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Article THE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND. ← Page 3 of 3 Article MASONIC SYMBOLISM, Page 1 of 3 →
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The Grand Lodge Of England.
and discuss an abstract question so simple as this , and to ignore all facts bearing upon it , passes our comprehension . 3 . The Committee object to the position assumed under the first part of tho case , in the sense clearly implied in this case . As ifc bears upon these border troubles , ifc would folly justify Union Lodge in the course which occasioned this complaint and appeal , if ifc had nofc by special contract
" divested itself of such right . " If this doctrine were allowed , it would justify every lodge upon our borders , from Quoddy Head around the northern frontiers of our State to the line of New Hampshire , to invade the jiu-isdicfcion of this Grand Lodge at its pleasure , and caution them nofc to divest themselves of the right to do so . Ifc ivould establish the same riht of invasion in every
g State of this Union bordering on the British territory across the continent to the shoi-o of the Pacific . Against this doctrine , we desire to record a solemn protest , nor is the case at all justified or relieved by the illustration introduced in Scotland and Northumberland . If the Grand Lodge of England has the right to allow or justify such a course in ifcs island homeand between different
, portions of its territory , where fche ocean barrier protects its boundaries , it does nofc follow thafc she can enforce the same doctrine within a foreign jurisdiction , and justify a border warfare like this complained of . 4 . The doctrine of the Grand Master is directly afc
variance with the sixth proposition put forth by the Universal Masonic Congress at Paris , to wit : — " Before proceeding in the initiation of a non-resident , inquiry shall be made of the authorities of fche country to ivhich fche candidate owes allegiance , except in well authenticated cases of emergency . " On this proposition , the members of that Commission for
the United States , E . AV . John Dove , of Virginia , justly says— "This resolution is simply carrying out , amongst nations and governments , that etiquette of fraternity which is practised in all well regulated Grand Lodges in this country at this time , and has for ifcs object the prevention of working up unfit material in fche moral edifice ivhich we are erecting—a fact , too , of such notorious importance , thafc
it should be constantly practised on by every Craftsman engaged in the building . " As to the other part ' of the case , as stated by the M . AV . Grand Master of England , it is certainly a very obvious truism , that if a lodge has agreed to abstain from a certain course—such as here before us—they ought to stand by that agreement " even if ifc occasion some inconvenience . " To
, our minds it is quite clear , without requiring seven months investigation , that Masons the world over ought to abstain from the conduct complained of in this case , even if they havo not made any agreement to do so . The Committee therefore recommend the adoption of the following resolutions :
1 . Resolved , —Thafc this review of the decision of the M . AV . Grand Master of England be communicated to him by our M . AA . Grand Master , with the request thafc he will require all Lodges under his jurisdiction in our neighbouring provinces to abstain from all acts inconsistent with the established laws and usages on this continent , as recommended by the Universal Masonic Congress , and defined above by the member of the
permanent Commission—and that the Grand Master report to this Grand Lodge at the next annual communication . 2 . Resolved . —Thafc pending the correspondence , the Grand Master take such measures as ho shall deem necessary to protect the subordinate lodges from the grievances complained of .
Eespectfully submitted . CYRIL PEARL , A r , ... _ F . BRADFORD , I tu ' » f " ' - on Foreign MOSES DODGE , j ^ rrcspondeuee . This Beporfc was accepted , and the Besolutions were unanimously adopted . [ Further correspondence has since taken lace on the
p subject , but , without iu any way altering expressed by the respective parties in the above correspondence aud report—and which we have hitherto abstained from publishing , in the hope that the . question in dispute would be amicably settled . ]
Masonic Symbolism,
MASONIC SYMBOLISM ,
WITH KETEKEITCE TO TIIE MEAIS'INO AKD OEIGI 2 T OE THE WORDS " TEEEITASOS ' " AND " COWA 2 T . " PAET II . Words are changeable , language has been confounded , and men in different parts of the world are unintelli gible to each other as barbai'iansfrom a diversity of speech
, ; but everywhere , in every clime , the language of signs and symbols is to a greater or lesser extent understood . This , probably , united to the desire of keeping her secrets and mysteries inviolate , is the reason why Freemasonry deals in symbols . It was the usual custom of most of the ancient philosophers and divines to inculcate their
tenets in this manner . David , the prophet and king of Israel , says ( Psalm xlix . 4 ) , "I will incline mine ear to the parable , aud show my dark speech upon the harp , " meaning that he will seriously attend and consider the import of parables , and that he will sing to the music of his harp those deep and important truths which were not
known to many persons . And in Numbers , xii . 8 , we read that the Lord says : " With him ( Moses ) will I speak mouth to mouth even apparently , and not in dark speeches ; " thereby impl ying that he ivould speak plainly , clearly , and distinctly , * and " not as Bishop Kidder explains itin parables and enigmatical representations
, , such as the ladder which Jacob saw in a dream , theseething pot which was shown to Jeremiah , the 'wall by a plumb-line' and the basket of fruits which Amos saw , - the beasts which were represented to Daniel and the roll of the Book which Ezekiel was to eat . "
Pythagoras also used this mode of teaching ; he advises " not to keep animals with crooked claws , " meaning that we should not take into our houses and make companions of persons who are fierce and cruel in _ their nature . Again , he says it is a foolish action to read a poem " to a beast—i . e . to communicate what is excellent to a stupidignorant
, person ; which is equivalent to the Gospel precept of " Give not that whicli is holy unto the dogs , neither cast ye your pearls before swine . " The symbols used by Pythagoras are saicl to have been derived from geometry , e . g . the right angle , an emblem of morality and justice ; the equilateral triangle , a symbol of God , the essence of
light and truth ; the square , an emblem of the Divine mind ; the cube , the symbol of the mind of man ; and the dodecahedron , a symbol of the universe . The worthy Mason will recognise some of these symbols as still being used in the lodge . Every science has its own elements and an alphabet peculiar to itself ; tin ' s must first be learnt
before any profit or pleasure can accrue to that science . So _ it is with _ Freemasonry ; j ust as we teach young children _ certain important principles of morality and religion , or even rales of grammar , in a certain formula of words the true meaning of which they do not at the time understand , but ivhich when impressed
upon the mind become tlie nucleus of future thoughts and actions and aid them in prosecuting them future future studies—so , it is necessary that young Masons should commit to memory certain symbols and forms of words the full import of which they are at a subsequent period to acquire and understand . ' How necessary is it , then
, that testimonies of due fitness for the respective degrees should be required before the candidate can obtain them , since each brother should be well learned | in the scientific knowledge ancl moral and social virtues j of au inferior , ere he be admitted to the sublime truths j of the perfect and well qualified Mason . I In a document called the Chart ?! of Colne , the foll lowing account of the origin of tlie name of Freemasonry
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Grand Lodge Of England.
and discuss an abstract question so simple as this , and to ignore all facts bearing upon it , passes our comprehension . 3 . The Committee object to the position assumed under the first part of tho case , in the sense clearly implied in this case . As ifc bears upon these border troubles , ifc would folly justify Union Lodge in the course which occasioned this complaint and appeal , if ifc had nofc by special contract
" divested itself of such right . " If this doctrine were allowed , it would justify every lodge upon our borders , from Quoddy Head around the northern frontiers of our State to the line of New Hampshire , to invade the jiu-isdicfcion of this Grand Lodge at its pleasure , and caution them nofc to divest themselves of the right to do so . Ifc ivould establish the same riht of invasion in every
g State of this Union bordering on the British territory across the continent to the shoi-o of the Pacific . Against this doctrine , we desire to record a solemn protest , nor is the case at all justified or relieved by the illustration introduced in Scotland and Northumberland . If the Grand Lodge of England has the right to allow or justify such a course in ifcs island homeand between different
, portions of its territory , where fche ocean barrier protects its boundaries , it does nofc follow thafc she can enforce the same doctrine within a foreign jurisdiction , and justify a border warfare like this complained of . 4 . The doctrine of the Grand Master is directly afc
variance with the sixth proposition put forth by the Universal Masonic Congress at Paris , to wit : — " Before proceeding in the initiation of a non-resident , inquiry shall be made of the authorities of fche country to ivhich fche candidate owes allegiance , except in well authenticated cases of emergency . " On this proposition , the members of that Commission for
the United States , E . AV . John Dove , of Virginia , justly says— "This resolution is simply carrying out , amongst nations and governments , that etiquette of fraternity which is practised in all well regulated Grand Lodges in this country at this time , and has for ifcs object the prevention of working up unfit material in fche moral edifice ivhich we are erecting—a fact , too , of such notorious importance , thafc
it should be constantly practised on by every Craftsman engaged in the building . " As to the other part ' of the case , as stated by the M . AV . Grand Master of England , it is certainly a very obvious truism , that if a lodge has agreed to abstain from a certain course—such as here before us—they ought to stand by that agreement " even if ifc occasion some inconvenience . " To
, our minds it is quite clear , without requiring seven months investigation , that Masons the world over ought to abstain from the conduct complained of in this case , even if they havo not made any agreement to do so . The Committee therefore recommend the adoption of the following resolutions :
1 . Resolved , —Thafc this review of the decision of the M . AV . Grand Master of England be communicated to him by our M . AA . Grand Master , with the request thafc he will require all Lodges under his jurisdiction in our neighbouring provinces to abstain from all acts inconsistent with the established laws and usages on this continent , as recommended by the Universal Masonic Congress , and defined above by the member of the
permanent Commission—and that the Grand Master report to this Grand Lodge at the next annual communication . 2 . Resolved . —Thafc pending the correspondence , the Grand Master take such measures as ho shall deem necessary to protect the subordinate lodges from the grievances complained of .
Eespectfully submitted . CYRIL PEARL , A r , ... _ F . BRADFORD , I tu ' » f " ' - on Foreign MOSES DODGE , j ^ rrcspondeuee . This Beporfc was accepted , and the Besolutions were unanimously adopted . [ Further correspondence has since taken lace on the
p subject , but , without iu any way altering expressed by the respective parties in the above correspondence aud report—and which we have hitherto abstained from publishing , in the hope that the . question in dispute would be amicably settled . ]
Masonic Symbolism,
MASONIC SYMBOLISM ,
WITH KETEKEITCE TO TIIE MEAIS'INO AKD OEIGI 2 T OE THE WORDS " TEEEITASOS ' " AND " COWA 2 T . " PAET II . Words are changeable , language has been confounded , and men in different parts of the world are unintelli gible to each other as barbai'iansfrom a diversity of speech
, ; but everywhere , in every clime , the language of signs and symbols is to a greater or lesser extent understood . This , probably , united to the desire of keeping her secrets and mysteries inviolate , is the reason why Freemasonry deals in symbols . It was the usual custom of most of the ancient philosophers and divines to inculcate their
tenets in this manner . David , the prophet and king of Israel , says ( Psalm xlix . 4 ) , "I will incline mine ear to the parable , aud show my dark speech upon the harp , " meaning that he will seriously attend and consider the import of parables , and that he will sing to the music of his harp those deep and important truths which were not
known to many persons . And in Numbers , xii . 8 , we read that the Lord says : " With him ( Moses ) will I speak mouth to mouth even apparently , and not in dark speeches ; " thereby impl ying that he ivould speak plainly , clearly , and distinctly , * and " not as Bishop Kidder explains itin parables and enigmatical representations
, , such as the ladder which Jacob saw in a dream , theseething pot which was shown to Jeremiah , the 'wall by a plumb-line' and the basket of fruits which Amos saw , - the beasts which were represented to Daniel and the roll of the Book which Ezekiel was to eat . "
Pythagoras also used this mode of teaching ; he advises " not to keep animals with crooked claws , " meaning that we should not take into our houses and make companions of persons who are fierce and cruel in _ their nature . Again , he says it is a foolish action to read a poem " to a beast—i . e . to communicate what is excellent to a stupidignorant
, person ; which is equivalent to the Gospel precept of " Give not that whicli is holy unto the dogs , neither cast ye your pearls before swine . " The symbols used by Pythagoras are saicl to have been derived from geometry , e . g . the right angle , an emblem of morality and justice ; the equilateral triangle , a symbol of God , the essence of
light and truth ; the square , an emblem of the Divine mind ; the cube , the symbol of the mind of man ; and the dodecahedron , a symbol of the universe . The worthy Mason will recognise some of these symbols as still being used in the lodge . Every science has its own elements and an alphabet peculiar to itself ; tin ' s must first be learnt
before any profit or pleasure can accrue to that science . So _ it is with _ Freemasonry ; j ust as we teach young children _ certain important principles of morality and religion , or even rales of grammar , in a certain formula of words the true meaning of which they do not at the time understand , but ivhich when impressed
upon the mind become tlie nucleus of future thoughts and actions and aid them in prosecuting them future future studies—so , it is necessary that young Masons should commit to memory certain symbols and forms of words the full import of which they are at a subsequent period to acquire and understand . ' How necessary is it , then
, that testimonies of due fitness for the respective degrees should be required before the candidate can obtain them , since each brother should be well learned | in the scientific knowledge ancl moral and social virtues j of au inferior , ere he be admitted to the sublime truths j of the perfect and well qualified Mason . I In a document called the Chart ?! of Colne , the foll lowing account of the origin of tlie name of Freemasonry