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Article OST THE SYMBOLISM OF THE EQUILATERAL TRI... ← Page 4 of 7 →
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Ost The Symbolism Of The Equilateral Tri...
Divine nature , or that as a Christian Apostle he should have made a like application of a symbol by which the doctrine of a triune divinity had been supposed to be expressed * The real meaning of the " name and number of the name" it is not difficult to conjecture , if it be permitted to employ the Kabbalistic apparatus for its
interpretation . Before quitting this part of the subject it may be interesting to point out some curious coincidences which accompany the employment of the number 666 in the account of the revenue of King Solomon , One of the cc cameas ^ or symbolic squares of gold , as exhibited in the Hermetic system , consists of thirty-six squares
disposed in six columns . The sum of the figures in each column of squares , whether taken perpendicularly , horizontally , or diagonally , amounts to 6 x 6 x 6 =: 216 , which is equal in its lesser number to 9 , The side of the square therefore is = 6 ; the number of squares = the square of 6 ; and the sum of the- contents of each column of squares = the cube of 6 , which may be represented by the number 6 taken three times , or 666 . Also the number of the
columns , including the two diagonals , is 14 , which is the number of the word zahab , " gold . " " This , " says the author of Mse ^ Mmarepli , "is altogether wonderful ; compute it and be rich . "
In this sense the number 666 may be called a golden number . We may also imagine a connection between the number 666 and the three principal personages concerned in the building of the Temple . The numbers of the names of Solomon / Hiram King of Tyre , and Hiram Abiff , are each respectively equal , in their lesser number , to 6 ; so that we may look upon 666 as a Masonic number , representing the three ancient Grand Masters of the Craft .
Let us now consider the equilateral triangle as a symbol , and its supposed connection with the number 666 . There seems no reason for attributing a Hebrew origin to this symbol , and it certainly plays no important part in ancient Masonry The double triangle was a Gnostic emblem , and according to Arabian tradition was engraven on the seal of Solomon . Both symbols
probably derive their origin from the disciples of the Pythagorean school , and have come down to us through the ISTeo-Platonists and the Alexandrine philosophers . But whatever its origin , it is not now invented as a symbol for the first time , but has been handed down to us with a symbolic character ; and the question we have to deal with is , what was the meaning attached to the symbol—and is it , in fact , as Brother Gillespie imagines , " the natural , peculiar , and unique symbol of trinity in unity , and of the equality of the three persons" It certainly
has not hitherto been so considered m Masonry , and we must endeavour to ascertain what were the characters attributed to it by the ancient philosophy . We observe , in the first place , that the equilateral triangle was employed by the alchemists ( enthusiantic students of all that related to harmonious proportions in nature ) , as the symbol of fire—not
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ost The Symbolism Of The Equilateral Tri...
Divine nature , or that as a Christian Apostle he should have made a like application of a symbol by which the doctrine of a triune divinity had been supposed to be expressed * The real meaning of the " name and number of the name" it is not difficult to conjecture , if it be permitted to employ the Kabbalistic apparatus for its
interpretation . Before quitting this part of the subject it may be interesting to point out some curious coincidences which accompany the employment of the number 666 in the account of the revenue of King Solomon , One of the cc cameas ^ or symbolic squares of gold , as exhibited in the Hermetic system , consists of thirty-six squares
disposed in six columns . The sum of the figures in each column of squares , whether taken perpendicularly , horizontally , or diagonally , amounts to 6 x 6 x 6 =: 216 , which is equal in its lesser number to 9 , The side of the square therefore is = 6 ; the number of squares = the square of 6 ; and the sum of the- contents of each column of squares = the cube of 6 , which may be represented by the number 6 taken three times , or 666 . Also the number of the
columns , including the two diagonals , is 14 , which is the number of the word zahab , " gold . " " This , " says the author of Mse ^ Mmarepli , "is altogether wonderful ; compute it and be rich . "
In this sense the number 666 may be called a golden number . We may also imagine a connection between the number 666 and the three principal personages concerned in the building of the Temple . The numbers of the names of Solomon / Hiram King of Tyre , and Hiram Abiff , are each respectively equal , in their lesser number , to 6 ; so that we may look upon 666 as a Masonic number , representing the three ancient Grand Masters of the Craft .
Let us now consider the equilateral triangle as a symbol , and its supposed connection with the number 666 . There seems no reason for attributing a Hebrew origin to this symbol , and it certainly plays no important part in ancient Masonry The double triangle was a Gnostic emblem , and according to Arabian tradition was engraven on the seal of Solomon . Both symbols
probably derive their origin from the disciples of the Pythagorean school , and have come down to us through the ISTeo-Platonists and the Alexandrine philosophers . But whatever its origin , it is not now invented as a symbol for the first time , but has been handed down to us with a symbolic character ; and the question we have to deal with is , what was the meaning attached to the symbol—and is it , in fact , as Brother Gillespie imagines , " the natural , peculiar , and unique symbol of trinity in unity , and of the equality of the three persons" It certainly
has not hitherto been so considered m Masonry , and we must endeavour to ascertain what were the characters attributed to it by the ancient philosophy . We observe , in the first place , that the equilateral triangle was employed by the alchemists ( enthusiantic students of all that related to harmonious proportions in nature ) , as the symbol of fire—not