J.S.M. Ward - The Masonic Handbook Series

The Masonic Handbook Series

Studies in the meaning of our Ritual

TheE.A.sHandbookTheF.C.sHandbookTheM.M.sBook

BY

J.S.M.WARD

Celephas Press

Ulthar - Sarkomand - Inquanok Leeds 2008

FirstpublishedLondon:Baskerville,n.d.(ca.1923).ThiselectroniceditionpreparedbyCelephas

Press,somewherebeyondtheTanarianHills,andmanifestedinthewaking

wordintheyear2008ofthecommonerror.

Revison1.022008.08.15 (Morefixestofootnotes&c.)

Introduction to the Celephas Press Edition. DowhatthouwiltshallbethewholeoftheLaw.

Thetextscompiledinthepresentvolumewereoriginallypublishedin1923orthereaboutsbytheBaskervillePress,Londonasnos.1-3intheMasonicHandbookSeries,whichrantofive16movolumes,around100 pages apiece (no. 4, TheHistoryHandbook and no. 5, TheHigherDegreesHandbookarehereomitted;thelatterisdoingtheroundsoftheInternetasplaintext).Noattempthasbeenmadetoretainpagination,layoutorstyleof thatedition. Theadvertisements (forpublishers,asupplier of Masonic regalia, a tobacconist and the Masonic StudySociety)whichappearedintheprinteditionsarenotreproduced.Allother text, introductorymatter and illustrationshavebeen retained.Thetracingboarddesignsdidnotappearintheprintedition,theyareliftedfromanotherworkastheyarereferencedinWardstext.

IshouldstatethatIhavedonewhatsomemayconsidertobetamperingwiththeauthorstext;thiswaspurelyinthehopesofmakingitmorecomprehensible,thus:Ward,incommonwithmanyotherFreemasonswritingbookswhichmightfallintothehandsofcowansandeavesdroppers, seems to have had almost amania for abbreviatingwordsorreplacinglettersbydots(sn.forsign,sq.forsquare,c.f..n forcoffin,prs forpillars,&c.);where itwas reasonably clearwhatwasmeant thishas been silentlyundone, themainexceptionbeinginrespectofthetitlesoftheofficersofaLodge(thesearegivenafterthetableofcontents).

It may be objected that for any Freemason this would be unnecessary,andthisbookisofnopossibleinteresttoanyoneelse.Thefirstmay be true; the second is not . . . quite. The rituals of Freemasonryhavehadagreat influenceon thedevelopmentof thoseofother initiatory societies, and even in the absence of characteristicsymbolssuchasthesquareandcompasses,thelegendofthebuildingofSolomonsTemple,&c., the structuraland thematicparallelsare insomecasesquitemarkedtothosewhocomparetherituals;soinsightsintothesignificationofonesetofritualsmaycarryvalidityforothers.

Wards commentaries primarily follow the popular EnglishEmulationworking,thoughhefrequentlynoticesvariations,bothinotherEnglishworkings(specificallymentioned,Iamamusedtonote,

INTRODUCTION.iv

aresomeworkedhereinLeeds)andinIrish,ScottishandUSrituals.Emulation,asworkedca.1950,wasprinted inavolumecalledDarknessVisiblebyaRomanistantiMasonicwritercalledWaltonHannah,whichprobably remains themostaccessibleway fornonMasons tostudy it, ifyoucan ignoreHannahspolemicswhichoccupythefirstthirdof thebook and intrudeoccasionally in footnotes to the ritualtexts(sinceHannahsexpos,ritualsundertheUnitedGrandLodgeofEnglandhavebeenfurtherchangedbytheremovalofthetraditionalpenaltyclausesfromtheObligations).Hannah,however,omittedthequestionandanswer lectures explanatory of the ritual, to whichWardmakes reference. Someversionsof these (early 19th century)maybefoundinRichardCarlilesManualofFreemasonry

Incasethereisanydoubt,IamnotaFreemason.Iamaffiliatedtoasocietywhichoriginallyemerged fromnineteenthcenturyfringeFreemasonryandmight in itsearlyyearshavebeencharacterizedasirregularFreemasonrybuthasnotbeenanykindofFreemasonryatallforsomedecades.

Allmy footnotes are in squarebrackets. Some areonpointsofinformation,manyaresimplyflippant,sarcasticorhostile.

The Wikpedia article on Ward, citing a study The Scholar theBuildersRejectedbyA.R.Baker(apparentlypublished inArsQuatuorCoronatorumvol.116,2003)notesthatin1987theUnitedGrandLodgeofEnglandfelttheneedtopubliclystatethatWardshandbookshavenoofficialstandinginEnglishMasonry.Thisinanycaseshouldhavebeenclear from theauthorsprefaces; thestatementwasprobably infactnotprimarilyaimedatmembersofthefraternitywhomighthaveassumed the contrary, rather meant as a response to antiMasonicwriterswhosoughttousestatementstakenoutofcontextfromWardswritingstoproveFreemasonrytobeareligion,and/oroccult(itisacommonplacewithsuchfolkstotreatanywriterwhosewordscan be twisted to suit their case as a Masonic authority whoseopinionssomehowconstituteanofficialdogmaofthecraft).

Need itbesaid that thepresenteditordoesnotagreewithmorethanasmallfractionofwhatWardsays,either?

Loveisthelaw,loveunderwill.

T.SLeeds,England

Contents PAGEGeneralintroduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

TheEnteredApprenticesHandbook.AuthorsPreface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 IntroductionbyJohnCockburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 TheMysteries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Chapter1:TheOpening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Chapter2:TheTyler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Chapter3:Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Chapter4:Admission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Chapter5:TheObligation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Chapter6:TheSign,TokenandWord. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Chapter7:TheCharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Chapter8:TheClosing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

TheFellowCraftsHandbookAuthorsPreface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 IntroductionbyJohnCockburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Chapter1:Preparation,PassWordandOpening. . . . . . . . . . 60 Chapter2:PreliminarySteps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Chapter3:TheSecrets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Chapter4:ConclusionoftheCeremony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Chapter5:TheTracingBoard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Chapter6:ClosingCeremony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

TheMasterMasonsBookAuthorsPreface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 IntroductionbyJohnCockburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Chapter1:QuestionsandPassWord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Chapter2:TheOpening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Chapter3:TheSymbolicalJourneys,etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Chapter4:TheExhortation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Chapter5:TheSecrets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Chapter6:TheBadge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Chapter7:TheLegend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Chapter8:TheTracingBoard,etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Chapter9:TheClosing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Chapter10:Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Commonabbreviationsusedinthisvolume.(OfficersinaCraftLodge)W.M. WorshipfulMaster.S.W. SeniorWardenJ.W. JuniorWarden.S.D. SeniorDeacon.J.D. JunionDeacon.I.G. InnerGuard.

Can. Candidate.V.S.L. VolumeofSacredLaw.E.A. EnteredApprentice(theMasonic1).F.C. FellowCraft(theMasonic2).M.M. MasterMason(theMasonic3).

No. 1 The Entered Apprentices Handbook

Q.AsaMason,whencecomeyou?

A.TheWest.

Q.Whitherdirectingyourcourse?

A.TheEast.

Q.WhatinducementhaveyoutoleavetheWestandgototheEast?

A.ToseekaMaster,andfromhimtogaininstruction.

(1stSectionofFirstLecture.)

3

AUTHORSPREFACEIT should be understood that the explanationswhich Inowsubmit foryourconsiderationare, in themain,myownviews. Manybrethrenmaydisagreewithmeandare perfectly entitled so to do, but in coming to theconclusionsIdo,Iharecomparedthemeaningofsimilarsymbols and initiatory rites, both ancient andmodern,andappliedtherecognisedrulesfollowedinthestudyofcomparative religion and folklore. In particular, theinterpretation placed on their symbols by the mosteducatedHindooshasoften suppliedmewithvaluableindications,ashastheKabala.Atthesametime,Ishouldlike to place on record at the very beginning a clearstatementthatImakenoclaimtogiveanyauthoritativeexplanation, and that no such explanation exists. It isclear that theoriginalmeaninghas inmany casesbeenlost,likethegenuinesecretsofaMasterMason,andcanonlybe recoveredby thediligent searchandhearty cooperationofallstudents,amongstwhomItakemyplace,notasaninspiredteacher,butratherasahumbleseekerafter the truth, and just as fallible as any other honestinvestigator.

Let us start by considering in rotation the openingincidentsof the firstdegree, forone should start at theverybeginning.

J.S.M.W.

June,1923.

4

INTRODUCTIONBYTHEHON.SIRJOHNA.COCKBURN

M.D.,K.C.M.G.,P.G.D.Eng.,P.Dept.G.M.S.Australia.

W.BRO.WardisoneofthemostableandearnestofMasonicstudents.Hebringstobearonthetaskofresearchthe mind of a scholar, enriched by extensive reading,muchtravelandawideexperienceofmenandaffairs.InadditiontobeingawellknownauthorofMasonicWorks,hewastheFounderoftheMasonicStudySociety,whosefirst Presidentwas the late SirRichardVassar TrassarSmith, 33, and in whose ranks are to be found manyeminentMasonicwriters. BrotherWardhasbypreceptandexampleledotherstobecomeeagerexplorersintherealmsofMasonictruth.ThepresentvolumeisNo.1ina series of studies as to themeaning of our Ritual. Itdealswith the degree of an EnteredApprentice and iscalculated to inspire the younger brethren with theresolvenottocontentthemselveswiththeoutwardformofour ceremonies,beautiful though itbe,but togainaknowledge of the indwelling soul of Masonry and tocomprehend thedeepmeaningof the ritualwithwhichtheyarestepbystepbecomingfamiliar.Hencetheywilllearn to regard the Craft not only as a world spread,civilisingmedium,noryetonlyasthemostbenevolentofallInstitutions,butalsoasamineofsurpassingwealthinwhich theWisdom of theAges has become embeddedandpreserved.Bro.Wardattheoutsetdisarmsanythinglike hostile criticism by admitting that many brethrenmaynotfind themselves incompleteaccordwithallhisconclusions. Indeed, itwouldbesurprising if thiswerethecase. LikeHolyWrit, theRitual iscapableofmanyinterpretations. It is a gradual accretion in which

INTRODUCTION. 5

succeedingepochshave lefttheirmark. Evolutiontakesplace under, the alternation of forces that make fordifferenceandagreement. Theprocessdemandsacontinualadjustmentbetweentheseapparentlycontrary,butin reality complementary factors. Each age sets out tobalance any deficiency in the preceding period. Whenmaterialismhasbeenpushed to excess, the tendency isrectifiedbyaspiritualrevival.Ontheotherhand,anageinwhichzealforthegiftsofthespirithascausedneglectof temporal welfare is naturally followed by a renaissanceofthejustclaimsoftheflesh.ThesubjectmatterofMasonry is the relationship between Spirit andMatter,between Heaven and Earth, between God and Man,betweentheSoulandtheBody.Emphasisiseverywherelaidonthenecessityoftheirreconciliation.Consequentlytoattainthejustemilieuemphasishassometimestobelaid on one side and sometimes on the other. Forexample,theCrossandtheSquare,whichhavenowsuchdeeply spiritual significance, were originally signs ofEarth,andbecamerespectiveIy,theessentialsymbolsofChristianity and Masonry, because it was necessary toproclaim the fact thatprofessionsofpiety towardsGodwere idle, unless they bore fruit in kindly relationshipbetweenmanandman. Bro.Ward regards the J .W.asrepresenting thebody,and theS .W. the soul,althoughtheemblemsand jeweloftheformerarecelestialandofthe latter terrestrial. The fact is that thingsdivine andhuman are so interwoven inMasonry as tobe inseparable.DutytowardsGodandtowardsourneighbourarebutdifferentaspectsof the same truth. For theFatherhood of God implies the Brotherhood of Man, and,conversely,hewhodevoteshimself to theserviceofhisfellow creatures proves, through his brotherlyrelationship,hisdescentfromtheFatherofAll.Theissue

THEENTEREDAPPRENTICESHANDBOOK.6

of Bro. Wards series of handbooks cannot fail toaccomplish its main object, which is to lead not onlyjuniors,butalsothosewellversed intheritual,tomark,learn and inwardly digest the significance of theceremonies, which when properly understood, causesour jewels and emblems to glow with an inner lightwhich infinitely enhances their beauty. The readyreceptionwhichBro.Wardsbookshavealreadyreceivedat the hands of the Craft, prove that they meet arecognisedrequirementasexpositionsofthecharacterofaritualwithwhoseexternalfeatureswearefamiliar,andinwhichwetakeourdailydelight.

J.A.C.

TheMysteries

Ineveryraceandeveryclime,SincetheearliestdaysofTime,MenhavetaughttheMysticQuestShowntheWaytoPeaceandrest.

Bacchusdied,androseagain, OnthegoldenAsianPlain:Osirisrosefromoutthegrave, Andtherebymankinddidsave:AdonislikewiseshedhisbloodBytheyellowSyrianflood,ZoroasterbroughttobirthMithrafromHisCaveofEarth.

AndtodayinChristianLandsWewiththemcanjoinhands.

J.W.

7

CHAPTERITHEOPENINGOFTHEFIRSTDEGREE.

THEW.M.callsthebrethrentogetherwithoneknocksoas to remind them that the body must be prepared toobey the higher faculties, for if it is not, no spiritualprogressispossible.ThefirstquestionandansweroftheJ.W.indicatethisquiteclearly,fortheJ.W.representsthebody and so he satisfies himself thatmans body is onguardagainstoutsideinfluences.

The S.W., representing the Soul,nextproves that allpresenthavemadesomeprogresstowardsthelight.Itisonlywhenthishasbeenachievedthatanyrealadvancementbecomespossible,andonlythosewhohavestartedcanhelpthosewhostillremaininspiritualdarkness.

Thenextseriesofquestions indicates thatManhasasevenfoldnature.

The Ancient Egyptians held this view, and it isendorsed inMasonry by the fact that it takes seven tomakeaperfect lodge. There isalso,nodoubt,anastrological reference to the seven planets and a connectionwithstellarworship,butasoursystemismainlysolar,itisalmost impossible togivea logicalplanetary interpretation to the seven who form a lodge, or to the sevenofficers. In short, theplanetary symbolismhasbecomedisorganisedbythestress laidonthesolaraspectofthethreeprincipalofficerswhorulea lodge. Moreover,thepredominance of the solar aspect has emphasised thetriunenatureofman,andsymbolisesitintheseofficers.

Thus itwillbeseen that toomuchstressmustnotbelaidon theplanets,asrepresentedby thesevenofficers,andapassingreference to the fact that it isstillremem


bered in the number seven is all that can be logicallymaintained.

Similarlythereismerelyahintofthesevenfoldnatureofman. If ourswere a stellar system, then clearly theTylerwouldrepresentthebody,thedivinesparkwouldberepresentedbytheW.M.,thevariousofficersbetweenwould symbolise the various subdivisions of the nonmaterial parts of man, such as his astral body, hisintellectualfaculties,andsoforth.

Since, however, our system is solar in themain,weshould continue to interpret our symbols from thataspect,makingbutpassingreferencetostellarinfluenceswhentheyoccur.

Theduties of theTyler are considered elsewhere, sowewillpasstotheI.G.Althoughinsomepopularworkings he and the other two subordinate officers are notallowedtospeakforthemselves,theWardensdoingthiswork, inmanyother rituals theyareallowed toanswertheW.M.direct. The I .G. stands for thepowerwhichpermitstheSoultoenterfleshatanygivenmoment.TheSoulmaydesiretobecome incarnate,butunless itstimehascomeitisturnedbackatthethreshold,andevenifitforcesitselfintobirthitiscutshort.Entryintolifeisnotan accident, but ordained ofGod,Whoworks throughHisspiritualaswellasthroughHishumanagents.

Thosewho sawMaeterlincksplay, TheBlueBird,willrememberthatthesameideaisdealtwithinoneofthescenes.

Spiritually, the I.G. represents the Warning whichmust be given to those who attempt, without duecaution, toprobe into theMysteriesofGod. Theymustneither rush forward hastily, nor, having once started,withdrawsuddenly;for,iftheydo,direevilwillbefall.

Thiswarningall theMysteriesgave,and it iscertain

THEOPENINGOFTHEFIRSTDEGREE. 9

that thosewhodabble in the socalledoccult rungraverisks unless they use the utmost caution. Hence it isabsolutely essential that the candidate should beproperlypreparedbeforehestartsonhisquest.

The J.D. represents thephysicalmeansbywhich theSoul,representedbytheS.W.,passesontheinspirationsreceivedfromtheSpirit,theW.M.,tothematerialworld.Inthissensethereforeherepresentsintelligence,andthefivesensesofman,whereastheS.D.standsforintuition,wherebytheSoulobtainsitsinspirationfromtheDivine.

In theancientoperativedays theseofficersnodoubthad a practical use, the S.D. being the personal messengeroftheMaster,whotookmessagestotheS.W.,notmerelywhen inLodge,butwhenhewasatadistance,employedonhis task,orpossiblywhenhewas restingfromhis labours. In likemanner theS.W.sdeaconwassentbyhimtofindtheJ.W.

TheJ.W.describeshispositioninLodgeandindicatesquiteclearlythatherepresentstheSunatnoon.

From the operative point of view it must beremembered thatNoon has always been, and still is, aworkingmansdinnerhour,hencethespecialdutyoftheJ.W.; but in the spiritual sense, since he stands for thebody, it isnatural thathe shouldhave charge over thebodysneeds.AshealsorepresentsthepreservativesideofGod,his interest in thephysicalwellbeingofman isappropriate. With this inmind theF.C.will realise thesignificanceofthePassWord,anditsconnectionwithC.andW.,1whicharetheemblemsoftheGodofVegetationinthemoreprimitiverites.Whenmenevolved,andthesolarsystemofreligiondeveloped,theGodofVegetationbecame thePreserver. This characteristic of the J.W. is1[At first I read this corn andwine (Cere andBacchus in classic language)butthecontextsuggestsWheremeansWater.T.S.]


emphasised by the upright lines of his plumb, whichremindsusofwaterwhichfallsfromheaven,andofthecastemarksofVishnuinIndia.

ThisaspectoftheJ.W.asrepresentingthePreserveriscarefullymaintained throughout thewholeof the threedegreesandmustneverbeforgotten.Inlikemanner,thefact that he stands for the body is also maintainedthroughout. Bearing this inmind,weshallperceive thesignificance of the fact that the Architect of KingSolomonsTemplewastheJ.W.

Finally,breadandwaterrepresentthebarenecessities,withoutwhichmortallifecannotbepreserved.Luxuries,which are obtained when we have acquired worldlypossessions,2 i.e.,wealth, lead todeath of the soul, andeven of the body, unless employed with the greatestcaution.

Somemasonsclaim that the J.W.originallysat in theNorthtomarktheSunatnoon,meaningtosee,orpointout,thatithadreachedthemidheavens.Honestly,Icanfind no real evidence in support of this view, whichlikewiseplacestheW.M.intheWestandtheS.W.intheEast.

Itisdue,inmyopinion,toacompletemisunderstandingof theuseof thewordstomark. Thisphrase impliesthattheJ.W.isplacedonacertainspottomarkthepositionoftheSunatnoon,andnotthathemayseeit.Inaclosedinbuilding,assuchalodgeroomwas,itwouldbedesirable tomark the threepositionsof the Sun, forthecandidatehastopassthrougheachpointinturn,andthese three officers,who represent the Sun in its threeaspects,wouldnaturally sit in thepositions inuse in aspeculativelodge.2[ProbablyanallusiontotheglossonthePassWordleadingfromF.C.toM.M.T.S.]


Any arguments adduced from the rituals of themodernOperativeLodgesarevitiatedby two facts(1)wehavenoevidencethatthispeculiarityisreallyold(itmay be due to Strettons inventive mind). and (2) theoperatives, if old,would be descended from theGuildMasonsandnotfromtheFreemasons;3andthismightbea peculiarity of theirs, or deliberately adopted so as todifferentiatethemfromtheFreemasons.

That the Guild Masons and Freemasons were quitedistincthasbeenprovedasfarbackas1913,andthefactis gone into in my other book, Freemasonry and theAncientGods. That theOperativesarenotdescendeddirect from theMedival Freemasons is shown by thefactthattheyhaveentirelydifferentsignsfromourown.

Thusweneednotdiscuss further thequestion as towhethertheJ.W.shouldbeintheNorthorSouth.

The S .W., ashe indicates inhis reply to theW .M.,represents theSun in its setting,and so theDestructiveSideof theDeity,orShiva. Healsostandsfor theSoul.Shivashallclosenotonlyourmortallife,butTimeitself.But I have dealtwith this side of the S .W. very fullyelsewhere.

It should be noted, however, that the S.W. is associated with level and horizontal lines, and not withperpendiculars, and here again he follows the Hindoosystem, for Shivas caste mark is two or more parallellines. As theGreatLeveller this ismostnatural,and itremindsus that in the sightofGod all souls are equal,evenifinmortallifetheirstationsmayappeartodiffer.

Shiva isassociatedwith theelementofFire,whereasVishnuisassociatedwithWater,andasweseethatgreatcarehasbeen taken tomaintain theconnectionbetweenthe J.W.andWater, sowe find thatwithus theS.W. is

3[Thisdistinctionisexplainedinthenextchapter.T.S.]


similarly associated with Fire, though perhaps less obviously.Firstly,hislevelisofatriangularformwiththepointupward, theworldwide symbol forFire. Again,theS.W.sPassWordhashiddenwithinitthesameidea.Asmithwhoworksinmetalscanonlydosobythehelpoffire,andinoneritualthisfactisstressed.Thusmetalscomeout from thedarkearth,and theSun sinks in theWestintodarknessandthegrave,asdoesman.

But, bymeans of fire,man obtainswealth from themetalshiddenintheearth,andinlikemannertheSoulofManrisesrefinedandpurifiedfromthegravebymeansof thedivine firewithin. Moreover, one cannot ignorethe fact that there ishere ahint of thenecessity of thepurgingfireofRemorsetocleanseawayoursins.

TheS.W.istheSoul,thelinkbetweenmortallifeandthe Divine Spark, but he acts on instructions from theSpirit; in otherwords it is onlywhenGoddecrees ourdeaththattheSouldepartsfromthebody.

The W.M. represents, as his words indicate, thecreative sideofGod and theDivine Spirit inMan. Hesetsustoworkonearth,butdelegatestoanotherthetaskof callingusbackwhencewe came. He represents themaleaspectoftheDeity,as isshownbythetaucrosses,called levels,onhisapron,andbyhisuseof thegavel,whichrepresentsthesameemblem.TheTauCrossis,ofcourse, a phallic symbol and stands for the male andcreativeaspectinMan.

As the three principal officers represent the Sun (amasculineplanet)invariousphases,itisnaturalthattheyshouldallwield thegavel,butthetwowardensare lessessentiallymalethantheW.M.,asisindicatedbythefactthat theydonothave the taucrossorMasters levelontheir aprons. The Spirit,being active, ismale;whereasboth soul and body, being more or less passive, are


female. The feminine side of the S .W. or Soul isdeliberatelyemphasisedlater,inthefirstdegree,byareferencetotheMoon,afeminineplanet,theemblemoftheSoulandof thepsychicnature inman. Norcanweignore the fact that theWest is known as the femininequarteroftheheavens,whereastheEastisthemasculine,itisalsoworthnoticingthatShivaisoftendepictedwiththemoon.

Finally, before declaring the Lodge open, the W.M.offersupaprayer,therebyremindingusthattheDivineSparkinMan,ortheSpirit,mustturntotheSourceofAllforaid,ifitwouldcontrolbodyandsoul.

Thethreeknocks,asdistinctfromtheoneknockwithwhichtheproceedingsstarted,indicatethatthemembersare about to work for the union and advancement ofbody,soulandspirit,andnotforthebodyonly.Buttheway inwhich the threeknocks aregiven show that, asyet, there isnounitybetween the threeelementswhichconstituteMan.

14

CHAPTERIITHETYLER.

THEfirstthingthatgreetstheeyesoftheaspiranttoourOrder is aman,whom he soon discovers is called theTyler,standing infrontofthedoorwithadrawnswordin his hand. He naturally wants an answer to thequestionwhich actually occurs in a certain famous oldritual, Why does the Tyler wear a sword?and theansweris,ToguardthebrethrenandtoheletheWord.

Letusconsiderthisanswer;Toguard thebrethren. Incertainoldritualsofthe

18th centurywe are told thatMasonsLodges formerlymet in the openon the highest hill or lowest valley,whereneverdogbarkednor cock crew. BrethrenwillnodoubthavereadtheinterestingarticleintheMasonicRecordrelatingtothisstateofaffairs,butIamboundtosaythatIdonotthinkthattheordinarymedivallodgemet in suchplaces. The reference to the cock, togetherwith certain details we possess with regard to thoselodgeswhichdidmeetintheopen,(theyweremostlyinScotland) indicate that they were not ordinary Craftlodges,butmuchmoreprobablyTemplarLodges. TheTemplars in the 18th century claimed to be descendedfromabodywhichhadbeensuppressedintheyears1307to1314,andactuallyprescribed.Therewaseveryreasonthereforewhytheyshouldmeetinoutofthewayplaces,but no such reason existed in the case of a lodge ofordinary Freemasons. That such aphrase shouldhavewandered into a craft ritual fromTemplary isperfectlynatural, but it is not safe to argue from this that allmasonic lodges met under the canopy of heaven. In

THETYLER. 15

those earlydays,manyhigherdegreeswereworked inordinary Craft Lodges, in away not permitted today;andthismayeasilyaccountforphrasesmoreappropriatetoaTemplarPreceptorybeingfoundinaCraftworking.I might add that until the middle of the 19th centuryTemplarmeetingswere always called Encampments,indicating that theywerecampsheld in theopen fields.ButinmedivaltimesweknowthattheFreemasonshadLodgebuildings,andiftheywenttoanewplacetobuildachurchorcastle,thefirstthingtheydidwastoerectatemporary Lodge room, which they attended beforestarting the days work. Those interested will findabundantdetails inFortNewtonsadmirable littlebook,TheBuilders. Therealsoitisclearlyshownthattherewere two kinds ofmasons in thosedays, and themanwhoconclusivelyproved thiswasnotamodernSpeculativeFreemason.

The twogroupswere theFreemasons and theGuildMasons.

The formerwere linealdescendantsof theComacineMasonswho,incidentally,knewacertainMasonicSignand these men were skilled architects free to goanywhere.Theyhadamonopolyofecclesiasticalbuildingandofworkoutsidethetowns,e.g.,castles.

TheGuildMasonsmerehumblerfolk.Theywerenotallowed tobuildoutside theirparticular city,buthadamonopoly of all building inside that city, with oneimportant and significant exception:they were notallowed to build ecclesiastical buildings. In return fortheirchartertheyhadtomaintainthefortifications.

Whena churchhad tobebuilt theFreemasonsweresentfor,andapparentlytheycalledontheGuildMasonsto help them with the rough work, e.g., to square thestones,etc.


I suggest that Speculative Freemasonry is mainlydescendedfromtheFreemasons,whereasthefewOperativelodgesthatsurviveareprobablydescendedfromtheGuildmasons.

This theory is borne out by the fact that while theOperativeshaveourgrips, theyhavenotgotour signs,yetthesesignsareunquestionablyold.

TheywouldallhavethesamegripforconvenienceinprovingtotheFreemasonsthattheywerereallymasons,buttheywouldkeeptheirsignstothemselves,asdidtheFreemasons,since theydidnotwant theothergroup tohaveaccesstotheirprivatemeetings.

Further,we find that theMasterMasonsof theFreemasons were entitled to maintenance as gentlemen,clearly indicatingthattheyweredifferentfromordinarycraftsmen (SeeFortNewton). After theReformationnodoubt Freemasons and Guild masons tended to amalgamateandthisexplainsmuch.

Now if the Freemasons erected a lodge before theystartedtobuildachurchorcastle,weshallseethattheirmeeting in the open would be merely occasional, e.g.,while the temporary lodge was being built, and not aregularcustom;buttheveryfactthatitwasatemporarybuilding,andopen toapproachbyalland sundrywhocametothesiteofthenewbuilding,isquitesufficienttoexplainwhytheyhadsomeoneonguard.

Why,however,ishecalledaTyler,insteadofSentinel,orsomesimilarname?

There are three explanations, and you can adoptwhichyouplease:

1.To tile is to cover in; hence theTyler is onewhocoversorconcealswhatisgoingonintheLodge.

2.IntheoldmedivalTemplarceremonytherewerethreesentinels;oneinsidethedoor,oneoutside,andone

THETYLER. 17

on the roof or tiles, who could see if anyone wasapproachingthebuilding.Itwillberememberedthattheold Templar Churches were round, so that a manperchedontheroofwasabletoseeineverydirection.

3.Thatthetilerswereinferiorcraftsmenascomparedwith thegenuine freemasons,poorbrethren,as itwere,and not admitted to fullmembership, although one ortwowerechosentoactasOuterGuards.

Iamnotgreatlyimpressedwiththelattertheory,andmypersonalpredilection is infavourofNo.1;butthereisagooddealtobesaidforNo.2.Thetylerguardedthebrethrenfromcowansoreavesdroppers.

TheformerwordisstillusedinthecountrydistrictsofLancashire andWestmorland for adrydyker, that is, amanwhobuild,roughwallsbetweenthedifferentfields,of rough, uncut, and unmortared stones. When IwaslivinginYorkshireIhadanumberoffieldssosurrounded; the stones forwhichwerepicked from thehillside.and piled one upon another. No particular skill wasneededtobuildsuchawall;Irepairedseveralmyself.

Inotherwords,acowanisonewhopretendstobeamasonbecauseheworks instone,but isnotone. Somefancifulderivationshaveheensuggested fromCohen,the Jewish priest. I disagree entirely from this view.WhyshouldtheJewishcohensbemorelikelytopretendto be freemasons than any other priests? As the otherword is spelt aswe spellours, andmeanswhat Ihavestated,IseenoreasontoinventthissuggestionregardingtheJewishpriests,whowerealwaysfewinnumber,andintheMiddleAgeshardlyexisted;theJewsweredrivenout ofEnglandbyEdward I, andnot readmitteduntilthetimeofCromwell.

Eavesdroppers means men who listen under theeaves.Theeavesofaprimitiveorofamedivalcottage


overhungaconsiderabledistancebeyond thewalls,andbetween the roof and the wall was an open space.Through this space the smoke of the fire escaped; thegeneral arrangementwas very similar to that found inthe tropics. Thewallsofsuchacottagewereoftenonlyfive to six feethigh,and thusamancouldstandundertheeavesintheshadow,hiddenfromthelightofsunormoon,andbothseeandhearwhatwasgoingoninside,without thosewhowere in the lodge knowing hewasthere.

But the Tylcrwar on guard outside the door of theLodge; he was armed with a drawn sword, and woebetide any eavesdropper he discovered, for our medivalbrethrenundoubtedly interpreted theirobligationsliterally.

Incidentally, Iunderstand thatnominally thedutyofcarryingoutthepenaltystillrestsontheshouldersoftheTyler.

With regard to theuseof temporarybuildingsonornear the site of the building, it should be noted thatduring thebuildingofWestminsterAbbey therewasatleastone,ifnottwo,suchlodges,andtheyarementionedintherecordsoftheAbbey,andreferredtobyW.Bro.J.WalterHobbsinhisinterestingarticlesonthatvenerablepile.

Thuswecanseethatitwasessentialthatthereshouldbe anOuterGuard to keep off intruders, owing to thefact thatLodgeswereusuallyheld in temporarybuildings, oftenwith overhanging eaves and an open spacebetween the topof thewallsand thebeamswhichsupportedtheroof.

The word hele should, in my opinion, be pronouncedheal,nothale. Theuseofhale isowingto the fact that thewordsconceal,andreveal,were

THETYLER. 19

pronounced in the18thcentury,concaleandrevale.Since thewords1obviouslywerea jingle, Iconsider it ismorecorrecttodaytopronounceitheal.

Moreover,thewordhelemeanstocoverover.Youstillhear thephraseusedtohelea cottage,orevenahaystack, and theword Hell implies theplace that iscoveredover, e.g., in the centreof the earth. Hele isconnected with healto cover up, or to close up, awound,and themeaning therefore is tautalogical,viz.tocoveruptheword.(TheMasonicst.2)

The use of the pronunciation Hale is todaymostmisleading,and isapt tocauseanewly initiatedBro. tothinkhehastoHailsomething,orproclaimitaloud.

TheC. is taken inhandby theTylerwhomakeshimsignaformtotheeffectthatheisfreeandofthefullageof21years.

Whyfree? Well, inmedivaldayshehad tobindhimselftoserveasanapprenticeforsevenyears.Unlesshewasafreeman,hisownermightcomealongandtakehim away, before he had completed his apprenticeshipand,worsestill,mightextortfromhimsuchsecretsashehad learnt from themasons. Thus themastermightbeenabled to sethimselfupasa free lance,notunder thecontrolofthefraternity.

Thetwentyoneyearsis,Ibelieve,an18thcenturySpeculative innovation aiming at a similar object. I thinkthere is no doubt that usually in the Middle Ages anapprentice was a boy who placed himself under thecontrolofaMasterwithhisparentsconsent.TheMasterwashenceforthinlocoparentis.

Inthe18thcenturywithoutsomesuchsafeguard(as21years) some precocious youth might have joined the1[i.e.thephrasehele,concealandneverrevealintheObligation.T.S.]2[Secret,probably.T.S.]


fraternitywithouthisfathersconsent. ThefathermighthavebeenonewhodisapprovedofFreemasonry.,andinsuch a casewouldprobablynothesitate to exercisehisparental authority in thedrasticmanner at that time invogue, and so extort the secrets, which he could thenhaveexposed.

Today it is still a very reasonable clause, for itpresupposesthatamanhasreachedyearsofdiscretionandknowswhathe isabout. Anyrealhardship isremovedby the fact that Grand Lodge has power to dispense,whichpoweritconstantlyusesinthecaseoftheUniversityLodgesatOxfordandCambridge.Imyselfwasoneof those who thus benefited. It is, I believe, still thecustominEnglandthataLewis,thesonofamason,maybeadmittedat18,thoughtherightisseldomclaimed;butin some countries, Iunderstand, it is aprivilegehighlyvalued, and regularly used by those entitled to it. Inmasonryalewisisacrampofmetal,bywhichonestoneisfastenedtoanother.Itisusuallysomeformofacross,and awholepaper couldbewrittenon its significance,butthiscasualreferencemustsuffice.

21

CHAPTERIIIPREPARATION.

THEnextthingthathappens isthattheCan.ispreparedbytheTyler.

Thisisaveryimportantmatter.Thereseemslittledoubtthatoriginallycandidateswerestrippednaked,andeventodayintheU.S.A.C.sareleftintheirshs1only.

In Burmawe changed out of everything into a onepiecepyjamasuit,amostconvenientarrangement.

What we now have is a system bywhich the partswhichhavetobebarearemadebare.

Wetakeourobligationonourleftknee,thereforethatkneemustbebare. Why? So thatour fleshmaybe incontactwithMotherEarth.Itispossiblethattherewasapracticalaswellasasymbolicalmeaninginthis,andalsoin thecaseofourdeprivationofmetals. Insomeof theancientmysteries ithasbeensuggested thatachargeofelectricitywaspassedthroughtheCan.ashekneltatthealtar, either from a battery, or by what is now calledmagnetism.Ifanyquestiontheuseofelectricityinthosedays, Iwouldpointout thatcertainstatementsofHerodotus, to the effect that the Egyptian priests broughtdown lightningbymeansofrods,canbestbeexplainedbyadmittingthattheyhadsomerudimentaryknowledgeofelectricity.

Thebarebreast is inorder that thesharp instrumentcanbeapplied. TheScotchritual,however,says it is toshowyoursex,butIaminclinedtothinkthisisamoderngloss. Personally,Ishouldnotregardthisasconclusive1[Shorts? Shirts? Shoes? TheAmericanworking inDuncans (late 19thcentury)isunhelpfulonthispoint.T.S.]


proof in itself,forIhaveseen(whenabroad)manywellgrown girlswho had nothingworthmentioning,whilemany native men had quite well developed busts. Itshouldalwaysbe remembered that this is thedegreeofbirthandwewerebornnaked.

Weareslipshopbecauseweareabouttotreadonholyground, just as in the East we wear slippers whenenteringamosque. It isprobable that theScotch ritualhaspreservedarealtraditionwhenitreferstothecustomin Israel of removing a shoe, as a witness, when confirming an obligation. Those interested will find thedetailsinRuth,whereBoazundertakestomarryRuth.

Acabletowisplacedabouthisneck.Thispicceofsymbolismisoldandworldwide.Ona

vase found atChama inMexico, several candidates aregoing throughaceremonyverysimilar,apparently,toacertaindegreeinMasonry.2Oneisbeingtaughtacertainsign,andtheotherswhostandwaitingtheirturnallhavecable towswith a runningnoose about theirnecks. InIndia thiscable tow is theemblemofYama, theGodofDeath,withwhichhesnarcsthesoulsofmenanddragsthemforthfromtheirbodies.ItiscarriedbyShivatoindicatehisdestructivecharacterinrelationtohumanlife.

Thereareinmasonrymeaningswithinmeanings,andIwillthereforeindicateafewofthoseassociatedwiththecabletow,butIshallnotdosowithallthedetailsIshalltouchupon.

The cable tow isanemblemofDeath. It is fastenedround thenecksofcaptivesasshowing that theyareatthe absolutemercy of their conqueror. Thus the burghessesofCalaishad tocomebeforeEdward III. in theirshirtsnote thatwith cable tows round their necks.

2SeeFreemasonryandtheGods.

PREPARATION. 23

TheywereonlysavedbythedesperatepleadingofgoodQueenPhilippa.

But this is thedegree of birth. Some come into theworld with a caul which may strangle them if not removed,andinanycasewearesaidtobeborninoriginalsinandthereforedoomedtodie.Birth,intheverynatureofthings,meansdeath,andthatiswhytheHindooshavemade Shiva, the Lord ofDeath, also theLord ofBirth.Weourselvesarecaptivessoulsboundbythechainsofthe flesh, andoffenders against theLawof theKingofKings.Further,wecomeinbondagetosin,seekingtobefreedfromourbondsbythewordofGod. Theholdingofthecabletow,andthedangersentailed,aresufficientlyexplained toneedno furthermention justnow, thoughthisdoesnotimplytherearenotinnermeanings.

The hoodwink is always found in every great initiatoryrite.Ingeneral,itremindsusthatasinthephysicalworldwecameoutofdarkness into light,so in theintellectual,andfinally,inthespiritualworld.WecomeintomasonryseekingtheLightofGodsword. Inotherlanguage, to try and comprehend through the use ofsymbolswhatGodreallyis.

But as the veil of darkness is slightly lifted as onegrows inyearsandour intellectawakens,so it is in theCraft,andthefirstthingweseethereistheV.S.L.,itselfasymbol of Divine inspiration; for without the Divinespark,whichspeaksfromtheinmostrecessesofthesoul,weshallremaininspiritualdarknessallournaturallife.

TheCan.isthenbroughttothedooroftheLodgeandchallenged,but, strange to say, inour ritual there isnopassword. Therewasonce, Ihavenodoubt,and it isstillinuseinScotland,IrelandandU.S.A.Moreover,itisoneoftheteststherewhenvisiting,andifamancannotgive it he will run a serious risk of being refused


admission.Strangetosay,wedogetitinsidetheLodge,thoughperhapsmostbrethrendonotrealiseit.ItisTheTongue ofGoodReport (sometimes it is Free and ofGoodReportthoughthisislessusual).

Butbeforeenteringwearedeprivedofmetals. Now,among the Dervishes M. = mineral jubstances, but weinterpret it Metal. It is Metals!that is important.Valuablesisareal,butsubsidiary,meaning.

Letusconsiderthiscarefully.Thereisanexplanationofwhyitisdoneinthelectures,now,alas,seldomreadinLodge,andalso,of course, in thequestions. Theselectureswere the real instruction; on themwere basedthe tracing board lectures, which mere pictorialsummaries,onwhichweresetcertainquestions.

Nowthelectures(whichcanbeboughtatanyMasonicfurnishers) tellus thatat thebuildingof theTemplenometallic implementswereused. Why? Becausemetalscame frombelow. Theywere thegiftsof theChthonicGodstheGodsof theUnderworlduseful ,nodoubt,butbeinggiftsoftheGodsoftheUnderworldtheywerein their very nature evil, and abhorrent to theGods ofLight,whomthewhiteracesworshipped.ForthisreasontheEgyptianscontinued tousestoneknives toopenupthe corpsepreparatory to embalming it, long after theyusedmetalknivesconstantly.Theholydeadmustnotbepolluted with the gifts of the evil powers. If there isanything in the theory of an electric or magneticdischargebeingmadeat the timewhenametalpoint isappliedtonakedleftbreastattheobligation,thiswouldalso be a practical reason; the presence ofmetalmightmakesuchachargedangerous.Butthefirstreasonisnodoubttheoriginalone,andprobablytheonlyone.

The idea thatwebringnothing into thisworld is,ofcourse,likewiseobvious;butitsfullsignificanceislostin

PREPARATION. 25

our ritual, although seen in the Irish. There aCan. isdeprivedofmetalsinthefirstandintheseconddegrees.ThesignificanceofthiswillberealisedbyM.M.siftheyponderawhileonthemeaningoftheS.W.sPassWordHow hardly shall a rich man enter the kingdom ofHeaven.That worldly possessions hamper a mansspiritualprogress isproclaimedbyevery religion in theworld which can truly be called great. The Buddhistmonkandthemediaevalfriaralikeagreeonthis.

Why pass words at all? Here we wander into astrange field, no less than that of old world magic, Ithink. TheCan.entersanE.A.Lodge from theoutsideworld.PriortohisentrythisLodgehasbeenopenedbya peculiar ceremony:a ceremony which, in the thetechnical language of magic and the occult, raises thevibrations of those present; thus they are, as it were,raisedtoahigherkey,andforceisgenerated.Nowthosewhohavestudiedsuchmattersknowthatabodyofmenwho are all concentrating on a particular subject dogenerateapeculiar,subtle,butpowerfulforce,whichhasnot been accurately defined by science, but is looselycalledmagnetic. In theolddaysofphenomenalmagiccertain words, when uttered in the correct tone, werebelieved to be in consonancewith this power, like atuning fork is to a violin. Thereforewe give this password to the Can. to raise him quickly to the samepowerastheLodge. ButIamafraidImaybegettingrather deep for our younger readers. All I need sayfurtheristhatsuchpasswordsareuniversalinthegreatmysteryrites,ancientormodern,ariditisnotsurprising,therefore, that in some rituals we find a pass wordleadingtothe1.

26

CHAPTERIVADMISSION.

NOWourCan.entersand is receivedonasharp instrument. Thissignifiesmany things,one idea lyingwithintheother. Itremindsusofthepainwe,asdistinctfromour mothers, suffered when we entered this physicalworld. It is a test of our courage and obedience.Probably inoldendaysbloodwasdrawnasa sacrifice.TheCan.comesseekingforknowledge;selfrestraintandquietconfidenceshouldmarkhisbearing.

In allprimitive initiatory ritesmostpainful tests areapplied, and if the candidate does not bear themwithcouragehe is rejected,and told thathenceforthhe is todressasawomanandwillbe treatedwithcontemptbythemenofthetribe.

Wenote that the instrument isaLatincross, theageoldsymbolofsuffering,andthis istheonlyplace intheLodge where the Can. sees this cross, (e.g. when it isshown him later) thoughM.M.smay realise that theredoescomeatimewhenhetreadstheWayoftheCrossofSuffering.

The use of a LatinCross as the sharp instrument ispeculiarly significant, for it is associatedwithpain andthedangerofdeath,and tellsus, insymbolic language,that thewayof life is thepathof suffering,andbeginswith the threatofdeathandends indeath itself;butbythishardroadwedrawnearertotheobjectofourquest.

Next theCan.kneelswhile theblessingofHeaven isinvoked. Thisneedsno explanation, forhe is about tostart onTheQuest andneeds thedivinehelp. But thephrase Relying on such sure support, youmay safely

ADMISSION. 27

riseandfollowyour leader, . . . ,forwhere thenameofGod is invoked we trust no danger can ensue seemspointlessinEmulationworking,forthedangerwasatthedoor and ispassed. But atLeeds theyhaveaworkingwhichis,theysay,derivedfromtheOldYorkritual,anditdoesexplainthispassage.

I saw this ceremony atAlfred 306,Leeds. TheCan.was brought in hoodwinked and bidden to kneel, andaftertheprayer,theW.M.said:

Mr Brown, it is but fair to tell you of the perilouspositioninwhichyouarenowplaced.Beforeyoustandsone with a drawn sword in his hand, pointed at yournaked leftbreast,andbehindyouoneholds theendofthecabletowwhichisaboutyourneck;inthispositionofdificultyanddanger,inwhomdoyouputyourtrust?

Answer:InGod.W.M.:Rightgladam I to seeyour faith is sowell

founded;relyingetc.HereyouseetheCan.isindanger.NexttheCan. istakenroundwiththeSun,forthis is

theroadoflife.Andinallancientreligionsonenteringatempleamanhad to follow thispath. InBurma to thisdayyou are expected topass round thepagoda in thismanner. Thewords areBrethren in theNorth,East,SouthandWestwilltakenotice.Itisclearthereforethatemphasis is laid on the fact that the candidate isfollowing the path of the Sun, for otherwise why notemploy themoreusualphrase,North,South,EastandWest?NowtheSwastika,whichmayberegardedasthelostsigninFreemasonry,1indicatesthepathoftheSunand is theemblemof life,whereas theSuwastika2 is theemblem of the life beyond the grave, for, acording to1FirstsuggestedbyWor.Bro.SirJohnCockburn.2i.e.,thereversedSwastika.


ancient symbolism and eschatology, the departed soulwentthroughtheunderworldthereverseway,justastheSunwassupposedtodo,e.g.,W.S.E.N.This,thenistheroadoftheSpirits.

Thus the candidate startson the symbolic journeyoflife,andinsomeoftheeighteenthcenturyritualsthereisevidence that thewaywasmade hard anddifficult, tosymbolisethetrialsandtribulationswemeetwithinlife,particularlyifwestrivetoattaintotheLight.Thislessonisstilltaughtincertainforeignrituals.

In Freemasonry and theAncientGods I havediscussed the probability of the theory that the Swastika3wasonceusedinourLodgestorepresentGod,asitstillis in the operative lodges, and have shown that asquare=agamma,theGreekG,andthereforethatthefourfoldgammarepresentsthefourlettersoftheHebrewalphabetwhichdenote thesacrednameofGod. I referagaintothispoint later,andsowillcontentmyselfwithsayingthatinanoperativelodgetheSwastika,isformedoffourgallowsquares,oneofwhichalwaysrestsontheopenvolumeoftheBible,whiletheotherthreebelongtothethreeGrandMasterMasons,andareplacedbythemontheBiblebeforeopeningtheLodge,insuchawayastoformaSwastika.

Thuseventodayinthemannerofourprogressroundthe Lodge we are reminded of that ageold symbol,which is foundallover theworldrepresentingLifeandtheSun,thelatterbeingitselfanemblemforGod.

TheCan.isthentoldtostepoffwiththeleftfootfirst.Why? Because the Preserver in ancient mythology isalways depicted as trampling with his left foot on theSerpentofEvil.Thisisso,alikeinancientEgypt,inIndiaandelsewhere.

3FirstsuggestedbyWor.Bro.SirJohnCockburn.

ADMISSION. 29

But some may ask Why should Horus or Krishnaplanthis leftfooton theserpentofEvil? MajorSanderson,whohasspentmanyyearsinNyasalandasMedicalOfficerofHealth,andhasbeeninitiatedintomanynativerites,tellsmethatamongmanyprimitiveracesthereisasuperstition that when entering a shed where rice isstoredonemustenter right foot first,soasnot tohurttheSpiritwhorulesover thericestore. Thesame ideaprevails among these people wherever food is stored,andweheregetanexplanationofleftfootfirst.

WhenfightingagainsttheSpiritofEvilyoudodesiretohurthim,andsoreversethesuperstition,andstepoffleft foot first. This is Major Sandersons view, and Iconsideritisprobablythecorrectone.

Itmayalsobewell topointout thatour ceremonieshave come in contact, at various periods, with manydifferent religious beliefs, and this fact explains whythere are often several meanings attached to certainpointsintheritual,allofwhichmaybecorrect.

The great serpent, Apepi, in Egypt, represents thepowersofspiritualevil,e.g. theDevil. But italsospecificallyreferstoignorance,accordingtotheIndianlegendinwhichKrishnatramplesonthefiveheadedcobra.Thefive heads,moreover, also have a reference to our fivesenses,which inthatallegorymustbecleansedofeveryevilthought.

Thuswemayconsider that theWorld is representedby theCableTow.andhoodwink,and thebrotherhoodhelpsustofreeourselvesfromthem.TheFleshisrepresentedbythefirstregularstepinwhichwetrampleonthe Tau Cross,4 while the Devil is represented by thesnake,ofwhoseexistenceweareremindedbythewarningtostepoffwiththeleftfootfirst.

4[TheonlyTaucrossisthatmadebythefeetintakingthestep.T.S.]


Strictly,theCan.shouldentertheLodgeintheNorth,notintheWest.TheNorthistheplaceofdarkness,andatbirthwecomeoutofdarknessintophysicallight,andsointhespiritualjourney.ThisisdoneatLeeds.

Outof thedarkness,Light. But theLight shineth inthedarknessand the candidate comprehends itnot, forthedarkness ofgrossmaterialism isuponhimuntilhekneelsbeforetheemblemofthedivinelight,theV.S.L.

TheCan is thenchallengedbytheJ.W.andtheS .W.TheJ.D.givesthepasswordFreeandofG.R.,andtheWardens acknowledge its potency and bid him enter(Noteenter)as ifhewereoutsideadooronwhichhehadknockedforadmission.Thisbringstoourmindthethreeregularknocks.

Forreasonswhichcannotbestatedhere,butwhichIwilldealwithmorefullylater,IsuggestthattheE.A.knocksremindus thatman isBody,Soul andSpirit, and as inthis stage of ignorance theBody is as important as theothertwo,thethreeknocksareallofequalduration.Lestanymisunderstandthis,Iwouldarguethatintheprocessof creation first the Spirit comes from God; secondly,clothes itselfwithaSoul,andfinallyentersflesh. Thus,thefirstknockrepresentstheSpirit,seekingGodwhenceitcame,thesecond,theSoul,andthethird,theBody.

TounderstandthefullmeaningofthispassingbytheWardensoneneedstoconsiderwhytheCanisbeingledroundtheLodge.Therearetworeasonsgiven

(1)Toshowthatheisproperlyprepared.(2)To show that he is a fit andproperperson to be

madeamason.BeingmadeamasonsymbolisesthebirthoftheChrist

within, and before anyone can attain to this mysticalrebirth he must have progressed some way along theroadof evolution,havegained certain experiences, and

ADMISSION. 31

learntcertainlessons.ThinkagainofthePassWord,FreeandofGoodReport! Intheearlierstagesman isboundinmaterialismearthlythingssatisfy,andheisruledbyhisphysicalpassions. TheCan. formasonryhasbeguntodesiremorethanthematerial:hehasfeltthedesireforspiritual growth and knowledge. and so has becomefree. This is recognised as he passes the J.W.whorepresents theMaterialNature. NextheapproachestheS .W.the representativeof theSoulandwith theaidofthePassWordisagainbiddentoenter.Notice,havingpassed the material stage, when the Body reignssupreme, the Soul immediately takes control, andpresents theCan. to theW.M.i .e., theSoulcallsupontheDivineSpiritofGodtogiveLighttotheCan.

Thereplyissignificant,butisalmostincomprehensibleunlessoneunderstandsthesymbolicaljourneywhichtheCan has just taken, and one is apt towonderwhy thequestionswhichfollowwerenotaskedattheverybeginningof the ceremony. Really theyaremost important!They constitute the final testing of the C. before he isbidden to advance towards the E. to receive the Light,and enter on the pathwaywhich beginswith initiationandendswithGodHimself.Alsotheyareverysearching:the Can. being required to declare solemnly that hecomesseekingknowledge,notbecauseothersdeairehiintodoso,noryetforunworthymotivesofpersonalgain,but because he is prompted fromwithin by a genuinedesire to helpHumanity. Then follows a hint that thejourney upwards is by no means easy, and patience,perseverance,cautionandcourageareessentialifweareto achieve our goal. TheCan. having replied satisfactorily,theS.W.isgivenpermissiontodirecttheguidetoinstructhiminthepropermethodofadvancingtowardstheLight.


This is by three squares which symbolise, not onlyuprightnessof life,butalsothethree lettersoftheGreatName,Yod,He,Vau;Male,Female,andVariable.Inotherwords,GodtheFather,Mother,andChild;andthefourthsquareisonthealtar,whichgivesusthefinalHe,orthecomplete name ofHimwe seek,Jehovah, or J.H.V.H.But the letter HE (pronounced Hay) is female, and itsfemaleaspectisemphasisedbythepositionoftheSquareand Compasses, which form a lozenge, itself a wellknown symbol for the Vesica Piscis, as all who studyheraldry know; for in heraldry a womans arms areplaced,notonashield,asareamans,butonalozenge.

Agreattruthisheretaught,thateachsoulispartoftheDivinewholeandcannotbeseparatedfromtheGodweseek.TheCan.isonlyjustabouttoemergefromthedarkness of grossmaterialism, yet theGod he seeks iswithinhim.TrueHeissoveiledthatmanydonotrealiseHispresence, just ashundreds ofCandidates tread outthe proper stepswithout ever realising their full significance,butthosewhoriseabovethematerialstartonthepathofreturn toGod,andeachstage that theypass,asthey progress along the path, reveals more fully HisNatureandBeing.

Notice, the C. only treads three squaresYod, He,Vau;Male,Female,Variable;thefourthsquareneededtocomplete thewhole ison thePedastal. This isparticularly significantnever whilst in the flesh shall we beablefullytocomprehendHisnature.Nofinitemindcancomprehend the InfiniteDeity. It isonlyafterwehaveleftthefirstinitiationlongbehind,andtravelledfar,thatwe can hope to obtain that transcendent knowledgewhich enables us to understand, fully, theNature andBeingofHimWhoisthebeginningandendofall.

Again comes the reminder that Masonry is free;

ADMISSION. 33

entrance to the path can only be gained by thosewhohear the call fromwithin. Noone is coerced;even atthis latestage theCan. isgivenanopportunitytoretire.Thus he is asked if he is willing to take a seriousObligation,andonhisagreeingtodoso,theW.M.directshimtokneelonhisleftknee,etc.Itshouldbenotedthatthe left side of an individual is usually said to beFeminine,anditisnotsurprising,therefore,thatinthis,thefirstandfeminedegree,theC.istoldtokneelonhisleft knee. Notice the exact position! On the left knee,kepeingtherightfootintheformofsquare.Nowwhenyoukneelon the leftkneeyoumustofnecessity formasquareat thatknee,and, ifyou try it,youwill find thatyou cannot keep the right foot in the form of a squarewithoutkeeping the rightknee in the formof a squarealso;soonceagainwegetthreesquares,withthefourthon the Pedestal. Thus we get another glimpse of thetruth already hinted at, that each soul is part of theDivinewhole,and cannotbe separated fromGod. TheCan. is only just about to emerge from thedarknessofignoranceand,yetheisinstructedsotokneelthatbyhisvery attitude.i.e. by forming three squares with hisbody (the fourth being on the Pedestal)he showssymbolically that theGod he seeks iswithin. PossiblytheCan.isnotconsciousofHispresence,anymorethanhe realizes thc significance of the steps by which heapproachedthePedestal,orofthepostureheassumesashekneelsthereat,yetverilyGodiswithhim,andwithinhim, and,be the journey shortor long,back toGodhemust return. Once aMason, ever aMason; there isnosuchthingasstrayingpermanentlyfromthepath.

34

CHAPTERVTHEOBLIGATION.

WHYshould therebeanyObligation? Inall theancientmysteriesanobligationwasexactedforthisreason:Thesecret teachings in in thesemysteriesdisclosedan innermeaning,oftenofamostexaltedkind,unsuitableforthegeneral public,whowere lacking in education. In theancientworld the external religion,with itsworship ofmanygods, suited theordinarymanof theworld,whowasincapableofcomprehendingmoreadvancdspiritualtruths. It would have been dangerous, alike to thepopulace and to the preacher, to have shouted aloudsuch a doctrine as the essential unity ofGod, and stillmorefataltohaveattemptedtodescribeHisNature.Thedangertothepopulacewouldbethatthepreachermightdestroytheirbeliefinthereligioussysteminwhichtheyhadbeen reared,while failing toconvert themproperlyto the new doctrine. For thc preacher, the fate ofSocrates,and the failureof the socalledhereticKingofEgyptwho tried topopularise theworshipof theoneGod,under the symbolof theAtendisk,ordiskof theSunaresufficientevidenceoftheriskswhichwouldbeencountered.1

Moreover, thesemysteriesallpurported to teachcertain occult secrets, whose diffusion among vicious, orignorant,menwouldhavebeendangerous. EvenintheMiddleAgesthesedangerswerestillveryreal.Anyde1[AkhenatensfailurewaslargelytotheentrenchedpoweroftheThebanpriesthood who where themselves heading towards monotheism byassimilating all the gods toAmunR. Atenism tended rather towardsexclusion.T.S.]

THEOBLIGATION. 35

viation from orthodoxy might have endangered thesocialfabricofthecommunity,andsuchanattemptwascertain to involve the advocate of new doctrines in astrugglewithChurchandStatewhichcouldonlyendatthestake.

WithinanoathboundSocietymen felt free tospeculateandcomparetheirpersonalstandpoints,whiletotheoutsideworld they continued to conform toorthodoxy.ThefateoftheTemplarsmusthavebeenaneverpresentwarningtothespcculativemind,intheMiddleAges.

In addition, there is little doubt that the buildingtrades, like other Guilds, had important trade secrets,andwishedtosafeguardthesefrominterlopers.AmedivalGuild,ontheonehandprotectedtheinterestsofitsmembers,while on the other it trained thosemembers,andinspectedandpassedtheirwork;thusprotectingthecommunityfromdeliberatefraudorcarelesswork. Normust itbe forgotten that in abuildingbadworkmightinvolveactualdanger to theusersof thatbuilding. Forallthesereasonsitwasrightandproperthatnoonewhowasnotamemberof thefraternityshouldbe inpossessionofitstradesecrets.

The obligation is undoubtedly ancient, but its fullsignificanceisrealisedbyfew.

Thepenaltyisdeath,andintheMiddleAgesIdonotdoubtthatitwouldhavebeenenforced,thoughtodayitispurelysymbolical.2

Studying it carefully, we note in passing the wordhele,whosemeaning has already been explained,andalso that everyprinted ritual inexistence isa clearbreachofourOblgation. Thestrictinterpretationofthis2[The traditional penalty clauses were excised from the oaths by theGrandLodgeofEnglandinthe1980sor1990sandarenowonlymentionedinthelecturesandtheexplanationofthesigns.T.S.]


clauseisoneofthereasonswhywecannotexpecttofindanymedival rituals,although the fact that thebulkofthemembersinthosedayscouldnotreadorwritewouldlessenthetemptationtomakethem.

Fromapracticalpointofview,however,theessentialobject today is to prevent anyone who has not beenregularly initiated from entering our Lodges and theprinted ritual usually does this, for signs, words, andgripsaremissing,andacarefulcrossquestioningwouldundoubtedlyleadtothediscoveryofanimposter,evenifhecouldproduceastolenGrandLodgecertificate.

Inthealteredconditionsofthepresenteraoursecrecyis more of the nature of privacy, unlike that whichprevails in a political secret society,which usually hasrevolutionarytendencies.

The oldpenaltyhasmany strikingpoints. Itmeansthat the culprit will be slain, and his body buried inunconsecratedground. More than that, thegroundcanneverbeconsecrated,and,accordingtothebeliefsofthemiddleages,andalsoofthe16th,17thand18thcenturies,thesoulofamansoburiedcouldnotrest inpeace,butwouldwanderupanddowninmiserytilltheJudgmentDay. Suicides, for a similar reason,wereburied at thecross roads, and to prevent their bodies being used byvampires a stake was driven through the middle ofthebodytokeepitnaileddown.(ItshouldbenotedthateveninEnglandthepenaltiesvaryindifferentlocalities).

Thustheculpritisnotonlydoomedtodeath,buttobeawandering outcast spirit till the daywhen theGreatJudgeconsigns ittoHell. Itisnotperhapsaverycharitable,orChristianidea,butthatiswhatismeant,allthesame.

ThetongueisremovedsothathecannotspeakonhisownbehalfattheJudgmentDay.

THEOBLIGATION. 37

The more effective punishment is, of course, a latergloss inserted at a timewhen, owing tobetterpolicesupervision, it would have been dangerous to themembersoftheOrdertoenforcetheancientpenalty.Today, in England, it is the only effective penalty, but insome foreign countries death is still enforced undercertain circumstances. Un such cases, however, theLodges areusually stronglypolitical,and revolutionaryin tendency. But with us it still retains an obvioussymbolicalmeaning.

Immediately after the Obligation the W .M. says,Havingbeenkept...etc.WehaveseenthattheCan.has already been asked several questions, these havegraduallyleduptothis,thegreatestandmostimportant!Nowtheclimaxisreached.ItisasiftheW.M.says,youhavedeclaredthatyouarehereofyourownfreewill,notfor unworthymotives, but led by an earnestdesire forknowledge. Your humility and obedience have beentested, and you are therefore entitled to request thefulfilmentofthegreatestdesireofyourheart.Thequestionputat thismomentcanbeansweredbynoonebuttheC., 3for it ismeanttoteachhimthatessential lessonthatnoappealforLightisevermadeinvain.Hisanswergiven,theW.M.says,Thenlet..etc.Noticethewordrestored. Mystical rebirthmarks thebeginningofourjourney towards the Light, of our ascent towardsGod,but it is a restorationa journey back to Him fromWhomwecame.

Exactly the sameprocedure is followed in the initiatoryritesof theTurkishDervishes. Among them,how3[EvenintheabsenceofadirectpromptthequestionHavingbeenkeptforaconsiderabletimeinastateofdarkness,whatisthepredominantwishofyourheart?isfairlyleading;ontheotherhandinwhomdoyouputyourtrust?requiressomethought,andonesuspectsCan.sgenerallyarepromptedonthatone.T.S.]


ever,theincidentisfollowedbyabeautifulexpositionofthe mystical meaning of Light. It is the Divine Light,emblemofGodHimself,andofDivineinspiration.Itis,moreover,present,notonlyinthesacredwritings,butinevery truebelieversheart. The lightof thesun itself isbuta faint similitudeof theDivineLightofGods love,throughwhich,andinwhich,wehaveourbeing.

Though not expressed in our ritual, this act has thesameinnermeaning,asIhaveexplained.

So to theCan. Light is restored, and he sees,what?TheV.S.L.,theSquareandtheCompasses.TheV.S.L.isinaplaceofhonour,becausewithoutitsdivinestandardandauthoritytheSquareandCompassesplacedthereonwould be practically meaningless. These latter form alozenge,which as Ihave already said, is awellknownsymbolfortheVesicaPiscis,whichrepresentsthefemaleorpreservativeprincipleoftheDeity,withoutwhichwecouldnotexistforasingleday,orhopetobepreservedfromthepowersofdarknesswhichthreatenusuponourspiritualjourney.

Thus the W.M.s words teach the aspirant that wehaveadutytoGod,ourselves,andourbrothermen.

TheCan.israisedwiththepropergrip,butthisisnotexplainedatonce.Ratherhisattentionisdirectedtothethree lesser lights,whichweare told represent theSun,MoonandtheMaster.

As our Lodges are at present arranged the W.M.shouldpointtotheSouthfortheSun,andtotheWestfortheMoon,but itmustbeadmitted that the lesson tobederived from these three luminaries is not very clear,Indeed, the Moon plays no real part in our mysteries,whichareessentiallysolarincharacter,whiletheimpliedcontrast between Sun,Moon, andMaster is in nowayhelpful.

THEOBLIGATION. 39

InrealitythethreelesserlightsaretheW .M,andhistwo wardens with their respective candles, and theseofficers have a real symbolic meaning of great importance, which symbolic characters they maintainconsistentlythroughoutallthreedegrees.

Mypersonal view is that itwas to the lights on thepedestals, and their respective officers, that this phraseoriginally applied, and that theSunandMoonare 18thcenturyinterpretations.

THETHREEPRINCIPALOFFICERS.

In any case thismakes a convenient place inwhich toconsider the symbolic meaning of the three principalofficers ina lodge. TheW.M.represents therisingSun,and in this sense he covers two distinctmeanings: thefirstinconnectionwiththenatureofGod,andtheotherwith regard to the nature ofman. And a similardualcharacterexistsinthecaseofS.W.andJ.W.

TheW.M. representsGod theCreatorHewhocallstheLodge intobeingHewhocreatedtheWorldoutofChaos.InIndiathisaspectofGod,theIncomprehensible,has been individualised as Brahma, so that the devoteemaybeabletocomprehendHim,atleastinpart.

ItistheMasterwhoopenstheLodge,whocallsitoutof nothing. He sits in the East, the place of light; butthoughheopens,hedoesnotclosethelodge.

ThatistheworkofanotheraspectoftheDivineBeing.In thenatureofman theW .M,represents theSpirit,

theDivine Sparkwithin us, ever striving for the light,nevertrulyseparatedfromthedivinesourceofitsbeing.This dual aspect of theW.M. and his principal officersmustbeborneinmind,ifwearetodelvedownintotheinner,oresoteric,meaningofourwonderfulrituals.


The S .W. represents the Setting Sun, and hence thedestructive, or transformative, aspects of the Deity.Among theHindoos thisaspect iscallediva. HeshallonedayclosetheGrandLodgeofthisWorld,whentimeshallbeswallowedupintoEternity.TheS.W.closestheLodge. As theDestroyerhe remindsus thatDeath, thegreat leveller,willbringallmen low,andhissymbol istheLevel.

This in itself reminds us of the caste mark of iva,which isahorizontal line. But in thenatureofManherepresents the Soul, which alone enables the Spirit toraisethebodytowardsdivinethings.

Without themediumof theSoul, theSpiritwouldbeunabletoinfluencethebody.ItisforthisreasonthattheCan.isinvestedincraftmasonrybytheS.W.orSoul,andnotbytheW.M.,representingtheDivineSpark.Thuswelearnthatwemustraiseourselves,stepbystep,towardstheDivineLight.ivais,aboveall,thegreatM.M.

TheJ.W.representstheSuninitsMeridian.HestandsfortheWayofLife,thebalancebetweenbirthanddeath.His is thesunnysideof life. Hecallsus from labour torefreshment and refreshment to labour. In the divineaspectherepresents thePreserver,calledVisnu inIndia,of whom it it stated that as Rama he sent the skilfulcraftsman, Hanuman, to build the bridge for Him, bymeansofwhichHecrossedthestraitstofightagainstthepowersofevil,inancientCeylon.

Visnu is associated with the element of water, andwithcorn,andhiscastemarkisaperpendicularstraightline,referring to therainwhich falls fromheaven. Thissymbolisrememberedinourlodgesbytheplumbrule.

In the nature ofman he stands for the body,whichperishes. He is Hiram Abiff in the Grand Lodge atJerusalem. He represents the life and sufferings of the

THEOBLIGATION. 41

body,onlyterminatedbydeath,thebodywhichineveryman dies before its divinework is accomplished. Ourdivine temple is not finished at death: all that we canhope is that the foundations have beenwell and trulylaid.Inshort,inthislifewecannothopetoseeGodfaceto face,nor,being finite,canwe trulycomprehend theInfinite, but we can hope to make such progress that,when called hence, we shall be able to continue, andcomplete,theworkofourownsalvationonthefoundationsofagood,andspiritual,earthlylife.

Finally, it is to be noted that in every degree thesethreeofficerscooperatetoadvancetheCan.,andsoitisin the spiritual life, for body, soul and spirit must cooperate,ifrealprogressistoBeattained.

Next,theCan.isinformedofthethreegreatdangersnotethetriplicityagainandthefewsentencesdevotedto them must he considered in the light of what hasalreadybeenwrittenbymeontheSharpInstrument,theCableTow,andtheObligation.

AtthedooroftheLodgetheCan.wasingreatdanger,because entrance thereat marked the beginning of theccremonyof initiation intoMasonry,and initiationsymbolizesthemysticalrebirththeendofthedesccntintomatterandthebeginningoftheascenttoGodandtherecanbenomorecriticaltimethanthat.TheSharpInstrument warns us of the dangers of rushing unpreparedintothefieldofoccultism,whiletheCableTowindicatesthe danger that the Divine Spark may be quenched;strangled bymaterialism, ifwe do not continue steadfastly.Butevenwhenthesedangersarepassed,throughout thewholeofourmystic journey there remains thatlastdangerofourobligation,namely,thatofinfidelitytothevowswhichmarkedourentrance,orofabandoningourfurtherquestfor light;knowingtheright,butdeli


berately choosing the wrong. This means death; notprimarilyphysicaldeath,butthatgreaterdeath,referredtobyourHindooBrethren as Beingborn again at thebottomof the ladderofevolutionupwhichwehaveforsolongbeenascending.

Wenextcometothemoment,solongexpected,whenthesecretsaredisclosed.NodoubtmanyBrethrencouldnot suppress a slight feeling ofdisappointment at theircomparative insignificance. Was such a tremendousObligation necessary to safeguard a Sign, Word, andGrip,whichappeartobepurelyarbitrary?

Thisquestion isafairone,andtheanswer isthattheObligationsafeguards,notsomuchtheGrip,etc.,whicharebut theoutwardandvisible signs,as the inneresotericmeaning,hidden inour ritual,andneverproperlyexplained.

Firstly,theW.M.instructstheCan.inthefirstregularstepwhichoninvestigationprovestobethetaucross.

Thetaucrosswasorginallythephallus,andhasmanyinner meanings. It is the emblem of generation, andcreation,butsincethesepowersmaybeprostitutedtheymustbebroughtundercontrol.Asthefirstregularstep,it represents our natural and animal passions, whichmustbetrampledunderfootandbroughtundercompletecontrol,otherwisewecannotmakeanyadvancement inFreemasonry. In plain language, unless we bring ourpassions into complete subjection, we cannot hope toadvance towards a trueknowledgeofGod. For that, Iconsider,istherealsearch.orqucst.inFrecmasonry.

Therefore in every one of the Craft degrees, wetrampleonthetaucross.4Itwillberememberedthatone4[Thisinterpretationisabsurd,asalreadynoted.Onecanhardlybesaidtotrampleonafigurewhichisonlyformedbythepositionofonesfeet.Ifnotablind,itdemonstratesthewritershylophobicbias.T.S.]

THEOBLIGATION. 43

ofthechargesagainsttheTemplarsin1307,wasthattheytrampled on the cross, and this charge seems to becorrect.YetthesesamemenadoredtheCrossthreetimesayearintheirceremonies,andmoreoverfoughtanddiedforitononmanyacorpsestrewnfieldinPalestine.

Ihavenodoubt thisactof theirswasasymoblicact,associated more with the cross as an emblem of ourpassion,thanwiththeChristiancrossofsuffering.

Yetsymbolsmergebyimperceptibledegreesintoeachother,andso it is thatwecan trulysay thatChristwascrucified on the Cross or our passions. In medivalpicturesyouwillusuallyfindthatwhileChristhangsonaLatin,orfourarmedcross,thetwothievesarehungontheTau,orthreearmedcrosses.Thisindicatesthattheydied for their own sins, but Christ who hangs on thecrossofsacrificediedforthesinsofothers.

Thus,mybrothers,thefirstregularstepisfullofinnermeaning, nor is this the only place in which we meetwith the tau cross in the craft. Its higher and holieraspect when associated with the W.M. I shall discusslater.

44

CHAPTERVICONCLUSIONOFTHECEREMONY.

HAVINGtakentheregularsteptheCan.isgiventheSign.ThisheistoldreferstothePenaltyofhisObligation,andnodoubt itdoes,but italsoseemstorefertosomethingmuchmorestartling.Thepartofthebodyindicatedhasalwaysbeen regardedasan importantoccultcentre. Insomestrangeway,thelawsofwhicharebutlittleunderstood,ithasalwaysbeenassociatedwiththephenomenaknownamongstpsychicstudentsasMaterialisations.As,however, this subject lies somewhatoutsideour theme,wewilldiscussthepointnofurther.

But all our penalties have a striking analogy to thelegend of the creation ofman as given by theHindoosages. FromBrahma sprang all four castes. FromHisheadcametheBrahmins,fromHisBreasttheKshatra,orfightingcaste,fromHisBellythepeasants,andfromHisfeet the Sudras. The latter were not true Arians, andwerenot twicebornmen; inotherwords,only the firstthreecasteswereregardedasreallyandtrulyadmissibletotheTempleoftheHighGods,andfreetoparticipateinTheirworship.

Itwillbenoted that in thisdegree theSign suggeststhe cuttingoffof the firstcaste from thosebelow. ThisSign, Bro. Major Sanderson suggests, was originally amantra,ormagicprayer,whichmustbemost carefullyguardedfromtheprofane.

TheTokenappearstobeanarbitraryone,althoughitmay possibly refer to a certain pillar. Explanations ofthis, togetherwith themeaning,derivation,and significanceoftheWord,arereservedforthenextvolume,for

CONCLUSIONOFTHECEREMONY. 45

reasonswhichwillbeobvious to thoseentitled toknowthem.

Nodoubt,however, thebasic ideaofbothpillarandword isphallic, and other interpretationshave evolvedlater.

Having received sign, word and token, the Can. iswarned to be cautious and told how to receive a challenge,then,havingbeengivenstrengthtohelphimonhisway,heissentforthinorderthattheimportantlessonofcautionmayheimplantedinhismind.

ThetestingbyJ.W.andS.W.areobviouslyofpracticaluse,butIthinkthatherealsothereisaninnermeaning.TheBodyandSoultesttheCand.toseethatthelessonshavebeenwellandtrulylearnt;alsothereseemstobeadefiniteastrologicalreference.

Having satisfied these important officers, the S.W.asks for some specialmarkof favour. That is, theSoulcalls on the Spirit, but is told that it is the Soulwhichmust invest the regenerate inanwith theoutward signsofthechangehehasundergone. Thispointhasalreadybeen mentioned, but its deep significance must not beforgotten. Itmay trulybe said that it is theS .W.whosets thesealon thecandidates initiation.andproclaimshimasatlengthamemberoftheOrder.

TheaddressoftheS.W.andthesubsequentonebytheMaster,arefairlyselfexplanatory.Butoneortwopointsdeservestressing.

The reference to the antiquity of the apron refersmainly,of course, to itsuseamong theOperatives,andimpliesthedignityofhonestlabour.Thepresentformofouraproniscomparativelymodern,butthereisevidencethat our predecessors, the Comacine Masons, woreapronswhentheymet inLodge,andapronshavehadaspecialsignificanceamongmanyreligioussystems.Thus


some of the Chinese gods wear aprons, and I have aphotoofone(theoriginalofwhichbelongstoBro.Vince,of 10,Duke Street) and this God ismaking a certainhighdegree sign. Among theancient racesofAmericathe apron was also evidently used with a religioussignificance (see picture of the Toltec Preserver inFreemasonryandtheAncientGods.)

TheaddressoftheW.M.laysstressontheimportanceofnotenteringtheLodgeifabrotherisatvariancewithanother. At first sight thismay seem a somewhat unnecessarycharge.Normal,wellconductedgentlemenarenotlikelytostartanunseemlywrangleinLodge,eveniftheyareatenmity;1andshouldtwomensofarforgetthecommondecenciesoflifeastodoso,theW.M.hasamplepowertodealwiththesituation.

Therealsignificanceoftheinjunction,however,isthatitimpliesthatthemerepresenceoftwobrethrenwhoareat variancewill disturb the harmonious atmosphere ofthemeeting. This isapurelyspiritualatmosphere,andthebeliefthatsuchdisturbancewouldoccurwithoutanyopendisagreement,iscorrect.

In short, suchdifferencesdisturb the spiritual atmosphere, prevent concentration, and can be detected bysensitiveindividuals.

EveryLodgehasanatmosphereofitsown,andanysensitive man who comes to it can detect it. I havemyself noticed the different atmospheres of variouslodges,andalsovariationsinthatofmyown.

Toomuchregardthereforecannotbepaidtothisrule,andifignoredtheLodgewillcertainlysuffer.

The Can. is placed in the Northeast corner of theLodge for thereasongiven in theritual,but it is impor1[Itisperhaps,though,beingoptimistictoassumeyourmembershipconsistsentirelyofnormal,wellconductedgentlemen.T.S.]

CONCLUSIONOFTHECEREMONY. 47

tant to remember that he himself is building his owntempleaspiritualtempletothegloryofGod.

WhyshouldthecornerstonebelaidintheNortheast?This was for a very practical reason: namely, that theOperatives couldwork roundwith the Sun , and thusobtain themaximum amount of light. Symbolically, itrefers,ofcourse,tothejourneyofthesoul,whichbeginsin the North, enters life at the East, at birth, and soprocccdstotheWest,whercdeathendsourday.

The position inwhich theCan. stands is not only asquare, theemblemof rectitude,andofGod,butat theparticular point he makes a lewis, or angle clamp,which binds, together the life which has been, (in theNorth)andhis future life (in theEast). Inphysical lifetheNorthisprenatal,butinthespiritualitisbeforeweturned to better things. Above all, such a clamp givesrigidityandstrengthtothecorners,andassuresstability.Itwillbenotedthatthispositioninlikemannermakesafootingstone.

Thetestingofthecandidateisexplained,butperhapsIoughtoncemore to remindmy reader that it isabsolutely essential that we should leave behind us thebalefulgiftsoftheunderworld,andthecankerofwealth,whichdestroyspirituality.

The lecture on the working tools explains itself. Itappearstobemainly18thcenturywork.

48

CHAPTERVIITHECHARGE.

WHENtheCan.hasbeenrestoredtohispersonalcomforthe receives the charge. The first significantpoint is thephraseAncient,nodoubtitis,ashavingsubsistedfromtime immemorial. In Freemasonry and the AncientGods I have endeavoured to show that this phrase isliterally true, and a strong claim can be made thatmodernFreemasonry isthe linealdescendantoftheAncientMysteries,viatheRomanCollegesofArchitects,theComacineMasons,andtheMediaevalFreemasons.

The other significant phrase is that relating to TheAncient Landmarks. Much learned discussion hastakenplace concerningwhat theseare. Common senseindicatesthefollowingpointsasobviouslyfallingwithinthis heading, whereas many others may be matters ofopinion,onwhichbrethrenareentitledtodiffer.

1.Thesigns,wordsandtokens. Ifthesewerechangedit would shatter the universality of Freemasonry, andpreventoldmasonsrecognisingnewones,ormembersofvariousjurisdictionsdoingso.Itmustbeacknowledgedthat the charge made by the Ancients against theModerns,thattheyhadremovedtheAncientLandmarks,was largely justified,fortheyappeartohavetransposedthewordsinthefirstandseconddegrees.Still,apparently,theydidnotentirelychangethem.

2&3.Belief in God and a Future Life. If these areremoved, then the object and purpose of masonry isdestroyed, since it is the quest of knowledge of, andunionwith,God.Again,theeliminationoftheideaofafuturelifewoulddestroytheteachingofoneofthemost

THECHARGE. 49

important craft degrees.1 If these landmarks were removed,Freemasonrywouldeitherperish,orelsehavetosubstituteanewobject,astheGrandOrientofFrancehasdone. Thishaving become atheistical,had to turnmasonry into a secret political society, with disastrousresults.HenceitisthattheGrandLodgeofEnglandfeltcompelledtobreakofffraternalrelationswiththatbody.

4.TheOrderoftheDegrees. Ifthesewerereversedorchangeditwouldreducethewholesystemtononsense.

The remainder of this address is fairly clear as itstands. It contains excellent teaching, the meaning ofwhich lies on the surface, and so we need spend nofurtherspaceonithere.

Thefirst tracingboardcontainsagreatdealofusefulinstruction,butitissoseldomgiveninmostlodgesthatwewillpass itby,hopingatsome futuredate togive ittheattentionitdeserves.

Thepurposeofthesetracingboardswillbeexplainedin thebookdealingwiththeseconddegree,andwecantherefore take leaveoftheEnteredApprentice. There isno pretence that we have exhausted the subject,muchmorecouldbewritten,but inasmallbook like this theauthor must restrict himself to giving an outlineexplanation,andsuggestions forstudy, in thehope thathis readers will follow the hints given, and discoverfurthermeaningsforthemselves.

1[Maybe...butitshouldberememberedthatH.A.died,wasburied,andstayeddead,and(afteracoupleofreinterrals)buried.T.S.]

50

CHAPTERVIIITHECLOSINGOFTHEFIRSTDEGREE.

THEfirstdegreeclosingisremarkablyshort,anditsmeaning is fairly clear. The candidatehasnotyetadvancedsufficientlyfartobeabletoappreciateanymoreesotericteaching.Heisthereforegivenonebriefandtremendouslesson.TheDestructivesideoftheDeityisinvoked,andthesameofficer,itmustberemembered,isalsotheSoul.

Thus,at theverybeginningofhis symbolical career,thenovice iswarnedof the inevitable end. During theceremony of his initiation the fact has been impresseduponhim thathisspiritualadvancement isbymeansofhis soul, i.e.when theS.W. investshimwithhisapron.Now he iswarned that the same soulwhichmayhelphimtorise,mayalsocausehisspiritualdestruction.Butevenmore this factshouldshowhim that,whenhehaslearnedallthatlifecanteachhim,theSoul,actingontheinstructions of God, calls him to other fields ofusefulness.

It should also be noted that the S.W. closes in thename of the Great Architect, and by command of theW.M., thus reminding us of Alpha and Omega, theBeginningandtheEnd.

CONCLUSION. 51

CONCLUSION

Thisthenconcludesourconsiderationofthemeaningofthe first degree. The author has not tried to be exhaustive,andwouldstress thepoint thatusuallyhehasonly attempted to give one esotericmeaning, althoughoften there are other inner meanings, each within theother. Buthe trustshewillhavehelpedhisbrethren toperceive that there are indeed deep and invaluablemeaningshiddenwithinourritual,andthathisreaders,having once started on this line of study,will not restcontent until they themselves have discovered furtherinnermeanings.Ifthisbeso,thenthislittlebookwillnothavebeeninvain.

No. 2 The Fellow Crafts Handbook

PULPITATRAVELLOCATHERDAL,SORRENTO.

COMACINEWORK.A.D.c.1280.

55

AUTHORSPREFACETHOSE who have read the first volume of this series,whichdealswith theE.A.Degree,will realize that ourceremonies have a deep innermeaning and teach profound spiritual lessons seldom realised by the averageMason.

InthesecondvolumewearedealingwiththedegreeofLife,initsbroadestsense,justasinthefirstdegreewewere dealing with the degree of birth, and as life inrealityiseducationalfortheSoul,wearenotsurprisedtofind that throughout the whole degree the subject ofeducationismoreorlessstressed.

Weshould,however,realize thateachof thedegreesbuilds on the one which has gone before, and theingenuitywithwhich the lessons inculcated in the firstdegree are carried forward and developed in the succeedingdegreesisoneofthemoststrikingcharacteristicsofourMasonicritual.

This is true not only of the obvious exoteric moralinstructionconveyedintheceremonies,butevenmoreofthedeepmysticalandspiritual lessonswhich liehiddenbeneaththesurface. Forexample, inthefirstdegreeweperceived that the steps which led the initiate to thePedestal when combined with that which we foundthereonsymbolicallyproducedtheNameofGod,andinthe second degree themain lesson is that the BrethrendiscoverthenameofGodintheMiddleChamber,whilethe manner of approaching the Pedestal gives us theDivinename,writtenwith the five letterswhichdenotethattheCreatorhasbecomeMessias,theKing.Thuswelearnamongother lessons that thesecondpersonof the

THEFELLOWCRAFTSHANDBOOK.56

Trinitycomesforthfromthefirst.1Whenwecometothebookwhichdealswith theM.M.we shallperceive thatthatdegreelikewisebuildsonwhathasgonebefore.

In the first fewyearsofmyMasonic career Iutterlyfailedtorealizethetremendousimportanceoftheseconddegree, andused glibly to say that,while the first andthird degrees impressed me greatly, and had valuablelessonstoimpart,theseconddisappointedmebyitslackofdepthandmysticalteaching.Manybrethrenhavesaidpractically thesame thing tome,butIhavecometotheconclusion that thoseofuswho think thisaremistaken.The truth is that the real inner teaching of the seconddegreeislessobviousthanthatofthefirstandthird,buteverywhit as important, and until one has grasped itsfullsignificanceonehasnoconceptionofthewonderfulsymmetryofourCraftrituals.Inshort,theinterpretationof the second degree forms the key to the full interpretationofthethird.

It is to impress this fact onmyBrethren that Ihavewritten this book, and in particular have laid somuchstressonthemannerofapproachingtheMiddleChamber,and the full Kabalistic meaning of the Name therediscovered.

ItmustneverbeforgottenthatwhiletherearemeaningswithinmeaningsintheCraftritual,allofwhichareimportant, the great lesson of our system is theMysticQuest after God, and the journey of the Soul towardsunionwithitsCreator.

With these brief words of introduction I venture toplace in the hands of my Brethren this little volume,which, while not attempting to be exhaustive, will, I1[This is an allusion to theKabbasticmisspellingof Jesusor Joshua ashwchy,thelettershininthemiddleoftheTetragrammatonorJewishNameofGod.T.S.]

PREFACE. 57

hope,beofsomehelptothosewho,amidtheturmoilofmundane affairs, have little time to devote to anextensive study of the inner meaning of those ceremonies,whichtheyhaveneverthelessgrowntoloveandvenerate.

As one or two Brethren who have read this manuscript have asked me to refer them to a copy of theKabala, where they can themselves read what thoseancient sageswrote concerning thedescentof the letterShin,IwouldreferthemtoKabalaDenudata,translatedbyMathers,2where theywill find that,andmanyotherpointsofpeculiarinteresttoMasons.

J.S.M.W.

Sept.,1928.

2[The KabbalahUnveiled, trans. and ed. by S. L. MacGregor Mathers,London: Redway, 1887, many reprints. This comprises three relativelyminortractsfromtheZohar,doneintoEnglishfromtheLatinofKnorrvonRosenrothsKabalaDenudata. It does not contain any references to thedoctrinetowhichWardalludes.TheletterShinisexplained(intro.para.11)asbeing symbolicof the spiritofElohimaccording to thenumericalvalueof the letters;and in intro,para.12 thecorrectHebrewspellingofYeshuaorJesusisgiven,namelyovcy,nothwchy;thelatterwasaninventionofChristianCabalists.T.S.]

58

INTRODUCTIONBYTHEHON.SIRJOHNA.COCKBURN

M.D.,K.C.M.G.,P.G.D.Eng.,P.Dept.G.M.S.Australia.

INthis littlevolumeW.Bro.Ward justlyemphasisestheimportance of the 2. In former times itwas nomerepassingstageofaMasonscareer.1 IntheFellowshipoftheCraftlaythewholebodyofMasonry.AnApprenticewas regarded as a brother but not as amember of theLodge; while a Master Mason was merely, as we stillstate in the ritual,anexperiencedCraftsman selected topresideovertheLodgeinthecapacityofMaster.

TheceremonyofAdmission to theFellowshipof theCrafthasbeenabbreviatedandshornofsomeofitscharacteristic features; forexampleaMark,whichplacedonthestoneswroughtbyaCraftsmanentitledhimtohiswages,isnownolongerallottedtohim.Neverthelessitis in the 2 that the essential elements of theCraft arerevealed.Thedegreeisfoundedonthatsymbolwhichisthe basis of Masonry, and is regarded as the test ofrectangularity in thematerial, aswell asof rectitude inthemoral,world.ThecandidateisnowenlightenedastothemeaningoftheHieroglyphicbrightwhichnonebutCraftsmen ever saw. He learns that it represents theineffablenameof theGrandGeometrician.aswritten inthe four letters of the Hebrew Alphabet, to whichattentionwasspeciallydirected in theMiddleChamber.It is as a craftsman that he becomes cognisant of thesecondPillarplacedattheporchwayoftheTemple,andhe is taught that stablility can only be attained by thesignificance of both Pillars being conjoined. Herein iscontainedtheMysterynotonlyofMasonrybutofallthe

1[LikelyapunonpassingwasintendedT.S.]

INTRODUCTION. 59

religions;viz., theUnionofHeaven andEarth, and theMediationbetweenGodandman. AsanApprenticehehasbeentaughttowalkuprightlyinthesightofGod:hismindhasbecomeimbuedwithmoralprinciples:henowhastoaddresshimselftothemuchmoredifficulttaskofapplying these principles in his everyday relationshipwithhisfellows.ThelessonoftheJ.W.splumbhasnowto be blendedwith that of the S.W.s level. Spirit andMatter,theoryandpractice,withtheirinnumerableanalogies, have to be reconciled in solving the problemswhichareconstantlyencounteredinlife.

Inthetablesofthelawonecolumncontainsthecommandments relating to our duty toGod, the other ourdutytoourfellowmen.TheFatherhoodofGodinvolvesas a corollary the Brotherhood ofman. Therefore it ismanifestthatastageintheprogressofaMasonthatlaysstress on applied religion demands close attention.Although on the surface the ceremony of passingmayappear lessattractive than thatwhichprecedesand thatwhich follows it,a close studywill convince the readerthatthe2containsmanylessonsofpricelessvaluewhichwillwellrepaythelabourofinvestigation.

J.A.C.

60

CHAPTERIPREPARATION,PASSWORDAND

OPENINGCEREMONY.THEquestionswhichareputtotheCan.,arereallyatestof the lectures,which today, unfortunately, are hardlyevergiveninopenLodge.Thesystemascodifiedatthebeginningof the19thCenturywasreallyamostefficientmethod of educating the Can., and had been carefullyarrangedsoastomakesurethatonlywhenhewasproperlypreparedshouldhecome forward tobepassed totheseconddegree.Afterhavingpassedthroughtheceremony of initiation a summary of itsmain tenets, illustratedas itwereontheblackboard,wasgiventohimintheformofalectureontheTracingBoard.

The tracingboardswereoriginallydrawn insandonthe floorof theLodge,and thereforecorrespondcloselywith thepicturesanddiagrams stillusedamongprimitivesavagesintheinitiatoryritesofaboyintomanhood.These primitive tracing boards are still drawn on theearth by means of specially prepared and consecratedflour,andtheyareanessentialpartoftheceremony.Today the masonic tracing board has degenerated into asomewhat crude painting on canvas stretched on awooden frame,and itsoriginalpurpose is thereforeapttobeoverlookedbytheCan.Thisispeculiarlysointhecaseofthefirstdegreetracingboard,sincethelectureonitisveryseldomgiven. Intheseconddegree,aswillbeshownlater,thetracingboardstillplaysaveryimportantpart,andweshallhaveoccasionpresentlytoconsider itin full,but theconnectionof the tracingboardwith thequestionsmustbegrasped,hence this shortpreamble.

PREPARATION,PASSWORDANDOPENINGCEREMONY. 61

Under theoldsystem,at thenextmeetingof theLodgetheW.M.wentthroughthelectureproper.HeaskedtheS.W.asortofcatechism,whichthelatterhadtoanswer.Thiswouldtakewellover.anhour,or,inotherwords,aslong as the ceremony of initiation. This catechism didgive the exoteric meaning of m

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J.S.M. Ward - The Masonic Handbook Series