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Symbolism

The Festival of Chanukah

by MasterMason

The following is another piece from the Masonic Service Bureau of North America (Dec 2008) and, I believe, presents another opportunity to share the light on a celebration which I had previously known little or nothing about.

The Festival of Chanukah (the story of light)

Every year, approximately during the month of December, people of the Jewish faith observe what is called Chanukah.  It wasn’t an important holiday in the Jewish calendar but is one to remember and to celebrate, if for no other, because it commemorates an important time in the life of the Jewish people and has significance also for those who are not of the Jewish faith since without the story of Chanukah, probably there would be no Temple of Solomon nor would there be a resulting Masonic fraternity based upon the story of King Solomon.

Let’s go back a bit and see what it is all about.  The year was about 165 B.C.E. and Antiochus Epiphanes was the king of Syrian-Greeks.  He bore down upon his Jewish subjects ruthlessly, having previously occupied what was Israel.  He defiled the Holy Temple by filling it with pagan idols and sacrifices of pigs.  He forbade the Jews to observe the Commandments of circumcision, the New Moon and the Sabbath.  He wanted the Jews to lay aside their Torah and substitute it with Hellenistic Greek culture, including idols of which the Greeks had many.

Then, one courageous old man names Matisyahu turned the tide.  He saw someone bowing down to the idols set forth by the Greeks rather than refusing to do so as most of the Jews did.  He struck the errant Jew and knew that he now had to run away and with the rallying cry of “Whoever is for God, come to me!” he called the people to rebellion.  A pitifully small number responded at first but his five sons led the way.  They fought the Syrian-Greeks, retreated to the mountains and began a guerrilla war against them.  Soon their father passed the leadership to his second son, Judah the Maccabee, mighty warrior and charismatic leader.

Outnumbered a hundred to one, Judah and his men won many battles.  More Jews came to join him.  In a few years he had defeated the mightiest armies that Syria could send against them.  Victory belonged to the Jews, the pure, the righteous and the loyal defenders of the Jewish world.

The 25th day in the Jewish month of Kislev, the fighters made their way to the Holy Temple where they beheld the idols strewn with the filth and impurity the Greeks had left behind.  They rummaged through

the ruins seeking at least one flask of pure olive oil with which to light the makeshift menorah they had hastily put together, representing the “Eternal Light”.

Flask after flask—they found every one of them defiled, until finally, a small jug, sufficient for only one day was found with the purity seal intact.  It would be eight days before they could manufacture more oil for the next lighting, but meanwhile they lit what they had.

But the flames of the menorah did not go out the first day.  The flames of the menorah burned, and burned, and burned.  For eight days they burned, until more oil was brought.  And those eight days were  chosen as the eternal symbol to commemorate the miracle of Chanukah, the eight-day long Festival of Lights, when Jews light the Menorah each evening, publicizing the miracle of light our Great Creator performed for us 2000 years ago.

The Chanukah lights shine their radiance into the street, reflecting our task in this world.  Each of us, Jew or not, must bring light, morality and holiness, not only inside our own homes, but also outward into the world.

“But,” one may claim, “the problems out there are so vast and global: terror, environmental damage, natural disasters, countries and continents afflicted by poverty and disease.  The impact we can make feels inadequate due to the sheer scale of these tragedies.  How then can you and I make a difference?”

To this, Chanukah has something simple but quite significant to say.  We repair the world in small steps, light by light, act by act, day by day.  Our Creator asks us to do what we can, when we can.  Each act mends a fracture of the world.

“A little light” said the Jewish mystics of old, “drives away much darkness.”  When light is joined to light, mine to yours and yours to others, the dance of the flames, each so small yet so beautiful together, begins to bathe the world in the glow of the Divine Presence.  You and I can make a difference.

As I suggested, Chanukah is an eight day holiday—each day beginning at darkness the previous night, as is the custom for Jewish holidays.

We easily define each night by a different word and a different action.  The Festival of Chanukah is about overcoming darkness, both physical and spiritual.  The Talmud relates that the beginning of any struggle is strenuous.  Would it not be easier to simply avoid the darkness and let it be?

The first night is called the Challenge. The inner calling of each Jew is to illuminate the world.  For only by meeting the challenge do we tap our inner source of light and fulfill our potential.

Another lesson of this night: dispelling darkness begins with one candle.  The smallest act of good is enough to overcome a world of night.

For the second night we use the word Increase.  One could technically fulfill the Chanukah obligation by lighting a single candle each night, but the universal Jewish custom is to light an additional candle each

night.  This teaches that if man is spreading light it is not enough to fulfill the minimal obligation.  Our darkness is overcome with a constant increase of light.  As long as even one corner of the world remains concealed in darkness, our mission is not complete.  The second night’s candle teaches us not to reserve the light of Chanukah for ourselves.  Light must increase and spread over the entire earth.

The third night is Consistency. We did it once because we were inspired; the second time, because it felt good; this third candle we do because we are committed.  In Jewish Law, permanence and consistency are established by repeating an act three times.  In geometry and physics, three is the number of stability and balance.  A one-or two-legged table can’t stand without an external support, but a three-legged table stands on its own.  The third night’s inspiration is consistency.  Upon lighting the third candle we express our persistence and our commitment to dispel darkness with light.

Upon lighting the fourth candle, we are halfway through the Chanukah process of conquering darkness.  As in any process keeping an eye on the goal is imperative.  Along the way, secondary opportunities may sidetrack us.  At each stage of the journey we should ask ourselves, “does this help me achieve my goal?”

The four candles teach us that we remain focused on our goals, and that is the word for the day, Focus, the details along the way will not bog us down.  Moreover, the feeling of gaining ground fills the traveler with the joy and energy to overcome obstacles along the way.

Majority is the word for the fifth night of Chanukah, representing the epitome of the darkness of exile.  As such, the fifth night never falls on the Sabbath evening, a “taste of the Messianic Era,” which overshadows all darkness.  Thus, the lighting of the Chanukah candles on this night is especially significant.  Tonight we express our ability to bring light to the darkest of realms where negativity and darkness seem to have a stranglehold.  The fifth night also is the first night that a majority of the eight candles are lit; signifying that most of the journey toward our goal is complete.

The word Infusion is our word for the sixth day.  We are told in the Holy Word that the world was created in six days, “Six days shall you labour and do all your work,” we are told.  Six represents the labour of working and perfecting the world.  Upon lighting the sixth candle, we articulate that the world and all its mundane workings must be infused with spirituality.  When the Deity is brought into every aspect of our lives, each act becomes of importance,  each act becomes something of which to be proud.

The seventh day is the Sabbath of Creation when “the heaven and earth were completed.”  Just as there is a time to create, there is a time to reflect, and that is the word of this day, Reflection. The Sabbath is when we rest from our labour to reflect its purpose, thus allowing the labours of the preceding week to actualize their potential.  When lighting seven candles, we allow the illumination of the six previous candles to fulfill their potential and fill all of creation with purpose and meaning.

Then the eighth and last day, the day of Miracles.  Eight represents that which is higher than nature.  This is why the symbol for infinity is the figure eight.  On this eighth night the true essence of the Chanukah observance shines, for the greatest teaching of the Chanukah holiday is that miracles can and do happen, and that in the future, the miraculous will become the commonplace.  The ultimate miracle is the fusion of the finite physical world with the infinite light of our Creator.  This is why the last day of Chanukah is

called Zot Chanukah, meaning “this is Chanukah.”  As we light the eighth candle, let us pray for the ultimate era of peace and light, the era of our redemption when “the earth will be as filled with knowledge of our Father as the waters that cover the sea.”

Indeed, this is a holiday of light, but the lights as they shine into the street, remind each one of us that our task is to bring light, morality and holiness, not only within our homes or our lodges, but also out into the world.  But as we indicated in the beginning, the problems out there are so vast and global, consisting of terror, environmental damage, natural disasters to countries and continents afflicted by poverty and disease, we, each of us, can make an impact, even though it is the sheer scales of these tragedies that seem to make it impossible.

How can we make a difference?  Just by being brothers, one to each other, recognizing that we have the same heritage from the beginning of time, that we, Jews, Christians, Muslims or something else, have the same Father, however we may recognize Him and pray to Him.

I wish for you our brothers of all faiths, that just a little light will drive away much darkness and you and I and all of us together can make a difference.  We are Masons.  We are the children of the Great Creator.  We have a definite pattern to follow and that is the life and love of Freemasonry.  At this time of the year, some of us observe Chanukah, others observe Christmas, and still others Kwanza.  Whatever your faith, whatever your tradition, we wish you a happy holiday as brothers and as children of one Creator.

Comment

Personally I have found this a very beautiful story and once again emphasizes that magnificent principle of Freemasonry namely “{The Universality of Man)” We are all more alike than sometimes we care to acknowledge.

Leadership This is from a little book called “Bits and Pieces” and written by Catherine Zeeb (Therapist)

“Illuminator”

Radiate the light from within into your work and into the World.

Experience the light within you and then shine it out for all to see.

They may not know what is hitting them, but they will like it.

They don’t have to know where it is coming from or why, but they will like it.

Go now into service.

Smile laugh and know that everyone, everything you touch is enlightened by the light from within you.

Norm

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The Holy Saints John and Masonry

by MasterMason

THE HOLY SAINTS JOHN AND MASONRY

By Laurence Healey, Past Grand Master, British Columbia (1956)

The question as to why our Lodges are dedicated to the Holy Saints’ John is one that often puzzles the Masonic student. It becomes even more involved when it is realized that in the Grand Lodge of England the Lodges are dedicated to King Solomon, and Grand Lodge is opened and closed “in the name of the “Royal Solomon;” who is described as, “an eminent Patron of the Craft.”

The Biblical record of the lives of the two Saints named John does not throw much light on the subject, nor produce any evidence of Masonic connection.

St. John the Baptist was the son of Zacharius and his wife, Elizabeth, who was a cousin of the Virgin Mary. He was a Priest of the Order of the Temple Service at Jerusalem, and no doubt his son was trained to follow his father’s hereditary calling, and given the benefit of such educational advantages as were available at that time.

When John was thirty years old he began preaching in a section of the Jordan valley Just north of the Dead Sea, not as the wild fanatic which he is sometimes depicted, but rather as an inspired messenger with a background of education and culture going forth to proclaim the coming of the Messiah of Israel, the Prince of Peace, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah some three hundred years before. His stern denunciation of the evil character and immoral conduct of Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee, led to his imprisonment and untimely death. By a strange parallel this was brought about as the result of an evil conspiracy involving three ruffianly characters, Herodias the Queen, her daughter Salome, and Herod.

St. John the Evangelist was the younger son of Zebedee who operated a commercial fishing business on the Sea of Galilee in partnership with two other men, Andrew and Peter, who were destined later to play a very important role in the events of that time. His mother, Salome by name, was a sister of the Virgin Mary. Thus the two Saints’ John were not only related to one another by close maternal ties, but also to the Master, Whom they loved and served. The youthful John became the most courageous and faithful, as well as the most beloved, of the Master’s disciples. It was he who went in with Him to the trial in the palace of Caiaphas, the High Priest, and in Pilate’s court, while Peter stood outside and denied Him, after all the rest had fled. He was the only one of the Apostles present at the Crucifixion, where at the last he received from the dying one the charge to act the part of a son to the bereaved mother. This was a clear indication that Joseph her husband was deceased, and that Mary was then a widow. Thus John was the one apostolic witness to the final act in that Great Cosmic Drama of the Ages, “The Tragedy of the Widows Son.” His inspired writings, up to the time of his death on the rocky Isle of Patmos, contain, above all else, the predominating evangel of Brotherly Love (the first great principle of Masonry), as taught in the words of the Master Himself, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another”. But nowhere, in the record of the two Saints’ John, is there anything to indicate even a remote connection with the operations of the building craft of Masonry of that day. There is, however, a well-established legend, to which some credence may be given, that the Master and the majority of his disciples were members of the “Order of the Essenes”, a secret society which existed at that time, and, it is said, had many rites and ceremonies similar to those of our present day Freemasonry. But even though the Bible contains no references there are other sources from which information on the subject may be obtained. It was the custom among the early mediaeval trade Guilds in England to adopt Patron Saints, usually chosen on account of some affinity, often more or less remote, with the trades or callings of the members. The early Guilds of Operative Masons adopted St. Thomas as the “Patron of Architects and Builders.” Their choice was, no doubt, influenced by the ancient legend that St. Thomas was an architect and operative craftsman, and that the Lord appeared to him in a vision and directed him “to go to the King of the Indies, Gonaoforus and build for him a palace finer than that of the Emperor of Rome.” In this connection it may be noted that in all representations of St. Thomas prior to the 12th century he is depicted as holding a “T” Square and Builders Rule. It may be recalled that of all the Apostles he was the most difficult to convince as to the reality of supernatural things. His mind trained in the practical application of geometrical principles, apparently could not accept as reality that which he could not measure or handle. Thus, it may be his background education and training which gave to history the well known term “doubting Thomas,” During the 13th century St. Thomas appears to have been superseded as the Patron Saint of Masonry by the “Four Crowned Martyrs”, or in the Latin term “Quatuor Coronati”, from which the famous Lodge of Research, No. 2076, in London derives its title. This gradual change was, no doubt, influenced to some extent by the number of Masons who came over from the Continent of Europe during that period to work on the great ecclesiastical structures then under erection, such as York Minster, Fountain’s Abbey at Ripon, and the early Gothic Cathedrals. These traveling workmen, in all probability, were familiar with the historical legend of the four skilled craftsmen: Clauaius, Castorius, Sempronianus, and Nicostratus, who were converts to Christianity and by their refusal to make a statue to the heathen god Aesculpius incurred the wrath of the Emperor Diocletian, who ordered them to be entombed alive in leaden coffins and cast into the river Tiber. The Church of the Quatuor Coronati on the Caelian Hill in Rome, which still exists, though rebuilt, was erected and dedicated to their memory about twenty years after their martyrdom which occurred in A.D. 302. Both in England and on the Continent of Europe the Four Crowned Martyrs were widely recognized as the “Patron Saints of the Masons’ Craft,” and were generally depicted as carrying the usual emblems of their calling, The simple story of how these Christian workmen, labouring in their Master’s Name, were faithful unto death carried a profound appeal to workmen of all classes, and especially to those who practiced the same craft. There are no authentic records available to fix with any certainty the time when St. John the Baptist was adopted by the Operative Lodges, but an old Latin document in the archives of a Lodge in Namur, Belgium, purporting to be a proclamation by the Masons of Europe in annual Assembly at Cologne in 1535, states that “Masons are called Brethren dedicated to St; John, first among the Martyr Stars of the Morning; “It states further that prior to 1440 “The Fraternite was called the Joannite Brethren,” but about that time “it became known by the name of Freemasons”. Though Masonic scholars doubt that it is genuine, in the 16th century in England St. John the Baptist, alone, was regarded as the particular Patron Saint of Masonry. Amongst the reasons advanced for this change of patrons are some which have their roots back in Druid and pre-Christian times. In those days the Sun, the “Amen Ra” of the Egyptians of an earlier era, was the object of veneration. Measurements of time were taken from the solstices, and these turning points were occasions for great festivals of rejoicing, the summer solstice for growth and the fruits of early harvest, the winter solstice for the return of light and the rebirth of life in the earth.

The pagan peoples were unwilling to part with these festivals, and so to facilitate their conversion to Christianity the fathers of the early church instituted festivals to the saints and martyrs to coincide with the popular ceremonies. Thus St. John the Baptist Day (June 24th), replaced the great festival of “Beltane” which commenced at the summer solstice (June 21st). This old festival is, even still observed in parts of Scotland and Ireland with bonfires, dancing and general celebration. It is especially observed in the Scandinavian countries as the festival of “Mid-Summer” or the “Midnight Sun” likewise “Yule-tide”, literally the festival of “Yule” (the Sun), became Christmas, replacing the great “Feast of Saturnalia” an occasion for rejoicing at “Natalus Invicti Solus” or, the “Rebirth of  the unconquerable Sun”, which commenced at the winter solstice (December 21st). This is the time which, according to students of nature and biology, marks the beginning of the germination of life and growth in the earth in northern latitudes.  It may be readily understood that, when building operations of the Middle Ages necessarily involved close relationship between the clergy and the craftsmen in ecclesiastical work, the adoption of St John the Baptist as the Patron Saint of the summer festival as “St John’s Day in Harvest,” and later of St. John the Evangelist for the festival of “St. John’s Day in Winter”, should follow as a natural consequence. The allusion to the two parallels of the Holy Saints’ John in the old English rituals, and in the present Monitor of the American work, as illustrated by the two parallel lines, between which is a circle sometimes marked with a central, point representing Divinity” can be easily recognized as a later interpretation of the ancient symbol depicting the “Sun” between the lines of the two solstices, as marked on the map by the Tropic Cancer to the north, and The Tropic of Capricorn to the south, of the Equator.

Have a wonderful day & God Bless You and Yours                     Norm

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Jacob’s Ladder & The Old Masters Wages

by MasterMason

Taken from “Symbolism in Craft Freemasonry” written by Colin Dyer,

In this issue I will be sharing with you selected sections of his presentation on Jacob’s Ladder which of course has much to do with the use of Numbers and, I believe, a natural extension from the May issue.

Jacob’s Ladder

As we are aware this symbol is displayed on the Tracing Board in the Entered Apprentice Degree and history tells us that the first publication was that of a certificate which came into use in 1819. The certificate shows a pedestal with a circle; on the pedestal stands the Volume of the Sacred Law “supporting Jacob’s Ladder”, the top of which reaches the Heavens. This ladder normally consists of three ‘staves or rounds’ and disappears into cloud, or a glory of light, with the sun, moon and seven stars placed around.

Dr George Oliver ( Doctorate in Divinity and an Anglican Minister) (circa 1860) in Signs & Symbols made comparisons with the mysteries in other parts of the World and expressed some surprise that Masonic Symbolism of the ladder was built around three principal staves, whereas in all parallel instances he finds the number used to be seven. He says, for example, of the Indian Mysteries

“The ladder with seven steps was used in the Indian Mysteries to designate the approach of the soul to perfection. The steps were usually denominated gates. The meaning is undoubtedly the same; for its is observable, that Jacob, in reference to the lower stave of his Ladder, exclaimed ‘this is the house of GOD and the gate of heaven.’ Here we find the notion of ascending into heaven by means of the practice of moral virtue, depicted by the Hebrew Patriarchs and by a remote idolatrous nation under the idea of a ladder; which we may hence conclude was a Masonic Symbol”

It is true of course that in some other aspects of masonry, a ladder of seven steps may be found. In all early Masonic systems, somewhere there is found some attempt to show positive progress by rising above the ground and there is some confusion between the use of a ladder and the use of a staircase to illustrate this, as well as to the number and significance of the steps concerned. In the lecture forms current today, the three principal steps of Faith, Hope & Charity are merely described as principal steps out of many, with no specific Total Number given. As numbers became associated with degrees, the number three was that for the apprentice, while the ladder also became more used as the path upwards connected with that degree. In the same book Dr Oliver summarized the Masonic symbolism of the ladder:

“Thus the dark clouds of divine wrath are dissipated, the heavens are opened; and we enjoy the ray of his glory in the celestial covering of the Lodge. And more than this the same divine being has taught us how to attain the summit of the same, by means which are emblematically depicted by a ladder consisting of the three principal ROUNDS or STAVES, which point to the three Theological Virtues, Faith, Hope & Charity.

We are now to consider the origin and application of this Symbol, by which a communication is opened between the creature and his creator, with the gracious design of restoring to man that supreme happiness which was forfeited by Adam’s transgression.

The application of this emblem is said to be derived from the vision of Jacob. When the Patriarch, to avoid the wrath of his brother Esau, fled to Padanaram; benighted and asleep, with the Earth for his bed, a stone for his pillow, and the cloudy canopy of heaven for the covering, he beheld a Ladder, whose foot was placed on the spot where he lay, and its summit lost in the heavens. On this ladder, angels were continually ascended and descended, to receive communications from the Most High, who visibly appeared above the uppermost round of the Ladder; and to disseminate their divine commissions over the face of the Earth. Here God graciously condescended to enter into a specific covenant with the sleeping Patriarch; who was hence so impressed with the feelings of gratitude and devotion, that when he awoke, he pronounced this sacred spot “the House of God and the Gate of Heaven.

In Ancient Masonry, the Ladder was figuratively said to rest on the Holy Bible,(Volume of the Sacred Law) and to consist of Three Principal staves, although the general number was indefinite, pointing to Faith Hope and Charity, as the fundamental virtues which exalt mankind from heaven to heaven.

You have here a most extraordinary coincidence of custom with respect to the Masonic Ladder, existing in every region of the World, and all equally applicable to a gradual ascent to heaven by the practice of moral virtue. Amongst us this practice is founded on the strong basis of FAITH, which is the first step of the Ladder resting on the Word of God. It produces a well grounded HOPE of sharing the promises recorded the Sacred Volume; and this is the second step in the Masonic Ladder. The third or more Perfect Step is CHARITY, by which we attain the summit of the Ladder, metaphorically speaking, the dominion of Bliss, and the mansion of pure and permanent delight.”

With the coming of the Union of Grand Lodges and the resulting decision to make Masonry in England NON- Denominational from a religious point of view, efforts were made, when new tracing boards were designed, to us symbols not associated with Christianity.

Comment

I find it interesting that in MODERN conversation we find the use of expressions such as,

“Is that on the LEVEL” and “climbing the LADDER of success”

Undoubtedly there are many more, however, these are just two that come to mind.

As always, a fellow Brother has sent me something that I felt was special & worth sharing and, in that I agree with him, here it is :

The Old Masters Wages

I met a dear old man today who wore a Masonic Pin

It was old and faded, like the man, its edges worn and thin

I approached the park bench where he sat to give the Old Brother his due,

I Said “I see you’ve traveled East and he said “I have, Have You?”

I Said, I have, and in my day before the setting sun

I played in the rubble with Jubala, Jubilo and Jubalum

He shouted, “Don’t laugh at the Work my son, It’s good, sweet and true

And if you’ve traveled as you said, you should give these things their due.

The Work the Sign the Token, the Sweet Masonic Prayer

The Vow that you have taken when you climbed the inner stair

The Wages of a Mason are never paid on Gold

But the gain comes from the contentment when you’re weak and growing old.

You see I’ve carried my obligations for almost 50 years

It has helped me through the hardships and the failures full of tears

Now I’m losing my mind and body— Death is near but I don’t despair

I’ve lived my life upon the level and I’m dying on the square

Sometimes the greatest lessons are those that are learned anew

And the old man in the park today has changed my point of view.

To all my Masonic Brothers the only SECRET is to care,

MAY YOU LIVE UPON THE LEVEL & PART UPON THE SQUARE

 

Conclusion

What else is there to say, except Thank You for allowing me into your home.

Have a wonderful day & God Bless You & Yours

Norm

 

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Numbers & their Influence

by MasterMason

The Influence of Numbers   as pesented by W.L. Wilmshurst

A man’s first entry into a Lodge is symbolical of his first entry upon the knowledge of knowing himself. His organism is symbolized by a four-square or four sided building. This is in accordance with the very ancient philosophical doctrine that four is the arithmetical symbol of everything which has manifested or physical form.

Spirit, which is un-manifested and not physical, is expressed by the number three and the triangle.

But Spirit which has so far projected itself as to become objective and wear a material form or body, is denoted by the number four and the quadrangle or square.

Hence the Hebrew name of the Deity, as worshiped in this outer world, was the great and unspeakable name of Four Letters or Tetragrammaton, whilst the cardinal points of space are also four, and every manifested thing is compound of the four metaphysical elements called by the ancients, Fire, Water, Air & Earth.

NUMBERS    taken from Leaves of Georgia Masonry

The number THREE is a sacred number, that mysterious number which plays so great a part in the traditions of Asia, and the philosophy of Plato, & the image of the Supreme Being.

To the Philosophers, the most excellent and favourite number; a mysterious type, revered by all antiquity, and consecrated in the Mysteries; wherefore there are but three essential degrees among Masons; who venerate, in the triangle, the most august mystery, that of the Sacred Triad, object of their homage and study.

Three also referred to harmony, friendship, peace, concord, and temperance; and was so highly esteemed among the Pythagoreans that they called it perfect harmony.  The appearances of this mysterious number in the Masonic signs, symbols, and ceremonies are almost innumerable, and it will be a good exercise for you to see how many times you can discover this symbol in them.

Having climbed up the first three steps, and laid the foundation of your Masonic building, you see now a flight of five steps, replete also with profound meaning.  For five is also a sacred number ever found in connection with two, and with seven.

Jesus is said to have fed the multitude with five loaves and two fishes, and of the fragments there remained twelve baskets, that is five and seven.  The five steps show on one side the five orders of architecture, and on the other the five human senses.  Now when you hear of a “sacred” number, you think probably that that means nothing to you personally, but stop and consider for a moment.

This number five is engraven in your being more than once.  Examine yourself, and you find five fingers, five toes, and five avenues through which the outside world can communicate with that mysterious being who sits in the center of your consciousness and receives and translates-no man knows how-the various messages carried to the brain by the nerves from the outside world.

Seven is a particularly sacred number, having appeared in the religious and philosophical system of the entire ancient world.  It is also is engraved in your very being, for at the age of seven you first showed understanding, at the age of fourteen puberty is generally reached, at the age of twenty-one manhood is recognized, at the age of twenty-eight full growth attained and at the age of thirty-five, physical vigor is highest, at forty-two, this begins to decline; at forty-nine man should have reached the height of intellectual strength; and at seventy he has reached the ordinary limit of human life.  These figures are not merely arbitrary, but the result of study and observation of men everywhere.

So, seven days constituted the entire period of creation, seven colours are found in the rainbow, of which three are primary; seven days in the week; seven lamps in the great candlestick of the Tabernacle and Temple; the seventh year was a Sabbath of rest, and the year after the seven times seventh year was the year of Jubilee; Jericho fell when seven priests with seven trumpets, made the circuit of the city on seven successive days-once each day for six days, and seven times on the seventh; and time is lacking to give you all instances of the use of seven in sacred literature and in the esoteric writings.  “The seven eyes of the Lord,” says Zechariah, “run to and fro through the whole earth.”

The ladder of the ancients (supposed to be that which Jacob saw in his dream, with the angels ascending and descending) symbolized the seven mystic spheres: the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn; down which the souls of men came in their progress towards the earth, taking from each planet its particular characteristic; and up which men must climb back towards God, leaving at each planet the earthly or lower attraction which they no longer need; the seven-fold purification being symbolized by the seven steps of King Solomon’s Temple, which also symbolized the purification mentioned in the Kabalah and the Hermetic writings.

Comment

Personally, I have frequently stated that, in my opinion, there is nothing new in Freemasonry, and when I discover writings, such as the above, I feel very blessed with the fact that these distinguished Masonic forefathers took the time to share their knowledge and understanding for the benefit of those following after them. We are indeed privileged as recipients of that knowledge and owe them a debt of gratitude.

To me, the papers here presented, add greatly to my knowledge of the rituals and customs as practiced in the various Lodges, Chapters, etc. in which I have the pleasure of being a member.

Think, Act ….LIVE!

“Let your desires be ruled by reason”                                                                              Cicero

“Strength and reason come from within. It is there all the time”                            Anna Freud

“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances

would have lain dormant”                                                                                                     Horace

“Mistakes are the portals of discovery”                                                                            James Joyce

Have a Wonderful Day & God Bless You and Yours

Norm

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Symbols & Does Evil Exist?

by MasterMason

Symbols

“Symbols” as stated in our response to “What is Masonry” i.e.

“It is a System of Morality, Veiled in Allegory and Illustrated by Symbols

This I intend to approach from both an Exoteric (outward & apparent) and Esoteric (inward & hidden) perspective and in doing so I am leaning very heavily on the “Freemasons’ Guide and Compendium” written by Bernard E.Jones. He writes :-

“The first learning in the world, we are told, was chiefly in symbols, and the wisdom of the ancient peoples was largely symbolic. All religious systems, right back to the dawn of history, taught their devotees by means of symbols, as witness some of the symbols associated with the Christian religion, but known still earlier to the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Greeks etc. Symbols were a part of man’s most primitive religious ideas, often meaning something to the Initiate and nothing to anyone else. “In a symbol there is concealment but yet revelation” says Thomas Carlyle, “silence and speech acting together, the infinite blending with the finite.”

Symbolism has long been associated with religious personages. Scores or hundreds of saints have their own symbols–ranging from a pot of ointment for St. Mary Magdalene to a hive of bees for St Bernard; from shoemakers tools for St Crispin to a builders rule for St Thomas. A dove with olive branch in its beak is the symbol for Noah. The Kingly figure standing under an arch is the symbol for King Solomon. The Early Christians are believed to have used symbols—a fish, dove etc., engraved on their rings and seals—as a means of revealing their faith to fellow Christians without betraying themselves to their prosecutors.”

As Freemasons we are incredibly familiar with the use of Symbolism in the furnishings of our Lodge Rooms, in the conferring of our Degrees and in the jewelry that we wear on our persons.

Personally, I like the use of symbolism in my life, such as the ring on left hand reminds me that I am married, (happily at that) the Celtic Cross I wear about my neck reminds me of my heritage and the fact that I am a Christian, and the Masonic Ring I wear reminds me constantly of my Obligations.

I am quite certain that, without much searching, we can all identify with Symbolism in some personal way.

Does Evil Exist

One day a University Professor decided to debate with his pupils.  He asked. Did God create everything that exists? A student answered bravely  “Yes he did”    “Everything” asked the teacher? “Yes, everything” Was the answer of the student. “In that case, God also created EVIL. Because EVIL exists” said the teacher

To that the student had no answer and remained in silence. The teacher was delighted to prove one more time that faith was only a MYTH. Suddenly another student raised his hand and asked

“May I ask you a question Professor”?           “Of course” was the answer  “Does COLD exist”    “Of course” answered the Professor- “Did your never feel COLD”

“Actually, sir, cold does not exist. According to studies in Physics, cold is the total and complete absence of heat. An object can only be studied if it has and transmits energy and it is the heat of an object that transmits its energy. Without heat the objects are inert, incapable to react. But cold does not exist. We created the term COLD to explain the lack of heat”   “And DARKNESS” continues the student   “It exists” replied the Professor

“Again you are wrong sir, DARKNESS is the total absence of Light. You can only study Light and brightness, but not darkness.

The prism of Nicols shows the variety of different colours in which light can be decomposed according to the longitude of the waves. Darkness is the term we created to explain the total absence of LIGHT.”  And finally the student asked “an EVIL, sir does EVIL exist”?

“God did not create evil. Evil is the absence of God in peoples’ hearts, it is the absence of LOVE, HUMANITY and FAITH.  Love and Faith are like the heat and the light. They Exist. Their absence leads to EVIL.”

Now it was the turn of the Professor to remain silent!!!!!  The name of the student was Albert Einstein.

 

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