Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est
The Back Page – Is Your Lodge A Carrot, Egg Or Coffee Bean?
The Back Page – Is Your Lodge A Carrot, Egg Or Coffee Bean? Main Website – Why Ethiopia? Main Website – Why Ethiopia?
In this Issue:
FrontCover
The Tyler and His Duties”
The duties of the Lodge Tyler fully explained. The history of the office, his station in the Lodge and the importance of the office of Tyler, going back to the early 18th Century.
Page 7, ‘The Twenty-Four Inch Gauge’ The most valuable tool of the E.A. Degree.
Page 9, ‘Did You Know?’ Questions about the Craft.
Page 10, ‘Reflections.’ The Perfect Points of Your Entry.
Page 12, ‘The Cardinal Virtues’ Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice.
Page 14, ‘Cecil B. DeMille’ Famous Freemason.
Page 17, ‘Old Legends of Hiram Abif ’ "A collection of ‘tales’ about Hiram.”
Page 19, ‘The True Secret Word of a Master Mason?’
Page 21, ‘A Mason is a Man who has seen the Light’ ’Seek and Ye shall Receive it.’
Page 23, ‘Masonic Myths’ Part Two
Page 25, ‘The Square – Masonic Symbol’
Page 26, ‘Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. –Where Charity and Love are, God is there.
Page 28, ‘The Back Page.’ IsYour LodgeACarrot, Egg Of Coffee Bean?
In the Lectures website
The article for this month is ‘Why Ethiopia?’ [link]
Front cover –Painting sourced from Universal Masonry.
THE TYLER AND HIS DUTIES
The Tyler's duties and principal role is to ensure that only those who are duly qualified are allowed to enter the Lodge Room. He guards against cowans and intruders to Freemasonry and he symbolically refuses entrance to anyone who is uninitiated in the Craft.
During the Middle Ages, a cowan was a man who built stone walls of poor quality. He was an uninitiated or non-apprenticed stonemason...a "jackleg” if you will.
While the Tyler is sometimes called upon to assist in the preparation of candidates, his chief duty is to (symbolically) keep unskilled workmen from overhearing the conversation within the Lodge.
After the lodge members are inside the Lodge Room, the door is closed, and it is the Tyler's duty to decide whether late arrivals may enter. It is also his duty to make sure that each visitor is "properly clothed", which means they must be wearing their Masonic regalia.
To be fully and properly dressed before entrance into the Lodge Room, the visitor must be wearing their apron before the Tyler will allow the visitor entrance. Some jurisdictions call this position the Outer Guard.
The Importance of a Tyler.
While a Tyler misses out in the ceremonial in the Lodge his is a very important Office and his duties in olden days were much more extensive than today with much more attention being paid to the importance of the role than we tend to do today.
It was said “Bro. Tyler’s should always be selected from those who have the greatest knowledge and the highest rank.” Says a French work published in 1828. Another publication circa 1750 “The greatest honour the Master can confer on a Brother is to make him Tyler, because not only is his own secrets known but those of the Lodge are dependent on him.
The Rev. A.F.A. Woodford author of “Kennings Masonic Cyclopaedia” says that the word is a derivation of “tegulator” the Latin for a man who lays tiles.
“So whence comes his name?”
The first time we see the name Tyler in print in England, is in 1738, before this the title used was Guarder, then Guard and later Outer Guard. This was when the Office of Tyler was mentioned, in writing, in England, and appeared in the 2nd Edition of the Book of Constitutions (1738) of the Grand Lodge of England.
Various other reasons have been put forward but none worth considering.
Aberdeen Lodge in a nineteenth-century list of officer holders, list Tyler’s from 1698. Tylers appear in Masonic Lodges from the middle 18th century acting as guards at the door to make sure that no person who had not been initiated entered while ritual was being performed. If this record is true, it is the earliest reference to a Tyler.
“THE DOORWAY TO FREEMASONRY” written in 1921 by Bro. William Harvey a well-known Scottish Freemason who wrote extensively on the symbolism in Freemasonry.
In this article he states “In olden Scots the word Tile had a wider meaning than that of merely referring to roofing of a house. To
Tile a thing was to cover, or hide, or keep it a secret and in this sense – without reference whatever to the covering of the roof – it quite appropriately applies to the intention of Freemasons to guard their secrets from the uninitiated. If this is correct, the Freemasons would find the most direct way to secure secrecy would be to keep the Lodge guarded or tiled by the Guarder or Outer Guard and he eventually became to be called the Tyler.”
This appears to be a logical explanation of the reason for calling the Outer Guard a Tyler.
The Tyler’s Duties.
We know that the Tyler was responsible for laying out the lodge in days gone by and he also drew out the layout and Tracing Boards in chalk on the floor. In those days the floors were mainly quarry tiles or slate tiles and it was on these the Tyler made his drawings. Hence derived his nickname – Tyler. Spelt with a Y as they did in those days.
The old-time Tyler was paid a special fee for preparing the Lodge. It is recorded in the minutes of Jerusalem Lodge, no 197, that the Tyler who received two shillings and sixpence for forming either the Fellow Craft’s or a Master’s Lodge.
The delivery of the summons was frequently part of the Tyler’s duties; not only did he deliver the summons but in some Lodges, it was his duty to add into the summons any urgent notice. Whether he was paid extra for this duty is open to conjecture.
In other Lodges he would be paid a nominal sum for every Candidate initiated a fee for each passing and again for a raising.
The Tyler was given great discretion in refusing admission when he thought he had good grounds to do so. In the Lodge of
Probity, no. 61, in the 1730’s the Tyler was empowered “to refuse admission to any member of the Lodge who is not clean and decently clad in clean white neckcloth.”
In the days when catechisms were popular and formed such a large part of the Lodge working, we may reasonably assume that the Tyler would be called into some Lodges to answer questions and answers to his place and duties during the Ceremony of opening the Lodge.
Today the Tyler is the last Officer to be invested by the Worshipful Master and is informed of his duties.
In some Lodges, before the Lodge is opened the Master summonses the Tyler to the pedestal where he is handed his sword and informed that he is “Armed with a drawn sword to keep of all Cowan’s and Intruders to Freemasonry and to see that Candidates are properly prepared.”
This part of the Ritual is possibly a throwback to the olden days when the Tyler was questioned about his duties. The Lodge who brings in the Tyler before the Lodge is opened to emphasise the importance of the duties of the Tyler is a preferable procedure rather than letting the Tyler take his position outside the Lodge without initially acknowledging his presence.
In previous times the Tyler also prepared the Candidate for the ceremony and after the Meeting stripped the Lodge and was responsible for the safe storage of the Lodge’s portable fittings along with Officers’ collars etc. This Worshipful Brother was often a Tyler to several Lodges. As a Tyler can be a Serving Brother and a paid officer, it is for this reason when electing the Master and Treasurer we must also, on the summons, to show the item “To elect the Tyler”
Rule 113 of the Book of Constitutions (EC) states;
“The Tyler shall be elected on the date of election of the Master. A Lodge, however, may resolve that a subscribing member of the Lodge shall be Tyler without emolument, in which case the Master will appoint him with the other Officers.”
In olden days it was custom to appoint a senior Brother who may have fallen on hard times as Tyler of the Lodge. It was therefore a method of giving assistance to a Brother suffering hard times and was quite a common practice in England and Scotland.
In Scotland in 1745 the Brethren of the Lodge of Scoon and Perth lamented that their Tyler being a “poor man” frequently attended in torn clothes, and instructed the Treasurer to procure him a new coat. Thus, making him respectable whilst on Masonic duties. Gradually the dress of the 18th Century Tyler or Outer Guard became more impressive, possibly to make a striking impression on the new aspirant for Freemasonry and to create the proper atmosphere when in public procession as was common in those days. This is not referring to the hat and coat supplied to many Tyler’s to go about the Lodge business of delivering messages or summonses.
The Grand Lodge Tyler of 1736 was rather imposing as he was dressed in a red waistcoat under a dark blue coat, trimmed with gold lace.
The Lodge of St John, no. 279, of Leicester, resolved in 1791 that the Tyler be clothed at the expense of the Lodge with a blue coat and waistcoat and corduroy breeches, the whole with yellow buttons, a pair of white stockings, and a three-cornered hat. Also, that he be furnished with a hairy cap to wear
on public occasions, the latter to remain the property of the Lodge.
There are numerous descriptions of the dress of a Tyler. A Lodge in Preston in the 1790’s was dressed in Scarlet with a hairy cap. This hairy cap conjures up various images, was it like a beaver hat worn by the old Wild West hunters or a bearskin, as worn by the military? Unless we happen to find an engraving or woodcut of a Tyler of the period, wearing a hairy cap, we can only guess. In Scotland the position of the Tyler was very similar to that in England, for example from the records of Mary’s Chapel Lodge No 1, that in 1770, the Lodge decided that the Tyler should get a suite of Light Blue Clothes suitable to the colour of the Lodge Ribbons, with a silver lace round the neck and cuffs; also a hat with silver lace, button and loop, therefore this uniform must have added a touch of colour to the Masonic processions.
In 1813 the question of the renewal of the Tyler’s dress came before the Lodge and it was agreed that a blue coat and cocked hat, richly trimmed with gold lace should be purchased for the Tyler to be worn at the procession on St Andrew’s Day.
In the Lodge of Scoon and Perth, they yearned for something more distinctive for their Tyler and nothing less than the style of a Grand Turk would satisfy them. The Treasurer and a committee were appointed “to get the dress done in a masterly fashion.” It consisted of white trousers – which were washed from time to time at a cost of 6d - a royal blue velvet tunic with a light blue vest on which was embroidered the Lodge name and number in white. There was also a royal blue cloak trimmed with ermine, and the headgear was a feathered turban. And to add to the ferocity of the appearance of the Tyler’s appearance a moustache was supplied, and later a beard was added.
Armed with a sword of ample proportions the Tyler was meant to appear a very formidable person.
In the book of inventory of the Lodge Ancient, Dundee, the inventory of the 2nd of January 1812, included a suit of Tyler’s clothing consisting of a coat vest, kilt, and bonnet. There is no mention of the tartan or style but on 3rd January 1816 a bonnet was purchased for the Tyler. This must have been quite a bonnet as the committee agreed to pay thirteen shillings sterling for its purchase so one may deduce this must have been an exceptional piece of headgear.
The dressing of the Tyler, at Lodge expense, in the 18th and early 19th centuries must have been fairly common practice in most Lodges, particularly in the home counties, as there are numerous mentions of the purchase of Tyler’s clothing in old Lodge records.
Tyler’s Remuneration.
When Thistle Operative Lodge No 158 came into existence in 1758, it introduced a new feature into Masonry in Dundee, and added to the duties of the Tyler. It set up a benefit section and undertook to see deceased Brethren properly and decently interred. One of the bye-laws provided that the Brethren in town and suburbs were to “attend the funeral in clean clothes,” under the penalty of sixpence if they could not give a proper excuse. The Tyler’s duty was to summon the Brethren to attend, and for this “he was paid his day’s wages from the Lodge.”
Part of the remuneration the Tyler was that he was allowed to attend the Festive Board but was not expected to pay. The comfortable burgesses and country gentlemen would never dream of asking their humble officer to be out of pocket.
The Brethren of St David’s Lodge No 78 in Dundee whose member were mainly
business and professional men contributed one shilling each per annum to the Tyler plus he had a recognised scale of perks from every new member, and he got a dram with the others. The expenditure for 1776 includes one shilling, for a bottle of punch for the Tyler, on eight different occasions. Again, there are plenty of examples of payment to Tyler’s for their duties from olden times to the present day.
We have looked at the duties of the Tyler from a material point of view but is there a symbolic lesson to be learnt from the Tyler.
Bro. William Harvey states
“The Tyler at the door of the Lodge armed with his sword should impress the postulant who seeks admission and when, later, that admission is gained, the Candidate should learn just what the Tyler’s sword and Office mean. They mark, as it were, the dividing line between the Lodge and the world. In a moral and spiritual sense, they constitute the barrier between right and wrong. It is our common hope that the day will come when the light of truth shall gladden the whole earth, and our constant aim is towards the diffusion of that light. But so long as the Light of Masonry is not shared in the hearts of all men there will be a need for a Tyler with a drawn sword to guard the threshold of our beliefs and secrets.”
Acknowledgement; Sourced from the Staffordshire Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire Website, to whom SRA76 thanks go.
“The Doorway of Freemasonry” by Bro. William Harvey (a member of Lodge 76) was published on the Lodge 76 website in November 2013. A copy is available by contacting the editor of SRA76 or online at this link along with his other papers.
The Twenty-Four Inch Gauge
Brethren, I come to you as a Fellowcraft, and a struggling Entered Apprentice Mason. You may ask, “But aren’t you a Master Mason?” That may be true as to my title, yet it may not be truth with respect to the mastery of myself and the light that I seek. You see, we all want to believe that we have reached great heights with the benefit of that all has been revealed to us; and that we have some sort of understanding of the world around us, as well as what lies deep within us. This is something of a misguided presumption, and this fraudulent belief could be no further from the truth.
As we progress through our own personal journeys, we live, learn, fail, and achieve in hopes of gaining the ultimate prize of wisdom, and to know our God. Frankly, pretending to act as a Master is much akin to a teenager learning to how to drive. You have the ability to drive the vehicle, but lack the experience and knowledge of all that comes with it. This is why I consider myself a Fellowcraft, and sometimes an Entered Apprentice, I am still learning what it means to be a Master of myself, and, to some extent, learning just the basics.
Upon being brought from darkness to light for the first time as an Entered Apprentice, we are later exposed to one of the most valuable tools of that Degree, the 24-inch gauge. This symbolic tool is used to assist us in dividing our time, with eight hours for service to God and a distressed worthy Brother, eight hours for our usual vocation, and eight hours for refreshment and sleep. I can’t help but remember the first time I heard those words. Yet, the thought of how a
person could easily divide their day into three separate eight-hour segments seemed almost impossible and even more impractical.
Like Plato’s man in the cave, I was only seeing the shadows and not the light. My shadows were how I perceived my life, and how I lived it with respect to the time allotted. During the middle of my professional career, I can remember working a 10-hour day on second shift and getting home around one o’clock in the morning. Not being able to sleep upon getting home, I would stay up for an extra hour before going to bed, just to get back up before six o’clock in the morning in order to get my son up for school.
Most days, this was my only opportunity to spend time with my son. After he got on the school bus, I laid back down for an extra couple of hours of rest before heading to the gym. Afterwards, I had a couple of hours for lunch and a shower before heading back to work. What I did not realize, at the time, was that the 24-inch gauge was to be used as a guide instead of a strict measure of time.
Each segment had a purpose, and realizing the use of it was more important than the amount of time spent in any one area. This can be more uniquely described through a passage from the Bible, in the third Chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes. It is one of the most well-known Chapters and describes a multitude of activities from birth to death, to tear down and build, and so many other integral parts contained in life. It does not talk about time, however, but rather, purpose. Looking back now, I understand that I was doing more than just engaging in daily activities. I was providing purpose to my life. At work, I endeavoured to make sure the citizens I served were protected and the victims of crime had a voice. My time
with my son, although limited, was spent nurturing and bonding with him. While going to the gym, I worked on my physical self, and nourished my inner sprit, as this was my time to also spend with my God through thought and prayer. My time may have not been evenly distributed, but my devotion to what I did had meaning and purpose. Brethren, the true light is purpose.
Current society moves at such a fast pace, and all the while we are bombarded with quick information and instant gratification. Thomas Jackson, the author of North American Freemasonry: Idealism and Realism, states, “And yet, with modern labor-saving devices, reduced required working hours, and increased speed of transportation, modern man has more free time than did any other of our Brothers of the past.”
To prove this point even further, a quick Google search reveals that the average person spends two hours and 24 minutes each day on social media sites. Additionally, the same Google search reports that adults spend four hours each day watching television, with an added three hours and 45 minutes interacting with their smart phones. The question then has to be asked, what are we really doing with our time?
Since we have already made the argument that we have a lot of time on our hands, and we spend it on activities that provide little substance, how are we to find any true meaning and purpose from those same activities? The easy and quick answer is, we don’t. I would be a hypocrite if I said I didn’t watch some of my favorite TV shows, or check Facebook to see what is happing with my friends or organizations that I follow. I believe these are healthy activities if they are done in moderation. But, with all our extra time, what should we be doing? It
is not an easy answer to describe, as each of us are looking for something different in our lives.
For me, I strive to focus on reading Masonic books that help me delve into my love of history and esoteric philosophies that provide enrichment for my inner self. I also read my particular volume of sacred law. It provides me my spiritual nourishment and directs me on a pathway to know my God. While at work, I strive to give all my attention to my duties, as best I can, in order to provide the best service to the public and the officers I serve. I also maintain contact with my Brothers to share in their experiences and provide wise counsel when needed. In regard to my family, I give whatever time I can to make sure they are loved and cared for. In the end, I strive to maintain a purpose with everything I do so that I smooth my rough ashlar with the hope of being a true Master Mason someday.
Recently, I read somewhere about whether it was better to have a full cup or not. The purpose of the question happened to be more about a willingness to accept new ideas. If your cup is full of hardened views, how will you ever be able to allow any new or challenging views in. Yet, I believe the concept mentioned can be applied to our current discussion. How often do we keep ourselves so busy in the Craft that we are unable to add anything more to our “cup?” Most who know me, know that I keep a very busy schedule. Unfortunately, I am not the only one who does this, and it is quite the norm for many within our Craft. It begs the question, is this an unnecessary use of or time, and could our time be better spent honing our skills in a few areas rather than spreading ourselves so thinly? I have concluded, even in my case, that addition by subtraction may be the best course of action. John W. Bizzack, author of Island
Freemasonry, states “When the length of our cable tows are constantly short, what realistic expectation can a man (or his lodge) have for advancement or enlightenment when he does not pursue those things for which he voluntarily knocked on the West Gate and asked to receive?”
One has to ask; can a Brother truly be effective in other parts of the Craft when he lacks the fundamentals and time to devote to his current development? The honest answer is no. You have to make a choice as to where your efforts are best applied, and know that the rest of your activities will be merely support until you are ready for additional commitments and development. If there is an unwillingness to do this, then your “cup” will surely be full, and the possibility to have additional quality experiences may just pass you by. For myself, I am beginning to make these tough decisions, and I hope, for the sake of the Craft, others begin to do so as well.
So, I have to ask you, how are you using your 24-inch gauge and are you giving time purpose?
Presentation at Demoss Lodge No. 220, Kentucky, By Thomas L. Nitschke. March 6, 2021 Sourced from the William O. Ware Research Lodge, with due acknowledgement.
DID YOU KNOW?
Question: Define Hele; Hail; Hale; Heal.
Answer: The first three words are pronounced alike, but with different meanings:
1. Hele (Anglo-Saxon) is an old word meaning to cover, conceal.
2. Hail is to greet.
3. Hale means hearty, well.
4. Heal means to make well.
“Hele and Conceal” is one of the many word pairs in ritual which go back to the growth of the English language, when two words were often used to insure that the hearer understood the meaning of at least one.
Question: What is the significance of the Northeast Corner?
Answer: Cornerstones are laid in the Northeast corner Entered Apprentices stand in the Northeast corner of the Lodge. The point midway between the darkness of the North and the brilliance of the East was chosen by ancient builders as the point of beginning, a spot to mark a birth, the commencement of a new structure. Obviously, he who stands in the darkness has no light; as obviously, he on whom falls the whole light of the brilliant East and its rising sun is not in darkness. The point halfway between, then, is a symbol of a beginning te traveler has left the darkness and moved toward the light. Those who build have left the “darkness” in which was no building and progressed far enough towards the “light” to lay a foundation stone a place which by its position symbolizes movement away from blackness into the day.
The symbolism of the Northeast corner in this Entered Apprentice degree is taken from this ancient practice of laying the cornerstone in the Northeast corner. He who stands there in a Lodge, “a just and upright Mason,” is himself a cornerstone of the Lodge which will be. A Lodge is erected not only by, but upon her sons. The Entered Apprentice of today is the veteran Mason and Lodge member of tomorrow.
Question: What is the symbolism of the Ashlars?
Answer: In architecture, an ashlar is a squared stone. Masonically, the ashlars are “rough” not dressed, squared, or polished and “perfect” ready for use in wall or other structure. The information given in most rituals is scanty and does not include the greater meaning which symbolists find in these two stones. Students direct attention to the fact that the perfect ashlar is made from the rough ashlar entirely by a process of taking away, removal of unwanted material. Nothing is added to a rough ashlar to make it perfect. The analogy to the Mason, who is a building stone in the spiritual temple of Masonry, is that the perfect man is within the rough man, and that perfection is to be obtained by a process of taking away the “vices and superfluities of life.”
Every beautiful statue ever carved from stone was always within that stone, needing only the tool of the artist to take away the material not wanted and leave the statue, which was there since the stone was first formed. Compare Luke XVII:21: “The kingdom of God is within you.”
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.
The Perfect Points of Your Entry
I’m sure many of you may have noticed some parts of our rituals which are not clearly explained or understood, yet we commit them to memory and at appointed times recite them without question. One phrase that has always intrigued me is the introduction of the “Perfect Points of Entrance."
In the Entered Apprentice lecture, we learn that there are four “Perfect Points of Entrance”, which are the Guttural (throat), Pectoral (breast), Manual (hands) and Pedal (feet). It is further explained that these four points are illustrated by signs and they are representative of the four Cardinal Virtues –Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice.
However, at no time are these Cardinal Virtues associated with our new Brother’s entrance to the Lodge or Masonry. While the Cardinal Virtues are explained in our lecture there is no further reference to the Four Perfect Points of Entrance. What do they mean and how they connected with the ritual work as well as the associated Cardinal Virtues?
In our Lodge library is Coil's Comprehensive view of Freemasonry & Masonic Encyclopaedia (1954 edition). The book explains that the floor of the lodge includes the mosaic pavement, the tessellated boarder and the blazing star in the centre as described in our lecture. Then Coil adds that around the tessellated border are paintings of cords with tassels in the four corners of the Lodge room.
A close look at our slide deck finds that these cords are illustrated but not explained.
Further research in Coil’s finds that these four tassels refer to the four principal points – guttural, pectoral, manual and pedal – and they represent four of the Cardinal Virtues –Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice. Here is our connection.
Additional research uncovered that each of the principal points is explained as follows:
Guttural is representative of the Northwest corner of the Lodge and comes from the Latin guttur, or the throat. The throat is the avenue of the body which is most employed in committing the sins of intemperance, and is suggestive of the symbolic instructions relating to the virtue of Temperance. The Mason, who appreciates the secrets which he has solemnly promised never to reveal, will not to yield to the temptation of divulging these secrets nor speak ill of any fellow Brother or man.
Pectoral is representative of the Northeast corner of the Lodge and comes from the Latin precuts, or the breast. Since the heart has always been considered the seat of fortitude and courage, this would seem to suggest Masons should bear the hardships of life without compromise to his fidelity and resolve to safeguard and follow the secrets and beliefs of the fraternity.
Manual is representative of the Southeast corner of the Lodge and relates to the hand, from the Latin manus. We are reminded of the necessity and prudence to the careful observance of all pledges and duties we vowed to follow within the fraternity and is symbolic of the virtue of Prudence. Prudence, being one of the four Cardinal Virtues, the practice we were first introduced to in the Entered Apprentice Degree where we found Prudence to be the true guide to human understanding, and consisting of judging and determining with propriety what is be to said or done, what
dangers we should avoid, and how to act in any difficult situation.
Pedal is representative of the Southwest corner of the Lodge and relates to the feet, from the Latin pedes. As just men and Masons, we are to firmly plant our feet on the principals of right, while maintaining that upright position, as a man and Mason, among all mankind, and should never fail to act justly to himself, to his brethren and to the world. This principal point is reflective of the Cardinal Virtue of Justice.
We might consider the Perfect Points of Entrance, not necessarily in the order in which they are listed, as: the reception upon the point of a sharp instrument, the due guard, the penal sign, and the position in the northeast corner of the lodge upon the first step of Freemasonry, which allude to obligations, penalties, and moral responsibilities. These would seem to be the principal points of a candidate’s entry into the Lodge, and would explain, and perhaps support the importance of "The Perfect Points of Entrance" in our Entered Apprentice Degree ritual.
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. Author Bro. Robert Pollock, Harmony Lodge No. 8.
The Cardinal Virtues
I wish to make some contribution to the study of the ethical side of Craft Masonry. Freemasonry is defined as "a peculiar system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols."
The word "peculiar" here must not be taken as meaning strange or unusual, because a scrutiny of our system shows that it
embodies the rules of moral conduct which have been observed by good men in all ages.
The veiling in allegory is perhaps thin, while the illustration by symbols adds a vivid emphasis to many of our moral precepts, and is found mainly in the Working Tools, the Columns of the three principal Officers, and (a short but important reference) the tassels shown on the tesselated pavement and explained in the lecture on the First Tracing Board.
Primarily, Freemasonry is a code of conduct. It is concerned more with right living than with reasoning as to the why and wherefor thereof. It provides a body of detailed moral precepts sufficient completely to regulate the moral life, but it has relatively little to say about ethical theory. The principal repositories of moral precepts in our Craft system are the Charge After Initiation, the explanation of the Working Tools, the address to the brethren and the Master in the Installation
Ceremony, the Antient Charges to which the Master gives his assent upon Installation, and the less known "Charges of a Freemason" prefixed to the Book of Constitution.
However, it is not with this body of precepts that I am primarily concerned this evening. There must be, either express or implied, some reference to moral theory, and I think it is found in two short but important passages. These passages are as follows: -
"Let prudence direct you, temperance
chasten you, fortitude support you, and justice be the guide
of all your actions." (Charge after Initiation.)
The other passage upon which I rely in support of my contentions this evening is found in the last paragraph of the Emulation Lecture on the First Tracing Board, and
reads as follows: - "Pendant to the corners of the Lodge are four tassels, meant to remind us of the four cardinal virtues - namely, temperance, fortitude, prudence and ,justice."
These two passages satisfy me that the basis or theory of conduct behind our moral precepts is the well-known classification of the cardinal virtues, which derives originally from the Greek thinkers.
The original Greek words are usually translated in the English as wisdom (prudence), courage (virtue), temperance and justice (harmony). The adjective "cardinal" here indicates a hinge, pivot or framework upon which a classification of the virtues can be based, and I think all the characteristic virtues stressed in Craft Ritual can be brought under this classification without any strain.
Taking first, wisdom or prudence, this is represented by the Worshipful Master's Column. In its original, and also in its Masonic significance, wisdom implies not only knowledge and qualities of the intellect, matured by a background of experience, but also a definite moral quality as well. This is shown by the Prayer in the First Degree, which contains the following passage: - "Endue him with a competency of Thy Divine Wisdom that, assisted by the secrets of our Masonic Art, he may the better be enabled to unfold the beauties of true godliness, to the honour and glory of Thy Holy Name."
The other passage which supports the inference drawn from this Prayer is found in the exhortation in the Third Degree, which says: "You were led, in the Second Degree, to contemplate the intellectual faculty, and to trace it, from its development, through the paths of heavenly science even to the Throne of God Himself."
The inference I draw from these paragraphs is that to the Freemason, wisdom involves not only knowledge and experience, but virtue and godliness as well.
A wise man could never be a wicked man, but a clever or a learned man might. It should be noticed also that wisdom is inculcated and esteemed not for its own sake, but because it brings us closer to the Divine nature. Freemasonry holds, however, that true virtue is impossible in a complete sense without knowledge and enlightenment, because that is what releases us from the bondage of ignorance. Only a wise man can enjoy freedom, and without freedom moral choice seems impossible.
The term wisdom also can reasonably be extended to cover the characteristic Masonic virtue of caution and secrecy. In itself, however, Freemasonry teaches us that wisdom will not create a truly moral character without courage or virtue to implement the course which wisdom points out as right.
The very word "character" indicates strength, because nobody would refer to a weakling as being a man of character. The Craft, therefore, teaches that wisdom and prudence must be reinforced by virtue or courage.
In this manner a Freemason proceeds to implement the third of the cardinal virtuesthat of temperance. Temperance in its Masonic significance clearly means carrying out the injunction of the Second Degree, to observe a due mean. The Craft recognises that. moral conduct is a due balance or proportion, avoiding either excess or defect of a quality. This has always been recognised by moralists, both pagan and religious. The driving to excess of a virtue, may constitute a vice in just the same way as omission of the quality. This virtue of temperance seems also to cover that most
characteristic Masonic attribute, tolerance or charity. I use the word "charity" here not in the sense of alms giving, but in the New Testament sense of brotherly love.
Wisdom strengthened by fortitude to discern and follow out. the due mean indicated by temperance, gives us that balanced moral life, the term for which is usually translated as justice, but which in my view can more properly be designated as harmony in the Masonic sense of that word.
As far as I can see this is practically the only ethical theory which Craft Masonry appears to endorse, and it should be noticed that it is the ethical theory of a moral man without any distinctively religious tinge. It is true that faith, hope and charity are mentioned in the lecture on The First Tracing Board, and that faith and hope at all events are distinctly religious virtues. This classification, however, is not made use of in Craft Masonry, although as many will be aware it is not without importance in other branches of Freemasonry.
Craft Masonry, however, is ethical solely and does not involve the endorsement of any specific religion.
I do not feel that much I have said this evening will be new to the Brethren, although the point of view may be so; neither do I think that it will prove to be contentious. The ideas involved are simple, but very important. I have found that the most important truths are usually simpleboth in Freemasonry and the world in general.
Article by Rt. Wor. Bro. Professor B. E. Murphy, P.G.W. February, 1949, sourced from ‘The Sunday Masonic Paper’ with thanks.
Famous Freemasons
Cecil B. DeMille
“The
person who makes a
success of
living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication.”
― Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil B. DeMille was a filmmaker, actor, and Freemason, known as the founding father of American cinema.
Having made 70 feature films during his career, many of which were commercial triumphs and reached broad audiences, Brother Cecil B. DeMille led an extraordinary life. DeMille’s career as an actor and director spanned the silent and sound eras, and he is considered within Hollywood a founding father of American
cinema and among the most commercially successful producer-directors in film history.
The award-winning DeMille was an active Freemason and member of Prince of Orange Lodge #16 in New York City. His films, including The Ten Commandments, The King of Kings, Cleopatra, and Samson and Delilah, are notable for their sheer scale and advanced cinematography for the time. As one of the 36 co-founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), it’s safe to say Brother DeMille had a hand in shaping the world of cinema and, subsequently, American culture.
Henry Churchill DeMille and his wife, Matilda Beatrice DeMille, were on vacation in Ashfield, Massachusetts, when they welcomed a son into the world. On August 12, 1881, Cecil Blount DeMille was born and was the second of the couple’s three children. His family returned to New York the next month, where Henry worked as an English teacher at the school known today as Columbia University. Born in North Carolina, Henry was a playwright and faculty member during the early years of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Matilda was a literary agent and scriptwriter, and she met Henry through a music and literary society in New York. Together, they raised Brother DeMille into a confident child with a love for theater. He grew up watching his father rehearse plays, sending his imagination running wild. Henry and Beatrice operated a private school in New Jersey and attended Christ Episcopal Church. It was here that Brother DeMille believed he first visualized the story of his 1923 version of The Ten Commandments.
Henry de Mille died suddenly from typhoid fever when Cecil was just 12. On his deathbed, Henry told Beatrice he did not
want his sons to become playwrights. Of course, Brother DeMille’s hard work and creativity would take him far beyond the confines of the stage. With three kids to care for, Beatrice sent Brother DeMille to Pennsylvania Military College when he was 15. He was a complex boy, escaping the school to try and join the Spanish-American War. He failed to meet the age requirement and returned to school, where he reportedly excelled in personal conduct.
After the military college, Brother DeMille attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, graduating in 1900. For graduation, he performed the play The Arcady Trail while theater producer Charles Frohman watched from the audience. Frohman was impressed and cast Brother DeMille in his play Hearts are Trumps, which was the young actor’s Broadway debut on February 21, 1900.
Brother DeMille’s long and prestigious career in entertainment officially began in the theatrical company of Charles Frohman. He immediately starred in productions of A Repentance, To Have and to Hold, and Are You a Mason, the latter a comedy about a young husband who pretends to join the Freemasons as an excuse to get out of the house. While acting in Hearts are Trumps, Brother DeMille starred alongside Constance Adams. The couple married on August 16, 1902, and stayed together for the remainder of their days.
Brother DeMille continued acting for the next decade until he created the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company in 1913 alongside Jesse Lasky and Sam Goldfish (later Samuel Goldwyn). Brother DeMille immediately became director-general and was responsible for making the films, including directing and supervising the whole process.
The following year was eventful for the DeMille family. Brother DeMille put his entire cast and crew on a westbound train to shoot a film in Arizona. Unsatisfied with Arizona as the setting, they ventured further west to Los Angeles. Upon arriving, he decided against filming in Edendale, where many studios were, and instead chose to shoot in Hollywood. Brother DeMille’s first film, The Squaw Man, which he co-directed with Oscar Apfel, was an hour long and an immediate sensation. It was the first featurelength film made in Hollywood and was such a success it led to the eventual founding of Paramount Pictures and Hollywood becoming the “film capital of the world.” In December 1914, Constance and Brother DeMille adopted John DeMille, a fifteen-month-old child.
Following the success of his first film, Brother DeMille began working at a feverish pace. He made “Hollywood” synonymous with success and ushered in the evolution of cinema from the silent era to sound and into the introduction of color films. By 1915, Brother DeMille had already directed 20 films, many of which were hits.
As Brother DeMille became the American film industry’s most successful director, he began working on increasingly sophisticated productions. He famously shot bigger and more extravagant scenes, and in 1923, he released The Ten Commandments, which marked a profound evolution in his filmmaking. It was produced on a budget exceeding a half million dollars, the most expensive production at Paramount. Despite concerns from the executives regarding the price tag, the film was a huge commercial success.
The film industry was moving from the silent era into sound, and Brother DeMille was at its heart. He invented new audio and
camera equipment and continued pumping out films to great commercial success. He used his position to extend his professional ventures beyond Hollywood, opening the Mercury Aviation Company, one of America’s first commercial airlines, entering the real estate market, and even serving as the vice president of Bank of America and the Commercial National Trust and Savings Bank in Los Angeles.
In the 1930s, his fame as a filmmaker was surpassed by his fame as a radio star. Brother DeMille hosted, produced, and directed Lux Radio Theater, a weekly show on CBS discussing films from 1936 to 1945. Lux Radio was tremendously popular, with forty million weekly listeners.
His biggest movies came during the 1940s, partially due to the advent of Technicolor. In 1949, he released the Biblical blockbuster Samson and Delilah, which grossed $11 million ($141 million in 2023 dollars).
Brother DeMille released The Greatest Show on Earth in 1951 when he was 70. It was a physically taxing film to direct, but it earned him the Academy Award for Best Picture and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. Brother DeMille followed up this success with an even more ambitious project: an epic remake of his movie The Ten Commandments, a film about the life of Moses.
It was a four-hour sprawling production largely filmed on-site in Egypt and, at the time, was the most expensive movie ever made. The scene depicting the parting of the Red Sea was challenging and took six months to film. Brother DeMille employed special effects never performed before, including splicing footage from the banks of the Red Sea with scenes filmed in Paramount Studios in Hollywood. While the
results were stunning, the stress of pursuing ever larger and more demanding projects began to take its toll. On November 7, 1954, Brother DeMille was directing the Exodus sequence, which included filming 12,000 people in the desert at Beni Suef when he suffered a severe heart attack. Amazingly, he never missed a day on the set despite his serious illness.
Critics and audiences alike adored the film, and in 1957, it was nominated for seven Academy Awards. According to Guinness World Records, it is the eighth highestselling film at the box office when adjusted for inflation. After The Ten Commandments, Brother DeMille stepped away from film-making to focus on his health. It would be his final film as a director.
Over the next few years, Brother DeMille struggled with his heart, ultimately passing away on January 21, 1959, at age 77. Even in his old age and poor health, he was still eager to return to work and had hoped to complete a science fiction movie set in space. With a career that spanned from the stage to the screen and across many decades, DeMille garnered many awards and industry accolades.
Perhaps most notable, Brother Cecil B. DeMille is remembered as a key innovator in developing the classic narrative of film, with the Hollywood Foreign Press/Golden Globes opting to create the annual Cecil B. DeMille Award in his honour. His namesake award recognizes recipients for a lifetime of achievement in film. It has been awarded to many notable recipients
This article reproduced in SRA76 magazine was originally published on the Scottish Rite Northern Masonic Jurisdiction website. To whom or grateful thanks go. Editor
Old Legends of Hiram Abif
According to an ancient Greek historian, Hiram Abif was "a son of a man of Tyre and whose mother was a Jewess of the House of David" -that is, of Judah. I Kings, VII, 1314, tells us that he was a "widow's son of the Tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre." In 11 Chron., 11, 13-14, he is described as the son of a "woman of the daughters of Dan." The stories of his skill and "cunning" as an artificer and metal worker are told in scripture, as well as Masonic lore, and myth and legend.
The central character which he plays in Masonic teaching and ritual needs no repeating. The legends which exist about him, but which are not incorporated into Masonic work, form a fascinating and illuminating picture of a man about whom little factual knowledge exists. He may have been a member of the cult of Dionysian Artificers. One old legend tells that prior to the start of construction of the Temple, King Solomon held a contest and offered a prize for the best design which could be drawn by any of the prospective workman. It was Hiram who drew the figure which we know as an illustration of the forty-seventh problem of Euclid.
He displayed and used the trestle board about which we hear in our ritual. It was a table of wood coated with wax. On this he drew his designs with a stylus of iron. Upon seeing the figure of the 47th problem and recognizing its significance, Solomon, with joy, laid the foundation stone of the Temple.
There is a Moslem account that the jewel worn about the neck of Hiram Abif was inscribed with the "word." He wore this jewel on a chain of gold; and when he was
attacked, he threw it down a well to prevent his assassins from obtaining it. It was later recovered from the well, which gives us yet another version of the "recovery of the word."
Part of the credit for obtaining materials to enrich and adorn the Temple is given to Hiram Abif according to another old legend. Four years before construction of the Temple began, he purchased some curious and precious stones from an Arabian merchant. He was told that they had been found on an island in the Red Sea. He travelled there to investigate and was able to discover great quantities of topaz, which later was imported by ships of Hiram of Tyre in the service of King Solomon.
There is an interesting legend of a Temple workman whose name was Cavelum. He was kinsman of King Solomon and was the house of David; thus he had high status among the other workmen. In the process of inspection of work in progress on the north wall of the Temple at a place where the north gate was to be, Hiram Abif accidentally dislodged a stone. It fell and struck Cavelum, who was killed. Hiram Abif was so overcome by grief that he ordered the north gate sealed and closed forever.
This legend was once used as the basis for a degree called Fellow Craft Mark. Dr. Albert Mackey has stated that this was an early trace of the present Mark Master degree.
The Gothic Constitution Manuscripts, Chaphan and Colne No. 1, refer to Hiram and "Hiram of Tickus, a Mason's sonne." In another old Masonic writing there is a gap or a blank, which Masons of today (and we may assume of past days) would immediately fill with the name "Hiram Abif." Many authorities on this subject are of the opinion that the name of this man at one time had an esoteric significance, and it
was forbidden to put it in written form. In other writings, substitute names are used. It is curious to note that the oldest of the ancient manuscripts often refer to him as "son of the King of Tyre."
There is also confusion about the name of Hiram because of a variety of spellings used in translations. The reference "Hiram, my father" is confusing. Many older writers failed to distinguish between Hiram of Tyre and Hiram Abif. There is also a legend that there were two workmen named Hiram who were actually father and son, that one was an architect while the other was a metal worker. Advocates of this theory point to the spelling of "Huram" and "Hiram."
In spite of our legend of the Third Degree (and it must be emphasized that it is legend and not history), the death of Hiram Abif is poorly documented. Consequently, many other legends have developed. Ancient stories of the Talmud tell us that at the completion of the Temple all the workmen were killed so that they could never build a temple to a heathen god--or according to some versions, so that they could never construct another building which would rival the Temple in magnificence. In still other versions, which come to us from Rabbinical lore, Hiram was the one of all the workmen who escaped death by being taken up into heaven like Enoch and Elijah.
Legend and conjecture lend a greater air of mystery to the circumstances of the death of this man, and scholars have called attention to the account by Virgil of the death of Polydorus as a possible source of the substance of our Third Degree Hiramic legend. In this story King Priamus of Troy sent his son, Polydoris, to the King of Thrace, where he was killed and secretly buried. Aeneas discovered the body on a hillside because he pulled up an unrooted shrub at the site of the grave.
There is a legend which indicates that Hiram, King of Tyre, was not at the building site of the Temple in Jerusalem, but was in Tyre when the death of Hiram, as we know the legend in the Third Degree, occurred. Solomon was concerned, for Hiram Abif was an important individual and a citizen of Tyre. Solomon followed a cautious, diplomatic course by keeping Hiram of Tyre well informed of the capture, examination, and confession of guilt from the ruffians; and he inquired of King Hiram his wishes in the matter of the penalty that should be imposed. King Hiram replied to Solomon and the sentence was imposed and carried out as he directed.
This account appears in an old ritual, and the ruffians are identified by the last letters of their names. When combined, the letters form the mystic word of certain Eastern cults, "OAM." Certain mystic writers have made much of this coincidence.
One of the so-called Masonic rites which arose in the eighteenth century but has now faded from the scene was the Rite of Misraim, which consisted of more than ninety degrees. In this work, the legend was altered; and according to his version, Hiram Abif returned to Tyre when the Temple was completed. There he lived out his days in peace and contentment, surrounded by the material wealth with which he had been compensated by King Solomon. This account finds some support in the writings of the Jewish historian, Josephus. He tells us that after the Temple was completed, the two great Kings remained friends. They often posed riddles to each other; and the King of Tyre obtained assistance in solving them from Hiram Abif, for whom Josephus uses the name Abdemon. Josephus also tells us that Hiram Abif spent his old age in Tyre. (6) In 2 Chron. 11, 14, we are told that Hiram Abif could "find out any device which should be put to him."
An Oriental legend traces the lineage of Hiram from Adam through Tubal Cain and Nimrod, the builder of the Tower of Babel. It deals with fantasies concerning various marriages of men to Oriental spirits and emphasizes an Eastern belief that all smiths were related to spirits of fire.
When Saba, the Queen of Sheba, visited King Solomon, she was much attracted to Hiram; and Solomon became jealous. He arranged with three workmen--Fanor, a Syrian Mason; Amru, a Phoenician carpenter; and Metusael, a Hebrew quarryman--to disrupt the casting of the brazen sea. The spilled molten metal would have killed Hiram, except that he was saved by the spirit of his ancestor, Tubal Cain.
Saba and Hiram fled. Hiram threw his jewel down a deep well, but he was taken by the assassins and killed by a blow to the head. They buried his body on a hill and planted an acacia bush on the grave.
Three masters later discovered his body. The account of the exclamations made by those who found the body of Hiram are the same as those given in an exposure of our ritual in the early part of the eighteenth century. There is even an account of an agreement concerning future action by masons to compensate for the loss of the word which had been inscribed on Hiram's jewel.
This legend continues with the finding of Hiram's jewel, which Solomon had placed on a triangular altar in a secret vault under the Temple. The vault was concealed by a stone, in the shape of a perfect cube, placed to seal the entrance.
This paper was presented at the Southern Arizona Research Lodge in 1982 by Bro. Paul T. Hughes, and sourced from STB February 1986.
The True Secret Word of a Master Mason
At the beginning of his Masonic career each candidate for initiation is instructed that “Freemasonry is a beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. The design of the Masonic Institution is to make its members wiser, better and consequently happier…...” To that end we are reminded by symbols to circumscribe our desires and to keep our passions within due bounds.
Our Lodges are universally opened with a prayer. In many jurisdictions we beseech the Grand Architect of the Universe, whom each of us worships privately in his own way, to “grant that the sublime principles of Freemasonry may so subdue every discordant passion within us, so harmonize and enrich our hearts with Thine own love and goodness, that the Lodge at this time may humbly reflect that order and beauty which reign forever before Thy throne.”
Our degrees teach and constantly remind us of our duties to ourselves and our fellow creatures. In the Entered Apprentice Degree we are taught to extend true charity to all. Not just material charity, but also that more noble charity of mind and spirit that inspires us to help every other human being who is in need. We are reminded to act with Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice. The last of these cardinal virtues –Justice – “enables us to render to every man his just due without distinction.”
The Fellowcraft Degree instructs us to engage ourselves in the pursuit of knowledge, not just at passing, but forever. In particular it encourages us to study the
classical liberal arts and sciences, which lead to a liberal and enlightened mind. That mind is free from the dross of all prejudices, national, cultural, ethnic, racial, and religious. It could hardly be otherwise, for we are also taught that Masonry is universal, extending its benevolence throughout the entire terrestrial globe. By so freeing our hearts and consciences from all prejudices we are taught that we will earn, not be given, wages of spiritual nourishment, refreshment, and joy.
The Sublime Degree of Master Mason goes even further. It is called “sublime,” that is “elevated in thought,” “inspiring awe,” because it teaches us of our further duties to each other and, indeed, to all humankind. In that degree we undertake certain serious and solemn obligations to each other as brothers. But these duties are not exclusive to us. The true, mature Mason understands that they apply to all persons of every kind in every situation. We bind ourselves to each other only as a starting point, a point from which the real Mason travels onward.
The Master’s degree, however, comes with a warning. That warning is conveyed in the most dramatic fashion. It is that we must ever guard against the worst ruffians of our natures and oppose them, even to death, if we hope to be placed as living stones in that “House not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” We must act. We may not just hope.
The Master’s degree also informs us that the secret word of a Master Mason has been lost to us through the perfidy of our unseemly desires and passions – the ruffians that confront us daily and to which we so often succumb. It is our duty to seek out that secret word, that hidden meaning, even though it will always remain ineffable and inexplicable to others. It is our individual duty to become worthy of receiving it by
subduing our passions and controlling our desires. Only then may we hope to obtain and understand it – the true meaning of Freemasonry – within our hearts and soul.
He who would receive the true secret word of a Master Mason must come to understand that it can only be learned it by the constant practice of the virtues inculcated by our degrees. We all will one day stand naked and defenceless before the Grand Architect of the Universe. Before that Throne there will be no distinctions of nationality, class, or race. All those artificial distinctions, meaningful only to sinful man, will be worthless to us. If we would finally receive the true secret word, the word that has been lost, we must constantly resist the ruffians of our natures that keep us from it. We must not sow discord. We must resist the temptation to treat only those who look and think like ourselves as our neighbours and brothers.
He who allows the three ruffians of religious bigotry and intolerance, ethnic and cultural blindness, and racial animosity and hatred to dominate his thoughts and control his actions will no more discover the true secret word of a Master Mason, no matter how hard he cries “Give it to me!!”, than did those ruffians whose evil deed bloodied the ground at the building of King Solomon’s Temple.
This is the great teaching of the Third Degree. It is of greater importance than any haled word or sign. And it is the hardest one for most of us to grasp. But grasp it we must if we are ever to become true Master Masons.
One does not become a Master merely by being raised. Rather one becomes a Master by truly embracing and living that which our ceremonies teach. In the end it is up to each of us to become a Master Mason in spirit as
well as in body. Only then will one be worthy to receive the true secret word of a Master Mason. Whether one ever reaches that goal, whether one ever becomes worthy to be placed as a living stone in that celestial Temple, will be known only to him and to our Infinite Creator when he finally stands before Him.
Therefore it is well that we constantly strive to make smooth our rough natures by embracing and following the great lessons of Freemasonry – the lessons taught by symbols, types, and allegories in the Three Degrees - in all our thoughts and actions inside the Lodge, as well as in the profane world.
This article by David J. Llewellyn was sourced from the Short Talk Bulletin, May 2010 with, thanks again.
A Freemason is a Man who has seen the Light
This lecture is about the phrase in the ritual, where a mason is defined as a man who has seen the light. It is a very difficult topic. All of this is explained in Freemasonry by symbols, but the symbols are hard to understand if you have not already seen the light. We all know what light is, but of course it is not the physical light it is about, and to explain what the divine light is for people who have not even seen this light, is in reality an impossibility. But it is very important to talk about the light in the masonry circle, because if we have not seen this light, we are after the definition of a Freemason, not at all, Freemasons.
But let's start in the easier end….. Most Freemasons believe that the legend of Hiram Abif is the centre of Freemasonry,
and they study every detail of the legend of Hiram Abif to find the original secrets of Freemasonry. But nobody finds these secrets. Why? Because the details of the legend about Hiram Abif are not very important. Hiram Abif has not always been a prominent figure in the masonry. In the past, the legend in masonry was not a legend about Hiram Abif. It was a legend about Noah. In other mystery organizations, throughout the ages there have been many legends that have covered the same theme as the legend of Hiram Abs, namely legends about death and resurrection. It does not, therefore, lead to something important to study the details of the legend of Hiram Abif. You have to dive into the background of the legend of Hiram Abif to find something of interest, and this background is the doctrine of the journey to death, which turns out to be almost the same as the journey to the mysteries.
There is nothing to be found in the myth about Hiram Abif, which cannot be found in other death / rebirth myths. With this view on the myth of Hiram Abif, Freemasonry changes character from something sectarian to something universal. What matters in the legend of Hiram Abif are not the legend's details, but the background of the legend, and this background turns out to be the teachings that the road to the mysteries is the same as the road to death. This path passes through the four elements to what may be death, but which can also be the way to the mysteries. But there are not many who today understand the doctrine of the four elements. In Mozart's Magic Flute, one can see that the teaching of the elements at that time was an essential element of Freemasonry, but today, this teaching is considered to be the pure superstition.
The background of the legend of Hiram Abif can be expressed in two words: death and
rebirth. So death itself is one of the key parts of the legend about Hiram Abif and Freemasonry. In the rituals it is asked whether death is the special subject for the 3.degree, and it is confirmed that death is the special subject for this degree. When death is a special subject for the 3.degree, it is because the road to death and the road to the mysteries are almost the same way. The road to death and the road to the mysteries is a path that leads through the four elements earth, air, water and fire. Not through the physical substances earth, air, water and fire, but through the stages that are symbolically expressed with the words earth, air water and fire. Earlier, Freemasonry was the place where you learned about the four elements, but after the Enlightenment, there are not many Freemasons who have a more thorough knowledge of the four elements. Today, astrology is one of the few places that have retained the teachings of the four elements, but astrology does not contain the conjugation of the elements with the journey to death. If you do not like astrology, you can just skip everything else in astrology and only study the lessons about the elements. The lessons of the elements as stages during the journey to death and as stages during the journey to the mysteries are not contained in astrology, but are reserved for the few Freemasons, who go deep into their study of freemasonry.
The stage of the element of earth is already met by living on earth. The stage of the element of air is a stage where thought processes take over in our lives. This stage is associated with the left hemisphere. Almost everything in life on earth is governed by the processes that house in the left hemisphere. However, it is at the expense of the processes in the right hemisphere. The element of water is a stage where the processes in the right hemisphere take over the processes in the left
hemisphere. It is a stage of extremely strong emotions and with inner images that control the thought mechanisms. It's a stage where it's hard to see the difference between reality and imagination. The stage of the element of fire is a stage that is difficult to describe. The stage of the element of fire is a stage that is difficult to describe. When you are in the element of fire, you are in a state where you are able to see yourself as a light-like pyramid-like figure with the divine light radiating into the pyramid from a hole in the top of the pyramid. In this state you will also experience a very strong activity that at the same time goes in and out of the hole at the top of the pyramid. To see the divine light at the top of the pyramid is what we in Freemasonry call to see the light, and it is the longest one can go without dying. If you pass the opening at the top of the pyramid, you get out into infinity, and then you are what we call dead. The pyramid form is obtained by the fact that light that radiates through a hole always does this as a light cone. According to the ritual, the definition of a mason is that it is a righteous and free man of mature age, sound judgment and strict moral who has seen the light. For some reason, the brothers always skip the last part of the definition "who has seen the light" or else they find something else that they call the light so that they can call themselves Freemasons. The light, which freemasonry talks about, is the divine light in the top of the pyramid, and this light has not been seen by many brothers. So, according to the definition of a Freemason, there are not many brothers who are Freemasons. In reality, we are all Freemason apprentices, regardless of the degree which we decorate ourselves with. We call us Freemasons and our brothers acknowledge us as Freemasons, but it's just a play. You will not become a Freemason by being initiated in a Masonic lodge. Real Freemasons are something one can strive to be over time. You will not be a
real Freemason until you have seen the light, and there are not many of us who have. True Freemasons we are not until we have seen the light. As long as we have not seen the divine light at the top of the pyramid, we are all masonry apprentices no matter how many degrees we have. We may call us Freemasons, but we will not be Freemasons. And there are no high degrees which can tell us how to find the light at the top of the pyramid. The degrees tell us about the light, but they do not show us the light. It requires much more than attending Masonic meetings to get to see the Light. The spell pyra is the Greek word of fire, so the word pyramid means the fire in the middle or the fire at the centre. I do not know if the hole in the top of the pyramid is the same as what some scientists call "worm holes" in the universe, but I know that in the state of the element of fire there is a hole that leads from this world to another world, because I have seen the gate of the Divine, which flows through the hole in the top of my pyramid, which then radiates like a star or an eye at the top of the pyramid, as seen on many masonry drawings of the pyramid, and which at last flows into my body, where it among other things take care that my heart continue beating. It is a very peculiar feeling to see your heart beating in a scanner completely outside your control. You will realize that you are facing a great power that lies outside your self and you will bee filled with the greatest reverence towards this power. The common belief that life is due to coincidences between some chemicals is so foolish that one must doubt the intelligence of the people who believe in this.
Article by By Jens Gabe and sourced from the website, “Essence of Masonic Enlightenment”. This article is the view of it’s author, and in no way reflect the views or thoughts of the editor of SRA76 and or his Lodge or his Mother Constitution. GloS
MASONIC MYTHS
PART 2
Continued from Part 1 in the March 2025 edition of SRA76, Bro. Douglas M. Messimer looks at more myths and outright falsehoods concerning freemasonry. Myths can be innocent or dangerous. They can be outright lies or the continuation of distortions handed down through the generations. Some of these corruptions have caused the Craft problems with creditable historians because they were just plain outrageous lies. Here are some more myths.
How many have been given or have a "Masonic Bible". Well this is a…..
Myth. Technically, it’s not really a Masonic Bible.
Fact: The Bibles sometimes called "Masonic Bibles" are usually the King James Version, to which a concordance has been added, giving the Biblical citations on which our Masonic Ritual is based. Sometimes reference material on Masonic history is included. No matter what you call it…I like to think of it as your ‘owner’s manual’, after all it IS the ‘Holy Bible’.
Myth. The story of Hiram as we portray it in our Lodge ritual is based on truth.
Fact. It isn't. It has been called an "allegory," but factually that’s not correct. An allegory is a story within a story. What we portray in our ritual is actually a fable. But it's a fable that teaches valuable and unforgettable lessons. The Temple of Solomon was built to the glory of God…that is a fact.
The story as told in the Master Masons degree is not meant to be factual. In a broad
sense it can be called a legend. The legend of Hiram is an important part of the teachings that are very graphically imprinted on the mind and heart of the candidate. Masonic author Allen Roberts said, ‘The lessons found in the Legend of Hiram Abif reach to the roots of the soul and spirit. They are instilled in the heart forever. You were an active participant, so that these lessons would be deeply implanted, never to be lost. The ultimate triumph of good over evil, and life over death, has been depicted throughout the ages in drama, song and story’. Legends depicting a central figure being killed and then returned to life were common to many religions and rites. These undoubtedly had a bearing on the development of the lessons the ritualists of Freemasonry believed had to be taught. But the legend of Hiram is more intense, moralistic, and meaningful than any that preceded it.
Hiram Abif did exist. He was a skilful worker in brass and other metals, and he was sent to assist King Solomon at the temple. The Hiram Abif who actually worked at beautifying the Temple of Solomon lived to an old age, and he died of natural causes.
Myth. Pythagoras was Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason.
Fact. So say the ritualists of yesteryear, and their successors have compounded the fabrication. Oh, don’t get me wrong, Pythagoras was indeed a great man. Although he left behind no writings of his own, his students managed to leave more than enough to leave a wonderful legacy. His influence has extended to the present day. It’s little wonder his teachings have reached into Freemasonry, even if only in small fragments. But, even if a form of Freemasonry was known while he lived (582-507 B.C.) he could not have been made a Master Mason. This degree didn’t evolve
until the late 1720's. Actually there are those who believe that the Freemasonry that did mature into what we have today was highly influenced by the Pythagoreans.
Myth: Some of our Masonic ritual was written by Sir William Shakespeare. This one has been around a very long time. I even heard mention of this shortly after I was raised, 40 years ago.
Fact: There is no evidence to indicate Shakespeare even knew there was an organization of stone masons that would eventually become Speculative Freemasonry. The old Gothic Constitutions are the basis for The Constitutions of the Free-Masons compiled by Dr. James Anderson and adopted in 1723. There is nothing in the Gothic tomes that remotely resembles the writing of the Bard. Some of Shakespeare's phrases have found their way into the rituals of the Craft, but they certainly were not written especially for this purpose. It would be nice to claim Sir William as an early accepted member of our gentle Craft, but we can't. Let's stop trying.
Myth: All, or most, of the Freemasons in Germany were murdered during the Nazi regime.
Fact: The truth about all of the horrors of Nazism will most likely never be known. On Hitler’s rise to power, the ten Grand Lodges of Germany were dissolved. Many among the prominent dignitaries and members of the Order were sent to concentration camps. The Gestapo seized the membership lists of the Grand Lodges and looted their libraries and collections of Masonic objects. Much of this loot was then exhibited in an "AntiMasonic Exposition", such as the one held in Belgrade, in October of 1941.
The number of German Freemasons sent to concentration camps, the gas chambers,
prisons, those tortured or murdered in their homes will never be known. My rather unscientific research, the only kind possible in this case, seems to indicate that about two-thirds of the 85,000 Masons in Germany were injured in some manner, this left one-third of the members untouched. The number actually murdered or tortured is open to pure conjecture. It must be remembered that the Nazi horror reached out into other countries and filtered down to the Freemasons within those countries, as well. Terrible things happened to many people in that time of history, including members of the Craft, but those atrocities are forever shrouded in the mists of time.
If you have followed along my series of ‘nuggets’ over the years, by now you know how I love to illustrate a point with analogies….so he’s a different one….Masonry guides us on our walk through the ‘forest of philosophy, morality, and spirituality’. Where we choose to enter the forest, and how far we walk in, is entirely up to us. So, my job as a Lodge Education Officer is to point out a path, past the trees and into the forest, but it’s up to you to walk the path. Some of my educational nuggets will point out an interesting ‘tree in the forest’, or maybe fix a little 'hitch in your git-along', but it won't do the walking for you. So, my Brethren, choose your path, enter the forest and continue on your journey of discovery. Read, discover, and devote some time to improving yourself in Masonry. Sign up on line for the Grand Lodge Correspondence Courses. Remember, Masonic education is a lifetime process.
… #81 in a series of nuggets from the Quarry of Freemasonry, Douglas M. Messimer, PM, LEO Tuckahoe Lodge 347 03/16. Part Three of Masonic Myths will appear in the September 2025 issue of SRA76.
THE SQUARE –MASONIC SYMBOL
The square occupies an important place as an implement of Freemasonry. In all lodges it is a Great Light. In many jurisdictions, including my own, it is one of the Immovable Jewels because of being the Jewel of the Master. As a Symbol it certainly has as many interpretations as any Symbol. As an emblem of Freemasonry it is recognized by millions who have never been inside a Masonic Lodge and know nothing of Masonic rituals. Because of its antiquity, the Square is peculiarly fitted for the part it plays in Freemasonry, for the origin of the Square as a geometric figure is as legendary as the birth of Freemasonry, or more so.
One of the most potent arguments used by those who hold that a Freemasonry, similar to that which we have today, with some of today's due-guards and penal signs, was known to the earliest civilizations, is that our Symbols are known to have existed in prehistoric times, and quite likely were used to teach some of the same lessons which we today derive from them. It is not difficult to produce evidence that the Square was an emblem of morality long before the days of King Solomon. Certainly the great Temple which in all its beauty crowned Moriah's Mounts could not have been erected had not the principles of the Square and its angle of 90 degrees been well known to the architects who constructed what became the most glamorous edifice of all ages. The great stones and timbers, certainly could not have been brought to Jerusalem hewn and squared and ready to be fitted into position, except through the application of the principles of the Square. No great building ever has been erected without the application of those principles.
As no edifice may approach architectural perfection without use of the principles of
the geometric square, so no man may approach perfection in Freemasonry without application of the principles of the Symbolic Square. The Square, with its angle of 90 degrees, is contained within every perfect circle, and its perfection is geometrically proved by a problem performed within the circle. The Freemason moves within the circle of his brethren. Whether or not he is "on the square" is proved by his actions within that circle.
To the ancients, the Square symbolically represented the earth while the circle represented heaven. It is fitting then that the Square should be a principal Symbol of a great body of earthly beings and that its perfection should be proved by a problem within the ancient Symbol of Heaven.
The Square is a perfect figure. We, as Freemasons, are expected to "act upon the Square," yet no one of us has ever reached or may hope to reach the perfection of that Symbol. Perfection is not for humans, but we who employ the symbolic square in the design of our daily lives have, what may seem to some, an advantage over those who use the geometric Square in erecting great edifices. No building would be acceptable if the principles of the Square had been even slightly disregarded in its construction. On the other hand we imperfect mortals may deviate slightly from the principles of the Square of Morality and Virtue, and concealing our faults still walk uprightly before the world. However, if we wish to be hereafter a part of that spiritual building, not erected by hands, eternal in the heavens, it is not enough to merely walk uprightly before the world.
The Square, Great Light, Jewel and Symbol of Freemasonry, contains within its 90 degrees everything necessary to guide us to that perk action for which we should strive here, and which we may hope to attain in our home over there.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. –Where Charity and Love are, God is there.
When a man petitions a Lodge to become a Freemason, he is asked three questions, the first of which is, “Do you believe in the existence of a Supreme Being?” All too often this conjures up an image of a whitebearded, paternalistic figure in flowing robes such as that painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564). While this image is undoubtedly great art, it is not helpful to the modern, rational thinking man in framing an answer to the essential question
Why, if Freemasonry is not a religion, as we are quick to affirm, is a belief in the existence of a Supreme Being a prerequisite? This is often the most searching question raised by a serious inquirer during Friend to Friend or Masonic Open House presentations. We are not in the business of teaching Theology. However, as mortals in this universe, we must readily admit that there are many things beyond our control: the most obvious forces of nature being the weather, floods, earthquakes, tornados, volcanoes. The question really asks that we acknowledge the existence of a greater power. Indeed, science is still searching for the answer which would explain the origin of the universe.
Bro. Albert Pike explains: “To every Mason there is a God …How, or by what intermediaries He creates and acts, and in what way He unfolds or manifests Himself, Masonry leaves to creeds and Religions to inquire.” Such is the genius of Freemasonry. (Pike Morals and Dogma)
Man is a meaning-seeking creature. Curiosity is an innate quality of the human intellect. Where did I come from? What am I doing here? Where am I going from here?
These are questions that everyman in times of serious, intimate personal reflection asks himself. Freemasonic Ritual paraphrases them: “Whence come you? Whither are you directing your course?”
“We are a mystery encompassed with mysteries.” (Albert Pike)
From the earliest civilizations – time immemorial – man has sought to explain his existence through many and varied ‘creation myths.’ “A Mason’s great business with life is to read the book of its teaching … The old mythology is but a leaf in that book; for it peopled the world with spiritual natures; and science, many-leaved, still spreads before us the same tale of wonder.” Pike)
As Freemasons, we have the great intellectual advantage of interpreting these mysteries and understanding the importance of symbolism and significance of allegory.
The Sun to rule the Day – the Moon to rule the Night.
Little wonder that ancient peoples worshipped the Sun as the giver of Light and Life, governing the Seasons, the cycle of seed time and harvest, providing food and sustenance, upon which existence depended – all controlled by an external force over which they had no control – a higher power. Thus the concept of a ‘Supreme Being’ found expression in the gods of antiquity. As Bro. Pike observed, “The conceptions of God formed by individuals varied according to their intellectual and spiritual capacities.”
We must remember that Speculative Freemasonry emerged during the Enlightenment of the 18th century which was defined by rationalism and characterized by scepticism based in scholarship and learning. The Age of Faith was succeeded and replaced by the Age of Reason, which in turn gave birth to such
institutions as the Royal Society, modern science, and Freemasonry. Even today Freemasons are encouraged to explore “the hidden mysteries of nature and science.”
It is often stated that ‘the fundamental tenets or principles of Freemasonry’ are Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. With this in mind, let us look back at the quotation cited at the beginning of this note: Ubi caritas et amor, Dei ibi est.
Amor – Love
Brotherly Love is defined as “fraternal affection” extended to all mankind, regardless of race, religion, social class or educational status. Freemasons consider that there is only one race – the human race, and all men are ‘Brothers.’ This is what is meant by the oft quoted definitive statement: The Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God.
Caritas – Charity
The word ‘charity’ has many shades of meaning: being kind to others, assisting those in need, benevolent, etc. Simply stated it is an act of goodwill or affection –“honest, heartfelt, disinterested, inexpressible affection.” (Albert Pike) This is often stated as The Mystic Tie that binds us in bonds of friendship as Brothers. Freemasons apply the Golden Rule in a variety of ways, giving of themselves, both within and without the confines of the Order.
Dei ibi est – God, The Supreme Being
It may be instructive to note that ‘supreme ’ (from the Latin ‘supremus - superus’ –higher) is defined as being ‘highest in rank, power, authority.’ Based upon Love and Charity, this ancient text implies that God is to be found in ‘the divinity of service.’ It is this concept that is fundamental to the universal nature of Freemasonry, and helps to explain why Freemasonry demands a belief in a Supreme Being.
THE BACK PAGE
IS YOUR LODGE A CARROT, EGG OF COFFEE BEAN?
Sometime ago, I attended a class and the class leader read a piece entitled “Are You a Carrot, Egg, or Coffee Bean?”. The piece was meant for personal reflection, but I began to wonder if this same premise could be used to gauge the condition of a lodge? The essay was about a young girl who feels her life is hopeless and confides in her mother on how she feels, that she can’t go on with life. Her mother takes her to the kitchen and boils three pots of water. In each pot, the mother places carrots, eggs, and ground coffee beans. Once each one has finished boiling the mother places each into a bowl.
She told her daughter to touch the carrots. The daughter noticed that the once hard vegetable was now soft. The mother then told her to reach into the other bowl and begin to peel the egg. The daughter noticed how the once liquid centre of the egg which had been protected by its hard shell was now hardened. Her mother told her to pick up the third bowl and smell the coffee. The girl smiled when she picked up the bowl and smelled the aroma of the now freshly brewed coffee. After looking at each bowl, the daughter confused asked her mother what the point of this display was.
Her mother told her daughter, "no one knows how they will react until tested by adversity and difficult situations." She continued, "Some people, like the once hard carrot, will turn soft when troubles come. Others who seem to be fragile will toughen when things get difficult. Some people are like the coffee, when the tough times come, they change the boiling water into something pleasant."
Much like a fingerprint or a snowflake, each Masonic lodge is different. They each have their own personality, history, and traditions. In good times most all lodges will thrive and prosper, but when tough times begin to arrive on a lodges doorstep, you will begin to see how a lodge will react.
A lodge with weak leadership and with no direction will see its membership begin to decline; their building will become derelict and sadly, in some cases, the lodge may survive for a while, but without a change in direction the lodge will become soft like the carrot and cease to exist.
Another lodge may be just as strong in good times but if something happens to disrupt the harmony of the lodge or if they experience a crisis, they may react in a totally different way. Unlike the lodge we compared to as a carrot in the example above, the members of a lodge may, in a stressful situation throw a lodge’s harmony to the sideline and instead of working together, the members may begin to argue and start blaming each other for the hard times the lodge has to endure.
Many times the membership, if they don’t drop out due to the arguing and finger pointing, will begin to form factions and instead of working together. They will work on
their own solution or do their best to destroy the opposing faction's attempts to run the lodge or curb the adversity. After a while the angry words and finger pointing lead to hurt feelings and much like the boiled egg, the membership will begin to harden and not attend meetings which leads to suspensions of non-payment of dues because his view of the Fraternity has hardened. After a while the egg lodge, much like that of the soft carrot will cease to exist and will soon become just another footnote in a Grand Lodge proceedings book sitting on a shelf, while their once proud building becomes another empty building the inhabiting city has to decide the fate of.
The third lodge is just like the other two. In good times the Brethren meet in peace and harmony, they have a steady stream of new candidates who become engaged and really are an integral part of the workings of the lodge.
Some men love ritual, so they endeavour to become ritualists and help the lodge with degree work. Others love to cook, so they spend their time preparing nutritious and delicious meals for members and guests who visit their lodge. Other men are good with their hands and gravitate to the building committee to help keep the roof over their Brethren’s heads.
While each man leads with his strength, they all gather together for such things as Masonic charity, helping their elderly membership or their lodge’s widows or helping to provide a joyous Christmas morning to the children of a Brother, who just lost his job and needed a little help during hard times. Since each man is happy serving in his own way, there is less arguing about how things are done in the lodge and really, they work together for the common good.
Since they all work together, the membership of this lodge, like the coffee beans, will be able to convert what one sees as adversity into a challenge, and when the bubbling waters calm, what is left a stronger and more pleasant liquid that everyone can enjoy.
Brethren, I am sure each of us who have circled the Masonic altar a few times have seen examples of each of these types of lodges. All of these lodges have the same chance of surviving hard times it’s how they decide to react to the boiling water which determines their fate.
It’s just my opinion but a lodge that embraces Masonic doctrine partially or completely, disregards the doctrine in its entirety. They tend to do this in order to recruit new members which makes these lodges equitable to a house of cards. When will it fail? But if a lodge builds a sound foundation on Masonic teachings, values every member and their talents, then uses those member's talents to their fullest potential (Not just sticking him in an officer line and move him up until he is Master or worse yet just quits attending), a lodge can not only weather any storm but much like the coffee beans in boiling water will become savoury.
Article by Bro. Bill Hosier Midnight Freemason Contributor 2018.
