Cover Story, King Solomon’s Temple Cover Story, King Solomon’s Temple
The Masonic Obligation
The Masonic Obligation
A Stairway and a Ladder
A Stairway and a Ladder
Did You Know? Did You Know?
Colours in Freemasonry Colours in Freemasonry
Foreign Countries Foreign Countries
Famous Freemasons – Sanford Fleming
Famous Freemasons – Sanford Fleming
Obligation
Obligation
Why Do Masons Meet? Why Do Masons Meet?
To Adorn With Beauty
To Adorn With Beauty
The Bridge of Thought
The Bridge of Thought
Freemasonry and the art of Moral Navigation
Freemasonry and the art of Moral Navigation
The Back Page – The Priceless Stones Parable
The Back Page – The Priceless Stones Parable
In this Issue:
Cover Story
‘King Solomon’s Temple’
This intriguing article looks at the legend of King Solomon’s temple and discusses whether the building story is Fact or Fiction and does it stand up to scrutiny?
Page 7, ‘The Masonic Obligation’. The Tie that Binds you.
Page 10, ‘A Stairway and a Ladder’
Page 14, ‘Did You Know?’ Questions about the Craft.
Page 16, ‘Colours in Freemasonry’
Page 18, ‘Foreign Countries’ "Points", No, 24 in the series.
Page 21, ‘Sandford Fleming’ Famous Freemason.
Page 23, ‘Reflections.’ Obligation
Page 24, ‘Why do Masons Meet?’
Page 25, ‘To Adorn with Beauty’ ”In the Eye of the Beholder”
Page 27, ‘The Bridge of Thought’
Page 28, ‘Freemasonry and the art of Moral Navigation’
Page 31, ‘The Back Page’ The Priceless Stones Parable
In the Lodge website
The article for this month is ‘Masonic Education’ [link]
Front cover –The front cover graphic was taken from an old vintage postcard of a model on display at California Masonic Memorial Temple San Francisco California CA. (Available from ebay)
KING SOLOMON’S TEMPLE
Historical Fact of Fiction?
The building of King Solomon's Temple about the year 1000 B.C. has fascinated the Archaeologists and scholars of history for many years, and the subject has a special interest for all Masons. The interest, however, often is not followed by the Mason past the acceptance of the ritual, plus his knowledge of the Bible story. Many of the lessons of Freemasonry are based upon the building of King Solomon's Temple and have been handed down to us through Masonic legend as developed in early Masonic catechisms and charges.
In the earliest rituals, the legend of the Temple did not appear, but through the passage of centuries, it has gradually acquired an allegorical and spiritual significance to all Masons and is an integral part of our Speculative Freemasonry of today.
As we examine the "Old Charges" of the Craft for evidence of the origin of the tradition with respect to King Solomon's Temple, we find it is not mentioned in the oldest of our "Charges", the "Regius Manuscript" of 1390. The tradition begins with the second known oldest manuscript called the "Cooke Manuscript" of 1410. Most experts agree that the "Cooke Manuscript" could have been written from earlier texts transmitted orally and compiled in written form in 1410. In the "Cooke Manuscript", mention of the building of the Temple is quite short, but with each manuscript that followed it becomes more prominent until by the beginning of the sixteenth century (when the "Dowland
Manuscript" was written about 1500), the tradition had become more elaborate an established. From that time until the present day, it has been a part of Speculative Freemasonry.
The question still asked by some Archaeologists and researchers to this day is, "did King Solomon's Temple really exist?" If it did exist, then why have the Archaeologists not found some trace of it? As they point out, in all the excavations that have been made in the area, not one have turned up any solid evidence of it having ever existed. Our only authority and source comes from the Holy Scriptures where the Biblical story of the Temple is found in the Books of I Kings, Chapter 3 to 12, II Chronicles, Chapter 1 to 10, and Ezekiel 40 to 43, of the Old Testament. These accounts give a full description of the building and the events leading up to the building of that magnificent structure and its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in the years following the death of Solomon.
Regardless of a possible conflict between the Bible student and the archaeologist on this particular historical account, the story of the Temple has remained as a part of Masonic ritual and degree work for some six centuries. It provides a Biblical background for the Craft Ritual and a foundation for the beautiful symbolism of the tools used in the Masonic Lectures.
It is not my purpose to attempt to prove or disprove the existence of the Temple, for whether it did or did not exist does not alter the fact that it is intriguing both in symbolism and in Craft history. The student who wishes to probe for differences and compare the Masonic ritual and the Biblical account can find a number of small differences between the two. Some of our historical writers believe that part of this is attributed to the earlier enthusiasts of the
Craft seeking to improve ritual matters by the injection of common sense resulting only to bequeath tangled problems which have to be unravelled by those that follow.
Since every stone of Solomon's Temple has disappeared, our earliest account is in I Kings VII, 15 to 22. This account was written during the Exile some 400 years after the Temple was built and when the original Temple was in ruins. The other account in 11 Chronicles III, 15 to 17, which gives a parallel account, was not written until 200 years still later, which means that neither of the authors could have actually seen the Temple. The account of the building and the measurements had to be recorded from the stories and accounts passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation. The possibility of the story being fabricated is quite small, but if so, it would constitute one of the greatest hoaxes in history and carried through some six centuries. There are also two other points to remember. The Old Testament is a saga of the Hebrews and thus embraces a vast amount of incidental historical matter, social customs, and laws. From this, our early Masonic ritual writers have drawn freely. Secondly, we read and view the Old Testament in our native tongue and twentieth century thinking. But, if it were possible to show any of the biblical writers a copy of our English version, not one of them would be able to understand the part for which he was responsible. It is not only the translation of the words…but the meaning for which the author meant at the time of writing. As new archaeological discoveries are made, though small in themselves, we allow historians to come a bit closer to putting the puzzle together.
Although our Masonic ritual only deals with the Temple itself, it was only a small part of the total complex of the Palace and grounds of King Solomon's time. But being such an
elaborate structure in wealth, the Temple was the work of art. Never before or since has a structure cost so much in treasure and labour. It is probably the most famous structure ever erected.
Since the Jews were not skilled workman, but tradesman, most of the labour (all but 30,000) came from other countries. In II Chronicles 2, verses 17 to 19, we read that Solomon numbered the strangers within the land at a "hundred fifty three thousand six hundred". Such a vast army of workers would need tens of thousands more to feed and administer it, and the food requirements for such an army would require approximately 4,500 tons of food per month, which was an amount greater than was possible to raise in all of Palestine at that time. So not only workers but food for them had to come from outside the country controlled by Solomon.
All of this colossal effort was to construct a building no larger than most churches of today, measuring approximately 105 feet long (including the porch) and 30 feet wide. The time consumed in construction was seven years or more. The enormous wealth used in the construction of the Temple as written in I Chronicles is as follows: one hundred thousand talents of gold (a gold talent is 131 lbs. troy); one thousand talents of silver (a silver talent is 117 lbs., troy) from Solomon's treasurer. Also from the private purse of David was three thousand talents of gold, and seven thousand talents of refined silver. From the people came five thousand talents and ten thousand drams of gold, and ten thousand talents of silver. The value of the metals alone added up to the most costly project in history, and this does not account for the brass and iron, precious stones, woods, fine linens, skins and fabrics. The lavish use of gold, and the amounts mentioned are almost staggering to the mind.
As we study the events of that era and the importance that the construction had on the trade roots of the other countries, it would bc logical to assume that some mention of Solomon, the Temple, and the trade roots would be recorded in the histories of those countries. Yet the only record found is in the Old Testament.
Despite some of the questionable aspects of King Solomon's Temple, there have been numerous recent archaeological pointers bearing evidence to the existence and the activities of King Solomon as a great builder. One of these is the recent excavated city of Megiddo, which is considered to be one of the most remarkable finds ever made in Palestine and which has illuminated a period which archaeology attaches to the age of Solomon. In the reign of Solomon, Megiddo was made the capital of his fifth administrative district and he set forth an elaborate plan for the rebuilding of the city by his able architects. A recent excavation first discovered in 1928 and since uncovered, consists of stables for horses, and space for chariots and grooms, all made from limestone pillars arranged in stalls each with a hewn limestone trough.
Adjacent to these stalls were found foundations and parts of walls which were obviously sheds for chariots and barracks for grooms. In the center was an open paradeground. In all, there was excavated accommodations for 450 horses. Subsequent diggings have disclosed the fact that only the southern part of the stables were of the Solomonic origin and the northern part of the excavation added at a later date. Dr. John Gray, noted archaeologist and Hebrew history expert, comments that the stable accommodations at Megiddo indicates that the statement in I Kings 10:26 that Solomon had 1400 chariots is no exaggeration but an accurate report. For in addition to the
discovery at Megiddo, ruins of stables from the same period have been discovered at Taanach (near Megiddo) and also at Eglon. Solomon, we are told in I Kings 10, built chariot cities in which to keep his twelve thousand chariot horses. Megiddo is one of the places mentioned.
Another large-scale discovery by the Hebrew University expedition, led by Archaeologist Prof. Yadin, is what he believes to be a section of King Solomon's Palace and an old city wall at Megiddo. The wall is of Phoenician style; 6 feet 11 inches thick. This could be another link missing for ages. Other diggings at this city have revealed details of Solomonic construction and furnishes the best picture of Solomonic buildings thus far found. The whole town was apparently converted to governmental use and when rebuilt the various features of the construction bear witness to the help of Phoenician Architects engaged by Solomon from Hiram of Tyre. The masonry construction of the Phoenician influence was entirely different from anything found in the preceding strata.
Another indirect archaeological find in recent years is what is believed to be the Solomon Copper mines discovered by Dr. Nelson Glueck, Professor of Biblical Archaeology, Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati, Ohio. These deposits of copper ore were found in the area south of the Dead Sea which at the time was controlled by Solomon. This discovery is of more importance to Masons than that of the Stables of Megiddo because of the direct connection with Solomon's Temple activities. The discovery would explain the source of raw materials for the "two brass pillars", the Brazen Sea, the Brass Altar, the "ten bases of brass", and all the vessels which Hiram made and presented to King Solomon for the House of The Lord (I Kings 7).
Also discovered by Dr. Glueck at the tip of the Gulf of Aqabah, the north-eastern arm of the Red Sea, is what he believes to be Eziongeber of I Kings 9:26, which was the copper smelting refinery. The sight itself is in a curious location where the winds from the north blow constantly and force through a natural wind tunnel to act as an artificial compressor to force air to feed the furnaces. The structure uncovered was found to be as curious as the location. The walls were pierced with two rows of flues, interconnected by a system of air channels to form the furnace for an elaborate large smelter or refinery. Pottery found on the sight dates back to the time of King Solomon. Some of the walls of the unearthed smelter have stood almost to their original height for nearly thirty centuries. It is believed by Dr. Glueck, that by the size of the smelter, thousands of labourers had to be employed in its use, which means they also had to be housed, fed, and protected at the site. Skilled technicians of all kinds had to be assembled and materials, food and clothing had to be hauled in and out of the area. If Dr. Glueck is correct, then Eziongeber could be one of King Solomon's least known but greatest accomplishments in conjunction with the building of the Temple and its utensils.
Although the Temple of Solomon has not been excavated, other Kings' Palaces of the period have been found. For example, the Palace of Sargon II, King of Assyria. There, 31 courts, 209 rooms, and a Temple have been uncovered showing the typical Solomonic style of stone-masonry. Also, the Temple of Hercules, and the 8th century B.C. Temple unearthed at Tainat in Syria. These discoveries are both before and after the reign of Solomon, but we note that the plan of each is similar to that of the Temple of Solomon, usually containing a porch with pillars, a main hall, and holy of holies.
In many cases, the archaeologist have found many additional resemblances in individual items of ornaments and construction.
The Phoenician method of building a wall of strength was to alternate three courses of hewn stone and a course of cedar beams. This construction is mentioned in I Kings 6:36 as the wall of the inner court of King Solomon's Temple. The same method has been uncovered at several other sites including the Temple courtyard at Ras Shamra in Syria. Also copied in some of the structures uncovered are the Phoenician carved decorations of palm-trees and open flowers and chains used for borders and panels. Dr. G. Ernest Wright, who has written several books on Biblical Archaeology, concludes that the Temple of Solomon was a typical Phoenician temple though more elaborate. Solomon, being the wise man that he was, borrowed much from his culturally superior neighbours. We get the same story from the history of architecture. Solomon's Temple, though well planned, as described in Biblical history, was decorated like some of the north Syrian buildings that have been uncovered.
Without any direct benefit that might have been derived from archaeological discoveries made on the site itself, we can only piece our odds and ends together. For while excavations have been made in the Jerusalem area, comparatively little work has been done on the suspected site of the Temple. The famous Rock where Abraham was about to offer up his son Isaac and where David met and appeased the destroying angel is by tradition named the site where King Solomon's Temple once stood. It is now the site of the Mosque of Omar, or Dome of the Rock, and the Moslems are reluctant to having their holy places excavated and disturbed.
Thus we can perhaps view with some patience the finding of solid evidence of one
of the basic stories in our ritual and live with the Biblical record and the archaeological discoveries such as the diggings at Megiddo, Ezion-geber, Tainat and Ras Shamra. We have reason to hope that, with the passage of time and the efforts of the archaeologists, the site of the Temple will be uncovered and erase all doubts about the accuracy of our present source of history and make the Bible stand out more and more brightly against the background of the Craft.
Article by Homer Zumwalt, 33°
References:
Bible, King Solomon's Temple in the Masonic Tradition — by Alex Horn., Archaeology of Palestine and the Bible — by W.F. Albright., Biblical Archaeology — G. Ernest Wright., Transactions of Quatuor Coronati Lodge — Vol. 80 and 82.
Sourced from The Skirret library, with thanks.
THE MASONIC OBLIGATION
In every step or degree received in Masonic advancement, a solemn promise upon admission into that degree must be made. This solemn promise comes from the Latin “obligatio” and literally means tying or binding. By his obligation, a Mason is bound or tied to his Order. Before the ceremony there is no tie that binds the candidate to the Order so as to make him a part of it; after the ceremony, the tie has been completed, and the candidate becomes at once a Mason, entitled to all the rights and privileges and subject to all the duties and responsibilities that are represented in that degree. The Masonic obligation is a moral one which, although it cannot be enforced by a court of law, is binding on the party who makes it, in conscience and according to moral justice.
This obligation varies in each degree, but each obligation is exact in its different clauses in which the duties are prescribed. The clauses are called its points, which are either affirmative or negative, a division like that of the precepts of the Jewish Law. The affirmative points are those which require certain acts to be performed; the negative points are those which forbid certain other acts to be done. The whole of them is preceded by a general point of secrecy common to all the degrees, and this point is called a tie.
If, by requiring the previous fulfilling of certain qualifications and conditions, societies seek to be selective in those they admit to membership, they must introduce means of showing existing members that the qualifications and conditions are fulfilled with respect to proposed new members. If membership involves the knowledge of certain protective secrets restricted to members, there must be some means, and preferably some formal means, of making the communication to new members and of ensuring that the secrets are completely understood. In addition there is a duty to ensure that such secrets restricted to a group in membership remain secret: this may best be done by requiring some formal binding promise from those to whom the communication is made. When the developing Free and Accepted Masonry wished to accentuate certain teachings, tenets, and principles for the better conduct of life, they did consider the moral application of aspects of the work-a-day world and did use principles of the trade to illustrate and instruct in the building of a good life.
The design of the Masonic institution is to make men wiser and better, and consequently happier. It lays down in its symbolic instruction the principles of morality, those secret springs that have
inspired the lofty lives of the truly great. He who obeys the Masonic precepts will not need to consult the opinions of friends or the public-he will find in his own breast a faultless monitor upon which he can always rely. The student desiring to learn what these principles are must be willing to live them Wisdom is the growth of the soul. Moral principles are worthless until they have been made alive and have been driven deep into the interior recesses of the soul by practice. Knowledge is worthless unless it can be put to use. If you are not willing to live your Masonry, do not seek to know your secret mysteries. Such knowledge carries with it responsibilities of use and obedience: and this responsibility cannot be evaded. The new members cannot make any progress at all without actually saying that Masonry Is a system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.” Freemasonry uses symbols to illustrate, and the allegories contained in dramatic enactment to unveil and shed light on the spiritual mysteries that cannot be communicated by words alone.
Masonic education, then, can be defined as the progressive science of translating those tenets, principles and teachings into practical application of daily living As a progressive science, we must establish those goals upon the knowledge and skill we have established In Masonry we must constantly build upon our knowledge to make “Good Men Better. “ The primary thing in Masonry is the ethical teaching that lies behind all Masonic work. The chief objective Is to produce a finer grade of men. The numerous lessons are intended to make domestic relations cleaner and more binding; to nurture the spirit in its twofold sense - tolerance and helpfulness - especially in relation to worthy distressed Masons; and to produce a better class of citizen. In short, Masonry is primarily, first and last, a moral discipline, armed to produce the finest type of character and culture through fellowship and mutual
helpfulness. Considerable confusion may be avoided if the fourfold purpose of Masonry is correctly interpreted:
1. The Universe is viewed as one vast structure which owes its existence to the Supreme Architect.
2. Man too is a builder. He is engaged in the construction of personal character. For the sublime task he is supplied with abundant materials, worthy patterns, and explicit instructions.
3. Man is also commissioned to an ideal social structure. The nature of the social order depends on the quality of the individuals in it.
4. There is still another structure that Masons are engaged in building-”that house not made with hands-eternal in the heavens.“
Masons are under obligation to build out of the materials at their disposal a character worthy of the Fraternity whose confidence and fellowship they enjoy. This is no simple undertaking. Human personality is a compound of many elements made for harmony and happiness. Life is as much a matter of inner usages as of outward circumstances. Ideas, ideals, dreams, ambitions, passions, hopes, likes, dislikes, loves, hates, etc. are things of which life is made. Character must be cultivated.
Masonry is a moral discipline by which the Craft learn to curb their passions, to harmonize their conflicting desires and to cultivate life's finer traits and graces. The progressive science of Masonry emphasizes the need of advancement in personal knowledge and control. It is perhaps best illustrated by the Winding Stairs of Masonry. These are symbolic of that steep ascent that must be made by those who would live on the highest plane of Masonic
behaviour. Life, figuratively speaking, is lived on a slope, a slope so steep that it is impossible to stand still we are either strenuously straining upward or sliding backward. This fact of experience Masonry recognizes. A stationary pose being impossible, our Order urges its members to strive toward the higher levels of ethical living, knowing that in the absence of all serious moral engagement, retrogression and degradation are inevitable. No promise of finality of quest is given nor is a stage of development ever reached when further effort is not to be attempted. A common query of the lectures reminds the candidate that there is always something to follow, something ahead, some new knowledge to be discovered, some new truth to be applied. The final state of personal Masonic development is never reached. In short, Masonry is a lifelong study and discipline.
Masonry aims to safeguard men against the danger of moral failure and to qualify them to live worthily. To MASTER his passions is one of the principal reasons given for a Mason's attendance at regular stated meetings, where he is dismissed with the charge to practice diligence, temperance, and prudence. As the youngest Entered Apprentice, the candidate is ordered to stand erect when the Master informs him that he now stands a just and upright Mason and orders him ever to walk and act as such. When he enters a Lodge of Fellow Crafts for the first time, he is received in such form as is intended to teach him that all his future conduct must be regulated by the severest test of virtue. A last charge of initiation reminds the candidate that his virtue, honour, and reputation will be judged by the dignity with which he maintains the character he then represents. He is adjured to allow no motive to swerve him from his duty. Never must he violate his vows or betray the trust placed in him.
Masonic character is not received readymade at initiation. It is acquired through years of strenuous, disciplined effort. It is made of precious, enduring elements, patterned after Nature's symmetry, harmony, beauty, order, and strength, and in accord with Masonic principles. Will-power, desires, courage, sympathies, fortitude, hopes, and affection are among the elements which Masons are admonished to cut, smooth, restrain and fortify; in short to shape and polish into a beautiful, harmonious whole. Some passions must be subdued; certain qualities strengthened; the crude, refined the uneven, levelled; and the twisted, straightened. To accomplish this task, cardinal virtues must be brought into play. Temperance aids men to temper their violent passions; fortitude, to strengthen their weaker qualities; prudence, to exercise judgment; and justice, to make commendable use of the material at their disposal. The result will be order, beauty, strength, and harmony: a character deserving the honour conferred upon and the merit reposed in those seeking to become Masters by way of the Apprentice's path of Masonic discipline.
What Masonry Means “Out of all that I hear and see, Day by day I am building me; I alone have the right to choose What to reject and what to use. Nobody’s workmanship but mine can keep the structure true and fine, strong or feeble-false or true- I build myself by the deeds I do.
Masonry undertakes to teach men to sift the elements at their command. They must learn to differentiate between the worthy and the worthless if ruin is to be escaped and the finest results known. To learn to discriminate between the worthless and worthy, to discard or effectively restrain all baser elements, and to preserve, nurture, and utilize life' s finer qualities-is invaluable to
both private and group life. To aid men in the selection and control of the materials at their disposal is the primary purpose of Masonry. Only as men learn to discriminate and control the elements at their command can they possibly escape demoralization and disastrous strife, and acquire at once the finest type of personality and a satisfactory social structure.
Masonry looks to the future of men as builders of a spiritual fabric. And the Masonic neophyte answers clearly and unmistakably: “I came here to subdue my passions and improve myself in Masonry.” The question is not why men have passions or why they are so much like devils; but what Masonry can do to subdue the passions and save men from deviltry and help them build their spiritual edifices and become worthy and well-qualified to sit in the Celestial Lodge.
The problem and solution of how a man shall improve himself in Masonry is the responsibility and right of every man who will find the right path for himself- each one in accord with his capacity, power, and will to learn how to do so. This leaves each member on his own initiative to discover how to make this knowledge effective in his own life and how to arrive at that application of Masonic truth that shall free him from bondage to the unruly passions. Freedom from bondage to the passions is something every human being has to earn by the strongest possible effort over a long period of time. It is not a free gift of God to be appropriated by the individual without effort. Soul regeneration, “Salvation,“ must be earned by effort- “works.”
The great purpose of Masonry is to qualify men to take their rightful places in society, contributing to its strength and stability. As a unit of a vast social structure, the individual may be of small intrinsic value;
his real worth depends on his cooperative usefulness. For this service he must qualify by the aid of working tools. By these working tools, Masons test the basic rightness of their actions. Freemasonry gives its all-and this is a great gift to those who accept it. He who is not first prepared to be a Freemason in his heart, of his own free will and accord, will never be one.
Article by Bro. James R. Debates, MPS
Sourced from The Philalethes - June, 1993
A STAIRWAY AND A LADDER
“I hold it truth with him who sings To one clear Harp in divers tones That men may rise on stepping stones Of their dead selves to higher things.”
– Alfred, Lord Tennyson
In these lines, the poet has expressed a fundamental Masonic teaching. What more vivid imagery could be used to illustrate the lesson of Hiram Abif’s legend than these words, especially the lines: “That men may rise on stepping stones / Of their dead selves to higher things”? Note the words dead and higher. What is the plain implication of these words of our text?
First, the old self must undergo death before the new self can take its place. This figure of regeneration is used not only in Freemasonry, but also in most of the ancient mysteries as well as in religions, ancient and modern. They all teach the virtue of “climbing” or rising in some manner above the conditions and circumstances in which we find ourselves at any given time. In
Masonry (which is not, however, a religion) we find the same idea taught by the symbols of a Stairway and a Ladder. The Stairway plays a prominent part in the Fellowcraft Degree, as does the Ladder in the Entered Apprentice Degree.
Second, while there is no suggestion that there is anything phoenix-like in human development, the idea of self-immolation and self-sacrifice is a plain teaching of the Masonic Fraternity. Looking a little closer, we find that the individual is both the sacrifice and the sacrificer simultaneously. There is no suggestion that the process in his case resembles the incident of Abraham’s sacrifice of his son Isaac, nor is there the notion of anything like suicide. Indeed, the individual becomes a sort of High Priest who presides over the very act of sacrificing himself, as is implied here. In other words, we find ourselves by making of ourselves a sacrifice for others. And the human being is the only creature who can do this and for whom this can be done.
Third, there is the idea of ascent, that is, that we should climb ever higher and higher. There is no limit to our climbing or selfimprovement except perfection itself. The essential thing is that we should keep climbing. This is the same idea expressed by Longfellow in his poem, Excelsior: “A youth who bore mid snow and ice / A banner with the strange device, Excelsior! Excelsior!”
Fourth, there is the inevitable law of life and death that everyone must reckon with. In one branch of Masonry, we are reminded of “Memento mori” (liberal translation, “We are born to die”). This motto appears in the meeting places of many European lodges. In Sweden occurs the variation: “No life without death: no death without life.” Here, then, is the inevitable teaching of the two greatest events in a human being’s
experience. Further, there is no more reason to assume that death is final, any more than that life is so. Either conclusion is as much a product of human reasoning – logic – as is any other.
Fifth, there is no such thing as “pulling oneself up by one’s bootstraps.” The mental indulgence in this sort of rationalization is in reality incompatible with every teaching of Freemasonry. A few moments of reflection will demonstrate this fact.
The Winding Stairs in the Fellowcraft Degree lead us a part of the way up to the Light of Truth, but it remains for the ladder “extending from earth to heaven” in the Entered Apprentice Degree to show us the rest of the way. The latter is much more than a theological ladder. In former times the word theological meant not so much “religious” as “philosophical.” Note, too, that the ultimate aim of our climbing is heaven; our ascent is not made on a Tower of Babel. Our objective dare not be a smaller or lower one. This means that every Mason, to be worthy of his calling, must be a perfectionist.
We are told in the Great Light in Masonry that the citizenry of the Kingdom of Heaven consists of perfect beings, and this perfection is set for us: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) The citizen of the Kingdom is to be perfect himself; he cannot be the source of any imperfect thing. This injunction would be a hollow mockery if it pointed us to an unattainable goal. The Supreme Architect of the Universe does not make of Himself the promulgator of impossible! For the Mason, therefore, the motto is “Ne plus ultra,” “Nothing farther.”
In the Scottish Rite the first fourteen degrees constitute what is called the “Rite of Perfection.” The whole teaching of the
Scottish Rite is the attainment of what we regard too often as unattainable. To rest content with shoddy work and piecemeal morals must be a thing of the past.
A Mason must give serious consideration to the moral judgments involved in questions such as these: the use of atomic bombs on civilians, whether in time of war or otherwise; a nation at peace maintaining strict censorship over its citizens; not giving financial support to charity when the individual is financially able; not taking the trouble to vote at elections; disbelieving in God; a doctor allowing a badly deformed baby to die when he could save its life but not cure its deformity; falsifying an income tax return; driving an automobile while drunk, but without accident; living on inherited wealth without attempting to render service to others; etc.
Are we justified in looking out for “No. 1,” without caring what happens to the rest of mankind? In saying “everybody’s doing it” as a reason (rationalization) for our doing the same thing? Is it really harmless to “get away with it” because no one sees or hears it?
Cutting corners in morals, religion, business, or other relationships is coming to be the more or less accepted standard of life and conduct. The saying that “we have to live with ourselves” means little except that we are willing to live with almost any kind of person.
Yet, in the face of all this, we have the uncompromising statement in Masonry’s Great Light: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) Guilelessness has almost ceased to be a virtue worth mentioning; guile (nowadays often called “diplomacy” or “business acumen”) is the order of the day. Who will
make us hold the torch high and demand of ourselves and others the highest standards of living and action?
It is not enough to wish for things or merely to plan to do them. Psychologists have a name for this sort of thing; they call it “wishful thinking” or “rationalizing.” Many persons who indulge in these to an excessive extent are said to be abnormal or mentally sick.
There is another thing that must not be overlooked. Kant had no corner on “categorical imperatives.” Freemasonry has at least one of them: self-improvement. This is obligatory and is no mere tinsel or window-dressing of Masonic ritual. A Mason is bound to better himself in spirit, mind, and body – always and in every way. If he slips from the pathway by saying or doing something that lowers him in his own and his fellowman’s estimation, he has derogated from his profession. It is not expected that he will be able to reach the pinnacle of perfection by himself, but the help of God is always abundantly available.
Consequently, we find that individual initiative and private enterprise are not enough. We have responsibility to the whole of human society. “…Masons are linked together by an indissoluble chain of sincere affection.” What is the purpose of this? “To relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent on all men, but particularly upon Masons … to soothe the unhappy, to sympathize with their misfortunes, to compassionate their miseries, and restore peace to their troubled minds, is the grand aim we have in view.” This is the ticket, so to speak, without which no passage is obtainable.
Dr. Charles G. Reigner in The Degrees of Masonry calls the Winding Stairs “the stairway of life.” He says:
The pathway of life is not a straight or level road on which we can travel without exertions. On the contrary, it is a ‘winding’ path. It is beset with difficulties that are the common lot of humanity. But for the thoughtful Mason, the road he travels, however steep or winding it may be, still leads onward to a higher sense of what life is and what it is meant to be.
Thus, the Winding Stairs become a symbol of the Mason’s mental and spiritual life and growth, of learning, study and enlarging horizons, of courage and Masonic character.
The late Carl H. Claudy wrote in his Pocket Encyclopaedia of Masonic Symbols:
The Winding Stairs are the symbol of the realities of the Masonic career. A straight stair, a ladder, hides neither secret nor mystery at its top. But the stairs that wind hide each step from the climber; what is just around the corner is unknown. The Winding Stairs of life lead us to we know not what; for some, a Middle Chamber of fame and fortune; for others, of pain and frustration. The Angel of Death may stand with drawn sword on the very next step for anyone.
Yet man climbs because he has courage; because he has faith, because he is a man. So must the Freemason climb. The Winding Stairs do lead somewhere. There is a Middle Chamber. There are wages of the Fellowcraft to be earned. But the objective of all our striving must not be lost sight of. For the purpose of our climbing is the “starry-decked heavens where all good Masons hope at last to arrive:” Wages as such are not vouchsafed here, for the reward is the ultimate one of heaven itself. Is there any greater? It is the Supreme Architect of the Universe, who gives His final approval in the “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:23)
There is the further thought that “the three principal rounds of the ladder are faith,
hope, and charity.” Perhaps we should also note that these are not the only rounds of the ladder – all the Masonic virtues are likewise to be made the objects of our endeavours. There are kindliness, honour, liberty of both conscience and body, righteousness, wisdom, loving-kindness, patience, fidelity, trust, manhood, gentleness, humility, and a host of others, all of which enter into the make-up of what we call human character.
One further observation may be worth mentioning here. The word ladder in the Greek language is climax. The word means “the highest point,” or the “point of greatest interest,” “the summit.” There is always the notion of “going up,” of “ascending”; and the end is at the top, not at some point at a lower level.
Again we turn to Claudy’s Pocket Encyclopedia of Masonic Symbols:
The revised edition of the Bible reads “love” in place of “charity,” which makes the Masonic ritual of Jacob’s ladder more understandable. That “charity extends beyond the grave through the boundless realms of eternity” seems an overstatement, if charity is thought of in terms of putting a ten cent piece in a blind beggar’s cup. But if it is “love” which extends through eternity, the conception is at once beautiful and Masonic, since brotherly love is one of the great teachings of Masonry.
One further admonition must be mentioned. Beware of frustrations, barriers, and detours on your progress through Masonry. The Fraternity does not guarantee to eliminate or to overcome these obstacles for the zealous and industrious brother. He himself must assume this responsibility.
The Entered Apprentice is admonished that he is to erect his “future moral and Masonic edifice” on certain tenets, virtues, and principles. Without them he cannot build; he
is like the man building his house upon the sand instead of upon the rock.
We find, then, that we are all face to face with the inevitable necessity of making our choice between the sand and the rock as our foundation. As one recent writer said: “We are the first people in human history to possess the power of total self-destruction:” Actually, as never before, Masonry finds among its more serious obligations, the demonstrating of the correct answer to this dilemma. In the proper ascent of the Stairway and the Ladder, materially, mentally, and spiritually, and in arriving at the summit, we shall become Masons worthy of the name!
On the campus of Williams College in Massachusetts stand the “Hopkins Memorial Steps.” They were erected in memory of Mark and Albert Hopkins, two famous educators of the last century. Mark Hopkins was the brother who became President of William College and of whom it was said, “Mark Hopkins sitting on one end of a log and a boy on the other constitute a university.”
Supposed to have been written by Professor Albert Hopkins, the other brother, these lines were placed on the Memorial Steps after having been found among his papers after his death:
Climb high; Climb far, Your goal the sky, Your aim the star.
Can anyone – Mason or profane – have a finer or greater theme for his life?
The author was a Past Grand Master of The Grand Lodge of Virginia in 1934 and Masonic author.
Sourced from SanpedroMasons website.
DID YOU KNOW?
Question: What is the meaning of, “It Proves a Slip “
Answer: These words are a survival from the early versions of the Third Degree, and they allude to a theme which seems to have disappeared from the modern renderings of the ceremony. This part of the ceremony was originally designed to illustrate the lessons of Death, Decay or Corruption, and Resurrection, but nowadays only the first and last of these are emphasized.
The evidence from some of the early Catechisms and Exposures shows how “the slip” arose, e.g. “...takeing a greip at a ffinger it came away so from Joynt to Joynt so to the wrest so to the Elbow...so one said here is yet marrow in this bone” (Graham MS., 1726.)
“. .. when Hiram was taken up, they took him by the Forefingers, and the Skin came off’ which is called the Slip...” (Prichard’s ‘Masonry Disected,” 1730.)
“one of them took hold of the body by a finger, and it came away in his hand. Another did the same ... and then taking him by the wrist it came away... he cried out ... which signifies among the Masons “The flesh falls from the Bones”…
(Translated from “Le Catechisme des Francs Macens,” 1742.)
‘la chair quiue lea os, ou Is corps est corropu... - (The flesh parts from the bones or the corpse is rotten,) (From “LVrdre des Francs-macons Trahi,” 1745.)
It seems that there may have been some sort of mnemonic link between the MMs. word
and phrases “Marrow in the Bone” or “Rotten to the Bone”.
Question: When did King Solomon and his Temple come into the Masonic System? Did this happen when the Hiramic legend was adopted in the ritual, or was it connected with the exhibitions of models of the Temple in the early 18th century? And why did the masons in a Christian country use Jewish themes?
Answer: David and Solomon (with many other Biblical characters) all appear in the Old Charges from c. 1390 onwards, but that was only because ‘David loved masons well and gave them Charges’ and Solomon ‘confirmed the Charges that David his father had given to masons, etc.’ The Old Charges, indeed, do not make any great fuss of either of them, but they were within the Masonic tradition from the beginning of our earliest records.
Christian interest in the Bible was not confined, in the 14th to 18th centuries, to the New Testament; they were equally interested in the Old Testament, and the Gentiles regularly quote the Old Testament (Isaiah especially) as predicting the coming of Christ. The Old Testament is their Book as well as the New.
Our oldest surviving ritual documents, 1696 —c.1710, belong to the late operative period of Masonic history in Britain. The first of these texts, the Edinburgh Register House MS., 1696, contains two questions in its catechism, repeated regularly in many of the later versions, which display an interest in Solomon’s Temple, sufficient to show—at the very least—that Solomon and his Temple had their place in the ritual in operative days, and long before the Hiramic legend came into use:
Q. How stands your lodge
An: east and west as the temple of Jerusalem
Q. Where was the first lodge
An: in the porch of Solomons Temple
In 1659 Samuel Lee published his Orbis Miraculum which dealt at great length with the Temple and its equipment, and in 1688 John Bunyan published his Solomon’s Temple Spiritualized, both of which excited much interest in the subject, but there were also many others (see AQC, Vol. 12, pp. 135-164, which contains a mass of information on 16th-17th century illustrations, etc., of K.S.T.). I do not believe that the London exhibitions of the models of K.S.T. created the Masonic interest in the Temple. I believe it was the interest of cultured men in the subject that helped to make the exhibitions successful. The models appeared in London in 1723, 1730, 1759-60.
When at the beginning of the 18th century the Craft began to acquire its speculative character, it was inevitable that the Temple should be adopted as the spiritual background to our ceremonies and ritual, in the same way as a theatrical producer selects suitable backgrounds for the play he produces.
The Hiramic legend did not appear in print until 1730, but we have hints of several streams of Masonic legend (about Noah and Bezaleel) from which our ritual builders were able to compile it. I believe that it existed (perhaps in several forms) outside the ritual, i.e., in folklore and craft-lore, before it was actually embodied in our ritual some few years before 1730.
The Questions and answers from ‘Did you Know’ were collected from various constitutions across the world, and in no way reflect the views or thoughts of the editor and or his Lodge or Mother Constitution.
Colours in Freemasonry
I need scarcely remind Brethren that there are two schools of thought in our ranks today—the severely historical and the soberly speculative (using this latter term in its purely Masonic sense). To students of the first-named type the terminus a quo in research is 1717, the inauguration of the English Grand Lodge; and almost everything Masonic prior to that date is practically disregarded as mythical. Our Bro. Crowe’s Paper, (see article SRA 98) very interesting in many respects, is a product of this school. May I now, as a contrast (and without, in any way, disputing his evidence) enter a plea for a wider view of the present subject, than the mere question as to the raison d'etre of the blue ribbon on English Craft aprons? Surely “Colours in Freemasonry” must extend beyond this. No Brother really believes that the Speculative Freemasonry which we practice was created in London, or originated in the fertile brains of Anderson, Desaguliers and their confreres, in the eighteenth century. Though documentary evidence be admittedly scanty, it is to many of us the glory of Freemasonry that its essential tenets go back even beyond its erstwhile connection with operative guilds (both in England and elsewhere), to that profound philosophy which was studied “oft-times well rather than wisely” by mediaeval alchemists and Kabbalists; and which, through many vicissitudes, had descended from the Mysteries of “our Ancient Brethren.”
Symbolism, which is the permeating principle of our Craft, has been adopted and understood among all nations. Undoubtedly it was always a medium for expressing great doctrines and abstruse ideas in the ancient Mysteries, and for teaching and transmitting them to posterity. Every science necessarily uses symbols, and Freemasonry especially so; “there is not a character or emblem here depicted, but serves to inculcate the principles of piety and virtue among all genuine professors of the Order.
One of our three great pillars is Beauty, which is a quality expressible both by outline and by surface. There is Beauty— i.e., Harmony—in hue, just as there is harmony in form, and the world owes much of its refinement to the symbolism of both.
It is true that Geometry—always associated with Freemasonry—is exclusively concerned with form and outlines; and whether circles and triangles be delineated in red or black is quite immaterial in it; but it must be remembered that Masonic knowledge was never merely a synonym for Architecture, and, as a system of morality, it employs both form and colour in its symbolic illustrations.
The modern popularity of “PreRaphaelitism,” which aims at realism—by portraying objects exactly as they would appear in nature (both in contour and colour) —has caused very much of the symbolic use of colours which formerly pervaded Art to fall into desuetude. But in Freemasonry, inasmuch as it deals with esoteric teaching rather than realistic truthfulness, there has naturally been a tendency to preserve that symbolic use of colours, which it derived from more mystical days. The history of ecclesiastical art and of heraldry presents constant collateral evidence of the use of
colours for symbolic purposes; and, although tints are not so well adapted as geometrical figures for expressing the Mind and Attributes of God, their symbolic importance has never been forgotten or disregarded in Freemasonry.
Have we, then, any key to this conventional use of colours for expressing various ideas? I venture to think we have. In ancient philosophy there was undoubtedly a wellunderstood association of colours with certain numbers, metals, planets, moral qualities, etc., which was frequently expressed by the interlaced triangles so familiar to us as a Royal Arch emblem. In this antique symbol—commonly termed the Seal of Solomon—the two triangles were regarded as respectively positive and negative, white, yellow and red representing Light; green, blue and black representing Darkness. Each of the angular points had its own proper colour, which merged gradually into its two companions. In the modern R.A. jewel a symbolical significance is attached to the sides of the two triangles, as they are respectively inscribed Wisdom —Strength —Beauty, and Truth—Peace—Concord. With this arrangement, however, we are not here concerned, because ancient symbolism took account of the angles, not the sides. There is just another detail to be borne in mind, in elucidating this subject. A central point in the figure is pre-supposed, as
constituting the remaining member in this mystical seven. Indeed this point was the primary one in the system, and represented gold. The symbolic value of these seven points will be best understood from the accompanying diagram; and their association with various colours, numbers, metals, planets and moral qualities, as developed in what is called the philosophical Doctrine of Correspondence, is shown in the following table :—
Some exception may be taken to the term “moral qualities” used above for expressing such abstract concepts as War, Wealth, or Death. But a really satisfactory appellative is difficult to find, more especially as according to the mode of thought in those days War meant “combative courage,” and Wealth meant a “persistent ability to acquire”; such traits of character being then regarded as eminent and laudable, whereas Peace and Poverty were despicable.
To discuss the Doctrine of Correspondence at greater length is beyond the scope of our present enquiry. But, that black is symbolical of death, and red of war, are conventional notions universally accepted, transmitted from remote ancestors. Although not so obvious, the association of a verdant hue with the versute Mercurius points to a similar Latin derivation. The same applies to the adjective “saturnine” for a dull leaden disposition. And this conventional association of ideas with certain colours still
remains as a historic fact, even though today we relegate the Doctrine of Correspondence to the limbo of unscientific hypotheses. We are not in the least compelled to assent to any extravagant fancies of astrologers and mediaeval philosophers, merely because we admit a certain theory which was at one period accepted as a fundamental truth, and upon which many of their deductions were consequently based. Whether scientifically sound or not, the doctrine was undoubtedly held, and taught as part of that strange medley of esoteric truths so highly venerated by our Masonic forbears.
Beyond this we need not go. It affords, at all events, a prima facie evidence of a definite principle in regard to colours, which in course of time probably influenced (consciously or unconsciously) the selection of certain colours for various Masonic purposes; and therefore, like everything else in Freemasonry, they have a symbolic as well as an artistic significance.
W. W. COVEY-CRUMP.
This article by W. W. COVEY-CRUMP was sourced from the 1909-10 Transactions of the Lodge of Research No. 2429. Adapted in this format by the SRA Editor.
JUDGE KINDLY
Don’t expect perfection in a man because he is a Mason. If you do, you will be disappointed. Masonry makes a man better, but no human agency can make him perfect. If he is a Mason, you have the right to presume he is a fairly good man, but do not condemn Masonry even if a few Masons turn out bad. Even the great Teacher Himself had a Judas. The aim and purpose of Masonry is to receive none but good men, keep them good and make them better. Judge the institution not by a few failures, but by the average of its success. That average is high and it consequently gives standing to its members, but it cannot be an infallible guide.
Points
A MASTER Mason is raised upon the Five Points of Fellowship, and an explanation of them given him at the time which he is never after allowed to forget.
Upon the surface they are all of what a Master Mason should do for a brother; he should serve him, he should pray for him, he should support his good works, keep his secrets, and give him good counsel.
The majority of the learned disquisitions which have been written upon the Five Points elaborate these ritualistic and monitorial meanings; philosophers expound, practical men explain and limit, and lecturers describe how, in what way, and how far, the Five Points extend and are to be carried into everyday life.
Consciously a Masonic fool who rushes in where Masonic angels fear to tread, the writer finds for himself an added symbolism in the Five Points, beyond their meaning as to the duties of one brother to another; and that is their effect, their meaning and their relation to the individual brother himself.
A brother who is willing to go out of his path to assist another in distress is a Good Samaritan; one who neglects himself for the sake of another. But does not that very neglect of self do for self what care of self
could never accomplish? Is the help we give to our brethren ever as great as the help we get ourselves from helping? A certain passage reads "Give, and it shall be given unto you...."
The first of the Five Points is not only an instruction and an admonition; it is a promise. It is not a promise of a reward, but of a consequence, and he is the wise Master Mason who puts the double obligation heavily upon his mind, "I must serve my brethren not only because they are my brethren, but because, as I serve them, so I become better able to serve."
Devout believers in the power of prayer must not read into what is here to be said any irreverence towards their belief. Many a true Freemason and religious man has wondered how an all-wise, all-knowing, and all-potent God could permit His plans to be altered by petitions of humble and imperfect creatures such as men. Perhaps the Point which bids us remember our brethren when we commune with our God means as much for us as for those for whom we pray. It is certain that no sincere prayer, whatever its reception by Deity, and regardless of whether in His wisdom He sees fit to grant the substance of that prayer, is without its effect upon him who prays. The brother who honestly asks for blessings upon his neighbour, from an unselfish and altruistic hope that he may receive happiness, is a better man, and thus a better Freemason for having made that petition.
We are told that God made man in his own image. We read that to mean that whatever virtues we have in part, God has in whole. Whatever is good within us is but a faint foreshadowing of the Greatest Good which is God. No man will receive a selfish plea for help as readily as one for help for another. "Help me, I am in distress," does not strike home as fast as "Help my friend; help me help my friend, he is in need." It is
not unthinkable that of all the petitions which rise from suffering humanity to God, He finds most worthy of being granted those which ask unselfishly for the good of others. Perhaps, then, the second Point has a significance beyond that of good to one's brother.
To respect the confidence of a friend is no more than any decent man expects to do for those he makes his intimates. The third Point, except that it applies to a large number of men, and thus takes the right of selection from the confidant, specifies no more. But it means more; symbols always do mean more than they say!
The word "secrets" connotes that which must be concealed; a worldly wise society not infrequently reads into the word something less than quite proper, respectable. "He has a secret in his life ... he is secretive ... he is addicted to a secret practice . . ." all mean something derogatory. The very exceptions noted in the ritual seem to imply that the secrets to be kept are less than good.
Freemasonry does not mean only this variety of knowledge about another, given by himself, when she abjures brethren to respect their fellows' confidence. For any man may have much in his life which is "secret" and which is yet good. Many a man does good secretly. Many a man keeps secret in his heart that which would injure others if it were known. A man's private financial affairs, straight as a string and honest as the day, he may, and usually does, want to keep "secret."
The secrets which one Freemason must keep in his breast when told him by a brother "on the square," then, are not only his sins, his evil doing, his mistakes; they are anything, everything he chooses to wish kept secret. Freemasonry bids all her brethren to be the confidants of their fellows, if their brethren
wish it. And by this very admonition, Freemasonry implies that each should make himself worthy to be a confidant. None tells his business to the gossip; none tells his business to the foolish; none tells his business to the slanderer or the scold. If Freemasons are to keep inviolate the confidences of their brethren, they must make themselves worthy that confidence. Thus, the third Point is a lesson and symbol to the individual of what he should do for himself, as well as how he should aid his brother.
To help one's fellows in their "laudable undertakings" of course means that no help should be given in undertakings not laudable. Luckily for us all, Freemasonry sets up no other standard of what is and what is not "laudable" than her own high morality and rectitude. It is not taught us that we must first judge by our own standards, or some one's else standards, or any man's standards, whether our brother's undertaking is praiseworthy or not. We have only the judgment of the brother that his work is laudable, and the judgment of Freemasonry's moral law. It is not for us to say, "Oh, we don't need another hospital in this town. I won't help Jim with it because I don't believe in it." We may say, if we will, "I cannot help Jim with his hospital because my circumstances do not permit me to." But we cannot judge of the laudability of his undertaking, unless we can find it in conflict with the morality of Freemasonry. Long before modern Freemasonry, it was said, "Judge not that ye be not judged...."
And the Fifth Point? Yea, even in the Fifth Point is there symbolism for us, and much may it teach us beside the outward and objective instruction that we advise and counsel with our brethren. The ritual instruction is bald; almost is it brusque. There are those who take it literally, and would lecture their brethren upon the evils
of smoking, or the sin of riding when they should walk, or the error of temper or some other "fault." But Freemasonry never intended the Fifth Point to be an admonition to brethren, unbidden, to assume the right to tell their fellows that this, that, or the other personal belief, habit or action is faulty. The idea is far bigger and deeper. To speak good counsel into the ear of the erring brother is not to admonish him from our individual standards, but to attempt to help him to see in what, if anything, he is failing to conform to the standards of the Fraternity.
He who would give good counsel must have counselled himself wisely. He who would give to others of experience must himself have experienced. He who would comfort must himself have known loss, and he who would aid in distress must himself have known want, if he is to guide by the Fifth Point.
The Five Points of Fellowship are a complete set of rules for the practice of brotherhood. Who plays the part of brother by them, and lives up to them, is indeed of the brotherhood of man. But in addition, the Five Points are a complete guide to what a Freemason must be, as well as what he must do. The feet which run to serve, the knees on which man prays, the heart which keeps inviolate the troubles and the joys of others, the strong arms which aid and the wise mind which speaks friendly advice and counsel; these are the possessions of the real Mason, as well as the blessings of him who has their use.
He who is master of the Five Points of Fellowship is master not only of the art of loving his fellow man, but master of himself. Anciently was it said, "He that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city."
This is the Twenty-fourth article in our regular feature, ‘Foreign Countries,’ each month we will publish in the magazine one of these pieces by Carl Claudy.
Famous Freemasons SANDFORD FLEMING
“The
Father of Standard Time”
Sir Sandford Fleming, a surveyor, draftsman, engineer, office holder, promoter, and college chancellor, was born on January 7, 1827 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland.
At age 14 Sandford Fleming became a pupil of the Scottish engineer and surveyor John Sang. In 1845, with his brother and a cousin, he immigrated to Upper Canada, settling initially in Peterborough, where he secured employment with a surveyor. He later contracted with a surveyor in Weston (Toronto), in order to be recertified, as required under Canadian law. To generate income before his certification as a surveyor in 1849, Fleming prepared maps of Peterborough, Hamilton, Cobourg, and Toronto.
While in Toronto, Fleming joined St. Andrew's Lodge, No. 1. (now St. Andrew's Lodge No. 1, York – now Toronto) Initiated: May 9, 1854
In 1851, the highly talented Fleming designed Canada’s first postage stamp, which would do much to publicize the beaver as a distinctly Canadian emblem.
In 1852 Fleming became an assistant engineer on the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Union Railroad (later the Northern Railway), which was being built from Toronto to Georgian Bay.
Devoted from at least 1858 to the prospect of western expansion and a transcontinental railway, in 1862 Fleming placed before the government the first thoroughly thought-out plan for building a Pacific railway.
By 1863 the American Civil War had brought colonial security and the intercolonial railway project to the fore. In 1863 Fleming, as a result of his intense lobbying, was the unanimous choice of the colonial governments as well as of the Colonial Office for the post of chief surveyor. Four years later the new dominion government appointed him engineer-in-chief of the Intercolonial Railway, a position he would hold until 1876.
A vigorous outdoorsman who enjoyed surveys, he conducted them with care and a zest for exploration. He organized the Intercolonial survey forces, approved contracts for construction, and, prior to confederation, even carried out the building himself of a line for Nova Scotia. In 1864 Fleming had brought his family from Toronto to Halifax. To deal more closely with the federal government, in 1869 he moved to Ottawa. As his practice took him between Ottawa and the Maritimes, he also bought a summer home in Halifax which he first used in 1874.
The strategy of railway building was also employed to bring British Columbia into confederation in 1871, on the promise of a
transcontinental. After hesitating because of his duties on the Intercolonial, Fleming accepted that year the position of chief engineer of the Pacific railway. Fleming subsequently organized the immense tasks of doing detailed surveys of the several proposed routes and of early construction; he himself took part in surveys when he could.
Fleming was dismissed from this job as it was felt he was a political liability. However, he bought shares in the Hudson’s Bay Company, and in November 1881 he was appointed resident Canadian director. Two years later he applied to become a director of the CPR and was later confirmed in May 1884. At the request of its president, in 1883 Fleming had travelled to the Rockies and British Columbia again, to establish a usable pass through the Selkirks. The following year Fleming and Donald Alexander Smith, a key figure in both the HBC and the CPR syndicate, formed a Canadian subcommittee of the HBC to examine company land matters, often in relation to the railway’s interests. In that most famous of Canadian photographs, Smith driving the last spike in November 1885, the towering central figure with the top hat and broad beard is Fleming.
With steel rails went telegraph poles. Steam and electricity, Fleming maintained, were the “twin agencies of civilization.” At sea there was no such natural combination, and an underwater cable was a much more expensive undertaking. In 1879, in a letter to the superintendent of the dominion telegraph and signal service, Fleming broached the idea of linking the Trans-Canada telegraph system with a cable across the Pacific. When such a project failed to materialize under free enterprise, he sent an unremitting barrage of memoranda to Ottawa and, via periodic colonial conferences, to London
until an imperial cable committee was appointed to steer the project. Opposition from the established private interests that controlled the Atlantic cable was intense. But by mid 1899 it was clear that the proposal would work because the governments of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand were prepared to support it even if London turned it down. A cable from Vancouver to New Zealand and Australia was completed in 1902.
Fleming’s travels had exposed him to the prevailing confusion in the measurement of time in both North America and Europe. The practice of keeping local time was universal, except in Britain, where the extensive development of railways had led to the adoption of a system of standard time.
On Nov. 18, 1883 the railways of North America adopted Fleming's proposed system of one-hour time zones that remains in force today. Because of its simplicity, railway time soon became the standard for the continent. But the need remained for global uniformity. Members of the metrological society were successful in getting Congress to call an international gathering in 1884 to decide on the core question: where the prime meridian would be. Grudgingly included in the British delegation, Fleming was the only delegate to distribute a position paper. The conference eventually endorsed his main points, but each country was to make its own decision on adoption. A mean time based on an existing prime meridian through Greenwich (London), England, with hourly variations according to established time zones, became standard before the end of the century in most major countries.
Fleming’s lifelong faith in knowledge was a Presbyterian heritage. Allied to it was a commitment to professional service, and the two interests found an outlet in higher
education. His real opportunity to influence education came when he was drafted in December 1879 as chancellor of Queen’s College at Kingston. He was showered with honours in his lifetime. He was promoted to a knighthood in 1897. He was awarded honorary doctorates by the University of St Andrews in Scotland (1884), Columbia (1887), the University of Toronto (1907), and Queen’s (1908). Membership in such bodies as the Royal Society of Canada was an honour in itself.
He died in 1915 at the home of his daughter in Halifax and was buried in Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa. Sandford Fleming College in Peterborough, Lindsay, Haliburton and Cobourg is named in his honour.
Article sourced from Hamilton Masonic District C – Chronicle, February 2011, edition 30.
OBLIGATION
In every degree a candidate is required to make certain promises, to which he must agree before continuing with the remainder of the degree. The solemn promise made by a Mason on his admission into any degree is called his obligation. In a legal sense obligation is synonymous with duty. Its derivation shows its true meaning, for the Latin word “obligatio” literally signifies “a tying or binding”. The obligation is that which binds a man to do some act, the doing of which thus becomes his duty. By his obligation he is bound or tied to his Order, and it also makes a man either a E.A. or a F.C. or a M.M.. The Romans called the military oath which was taken by each soldier his obligation
Before that ceremony there is a tie that binds the candidate to the Order, so as to make
him part of it; after the ceremony the tie has been completed and the candidate at once becomes an E.A. F.C. or a M.M. according to which obligation he has taken, entitled to all the rights and privileges and subject to all the duties and responsibilities of the particular degree.
The jurists have divided obligations into imperfect and perfect or natural and civil. In Masonry there is no such distinction, as all Masonic obligations are moral ones, unenforceable n courts of law, yet binding on the persons who make them in conscience and according to moral justice. The obligation varies in each degree but in each its is perfect. The different clauses in which different clauses in which different duties are prescribed are called its points, which are affirmative or negative. The affirmative points are those which a require certain acts to be performed, the negative points are those which forbid certain acts to be done. The whole of which is preceded by a general points of secrecy, common to all the degrees and this point is called the tie.
To most of us the repeating of our obligation was just a small part of the degree, but everyone is invited to go back over each obligation that he has taken to see whether it was something that had to be said at that particular time, or whether it was something that was repeated in all sincerity by which we living up to our promises, would become better men as well as better members of our Order. Each one of you is asked to reflect on his obligations to see if he is living up to all his promises.
Author Unknown
This is from our Regular feature of articles under the title, “Reflections.” Articles from all around the world from a variety of Constitutions and authors and adapted to use in SRA76.
WHY DO MASONS MEET?
Do lodges meet simply to increase their members numerically in a fashion we have sometimes heard of as a windmill production? No, this cannot be. When we receive an application for admission to our lodge it is received and the request is referred to an examining committee. This committee has an important responsibility. The applicant must come under the tongue of good report. If the report is found favourable by the committee, then each member of the lodge has the right to decide by ballot whether the application will be approved or rejected. Great care must be exercised by each member of the Lodge when entering upon this very important duty. The welfare of the craft should uppermost in our minds, avoiding malice or pettiness.
When the application is approved the lodge now has arrived at its most important duty: "the moulding of the Masonic character of the stranger." We must always remember the ritual is the very heart of Freemasonry. The brethren and officers can create the proper atmosphere in which the candidate, when first admitted on bended knee, we realise that here is the beginning of a most wonderful experience. This then is the primary reason of why lodges meet. It cannot be emphasized too strongly that the initiate is to grasp the fundamental teachings of Freemasonry which is to mould his character in such a manner that he will in due time become a better man as the result of receiving the three degrees in Ancient Craft Freemasonry. The atmosphere within the Lodge Room while the candidate is being conducted through this important degree can be created by the brethren in the Lodge Room. This can be accomplished by
solemnity and acting with that awe and reverence which should be exemplified by every member present. Each and every officer assisting the Worshipful Master should attempt to convey the lessons of the degree in the manner of what that portion of the Ceremony actually means to himself. Mere recitation of the work is not sufficient.
It should also be remembered that the candidate will receive his first impression of our institution by the Deacons in the preparation for this most important ceremony. They should be particularly careful by the seriousness of their deportment while carrying out this important duty.
First impressions also depend greatly upon the manner of conducting the candidate through the ceremony of initiation, which will remain permanently in his mind as we desire they should be.
In some cases I have observed that the conferring of degree has simply become a mechanical routine. This is not the intent of Freemasonry.
If the candidate is to grasp the real meaning of Freemasonry it will be accomplished by the assistance of the Officers attempting to achieve perfection in the communication and conferring of these degrees. Many hours of study and reflection and memorizing must be applied by the Brethren assisting the Worshipful Master. If the candidate does not fully understand the lessons of Freemasonry it will be impossible for him to take these teachings with him to the outside world and apply them to a better way of life. It should also be noted that once a Brother has been initiated, passed and raised in several cases he attends his Mother Lodge perhaps for five or six meetings sincerely looking for more Masonic education and then we see him no more.
This I believe occurs partially because he tires of the routine and feels that it can become monotonous. This can be overcome by teaching the newly-raised Brother to read and seek information and in that way arouse his interest in becoming more knowledgeable. I also believe that when a Brother has finally been raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason he should then become involved in the conferring of degrees.
When we were installed as Masters of our Lodges we were charged with many things, that we were rulers in the Craft, that it was for us to see that the business of the Lodge was conducted in a business-like fashion, that the books and accounts of the Lodge were kept faithfully and well. These things were of importance, there is no doubt but these things are mere nothingness as compared with the other duty that becomes ours as Master of our Lodge. That duty is dealing with the stranger kneeling for the first time at our Altar of Freemasonry. It is for the Master to inscribe upon his heart faithfully, quietly, indelibly, those great moral principles which are the fabric of our teachings.
TO ADORN WITH BEAUTY….
Most of you who have heard me speak know that I don’t usually begin my educational topics with a joke, but for the sake of making a point…here goes!
This man is dining alone in a fancy upscale restaurant and there is a gorgeous 40something redhead sitting at the next table. He’s been checking her out since he sat down, but lacks the nerve to start a conversation. Suddenly she sneezes and her glass eye comes flying out of its socket toward the man. Out of sheer reflex, in one sweeping motion he reaches out, grabs it out of the air, and gracefully hands it back to her. "Oh my, I am so sorry," the woman says as she pops her eye back in place, "Let me buy your dinner to make it up to you."
There is a need in men for the principles of Freemasonry. They are seeking when they become Masons. We must provide careful planning so that the principles of Freemasonry are communicated meaningfully, which means on our part a commitment to give time and knowledge to our Brethren.
Article by Why Do Lodges Meet? by W.J. McCoid ,, sourced from the Sunday Masonic paper, thanks Wayne
They enjoy a wonderful dinner together, and afterwards they go to the theatre followed by drinks. They talk, they laugh, and they share their deepest dreams with each other. After paying for everything, she asks him if he would like to come back to her place for a nightcap…...and here’s the part where you can tell it’s a joke….she asks if he would like to stay for breakfast! Needless to say, they have a wonderful time. Next morning she cooks a gourmet breakfast with all the trimmings. The guy is amazed. Everything has been so incredible! "You know," he says, "you are a wonderful woman….are you this nice to every guy you meet?" "No," she replied, "you just happened to catch my eye."
There’s a tie in there to my topic this evening….Beauty. We all know about beauty….usually it's just something that catches our eye. We don't think much about what beauty is but, as the saying goes, ‘you’ll know it when you see it’. Beauty is a word that’s used a lot but the meaning is most often taken for granted; we think we
know what it means and figure that the person next to us understands it the same way we do. It gets trickier when we actually have to say what beauty is because we stumble through words that might say something about attractiveness in other people, or the prettiness of a landscape, or the grandeur of a sunset. So, let's think about it for a moment….what does the word 'beauty' really mean?
Webster says that beauty is: "the quality (or aggregate of qualities) in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses, or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit." Now, 'exalts' means to raise high, so, beauty in a person or thing pleasurably raises the senses, mind or spirit. We also talk about beauty in Masonry. We say, "The three great pillars of Masonry are Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty; it being necessary that there is Wisdom to contrive, Strength to support, and Beauty to adorn every great and important undertaking." Were your ideas about beauty close to what Webster says? Did you think about what Masonry says regarding beauty?
I bring up these questions about beauty because every time I've heard the Entered Apprentice lecture and the reference to the three pillars that the Master and the Wardens represent in the Lodge, I find myself glancing over to our Brother Junior Warden as Beauty is mentioned. Now, my Brethren, I have to tell you that he is not a gorgeous redhead. I have no trouble seeing Wisdom in the Worshipful Master, or Strength in the Senior Warden but, with apologies to the Junior Warden…where's the Beauty?
You know, this says something about the way I, and perhaps most of us, think about beauty and especially about Beauty in Masonry. Masonry tells us to adorn with beauty every great and important undertaking. There's a clue about what this should mean to us in the word, 'adorn'. Adorn means to enhance something by
adding something beautiful in itself. When we initiate a Candidate, the beautiful ceremonies are a great and important undertaking; the arts, parts, and points of the ceremonies are beautiful in themselves. We adorn them; we add something beautiful in itself, when we are flawless in the delivery of the ritual, when we add vocal spirit and emotional meaning to a lecture, or a presentation. We adorn the ceremonies by reaching out with the beauty of the Masonic spirit found in each of us and that raises and exalts the spirit of the whole thing.
Let's go back to our three pillars and their representative functions in the Lodge. The Master, in his Wisdom, says do it. The Senior Warden, in his Strength, says who will do it. That leaves the Junior Warden to see to the Beauty in what’s being done. We don’t usually think that this goes much beyond calling us from labour to refreshment to enjoy fellowship and repast. In reality, his true function is greater than that. Under his watchful eye, he is supposed to see to it that we adorn the beautiful ceremonies. As the representation of the pillar of Beauty, he ensures that we meet the high standards of Masonic Beauty, that we adorn Masonry with our minds, our spirits and ourselves. As the pillar of Beauty, he calls us to order at the opening and closing of the Lodge, and is the first principal officer of the Lodge to determine if we are duly and truly prepared, worthy, and well qualified to adorn this fraternity.
So, whether beauty is appreciated in the redhead I spoke of earlier, or in the adornment of our beautiful ceremonies under the watchful direction of the Junior Warden, the spirit of Beauty is indeed ‘in the eye of the beholder’. So, what catches your eye?
… from the series of nuggets from the Quarry of Freemasonry, Douglas M. Messimer, PM, LEO Tuckahoe Lodge 347 07/07
THE BRIDGE OF THOUGHT
In some Constitutions on the Continent and elsewhere the interval between Degrees is approximately one year. During this period the candidate prepares himself for the further Ceremony, and in some cases he is expected to submit a written thesis of a Masonic nature. The thesis which follows was submitted on 30th April 1965 by Brother Ismail Ismen before he was raised in Freedom Lodge, No. 35, Istanbul, Turkey
There is a Bridge of Thought across the stream of time. A high suspension bridge over the chasm of Eternity, between the dark land of Ignorance and the enlightened realm of Knowledge. This suspension bridge, with its two towers, is balancing its three-part platform, one between the towers, the two from the towers to the land on both sides.
How to build this bridge and how to cross it?
In his everyday life the human being is struggling in the race of survival. This self preservation sometimes leads to the destruction of the other in order to attain the aim, consciously or unconsciously. In this march of humanity nothing is right and nothing is wrong unless the existence is accepted as a fact and the behaviour as a way of living. The definitions of wrong and right are the results of laws or rules determined or forced as a form of convenience. What about the human element? Through the darkness there are roads leading the profane towards the bridge of thought, provided that he follows the light shown to him as a pathfinder. Not all profanes are invited to cross the bridge.
It is only after overcoming innumerable obstacles, facing danger, and following the light holder that he is admitted blindfolded at the gate of this mighty bridge. Long voyages of endurance, perseverance and devotion uplift him at the first roadway of this structure. His eyes opened, he is bewildered to see the two towers through the misty light extending into infinity. He is an Entered Apprentice to submit his labour in guidance of Wisdom. In his everyday life and his philosophical journey, he increases his knowledge by following the everlasting lanes of his craft to attain the first tower, to cross it at an appropriate and permitted moment, as a Fellowcraft. The traveller is in the middle of the bridge. The two perpendicular towers are now seen clearly. They are the lofty supports of the whole system, the living strength conveying the catenary cable from one shore to the other. Every single element of this cable summarises the tie among the travellers crossing the stream of time. Both ends of this chain of brotherhood encircle the terrestrial globe. Every single perpendicular cable holding the roadway reminds the traveller of the Virtue bound to each element of this catenary—the curve between the points of suspension.
The Fellowcraft with his reminiscence of the past, compares his state of mind before crossing the second tower, pauses for a moment of admiration and relaxation before entering the platform of the Masters. This feeling of content while on the Bridge of Thought is the self definition of the existence of the Great Architect of the Universe. Fortunate are those who are taking the support, vitality and happiness of its blessing. This bridge with all its Beauty is extending towards this land of enlightenment, where the more elaborate Temple of Philosophy will be erected.
This Geometry of the Almighty so created is:—Wisdom in existence: Strength in endurance; Beauty in appearance.
The philosophy of the building and the destiny of the bridge is at the same time the philosophy of the labour of the Craft and its fellows.
I always remember ‘The Song of the Bridge’ written by Master Bridge-builder Davis Steinman, author of ‘I build a bridge and other Poems’ as an example in this line of thought.
I lift my span above the tide And stand where wind and wave caress I bear the load so men may ride On rainbow road to happiness.
Sourced from the GLOS 1966 year book.
“The Compass”
The point of the compass pierces the plane, a central mark to firmly intend the axis true that all around an unbroken flow of ink will bend.
The surface welcomes the cunning steel, Precisely the arm extends its throw. With gentle art is inscribed the arc first slowly, now fast, and again slow.
Finally the line to itself is joined into an infinite, glittering band the compass lifts and is folded away by an invisible, eternal hand.
Shawn Eyer
FREEMASONRY and the ART of MORAL NAVIGATION
In the ritual work and literature of Freemasonry, we encounter a lot of talk about travelling. Whether we are symbolically journeying from the West to the East in search of Light, from the East to the West in search of that which was lost, or to the centre in search of the genuine secrets of a Master, as Masons we do a great deal of travelling. It is no surprise then that the ritual work and literature of Freemasonry are replete with references and allusions to the art of navigation. Intimately connected to the sciences of geography (the charting of the earth) and astronomy, navigational symbolism is so important in the Craft that it is mentioned directly in some versions of the so-called "Staircase Lecture" from the Fellowcraft degree.
"Contemplating the globes atop the brazen pillars, we are inspired with a due reverence for the Deity and His works and are induced to encourage the studies of astronomy, geography, navigation, and the arts dependent on them by which society has been so much benefited."
In fact, the very position of the pillars in relation to the Candidate's body in the degree of Fellowcraft is suggestive of the art of navigation. In most Jurisdictions, in the pertinent portion of the Fellowcraft degree, the celestial globe is found on the right-hand side of the candidate while the terrestrial globe is on his left. In nautical parlance, a ship's right side is known as its starboard side, indicative of the heavens, while the left is called the port side, indicative of where ocean and land meet. Even the pillars
themselves allude to navigation, as Josephus in his book, Antiquities of the Jews, reported, insofar as the pillars within the portico of King Solomon's Temple were intended to remind one of the pillar of cloud and the pillar of smoke or fire which guided the Israelites per the Book of Exodus.
Another allusion to the art of navigation within Freemasonry can be found on the jewel of a Past Master. As Carl W. Davis explains, "In several jurisdictions, especially in the United States, the Past Master's Symbol consists of the Compass [sic], Sun and Quadrant. … the latter symbol is unique as it can also be understood to be a sextant.
A sextant is a tool of navigation used to measure latitude and to enable one to determine his location and thus plot a course to travel. This is a very appropriate symbol for a Past Master, as he has had to navigate the course of his Lodge during his Eastern tenure. It also shows that he is capable of assisting in the navigation of the Lodge if his successors may request his assistance." Indeed, navigation and navigational language play no small role in the literature and ritual work of Freemasonry. In the words of W. Kirk MacNulty,
"The concept of travelling is found in all three degrees… Man is pictured as a traveller; indeed, in some parts of the world, the term 'travelling man' is a guarded synonym for a Mason. …The Masonic Lodge…is a model of the human psyche, and the psyche is the Watery World."
In further illustration of this point, we recount an excerpt from a humorous and little-known ritual which was composed for the amusement of the brethren of the Royal Naval College Lodge of Mark Master Masons in London. In the Initiation ritual of the Noble but Slightly Dishonourable Degree of the Corks, we find the following exchange:
[Q].: Matey, what is your duty?
[A].: To assist you in boxing the compass … and to steer a straight course when homeward bound.
What, exactly, is this act of "boxing the compass" to which the above ritual refers, and what has it to do with Freemasonry? For starters, boxing the compass is a navigational term which refers to the act of learning and naming all of the degrees or points of the compass, clockwise and in order, beginning with North. What has it to do with Freemasonry? Well, the number of points on a compass just so happens to be no more and no less than thirty-two, the same number of degrees which comprise the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite!4 Interestingly, in addition to the "squaring of the circle" implication contained in the phrase, which is directly applicable to the Masonic symbol of the combined square and compasses insofar as the function of the latter in geometry is to construct right angles or squares, i.e., boxes, on the one hand and arcs and circles on the other, the word compass stems, according to the Online Etymological Dictionary, from the Old French word "compas," meaning "circle, radius, pair of compasses." Is the Masonic significance of the concept becoming clear? By boxing the compass, the traveller is effectively making his way around the circle, "in going round which, it is said the Master and Brethren cannot materially err."
While one in shape, it can also be said that a circle consists of two arcs, both equal and opposite, one curving to the heavens and the other bending toward the earth. In the opinion of the author, the lesson here is that in boxing the compass; that is, in making one's way fully around the circle of one's life and all of the ups and downs that living entails, after facing and assimilating all of the degrees or points which surround it, he
must always arrive back at the source, back at the North, but travel he must.
The excerpt from the above ritual states that the "Matey" is also charged with the duty of steering the ship in "a straight course when homeward bound." This too is notable. For an untold millennia, prior to the invention of the compass, sailors employed astronavigation as their primary means of finding the way home after long journeys out to sea. Of particular relevance here is the North Star or Pole Star, which sits "always fixed and immovable" above the North Pole. Almost two thousand years have passed since sailors and travellers began using the North Star as their central means of navigation, and it continues to the present day to hold a central position in the almost mystical art of astronavigation.
In the degree of Master Architect in the Southern (USA) Jurisdiction of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, the candidate is taught that "the North Star…represents the point in the centre of the circle, or the Deity in the centre of the universe. It is the special symbol of the Deity and of faith." The North Star then, both literally and symbolically, is that guiding light by which a travelling man may find his way back home, that is, back to the centre. Referring once more to W. Kirk MacNulty, "Faith in the Deity is a reference (analogous to the mariner's compass) which will provide direction when other sources fail." A similar and familiar lesson appears in the nineteenth century exposé, The Master-Key through All the Degrees of a Free-mason's Lodge: "In all regular, wellformed Free-masons' Lodges there is a point within a circle in going round which, it is said the Master and Brethren cannot materially err." The implication here is, of course, that of orientation. In fact, the very word orientation is suggestive not only of the act of determining one's bearings but
also of the Orient or East, the source of light and wisdom in Freemasonry. Returning to the Online Etymological Dictionary, we read that the word orientation originally meant an "arrangement of a building, etc., to face east or any other specified direction." italics mine Again, the Masonic import here is readily discernible.
No matter how disoriented or un-centred we may become, no matter how far off the path we may veer, the Great Architect of the Universe in his power, wisdom, and beneficence has seen fit to equip each and every one of us with our own internal compass which will never falter and never fail us. I speak here of course of our own consciences. If we can but muster the courage and the fortitude to allow that internal gauge to dictate and light our way, if we can but find the faith to simply trust and follow our own intrinsic guide, then there will be no reason for us to have fear of any danger. Just as is alluded to in Masonic ritual, our internal compass is ever present, "fixed and immovable," always at the ready to assist us in steering "a straight course when homeward bound."
While we may be builders, it is also true that we are travellers, journeying through life toward the great unknown, toward a realization of our pure potential. It is no wonder then that navigational language has found its way into the symbols of our gentle Craft. All men lose their way. We all, from time to time, lose ourselves amidst the circumambulations and trials of daily life, but as Freemasons, we have been provided a precious golden thread whereby we may discover the direction home, back to the North; that is, the direction back to the centre.
Freemasonry and the Art of Moral Navigation by P. D. Newman
THE BACK PAGE
THE PRICELESS STONES PARABLE
One day a young boy asked his father, what is the value of his life. Instead of answering, the father handed his son a rock and told him to sell it at the market and if anybody asks the price, just raise two fingers and don't say anything.
The boy then went to the market and a woman asked: “How much is this rock? I want to put it in my garden.”
The boy did not say anything and raised up two fingers and the woman said: “Two dollars? I’ll take it.”
The boy went home and told his father that the woman wanted to buy this rock for two dollars, the father then said: “Son, I want you to take this rock to a museum, if anybody wants to buy it do not say a word, just raise two fingers.”
The boy then went to the museum. A man wanted to buy the rock, the boy did not say a word and raised two fingers, so the man said: “Two hundred dollars? I’ll take it.”
The boy was shocked and went running home. “Father, a man wants to buy this rock for two hundred dollars.”
His father then said: “The last place I want you to take this rock, is to a precious stone store. Show it to the owner and do not say a word, if he asks the price just raise two fingers.”
The son then went to a precious stone store, he showed the rock to the owner. "Where did you find this stone? It is one of the rarest stones in the world. I must have it! How much would you sell it for?" The boy put up two fingers, and the man said I'll take it for two hundred thousand dollars.
The boy not knowing what to say ran home to his father. "Father, there's a man that wants to buy the stone, for two hundred thousand dollars!"
His father then said: “So do you know the value of your life now?” You see, it doesn't matter where you come from, where you're born, the colour of your skin, or how much money you were born into. It matters where you decide to place yourself, the people you surround yourself with and how you choose to carry yourself. You may have lived your whole life thinking that you were a two dollar stone. You may have lived your whole life surrounded by people that saw your worth for only two dollars. But everybody has a priceless stone inside of them, and we can choose to surround ourselves with people that see our value and see the diamond inside of us. We can choose to put ourselves in a market or put ourselves in a precious stone store. You can choose to see the value in other people and you can help other people see the diamond inside of themselves.
You can be surrounded by people that only see your value at $2, or you can choose to be around people that see your value at $200,000...And some people will see you as "PRICELESS".
Choose the people you surround yourself wisely, that will make all the difference in your life.
Excerpted from "Priceless Stones by Sean Buranahiran":
