Symbolism of our lodge officers by Norman sen PM of Mosaic Lodge 176 and Fiat Lux Lodge of research 1980 brought to you by Masonic audiobook Library the symbolism on our lodge officers by Norman sen PM Mosaic Lodge 176 Fiat Lux Lodge of research 1980 it is often said that symbolism is
Carried too far and this is difficult to deny when I think of Freud and other psychiatrists and psychologist who seem able to find strange and often erotic meanings in all they see the meanings given to every image based on repetition makes the lay person feel at a serious disadvantage when they wish to
Contradict anything that is given a meaning by such Specialists the symbolic object which is dredged up by the mind seems to have no great pattern of consistency in the case of psychiatric symbol definition we are more fortunate in Freemasonry because we possess a body of ritualistic work which
Defines many of our symbols in at least one way this allows us to look at our symbols in two distinct ways the first being in the way our teaching say and secondly at the common meaning given to the same symbol by the profane the similarity is usually very
Close but the range of meanings in the outside world is frequently much broader When A new mason asks the question about symbols what is that or what does that mean do we tend to back off do we have the feeling that these are old old symbols that really have no meaning in
Our modern world if this is the case then we are in very serious trouble within our lodges because the charge at our installations very clearly states that it inculcates principles of the purest morality though veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols we are also told in the same charge that to
Penetrate through the veil of the allegories and symbols is to understand the Mysteries while there is a far deeper meaning in the overall pattern of The Craft it is of Great Value to find some meanings of the the individual symbols and to attempt to recall that meaning on each occasion that we see
Them this creates the repetition form of learning that begins to modify our lifestyle to become that better man we all strive for one of the problems with the human mind is that it tends to ignore items which it registers frequently we are the last ones to see
Our children grow and need a visitor to bring this to our attention so it is with the jewels worn by the officers of our lodges how many of you have looked at your officers jewels really looked firstly they are quite detailed secondly they frequently have things on them that
You were totally unaware of there are different companies producing jewels and each May embellish the jewels differently but you can be sure that there is meaning behind practically every identifiable WHL and Loop in addition to the symbols on the jewel each of these is suspended from a collar
Which may also have symbols upon it then the officers also have an apron often the same as yours and this has detail on it that we tend to observe when it is first first presented to us but then we never consider it again what I hope to
Do in a short period of time is to look at some of the jewel collar and apron symbols and consider some of the meanings that are taught us and then also some of meanings which are known to be fairly common in the everyday World there will be areas where we skip over
Areas lightly there will be a few diversions but I hope that you will consider your Lodge Jewels a little differently in the future a final point before starting is that all Masonic symbols are positive none are aimed at anything that is not for the good of the
Mason as an individual and through him for the World At Large we degrade no symbol and none can ever be considered to be contrary to the high principles we extol remember that there is no right or wrong to symbolism it is what you accept as meaningful to you as a Craftsman the
Following are my findings and interpretations and it is quite likely that you will have different interpretations but I wish to share my findings with you the master carries with him a great symbol if you are of a York Mason you will learn that it is immovable whereas if you use the
Canadian work that it is movable the square is the symbol of regulated life and actions it is the Masonic rule for correcting and harmonizing conduct on principles or morality and virtue and as a symbol it is dedicated to the master we also identify ourselves with this symbol because we are taught that
Squares levels and perpendiculars are the proper signs to know a mason we are surrounded by squares in our lodge for every Mason wears at least one although the immediate past master and the Past Masters wear it most obviously it stands as one of the great lights in
The center of all our activities and its legs constantly embrace the worshipful master it is repeated in our FC salute our feet positions our way of moving around the lodge and our legs when at the altar in our initiation history tells us that the square which is an
Upright with a right top arm is the Greek letter gamma each one of us knows the meanings associated with the letter g in the construction trade the square is used for Tru stones and proving them correct we can see how easily the association with truth and virtue could
Arise there was the historical belief that the shape of the ancient world was an oblong square and this is represented in our squared Lodge there have been references to the Square’s meaning as a symbol long before the start of masonry as we know it the Egyptian believed that
Truth and Justice were on the Square confucious in about 500 BC referred to the squareness of actions menus the Chinese philosopher of about 372 BC refers to square actions simones of seos the Greek lyrical poet of about 600 BC and Aristotle in about 350 BC refer to square actions and Associate this with
Honest dealings High morality and virtue the symbol is not original it is certainly far from New but it seems to have a remarkable consistency of meaning if we move on to the immediate past Master’s Jewel for a moment we observe that it is identical to the Masters in
Shape except that pendant from it is the 47th Problem of uclid it is important to remember that uclid only proved the Pythagorean theorem of about 300 years earlier when you consider what the theorem shows it is a multitude of further squares squares on sides mathematically squared numbers and a
Central Clos Square about which all the proof stands as an emphasis of the square symbol we could see nothing which could do it better we should know that the properties of this triangular Arrangement were first thought to be magical in the relationship they demonstrated in addition Pythagoras
Being Greek may have had the Greek letter symbol G in his mind when he is reputed to have exclaimed Eureka and it is for us to decide if the utility or the symbolism had generated his joy we learn in our work that we are to to be
Inspired to love the Arts and Sciences by this design and pro of we should always Marvel that such a simple figure could have had such impact on our world you may think that we should move on to the next set of jewels at this point but
Hold there is more much more that we can find at this time on the jewels that we have considered look at the design on them now do not think that we will find new figures on all the other Jewels but the jewels of the three principal officers are the most embellished and we
Will stay for a little longer here in the angle of the square is the sun radiant with its beams and with a rather clear face on it was this doodling the work of a metal worker with time on his hands of course not for the historical
Significance of the Sun as a symbol is an integral part of all our lodge work we refer to the sun in many places and also copy it as many actions at the opening and closing of the lodge all the officers relate their actions to the sun
We walk around our lodge in the same direction as the Sun appears to to move across our Earth we travel towards the east the place of light after being informed that the master rules his lodge as the sun does the day if you think and possibly are aware that culture seemed
To develop in the East there was always the suggestion that the source of the sun had inspired this knowledge and culture proof is readily available of the frequency of sun worship as the first form of contemplation of a deity man has always looked upward for a source and the sun met the early
Criteria of supporter of the life of the world it is fairly natural that this early God would be personified by the addition of a face so that the God could be given more of the human attributes even with our own concept of God we find the degree of personification relates to
The stage of understanding of the race or individual do we then have a reminder of that ancient worship on our Jewel which is a reaching back to give evidence albeit erroneous of the great historical past of The Craft Perhaps it is also a repetition of of the many death and rebirth Mysteries
And legends of the past and the present perhaps for us we should remember more the Sun as being the symbol of brightness the opposer of evil we know that we say in Lodge that the Rays spread their benign influence and we also must have a constant search for
Light in fact the degrees seek light more light and further light and this is given by our three lesser lights one of which represents the Sun as well as the master we are told also that the sun is the glor of the Lord and it governs the
Day there is another Link in our lodge with the sun and that is a symbol designated as meaning something else but the astrological sign for the sun is a point within a circle while the sun is one clear symbol we also find the moon with a face on the jewel explain where
It is this symbol appears elsewhere in our lodge as one of the Lesser lights and is represented by the senior Warden the Moon and Sun have many similar characteristics in symbolism but regularity and stability have the approval of our teachings these principles are desirable
In life both in and hour of Lodge as our Warden States in opening and closing it is natural that in the absence of the master the Sun the moon should rule in his place the symbol in the profane world has always indicated measurable States regularity and is strongly associated with the death rebirth
Mysteries that are continued as the principal theme and lesson in masonry yet another symbol is found on the jewel in the form of a cluster of seven stars these are specifically referred to in the Canadian teachings and are an important symbol in that they represent the Ethereal Mansion veiled from human
Eyes but the York Mason learns only of the stard deck Heavens the significance of these Stars which Adorn the ceiling of many Lodge rooms is very complex in that the stars and the number seven are almost constantly in symbolism the Stars themselves in clusters tend to be
Associated with order and Destiny and so to some degree reinforce the symbolism contained in that of the Moon symbolism when we come to the seven we are almost overwhelmed with the many facts associated with it the number seven was said to be perfect because it contained the numbers three and four and
Was itself indivisible and could not be created by multiplication this gave it the name of the Virgin number there were seven years to an apprentice ship there were seven planets known to man of the Middle Ages and there are seven days in a week of which the seventh is the
Sabbath the days of the week are named after the seven gods of the Goths a Seventh Son has special powers the Jews swore by the number seven there was a need for seven witnesses to agreements and Solomon’s Temple was said to have been built in seven years Jericho was
Encircled seven times by seven priests and these were the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences know as the Trivium and quadrivium which were thought to contain the total sum of human knowledge seven represents symbolically the combination of the Trinity and four cardinal virtues it is the number of the basic musical
Notes of colors and of the Spheres seven is related to Perfection to religious truth and also with knowledge it is hard to find a more astounding mass of facts associated with a number until we observe that three and five are similar within the lodge we are reminded that it
Needs seven officers to open the lodge and those seven steps of the staircase reminding us of the liberal arts and sciences Jacob’s L is usually shown with seven rungs of which three are considered most exemplary for Masons while then these seven small stars on the jewel are insignificant they are
Repeated as a symbol at least three times within our lodges and give us much to think about finally we can move on to the Jewel of the senior Warden the level we meet upon this sign and we have all been raised from the dead level to the living
Perpendicular the symbol we are taught shows the principle of equality and reminds us that we are all descended from one stock and possess one nature and it thus justifies our organization as a fraternity of equals at Pompei it was discovered that a carving of a level with symbols of death demonstrated an
Early belief in death as the great leveler this is our great experience we are also told that we are traveling on a level of time to an Undiscovered Country from which no traveler returns this also Associates death with levels and this is patterned after associations which exist
Outside the craft we observe again on this Jewel the sun moon and Seven Stars and as we move to the junior wardens Jewel will see them yet again the junior warden’s jewel is of course the plum referred to in our lectures as the symbol of rectitude and uprightness a
Fairly simple relationship to be sure there is a link with this Jewel and Jacob’s Ladder stretching Between Heaven and Earth and stressing a morality which should be practiced we are instructed in our steps to stand erect and charged to act upon this symbol as we leave Lodge this Association is identical within and
Without the lodge we now move to a few of the simpler symbols worn as Jewels by our officers and while some simply indicate their role they have a few meanings on which we may think
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