with a grave, and in Mexico the
Preserver is shown making it. He was slain and rose from the dead, and it is
constantly found in Mexico in the form of a carving, consisting of a
skeleton cut in half at the centre and making this sign, as, for example, at
the Temple of Uxmal.
The manner of communicating the s..s and the gr. are equally old. Indeed,
the lion's grip appears to be the grip of all the Mysteries. It was the Grip
of Mithra, and by this grip Osiris was raised. Among the Druids it was also
known, as is shown by a carving at Iona. I have, however, gone into the
evidence for the antiquity of our signs so fully that I will not take up
further space here.
We may as well add, however, that the number "5" no doubt refers to the five
senses of man, just as the seven steps remind us of the Egyptian
sub-division of every mortal.
Having received the sub. s...s the W.M., or Spirit, confirms their use till
the true ones are discovered. This last remark indicates that the quest is
not ended or abandoned, in reality it has just begun; the first stage only
has been passed, which stage is death. It also tells every Craft Mason that
he a good craftsman till he has at least taken the Royal Arch.
Thus the spirit acknowledges that death is a step forward. It has freed the
soul of the trammels imposed on it by the body, and so our life's work on
earth, as symbolised in the Lodge, is closed. The knocks indicate that the
spirit now dominates the soul and body and before we leave these heights it
is well to point out that almost all the great religious teachers have
taught that in some mysterious way this physical body will be transformed,
and still be used after death. In short, that matter, as well as spirit, is
part of God. Science has shown that matter is indestructable, though its
form may be changed completely, and so even after the symbolical death and
resurrection, three knocks are still required.
CHAPTER X
CONCLUSION
This then concludes the third degree. More than any other degree in Craft
Masonry it has embedded in it ancient landmarks, brought down from a long
distant past. Under the surface lie hidden, meanings within meanings, which
I make no pretence to have exhausted. Already this book has exceeded in
length either of the two previous ones, but to do full justice to the
sublime degree one would require a volume four times as large as this. I
trust, however, that I have given some help, more especially to younger
brethren, which will aid them to glimpse the deeper side of Freemasonry. If
they too will strive to discover further alternative meanings, I shall feel
this labour of mine has been well repaid.
Let me again warn them that just because Masonry is so old, its rituals, in
the course of years, have been again and again revised, and newer meanings
have continually been grafted on to the old stock. We are not entitled to
say one meaning is right and another wrong. Both may be right. Christianity
itself has taken over a vast mass of pre-Christian ceremonies and symbols,
and the student is perfectly entitled to consider that both the Christian
and the pre-Christian interpretations of these symbols are equally deserving
of respect.
There is also another point which should be borne in mind. Again and again
we find that incidents and phrases which appear to have come from the Bible,
on closer investigation are found not to correspond exactly with the
Biblical narrative. At one time there was a tendency to say that in these
cases it was our duty to substitute the Biblical version for the
"Inaccurate" traditional form. With all due respect I venture to say that
such action is totally unjustifiable. Masonry is not the Bible. It is a
traditional ritual into which 18th century revisers inserted fragments from
the Bible, because that was the only book dealing with the period of the
masonic incidents which was then available to them. To-day, we know a great
deal more about this period than did our 18th century predecessors, and the
modern investigator has just cause to lament the well meaning, but
misdirected, zeal of these worthy masons, who thereby have probably
destroyed for ever valuable landmarks, which would have helped us to
discover the historical growth and the symbolic meaning of many parts of our
ceremonies.
Such apparent contraditions, and even mistakes, as appear to exist, should
be carefully retained, for they are sure indications to the conscientous
student of a connection with a long distant past, which modern methods of
research may enable us finally to trace to its origin. If, however, they are
revised out of existence, future generations will have nothing to help them
in the task of unravelling the true history and meaning of Freemasonry.
If a Sn. does not correspond with the explanation of the manner in which it
is said to have originated, don't alter the way of giving the Sn., for it is
an ancient landmark. Rather try to discover if anywhere in the world that
Sn. is still used in some old ceremony which may throw light on its true
origin. If H.A.B. was not buried in a c...f...n, don't eliminate the
c...f...n from the tracing board, but rather bear in mind that his great
prototype, Osiris, was so buried and that the c...f...n played a peculiarly
important part in the legend which recounts his death : which legend was
hoary with antiquity before K.S. was born.
Finally, let me say that even if a man can never fathom the full meaning of
the third degree, yet there is no man worthy of the name who has passed
through that third degree but will certainly have learnt one important
lesson, namely, how to d., and thereby will be the better man.

Watch out for these Freemason guys. This is a very racist organization.
See - http://www.freemasonrywatch.org
--
WW
.------,
=\ \
.---. =\ \
| WB \ =\ \
| `----------'------'----------,
.' .-.The Wright Brotherz .-.[]`-.
\ _/.____|_|______.------,______|_|_____)
/ /
=/ /
=/ /
=/ /
/_____,'

[Tony Spadaro]

Are all masons too stupid to trim headers of groups that don't give a
shirt about your moronic little secret society? I suspects so.

Post by Wilbur

THE MM'S BOOK
by J.S.M. Ward
PREFACE
THE third degree in Freemasonry is termed the Sublime Degree and the title
is truly justified. Even in its exoteric aspect its simple, yet dramatic,
power must leave a lasting impression on the mind of every Cand.. But its
esoteric meaning contains some of the most profound spiritual instruction
which it is possible to obain to-day.
Even the average man, who entered The Craft with little realisation of its
real antiquity and with the solemnity of this, its greatest degree. In its
directness and apparent simplicity rests its tremendous power. The exoteric
and esoteric are interwoven in such a wonderful way that it is almost
imopssible to separate the one from the other, and the longer it is studied
the more we realise the profound and ancient wisdom concealed therein.
Indeed, it is probable that we shall never master all that lies hidden in
this degree till we in very truth pass through that reality of which it is a
allegory.
The two degrees which have gone before, great and beautiful though they be
are but the training and preparation for the message which the third degree
holds in almost every line of the ritual. Here at length we learn the true
purpose of Freemasonry. It is not merely a system of morality veiled in
allegory and illustrated by symbols, but a great adventure, a search after
that which was lost; in other words, the Mystic Quest, the craving of the
Soul to comprehend the nature of God and to achieve union with Him.
Different men vary greatly; to some the most profound teachings appeal,
while to others simpler and more direct instruction is all they crave. But
there is hardly a man who has not, at some time or other, amid the turmoil
and distraction of this material world, felt a strange and unaccountable
longing for knowledge as to why he was ever sent here, whence he came, and
whither he is wending. At such times he feels Iike a wanderer in a strange
land, who has almost forgotten his native country, because he left it so
long ago, but yet vaguely realises that he is an exile, and dimly craves for
some message from that home which he knew of yore.
This is the voice of the Divine Spark in man calling out for union with the
Source of its being, and at such times the third degree carries with it a
message which till then, perhaps, the brother had not realized. The true
s...ts are lost, but we are told how and where we shall find them. The
gateway of d. opens the way to the p. within the c., where the longing
spirit will find peace in the arms of the Father of All.
Thus it will be seen that the third degree strikes a more solemn note thane
even that of d. itself, and I have endeavoured in this little book to convey
in outline form some part at least of this sublime message.
As in my previous books, I freely confess that I have not covered the whole
ground. Not only would it be impossible to do so in a book of this size, but
in so doing I should have defeated one of my principal objects in writing
namely, to inspire others to study for themselves and endeavour to find in
our ceremonies further and deeper meanings.
The success of the earlier books shows clearly that my efforts have not been
in vain, and that the brethren are more than anxious to fathom the inner
meaning of the ceremonies we all love so well. This book completes the
series dealing with the meaning of the three craft degrees, but their
popularity has convinced me that the experiment of producing a small and
inexpensive handbook has been completely justified. I have therefore been
encouraged to write further volumes, and the next of the series will be an
outline history of Freemasonry " from time Immemorial."
PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION
The success of the first edition of this book has necessitated a second
wherein I have corrected a few printing errors and added a few points which
may help my brother students.
From the number of letters I have received from all parts of the world,
thanking me for the light these books throw on the meaning of our
ceremonies, it is clear that the new members who are entering our Order are
tending to take an increasing interest in the meaning of our Rites and are
no longer content to regard the Ceremonies merely as a pastime for an idle
hour.
J.S.M. WARD.
CONTENTS
Introduction by The Hon. Sir John Cockburn, M.D., K.C.M.G., P.G.D.Eng.,
P.D.G.M. S.Australia
Chapter 1 Questions and P.W.
Chapter 2 The Opening
Chapter 3 The Symbolical Journeys, etc.
Chapter 4 The Exhortation
Chapter 5 The S..s
Chapter 6 The Badge
Chapter 7 The Legend
Chapter 8 The Tracing Board, etc.
Chapter 9 Closing
Chapter 10 Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
By Sir John A. Cockburn,
W.Bro. Ward has lost no time in supplying his large circle of readers with
this little book on the 3 degree. With becoming reverence he touches on the
last great lesson which Masonry presents to the mind of the Craftsman. Among
the manifold blessings that Freemasonry has conferred on mankind none is
greater than that of taking the sting from death and robbing the grave of
victory. No man can be called Free who lives in dread of the only event that
is certain in his life. Until emancipated from the fear of death, he is all
his life long subject to bondage. Yet how miserably weak is this phantom
king of Terrors who enslaves so many of the uninitiated. As Francis Bacon
remarked, there is no passion in the mind of man that does not master the
dread of death. Revenge triumphs over it; love slights it; honour aspireth
to it; grief flieth to it. Death has always been regarded as the elucidation
of the Great Mystery. It was only at the promise of dissolution that the
seeker after the Elixir of Life exclaimed Eureka. Masonry regards death but
as the gate of life, and the Master Mason learns to look forward with firm
but humble confidence to the moment when he will receive his summons to
ascend to the Grand Lodge above.
Brother Ward very properly attaches much significance to the Pass Word
leading to the 2 degree and 3 degree. In the Eleusinian Mysteries an ear of
corn was presented to the Epoptai. This, as an emblem of Ceres, represented
by the S.W., is appropriate to the F.C.'s, who are under the guidance of
that officer, while the name of the first artificier in metals, which is
reminiscent of Vulcan, the Celestial Blacksmith, seems specially befitting
to the attributes of the J.W., as it was in the days before 1740. The author
sees in the lozenge formed by two of the great lights a representation of
the Vesica Piscis. This symbol, whose literal meaning is "the bladder of the
fish,' is of deep significance. Some see in it the essential scheme of
ecclesiastical architecture. But as the spiritually blind are unable to
discern similitudes, so those who are gifted with deep insight are apt to
over estimate analogies. The Vesica Piscis being, as Brother Ward rightly
states, a feminine emblem, and therefore one sided, can hardly represent the
equilibrium attained by the conjunction of the square and compasses. These
respectively stand for the contrasted correlatives which pervade Creation,
and, like the pillars, are typical when conjoined of new stability resulting
from their due proportion in the various stages of Evolution. The
progressive disclosures of the points of the compasses seems to indicate the
ultimate realisation of the spirituality of matter; the at-one-ment and
reconciliation at which Freemasonry and all true religions aim. Brother Ward
repeatedly points out the similarity that exists between the lessons of
Christianity and of Freemasonry. It is indeed difficult to distinguish
between them, The Ancient Mysteries undoubtedly possessed in secret many of
the truths proclaimed in the gospel. St. Augustine affirms that
Christianity, although not previously known by that name, had always
existed. But whereas the hope of immortality was formerly in the Mysteries
confined to a favoured few, the new Convenant opened the Kingdom of Heaven
to all believers. Incidentally this little volume clears up many passages
which are obscure in the Ritual. For example, there could be no object in
directing that the F.C's, who, on account of their trust-worthiness, were
selected by the King to search for the Master, should be clothed in white to
prove their innocence. That was already beyond question. The order was
evidently meant for the repentant twelve who took no actual part in the
crime. This and similar inconsistencies in the Ritual may be accepted as
evidence of its antiquity. Had it been a modern compilation such
contradictions would have been studiously avoided.
It is probable that many earnest Masons may not agree with all Brother
Ward's interpretations. Nor can such unanimity reasonably be expected.
Freemasonry, as a gradual accretion of the Wisdom of Ages Immemorial, bears
traces of many successive schools of thought. But all its messages are
fraught with hope for the regeneration of humanity. The author intimated his
desire in this series of handbooks to lead others to prosecute the study of
Masonry for themselves; and indeed he has abundantly proved that in its
unfathomable depths there are many gems of priceless ray serene which will
well repay the search. Brother Ward is heartily to be congratulated on
having attained the object he had in view.
John A. Cockburn.
CHAPTER I
QUESTIONS AND P.W.
Those of our Brethren who have read the previous two books of this series
will not need much help in understanding the significance of the questions
which are put to the Cand. before being raised. Practically every question
has been dealt with in detail in the previous books; the majority of them
are taken from incidents in the Lectures and Tracing Board, and since the
latter was explained at some length we shall not now detain our readers
long.
The manner of preparation for the second degree stressed the masculine side,
which is characteristic of it. The admission on a S. indicated that the
Cand. had profited by the moral training rcceived in the First degree, and
that his conduct had always been on the S.. There is, however a deep
esoteric meaning in the apparent platitude that it is the fourth part of a
circle. Among all the ancient nations the circle is a symbol of God the
Infinite, Whose name we discovered in the second degree in the M.Ch., where
we leamt that it consisted of four letters. Thus the Cand. was admitted on
one letter of the Mystic Name, and if the four Sq.s are united with the
circle in a peculiar way they form the cosmic cross, emblem of matter,
within the circle of the Infinite.
We have in the last book considered at such length what is implied by the
words "Hidden mysteries of nature and science," that we need here only refer
our readers to that section, wherein we saw that in former times these
hidden mysteries undoubtedly referred to certain occult powers, which would
be dangerous if acquired by a man who had not proved himself to be of the
highest moral character.
The "wages" we receive consist of the power to comprehend the nature of God,
Who resides in the M.Ch. of the Soul of every Mason. The F.C. receives his
wages without scruple or diffidence because the Spiritual benefit he
receives from Freemasonry is in exact proportion to his desire, and ability,
to comprehend its inner meaning.
He cannot receive either more or less than he has earned, for if he has not
understood the profound lesson of the Divinity within him, naturally he
cannot benefit therefrom.
His employers are the Divine Trinity, of Whom Justice is one of the
outstanding attributes. God could not be unjust and remain God. This
conception is almost a platitude, but the average man, while realising that
God will not withhold any reward earned, is at times apt to assume that
because God is love He will reward us more than we deserve. This is clearly
a mistake, for God could not be partial without ceasing to be God, therefore
the F.C. receives exactly the Spiritual wages he has earned, and neither
more nor less, but some F.C.'s will nevertheless obtain a greater reward
than others, because spiritually they have earned it.
The significance of the names of the P....rs was explained in the last book,
but in view of the nature of the third degree it seems advisable to point
out once more that their secret Kabalistic meaning is (1) Being fortified by
every moral virtue, (2) you are now properly prepared, (3) to undergo that
last and greatest trial which fits you to become a M M.. Thus we see that
even the w..ds of the preceding degrees lead up to this, the last and
greatest.
As in the former case, the remark of the W.M. that he will put other
questions if desired indicates the possibility of members of the Lodge
asking qucstions based on the Lectures of the Second Degree, or even on the
Tracing Board. It is, indeed, a pity that this right is practically never
exercised. For example, a particularly appropriate question would be "What
was the name of the man who cast the two great p....rs ? " As it is, the
Cand. in a dramatic way represents the closing incidents in the life of this
great man, whose importance till then he has hardly had any opportunity of
realising.
Having answered these test questions, the cand. is again entrusted with a
P.W., etc., to enable him to enter the Lodge after it has been raised to the
Third degree during this temporary absence. We have in the previous book
explained that the raising of a Lodge should alter the vibrations of those
present by a process well recognised in the ceremonies of Magic, and, to
enable the Cand. quickly to become in ttme with these higher spiritual
vibrations, a word of "power" is given him, which in a moment places him on
the same plane as the other members of the Lodge. This word he has to give,
not only outside the d....r of the Lodge, but also immediately before his
presentation by the S.W. as "Properly prepared to be raised to the Third
Degree." It is only after this has been done that the real ceremony of the
Third Degree, so far as the c. is concerned, begins, and therefore that the
full force of the vibrations of the M.M.'s come into play.
The P.W. itself is of the greatest significance, more especially when
combined with the P.W. leading from the First to the Second degree. At one
time the P.W.'s were reversed. T.C. being the W. leading to the Second, and
Sh... . the W. leading to the Third. This is still the case in those foreign
Grand Lodges, such as the Dutch and the French, which derive from us before
1740, when the W.s were altered owing to certain un-authorised revelations.
This alteration was one of the just grievances which brought about the
secession of the so-called "Ancients," who charged Grand Lodge with altering
the Ancient Landmarks. When the Irish followed our example they continued
the prohibition of the introduction of m..ls until the Third degree, which
is a logical procedure, for clearly you have no right to bring them into
Lodge until you have been symbolically introduced to the first artificer in
that material. As the W.s now stand they convey the following spiritual
lesson:- the F.C. is one who finds the simple necessities of life, such as
C. and W., sufficient for his requirements. They are plenty to the
spiritually minded man, whose soul becomes clogged and hampered by the
acquistion of worldly possessions and since it is hard for a rich man to
enter the Kingdom of Heaven, immediatdy the Cand. has symbolically received
W.P. he is Sl....n.
T.C. conveys the lesson that W.P. in themselves bring death to the soul and
prevent its upward progress. To-day, the river of death connected with the
P.W. leading to the Second degree has largely lost its significance, whereas
when it was a P.W. leading to the Third, it was in itself a fine allegory.
We must remember that Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was well known and widely
read at the beginning of the 18th Century, and those who were re-organising
our rituals at that time could not have been blind to the similarity of the
allegory hidden in the w. Sh. and the account by Bunyan of Christian's
fording the river of death on the way to the Holy City. The change of about
1740 destroyed this allegory, and its survival in the Tracing Board is now
merely one of those numerous footnotes which, to the careful student, are
invaluable indications of the various transformations though which our
ritual has passed during the course of years. Nevertheless, I do not regret
the change, as I think the present spiritual lesson is even finer than the
former one, but the other arrangement was more logical. Firstly, from the
practical point of view the F.C. required the use of m..1 tools to perform
his operative tasks, and in the process of his work acquired W.P., in
contradiction to the E.A., who did only rough work and received only
maintenance: i.e., corn, wine , and oil. Secondly, from the symbolical
standpoint the sequence was also more logical, for the F.C., having acquired
wealth by means of his skill, was brought to the river of d., and passed
through it in the Third Degree.
According to Bro. Sanderson, in his "Examination of the Masonic Ritual," the
actual translation of the Hebrew w. Sh. is an " e. of c., or a f. of w."-
hence the manner in which it is depicted in a F.C.'s Lodge-while the w. T.C.
in Hebrew means only a blacksmith, though another w. similarly pronounced
means acquisition. Hence, as he points out, " an allegorical title has, in
translating the Old Testament, been mistaken for the name of an actual
person, for the name itself means `A worker in M...t...ls'" Therefore the
connection with H.A.B. is obvious. Bro. Sanderson, quoting from the "Secret
Discipline," by S. L. Knapp, says, "In a work on ancient ecclesiastical
history the following occurs, 'By a singular plasus linguae the moderns have
substituted T.C. in the Third Degree for tymboxein-to be entombed.' " While
I am unable to say whether Knapp is justified in this statement, it is
quitee probable that this P.W., and indeed all the P.W.s are

comparatively

Post by Wilbur

modern substitutes, taken from the Bible to replace ancient W.s of power
whose full meaning was lost and whose form in consequence had become corrupt
and unintelligible. The Greek word tymboxein would be peculiariy suitable fo
r a P.W. leading to the Third Degree, in view of its meaning, and mediaeval
magical ceremonies are full of corrupt Greek words indiscriminately mingled
with equally corrupt Hebrew and Arabic. There is, therefore, nothing
intrinsically improbable in the suggestion that this ancient Greek word was
the original from which T.C. has been evolved. We know as a fact that large
pieces of Biblical history were imported wholesale into our rituals in the
18th Century, and what is more likely than that an unintelligible work,
already so corrupt as not even to be recognisable as Greek, should be
amended into a well known Biblical character? However, the word as it
stands, because of its Hebrew meaning of acquisition, can correctly be
translated as W.P., while as meaning an artificer in M. it clearly refers to
H.A.B., who made the two p.....rs, and whom the Cand. is to represent. Thus,
following this line of interpretation, we perceive that the Cand. really
represents H.A.B. when he enters the Lodge, although under the disguised
title conveyed by the P.W..
In dealing with these P.W.s I have endeavoured to show that there are
meanings within meanings, and the same is true of practically every
important incident in the whole ceremony. In a book of thissize it is
obviously impossible to attempt to give all of these meanings, and even if
one did the result would be to befog the young reader and so prevent him
from getting a clear and connected interpretation of the ceremony. It is for
this reason that, in the main, I am concentrating on one line of
interpretation, but I have thought it desirable in this section to give a
hint to more advanced students, so that they can follow up similar lines of
investigation for themselves.
PREPARATION
In English and Scotch workings there is no c.t. around the Cand. in
preparation for the Third Degree, but in the Irish working it is wound once
around his n., in the Second degree twice, and the First three times. If we
regard the c.t. as symbolising those things which hamper a man's spiritual
progress, the gradual unwinding of it as used in Irish workings becomes of
great significance. This interpretation implies that the Cand. is hampered
in Body, Soul and Spirit in the First Degree, whereas by the time he has
reached this point in the Third Degree the Body and Soul have triumphed over
the sins which peculiarly assail them, and in that stage symbolised by the
Degree itself the Spirit has only to triumph over Spiritual sins, such as
Spiritual Pride. With this exception the manner of preparation is the same
in all these British workings, and indicates that the Cand. is now about to
consecrate both sides of his nature, active and passive, creative and
preservative, etc., to the service of the Most High.
The explanation already given in the previous books of the various details,
such as being s.s., holds here, and a brief glance at the other volumes will
render it unnecessary for me to take up valuable space therewith in this
third book. The Can. is then brought to the Lodge door and gives the Kn.s of
a F.C. These Kn's indicate that Soul and Body are in union, but the Spirit
is still out of contact whereas the proper Kn's of a M.M. (2/1) indicates
that the Spirit dominates the Soul and is in union with it, the body having
fallen away into significance. It will be remembered that in the first book
of this series I pointed out that the three separate kn's of an E.A.
symbolise that in the uninitiated man, Body, Soul and Spirit are all at
variance. Meanwhile the Lodge has been raised to a Third Degree by a
ceremony whose profound significance demands consideration in a separate
chapter.
CHAPTER II
THE OPENING
Having satisfied himself that all present are symbolically upright and moral
men, the W.M. asks the J.W. if his spiritual nature has evolved sufficiently
to control both soul and body. The J.W. suggests that he should be tested,
not only by the emblem of upright conduct, but also by the Compasses. Now
these combined with the Square form a lozenge, which is itself a symbol for
the Vesica Piscis, emblem of the female principle. The Compasses, moreover,
are the instruments with which geometrical figures are created, and more
especially the Circle. By means of two circles the triangle, emblem of the
triune nature of God,. is produced, while the Cirde itself is the emblem of
Eternity and therefore of Spirit. A point within the cirle forms the symbol
for the Hindu conception of the Supreme Being, Paramatma, whence we have
come and whither we shall all ultimately return. At the centre of the circle
rests all knowledge; there shall we find every lost secret. Now such a
figure can only be drawn with the help of the Compasses, and in drawing it
the following significant symbolical act takes place.
One point of the Compass rests at the centre, and the other makes the circle
of the Infinite. No matter how far the legs of the Compass be extended, or
how large the Circle, the fact remains that one leg is always at the centre.
Thus the Compasses, while they travel through infinity, are at the same time
never separated from the centre, and from that point cannot err.
This instrument may therefore be considered as standing for the Divine Spark
in Man, in all its manifestations. One of these is conscience; but the
Divine Spark has many attributes and names.
So the J.W.'s reply indicates that he is prepared to be tested both by the
moral code and by the spiritual laws of our being.
But after these preliminaries the proceedings become of an even more exalted
nature. All that has gone before has been but preparation for the Great
Quest on which we must now set forth. It is the quest of the Soul for
realisation of God, and at-one-ment with Him. This is the Mystic Quest of
all ages, and, true to the ancient symbolism, it starts from the East, the
place of Light, and goes towards the West, the place of darkness and death.
The East represents God, Who is our home. It indicates that each soul comes
out from the place of Light, from Light itself, that is, from the very
substance of God, descends through the Gateway of the Dawn and becomes
incarnate in Matter. But it brings with it a sense of loss and separation,
for it has come out from God, and the Divine Spark within it longs return
whence it came. Having lost the secret of its true nature and the way of
return, it wanders in darkness, seeking and for most men the way of return
is through the Western portal, the gateway of Death, for so long as we are
finite beings we cannot hope to comprehend the Infinite.
Yet there are some few exceptions to the general rule, who, while still in
the flesh, have a vision of the Divine splendour, are caught up in it, and
became one with God. To such men the return to ordinary mundane existence
seems unreal and shadowy. Where others believe in God they Know Him, but it
is almost impossible for them to convey to others the experience through
which they have gone. Yet that such experiences are real, as real as any
other fact in life, is attested by a long line of witnesses right throughout
the ages.
To the average man, however, the first real step towards the realisation of
what constitutes God is through the portal of physical death; - but even
then the end is still far off.
Hence the answer explaining how the true secrets came to be lost indicates,
not the cause of the loss, but the first step towards the recovery, and this
fact is borne out by the subsequent events in the ceremony itself.
Note, it is the body only that dies, and by its death enables the Soul and
Spirit to re-discover in part the secrets which were last. Yet this death of
the Body effectually debars the communication of these secrets to the
sorrowing F.C.'s left behind. It is the passing through that veil which
separates life and death which stars us on the road which ends with God.
It must never be forgotten, however, that the genuine secrets are never
recovered in the Craft, although symbolically we rise from the grave, for
that secret can only be discovered at or with the C.-i.e., with God. To that
exalted position we can only attain after long journeys through the planes
of existence beyond the grave. In our symbolism there is nothing which
indicates that immediately after death man is fit to pass into the presence
of the King of Kings.
But the Divine Spark within us is never really separated from the Great and
All-Pervading Spirit. It is still part of it, though its glory is dimmed by
the veil of flesh. Therefore, just as one arm of the compasses ever rests on
the centre, no matter how far the other leg travels; so however far we may
travel from God, and however long and hard may be the journey, the Divine
Spark within us can never be truly separated from Him, or err from that
Centre. Thus the point of the Compasses at the centre of the circle may be
considered to be the Spirit, the head of the Compasses the Soul, and the
point on the circumference the body.
So the task is set and the brethren go forth on the quest, that quest which
must lead through the darkness of death, as the ceremony that follows tells
in allegory. It is not correct to say that the search hinted at in the
Opening ceremony is suddenly abandoned, and those who think this
misinterpret the whole meaning of the legend. Never in earthly life shall we
find the answer we seek, nay, even death itself will not give it; but,
having passed beyond the grave, through the four veils of the Scottish rite,
and so into the H.R.A., we find an excellent answer in allegorical and
symbolical language, whilst the jewel of the degree emphasises what the end
of the quest is.
Nor must it be forgotten that the body alone cannot realise the nature of
God, and that is why without the help of the other two, H.A.B. neither
could, nor would, disclose the S........t.
The W.M.'s promise to help indicates that the Spirit will render assistance,
but though the Spirit subsequently raises man from the grave it is not
sufficiently evolved to give him the true secret. This can only come about
when the Spirit has raised the Soul to a far higher stage of

spirituality.

Post by Wilbur

Though this is the degree of Destruction, that form of the Trinity is not
invoked, and the title used corresponds more closely to the Hindu name for
the All-Embracing than to their form of the Destroyer. This no doubt is
deliberate, for the symbol of this degree is the same emblem which among the
Hindus denotes the Most High, namely the Circle with a Point within it. v In
some Scotch rituals, after the Lodge has been opened in the first degree the
I.P.M., or the D.C., opens the V.S.L., and, strange to say, does so with the
words, "In the beginning was the Word." Similarly, when the Lodge is closed
in the first degree the book is closed with the words, "And the word was
with God." Here then we get two striking features: 1) the use of words from
the first chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, and 2) their
correlation with the phrase in the Third Degree, "At, or with the C." This
procedure suggests that the lost W. is the Logos, or Christ, and remembering
what we have previously pointed out in the earlier books, i.e., that there
is a perfectly logical Christian interpretation of the whole of the Craft
ceremonies, this fact becomes of increasing significance.
Before closing this chapter, I would like to add that the Third Degree lends
itself to a Christian interpretation even more markedly than the former
ones, and several of the higher degrees in Freemasonry adopt and expand this
line of teaching.
In view of the fact that in the Middle Ages Freemasonry was undoubtedly
Christian, we cannot lightly reject this view of the inner meaning of the
ceremonies, but as the frame work of our ceremonies apparently goes back
before Christian times, a non-Christian interpretation is equally
permissible.
CHAPTER III
THE SYMBOLICAL JOURNEYS, ETC.
The Can. is admitted on he C....... s, and this fact is of far greater
significance than most brethren probably realise. Firstly, as has been
noted, one arm of the C.s is always at the C., no matter how far the other
may travel, and from the point of view of the Can., though he knows it not,
this act in a sense indicates that his heart, and therefore he himself, is
at or on the C........e. Secondly, the C....s in this degree link up with
the Sq. used in the former degree on a similar occasion. We have seen in the
previous books that the Sq. and C........s are united on the Ped. in such a
way as to form the vesica piscis, the emblem of the female principle, and
the symbol of birth and rebirth. Hence symbolically thc Can. passes through
the vesica piscis. Also after entering the Lodge in this, as in the previous
degrees, he kn....s while the blessing of Heaven is invoked, and as he does
so the wands of the deacons are crossed above his head. He thus kn........s
in a triangle, the emblem of Spirit, and itself connected with the lozenge.
Two equilateral triangles make a lozenge, which is produced from the vesica
piscis-formed by two circles, as shown by the first proposition in Euclid.
In view of the great stress laid upon Geometry throughout the whole of our
rituals these facts cannot be ignored. Our Operative Brn. must have realised
that the whole science of Geometry arises out of this first proposition,
which shows how to make a triangle (the emblem of the Trinity and the
Spirit) by means of two circles whose circumferences pass through the centre
of each other. In doing so they form the vesica piscis, which gives birth
first of all to the triangle, and secondly, to the double triangle, in the
form of a lozenge. This last emblem is symbolised by the sq., denoting
matter, and the c...s, denoting spirit. The above facts throw a flood of
light upon the interplay between these Masonic emblems.
Before leaving this subject it is worth while pointing out that the Can.
likewise takes every Ob. in Craft masonry within this triangle, and that the
same method is employed in other ancient rites, including those of the
Society of Heaven and Earth in China, where the Can. kn...s on one sword,
while two others are held over his head so as to form a triangle of steel.
The Can. now starts on his three symbolical journeys. He first satisfies the
J.W., representing the Body, that he is an E.A., i.e., a man of good moral
character. He next satisfies the S.W., representing the Soul, that he has
benefited by the lessons of life and acquired intellectual knowledge. Then
comes the third journey, when he is once more challenged by the Soul, who
demands the P.W., the full significance of which has already been explained.
Let us combine these meanings! He comes laden with worldly possessions,
which in themselves carry the seeds of death, unconsciously representing in
his person the worker in metals who made the twin colunms, and is about to
be entombed. (tymboxein).
Therefore the Soul presents him to the Spirit as one properly prepared to
carry out the part of his great predecessor. There is a point here which we
need to realise, for it is one which is often overlooked. In the previous
degrees only one Deacon was instructed to lead the Can. by the proper S...ps
to the E., but here both are needed. From the practical point of view there
is no obvious reason why the help of the J.D. should be invoked at all, and
as the ceremony is usually carried out he does nothing but look on. I
believe, however, the S.D. should first go through the S...ps and the J.D.,
should assist the Can. to copy his example. If thus were so we should get an
almost exact repetition of the analogous ceremony in the R.A. where the
p.s., corresponding to the S.D., is helped by an assistant. Thus, with the
Can., in both cases we get a Trinity, only one of whom actually descends
into the g., or, in the other case, into the v.
As Major Sanderson has pointed out in An Examination of the Masonic Ritual,
among the primitive, races usually, a man who stepped over an o.g. would be
considered to have committed sacrilege, and almost certainly would be slain,
but, on the other hand, we do know that in many Initiatory Rites either the
Can., or someone else for him, steps down into a gr., and is

subsequently

Post by Wilbur

symbolically sl...n therein. If this be the true interpretation of this part
of the ceremony, the reason for the presence of the two deacons in addition
to the Can. becomes clear. It is only the Body that descends into the clear
the Soul and the Spirit have no part therein. Thus, for the moment, though
only temporarily, these three represene the triune nature of man, while the
three principal officers represent the triune nature of God. The fact that
this is undoubtedly true in the case of the R.A., makes it almost certain
that the same idea underlies this apparently unimportant diffirence between
the arrangements in the third degree, and those followed in the first and
second.
Again and again when one comes to study carefully the details of our ritual,
one finds little points, such as these, which would certainly not have
survived the drastic revision of 1816 if there had not been present some men
who really did understand the inner meaning of our ceremonies, and refused
to allow important lessons to be lost by the removal of what, at first
sight, appear to be unnecessary details.
Therefore, those of us who value the inner meaning of our ceremonies owe a
deep debt of gratitude to these men, even though their actual names be
unknown to us, and on our part a duty is imposed on us that we shall not
hastily tamper with the rituals, merely because we do not ourselves see the
full significance of a phrase or think that by revising it we can make the
wording run more smoothly.
The next factor we must consider most carefuUy is the actual sp...s
themselves. These make the Latin cross of suffuring and sacrifice.
Sometimes the sp..s are not done quite correctly, for the Can. should be
careful to face due North, due South, and due East respectively. This
procedure undoubtedly refers to the three entrances of the Temple through
which H.A.B. endeavoured to escape. Hence it is we see that the Master
himself trod out the cross of Calvary during the tragedy, and in a sense
made the Consecration Cross of the Temple.
In a mediaeval church, and even to-day at the consecration of a church
according to the Anglican ordinance, there should be a dedication cross
marked on the building. In the Middle Ages these were usually marked on the
pillars, and apparently corresponded to the mark made by an illiterate
person when witnessing a deed. The Consecrating Bishop sometimes drew this
cross on the pillar or wall, or sometimes merely traced over a cross already
painted there for the purpose. Any new piece of work in a church, even if
only a new fresco, had its dedication cross. For example :-At Chaldon
Church, Surrey, the dedication cross is marked on the margin of a fresco
depicting The Brig of Dread, described at length in Freemasonry and the
Ancient Gods.
Bearing these facts in mind, we shall perceive that, even from the Operative
point of view, the manner of advancing in this degree, and the manner in
which H.A.B. met his end, had a peculiar significance. The Great Architect
of the Temple must have traced the dedication cross the whole length and
breadth of the Temple in his own blood. Moreover, such dedication crosses as
have actually survived are nearly always found to be painted in red. Thus,
H.A.B.'s last work was, as it were, to commence the consecration of the
Temple which was completed by K.S., for until that cross had been marked
either on the wail or pavement, according to mediaeval Operative ideas the
building could not be consecrated. Therefore, the Can., who is reenacting
the same drama, must obviously do likewise, and in so doing dedicates the
Temple of his body.
But there is still more hidden within this ceremonial act. The ancient
Knights Templar were accused of trampling on the cr., and a careful
examination of the evidence taken at the trial shows that in reality they
took a ritual sp., somewhat similar to those taken by the Can. in this
degree.
One of the esoteric meanings indicated is the Way of the Cross which leads
to Calvary. Furhermore, having thus traced out a cr. he is subsequendy laid
on it, and this fact is emphasised by the position in which his legs or feet
are placed. The foot of this cr. reaches to the Ped., on which rests the
O.T. If, therefore, this symbolical cr. were raised as it was on Calvary it
would rest on the O.T., and the Can. would face the E., and would be, as it
were, on a mountain. This fact should be borne in mind by those who seek a
Christian interpretation of our Craft ceremonies. Mystically

interpreted, it

Post by Wilbur

indicates that every aspirant for union with the Divine must tread the Way
of the Cross, and suffer and die thereon, in order that he may rise to a new
life, a realisation of his union with the Infinite. v Even those who are
disinclined to admit the possibility of a Christian interpretatior, of the
Craft degrees, must recognise the fact that this cr. is the cr. of sacrifice
and means that the true aspirant must be prepared to sacrifice everything in
his search after Truth.
The number of the sp...s is the combination of the Trinity and of the four
elements, representing matter. It is the same number as forms the perfect
lodge, and also the seven elements which form man, whether we interpret it
according to the ancient Egyptian system, or in the more modern form of the
five physical senses, the Soul and the Spirit. In the latter case it
indicates that the man must be prepared to sacrifice, or shall we say
dedicate to God, Body, Soul and Spirit.
There are yet other profound meanings in this one ritual act, but enough has
been written to set my readers pondering for themselves, and we will
therefore proceed to consider the next point in the ceremony.
The Ob. itself contains one or two interesting points. Thus it indicates
that a M.M.'s Lodge must always be open on the C.. This shows us at once
that we are dealing with a ceremony with a mystical meaning, for the C.
means the same as the middle ch. in the second degree-the secret chamber of
the heart, where dwells the Divine Spark-and so tells us in veiled language
that all that happens thereafter is a spiritual experience, which sooner or
later comes to every mystic. The special moral obligations which the Can.
undertakes should be noted, but require no explanation. It is, however,
difficult to understand why they should be deferred until this stage. In the
ancient charges similar obligations are imposed apparently on the E.A., and
this seems more logical.
The Py. varies even in different parts of England, but in essentials is
always the same. You are s. at the c., and the manner of disposal is very
reminiscent of the way in which the dead are cremated in India in honour of
Shiva. There the corpse is burnt near running water, preferably near the
Ganges, and the ashes are thrown into the air over the river to the four
cardinal points, that the winds may scatter them. It must be remembered that
Shiva represents the destructive attribute of the Diety and he makes the
P.S. of a M.M. on his statues. His is the element of fire, and all these
facts must be born in mind when considering our own Py.
The position of the Sq. and Cs., in addition to the explanation given,
indicates that the spirit, represented by the Cs., now dominates the body,
typified by the Sq..
CHAPTER IV
THE EXHORTATION
The opening part of the exhortation gives a convenient summary of the
previous degress and quite clearly indicates that the first inner meaning of
the series is Birth, Life which is of course educational and preparatory for
its sequel, and Death. The phrase relating to the second degree "And to
trace it, from its devlopment through the paths of Heavenly Science even to
the throne of God Himself," shows plainly its real significance. As pointed
out in the F.C. Handbook, in the Mid. Ch. the F.C. discovers not only the
name of God, but that he himself is the fifth letter Shin which transforms
the name Jehovah into the name Jeheshue, or Messias, the King.
But according to the old Kabala Jeheshue must be raised on the cross of
Tipareth, and the significance of this fact is impressed on our Can. by the
incidents now to take place. The average Christian need not trouble about
the subtleties of the Kabala, for the story in the New Testament supplies
him with a very similar interpretation.
The W.M. having, almost casually, given him this key to the inner meaning of
what is about to follow, proceeds at once to the most dramatic part of the
ceremony. Up to this point almost all forms of our ritual are practically
the same, but henceforward there are many marked differences. "Emulation"
ritual may be regarded as containing the bare minimum, but the additional
details found in many Provincial workings in England, and in Scotland,
Ireland, America, and many of the Continental Lodges, are too important to
be ignored. There is no reason to assume that they are innovations; on the
contrary all the evidence points to the fact that they are integral parts of
the ceremony which, for various reasons, were omitted by the revisers of our
ritual who met in the Lodge of Reconciliation. I shall therefore proceed to
note and explain them where necessary.
Whereas in Emulation working as soon as the Ws. are called on the deacons
retire, in most others, in the Provinces, etc., they fall back to the head
of the g.. Thus with the W.M. the W.s form the triangle of Spirit, and with
the D.s the Sq. of matter, on which the triangle rests, for the M. descends
from his chair and stands in front of the Ped.. As a practical piece of
advice I would recommend that the J.W. should not direct the Can. to c. his
f. until after the S.W. has dealt with him, for it is impossible for him to
drop on his respective k...s if his f. are c., whereas by carrying out these
instructions before the last attack he will fall the more readily.
In most of the old Scotch rituals the Can. journeys round the Lodge, is
attacked by the J.W. in the S., by the S.W. in the W. (note that), and
returns to the M. in the E., where the final incident takes place. I think,
however, our English system of having the attack in the N. instead of in the
W. is preferable, and is probably the correct form. In the Scotch ritual the
three villains have names, and the same is the case in America. They are
Jubela, Jubelo, and Jubelum. The word itself clearly comes from the Latin
word meaning "To command," and refers to the fact that they commanded him to
give up the S....s. But the terminations of the three names appear to have a
curious esoteric reference to India. It can hardly be by accident that these
three names form the mystic word AUM. The U in India in this case is
pronounced almost like O, and when this word is disguised, as it usually is,
it is written OMN. If this be so we have the Creative Preservative, and
Annihilative aspects of the Deity emphasised in the Third Degree, and it is
the Destructive aspect, symbolised by the letter M, which deals the final
stroke.
This variation is therefore of importance, but I must warn my readers that
not all Scotch workings have it, some of them being much more akin to our
own, even having the attack in the N.. Practically all of them, however,
have the perambulations, during which solemn music is played. The usual
procedure is for the brethren to pass round the gr. once making the P. S. of
an E.A.. When this is done the J.W. makes his abortive attempt. The second
round is made with the H. S. of an F.C., after which the S.W. tries and
fails. The third round is made with the S. of G. and D. of a M.M., on the
conclusion of which the Can. is r... by the lion's g.... It is a great pity
that the use of this name for the M. M.'s g. is falling into disuse in
London, for it has in itself important symbolical references, to which we
shall refer later in the chapter.
In many parts of England it is still customary to place the Can., either in
a c----n or in a g. made in the floor, and the same method is found in most
other parts of tke world. Indeed, in the Dutch ritual the Can. is first of
all shown a c..n in which is a human skeleton. This is subsequently removed,
though he does not know it and he thinks when he is laid therein he will
find himself in its bony clutches. Even as near London as Windsor there is a
Masonic Temple which has a special chamber of d. with a g. actually in the
floor and until recently it was still used although whether it is to-day I
cannot say.
Let us now turn to consider the meanings of the main incidents. The first
meaning of the degree is obvious; it prepares a man for his final end and
hints of a possibility of life beyond the grave but it must be admitted that
the lesson is not driven home with the same force as it is in most of the
ancient mysteries. Osiris Himself rose from the dead and became the Judge of
all who followed after Him, and because of this fact His worshippers
believed that they too would rise. In our legend, however, it is only the
dead body of H.A.B. which is lifted out ofthe g. in a peculiar manner, and
in the legend there is not even a hint as to what befell his Soul. The
question is often asked why they should have raised a c..s and placed it on
its feet. (1)
(1) See Ward, Who Was Hiram Abiff?
One explanation probably is, by analogy with the Greek story of the manner
in which Hercules recovered Alcestis and ransomed her from the bondage of
Thanatos-Death himself. We are told that Hercules wrestled with Thanatos and
would nor let him go until he had agreed to allow Hercules to bring her back
from the realm of the Shades to the land of living men. It may be that the
corpse here represents Death. It is also worth noting that Isis joined
together the fragments of the body of Osiris, and the "Setting up" of the
backbone of the God was a ceremony carried out every year by the ancient
Egyptian Priests. The body of Osiris apparently was raised from the bier by
Anubis in precisely the same way as the M.M. is r.. When it was set on its
feet life returned to it. One fact is certain, that in every Rite which has
as its central theme symbolic d. the Can. is r. by the same g., and in
precisely the same manner, and this manner becomes a method of greeting and
of recognition among all who have passed through this type of ceremony. For
example :-it is known and used in the Dervish Rite, among West African
Negroes, among the Red Indians of Central America, and was apparently known
to the ancient Druids, for it is carved on a stone found at Iona. In the
ancient rites of Mithra it also appears to have been the method used upon a
similar occasion. These facts show that it is an ancient landmark and one to
be most carefully guarded.
The use of the phrase The Lion Grip is peculiarly significant, as Major
Sanderson shows in his work, An Examination of the Masonic Ritual. Therein
he points out that in the Book of the Dead the Supreme God, whether Ra or
Osiris, is appealed to as the " God in the Lion form," and in all such cases
the prayer of the Soul is that he may be permitted to " Come forth " in the
East, rising with the sun from the d..s of the g.. In Egypt the lion was the
`personification of strength and power, but it is usually associated with
the idea of the regeneration of the Sun, and therefore with the
resurrection. Major Anderson goes on to point out as follows. "Shu (Anheru,
`the Lifter') who as the light of the Dawn was said to lift up the
sky-goddess from the arms of the sleeping Earth, is often represented as a
lion, for only through him was the rebirth of the Sun made possible. Osiris
is called the lion of yesterday, and Ra the Lion of tomorrow : the bier of
Osiris is always represented as having the head and legs of a lion." Thus as
Major Sanderson indicates, the expression "the lion grip" is a survival
from, the Solar cult, and therefore a landmark which should be carefully
preserved.
The Bright Morning Star whose rising brings peace and Salvation, almost
certainly was originally Sirius, but to Englishmen it must seem strange that
Sirius should be said to bring peace and Salvation. The association of these
ideas with the Dog Star is undoubtedly a fragment which has come down from
Ancient Egypt, for the rising of Sirius marked the beginning of the
inundation of the Nite, which literally brought salvation to the people of
Egypt by irrigating the land and enabling it to produce food. That Sirius
was an object of veneration to the philosophers of the ancient world is well
known to all archaeologists, and many of the Temples in Egypt have been
proved to have been oriented on Sirius. There is also a good deal of
evidence showing that some of the stone circles in Great Britain were
similarly oriented on Sirius by the Druids. It is therefore not surprising
that this star is still remembered in our rituals. Naturally it has acquired
a deeper spiritual meaning in the course of years, and may be regarded as
representing the First Fruits of the Resurrection, the sure hope of our
Redemption. This aspect is set forth in the lectures drawn up by Dunckerley,
who regarded it as the star of Bethlehem, and as typifying Christ. See Rev.
xxii, 16.
At this point the Can.. who has been carefully put in the N., the place of
darkness, is moved round by the right to the South. From the practical point
of view this is to enable the M. to re-enter his chair from the proper side,
but there is also an inner meaning. Immediately after death the Soul is said
to find itself on the earth plane amid murk and darkness. Lacking mortal
eyes, it cannot perceive the sun, and, on the other hand, is still so
immersed in matter that it cannot yet see clearly with its spirit eyes; but
this stage rapidly passes away, and the Soul is received into a higher plane
of existence, being brought thither by messengers of Light. The position in
the North represents this period of darkness on the earth plane, and that
this is not accidental is shown by the fact that in most rituals the lights
are not turned up until the phrase "That bright morning star, etc." has been
uttered. Then the M., representing one of these spirit messengers, leads the
Can. gently round to the South, thereby symboling his entry into the place
of light. And who is this messenger? Every installed master who has received
the P.W. leading to the Chair should realise that, no matter how unworthy,
he represents the risen Christ. Thus we see the peculiarly appropriate
nature of the act coming after the reference to the bright morning star,
which also in another sense represents the risen Christ.
CHAPTER V
THE S....TS
Having thus been brought into the place of light the Can. is given not the
Gen. Ss, but only substitued ones. This fact must often have puzzled the
Can.. The pratical reason given in the ritual, though perfecdy inteligible
to a R.A. mason, cannot be the real one. In view of the unexpected calamity
no-one could have thought K.S. was breaking his ob. by nominating a
successor to H.A.B. and giving him the full ss..ts. Actually according to
the R.A. story he did something much worse, for he wrote them down and
placed them somewhere, in the hopes that they would be subsequently
rediscovered, and he had no assurance that their discoverers would even be
masons, much less that they would keep their discovery secret. Of course
this is also an allegory, and from this stand-point perfectly correct. The
lost s...ts are the nature and attributes of God, which must be realised by
each man for himself, and no other man can really communicate them.
Moreover, this complete realisation of the nature of God, and the union of
the Divine Spark within us with the Source of All, can never be achieved
during mortal life. Even after death we shall need to leave the world long
behind and travel far, before we can hope to attain that state of spiritual
evolution which will enable us to approach the Holy of Holies, and gaze with
unveiled eyes upon Him, Who is the beginning and the end of all.
With regard to these substituted s..ts. let us note that they grow out of
those used by the F.C.. Having already shown in the last book that the sn.s
of the F.C., and in fact the real s..t of that degree, is the transformation
of Jehovah into Jeheshue,
we see that this is most appropriate. To use modern language, the second
degree teaches of the birth of the Christ Spirit within us, while the third
indicates that mystically we, like the great Master, must die and rise
again. As St. Paul says, " Die daily in Christ."
The sn.s given are probably all of great antiquity. Of some we have evidence
which shows that they were venerated in ancient Egypt and Mexico, are still
employed in the primitive Initiatory Rites of the savages, and are
associated with the Gods in India. For example, the P.S. is used by Shiva,
the Great Destroyer, Who when He makes it, holds in His hand the lariet of
death. The sn. of G. and D. is found all round the world, as I have shown in
full detail in Sign Language of the Ancient Mysteries. Ancient Mexico, where
Quetzacoatl makes it, can be matched with Easter Island in the far Pacific,
Peru, West Africa, East Africa, New Guinea, Malaya and many other places.
Major Sanderson points out that the second Cas. Sn. is depicted in Egyptian
pictures as being used by those who are saluting Osiris in his coffin. Those
who desire will find it in Papyrus 9,908 in the British Museum.
The English sn. of g. and d. (for up till now we have been speaking of the
Scotch form) is almost certainly not the correct one. Its general appearance
would incline one to believe that it is a penal sn., though whence derived
it is difficult to say. A little thought will indicate the nature of the
penalty as being somewhat similar to that of one of the higher degrees. So
far as I can find it is not recognised as a sn. of g. and d. to-day, except
among masons who are descended masonically from the Grand Lodge of England,
but in a picture by Guercino of Christ cleansing the Temple, in the Palazzo
Rosso, Crenoa, both this and the Scotch form are shown, while the G. of H.
constantly appears in mediaeval paintings, e.g., in the Raising of Lazarus.
(1)
The so-called Continental form undoubtedly comes from a well known high
degree, where it is much more appropriate: it is apparently restricted to
the Latin countries, whereas even in Germany it is the Scotch form that is
employed.
The sn. of Exul. is a form used to this day in of Asia to indicate worship,
and was similarly employed in Ancient Egypt. Major Sanderson suggests that
it was copied from the position in which Shu upheld the sky.
Thus we see that six out of the so-called seven sn.s can be shown to be of
ancient origin, and it is quite probable that further research will enable
us to prove that the other one is equally old. Such sn.s as these originally
had a magical significance, and the explanation given in the ritual as to
their
(1) see The Sign Language of the Mysteries by Ward.
origin is no doubt of a much later date than the sn.s themselves. Indeed, a
careful study of certain of the sn.s will show that they are not the natural
sn.s which would have been used to indicate the feeling they are said to
express. For example, in the sn. of h...r the left hand would not naturally
be placed in the position in which we are taught to put it, if this sn. had
originated as related in. the story. So obvious is this that some modern
preceptors of Lodges of Instruction have to my knowledge altered the
position of the left hand in order to make it conform to the story, but I
venture to think that in so doing they are committing a very serious
mistake, nothing less than the removal of an ancient landnrark.
Some day we shall probably discover the real origin of this sn., but if it
is altered that will of course become impossible.
The lion's grip and the actual position of r..s...g are equally old, and, so
far as we can find, this manner of r..s...g is employed in every rite,
whether ancient or primitive, which deals with the dramatic

representation

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of d.. As a manner of greeting it is employed by the initiated men in many
Red Indian Trihes, in West Africa, among the Senussi in North Africa, and in
the Dervish Rites. (1)
The parts of the b. brought in contact with each other are all parts
presided over by some sign of the Zodiac, and there would appear to be some
old astrological meaning which has now become lost. It may possibly have
been connected with Gemini, the Twins, and this fact is made the more
probable by the survival of the name "The Ln's Gr." The explanation given,
although possibly of a fairly recent origin, nevertheless contains a
valuable inner meaning, for it shows that we cannot hope to advance towards
God unless we do our duty to our fellow men. Thus in dramatic form is shown
that the brotherhood of man necessitates the Fatherhood of God.
It hardly seems necessary in this book to point out again that the regular
st. forms a tau cross and teaches us that we must trample under foot our
animal passions, if we desire to approach near to God. We note, however,
that the Can., in advancing to obtain the s..ts, has perforce to make three
tau crosses, and the Christian Mystic will
(1) For further explanation see Ward, Who Was Hiram Abiff?
doubtless perceive in this a hidden reference to the three crosses on
Calvary.
Finally, as has already been pointed out, the penalties of the first and
second degrees draw attention to two important occult centres, and so also
in this degree the Solar Plexus, the most important occult centre of all, is
indicated, and since the object of every Mystic is to achieve the Beatific
vision, the fact that the monks of Mt. Athos, near Salonica, do so by fixing
their eye on this part, shows that there is a very special reason for the
special form of the p.s of the third degree.
CHAPTER VI
THE BADGE
On his re-entering the Lodge the Can. is presented, and in due course
invested by the S.W., as in the previous degrees, thereby indicating that
even after death man's spiritual advancement is registered by the Soul. The
Badge itself, however, is full of symbolic meaning, and though in its
present form it is of comparatively recent date, it is evident that those
who designed it had a much deeper knowledge of symbolism than some modern
critits are apt to believe.
Firstly, the colour, which is that of Cambridge University, and likewise
that used by Parliament when fighting King Charles, has a much deeper
significance than is generally known. It is closely related to the colour of
the Virgin Mary, which itself had been brought forward from Isis and the
other Mother Goddesses of the ancient world. It is possible that the
designers were also influenced by the existence of certain Orders of
Knighthood which had their appropriate colours, for the aprons of Grand
Lodge Officers have Garter blue, but this blue is also the colour of Oxford,
and the colour associated with the Royalist cause at the time of the Civil
War. At any rate, it is appropriate that our aprons should thus employ the
colours of the two great Universities of England. There is, of course, an
exception in the case of the red aprons allocated to Grand Stewarts, for
which there are historical reasons into which we need not now enter. We may,
however point out that the dark blue aprons of Grand Lodge are often, though
erroneously, spoken of as the Purple, indicating a Royal colour, and thereby
implying no doubt that Brn. entitled to wear this colour are rulers in the
Craft, and represent the masculine element. Light blue, on the other hand,
represents the feminine or passive aspect, and is most appropriate for the
ordinary M.M., whose duty it is to obey, and not to command. Indeed, the
M.M.'s apron contain: other emblems which indicate this feminine aspect.
These are the three rosettes, which symbolise the rose, itself a substitute
for the Vesica Piscis, and they are arranged so as to form a triangle with
the point upwards, interpenetrating the triangle formed by the flap of the
apron. The two triangles only interpenetrate half way, therein differing
from the double triangles seen on the jewels worn by R. A. Masons, which
completely overlap. These two triangles deserve a little careful study. The
lower triangle with its point upwards is the triangle of fire, the emblem of
Shiva, and the symbol of the Divine Spark. The triangle made by the flap of
the apron, which has its point directed downwards, is the triangle of water,
and is thus to some extent representative of the Soul. These two triangles
are within a sq., the emblem of matter, and therefore of the body, and so we
see that the M.M.'s apron symbolically represents the triune nature of man,
whereas the R.A. jewel, (the only high degree jewel which may be worn in a
Craft Lodge) has these two triangles within a circle, which is the emblem of
the Infinite. In this case the triangle of water presents the preservative
aspect, the triangle of fire, the destructive aspect, the point or eye at
the centre, the creative aspect, and the circle, the everlasting nature of
the Supreme Being. There is therefore a curious correspondence, and also a
marked difference, between the jewel of the R.A. Mason, and the apron of the
M.M..
Viewed from another standpoint the apron has another set of meanings. The
triangle represents Spirit, and the Sq., matter. The flap forms a triangle
entering into the sq., and so depicts the entry of Spirit into matter, and
therefore, man. The E.A.'s apron should have the flap pointing upward,
indicating that the Divine Wisdom has not yet truly penetrated the gross
matter of our bodies. This custom is unfortunately going out of use in
modern Masonry, which is a great pity, as undoubtedly a valuable lesson is
thus lost. The F.C. has the flap pointing downward for several reasons.
Firstly, to indicate that wisdom has begun to enter and therefore to control
matter; secondly, to represent the triangle of water and thus indicate that
Soul and Body are acting in unison; thirdly, because this triangle is the
emblem of Vishnu the Preserver, and so emphasises - the fact that the aspect
of God taught in this degree is the preservative aspect, whereas the
addition of the three rosettes in the third degree shows, not only the union
of Body, Soul and Spirit, but also that the great lesson of this degree is
the importance of the Destructive side of the Diety, or as we may prefer to
tall it, the Transformative side.
What, however, of the two rosettes worn by the F.C.? Firstly, they stress
the dual nature of man, and have a very clear reference to the two p...rs.
Similarly, no doubt, they indicate that the F.C. is not yet a complete and
united being ; Body and Soul are in union, but unlike the M.M., these two
are not in complete accord with the Spirit. Thus we obtain a

correspondence

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between the knocks of the F.C. and the two rosettes. Furthermore, the
triangle is incomplete, showring that the F.C. is not yet a complete F.M.,
and this correlates with the position of the C.s when taking the ob. in the
F. C. degree.
Two other features of the apron must also be considered. Firstly, the
tassels, which appear originally to have been the ends of the string with
which the apron was bound round the waist. There is little doubt that in the
18th century the aprons had not the present symbolic tassels, but were
fastened round the body in a very similar way to that in which the E.A. and
F.C. aprons are to this day. It is interesting to note in this connection
that the actual aprons worn by the officers of Grand Lodge for the year, as
distinct from the Past Grand Officers' aprons, have no tassels at all.
In the course of years, no doubt, the ends of the strings were ornamented by
tassels, and to this day the aprons of the Royal Order of Scotland are
bounmd round the body by an ornamental cord with tassels, which are tied in
front in such a way that the two tassels stick out from underneath the flap.
These tassels, when the final form of our aprons was fixed, were separated
from the bands which fasten the apron, and attached to the apron itself,
becoming as we now see simply strips of ribbon on which are fastened seven
chains. When this change took place it is clear that those who made the
alteration deliberately chose the number 7, and intended thereby to convey a
symbolic meaning. We have already explained the numerous symbolic meanings
of the number 7; for example, it represents God and Man, Spirit and Matter,
etc.
Naturally they had to have two tassels to balance, and it would have been
very inartistic to have had four chains on one tassel and three on the
other, and so it would be unwise to lay too much stress on the number 14,
which is the sum total. We may regard it merely as a curious and interesting
coincidence that the body of Osiris was stated to have been divided by Set
into 14 pieces. But in addition to these details as to the historical
development of the tassels, we must not forget that in many of the 18th
century aprons the two p....rs are depicted. These aprons were usually
decorated by paintings on the leather, and varied considerably from Lodge to
Lodge, but one of the most usual kinds of decoration included the two p..rs,
and the remembrance of these may very probably have influenced those who
designed our present apron.
The modern arrangement by which the apron is fastened, namely, a piece of
webbing with a hook and eye attachment, gave a fine opportunity for some
really profound symbolism, and I feel certain that it was not an accident
which led to the universal adoption of the snake to serve this purpose.
There are two kinds of symbolism attached to the snake in all ancient
religions. Firstly, the snake as the enemy of man, and therefore as the
representative of the powers of evil; and secondly the snake as emblem of
the Divine Wisdom. " Be ye wise as serpents" does not refer to the
craftiness of the Devil, but to the Divine Wisdom itself.
In Ancient Egypt the Soul as he passed through the Underworld met with
serpents of evil, and also with serpents of good. In India, legend tells us
of a whole order of beings, the Serpent Folk, who are of a Spiritual nature
different from man, possessed their own rulers, and were endowed with
superhuman wisdom. Some of these are considered to be friendly to man, while
others are hostile. The Sacred Cobra is well known to every student of Hindu
religions, and is essentially good. Actual worship is paid to the Serpent
throughout the whole of India, and in many other parts of the world, and in
the Kapala we get clear traces of the fact that under certain circumstances
the serpent is regarded as "The Shining One" -the Holy Wisdom Itself. Thus
we see that the serpent on our apron denotes that we are encircled by the
Holy Wisdom.
Finally, the serpent biting its tail, and thus forming a circle, has always
been regarded as the emblem of eternity, and more especially of the Eternal
Wisdom of God. Nor must we forget that the snake is peculiarly associated
with Shiva, whose close symbolic association with the third degree has
already been clearly shown.
Much more might be written on the meaning of the apron, but we cannot devote
any more space to this subject, interesting though it may be, although
before considering our next point it will perhaps be well to recall what has
already been mentioned in the E.A. handbook, viz., that aprons, in addition
to their Operative significance, have right through the ages been employed
in connection with religious ceremonial. On the monuments of Egypt a
garment, which can best be described as a triangular apron with the point
upward, is depicted in circumstances indicating that the wearer is taking
part in some kind of ceremony of initiation. In ancient Mexico the Gods are
depicted wearing aprons, and it is not without interest to note that the
modern Anglican bishop wears an apron, although it appears to have developed
from a long flowing robe somewhat the shape of a cassock.
CHAPTER VII
THE LEGEND
After the ceremonial investiture of the Cand. the W.M. continues the
narrative of the traditional history. At least this is the case in most
English workings, but in some Scotch workings the whole story is told first,
and subsequently the Cand. and the other Brn. act the chief parts. Perhaps
one of the most important points to realise is the correct meaning of the
name H.A.B. . Major Sanderson in An Examination of the Masonic Ritual gives
the following interesting interpretations, which we will proceed to expand
further.-" The title H.A.B. is taken direct from the Hebrew of 2 Chron.,
Chapter 4, verse 16., and means, ` H. His father.' H. means 'Exaltation of
light, their liberty or whiteness, he that destroys'; It is of interest to
note that abib in Hebrew means `Ears of corn,' or `Green fruits,' and there
is just a possibility that this is the correct title of H."
Bearing these translations in mind we at once perceive a whole series of
inner meanings hidden in the name of the principal Architect. Taking the
Christian interpretation of our rituals :-firstly, we shall remember that
Christ said " If I am raised up (or exalted) I shall draw all men unto me."
Secondly, Christ died to make us free, that is, to give us liberty from the
bonds of death and hell. Thirdly, mediaeval divines were never tired of
referring to Christ's whiteness and purity, and relate many beautiful
legends and allegories to drive home this lesson. One phrase alone will
suffice to bring this aspect of the Christ to our minds, i.e. , that He is
constantly spoken of as " the lily of the valley." Fourthly, He came to
destroy the bonds of death and hell, nor must we forget the old prophecy
spoken concerning the coming Christ and the serpent, representing Satan, "
It (Christ) shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel," Gen. 3.
v. 15. It is of interest to note that Quetzacoatl, the Mexican Preserver,
who fought and overthrew the great giant of evil, was himself smitten in the
foot, near to a fall of water, subsequently died from the wound, and
ultimately rose again from the grave. In India Krishna similarly died from
an arrow wound in the heel. Moreover, in mediaeval frescoes Christ is
constantly represented as crushing the head of the great dragon under His
left foot, while in His right hand He upraises a staff on which is a cross.
Such scenes are usually described as " The Harrowing of Hell."
Fifthly, if the word abib is the correct rendering for the second half of
the name in question, we get a clear reference to the Sacramental bread. The
ears of corn are obviously synonymous with the wafer or consecrated bread,
which in mediaeval days alone was given to the laity: while the alternative
translation, "Green Fruits," brings to our mind the Biblical saying that
Christ is "the first fruits of them that slept" (1 Corin, 15. 20). Bearing
this possible Christian interpretation in mind, installed masters will
perceive the deep significance of the P.W. which leads from the degree of
M.M. to that of I.M.
But in addition to these Christian interpretations of H.A.B. there was yet
another, which in some senses may be regarded as older, and the key to which
is supplied by India. In this sense H.A.B. takes on the characteristics of
Shiva, the Destroyer.
Firstly, "Exaltation of life" reminds us of the legend that Shiva on a
certain day increased in stature until He overtopped the universe, and, as a
result, overthrew Brahma, the Creator, and was ackowledged by Vishnu as His
superior. On that great day He gathered unto Himself the beginning and the
end of all things, Alpha and Omega, and henceforth birth and death alike
were in His hands.
Secondly, "Their liberty" refers to the fact that, to the pious Hindu, Shiva
by death grants liberty from the toil and anguish of this world, and sets
the soul free to mount to greater heights of spiriruality.
Thirdly, Shiva is always spoken of as the "Great White God, white with the
ashes of the dead who are ever burned in His honour." Nor must we forget
that these ashes are always scattered to the four cardinal points of Heaven.
Fourthly, He is in His very essence " The Great Destroyer."
The "Ears of corn" are symbols of Vishnu the Preserver, Who Himself,
according to numerous Hindu legends, was slain and rose from the dead,
Fifthly, we obtain the idea of the Resurrection as symbolised by the ears of
corn, which are planted in the earth and bring forth an abundant harvest,
the "Green fruits" of the fields. In this connection it is as well to
remember that the central theme of the Eleusinian Mysteries was the ear of
corn which was shown to the Cand. at the most solemn point of the whole
ceremony, and similarly taught the doctrine of the resurrection from the
dead.
The next point that strikes us in the legend is the number of craftsmen who
"went in search." The Irish version is of peculiar interest, for it relates
that it was the twelve who relented who afterwards "went in search," and not
a new company of ffiteen. In many ways this is more logical, and certainly
has a deep symbolic meaning. It is logical in that it shows that the
penitent twelve did their best to make amends for ever having allowed
themselves to listen to the wicked schemes of the other three, and the
subsequent decree of K.S., ordering them to wear white gloves and white
aprons as a mark of their innocence, is most appropriate. It was a public
announcement that K.S. forgave them their indiscretion and acquitted them of
responsibility for the crime.
On the other hand, in our version there seems no logical reason why K.S.
should order an entirely new batch of F.C.'s to wear these emblems of their
innocence, since they clearly had nothing to do with the crime, and
moreover, all the others, except the penitent twelve, were equally innocent,
and should therefore likewise have been instructed to wear white gloves and
aprons. It must be remembered that these white gloves, etc., were not
bestowed as a reward for having taken part in the search, but are
specifically stated to have been ordered to be worn to denote innocence.
The Irish account goes on to state that the twelve set out from the Temple
and went together in one company until they came to a place where four roads
met, and formed a cross; then they divided into four companies, and three
went North, three East, three South, and three West. Thus they trod the Way
of the Cross. In some old Irish workings we are told that the three who went
North never returned. This symbolically implies that they went into the
Place of Darkness. As the tendency in modern Irish masonry appears to be to
adjust its ritual in main essentials to our English workings, it is but fair
that I should say that I have a tangible proof of this form of legend, in
the shape of an old Irish apron dated 1790, which, unlike modern Irish
aprons, has a number of paintings on it depicting incidents in the ritual.
One of the paintings shows the twelve F.C.'s separating at the four cross
roads. (See frontispiece).
It is clear from all accounts, whether English, Irish, Scotch or American,
that the scoundrels, the agents of death, were found by those who went in
the direction of Joppa, that is in the W., but we are left in considerable
doubt as to whether the b. was found in the E. or in the S..

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however, it would clearly be in the S., for H.A.B., like the Christ, was
struck down at High Twelve, when the sun is in the S.. From a practical
point of view it is fairly obvious that the scoundrels who were carrying
away the b. could never have reached Joppa if they had once gone E., for
they would have had to fetch half a circle round Jerusalem, a procedure
which would have rendered their chance of escape almost hopeless. By going
S. they might hope to throw their pursuers off the track, and then turn back
at an angle, reach Joppa, and escape by boat. That this was their intention
is clear from many old forms of the legend, and especially in those worked
in America. King S., however, foresaw this possibility and prevented their
escape by forbidding any ships to sail. In the American working one of the
officers of the Lodge enacts the part of a sea captain, and even wears a
yachtman's cap. The villains come to him and beg him to take them aboard,
but he refused because of the embargo ordered by K.S.. That the same
incident was known in the old Irish working is shown by the little picture
on the same Irish apron depicting the arrest of the villains on the sea
shore, for in the back ground there is a ship.
Let us interpret the meaning of the Irish working first. From the Christian
standpoint the twelve F.C's represent the twelve apostles, Mathias replacing
the traitor Judas. But in the non-Christian, and possibly earlier
interpretation, these twelve would of course be the twelve signs of the
Zodiac, searching for the sun which had been eclipsed. We must never forget
that in addition to the deep spiritual meaning hidden in our ritual there is
also a Solar Myth embedded, which has in the course of years become
allegorized and filled with deeper spiritual truths.
But being English masons we must be prepared to find an explanation of the
fifteen. In ancient Egyptian times the month consisted of 30 days, and the
year of twelve such months, plus five extra days. Now the first fifteen, of
whom twelve recanted, presumably represent the first half of that month,
while the second half of the month is represented by the fifteen who went in
search. But spiritually the meaning of the fifteen is fairly clear. Man has
five senses and is triune in nature, and thus implies that Body, Soul and
Spirit must cooperate in trying to find God, and employ on that quest their
five senses.
Lest there be any misapprehension here I would explain that man is
considered to have not only the five physical senses, but also corresponding
senses of Soul and Spirit. The phrase "To see with the eyes of the Spirit"
is perfectly well known, and similarly we can speak of the eyes of the Soul.
To give concrete examples :-Students of psychic science constantly speak of
clairaudience and clairvoyance. While it is not necessary to accept this
type of phenomena, it is clearly obvious that if man survives death at all
his Soul must have a means of communicating with other Souls and that these
correspond in some way to our physical senses. In like manner how are we to
describe the visions of the great seers and prophets, related in the Bible,
except by the possession of spiritual sight ?
Bearing this in mind, we obtain the following interpretation of the fate
which befell the three F.C. Lodges into which the fifteen formed themselves.
Those who found nothing represent the physical senses of man, which are
useless beyond the grave : the next company must therefore represent the
Soul, for despite the logic of the physical world, it is the Soul which
realises that death does not end all, and so it was one of these who r...d
the M But the power which tells us what is right and wrong, and which
ultimately punishes us for our offences, is what we call conscience, and
thus assuredly is the Divine Spark within us-the Spirit.
Let us now turn to consider the details connected with the dlscovery of the
body. The incident of the shrub is such a striking analogy with a similar
one found in AEneid, wherein AEneas finds the body of the murdered Polydorus
by plucking up a shrub which is near him on the side of a hill, that some
students suggest that in the revision of our ritual this incident was copied
from Virgil. But, in Who was Hiram Abiff, I show that both refer back to an
ancient source and have an allegorical meaning. One proof supporting this
view; is that this particular tree, the Acacia, has from time immemorial
been more or less sacred in the near East. In ancient Egypt the earliest
forms of the legend of Osiris relate that it was an acacia which grew up
round the coffin of Osiris, and not a tamarisk as in the later versions.
(See An Examination of the Masonic Ritual, by Major Sanderson). In like
manner this tree is sacred in Arabia, India, and many parts of Africa, while
it is the Shittim wood of the Old Testament, from which the ark was made. No
doubt in this reverence for the acacia we have a survival of the primitive
veneration for trees, usually spoken of as "tree and serpent worship." In
India the assouata tree is stated to be a symbol of Trimurti, The Three in
One. Its roots represent Brahma, its trunk Vishnu, and its branches Shiva,
the Destroyer.
At any rate we can regard the acacia tree as in itself an emblem of the
resurrection, for the tiny seed which is buried brings forth a mighty tree,
covered with fragrant blossoms.
The account of the manner in which the Cas. S...s came into existence,
though ingenious, can hardly be taken as historic. As we have already dealt
with this point previously, we shall only say that every folk-lore student
is well aware that, in the vast majority of cases, legends purporting to
explain the origin of a certain custom do not give the real origin at all,
but merely indicate that the origin of the custom has been lost, owing to
its great antiquity. The very manner in which some of the S..s are given is
sufficient to indicate that they did not originate in the way suggested,
while, on the other hand, we find these same S...s all round the world, with
entirely different explanations as to their origin. They are indeed ancient
landmarks, and the utmost care should be taken not to alter them in any way.
The next incident in the legend is the capture of the scoundrels. In some
rituals it is given with much interesting detail of a picturesque nature.
All agree that they were apprehended in a tavern, and many say explicidy
that it was near the sea shore. Some of the rituals state that the fugitives
were overheard lamenting as follows:- "One said, 'Oh, that my t. had been
c.a. rather than I should have done it;' while another more sorrowfully
exclaimed, `Oh, that my h...t had been t.o. rather than that I should have
struck him;' and a third voice brokenly said, `Oh, that my b. had been s. in
t. rather than that I should have smitten him,' " This last version is of
interest as explaining the legendary origin of the py. of the three degrees,
and incidentally it shows how legend incorporates facts into a story, in
order to explain something whose original meaning is lost. It would also
appear from this version as if the scoundrels had not intended to actually
kill their victim but merely to terrorise him, and in the excitement of the
moment lost their heads. Symbolically this contains a valuable piece of
teaching. According to one interpretation the three scoundrels represent
"The lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1
John, 2. 16). In other words, the sins of the flesh, the sins of the Soul,
such as covetousness, and spiritual pride, the most deadly of all.
These sins assuredly destroy man both physically and spiritually, yet it can
truly be said that in giving way to them no man intends to destroy himself.
From the more strictly Christian standpoint the three scoundrels are Herod,
Caiaphas, and Pontius Pilate, and it is perfectly clear that Pilate and
Herod, at any rate, did not wish to kill our Lord; but were caught in a
position from which they found it impossible to escape.
Returning to the deeper mystical interpretation we notice that the
scoundrels were found in the West, the region of Death, which teaches us
that the just retribution for all our sins, whether of body, soul, or
spirit, will overtake us after death, and that though in one sense it is
God, here shadowed forth by K.S., who punishes, yet in another sense it is
our five spiritual faculties which themselves rise up in judgment against
us. We ourselves, doom ourselves, and therefore we can obtain nothing but
strict justice.
Without pretending that we have exhausted this subject, this brief
explanation of the true character of the scoundrels and their captors must
suffice, and we will only mention in passing that here also there appears to
be a half forgotten astrological reference to the three winter months which
oppress the sun.
CHAPTER VIII
THE TRACING BOARD, ETC.
The next part of the narrative is incorporated in most English workings with
the Tracing Board. The most interesting feature is the description of the
g.. It is obvious that peculiar stress is laid on the centre, even in the
present form of our ritual, because of the way in which the measurements are
given. Why should it not have been said that it was six feet long? In some
old rituals the g.. or rather the monument, is described as a dome, which
made a complete circle at its base, and was three feet from the centre every
way. If so it must have been like a small replica of the earliest form of
the Buddhist Pagoda, and the Master was thus buried at the centre. In that c
ase the top of the dome would have been five feet from the surface of the
ground, and we should thus get the correct symbolic use of 5 as representing
the body, and 3 as representing the spirit, while enabling the human body to
be decorously interred. It seems probably that when the g.. was made to
conform to the type familiar in England, a desperate effort was made to
retain the 3 and 5. It is worth noting that there is no mention of the use
of any c...f...n, despite the picture on the tracing board, and if a
c...f....n had been used at the supposed date of the incident it certainly
would not have been of the European shape depicted, but much more like an
Egyptian Sarcophagus. Nevertheless, though the ritual does not justify the
existence of any c..f....n on the tracing board, it was an integral part of
the ancient mysteries of Osiris, and its retention in other ritual is almost
certainly an ancient landmark. On the same tracing board may be seen certain
letters in the Masonic cypher, which are practically never explained. Very
often when transliterated, among other things, they will be found to give
the P.W. leading to the three degree. This fact is of interest, for the true
meaning of that W., as already explained, is a w...k...r in m...ls, the
correct description of H.A.B. The fact that he was buried as near the
Sanctum Sanctortum as possible, symbolically denotes that he had reached the
centre, and was in union with the Source of All.
The Dormer window historically is the hypostyle, the method by which
Egyptian and classical temples obtained light. The pillars of the central
nave of such temples rose considerably higher than the roofs of the aisles,
thus leaving openings through which the light could enter the building.
These, however, were many in number, and it is difficult to justify the
apparent statement that there was only one such opening. Symbolically it is
intended to represent the means by which the Divine Light penetrates into
the deepest recesses of every man's nature.
The squared pavement has already been explained under the section dealing
with the mosaic pavement, in the first degree, and our readers are therefore
referred to it. Briefly, it indicates that man's progress towards the centre
is through alternate experiences of good and evil, darkness and light, mercy
and severity, life and death.
The Porch which is the entrance to the Sanctum Sanctorum is the gateway of
death.
The working tools, "as in other cases, contain much sound moral teaching of
typical 18th Century work, but there is one implement which deserves rather
more than passing attention. For what follows I must express my indedtedness
to W. Bro. Sir John Cockburn, P.G.D. The s..k...t does not appear to be much
in use among Operative masons. It is used by gardeners, but the Operative
mason has other means for marking out the ground for the foundations. This
implement has more than a superficial resemblance to the Caduceus of
Mercury, and Sir John Cockburn suggests that it has been employed to replace
this "Heathen" emblem. For my part, I think this is most probable, for it is
clear that at the beginning of the 19th century a deliberate attempt was
made to eliminate this emblem from our ceremonies. The jewel of the Deacons
in the 18th century was not a dove, but a figure of Mercury, bearing the
Caduceus. A number of these old jewels can be seen in the library of Grand
Lodge, and there are still a few old Lodges which continue to use them,
instead of the modern jewel. Now this jewel is far more appropriate to the
Deacons than is a dove. A dove is the emblem of peace and a carrier pigeon
bears messages, but neither of these birds do all the work of the Deacons.
Mercury, however, was the Messenger of the Gods, and carried the
instructions of Jupiter, thus fulfilling one set of the duties of a deacon.
He was also the conductor of souls through the underworld; taking the dead
by one hand, and uplifting the Caduceus in the other, he led the Shade from
the grave, through the perils of the underworld, to the Elysian Fields;
before his Caduceus the powers of evil fled. In mediaeval escatology it is
Christ who leads the Souls on a similar journey, uplifting in His Hand the
Cross of Salvation. Even to-day the jewels of the Deacons in a Mark Lodge
bear the Caduceus, a mute but convincing witness to the use of this emblem
in Freemasonry.
We can thus see that on the one hand a deliberate effort was made to delete
from our ceremonies the Caduceus, probably because it was considered to be
Pagan, while on the other hand it was clearly quite easy for ignorant
masonic furnishers, in the course of years, to make the Caduceus approximate
more and more to a masonic tool, so as to fit it in with other avowedly
masonic implemens. As a masonic tool it has very little significance, even
to a Speculative, and is of no practical value to an Operative, but the
Caduceus would be peculiarly appropriate to the third degree. In short, it
is an ancient landmark, an emblem of the dead and forgotten Mysteries, and
symbolical of Him who leads the soul from the darkness of the grave to the
light of the resurrection.
Before leaving the M.M. degree let me say to all installed masters that if
they have received the P.W., not the W. of an Installed master, but the P.W.
leading from the M.M. to that further degree, they will find in it evidence
not of a mere hint of the resurrection, but of the Resurrection itself, and
a close association with the version of that doctrine set forth in the life
of the Perfect Master.
CHAPTER IX
THE CLOSING
Here we are reminded that we are working in symbolism, for we come back from
the West, i.e., the grave, to this material world. But we have only obtained
substitutes, and we offer them as some consolation to the spirit, i.e., the
W.M. The advance to the centre of the room is an obvious reference to the
other centre. The s...s are communicated by the body to the soul, which
passes them on to the spirit. The meaning of these s....s is dealt with in
the ceremony, but it is worth noting that the word shows clearly that the
s....t is to be found only through the death of the body. The actual Hebrew
word whose corrupt form we use really means " My son is slain." It is also
well to remember that the p.s. and the s. of G.& D. (Scottish form) are, old
signs which come down from the ancient mysteries, and are still found
throughout the world. A brief summary of that has already been said may be
helpful. The p.s. is often associated with Shiva, the Destroyer, and is also
found appropriately used at Burobudor in Java; it refers to that occult
centre, the solar plexus. In view of what the lost s...t is, this sign is
therefore most significant. In other words, it is a hint to those who
deserve to know while it conceals from those who do not.
The Scottish sign of G. & D. is found all round the world, and always has
the same meaning of an appeal for heIp. It is used in the most primitive
initiatory rites of a boy into manhood, and in Kenya the boy takes it to
indicate that he is ready for the operation of circumcision to begin. In
Nyasaland, among the Yaos, it is associated with a grave, and in Mexico the
Preserver is shown making it. He was slain and rose from the dead, and it is
constantly found in Mexico in the form of a carving, consisting of a
skeleton cut in half at the centre and making this sign, as, for example, at
the Temple of Uxmal.
The manner of communicating the s..s and the gr. are equally old. Indeed,
the lion's grip appears to be the grip of all the Mysteries. It was the Grip
of Mithra, and by this grip Osiris was raised. Among the Druids it was also
known, as is shown by a carving at Iona. I have, however, gone into the
evidence for the antiquity of our signs so fully that I will not take up
further space here.
We may as well add, however, that the number "5" no doubt refers to the five
senses of man, just as the seven steps remind us of the Egyptian
sub-division of every mortal.
Having received the sub. s...s the W.M., or Spirit, confirms their use till
the true ones are discovered. This last remark indicates that the quest is
not ended or abandoned, in reality it has just begun; the first stage only
has been passed, which stage is death. It also tells every Craft Mason that
he a good craftsman till he has at least taken the Royal Arch.
Thus the spirit acknowledges that death is a step forward. It has freed the
soul of the trammels imposed on it by the body, and so our life's work on
earth, as symbolised in the Lodge, is closed. The knocks indicate that the
spirit now dominates the soul and body and before we leave these heights it
is well to point out that almost all the great religious teachers have
taught that in some mysterious way this physical body will be transformed,
and still be used after death. In short, that matter, as well as spirit, is
part of God. Science has shown that matter is indestructable, though its
form may be changed completely, and so even after the symbolical death and
resurrection, three knocks are still required.
CHAPTER X
CONCLUSION
This then concludes the third degree. More than any other degree in Craft
Masonry it has embedded in it ancient landmarks, brought down from a long
distant past. Under the surface lie hidden, meanings within meanings, which
I make no pretence to have exhausted. Already this book has exceeded in
length either of the two previous ones, but to do full justice to the
sublime degree one would require a volume four times as large as this. I
trust, however, that I have given some help, more especially to younger
brethren, which will aid them to glimpse the deeper side of Freemasonry. If
they too will strive to discover further alternative meanings, I shall feel
this labour of mine has been well repaid.
Let me again warn them that just because Masonry is so old, its rituals, in
the course of years, have been again and again revised, and newer meanings
have continually been grafted on to the old stock. We are not entitled to
say one meaning is right and another wrong. Both may be right. Christianity
itself has taken over a vast mass of pre-Christian ceremonies and symbols,
and the student is perfectly entitled to consider that both the Christian
and the pre-Christian interpretations of these symbols are equally deserving
of respect.
There is also another point which should be borne in mind. Again and again
we find that incidents and phrases which appear to have come from the Bible,
on closer investigation are found not to correspond exactly with the
Biblical narrative. At one time there was a tendency to say that in these
cases it was our duty to substitute the Biblical version for the
"Inaccurate" traditional form. With all due respect I venture to say that
such action is totally unjustifiable. Masonry is not the Bible. It is a
traditional ritual into which 18th century revisers inserted fragments from
the Bible, because that was the only book dealing with the period of the
masonic incidents which was then available to them. To-day, we know a great
deal more about this period than did our 18th century predecessors, and the
modern investigator has just cause to lament the well meaning, but
misdirected, zeal of these worthy masons, who thereby have probably
destroyed for ever valuable landmarks, which would have helped us to
discover the historical growth and the symbolic meaning of many parts of our
ceremonies.
Such apparent contraditions, and even mistakes, as appear to exist, should
be carefully retained, for they are sure indications to the conscientous
student of a connection with a long distant past, which modern methods of
research may enable us finally to trace to its origin. If, however, they are
revised out of existence, future generations will have nothing to help them
in the task of unravelling the true history and meaning of Freemasonry.
If a Sn. does not correspond with the explanation of the manner in which it
is said to have originated, don't alter the way of giving the Sn., for it is
an ancient landmark. Rather try to discover if anywhere in the world that
Sn. is still used in some old ceremony which may throw light on its true
origin. If H.A.B. was not buried in a c...f...n, don't eliminate the
c...f...n from the tracing board, but rather bear in mind that his great
prototype, Osiris, was so buried and that the c...f...n played a peculiarly
important part in the legend which recounts his death : which legend was
hoary with antiquity before K.S. was born.
Finally, let me say that even if a man can never fathom the full meaning of
the third degree, yet there is no man worthy of the name who has passed
through that third degree but will certainly have learnt one important
lesson, namely, how to d., and thereby will be the better man.

Watch out for these Freemason guys. This is a very racist organization.
See - http://www.freemasonrywatch.org
--
WW
.------,
=\ \
.---. =\ \
| WB \ =\ \
| `----------'------'----------,
.' .-.The Wright Brotherz .-.[]`-.
\ _/.____|_|______.------,______|_|_____)
/ /
=/ /
=/ /
=/ /
/_____,'

[Hiram Abiff]

Post by Tony Spadaro
Are all masons too stupid to trim headers of groups that don't give a
shirt about your moronic little secret society? I suspects so.

Yes. Yes we are.

[Larry]

Post by Tony Spadaro
Are all masons too stupid to trim headers of groups that don't give a
shirt about your moronic little secret society? I suspects so.

Only marginally less so than those that don't trim quotes.

[Alex fisher]

Post by Tony Spadaro
Are all masons too stupid to trim headers of groups that don't give a
shirt about your moronic little secret society? I suspects so.

Are all cross-posters too stupid to snip their replies before giving a two line
reply? 'Twould appear so...

[Wilbur]

Post by Tony Spadaro
Are all masons too stupid to trim headers of groups that don't give a
shirt about your moronic little secret society? I suspects so.

STFU, Ebay fink!

Post by Tony Spadaro

Post by Wilbur

THE MM'S BOOK
by J.S.M. Ward
PREFACE
THE third degree in Freemasonry is termed the Sublime Degree and the

title

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is truly justified. Even in its exoteric aspect its simple, yet

dramatic,

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power must leave a lasting impression on the mind of every Cand.. But

its

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esoteric meaning contains some of the most profound spiritual

instruction

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which it is possible to obain to-day.
Even the average man, who entered The Craft with little realisation of

its

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real antiquity and with the solemnity of this, its greatest degree. In

its

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directness and apparent simplicity rests its tremendous power. The

exoteric

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and esoteric are interwoven in such a wonderful way that it is almost
imopssible to separate the one from the other, and the longer it is

studied

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the more we realise the profound and ancient wisdom concealed therein.
Indeed, it is probable that we shall never master all that lies hidden

in

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this degree till we in very truth pass through that reality of which it

is a

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allegory.
The two degrees which have gone before, great and beautiful though they

be

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are but the training and preparation for the message which the third

degree

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holds in almost every line of the ritual. Here at length we learn the

true

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purpose of Freemasonry. It is not merely a system of morality veiled in
allegory and illustrated by symbols, but a great adventure, a search

after

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that which was lost; in other words, the Mystic Quest, the craving of

the

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Soul to comprehend the nature of God and to achieve union with Him.
Different men vary greatly; to some the most profound teachings appeal,
while to others simpler and more direct instruction is all they crave.

But

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there is hardly a man who has not, at some time or other, amid the

turmoil

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and distraction of this material world, felt a strange and unaccountable
longing for knowledge as to why he was ever sent here, whence he came,

and

Post by Wilbur

whither he is wending. At such times he feels Iike a wanderer in a

strange

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land, who has almost forgotten his native country, because he left it so
long ago, but yet vaguely realises that he is an exile, and dimly craves

for

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some message from that home which he knew of yore.
This is the voice of the Divine Spark in man calling out for union with

the

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Source of its being, and at such times the third degree carries with it

a

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message which till then, perhaps, the brother had not realized. The true
s...ts are lost, but we are told how and where we shall find them. The
gateway of d. opens the way to the p. within the c., where the longing
spirit will find peace in the arms of the Father of All.
Thus it will be seen that the third degree strikes a more solemn note

thane

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even that of d. itself, and I have endeavoured in this little book to

convey

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in outline form some part at least of this sublime message.
As in my previous books, I freely confess that I have not covered the

whole

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ground. Not only would it be impossible to do so in a book of this size,

but

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in so doing I should have defeated one of my principal objects in

writing

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namely, to inspire others to study for themselves and endeavour to find

in

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our ceremonies further and deeper meanings.
The success of the earlier books shows clearly that my efforts have not

been

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in vain, and that the brethren are more than anxious to fathom the inner
meaning of the ceremonies we all love so well. This book completes the
series dealing with the meaning of the three craft degrees, but their
popularity has convinced me that the experiment of producing a small and
inexpensive handbook has been completely justified. I have therefore

been

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encouraged to write further volumes, and the next of the series will be

an

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outline history of Freemasonry " from time Immemorial."
PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION
The success of the first edition of this book has necessitated a second
wherein I have corrected a few printing errors and added a few points

which

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may help my brother students.
From the number of letters I have received from all parts of the world,
thanking me for the light these books throw on the meaning of our
ceremonies, it is clear that the new members who are entering our Order

are

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tending to take an increasing interest in the meaning of our Rites and

are

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no longer content to regard the Ceremonies merely as a pastime for an

idle

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hour.
J.S.M. WARD.
CONTENTS
Introduction by The Hon. Sir John Cockburn, M.D., K.C.M.G., P.G.D.Eng.,
P.D.G.M. S.Australia
Chapter 1 Questions and P.W.
Chapter 2 The Opening
Chapter 3 The Symbolical Journeys, etc.
Chapter 4 The Exhortation
Chapter 5 The S..s
Chapter 6 The Badge
Chapter 7 The Legend
Chapter 8 The Tracing Board, etc.
Chapter 9 Closing
Chapter 10 Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
By Sir John A. Cockburn,
W.Bro. Ward has lost no time in supplying his large circle of readers

with

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this little book on the 3 degree. With becoming reverence he touches on

the

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last great lesson which Masonry presents to the mind of the Craftsman.

Among

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the manifold blessings that Freemasonry has conferred on mankind none is
greater than that of taking the sting from death and robbing the grave

of

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victory. No man can be called Free who lives in dread of the only event

that

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is certain in his life. Until emancipated from the fear of death, he is

all

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his life long subject to bondage. Yet how miserably weak is this phantom
king of Terrors who enslaves so many of the uninitiated. As Francis

Bacon

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remarked, there is no passion in the mind of man that does not master

the

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dread of death. Revenge triumphs over it; love slights it; honour

aspireth

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to it; grief flieth to it. Death has always been regarded as the

elucidation

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of the Great Mystery. It was only at the promise of dissolution that the
seeker after the Elixir of Life exclaimed Eureka. Masonry regards death

but

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as the gate of life, and the Master Mason learns to look forward with

firm

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but humble confidence to the moment when he will receive his summons to
ascend to the Grand Lodge above.
Brother Ward very properly attaches much significance to the Pass Word
leading to the 2 degree and 3 degree. In the Eleusinian Mysteries an ear

of

Post by Wilbur

corn was presented to the Epoptai. This, as an emblem of Ceres,

represented

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by the S.W., is appropriate to the F.C.'s, who are under the guidance of
that officer, while the name of the first artificier in metals, which is
reminiscent of Vulcan, the Celestial Blacksmith, seems specially

befitting

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to the attributes of the J.W., as it was in the days before 1740. The

author

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sees in the lozenge formed by two of the great lights a representation

of

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the Vesica Piscis. This symbol, whose literal meaning is "the bladder of

the

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fish,' is of deep significance. Some see in it the essential scheme of
ecclesiastical architecture. But as the spiritually blind are unable to
discern similitudes, so those who are gifted with deep insight are apt

to

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over estimate analogies. The Vesica Piscis being, as Brother Ward

rightly

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states, a feminine emblem, and therefore one sided, can hardly represent

the

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equilibrium attained by the conjunction of the square and compasses.

These

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respectively stand for the contrasted correlatives which pervade

Creation,

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and, like the pillars, are typical when conjoined of new stability

resulting

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from their due proportion in the various stages of Evolution. The
progressive disclosures of the points of the compasses seems to indicate

the

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ultimate realisation of the spirituality of matter; the at-one-ment and
reconciliation at which Freemasonry and all true religions aim. Brother

Ward

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repeatedly points out the similarity that exists between the lessons of
Christianity and of Freemasonry. It is indeed difficult to distinguish
between them, The Ancient Mysteries undoubtedly possessed in secret many

of

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the truths proclaimed in the gospel. St. Augustine affirms that
Christianity, although not previously known by that name, had always
existed. But whereas the hope of immortality was formerly in the

Mysteries

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confined to a favoured few, the new Convenant opened the Kingdom of

Heaven

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to all believers. Incidentally this little volume clears up many

passages

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which are obscure in the Ritual. For example, there could be no object

in

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directing that the F.C's, who, on account of their trust-worthiness,

were

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selected by the King to search for the Master, should be clothed in

white to

Post by Wilbur

prove their innocence. That was already beyond question. The order was
evidently meant for the repentant twelve who took no actual part in the
crime. This and similar inconsistencies in the Ritual may be accepted as
evidence of its antiquity. Had it been a modern compilation such
contradictions would have been studiously avoided.
It is probable that many earnest Masons may not agree with all Brother
Ward's interpretations. Nor can such unanimity reasonably be expected.
Freemasonry, as a gradual accretion of the Wisdom of Ages Immemorial,

bears

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traces of many successive schools of thought. But all its messages are
fraught with hope for the regeneration of humanity. The author intimated

his

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desire in this series of handbooks to lead others to prosecute the study

of

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Masonry for themselves; and indeed he has abundantly proved that in its
unfathomable depths there are many gems of priceless ray serene which

will

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well repay the search. Brother Ward is heartily to be congratulated on
having attained the object he had in view.
John A. Cockburn.
CHAPTER I
QUESTIONS AND P.W.
Those of our Brethren who have read the previous two books of this

series

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will not need much help in understanding the significance of the

questions

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which are put to the Cand. before being raised. Practically every

question

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has been dealt with in detail in the previous books; the majority of

them

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are taken from incidents in the Lectures and Tracing Board, and since

the

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latter was explained at some length we shall not now detain our readers
long.
The manner of preparation for the second degree stressed the masculine

side,

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which is characteristic of it. The admission on a S. indicated that the
Cand. had profited by the moral training rcceived in the First degree,

and

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that his conduct had always been on the S.. There is, however a deep
esoteric meaning in the apparent platitude that it is the fourth part of

a

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circle. Among all the ancient nations the circle is a symbol of God the
Infinite, Whose name we discovered in the second degree in the M.Ch.,

where

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we leamt that it consisted of four letters. Thus the Cand. was admitted

on

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one letter of the Mystic Name, and if the four Sq.s are united with the
circle in a peculiar way they form the cosmic cross, emblem of matter,
within the circle of the Infinite.
We have in the last book considered at such length what is implied by

the

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words "Hidden mysteries of nature and science," that we need here only

refer

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our readers to that section, wherein we saw that in former times these
hidden mysteries undoubtedly referred to certain occult powers, which

would

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be dangerous if acquired by a man who had not proved himself to be of

the

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highest moral character.
The "wages" we receive consist of the power to comprehend the nature of

God,

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Who resides in the M.Ch. of the Soul of every Mason. The F.C. receives

his

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wages without scruple or diffidence because the Spiritual benefit he
receives from Freemasonry is in exact proportion to his desire, and

ability,

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to comprehend its inner meaning.
He cannot receive either more or less than he has earned, for if he has

not

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understood the profound lesson of the Divinity within him, naturally he
cannot benefit therefrom.
His employers are the Divine Trinity, of Whom Justice is one of the
outstanding attributes. God could not be unjust and remain God. This
conception is almost a platitude, but the average man, while realising

that

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God will not withhold any reward earned, is at times apt to assume that
because God is love He will reward us more than we deserve. This is

clearly

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a mistake, for God could not be partial without ceasing to be God,

therefore

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the F.C. receives exactly the Spiritual wages he has earned, and neither
more nor less, but some F.C.'s will nevertheless obtain a greater reward
than others, because spiritually they have earned it.
The significance of the names of the P....rs was explained in the last

book,

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but in view of the nature of the third degree it seems advisable to

point

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out once more that their secret Kabalistic meaning is (1) Being

fortified by

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every moral virtue, (2) you are now properly prepared, (3) to undergo

that

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last and greatest trial which fits you to become a M M.. Thus we see

that

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even the w..ds of the preceding degrees lead up to this, the last and
greatest.
As in the former case, the remark of the W.M. that he will put other
questions if desired indicates the possibility of members of the Lodge
asking qucstions based on the Lectures of the Second Degree, or even on

the

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Tracing Board. It is, indeed, a pity that this right is practically

never

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exercised. For example, a particularly appropriate question would be

"What

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was the name of the man who cast the two great p....rs ? " As it is, the
Cand. in a dramatic way represents the closing incidents in the life of

this

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great man, whose importance till then he has hardly had any opportunity

of

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realising.
Having answered these test questions, the cand. is again entrusted with

a

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P.W., etc., to enable him to enter the Lodge after it has been raised to

the

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Third degree during this temporary absence. We have in the previous book
explained that the raising of a Lodge should alter the vibrations of

those

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present by a process well recognised in the ceremonies of Magic, and, to
enable the Cand. quickly to become in ttme with these higher spiritual
vibrations, a word of "power" is given him, which in a moment places him

on

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the same plane as the other members of the Lodge. This word he has to

give,

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not only outside the d....r of the Lodge, but also immediately before

his

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presentation by the S.W. as "Properly prepared to be raised to the Third
Degree." It is only after this has been done that the real ceremony of

the

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Third Degree, so far as the c. is concerned, begins, and therefore that

the

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full force of the vibrations of the M.M.'s come into play.
The P.W. itself is of the greatest significance, more especially when
combined with the P.W. leading from the First to the Second degree. At

one

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time the P.W.'s were reversed. T.C. being the W. leading to the Second,

and

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Sh... . the W. leading to the Third. This is still the case in those

foreign

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Grand Lodges, such as the Dutch and the French, which derive from us

before

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1740, when the W.s were altered owing to certain un-authorised

revelations.

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This alteration was one of the just grievances which brought about the
secession of the so-called "Ancients," who charged Grand Lodge with

altering

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the Ancient Landmarks. When the Irish followed our example they

continued

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the prohibition of the introduction of m..ls until the Third degree,

which

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is a logical procedure, for clearly you have no right to bring them into
Lodge until you have been symbolically introduced to the first artificer

in

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that material. As the W.s now stand they convey the following spiritual
lesson:- the F.C. is one who finds the simple necessities of life, such

as

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C. and W., sufficient for his requirements. They are plenty to the
spiritually minded man, whose soul becomes clogged and hampered by the
acquistion of worldly possessions and since it is hard for a rich man to
enter the Kingdom of Heaven, immediatdy the Cand. has symbolically

received

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W.P. he is Sl....n.
T.C. conveys the lesson that W.P. in themselves bring death to the soul

and

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prevent its upward progress. To-day, the river of death connected with

the

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P.W. leading to the Second degree has largely lost its significance,

whereas

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when it was a P.W. leading to the Third, it was in itself a fine

allegory.

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We must remember that Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was well known and

widely

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read at the beginning of the 18th Century, and those who were

re-organising

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our rituals at that time could not have been blind to the similarity of

the

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allegory hidden in the w. Sh. and the account by Bunyan of Christian's
fording the river of death on the way to the Holy City. The change of

about

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1740 destroyed this allegory, and its survival in the Tracing Board is

now

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merely one of those numerous footnotes which, to the careful student,

are

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invaluable indications of the various transformations though which our
ritual has passed during the course of years. Nevertheless, I do not

regret

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the change, as I think the present spiritual lesson is even finer than

the

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former one, but the other arrangement was more logical. Firstly, from

the

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practical point of view the F.C. required the use of m..1 tools to

perform

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his operative tasks, and in the process of his work acquired W.P., in
contradiction to the E.A., who did only rough work and received only
maintenance: i.e., corn, wine , and oil. Secondly, from the symbolical
standpoint the sequence was also more logical, for the F.C., having

acquired

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wealth by means of his skill, was brought to the river of d., and passed
through it in the Third Degree.
According to Bro. Sanderson, in his "Examination of the Masonic Ritual,"

the

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actual translation of the Hebrew w. Sh. is an " e. of c., or a f. of

w."-

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hence the manner in which it is depicted in a F.C.'s Lodge-while the w.

T.C.

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in Hebrew means only a blacksmith, though another w. similarly

pronounced

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means acquisition. Hence, as he points out, " an allegorical title has,

in

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translating the Old Testament, been mistaken for the name of an actual
person, for the name itself means `A worker in M...t...ls'" Therefore

the

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connection with H.A.B. is obvious. Bro. Sanderson, quoting from the

"Secret

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Discipline," by S. L. Knapp, says, "In a work on ancient ecclesiastical
history the following occurs, 'By a singular plasus linguae the moderns

have

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substituted T.C. in the Third Degree for tymboxein-to be entombed.' "

While

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I am unable to say whether Knapp is justified in this statement, it is
quitee probable that this P.W., and indeed all the P.W.s are

comparatively

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modern substitutes, taken from the Bible to replace ancient W.s of power
whose full meaning was lost and whose form in consequence had become

corrupt

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and unintelligible. The Greek word tymboxein would be peculiariy

suitable fo

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r a P.W. leading to the Third Degree, in view of its meaning, and

mediaeval

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magical ceremonies are full of corrupt Greek words indiscriminately

mingled

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with equally corrupt Hebrew and Arabic. There is, therefore, nothing
intrinsically improbable in the suggestion that this ancient Greek word

was

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the original from which T.C. has been evolved. We know as a fact that

large

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pieces of Biblical history were imported wholesale into our rituals in

the

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18th Century, and what is more likely than that an unintelligible work,
already so corrupt as not even to be recognisable as Greek, should be
amended into a well known Biblical character? However, the word as it
stands, because of its Hebrew meaning of acquisition, can correctly be
translated as W.P., while as meaning an artificer in M. it clearly

refers to

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H.A.B., who made the two p.....rs, and whom the Cand. is to represent.

Thus,

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following this line of interpretation, we perceive that the Cand. really
represents H.A.B. when he enters the Lodge, although under the disguised
title conveyed by the P.W..
In dealing with these P.W.s I have endeavoured to show that there are
meanings within meanings, and the same is true of practically every
important incident in the whole ceremony. In a book of thissize it is
obviously impossible to attempt to give all of these meanings, and even

if

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one did the result would be to befog the young reader and so prevent him
from getting a clear and connected interpretation of the ceremony. It is

for

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this reason that, in the main, I am concentrating on one line of
interpretation, but I have thought it desirable in this section to give

a

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hint to more advanced students, so that they can follow up similar lines

of

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investigation for themselves.
PREPARATION
In English and Scotch workings there is no c.t. around the Cand. in
preparation for the Third Degree, but in the Irish working it is wound

once

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around his n., in the Second degree twice, and the First three times. If

we

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regard the c.t. as symbolising those things which hamper a man's

spiritual

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progress, the gradual unwinding of it as used in Irish workings becomes

of

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great significance. This interpretation implies that the Cand. is

hampered

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in Body, Soul and Spirit in the First Degree, whereas by the time he has
reached this point in the Third Degree the Body and Soul have triumphed

over

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the sins which peculiarly assail them, and in that stage symbolised by

the

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Degree itself the Spirit has only to triumph over Spiritual sins, such

as

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Spiritual Pride. With this exception the manner of preparation is the

same

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in all these British workings, and indicates that the Cand. is now about

to

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consecrate both sides of his nature, active and passive, creative and
preservative, etc., to the service of the Most High.
The explanation already given in the previous books of the various

details,

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such as being s.s., holds here, and a brief glance at the other volumes

will

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render it unnecessary for me to take up valuable space therewith in this
third book. The Can. is then brought to the Lodge door and gives the

Kn.s of

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a F.C. These Kn's indicate that Soul and Body are in union, but the

Spirit

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is still out of contact whereas the proper Kn's of a M.M. (2/1)

indicates

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that the Spirit dominates the Soul and is in union with it, the body

having

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fallen away into significance. It will be remembered that in the first

book

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of this series I pointed out that the three separate kn's of an E.A.
symbolise that in the uninitiated man, Body, Soul and Spirit are all at
variance. Meanwhile the Lodge has been raised to a Third Degree by a
ceremony whose profound significance demands consideration in a separate
chapter.
CHAPTER II
THE OPENING
Having satisfied himself that all present are symbolically upright and

moral

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men, the W.M. asks the J.W. if his spiritual nature has evolved

sufficiently

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to control both soul and body. The J.W. suggests that he should be

tested,

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not only by the emblem of upright conduct, but also by the Compasses.

Now

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these combined with the Square form a lozenge, which is itself a symbol

for

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the Vesica Piscis, emblem of the female principle. The Compasses,

moreover,

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are the instruments with which geometrical figures are created, and more
especially the Circle. By means of two circles the triangle, emblem of

the

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triune nature of God,. is produced, while the Cirde itself is the emblem

of

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Eternity and therefore of Spirit. A point within the cirle forms the

symbol

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for the Hindu conception of the Supreme Being, Paramatma, whence we have
come and whither we shall all ultimately return. At the centre of the

circle

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rests all knowledge; there shall we find every lost secret. Now such a
figure can only be drawn with the help of the Compasses, and in drawing

it

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the following significant symbolical act takes place.
One point of the Compass rests at the centre, and the other makes the

circle

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of the Infinite. No matter how far the legs of the Compass be extended,

or

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how large the Circle, the fact remains that one leg is always at the

centre.

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Thus the Compasses, while they travel through infinity, are at the same

time

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never separated from the centre, and from that point cannot err.
This instrument may therefore be considered as standing for the Divine

Spark

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in Man, in all its manifestations. One of these is conscience; but the
Divine Spark has many attributes and names.
So the J.W.'s reply indicates that he is prepared to be tested both by

the

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moral code and by the spiritual laws of our being.
But after these preliminaries the proceedings become of an even more

exalted

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nature. All that has gone before has been but preparation for the Great
Quest on which we must now set forth. It is the quest of the Soul for
realisation of God, and at-one-ment with Him. This is the Mystic Quest

of

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all ages, and, true to the ancient symbolism, it starts from the East,

the

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place of Light, and goes towards the West, the place of darkness and

death.

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The East represents God, Who is our home. It indicates that each soul

comes

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out from the place of Light, from Light itself, that is, from the very
substance of God, descends through the Gateway of the Dawn and becomes
incarnate in Matter. But it brings with it a sense of loss and

separation,

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for it has come out from God, and the Divine Spark within it longs

return

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whence it came. Having lost the secret of its true nature and the way of
return, it wanders in darkness, seeking and for most men the way of

return

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is through the Western portal, the gateway of Death, for so long as we

are

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finite beings we cannot hope to comprehend the Infinite.
Yet there are some few exceptions to the general rule, who, while still

in

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the flesh, have a vision of the Divine splendour, are caught up in it,

and

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became one with God. To such men the return to ordinary mundane

existence

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seems unreal and shadowy. Where others believe in God they Know Him, but

it

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is almost impossible for them to convey to others the experience through
which they have gone. Yet that such experiences are real, as real as any
other fact in life, is attested by a long line of witnesses right

throughout

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the ages.
To the average man, however, the first real step towards the realisation

of

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what constitutes God is through the portal of physical death; - but even
then the end is still far off.
Hence the answer explaining how the true secrets came to be lost

indicates,

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not the cause of the loss, but the first step towards the recovery, and

this

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fact is borne out by the subsequent events in the ceremony itself.
Note, it is the body only that dies, and by its death enables the Soul

and

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Spirit to re-discover in part the secrets which were last. Yet this

death of

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the Body effectually debars the communication of these secrets to the
sorrowing F.C.'s left behind. It is the passing through that veil which
separates life and death which stars us on the road which ends with God.
It must never be forgotten, however, that the genuine secrets are never
recovered in the Craft, although symbolically we rise from the grave,

for

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that secret can only be discovered at or with the C.-i.e., with God. To

that

Post by Wilbur

exalted position we can only attain after long journeys through the

planes

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of existence beyond the grave. In our symbolism there is nothing which
indicates that immediately after death man is fit to pass into the

presence

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of the King of Kings.
But the Divine Spark within us is never really separated from the Great

and

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All-Pervading Spirit. It is still part of it, though its glory is dimmed

by

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the veil of flesh. Therefore, just as one arm of the compasses ever

rests on

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the centre, no matter how far the other leg travels; so however far we

may

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travel from God, and however long and hard may be the journey, the

Divine

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Spark within us can never be truly separated from Him, or err from that
Centre. Thus the point of the Compasses at the centre of the circle may

be

Post by Wilbur

considered to be the Spirit, the head of the Compasses the Soul, and the
point on the circumference the body.
So the task is set and the brethren go forth on the quest, that quest

which

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must lead through the darkness of death, as the ceremony that follows

tells

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in allegory. It is not correct to say that the search hinted at in the
Opening ceremony is suddenly abandoned, and those who think this
misinterpret the whole meaning of the legend. Never in earthly life

shall we

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find the answer we seek, nay, even death itself will not give it; but,
having passed beyond the grave, through the four veils of the Scottish

rite,

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and so into the H.R.A., we find an excellent answer in allegorical and
symbolical language, whilst the jewel of the degree emphasises what the

end

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of the quest is.
Nor must it be forgotten that the body alone cannot realise the nature

of

Post by Wilbur

God, and that is why without the help of the other two, H.A.B. neither
could, nor would, disclose the S........t.
The W.M.'s promise to help indicates that the Spirit will render

assistance,

Post by Wilbur

but though the Spirit subsequently raises man from the grave it is not
sufficiently evolved to give him the true secret. This can only come

about

Post by Wilbur

when the Spirit has raised the Soul to a far higher stage of

spirituality.

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Though this is the degree of Destruction, that form of the Trinity is

not

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invoked, and the title used corresponds more closely to the Hindu name

for

Post by Wilbur

the All-Embracing than to their form of the Destroyer. This no doubt is
deliberate, for the symbol of this degree is the same emblem which among

the

Post by Wilbur

Hindus denotes the Most High, namely the Circle with a Point within it.

v In

Post by Wilbur

some Scotch rituals, after the Lodge has been opened in the first degree

the

Post by Wilbur

I.P.M., or the D.C., opens the V.S.L., and, strange to say, does so with

the

Post by Wilbur

words, "In the beginning was the Word." Similarly, when the Lodge is

closed

Post by Wilbur

in the first degree the book is closed with the words, "And the word was
with God." Here then we get two striking features: 1) the use of words

from

Post by Wilbur

the first chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, and 2) their
correlation with the phrase in the Third Degree, "At, or with the C."

This

Post by Wilbur

procedure suggests that the lost W. is the Logos, or Christ, and

remembering

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what we have previously pointed out in the earlier books, i.e., that

there

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is a perfectly logical Christian interpretation of the whole of the

Craft

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ceremonies, this fact becomes of increasing significance.
Before closing this chapter, I would like to add that the Third Degree

lends

Post by Wilbur

itself to a Christian interpretation even more markedly than the former
ones, and several of the higher degrees in Freemasonry adopt and expand

this

Post by Wilbur

line of teaching.
In view of the fact that in the Middle Ages Freemasonry was undoubtedly
Christian, we cannot lightly reject this view of the inner meaning of

the

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ceremonies, but as the frame work of our ceremonies apparently goes back
before Christian times, a non-Christian interpretation is equally
permissible.
CHAPTER III
THE SYMBOLICAL JOURNEYS, ETC.
The Can. is admitted on he C....... s, and this fact is of far greater
significance than most brethren probably realise. Firstly, as has been
noted, one arm of the C.s is always at the C., no matter how far the

other

Post by Wilbur

may travel, and from the point of view of the Can., though he knows it

not,

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this act in a sense indicates that his heart, and therefore he himself,

is

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at or on the C........e. Secondly, the C....s in this degree link up

with

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the Sq. used in the former degree on a similar occasion. We have seen in

the

Post by Wilbur

previous books that the Sq. and C........s are united on the Ped. in

such a

Post by Wilbur

way as to form the vesica piscis, the emblem of the female principle,

and

Post by Wilbur

the symbol of birth and rebirth. Hence symbolically thc Can. passes

through

Post by Wilbur

the vesica piscis. Also after entering the Lodge in this, as in the

previous

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degrees, he kn....s while the blessing of Heaven is invoked, and as he

does

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so the wands of the deacons are crossed above his head. He thus

kn........s

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in a triangle, the emblem of Spirit, and itself connected with the

lozenge.

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Two equilateral triangles make a lozenge, which is produced from the

vesica

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piscis-formed by two circles, as shown by the first proposition in

Euclid.

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In view of the great stress laid upon Geometry throughout the whole of

our

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rituals these facts cannot be ignored. Our Operative Brn. must have

realised

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that the whole science of Geometry arises out of this first proposition,
which shows how to make a triangle (the emblem of the Trinity and the
Spirit) by means of two circles whose circumferences pass through the

centre

Post by Wilbur

of each other. In doing so they form the vesica piscis, which gives

birth

Post by Wilbur

first of all to the triangle, and secondly, to the double triangle, in

the

Post by Wilbur

form of a lozenge. This last emblem is symbolised by the sq., denoting
matter, and the c...s, denoting spirit. The above facts throw a flood of
light upon the interplay between these Masonic emblems.
Before leaving this subject it is worth while pointing out that the Can.
likewise takes every Ob. in Craft masonry within this triangle, and that

the

Post by Wilbur

same method is employed in other ancient rites, including those of the
Society of Heaven and Earth in China, where the Can. kn...s on one

sword,

Post by Wilbur

while two others are held over his head so as to form a triangle of

steel.

Post by Wilbur

The Can. now starts on his three symbolical journeys. He first satisfies

the

Post by Wilbur

J.W., representing the Body, that he is an E.A., i.e., a man of good

moral

Post by Wilbur

character. He next satisfies the S.W., representing the Soul, that he

has

Post by Wilbur

benefited by the lessons of life and acquired intellectual knowledge.

Then

Post by Wilbur

comes the third journey, when he is once more challenged by the Soul,

who

Post by Wilbur

demands the P.W., the full significance of which has already been

explained.

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Let us combine these meanings! He comes laden with worldly possessions,
which in themselves carry the seeds of death, unconsciously representing

in

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his person the worker in metals who made the twin colunms, and is about

to

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be entombed. (tymboxein).
Therefore the Soul presents him to the Spirit as one properly prepared

to

Post by Wilbur

carry out the part of his great predecessor. There is a point here which

we

Post by Wilbur

need to realise, for it is one which is often overlooked. In the

previous

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degrees only one Deacon was instructed to lead the Can. by the proper

S...ps

Post by Wilbur

to the E., but here both are needed. From the practical point of view

there

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is no obvious reason why the help of the J.D. should be invoked at all,

and

Post by Wilbur

as the ceremony is usually carried out he does nothing but look on. I
believe, however, the S.D. should first go through the S...ps and the

J.D.,

Post by Wilbur

should assist the Can. to copy his example. If thus were so we should

get an

Post by Wilbur

almost exact repetition of the analogous ceremony in the R.A. where the
p.s., corresponding to the S.D., is helped by an assistant. Thus, with

the

Post by Wilbur

Can., in both cases we get a Trinity, only one of whom actually descends
into the g., or, in the other case, into the v.
As Major Sanderson has pointed out in An Examination of the Masonic

Ritual,

Post by Wilbur

among the primitive, races usually, a man who stepped over an o.g. would

be

Post by Wilbur

considered to have committed sacrilege, and almost certainly would be

slain,

Post by Wilbur

but, on the other hand, we do know that in many Initiatory Rites either

the

Post by Wilbur

Can., or someone else for him, steps down into a gr., and is

subsequently

Post by Wilbur

symbolically sl...n therein. If this be the true interpretation of this

part

Post by Wilbur

of the ceremony, the reason for the presence of the two deacons in

addition

Post by Wilbur

to the Can. becomes clear. It is only the Body that descends into the

clear

Post by Wilbur

the Soul and the Spirit have no part therein. Thus, for the moment,

though

Post by Wilbur

only temporarily, these three represene the triune nature of man, while

the

Post by Wilbur

three principal officers represent the triune nature of God. The fact

that

Post by Wilbur

this is undoubtedly true in the case of the R.A., makes it almost

certain

Post by Wilbur

that the same idea underlies this apparently unimportant diffirence

between

Post by Wilbur

the arrangements in the third degree, and those followed in the first

and

Post by Wilbur

second.
Again and again when one comes to study carefully the details of our

ritual,

Post by Wilbur

one finds little points, such as these, which would certainly not have
survived the drastic revision of 1816 if there had not been present some

men

Post by Wilbur

who really did understand the inner meaning of our ceremonies, and

refused

Post by Wilbur

to allow important lessons to be lost by the removal of what, at first
sight, appear to be unnecessary details.
Therefore, those of us who value the inner meaning of our ceremonies owe

a

Post by Wilbur

deep debt of gratitude to these men, even though their actual names be
unknown to us, and on our part a duty is imposed on us that we shall not
hastily tamper with the rituals, merely because we do not ourselves see

the

Post by Wilbur

full significance of a phrase or think that by revising it we can make

the

Post by Wilbur

wording run more smoothly.
The next factor we must consider most carefuUy is the actual sp...s
themselves. These make the Latin cross of suffuring and sacrifice.
Sometimes the sp..s are not done quite correctly, for the Can. should be
careful to face due North, due South, and due East respectively. This
procedure undoubtedly refers to the three entrances of the Temple

through

Post by Wilbur

which H.A.B. endeavoured to escape. Hence it is we see that the Master
himself trod out the cross of Calvary during the tragedy, and in a sense
made the Consecration Cross of the Temple.
In a mediaeval church, and even to-day at the consecration of a church
according to the Anglican ordinance, there should be a dedication cross
marked on the building. In the Middle Ages these were usually marked on

the

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pillars, and apparently corresponded to the mark made by an illiterate
person when witnessing a deed. The Consecrating Bishop sometimes drew

this

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cross on the pillar or wall, or sometimes merely traced over a cross

already

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painted there for the purpose. Any new piece of work in a church, even

if

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only a new fresco, had its dedication cross. For example :-At Chaldon
Church, Surrey, the dedication cross is marked on the margin of a fresco
depicting The Brig of Dread, described at length in Freemasonry and the
Ancient Gods.
Bearing these facts in mind, we shall perceive that, even from the

Operative

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point of view, the manner of advancing in this degree, and the manner in
which H.A.B. met his end, had a peculiar significance. The Great

Architect

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of the Temple must have traced the dedication cross the whole length and
breadth of the Temple in his own blood. Moreover, such dedication

crosses as

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have actually survived are nearly always found to be painted in red.

Thus,

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H.A.B.'s last work was, as it were, to commence the consecration of the
Temple which was completed by K.S., for until that cross had been marked
either on the wail or pavement, according to mediaeval Operative ideas

the

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building could not be consecrated. Therefore, the Can., who is

reenacting

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the same drama, must obviously do likewise, and in so doing dedicates

the

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Temple of his body.
But there is still more hidden within this ceremonial act. The ancient
Knights Templar were accused of trampling on the cr., and a careful
examination of the evidence taken at the trial shows that in reality

they

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took a ritual sp., somewhat similar to those taken by the Can. in this
degree.
One of the esoteric meanings indicated is the Way of the Cross which

leads

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to Calvary. Furhermore, having thus traced out a cr. he is subsequendy

laid

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on it, and this fact is emphasised by the position in which his legs or

feet

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are placed. The foot of this cr. reaches to the Ped., on which rests the
O.T. If, therefore, this symbolical cr. were raised as it was on Calvary

it

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would rest on the O.T., and the Can. would face the E., and would be, as

it

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were, on a mountain. This fact should be borne in mind by those who seek

a

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Christian interpretation of our Craft ceremonies. Mystically

interpreted, it

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indicates that every aspirant for union with the Divine must tread the

Way

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of the Cross, and suffer and die thereon, in order that he may rise to a

new

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life, a realisation of his union with the Infinite. v Even those who are
disinclined to admit the possibility of a Christian interpretatior, of

the

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Craft degrees, must recognise the fact that this cr. is the cr. of

sacrifice

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and means that the true aspirant must be prepared to sacrifice

everything in

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his search after Truth.
The number of the sp...s is the combination of the Trinity and of the

four

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elements, representing matter. It is the same number as forms the

perfect

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lodge, and also the seven elements which form man, whether we interpret

it

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according to the ancient Egyptian system, or in the more modern form of

the

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five physical senses, the Soul and the Spirit. In the latter case it
indicates that the man must be prepared to sacrifice, or shall we say
dedicate to God, Body, Soul and Spirit.
There are yet other profound meanings in this one ritual act, but enough

has

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been written to set my readers pondering for themselves, and we will
therefore proceed to consider the next point in the ceremony.
The Ob. itself contains one or two interesting points. Thus it indicates
that a M.M.'s Lodge must always be open on the C.. This shows us at once
that we are dealing with a ceremony with a mystical meaning, for the C.
means the same as the middle ch. in the second degree-the secret chamber

of

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the heart, where dwells the Divine Spark-and so tells us in veiled

language

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that all that happens thereafter is a spiritual experience, which sooner

or

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later comes to every mystic. The special moral obligations which the

Can.

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undertakes should be noted, but require no explanation. It is, however,
difficult to understand why they should be deferred until this stage. In

the

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ancient charges similar obligations are imposed apparently on the E.A.,

and

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this seems more logical.
The Py. varies even in different parts of England, but in essentials is
always the same. You are s. at the c., and the manner of disposal is

very

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reminiscent of the way in which the dead are cremated in India in honour

of

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Shiva. There the corpse is burnt near running water, preferably near the
Ganges, and the ashes are thrown into the air over the river to the four
cardinal points, that the winds may scatter them. It must be remembered

that

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Shiva represents the destructive attribute of the Diety and he makes the
P.S. of a M.M. on his statues. His is the element of fire, and all these
facts must be born in mind when considering our own Py.
The position of the Sq. and Cs., in addition to the explanation given,
indicates that the spirit, represented by the Cs., now dominates the

body,

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typified by the Sq..
CHAPTER IV
THE EXHORTATION
The opening part of the exhortation gives a convenient summary of the
previous degress and quite clearly indicates that the first inner

meaning of

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the series is Birth, Life which is of course educational and preparatory

for

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its sequel, and Death. The phrase relating to the second degree "And to
trace it, from its devlopment through the paths of Heavenly Science even

to

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the throne of God Himself," shows plainly its real significance. As

pointed

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out in the F.C. Handbook, in the Mid. Ch. the F.C. discovers not only

the

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name of God, but that he himself is the fifth letter Shin which

transforms

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the name Jehovah into the name Jeheshue, or Messias, the King.
But according to the old Kabala Jeheshue must be raised on the cross of
Tipareth, and the significance of this fact is impressed on our Can. by

the

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incidents now to take place. The average Christian need not trouble

about

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the subtleties of the Kabala, for the story in the New Testament

supplies

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him with a very similar interpretation.
The W.M. having, almost casually, given him this key to the inner

meaning of

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what is about to follow, proceeds at once to the most dramatic part of

the

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ceremony. Up to this point almost all forms of our ritual are

practically

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the same, but henceforward there are many marked differences.

"Emulation"

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ritual may be regarded as containing the bare minimum, but the

additional

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details found in many Provincial workings in England, and in Scotland,
Ireland, America, and many of the Continental Lodges, are too important

to

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be ignored. There is no reason to assume that they are innovations; on

the

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contrary all the evidence points to the fact that they are integral

parts of

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the ceremony which, for various reasons, were omitted by the revisers of

our

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ritual who met in the Lodge of Reconciliation. I shall therefore proceed

to

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note and explain them where necessary.
Whereas in Emulation working as soon as the Ws. are called on the

deacons

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retire, in most others, in the Provinces, etc., they fall back to the

head

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of the g.. Thus with the W.M. the W.s form the triangle of Spirit, and

with

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the D.s the Sq. of matter, on which the triangle rests, for the M.

descends

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from his chair and stands in front of the Ped.. As a practical piece of
advice I would recommend that the J.W. should not direct the Can. to c.

his

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f. until after the S.W. has dealt with him, for it is impossible for him

to

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drop on his respective k...s if his f. are c., whereas by carrying out

these

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instructions before the last attack he will fall the more readily.
In most of the old Scotch rituals the Can. journeys round the Lodge, is
attacked by the J.W. in the S., by the S.W. in the W. (note that), and
returns to the M. in the E., where the final incident takes place. I

think,

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however, our English system of having the attack in the N. instead of in

the

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W. is preferable, and is probably the correct form. In the Scotch ritual

the

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three villains have names, and the same is the case in America. They are
Jubela, Jubelo, and Jubelum. The word itself clearly comes from the

Latin

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word meaning "To command," and refers to the fact that they commanded

him to

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give up the S....s. But the terminations of the three names appear to

have a

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curious esoteric reference to India. It can hardly be by accident that

these

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three names form the mystic word AUM. The U in India in this case is
pronounced almost like O, and when this word is disguised, as it usually

is,

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it is written OMN. If this be so we have the Creative Preservative, and
Annihilative aspects of the Deity emphasised in the Third Degree, and it

is

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the Destructive aspect, symbolised by the letter M, which deals the

final

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stroke.
This variation is therefore of importance, but I must warn my readers

that

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not all Scotch workings have it, some of them being much more akin to

our

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own, even having the attack in the N.. Practically all of them, however,
have the perambulations, during which solemn music is played. The usual
procedure is for the brethren to pass round the gr. once making the P.

S. of

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an E.A.. When this is done the J.W. makes his abortive attempt. The

second

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round is made with the H. S. of an F.C., after which the S.W. tries and
fails. The third round is made with the S. of G. and D. of a M.M., on

the

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conclusion of which the Can. is r... by the lion's g.... It is a great

pity

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that the use of this name for the M. M.'s g. is falling into disuse in
London, for it has in itself important symbolical references, to which

we

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shall refer later in the chapter.
In many parts of England it is still customary to place the Can., either

in

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a c----n or in a g. made in the floor, and the same method is found in

most

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other parts of tke world. Indeed, in the Dutch ritual the Can. is first

of

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all shown a c..n in which is a human skeleton. This is subsequently

removed,

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though he does not know it and he thinks when he is laid therein he will
find himself in its bony clutches. Even as near London as Windsor there

is a

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Masonic Temple which has a special chamber of d. with a g. actually in

the

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floor and until recently it was still used although whether it is to-day

I

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cannot say.
Let us now turn to consider the meanings of the main incidents. The

first

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meaning of the degree is obvious; it prepares a man for his final end

and

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hints of a possibility of life beyond the grave but it must be admitted

that

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the lesson is not driven home with the same force as it is in most of

the

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ancient mysteries. Osiris Himself rose from the dead and became the

Judge of

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all who followed after Him, and because of this fact His worshippers
believed that they too would rise. In our legend, however, it is only

the

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dead body of H.A.B. which is lifted out ofthe g. in a peculiar manner,

and

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in the legend there is not even a hint as to what befell his Soul. The
question is often asked why they should have raised a c..s and placed it

on

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its feet. (1)
(1) See Ward, Who Was Hiram Abiff?
One explanation probably is, by analogy with the Greek story of the

manner

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in which Hercules recovered Alcestis and ransomed her from the bondage

of

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Thanatos-Death himself. We are told that Hercules wrestled with Thanatos

and

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would nor let him go until he had agreed to allow Hercules to bring her

back

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from the realm of the Shades to the land of living men. It may be that

the

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corpse here represents Death. It is also worth noting that Isis joined
together the fragments of the body of Osiris, and the "Setting up" of

the

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backbone of the God was a ceremony carried out every year by the ancient
Egyptian Priests. The body of Osiris apparently was raised from the bier

by

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Anubis in precisely the same way as the M.M. is r.. When it was set on

its

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feet life returned to it. One fact is certain, that in every Rite which

has

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as its central theme symbolic d. the Can. is r. by the same g., and in
precisely the same manner, and this manner becomes a method of greeting

and

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of recognition among all who have passed through this type of ceremony.

For

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example :-it is known and used in the Dervish Rite, among West African
Negroes, among the Red Indians of Central America, and was apparently

known

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to the ancient Druids, for it is carved on a stone found at Iona. In the
ancient rites of Mithra it also appears to have been the method used

upon a

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similar occasion. These facts show that it is an ancient landmark and

one to

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be most carefully guarded.
The use of the phrase The Lion Grip is peculiarly significant, as Major
Sanderson shows in his work, An Examination of the Masonic Ritual.

Therein

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he points out that in the Book of the Dead the Supreme God, whether Ra

or

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Osiris, is appealed to as the " God in the Lion form," and in all such

cases

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the prayer of the Soul is that he may be permitted to " Come forth " in

the

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East, rising with the sun from the d..s of the g.. In Egypt the lion was

the

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`personification of strength and power, but it is usually associated

with

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the idea of the regeneration of the Sun, and therefore with the
resurrection. Major Anderson goes on to point out as follows. "Shu

(Anheru,

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`the Lifter') who as the light of the Dawn was said to lift up the
sky-goddess from the arms of the sleeping Earth, is often represented as

a

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lion, for only through him was the rebirth of the Sun made possible.

Osiris

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is called the lion of yesterday, and Ra the Lion of tomorrow : the bier

of

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Osiris is always represented as having the head and legs of a lion."

Thus as

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Major Sanderson indicates, the expression "the lion grip" is a survival
from, the Solar cult, and therefore a landmark which should be carefully
preserved.
The Bright Morning Star whose rising brings peace and Salvation, almost
certainly was originally Sirius, but to Englishmen it must seem strange

that

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Sirius should be said to bring peace and Salvation. The association of

these

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ideas with the Dog Star is undoubtedly a fragment which has come down

from

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Ancient Egypt, for the rising of Sirius marked the beginning of the
inundation of the Nite, which literally brought salvation to the people

of

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Egypt by irrigating the land and enabling it to produce food. That

Sirius

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was an object of veneration to the philosophers of the ancient world is

well

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known to all archaeologists, and many of the Temples in Egypt have been
proved to have been oriented on Sirius. There is also a good deal of
evidence showing that some of the stone circles in Great Britain were
similarly oriented on Sirius by the Druids. It is therefore not

surprising

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that this star is still remembered in our rituals. Naturally it has

acquired

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a deeper spiritual meaning in the course of years, and may be regarded

as

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representing the First Fruits of the Resurrection, the sure hope of our
Redemption. This aspect is set forth in the lectures drawn up by

Dunckerley,

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who regarded it as the star of Bethlehem, and as typifying Christ. See

Rev.

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xxii, 16.
At this point the Can.. who has been carefully put in the N., the place

of

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darkness, is moved round by the right to the South. From the practical

point

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of view this is to enable the M. to re-enter his chair from the proper

side,

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but there is also an inner meaning. Immediately after death the Soul is

said

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to find itself on the earth plane amid murk and darkness. Lacking mortal
eyes, it cannot perceive the sun, and, on the other hand, is still so
immersed in matter that it cannot yet see clearly with its spirit eyes;

but

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this stage rapidly passes away, and the Soul is received into a higher

plane

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of existence, being brought thither by messengers of Light. The position

in

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the North represents this period of darkness on the earth plane, and

that

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this is not accidental is shown by the fact that in most rituals the

lights

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are not turned up until the phrase "That bright morning star, etc." has

been

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uttered. Then the M., representing one of these spirit messengers, leads

the

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Can. gently round to the South, thereby symboling his entry into the

place

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of light. And who is this messenger? Every installed master who has

received

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the P.W. leading to the Chair should realise that, no matter how

unworthy,

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he represents the risen Christ. Thus we see the peculiarly appropriate
nature of the act coming after the reference to the bright morning star,
which also in another sense represents the risen Christ.
CHAPTER V
THE S....TS
Having thus been brought into the place of light the Can. is given not

the

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Gen. Ss, but only substitued ones. This fact must often have puzzled the
Can.. The pratical reason given in the ritual, though perfecdy

inteligible

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to a R.A. mason, cannot be the real one. In view of the unexpected

calamity

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no-one could have thought K.S. was breaking his ob. by nominating a
successor to H.A.B. and giving him the full ss..ts. Actually according

to

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the R.A. story he did something much worse, for he wrote them down and
placed them somewhere, in the hopes that they would be subsequently
rediscovered, and he had no assurance that their discoverers would even

be

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masons, much less that they would keep their discovery secret. Of course
this is also an allegory, and from this stand-point perfectly correct.

The

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lost s...ts are the nature and attributes of God, which must be realised

by

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each man for himself, and no other man can really communicate them.
Moreover, this complete realisation of the nature of God, and the union

of

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the Divine Spark within us with the Source of All, can never be achieved
during mortal life. Even after death we shall need to leave the world

long

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behind and travel far, before we can hope to attain that state of

spiritual

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evolution which will enable us to approach the Holy of Holies, and gaze

with

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unveiled eyes upon Him, Who is the beginning and the end of all.
With regard to these substituted s..ts. let us note that they grow out

of

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those used by the F.C.. Having already shown in the last book that the

sn.s

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of the F.C., and in fact the real s..t of that degree, is the

transformation

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of Jehovah into Jeheshue,
we see that this is most appropriate. To use modern language, the second
degree teaches of the birth of the Christ Spirit within us, while the

third

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indicates that mystically we, like the great Master, must die and rise
again. As St. Paul says, " Die daily in Christ."
The sn.s given are probably all of great antiquity. Of some we have

evidence

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which shows that they were venerated in ancient Egypt and Mexico, are

still

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employed in the primitive Initiatory Rites of the savages, and are
associated with the Gods in India. For example, the P.S. is used by

Shiva,

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the Great Destroyer, Who when He makes it, holds in His hand the lariet

of

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death. The sn. of G. and D. is found all round the world, as I have

shown in

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full detail in Sign Language of the Ancient Mysteries. Ancient Mexico,

where

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Quetzacoatl makes it, can be matched with Easter Island in the far

Pacific,

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Peru, West Africa, East Africa, New Guinea, Malaya and many other

places.

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Major Sanderson points out that the second Cas. Sn. is depicted in

Egyptian

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pictures as being used by those who are saluting Osiris in his coffin.

Those

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who desire will find it in Papyrus 9,908 in the British Museum.
The English sn. of g. and d. (for up till now we have been speaking of

the

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Scotch form) is almost certainly not the correct one. Its general

appearance

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would incline one to believe that it is a penal sn., though whence

derived

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it is difficult to say. A little thought will indicate the nature of the
penalty as being somewhat similar to that of one of the higher degrees.

So

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far as I can find it is not recognised as a sn. of g. and d. to-day,

except

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among masons who are descended masonically from the Grand Lodge of

England,

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but in a picture by Guercino of Christ cleansing the Temple, in the

Palazzo

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Rosso, Crenoa, both this and the Scotch form are shown, while the G. of

H.

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constantly appears in mediaeval paintings, e.g., in the Raising of

Lazarus.

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(1)
The so-called Continental form undoubtedly comes from a well known high
degree, where it is much more appropriate: it is apparently restricted

to

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the Latin countries, whereas even in Germany it is the Scotch form that

is

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employed.
The sn. of Exul. is a form used to this day in of Asia to indicate

worship,

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and was similarly employed in Ancient Egypt. Major Sanderson suggests

that

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it was copied from the position in which Shu upheld the sky.
Thus we see that six out of the so-called seven sn.s can be shown to be

of

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ancient origin, and it is quite probable that further research will

enable

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us to prove that the other one is equally old. Such sn.s as these

originally

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had a magical significance, and the explanation given in the ritual as

to

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their
(1) see The Sign Language of the Mysteries by Ward.
origin is no doubt of a much later date than the sn.s themselves.

Indeed, a

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careful study of certain of the sn.s will show that they are not the

natural

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sn.s which would have been used to indicate the feeling they are said to
express. For example, in the sn. of h...r the left hand would not

naturally

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be placed in the position in which we are taught to put it, if this sn.

had

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originated as related in. the story. So obvious is this that some modern
preceptors of Lodges of Instruction have to my knowledge altered the
position of the left hand in order to make it conform to the story, but

I

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venture to think that in so doing they are committing a very serious
mistake, nothing less than the removal of an ancient landnrark.
Some day we shall probably discover the real origin of this sn., but if

it

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is altered that will of course become impossible.
The lion's grip and the actual position of r..s...g are equally old,

and, so

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far as we can find, this manner of r..s...g is employed in every rite,
whether ancient or primitive, which deals with the dramatic

representation

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of d.. As a manner of greeting it is employed by the initiated men in

many

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Red Indian Trihes, in West Africa, among the Senussi in North Africa,

and in

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the Dervish Rites. (1)
The parts of the b. brought in contact with each other are all parts
presided over by some sign of the Zodiac, and there would appear to be

some

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old astrological meaning which has now become lost. It may possibly have
been connected with Gemini, the Twins, and this fact is made the more
probable by the survival of the name "The Ln's Gr." The explanation

given,

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although possibly of a fairly recent origin, nevertheless contains a
valuable inner meaning, for it shows that we cannot hope to advance

towards

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God unless we do our duty to our fellow men. Thus in dramatic form is

shown

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that the brotherhood of man necessitates the Fatherhood of God.
It hardly seems necessary in this book to point out again that the

regular

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st. forms a tau cross and teaches us that we must trample under foot our
animal passions, if we desire to approach near to God. We note, however,
that the Can., in advancing to obtain the s..ts, has perforce to make

three

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tau crosses, and the Christian Mystic will
(1) For further explanation see Ward, Who Was Hiram Abiff?
doubtless perceive in this a hidden reference to the three crosses on
Calvary.
Finally, as has already been pointed out, the penalties of the first and
second degrees draw attention to two important occult centres, and so

also

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in this degree the Solar Plexus, the most important occult centre of

all, is

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indicated, and since the object of every Mystic is to achieve the

Beatific

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vision, the fact that the monks of Mt. Athos, near Salonica, do so by

fixing

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their eye on this part, shows that there is a very special reason for

the

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special form of the p.s of the third degree.
CHAPTER VI
THE BADGE
On his re-entering the Lodge the Can. is presented, and in due course
invested by the S.W., as in the previous degrees, thereby indicating

that

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even after death man's spiritual advancement is registered by the Soul.

The

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Badge itself, however, is full of symbolic meaning, and though in its
present form it is of comparatively recent date, it is evident that

those

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who designed it had a much deeper knowledge of symbolism than some

modern

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critits are apt to believe.
Firstly, the colour, which is that of Cambridge University, and likewise
that used by Parliament when fighting King Charles, has a much deeper
significance than is generally known. It is closely related to the

colour of

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the Virgin Mary, which itself had been brought forward from Isis and the
other Mother Goddesses of the ancient world. It is possible that the
designers were also influenced by the existence of certain Orders of
Knighthood which had their appropriate colours, for the aprons of Grand
Lodge Officers have Garter blue, but this blue is also the colour of

Oxford,

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and the colour associated with the Royalist cause at the time of the

Civil

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War. At any rate, it is appropriate that our aprons should thus employ

the

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colours of the two great Universities of England. There is, of course,

an

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exception in the case of the red aprons allocated to Grand Stewarts, for
which there are historical reasons into which we need not now enter. We

may,

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however point out that the dark blue aprons of Grand Lodge are often,

though

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erroneously, spoken of as the Purple, indicating a Royal colour, and

thereby

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implying no doubt that Brn. entitled to wear this colour are rulers in

the

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Craft, and represent the masculine element. Light blue, on the other

hand,

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represents the feminine or passive aspect, and is most appropriate for

the

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ordinary M.M., whose duty it is to obey, and not to command. Indeed, the
M.M.'s apron contain: other emblems which indicate this feminine aspect.
These are the three rosettes, which symbolise the rose, itself a

substitute

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for the Vesica Piscis, and they are arranged so as to form a triangle

with

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the point upwards, interpenetrating the triangle formed by the flap of

the

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apron. The two triangles only interpenetrate half way, therein differing
from the double triangles seen on the jewels worn by R. A. Masons, which
completely overlap. These two triangles deserve a little careful study.

The

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lower triangle with its point upwards is the triangle of fire, the

emblem of

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Shiva, and the symbol of the Divine Spark. The triangle made by the flap

of

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the apron, which has its point directed downwards, is the triangle of

water,

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and is thus to some extent representative of the Soul. These two

triangles

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are within a sq., the emblem of matter, and therefore of the body, and

so we

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see that the M.M.'s apron symbolically represents the triune nature of

man,

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whereas the R.A. jewel, (the only high degree jewel which may be worn in

a

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Craft Lodge) has these two triangles within a circle, which is the

emblem of

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the Infinite. In this case the triangle of water presents the

preservative

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aspect, the triangle of fire, the destructive aspect, the point or eye

at

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the centre, the creative aspect, and the circle, the everlasting nature

of

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the Supreme Being. There is therefore a curious correspondence, and also

a

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marked difference, between the jewel of the R.A. Mason, and the apron of

the

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M.M..
Viewed from another standpoint the apron has another set of meanings.

The

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triangle represents Spirit, and the Sq., matter. The flap forms a

triangle

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entering into the sq., and so depicts the entry of Spirit into matter,

and

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therefore, man. The E.A.'s apron should have the flap pointing upward,
indicating that the Divine Wisdom has not yet truly penetrated the gross
matter of our bodies. This custom is unfortunately going out of use in
modern Masonry, which is a great pity, as undoubtedly a valuable lesson

is

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thus lost. The F.C. has the flap pointing downward for several reasons.
Firstly, to indicate that wisdom has begun to enter and therefore to

control

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matter; secondly, to represent the triangle of water and thus indicate

that

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Soul and Body are acting in unison; thirdly, because this triangle is

the

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emblem of Vishnu the Preserver, and so emphasises - the fact that the

aspect

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of God taught in this degree is the preservative aspect, whereas the
addition of the three rosettes in the third degree shows, not only the

union

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of Body, Soul and Spirit, but also that the great lesson of this degree

is

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the importance of the Destructive side of the Diety, or as we may prefer

to

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tall it, the Transformative side.
What, however, of the two rosettes worn by the F.C.? Firstly, they

stress

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the dual nature of man, and have a very clear reference to the two

p...rs.

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Similarly, no doubt, they indicate that the F.C. is not yet a complete

and

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united being ; Body and Soul are in union, but unlike the M.M., these

two

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are not in complete accord with the Spirit. Thus we obtain a

correspondence

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between the knocks of the F.C. and the two rosettes. Furthermore, the
triangle is incomplete, showring that the F.C. is not yet a complete

F.M.,

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and this correlates with the position of the C.s when taking the ob. in

the

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F. C. degree.
Two other features of the apron must also be considered. Firstly, the
tassels, which appear originally to have been the ends of the string

with

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which the apron was bound round the waist. There is little doubt that in

the

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18th century the aprons had not the present symbolic tassels, but were
fastened round the body in a very similar way to that in which the E.A.

and

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F.C. aprons are to this day. It is interesting to note in this

connection

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that the actual aprons worn by the officers of Grand Lodge for the year,

as

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distinct from the Past Grand Officers' aprons, have no tassels at all.
In the course of years, no doubt, the ends of the strings were

ornamented by

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tassels, and to this day the aprons of the Royal Order of Scotland are
bounmd round the body by an ornamental cord with tassels, which are tied

in

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front in such a way that the two tassels stick out from underneath the

flap.

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These tassels, when the final form of our aprons was fixed, were

separated

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from the bands which fasten the apron, and attached to the apron itself,
becoming as we now see simply strips of ribbon on which are fastened

seven

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chains. When this change took place it is clear that those who made the
alteration deliberately chose the number 7, and intended thereby to

convey a

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symbolic meaning. We have already explained the numerous symbolic

meanings

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of the number 7; for example, it represents God and Man, Spirit and

Matter,

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etc.
Naturally they had to have two tassels to balance, and it would have

been

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very inartistic to have had four chains on one tassel and three on the
other, and so it would be unwise to lay too much stress on the number

14,

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which is the sum total. We may regard it merely as a curious and

interesting

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coincidence that the body of Osiris was stated to have been divided by

Set

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into 14 pieces. But in addition to these details as to the historical
development of the tassels, we must not forget that in many of the 18th
century aprons the two p....rs are depicted. These aprons were usually
decorated by paintings on the leather, and varied considerably from

Lodge to

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Lodge, but one of the most usual kinds of decoration included the two

p..rs,

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and the remembrance of these may very probably have influenced those who
designed our present apron.
The modern arrangement by which the apron is fastened, namely, a piece

of

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webbing with a hook and eye attachment, gave a fine opportunity for some
really profound symbolism, and I feel certain that it was not an

accident

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which led to the universal adoption of the snake to serve this purpose.
There are two kinds of symbolism attached to the snake in all ancient
religions. Firstly, the snake as the enemy of man, and therefore as the
representative of the powers of evil; and secondly the snake as emblem

of

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the Divine Wisdom. " Be ye wise as serpents" does not refer to the
craftiness of the Devil, but to the Divine Wisdom itself.
In Ancient Egypt the Soul as he passed through the Underworld met with
serpents of evil, and also with serpents of good. In India, legend tells

us

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of a whole order of beings, the Serpent Folk, who are of a Spiritual

nature

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different from man, possessed their own rulers, and were endowed with
superhuman wisdom. Some of these are considered to be friendly to man,

while

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others are hostile. The Sacred Cobra is well known to every student of

Hindu

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religions, and is essentially good. Actual worship is paid to the

Serpent

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throughout the whole of India, and in many other parts of the world, and

in

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the Kapala we get clear traces of the fact that under certain

circumstances

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the serpent is regarded as "The Shining One" -the Holy Wisdom Itself.

Thus

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we see that the serpent on our apron denotes that we are encircled by

the

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Holy Wisdom.
Finally, the serpent biting its tail, and thus forming a circle, has

always

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been regarded as the emblem of eternity, and more especially of the

Eternal

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Wisdom of God. Nor must we forget that the snake is peculiarly

associated

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with Shiva, whose close symbolic association with the third degree has
already been clearly shown.
Much more might be written on the meaning of the apron, but we cannot

devote

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any more space to this subject, interesting though it may be, although
before considering our next point it will perhaps be well to recall what

has

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already been mentioned in the E.A. handbook, viz., that aprons, in

addition

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to their Operative significance, have right through the ages been

employed

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in connection with religious ceremonial. On the monuments of Egypt a
garment, which can best be described as a triangular apron with the

point

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upward, is depicted in circumstances indicating that the wearer is

taking

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part in some kind of ceremony of initiation. In ancient Mexico the Gods

are

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depicted wearing aprons, and it is not without interest to note that the
modern Anglican bishop wears an apron, although it appears to have

developed

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from a long flowing robe somewhat the shape of a cassock.
CHAPTER VII
THE LEGEND
After the ceremonial investiture of the Cand. the W.M. continues the
narrative of the traditional history. At least this is the case in most
English workings, but in some Scotch workings the whole story is told

first,

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and subsequently the Cand. and the other Brn. act the chief parts.

Perhaps

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one of the most important points to realise is the correct meaning of

the

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name H.A.B. . Major Sanderson in An Examination of the Masonic Ritual

gives

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the following interesting interpretations, which we will proceed to

expand

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further.-" The title H.A.B. is taken direct from the Hebrew of 2 Chron.,
Chapter 4, verse 16., and means, ` H. His father.' H. means 'Exaltation

of

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light, their liberty or whiteness, he that destroys'; It is of interest

to

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note that abib in Hebrew means `Ears of corn,' or `Green fruits,' and

there

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is just a possibility that this is the correct title of H."
Bearing these translations in mind we at once perceive a whole series of
inner meanings hidden in the name of the principal Architect. Taking the
Christian interpretation of our rituals :-firstly, we shall remember

that

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Christ said " If I am raised up (or exalted) I shall draw all men unto

me."

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Secondly, Christ died to make us free, that is, to give us liberty from

the

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bonds of death and hell. Thirdly, mediaeval divines were never tired of
referring to Christ's whiteness and purity, and relate many beautiful
legends and allegories to drive home this lesson. One phrase alone will
suffice to bring this aspect of the Christ to our minds, i.e. , that He

is

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constantly spoken of as " the lily of the valley." Fourthly, He came to
destroy the bonds of death and hell, nor must we forget the old prophecy
spoken concerning the coming Christ and the serpent, representing Satan,

"

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It (Christ) shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel," Gen.

3.

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v. 15. It is of interest to note that Quetzacoatl, the Mexican

Preserver,

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who fought and overthrew the great giant of evil, was himself smitten in

the

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foot, near to a fall of water, subsequently died from the wound, and
ultimately rose again from the grave. In India Krishna similarly died

from

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an arrow wound in the heel. Moreover, in mediaeval frescoes Christ is
constantly represented as crushing the head of the great dragon under

His

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left foot, while in His right hand He upraises a staff on which is a

cross.

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Such scenes are usually described as " The Harrowing of Hell."
Fifthly, if the word abib is the correct rendering for the second half

of

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the name in question, we get a clear reference to the Sacramental bread.

The

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ears of corn are obviously synonymous with the wafer or consecrated

bread,

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which in mediaeval days alone was given to the laity: while the

alternative

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translation, "Green Fruits," brings to our mind the Biblical saying that
Christ is "the first fruits of them that slept" (1 Corin, 15. 20).

Bearing

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this possible Christian interpretation in mind, installed masters will
perceive the deep significance of the P.W. which leads from the degree

of

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M.M. to that of I.M.
But in addition to these Christian interpretations of H.A.B. there was

yet

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another, which in some senses may be regarded as older, and the key to

which

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is supplied by India. In this sense H.A.B. takes on the characteristics

of

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Shiva, the Destroyer.
Firstly, "Exaltation of life" reminds us of the legend that Shiva on a
certain day increased in stature until He overtopped the universe, and,

as a

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result, overthrew Brahma, the Creator, and was ackowledged by Vishnu as

His

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superior. On that great day He gathered unto Himself the beginning and

the

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end of all things, Alpha and Omega, and henceforth birth and death alike
were in His hands.
Secondly, "Their liberty" refers to the fact that, to the pious Hindu,

Shiva

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by death grants liberty from the toil and anguish of this world, and

sets

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the soul free to mount to greater heights of spiriruality.
Thirdly, Shiva is always spoken of as the "Great White God, white with

the

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ashes of the dead who are ever burned in His honour." Nor must we forget
that these ashes are always scattered to the four cardinal points of

Heaven.

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Fourthly, He is in His very essence " The Great Destroyer."
The "Ears of corn" are symbols of Vishnu the Preserver, Who Himself,
according to numerous Hindu legends, was slain and rose from the dead,
Fifthly, we obtain the idea of the Resurrection as symbolised by the

ears of

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corn, which are planted in the earth and bring forth an abundant

harvest,

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the "Green fruits" of the fields. In this connection it is as well to
remember that the central theme of the Eleusinian Mysteries was the ear

of

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corn which was shown to the Cand. at the most solemn point of the whole
ceremony, and similarly taught the doctrine of the resurrection from the
dead.
The next point that strikes us in the legend is the number of craftsmen

who

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"went in search." The Irish version is of peculiar interest, for it

relates

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that it was the twelve who relented who afterwards "went in search," and

not

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a new company of ffiteen. In many ways this is more logical, and

certainly

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has a deep symbolic meaning. It is logical in that it shows that the
penitent twelve did their best to make amends for ever having allowed
themselves to listen to the wicked schemes of the other three, and the
subsequent decree of K.S., ordering them to wear white gloves and white
aprons as a mark of their innocence, is most appropriate. It was a

public

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announcement that K.S. forgave them their indiscretion and acquitted

them of

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responsibility for the crime.
On the other hand, in our version there seems no logical reason why K.S.
should order an entirely new batch of F.C.'s to wear these emblems of

their

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innocence, since they clearly had nothing to do with the crime, and
moreover, all the others, except the penitent twelve, were equally

innocent,

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and should therefore likewise have been instructed to wear white gloves

and

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aprons. It must be remembered that these white gloves, etc., were not
bestowed as a reward for having taken part in the search, but are
specifically stated to have been ordered to be worn to denote innocence.
The Irish account goes on to state that the twelve set out from the

Temple

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and went together in one company until they came to a place where four

roads

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met, and formed a cross; then they divided into four companies, and

three

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went North, three East, three South, and three West. Thus they trod the

Way

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of the Cross. In some old Irish workings we are told that the three who

went

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North never returned. This symbolically implies that they went into the
Place of Darkness. As the tendency in modern Irish masonry appears to be

to

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adjust its ritual in main essentials to our English workings, it is but

fair

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that I should say that I have a tangible proof of this form of legend,

in

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the shape of an old Irish apron dated 1790, which, unlike modern Irish
aprons, has a number of paintings on it depicting incidents in the

ritual.

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One of the paintings shows the twelve F.C.'s separating at the four

cross

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roads. (See frontispiece).
It is clear from all accounts, whether English, Irish, Scotch or

American,

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that the scoundrels, the agents of death, were found by those who went

in

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the direction of Joppa, that is in the W., but we are left in

considerable

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doubt as to whether the b. was found in the E. or in the S..

Symbolically,

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however, it would clearly be in the S., for H.A.B., like the Christ, was
struck down at High Twelve, when the sun is in the S.. From a practical
point of view it is fairly obvious that the scoundrels who were carrying
away the b. could never have reached Joppa if they had once gone E., for
they would have had to fetch half a circle round Jerusalem, a procedure
which would have rendered their chance of escape almost hopeless. By

going

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S. they might hope to throw their pursuers off the track, and then turn

back

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at an angle, reach Joppa, and escape by boat. That this was their

intention

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is clear from many old forms of the legend, and especially in those

worked

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in America. King S., however, foresaw this possibility and prevented

their

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escape by forbidding any ships to sail. In the American working one of

the

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officers of the Lodge enacts the part of a sea captain, and even wears a
yachtman's cap. The villains come to him and beg him to take them

aboard,

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but he refused because of the embargo ordered by K.S.. That the same
incident was known in the old Irish working is shown by the little

picture

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on the same Irish apron depicting the arrest of the villains on the sea
shore, for in the back ground there is a ship.
Let us interpret the meaning of the Irish working first. From the

Christian

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standpoint the twelve F.C's represent the twelve apostles, Mathias

replacing

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the traitor Judas. But in the non-Christian, and possibly earlier
interpretation, these twelve would of course be the twelve signs of the
Zodiac, searching for the sun which had been eclipsed. We must never

forget

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that in addition to the deep spiritual meaning hidden in our ritual

there is

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also a Solar Myth embedded, which has in the course of years become
allegorized and filled with deeper spiritual truths.
But being English masons we must be prepared to find an explanation of

the

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fifteen. In ancient Egyptian times the month consisted of 30 days, and

the

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year of twelve such months, plus five extra days. Now the first fifteen,

of

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whom twelve recanted, presumably represent the first half of that month,
while the second half of the month is represented by the fifteen who

went in

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search. But spiritually the meaning of the fifteen is fairly clear. Man

has

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five senses and is triune in nature, and thus implies that Body, Soul

and

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Spirit must cooperate in trying to find God, and employ on that quest

their

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five senses.
Lest there be any misapprehension here I would explain that man is
considered to have not only the five physical senses, but also

corresponding

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senses of Soul and Spirit. The phrase "To see with the eyes of the

Spirit"

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is perfectly well known, and similarly we can speak of the eyes of the

Soul.

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To give concrete examples :-Students of psychic science constantly speak

of

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clairaudience and clairvoyance. While it is not necessary to accept this
type of phenomena, it is clearly obvious that if man survives death at

all

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his Soul must have a means of communicating with other Souls and that

these

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correspond in some way to our physical senses. In like manner how are we

to

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describe the visions of the great seers and prophets, related in the

Bible,

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except by the possession of spiritual sight ?
Bearing this in mind, we obtain the following interpretation of the fate
which befell the three F.C. Lodges into which the fifteen formed

themselves.

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Those who found nothing represent the physical senses of man, which are
useless beyond the grave : the next company must therefore represent the
Soul, for despite the logic of the physical world, it is the Soul which
realises that death does not end all, and so it was one of these who

r...d

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the M But the power which tells us what is right and wrong, and which
ultimately punishes us for our offences, is what we call conscience, and
thus assuredly is the Divine Spark within us-the Spirit.
Let us now turn to consider the details connected with the dlscovery of

the

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body. The incident of the shrub is such a striking analogy with a

similar

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one found in AEneid, wherein AEneas finds the body of the murdered

Polydorus

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by plucking up a shrub which is near him on the side of a hill, that

some

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students suggest that in the revision of our ritual this incident was

copied

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from Virgil. But, in Who was Hiram Abiff, I show that both refer back to

an

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ancient source and have an allegorical meaning. One proof supporting

this

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view; is that this particular tree, the Acacia, has from time immemorial
been more or less sacred in the near East. In ancient Egypt the earliest
forms of the legend of Osiris relate that it was an acacia which grew up
round the coffin of Osiris, and not a tamarisk as in the later versions.
(See An Examination of the Masonic Ritual, by Major Sanderson). In like
manner this tree is sacred in Arabia, India, and many parts of Africa,

while

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it is the Shittim wood of the Old Testament, from which the ark was

made. No

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doubt in this reverence for the acacia we have a survival of the

primitive

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veneration for trees, usually spoken of as "tree and serpent worship."

In

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India the assouata tree is stated to be a symbol of Trimurti, The Three

in

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One. Its roots represent Brahma, its trunk Vishnu, and its branches

Shiva,

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the Destroyer.
At any rate we can regard the acacia tree as in itself an emblem of the
resurrection, for the tiny seed which is buried brings forth a mighty

tree,

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covered with fragrant blossoms.
The account of the manner in which the Cas. S...s came into existence,
though ingenious, can hardly be taken as historic. As we have already

dealt

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with this point previously, we shall only say that every folk-lore

student

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is well aware that, in the vast majority of cases, legends purporting to
explain the origin of a certain custom do not give the real origin at

all,

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but merely indicate that the origin of the custom has been lost, owing

to

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its great antiquity. The very manner in which some of the S..s are given

is

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sufficient to indicate that they did not originate in the way suggested,
while, on the other hand, we find these same S...s all round the world,

with

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entirely different explanations as to their origin. They are indeed

ancient

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landmarks, and the utmost care should be taken not to alter them in any

way.

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The next incident in the legend is the capture of the scoundrels. In

some

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rituals it is given with much interesting detail of a picturesque

nature.

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All agree that they were apprehended in a tavern, and many say explicidy
that it was near the sea shore. Some of the rituals state that the

fugitives

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were overheard lamenting as follows:- "One said, 'Oh, that my t. had

been

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c.a. rather than I should have done it;' while another more sorrowfully
exclaimed, `Oh, that my h...t had been t.o. rather than that I should

have

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struck him;' and a third voice brokenly said, `Oh, that my b. had been

s. in

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t. rather than that I should have smitten him,' " This last version is

of

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interest as explaining the legendary origin of the py. of the three

degrees,

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and incidentally it shows how legend incorporates facts into a story, in
order to explain something whose original meaning is lost. It would also
appear from this version as if the scoundrels had not intended to

actually

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kill their victim but merely to terrorise him, and in the excitement of

the

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moment lost their heads. Symbolically this contains a valuable piece of
teaching. According to one interpretation the three scoundrels represent
"The lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life"

(1

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John, 2. 16). In other words, the sins of the flesh, the sins of the

Soul,

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such as covetousness, and spiritual pride, the most deadly of all.
These sins assuredly destroy man both physically and spiritually, yet it

can

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truly be said that in giving way to them no man intends to destroy

himself.

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From the more strictly Christian standpoint the three scoundrels are

Herod,

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Caiaphas, and Pontius Pilate, and it is perfectly clear that Pilate and
Herod, at any rate, did not wish to kill our Lord; but were caught in a
position from which they found it impossible to escape.
Returning to the deeper mystical interpretation we notice that the
scoundrels were found in the West, the region of Death, which teaches us
that the just retribution for all our sins, whether of body, soul, or
spirit, will overtake us after death, and that though in one sense it is
God, here shadowed forth by K.S., who punishes, yet in another sense it

is

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our five spiritual faculties which themselves rise up in judgment

against

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us. We ourselves, doom ourselves, and therefore we can obtain nothing

but

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strict justice.
Without pretending that we have exhausted this subject, this brief
explanation of the true character of the scoundrels and their captors

must

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suffice, and we will only mention in passing that here also there

appears to

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be a half forgotten astrological reference to the three winter months

which

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oppress the sun.
CHAPTER VIII
THE TRACING BOARD, ETC.
The next part of the narrative is incorporated in most English workings

with

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the Tracing Board. The most interesting feature is the description of

the

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g.. It is obvious that peculiar stress is laid on the centre, even in

the

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present form of our ritual, because of the way in which the measurements

are

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given. Why should it not have been said that it was six feet long? In

some

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old rituals the g.. or rather the monument, is described as a dome,

which

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made a complete circle at its base, and was three feet from the centre

every

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way. If so it must have been like a small replica of the earliest form

of

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the Buddhist Pagoda, and the Master was thus buried at the centre. In

that c

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ase the top of the dome would have been five feet from the surface of

the

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ground, and we should thus get the correct symbolic use of 5 as

representing

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the body, and 3 as representing the spirit, while enabling the human

body to

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be decorously interred. It seems probably that when the g.. was made to
conform to the type familiar in England, a desperate effort was made to
retain the 3 and 5. It is worth noting that there is no mention of the

use

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of any c...f...n, despite the picture on the tracing board, and if a
c...f....n had been used at the supposed date of the incident it

certainly

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would not have been of the European shape depicted, but much more like

an

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Egyptian Sarcophagus. Nevertheless, though the ritual does not justify

the

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existence of any c..f....n on the tracing board, it was an integral part

of

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the ancient mysteries of Osiris, and its retention in other ritual is

almost

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certainly an ancient landmark. On the same tracing board may be seen

certain

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letters in the Masonic cypher, which are practically never explained.

Very

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often when transliterated, among other things, they will be found to

give

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the P.W. leading to the three degree. This fact is of interest, for the

true

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meaning of that W., as already explained, is a w...k...r in m...ls, the
correct description of H.A.B. The fact that he was buried as near the
Sanctum Sanctortum as possible, symbolically denotes that he had reached

the

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centre, and was in union with the Source of All.
The Dormer window historically is the hypostyle, the method by which
Egyptian and classical temples obtained light. The pillars of the

central

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nave of such temples rose considerably higher than the roofs of the

aisles,

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thus leaving openings through which the light could enter the building.
These, however, were many in number, and it is difficult to justify the
apparent statement that there was only one such opening. Symbolically it

is

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intended to represent the means by which the Divine Light penetrates

into

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the deepest recesses of every man's nature.
The squared pavement has already been explained under the section

dealing

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with the mosaic pavement, in the first degree, and our readers are

therefore

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referred to it. Briefly, it indicates that man's progress towards the

centre

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is through alternate experiences of good and evil, darkness and light,

mercy

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and severity, life and death.
The Porch which is the entrance to the Sanctum Sanctorum is the gateway

of

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death.
The working tools, "as in other cases, contain much sound moral teaching

of

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typical 18th Century work, but there is one implement which deserves

rather

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more than passing attention. For what follows I must express my

indedtedness

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to W. Bro. Sir John Cockburn, P.G.D. The s..k...t does not appear to be

much

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in use among Operative masons. It is used by gardeners, but the

Operative

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mason has other means for marking out the ground for the foundations.

This

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implement has more than a superficial resemblance to the Caduceus of
Mercury, and Sir John Cockburn suggests that it has been employed to

replace

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this "Heathen" emblem. For my part, I think this is most probable, for

it is

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clear that at the beginning of the 19th century a deliberate attempt was
made to eliminate this emblem from our ceremonies. The jewel of the

Deacons

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in the 18th century was not a dove, but a figure of Mercury, bearing the
Caduceus. A number of these old jewels can be seen in the library of

Grand

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Lodge, and there are still a few old Lodges which continue to use them,
instead of the modern jewel. Now this jewel is far more appropriate to

the

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Deacons than is a dove. A dove is the emblem of peace and a carrier

pigeon

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bears messages, but neither of these birds do all the work of the

Deacons.

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Mercury, however, was the Messenger of the Gods, and carried the
instructions of Jupiter, thus fulfilling one set of the duties of a

deacon.

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He was also the conductor of souls through the underworld; taking the

dead

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by one hand, and uplifting the Caduceus in the other, he led the Shade

from

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the grave, through the perils of the underworld, to the Elysian Fields;
before his Caduceus the powers of evil fled. In mediaeval escatology it

is

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Christ who leads the Souls on a similar journey, uplifting in His Hand

the

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Cross of Salvation. Even to-day the jewels of the Deacons in a Mark

Lodge

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bear the Caduceus, a mute but convincing witness to the use of this

emblem

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in Freemasonry.
We can thus see that on the one hand a deliberate effort was made to

delete

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from our ceremonies the Caduceus, probably because it was considered to

be

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Pagan, while on the other hand it was clearly quite easy for ignorant
masonic furnishers, in the course of years, to make the Caduceus

approximate

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more and more to a masonic tool, so as to fit it in with other avowedly
masonic implemens. As a masonic tool it has very little significance,

even

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to a Speculative, and is of no practical value to an Operative, but the
Caduceus would be peculiarly appropriate to the third degree. In short,

it

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is an ancient landmark, an emblem of the dead and forgotten Mysteries,

and

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symbolical of Him who leads the soul from the darkness of the grave to

the

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light of the resurrection.
Before leaving the M.M. degree let me say to all installed masters that

if

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they have received the P.W., not the W. of an Installed master, but the

P.W.

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leading from the M.M. to that further degree, they will find in it

evidence

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not of a mere hint of the resurrection, but of the Resurrection itself,

and

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a close association with the version of that doctrine set forth in the

life

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of the Perfect Master.
CHAPTER IX
THE CLOSING
Here we are reminded that we are working in symbolism, for we come back

from

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the West, i.e., the grave, to this material world. But we have only

obtained

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substitutes, and we offer them as some consolation to the spirit, i.e.,

the

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W.M. The advance to the centre of the room is an obvious reference to

the

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other centre. The s...s are communicated by the body to the soul, which
passes them on to the spirit. The meaning of these s....s is dealt with

in

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the ceremony, but it is worth noting that the word shows clearly that

the

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s....t is to be found only through the death of the body. The actual

Hebrew

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word whose corrupt form we use really means " My son is slain." It is

also

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well to remember that the p.s. and the s. of G.& D. (Scottish form) are,

old

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signs which come down from the ancient mysteries, and are still found
throughout the world. A brief summary of that has already been said may

be

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helpful. The p.s. is often associated with Shiva, the Destroyer, and is

also

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found appropriately used at Burobudor in Java; it refers to that occult
centre, the solar plexus. In view of what the lost s...t is, this sign

is

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therefore most significant. In other words, it is a hint to those who
deserve to know while it conceals from those who do not.
The Scottish sign of G. & D. is found all round the world, and always

has

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the same meaning of an appeal for heIp. It is used in the most primitive
initiatory rites of a boy into manhood, and in Kenya the boy takes it to
indicate that he is ready for the operation of circumcision to begin. In
Nyasaland, among the Yaos, it is associated with a grave, and in Mexico

the

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Preserver is shown making it. He was slain and rose from the dead, and

it is

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constantly found in Mexico in the form of a carving, consisting of a
skeleton cut in half at the centre and making this sign, as, for

example, at

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the Temple of Uxmal.
The manner of communicating the s..s and the gr. are equally old.

Indeed,

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the lion's grip appears to be the grip of all the Mysteries. It was the

Grip

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of Mithra, and by this grip Osiris was raised. Among the Druids it was

also

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known, as is shown by a carving at Iona. I have, however, gone into the
evidence for the antiquity of our signs so fully that I will not take up
further space here.
We may as well add, however, that the number "5" no doubt refers to the

five

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senses of man, just as the seven steps remind us of the Egyptian
sub-division of every mortal.
Having received the sub. s...s the W.M., or Spirit, confirms their use

till

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the true ones are discovered. This last remark indicates that the quest

is

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not ended or abandoned, in reality it has just begun; the first stage

only

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has been passed, which stage is death. It also tells every Craft Mason

that

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he a good craftsman till he has at least taken the Royal Arch.
Thus the spirit acknowledges that death is a step forward. It has freed

the

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soul of the trammels imposed on it by the body, and so our life's work

on

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earth, as symbolised in the Lodge, is closed. The knocks indicate that

the

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spirit now dominates the soul and body and before we leave these heights

it

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is well to point out that almost all the great religious teachers have
taught that in some mysterious way this physical body will be

transformed,

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and still be used after death. In short, that matter, as well as spirit,

is

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part of God. Science has shown that matter is indestructable, though its
form may be changed completely, and so even after the symbolical death

and

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resurrection, three knocks are still required.
CHAPTER X
CONCLUSION
This then concludes the third degree. More than any other degree in

Craft

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Masonry it has embedded in it ancient landmarks, brought down from a

long

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distant past. Under the surface lie hidden, meanings within meanings,

which

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I make no pretence to have exhausted. Already this book has exceeded in
length either of the two previous ones, but to do full justice to the
sublime degree one would require a volume four times as large as this. I
trust, however, that I have given some help, more especially to younger
brethren, which will aid them to glimpse the deeper side of Freemasonry.

If

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they too will strive to discover further alternative meanings, I shall

feel

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this labour of mine has been well repaid.
Let me again warn them that just because Masonry is so old, its rituals,

in

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the course of years, have been again and again revised, and newer

meanings

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have continually been grafted on to the old stock. We are not entitled

to

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say one meaning is right and another wrong. Both may be right.

Christianity

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itself has taken over a vast mass of pre-Christian ceremonies and

symbols,

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and the student is perfectly entitled to consider that both the

Christian

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and the pre-Christian interpretations of these symbols are equally

deserving

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of respect.
There is also another point which should be borne in mind. Again and

again

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we find that incidents and phrases which appear to have come from the

Bible,

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on closer investigation are found not to correspond exactly with the
Biblical narrative. At one time there was a tendency to say that in

these

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cases it was our duty to substitute the Biblical version for the
"Inaccurate" traditional form. With all due respect I venture to say

that

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such action is totally unjustifiable. Masonry is not the Bible. It is a
traditional ritual into which 18th century revisers inserted fragments

from

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the Bible, because that was the only book dealing with the period of the
masonic incidents which was then available to them. To-day, we know a

great

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deal more about this period than did our 18th century predecessors, and

the

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modern investigator has just cause to lament the well meaning, but
misdirected, zeal of these worthy masons, who thereby have probably
destroyed for ever valuable landmarks, which would have helped us to
discover the historical growth and the symbolic meaning of many parts of

our

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ceremonies.
Such apparent contraditions, and even mistakes, as appear to exist,

should

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be carefully retained, for they are sure indications to the conscientous
student of a connection with a long distant past, which modern methods

of

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research may enable us finally to trace to its origin. If, however, they

are

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revised out of existence, future generations will have nothing to help

them

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in the task of unravelling the true history and meaning of Freemasonry.
If a Sn. does not correspond with the explanation of the manner in which

it

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is said to have originated, don't alter the way of giving the Sn., for

it is

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an ancient landmark. Rather try to discover if anywhere in the world

that

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Sn. is still used in some old ceremony which may throw light on its true
origin. If H.A.B. was not buried in a c...f...n, don't eliminate the
c...f...n from the tracing board, but rather bear in mind that his great
prototype, Osiris, was so buried and that the c...f...n played a

peculiarly

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important part in the legend which recounts his death : which legend was
hoary with antiquity before K.S. was born.
Finally, let me say that even if a man can never fathom the full meaning

of

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the third degree, yet there is no man worthy of the name who has passed
through that third degree but will certainly have learnt one important
lesson, namely, how to d., and thereby will be the better man.

Watch out for these Freemason guys. This is a very racist organization.
See - http://www.freemasonrywatch.org
--
WW
.------,
=\ \
.---. =\ \
| WB \ =\ \
| `----------'------'----------,
.' .-.The Wright Brotherz .-.[]`-.
\ _/.____|_|______.------,______|_|_____)
/ /
=/ /
=/ /
=/ /
/_____,'

--
WW


.------,
=\ \
.---. =\ \
| WB \ =\ \
| `----------'------'----------,
.' .-.The Wright Brotherz .-.[]`-.
\ _/.____|_|______.------,______|_|_____)
/ /
=/ /
=/ /
=/ /
/_____,'

[Ted Azito]

The Masons and Shriners have done a lot of good stuff. All Tony
Spadaro does is promote whatever cheap goods the camera manufacturers
have a wild hair up their ass to sell this week. Telling beginners
they need plastic electronic cameras is just a fucked-up thinking way
of life.

The Masons have tradition, they have history, they have ritual, they
don't bother those outside their world, the lodge speaks to powerful
needs men have. Some don't, and they don't become Masons. I'm not a
Mason, it doesn't fascinate me particularly, but it has been a
positive thing for some. Do Masons come on TV, tell everyone that they
have to be Masons or go to hell, demand ten percent of their pretax
income, sell their secret doctrine as multithousand-dollar Training
Routines, or anything else that's so terrible?

You want a plastic camera, buy a Holga or Diana. Or one of those
Russian Pentax mount SLRs-they're cheap, but they're cheap enough to
be. Probably more reliable than that piece of shit Canon Rebel.