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four tassels

Symbolism & a Few Poems

by MasterMason

 “Symbolism in Craft Freemasonry” by Colin Dyer.

It is my hope that this paper will further enhance your perspective on this extremely interesting subject.

Symbolism & Speculation

“Symbolism is the key to all mysteries, to all ancient and modern religions, to all esoteric knowledge.

Without and understanding of the meaning of symbols, one will never be able to appreciate the beauty of life, or understand what his own religion is trying to teach him. But as knowledge of the meaning of symbols comes to him, he becomes more and more a free man, or initiate.

Words are inadequate to carry or convey spiritual truths, for all the words have a material origin, and originally, a material meaning.

Masonry does not use words to convey the deeper spiritual truths, it uses symbols, generally simple figures whose beginnings are hidden in the mystic past and whose first users are unknown, perhaps unknowable.

In the old Symbols of Masonry, few in number and bare of meaning to the uninitiated and ignorant, the ancient Masters concealed the Hold Doctrine and the Master’s Word, yet expressed them in so plain a manner that the most humble seeker can find them.

Modern stupidity has attempted to add many new Symbols to Masonry, and to explain all the old symbols in mere words. These explanations challenge the admiration of the wise by their triteness and banality, and awake the pity of the understanding by their lack of knowledge.

Study the Symbols of Masonry, and dig deep in the rubbish of the Temple for the great truths buried there. They are well worth your digging and search. But the study of symbols, without practically applying them to your life, is a mere intellectual exercise that will result in more trouble than profit to you, if you merely seek to understand without living up to them.

As soon as you learn what is meant by a Symbol, you must make it a part of your life, let it be the rule and guide of your heart, drink it as water from a pure stream, feed your soul upon it, and you will grow in knowledge of a deeper meaning, while your soul will reach further upward toward the stars and the Divine knowledge they typify. For wisdom is a growth of the soul, and the reward of labour and effort, not to be bought except by its equal value in sacrifice.

Each time you have progressed, if you look back, you have had to lay upon the altar of sacrifice, something that represented the labour of your hands and heart, symbolizing that you would repay by labour for your brethren and humanity the benefit you had been freely given.

The design of the Masonic institution is to make men wiser and better and consequently happier. It lays down in its symbolic instruction the principles of morality, those secret springs that have inspired the lofty lives of the truly great.

He who obeys the Masonic precepts will not need to consult the opinions of friends of the public, he will find in his own breast an unerring monitor upon which he can always rely.

The student desiring to learn what these principles are must be willing to live them.

Wisdom is a growth of the Soul.  Moral principles are worthless until they have been made alive and driven deep into the interior recesses of the soul by practice.

Knowledge is worthless unless it can be put to use. If you are not willing to live your Masonry, do not seek to know your secret mysteries. Such knowledge carries with it the responsibility of use and obedience; and this responsibility cannot be evaded. ”

Comment

I do not know for certain when this was written, however, my source was published in 1976 so it probably over 50 years old.  I mention this because, in my opinion, the comments made are as accurate today as they were then.

How can we, after discovering the truths of Freemasonry, not employ those truths in our daily lives and still call ourselves Freemasons.  Of course that is a challenge, but what of value has ever been accomplished without effort and sacrifice.

Friendship

“Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them our just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.”                                   George Eliot 1819/1880.

Twins in Soul

“There can be no friendship where there is no freedom.

Friendship loves a free air, and will not be penned up in straight and narrow enclosures.

It will speak freely, and act so too;  And take nothing ill where no ill is meant;

nay, where it is, t’will easily forgive, and forget too, upon small acknowledgements.

Friends are true twins in soul, they sympathize in everything.

One is not happy without the other, nor can either of them be miserable alone.

As if they could change bodies, they take their turns in pain as well as in pleasure,

relieving one another in their most adverse conditions”                     William Penn  (1644-1718)

Laughter & Happiness

“Nine requisites for contented living:

Health enough to make work a pleasure

Wealth enough to support your needs

Strength to battle with difficulties and overcome them

Grace enough to confess your sins and forsake them

Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished

Charity enough to see some good in your neighbour

Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others

Faith enough to make real the things of God

Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

 

Have a wonderful day & God Bless You and Yours

Norm

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Interpretation & Limitations

by MasterMason

After considerable deliberation I have decided to share the Questions & Answers from “The Freemason at Work” by Harry Carr.  The following partial excerpt from this book should set the stage for future issues.

 Symbolism :  Interpretation & Limitations

Symbols are a mode of communication; they teach by implication, or recollection, or interpretation. But symbolism is not an exact science; so far as I know. There are no rules by which we can measure the authenticity, or logic, or the accuracy of one’s interpretations.

Our estimation of truth or accuracy, in dealing with symbols, will be governed entirely by how far a particular explanation or interpretation is in accord with our previous convictions, or how far it may succeed in satisfying us in our search for understanding.

Hence I agree that every man is fully entitled (and should be encouraged) to work out his own symbolism and, when he has done this to his own satisfaction, his symbolism is valid for him regardless of the arguments of extraneous logic.

For myself, I prefer interpretation at it’ simplest level and, whenever possible, in the actual words of the Ritual, e.g. “The Square teaches us to regulate our Life and Actions…..“, but it is obvious that teaching can be conducted on various levels, and should be, if that will give the most effective results. To illustrate the necessity for this kind of approach, imagine the teacher-child relationship. There may be many different ways in which a particular point or problem could be explained. One of them may be the generally accepted one, on which most teachers are agreed. GOOD ; but for the child of slower perception it is the teacher’s bounden duty to try another and another until the point is clarified.

For the brilliant child, it would be the teacher’s duty to go beyond the normally accepted interpretation, especially if that would enable the child to achieve an even wider understanding. No teacher could justify neglecting a particular level of instruction if it enables him to teach a lesson effectively.

I have only used the “teacher-child” relationship in order to emphasize my point. The same reasoning would apply to one’s own interpretation of symbolism, i.e., a system of self teaching which has, and should have, no specific limits, no object except enlightenment and understanding.

As to symbolism that was “never intended”, I believe that the chronological objection cannot fairly be raised or sustained, e.g. we all accept the symbolism of the Hiramic Legend as a part of our teachings, regardless of its late introduction.

Nevertheless, I must put on record a deep-rooted dislike for aberrations in symbolism, extremes of interpretation which have no justification in the symbol itself and only mislead the reader or succeed in bemusing him. Some time ago a paper on the Meaning of Masonry was submitted to me for criticism.

The writer was clearly a “Teetotaller” with strong views on the drink question and in two separate pieces of interpretation of Masonic ritual he showed what they meant, respectively. “the virtues of teetotalism” & the “evils of drink”. He was probably astonished when I pointed out that he was not giving an interpretation of Masonry, but of himself!  Similarly I am convinced that real damage is done by those inveterate symbolists who need the dimensions of the pyramids, the mysteries of the heavenly bodies, the Tarot Cards, the Zodiac and other equally complex paths toward truth.

Comment

For those unfamiliar with the term “Teetotaller“ is means the total avoidance of anything with an alcoholic content.

As I am aware that these papers are being shared with wives and families, the content of same will always remain within what can reasonably be shared and understood by all.

My position in approaching content in this manner is to hopefully not only clarify & expand on who we are to ourselves, but also to those near and dear to us, thereby developing an even better level of understanding and support.

Why do we say That

Caught Eavesdropping!!!!

There are lots of stories in the news today about “Phone-tapping” and “bugging devices”.  People who do this are the high-technology counterparts of the centuries-old “Eavesdropper” –someone who listens in to other people’s private conversations.

The eaves of a house are the parts of the roof that stick out over the walls, protecting them from falling water & rain.  The space on the ground was originally referred to as the “eavesdrip” and later as the “eavesdrop”.  This was the area where people like blackmailers, or even detectives, would hide, hoping to hear what was going on in the house.  Such people became know as “eavesdroppers”.

Personal Observation & Comment

Brethren, as we approach the beginning of another Masonic Year, and the strategic planning for Installations, effective meetings, education, social evenings etc, begins, I wish to share the following with you.  Please note that I have adapted this old saying for Masonic use.

There are three types of Masons within our Fraternity.

1.   Those who make things happen

2.   Those who watch things happen

3.   Those who ask “What Happened”

There may be one other type in our Fraternity that says

“I have done my bit and it is time for someone else to step forward and take over”

May I suggest to those in Category #4 that somewhere in YOUR Lodge there is at least one relatively NEW Mason that would love the opportunity to “Make Things Happen” but is uncertain of the process.

That is where you come in as a MENTOR and GUIDE. For the benefit of us all, please take this wonderful and important step and through your wisdom & experience harness this enthusiasm for the Good of Freemasonry in General & Your Lodge in Particular.

Norm.

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Origin of the Four Tassels

by MasterMason

BITS AND PIECES

a.     Angels can fly, because they take themselves lightly.

b.    Ideas are a dime a dozen. People who put them into action are priceless.

EDUCATION

In viewing the layout of the Lodge Room I have always been fascinated by the flooring & although I have listened to the E.A Degree Tracing Board, I have been looking for something in writing that could assist me in an understanding of the FOUR TASSELS.

I believe I have now found that explanation and have copied it below for your education & pleasure.

The Origin of the Four Tassels.

The inner meaning of the Checkered Pavement on the floor of the Lodge is to exemplify the checkered way of life i.e. the alterations of joy and sorrow, of good and evil, of day & night, which we all experience in the course of our lives. Indeed, it may be said to stand for all opposites.

But what probably strikes us more than anything else about this pavement are the four tassels which have been placed at the four corners.

We are told, in our lectures, that these represent the four cardinal virtues, but this is late gloss, probably invented toward the close of the eighteenth century and there seems to be no particular reason why they should represent the four cardinal virtues more than the four elements or any other particular four.

We find the true origin of these tassels, if we study the medieval methods employed by the Operative Masons when laying out the ground for a new building. The Master Mason or Architect, as we would call him today, commenced his work by striking the centre of the piece of ground on which the building was to be erected, and from it he plotted out the square or rectangle on which the containing walls were subsequently to rise.

To do so he extended ropes from the centre pin to the four angles, and pegged these down at the corners of the building; then by the simple use of the square and the triangle he was able to check the four corners and ascertain if they were true. As the walls rose, from time to time a piece of wood was extended from the corner inwards and plumb line dropped down to make sure that the walls were perpendicular and the angle as true on it’s upper tiers as it was on the base.

A dim remembrance of these corner plumb lines lingered on well into the nineteenth century in Speculative Masonry as I have observed actual woven tassels hanging in the four corners of many older Lodge Rooms. In those Lodge Rooms it was those hanging tassels to which the lecturer pointed when identifying the four cardinal virtues as guides to a man to maintain an upright life. Like many other old and interesting customs these actual tassels appear to have disappeared and we are left with a symbolic representation.

This article by Colin Dyer was published in The Tracing Board. G.R.S. 1980.

Their Representation

The Four Tassels symbolically represent the four Cardinal Virtues.

Starting at the South East Corner                   TEMPERANCE

South West Corner                                            FORTITUDE

North West Corner                                            PRUDENCE

North East  Corner                                            JUSTICE

 

Sincerely & Fraternally

Norman McEvoy.

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