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Article WORKING MASONS. ← Page 2 of 2 Article MASONIC CELESTIAL MYSTERIES. Page 1 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Working Masons.
JSV nothing about them . The " sections are the . key to the whole of the lodge workiug , and if a . Mason were to be properly educated , he ought to be thoroughly acquainted with all the ' sections ' before he was installed in the chair . To know
the ritual , without knowing anything about the '' sections" is like repeating by rote a problem of Euclid without comprehending a siugle word of the demonstration . Viewed in this light , what a piece of irony the device in a P . M . ' s jewel must
prove in many instances ! What a bitter satire upon the Masonic career of its possessors ! We have known cases in which we were literally astonished , that the recipient could have had the conscience to accept the gift , or upon reflection to
arrive at any other conclusion , than that the lodge was laughing at him , when the presenter of it commented upon "his admirable working . " Highly as we prize all Masonic honours and rewards , we confess that we should prize " the Working Jewel" above them all , and it is our firm belief that the creation of such an " order of
merit" would do more to advance the educational standard of the members , and promote a knowledge of the real principles of our Institution among the fraternity , and in which it must be admitted , they are lamentably deficient , than the striking of a
whole host of jewels for special occasions . The devoting of a person ' s time , and the exercise of his talents is equally valuable as the expenditure of so much money . Masonry requires the aid of both money and , brains and its rewards should not be restricted solelv to the donors of the former .
This is a subject which we are certain must have frequently suggested itself to the minds of those , who have the rule and maintenance of our Order in their hands . Were a " Working jewel . " once created , Masons would possess at least one honour ,
one distinction of which it might be truly affirmed . cc Ib cannot be bought with gold , neither can much silver purchase it . "
THE ABBOT ' S WAY . —Whether the so-called " Abbot ' s Way , " in the turbaries of Somersetshire , belongs to Ancient British times , as some suppose , or was constructed , as its name implies , by some abbot of the neighbouring monastery of Glastonbury , I am in no position to determine . It is now buried about two yards
beneath the Turf Moor , and is composed of birchen poles , each a yard long , split , and pegged close together . Pity but some antiquarian society would undertake to once more lay it open to daylight , and use every exertion to ascertain whether it belongs to Celtic or to mediaeval times . —Bro , George Markham Twedclell , F . R . S-N . A .
Masonic Celestial Mysteries.
MASONIC CELESTIAL MYSTERIES .
By HENET MELVILLE . PAPEE 3 . —OMNIA VINCIT VEEITAS . To interpret astronomical picture writing is one thing , but for brethren totally ignorant of
astronomy to understand the interpretation is quite another affair . ( Isaiah , lv „ , 8 and 9 . ) Masons of this generation believe themselves equally intelligent as were the builders of Solomon ' s temple , and yet it would puzzle modern Masons to work
even with "hewn stones" in erecting a house , where " neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron could be heard whilst it was building . "—I Chron . xxii ., 2 , and I Kings , vi ., 7 . The Masonic tools are ,
howeverand these certainly can be used without causing the slightest sound . Two of these implements are claimed by the Royal Arch companions ; one bears a motto which informs the scholar that "
nothingis known without the key , " and the other says , " when you can put these things together you know enough . " But Masons cannot put these things together , and yet the officers of the Grand Lodge knowing nothing themselves of the celestial
mysteries , think the vulgar herd of brethren know quite enough without even being told the meaning of the baubles they are allowed to wear when in conclave assembled .
The Royal Arch companions till lately used transparencies or tracings in their chapters , and the blue lodges to this day have tracing boards . Let tho doable triangle be scratched or stained upon any transparent medium , * and then unite any two points , and the five remaining will give Solomon ' s seal , destroying 60 degrees of
the circle , or two months , rendering the circle 300 cubits , and corresponding with the Roman year of ten months . The double triangle will presently be required to confirm a
very important celestial epoch . In the Assyrian gallery of the British Museum is a compound
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Working Masons.
JSV nothing about them . The " sections are the . key to the whole of the lodge workiug , and if a . Mason were to be properly educated , he ought to be thoroughly acquainted with all the ' sections ' before he was installed in the chair . To know
the ritual , without knowing anything about the '' sections" is like repeating by rote a problem of Euclid without comprehending a siugle word of the demonstration . Viewed in this light , what a piece of irony the device in a P . M . ' s jewel must
prove in many instances ! What a bitter satire upon the Masonic career of its possessors ! We have known cases in which we were literally astonished , that the recipient could have had the conscience to accept the gift , or upon reflection to
arrive at any other conclusion , than that the lodge was laughing at him , when the presenter of it commented upon "his admirable working . " Highly as we prize all Masonic honours and rewards , we confess that we should prize " the Working Jewel" above them all , and it is our firm belief that the creation of such an " order of
merit" would do more to advance the educational standard of the members , and promote a knowledge of the real principles of our Institution among the fraternity , and in which it must be admitted , they are lamentably deficient , than the striking of a
whole host of jewels for special occasions . The devoting of a person ' s time , and the exercise of his talents is equally valuable as the expenditure of so much money . Masonry requires the aid of both money and , brains and its rewards should not be restricted solelv to the donors of the former .
This is a subject which we are certain must have frequently suggested itself to the minds of those , who have the rule and maintenance of our Order in their hands . Were a " Working jewel . " once created , Masons would possess at least one honour ,
one distinction of which it might be truly affirmed . cc Ib cannot be bought with gold , neither can much silver purchase it . "
THE ABBOT ' S WAY . —Whether the so-called " Abbot ' s Way , " in the turbaries of Somersetshire , belongs to Ancient British times , as some suppose , or was constructed , as its name implies , by some abbot of the neighbouring monastery of Glastonbury , I am in no position to determine . It is now buried about two yards
beneath the Turf Moor , and is composed of birchen poles , each a yard long , split , and pegged close together . Pity but some antiquarian society would undertake to once more lay it open to daylight , and use every exertion to ascertain whether it belongs to Celtic or to mediaeval times . —Bro , George Markham Twedclell , F . R . S-N . A .
Masonic Celestial Mysteries.
MASONIC CELESTIAL MYSTERIES .
By HENET MELVILLE . PAPEE 3 . —OMNIA VINCIT VEEITAS . To interpret astronomical picture writing is one thing , but for brethren totally ignorant of
astronomy to understand the interpretation is quite another affair . ( Isaiah , lv „ , 8 and 9 . ) Masons of this generation believe themselves equally intelligent as were the builders of Solomon ' s temple , and yet it would puzzle modern Masons to work
even with "hewn stones" in erecting a house , where " neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron could be heard whilst it was building . "—I Chron . xxii ., 2 , and I Kings , vi ., 7 . The Masonic tools are ,
howeverand these certainly can be used without causing the slightest sound . Two of these implements are claimed by the Royal Arch companions ; one bears a motto which informs the scholar that "
nothingis known without the key , " and the other says , " when you can put these things together you know enough . " But Masons cannot put these things together , and yet the officers of the Grand Lodge knowing nothing themselves of the celestial
mysteries , think the vulgar herd of brethren know quite enough without even being told the meaning of the baubles they are allowed to wear when in conclave assembled .
The Royal Arch companions till lately used transparencies or tracings in their chapters , and the blue lodges to this day have tracing boards . Let tho doable triangle be scratched or stained upon any transparent medium , * and then unite any two points , and the five remaining will give Solomon ' s seal , destroying 60 degrees of
the circle , or two months , rendering the circle 300 cubits , and corresponding with the Roman year of ten months . The double triangle will presently be required to confirm a
very important celestial epoch . In the Assyrian gallery of the British Museum is a compound