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Symbolism on the Winding Staircase – Five Steps Upon the Stair

Posted on January 10, 2011February 2, 2021 by Greg Stewart | 5 Comments

Five Steps Upon the Winding Staircase

Modern Masonic second degree tracing board art

The second degree lecture holds a wealth of esoteric study and contemplation. In the preceding examination we looked at the depth and meaning of the first three steps as the conductor in Duncan’s Ritual and Monitor ushers the candidate into the allegorical chamber of King Solomon’s temple. Now, the candidate is faced with a further rise of steps, Five to be exact, which is described in this text taken directly from Duncan’s Ritual and Monitor of Freemasonry:

Stepping forward to the five steps, he continues:
The five steps allude to the five orders of architecture and the five human senses.
The five orders of architecture are Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite.

For any brother reading, it’s important to take a moment to look anew at your monitor, if supplied with one, to reacquaint the reference as it relates specifically to Masonry. From an exoteric point of view, we must look to the point of origin to the Orders of Architecture, which turns our attention to the grand father of modern architecture – Vitruvius.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Vitruvius (born c. 80–70 BC, died after c. 15 BC) is described on Wikipedia as having been a Roman writer, architect and engineer (possibly praefectus fabrum , the man in charge, during military service or praefect architectus armamentarius, the man in charge of architecture, of the apparitor status group), active in the 1st century BC. By his own description Vitruvius served as a Ballista (artilleryman), the third class of arms in the military offices. He likely served as chief of the ballista (senior officer of artillery) in charge of doctor’s ballistarum (artillery experts) and libratores who actually operated the machines.

The Vitruvian Man, as illustrated by Da Vinci, was based on Vitrivius’ proportions from his writings. Those writings can be found in his collected works, commonly called De Architectura Libri Decem or Vitruvius, the ten books on architecture. In the work, Vitruvius describes an assortment of things from town planning to aqueducts.

The rediscovery of his work in the Renaissance had a profound influence on architects of the age which started the rise of the Neo-Classical style. Period architects, such as Niccoli, Brunelleschi and Leon Battista Alberti, found in “De Architectura” reason for raising their branch of knowledge to a scientific discipline as well as emphasizing the skills of the artisan.

Further the English architect Inigo Jones, who crafted the Queens House at Greenwich in

1616 and the Banqueting house at Whitehall in 1619, and the French hydraulic engineer Salomon de Caus who designed the gardens at Somerset House and the Hortus Palatinus in Heidelberg Germany (known for its then wonders of “a statue that resounded when struck by the rays of the sun, a water-organ, and singing fountains”), and were among the first to rethink and implement the disciplines of Vitruvius which were considered a necessary element of architecture, essentially art and science based upon number and proportion, which was reinvigorating to architecture of the period. The 16th century architect Andrea Palladio who designed a number of villas, palaces, and churches in and around Venice, considered Vitrivius his master and guide, and made drawings based on Vitruvius’ work before evolving his own architectural precepts.

Inigo Jones, for those who are unfamiliar, is also the author of a Manuscript circa 1607), on the Origin of Masonry, amongst other things. Lomas, in Freemasonry and the Birth of Modern Science, dates the time of Jones’ Freemasonry as 1607, while he was a surveyor to the crown under James VI.

The idea of divine architecture came directly from Vitruvius’s work as divine proportions were very much a consideration in every design. In his book of Architecture, in Book IV the middle three pillars, Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian, are described in by their physical traits for use in the temples of their celestial counterparts:

“On finding that, in a man, the foot was one sixth of the height, they applied the same principle to the column, and reared the shaft, including the capital, to a height six times its thickness at the base. Thus the Doric column, as used in buildings, began to exhibit the proportion, strength, and beauty of a man.”
“Just so afterwards, when they desired to construct a temple to Diana in a new style of beauty [Ionic], they translated these footprints into terms characteristic of the slenderness of women, and thus first made a column the thickness of which was only one eighth of its height, so that it might have a taller look. At the foot, they substituted the base in place of a shoe; in the capital they placed the volutes, hanging down at the right and left like curly ringlets, and ornamented its front with cymatia and wide festoons of fruit arranged in place of hair, while they brought the flutes down the whole shaft, falling like the folds in the robes worn by matrons. Thus in the invention of the two different kinds of columns, they borrowed manly beauty, naked and unadorned, for the one, and for the other the delicacy, adornment, and proportions characteristic of women….”
“The third order, called Corinthian, is an imitation of the slenderness of a maiden; for the outlines and limbs of maidens, being more slender on account of their tender years, admit of prettier effects in the way of adornment.”

The story of the Corinthian column goes on to tell of its inspiration which was from the growth of an Acanthus through the basket of a young Corinth maiden’s possessions atop her tomb. The Athenian artist Callimachus passed it and took delight at its “novel style” and built columns after its form. Once he determined the dimensions and proportions it was established to the rule for the Corinthian order, thus setting, literally, into stone the symmetry of beauty.

In another instance in Vitruvius’s work he details the facing of temples so as they can be experienced in a manner in line with many of the great esoteric and religious traditions. He oriented them to be entered from the West to…

“…enable those who approach the altar with offerings or sacrifices to face the direction of the sunrise in facing the statue in the temple, and thus those who are undertaking vows look toward the quarter from which the sun comes forth, and likewise the statues themselves appear to be coming forth out of the east to look upon them as they pray and sacrifice.”
– Book IV, Ch. 5

This certainly does not predate the idea of Solomon’s temple orientation, but its questionable if perhaps Vitrivius was influenced in any way by this Judaic Old Testament writing, or operating on an older principal of Temple building. In its simplest of thought, the older idea of knowledge, better thought of as wisdom, came from the East in the rising sun as it has symbolically represented the idea of a daily new beginning. The word used for one who undertakes the degrees in Masonry, an initiate, comes from the Latin initiare which means “to begin anew”. It would, no doubt, mesh with Renaissance architects as designers would see the parallels between the Old Testament Temple and the Classical temple styling to follow that same pattern.[1]

From an esoteric stand point, we can start to infer much of how this translates to our work as a Freemason, building that unseen house . . . but this also has a practical application that would of been at the very forefront of our early forbearers thought, as with Inigo Jones, as they planned and built the neoclassical temples of the late Renaissance. Perhaps in some ways this is a vestige to our very being a Freemason, homage to the ancient practicing of our brothers in antiquity and a means to making being a Mason relevant to the teachings.

But as the degree then turns from the idea of architecture so must we to the aspect of our human senses, five in total, and their specific link to our ability to hear, see, and feel.

The degree says:

The five human senses are hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, and tasting, the first three of which have ever been highly esteemed among Masons: hearing, to hear the word; seeing, to see the sign; feeling, to feel the grip, whereby one Mason may know another in the dark as well as in the light.

Again, as the orders of architecture are of a specific physicality, so too is this treatise on the five senses of the physicality of man. It speaks much to our physically interpreting the activity around us. In many ways it is reminiscent of the motto “Aude, Vide, Tace” which from the Latin translates to say “Know, Dare, Be Silent” which goes further to suggest of the same three tactile senses said to be of greatest importance that they have a parallel union:

Hearing – knowing = to learn and understand what is being taught
Seeing – daring = to think on and consider its purpose and meaning
Feeling – touching = to be silent rather than attempting to stumble until fuller knowledge is attained

The longer Roman proverb reads – “Audi, vide, tace, si tu vis vivere” which means to “Hear, see, be silent, if you wish to live (in peace)” which can give us a cryptic undertone or a view to see the disharmony of not being silent.

This middle chamber, middle position, examination gives us much to reflect on especially as it relates to our physicality in the role of a Fellow of the Craft, but to get a broader feel we need to look more widely at the implications of the period understanding to what these five senses represented.

Cornelius Agrippa, in his Three Books of Occult Philosophy, says of the five senses:

There be five senses in man, sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching: five powers in the soul…, five fingers of the hand, five wandering planets in the heavens…. It is also called the number of the cross, yea eminent with the principal wounds of Christ[2], whereof he vouchsafed to keep the scars in his glorified body. The heathen philosophers did dedicate it as sacred to Mercury, esteeming the virtue of it to be so much more excellent than the number four, by how much a living thing is more excellent than a thing without life…. Hence in time of grace the name of divine omnipotence is called upon with five letters…the ineffable name of God was [expressed] with five letters Ihesu…

The five wounds of Original Sin – First, death to the soul (heart). Second, darkness in the intellect, the right hand. Third, malice, an inclination to evil, the left hand. Fourth, sensuality – disordered desires, the left foot. And fifth, irritability and aggression, the right foot.

Ihesu is the middle ages usage of the name of Jesus, often written in Catholicism as simply IHS which has run through both Greek and Latin translations. In Greek, it looks like Iota-eta-sigma-omicron-upsilon-sigma which becomes IESOUS in English. The H comes from the variance of eta which is epsilon, and rendered as H giving us Agrippa’s meaning.

Further in the work of Agrippa, he attributes the number Five beyond the senses touching on the planets, the animal kingdom, and five things as made by God: essence, the same (similarity), another (difference), sense, and motion. He called the number five the Pythagorean number of wedlock and justice (such we could interpret as Solomonic justice) because the number divides 10 in an even scale – Five represents the point of balance.

Clearly, we can see that Agrippa found some greater importance in the 5 senses, broadening their occult interpretations. What we can take from this is that the 5 senses can be as limited as we choose to see them or as broad as we can start to interpret them to be as most interpretations of the number 5 have similar or like meaning. In either case, they have a wide variance by which to perceive them than simply in the five points of perfection.

In these two discussions of physicality, Architecture and sense, we find two seemingly unrelated elements that in the second degree are intricately interwoven and presented by instruction as integral to the metaphorical building of Solomon’s temple, or more specifically, our own temple of inner Being. Like the great Greek and Roman pillars our senses are ever increasing importance giving our physicality a dimension to the degree. Yet, by digging deeper, through some of the more esoteric connections, we can get a sense of the power of this simple number that divides 10, a Solominc number, the number of perfection. So here, we have reached our second landing upon the staircase. We have surmounted our second series of steps in the middle chamber and come to a point of rest. Before us is the next ascent which will take us up a dizzying flight of seven steps. Though the number may seem small, its connections are many and varied and further round out the active role of our manhood which is our place of being as a Fellow of the Craft. Behind us rests the previous three and five steps – a monumental feat of climbing indeed, but before we can claim a victory over them, we must surmount the next seven and explore their potentiality in meaning.

Read:

Part 1 – Masonic Symbolism on the Winding Staircase
Part 2 – Symbolism on the Winding Staircase – 5 steps upon the stair
Part 3 – Symbolism on the Winding Staircase – Seven the Magic Number

Notes

[1] Vitrivius does give further instruction on temples when not able to orient them in an eastward facing saying “…if the nature of the site is such as to forbid this, then the principle of determining the quarter should be changed, so that the widest possible view of the city may be had from the sanctuaries of the gods. Furthermore, temples that are to be built beside rivers, as in Egypt on both sides of the Nile, ought, as it seems, to face the river banks. Similarly, houses of the gods on the sides of public roads should be arranged so that the passers-by can have a view of them and pay their devotions face to face.” So, what is the guide is not fixed in necessity.

[2] What then are the five wounds of Original Sin? First, death to the soul through the loss of sanctifying grace, and consequently in due time to the body. Second, darkness in the intellect. Third, malice — an inclination to evil — in the will. Fourth, sensuality (disordered desires) in the concupiscible appetite. And fifth, irritability and aggression in the irascible appetite. their correlation follows:

Death to the soul – Death of the body (heart) – Death occurs when the soul, the life principle of the body, is separated from the body, as the heart is the seat of the soul.

Darkness in the intellect (and will) – the right hand, the hand of spirit – spiritual darkness, The will grasps at things by reaching out for them in desire.

Malice and evil – the left hand, the sinister hand where our will is malice, a proclivity to real evil, to rebellion

Sensuality of desire – the left foot, earth bound, it is the foot that sets off down the wrong path of pleasure and sin.

Irritability and aggression – the right foot of strength where man’s irascible appetite is our aggressiveness and proclivity to anger.

Loud and Clear

Posted on January 10, 2011December 29, 2021 by TimBryce | 2 Comments

My father has been gone for six years now. We worked together for nearly thirty years and in that time, he taught me the ins and outs of the information systems industry and the corporate world. What I particularly miss about him is the arguments we would get into. I don’t mean vicious discourse but rather serious debates on a variety of topics. He had a good logical mind and we would often spar if for no other reason than to clarify an idea or concept. My dad was old school though who was of Scottish stock and came up the hard way. If you screwed up, he would let you know about it loud and clear. There was no sugarcoating a mistake with him. Over time I came to learn the reason he jumped down your throat was that he didn’t want you to commit the same mistake twice, and to his credit, you wouldn’t.

Some people were offended by his candor, others thrived on it as they understood the intellectual dynamics involved. Even customers would call my father to pick a friendly fight with him and, in the process, would learn a lot. I knew of other men of his generation who were also not exactly politically correct and not afraid to give it to you loud and clear. However, I think we now live in a time when such discourse is frowned upon and you don’t see too much of it anymore.

People are hesitant to be critical in the work place, school, or just about everywhere. I think this is bred into people at an early age whereby everybody has to be a winner, and nobody should suffer the stigma of being labeled a loser. Consequently we become hesitant to tell someone when he is wrong in that it might hurt his feelings. The only problem here though is if everyone tells you nothing is wrong and that everything is great, you’ll never get to the bottom of what is wrong. Every once and awhile you need the naked truth, and you can only get this through honest criticism.

Sugarcoating a problem only delays its resolution thereby costing more money to correct or allowing someone to commit a mistake repetitively. If you give it to them loud and clear, they may not like how you said it, but they will most assuredly comprehend what you meant and will not forget it. One point to make in this regard, when you are criticizing or arguing with someone, simple “yes” and “no’s” are not sufficient. It is vital you explain your rationale, otherwise they will remain skeptical and learn nothing.

Perhaps the biggest problem with honest criticism is to learn not to take it personally. The “loud and clear” person is trying to teach you something and obviously thinks it is important for you to learn it properly which is why you are getting it loud and clear. I realize we are supposed to be sensitive to the feelings of others, but we must understand that conducting business does not involve participating in a personality contest. Sometimes, to get the necessary results, a manager needs to get into a worker’s face and talk to him heart to heart. We would make little progress if we had to constantly hold the hands of our workers. At some point, the training wheels have to come off and they have to drive the bicycle themselves.

Years ago, when I first volunteered to be a Little League umpire, I had to attend a clinic to learn the duties and responsibilities of the job. At the time I was only signing up to umpire eight year old girls softball which I didn’t exactly consider a heavy duty assignment. The instructors of the clinic taught us a lot of things, but one thing they emphasized was to make your calls “loud and clear” regardless of the age of the kids or sex. A watered-down call or one without authority will challenge your credibility not only with the coaches, but with the players as well. Basically, they were saying, “If you’re going to do something, do it right.” As I was quick to learn, this was perhaps the best advice I could have received. Consequently, I rendered my calls as umpire “loud and clear.” Interestingly, I discovered even the youngest kid on the team seemed to instinctively understand what I was doing and respected the call. In all the years I umpired, not once was a tear shed.

For those of you who believe loud and clear is “not cool” in the workplace, you have to remember we live in a fast paced world and managers do not always have the time or luxury to patiently offer tender and sympathetic advice. Honest criticism is a fact of life and a necessity for us to grow and evolve, and we should certainly not be embarrassed to receive it “loud and clear.”

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim’s columns, see:
http://www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm

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Tune into Tim’s THE BRYCE IS RIGHT! podcast Mondays-Fridays, 11:30am (Eastern).

Masonic Wiki

Posted on January 9, 2011August 6, 2019 by Fred Milliken | 12 Comments

Perhaps you remember Derek Gordon who resigned from the Grand Lodge of Arkansas after they gave him so much unwarranted grief. Here is a great mind with assets that would be of great benefit to any Lodge. His latest venture with the assistance of the masterful genius of Brother Dave Daugherty, is the development of a Masonic Wiki, http://www.masonicwiki.info.

Now if you are like me and the only Wiki you have heard about is Wiki Leaks and you have little idea of what a Wiki is all about, don’t be intimidated by past perception or prejudice. The concept is one of sharing. Not only do you get to enjoy all the information on the website but you also have the opportunity to add material. That’s what a Wiki is all about – shared input.

This Wiki project is based on the exact same software of that popular, worldwide information site, Wikipedia. It is easy to use, friendly to search through and has unlimited potential in Masonic research and scholarship. To post something you simply search and create a page detailing whatever it is you seek to discuss.

There are a few other English speaking Masonic Wikis but they are not well maintained. They are full of spam because they are not a secure site. You won’t find that at masonicwiki.info. First of all you have to be a Mason to post and then only after you have registered with the site. Gordon & Daugherty have five moderators working the site and they block all spam and malicious content. You won’t find the flaming screaming that you can experience on many Masonic Forums. Gordon particularly emphasizes this point.

“Users can read, edit and add content so long as they are registered. Modified content will show with revisions and is reviewed by one of five moderators to ensure it isn’t scathing. Our contact page offers a method to E-Mail us when something needs review. Our platform is monitored to protect the sanctity of Masonry and to avoid attacks between bitter foes.”

This is important because Masonic Wiki is open to all Obedience and Jurisdictions across the board. This site is not an arm of Mainstream Masonry’s Conference of Grand Masters nor will it get involved in issues of who is a legitimate Mason and who is not. It is beholden to no one but open to everyone who will enter its portals in peace and harmony and respect for divergent views.

The Site offers a breakdown by Continent and then by country. It also offers headings of Masonic Poetry, Articles, Websites, Blogs and Supplies. In addition you get a list of topics. Here are only a few examples:

Masonic Libraries & Museums

Research Lodges

Prince Hall Freemasonry

Feminine Obediences

Allied Masonic Degrees

Grand College of Rites

National Sojourners

Daughters of the Nile

And many, many more, or create a topic of your choice.

Gordon has smartly also scooped up domains for www.masonicwiki.com, www.masonicwiki.net and www.masonicwiki.org. If you are looking for Masonic Wiki they all take you to the same place. The site also has the ability to upload images and audio and Gordon will put in video too if there is a demand for it. It has an international flavor as you can also choose Spanish and French languages in addition to English. Gordon told the Beehive that he is trying to put together an agreement with a German Masonic Wiki, some sort of merger or co-operative effort.

It is obvious that Masonic Wiki is here to build bridges of understanding. Once again Gordon tells us the purpose of Masonic Wiki,

“…is to bring all sorts of information about Masonry together in one location, to share information among Masons of all backgrounds and in all places so that we can gain further light and understanding about one another.”

Most Freemasons will tell you that Freemasonry is universal. Masonic Wiki lives and practices that concept proving it to be true. Won’t you join them?

Manteca Masonic lodge vandalized

Posted on January 7, 2011January 7, 2011 by Greg Stewart

From the Manteca Bulletin –

Vandals broke into the [Manteca] Masonic Lodge in the 200 block of North Powers Avenue sometime over the past weekend trashing the interior of the building and causing an estimated $7,000 in damage.

Destroyed in the break in was an antique organ donated by the family of the late Bill Eichner for his past service. The organ was “smashed beyond all repair”

The break-in was believed to have happened either Friday night or Saturday night. The clock mounted on the wall had been damaged with its hands stopped at 12:05, [W.M.] Shaughnessy added. Also destroyed in the vandalism were emblems representing the DeMolay for boys and the Order of Rainbow Girls that were kept in the building.

The report says of the lodge that it was constructed in 1957 but the organization there dates back to the cities formation in 1913.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Manteca Police Department at 209.456.8100

The Hassle of Metal Keys

Posted on January 7, 2011August 7, 2021 by TimBryce | 2 Comments

A person’s trustworthiness can be measured by the number of metal keys he possesses. Each key represents a trust or responsibility the person has committed to maintaining. I tend to believe the more keys a person has, the more he is trusted; the fewer keys he possesses, less so. I have three sets of keys I maintain; one set for my office and home, one for the Masonic Lodge where I serve as Secretary, and a set of car keys; in all, I generally carry 40+ keys which is a lot and quite uncomfortable if I try to carry them in a single pocket.

We use keys because most of us cannot remember combinations or passwords. For example, I would be hard pressed to remember combinations and passwords to replace my 40+ keys. Keys may be low tech, but they are effective for safeguarding most of our possessions, such as houses, offices, desks, equipment, supplies, vehicles, boats, garbage cans, weapons, etc. Some people believe magnetic cards are an effective alternative to keys, but I am hearing too many horror stories of people having their identities stolen through such cards. Key pads are nice too, but again you have the memorization problem to consider. Keys may be a hassle to carry, but they are probably the most cost effective solution around.

Perhaps the biggest problem with keys is we often forget what they are used for. As I mentioned, I have three sets. I know all of my car keys, but I probably only know 75% of my office/house keys. I have had them so long I frankly have forgotten what they are all used for. The big keys I can generally figure out, usually for a door of some kind, but it’s the little ones where I draw a blank. I’m sure they are for some obscure cabinets or desks I’ve long forgotten about. I may have even discarded the cabinets or desks and forgotten to throw the keys away in the process.

The same is true with my Lodge keys which I inherited some time ago. I know most of them, but there are a few that I simply draw a blank. This disturbs me greatly as I don’t like to be so disorganized, but I think all of us are in possession of a key or two (or more) which we haven’t got a clue as to its purpose.

When I assumed the Secretary’s duties, I dutifully cleaned out my predecessor’s desk. In the process, I found even more keys which looked quite old but seemed to be important. I’ve tried them on many locks but cannot seem to figure out what they are used for. I suspect one is for some secret vault where Masonic treasures are stored, such as the Holy Grail.

As tempted as I am to throw all of these old keys away, I’m afraid of doing so because, “You never know” when they might indeed serve a purpose. I don’t know about you but my luck is such that as soon as I discard a key, I inevitably discover its purpose and need to reproduce it requiring a locksmith thereby becoming a more costly proposition.

The only thing worse than having too many keys is to lose them. For most of us, this is the closest thing to madness we’ll ever experience. It’s bad enough we have misplaced our keys, we then begin to suffer from delusional scenarios of Jack the Ripper sacking our homes in the middle of the night.

Keys may be symbolic of someone’s trustworthiness, but they are certainly a hassle to hold and to lose. I just wish retina-scanning or fingerprint technology was more advanced and affordable. It would certainly be a lot easier on my pocket and state of mind.

Keep the Faith!

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Mike McCabe Bringing Brothers Together

Posted on January 6, 2011June 6, 2015 by Fred Milliken

You might remember a previous story from The Beehive on Mike McCabe and how he was unceremoniously bounced out of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey. Granted McCabe is an intense fellow but he was and still is passionate about his Freemasonry. And he did much in his tenure within the Grand Lodge of New Jersey and was recognized by his Grand Lodge for superior achievement. Yet his insistence to do things correctly and “by the book” landed him in trouble with a Grand Lodge whose officers liked to violate its Constitution and do whatever they felt like.

McCabe deserves a lot more credit than he is being given which is so often the plight of an expelled Brother. It needs to be pointed out that McCabe was present on the deck of the Battleship USS New Jersey on September 22, 2002 where formal recognition between PHA & Mainstream Masonry in New Jersey was ratified.

And it was he who a scant three weeks later on October 16, 2002 as Master of Mainstream Justice Lodge No. 285, Linwood New Jersey welcomed the visitation of Prince Hall Lodges No. 16, Hiram Abiff and No. 27, Prince Hall along with the Grand Masters of both Grand Lodges and other Past Grand Masters and dignitaries.

McCabe and his officers worked hard to put together one of the first joint meetings of PHA & Mainstream Masonry in the state of New Jersey. As a long time champion of Prince Hall Masonry, McCabe endeavored to make the occasion memorial and remembered by casting a plate with front and back inscriptions which you see here pictured.

But The Beehive cannot help but wonder at perhaps how much trouble championing Prince Hall might get you in. PGM Frank Haas of West Virginia met with Prince Hall Officers in the hopes of starting recognition. Derek Gordon of Arkansas championed Prince Hall recognition and boldly denounced the Grand Lodge ruling that the generic license plate created by Prince Hall Arkansas was clandestine. Counting McCabe all three, of course, have been expelled.

Masonic Symbolism on the Winding Staircase

Posted on January 4, 2011October 19, 2021 by Greg Stewart | 11 Comments

A Lecture on the Second Degree of Freemasonry

2nd degree fellowcraft tracing board art

On our way to the Sanctum Sanctorum, the newly made Mason undertakes a passage through what is commonly called the Middle Chamber. The reference into the middle way is through the temple of Solomon, and the pathway to the Holy of Holies, the adytum in which the Holy Ark of the covenant resides at the the Kodesh Hakodashim, or the place in which deity dwells. In that journey through the middle space, the Second degree brother is introduced to some of the more seemingly secular influenced aspects of the fraternity that begin to take on a double, or symbolic, meaning. On their surface, the basic notions of these things are obvious, but not until you start to look at them closely, at their deeper meanings, that we start to see their relationships to other more esoteric ideas. This is similar to religious traditions where withing one religious text there can be multiple layers of meaning, and multiple ways of interpretation which can lead to an allegorical, a moral, or a mystical meaning.

Indeed, as the degree is symbolically in King Solomon’s Temple, so to can it be seen as a symbolic metaphor to our own internal path, what Joseph Campbell calls the hero quest, and where you “leave the world that you you’re in and go into a depth or into a distance or up to a height.”[1]

Masonic symbols, tracing board, second degree, 2 degree

This is not to assume that the Masonic degrees have a similar relevancy to sacred or spiritual texts, though some could argue that their significance is almost as powerful to some observants. It is a system of morality that strives to make good men better, which runs nearly in parallel with the many Volumes of the Sacred Law which seeks similar outcomes to achieve as it outlines and instructs its path to elevation. Whether its salvation or spiritual awakening the holy books seek to instruct its adherents to live better lives through their faith, the same that Freemasonry strives to through its practice – to make those good men better. In that process of making the good man a candidate for the degrees is made an entered apprentice, symbolically as he ascends Jacob’s ladder. Once at the top, he is presented a series of three groups of symbols which are set before him to become a Second Degree mason so as they may observe and contemplate them in their path of progression, their hero’s quest, to the third degree.

The story of the degree, from Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor*, picks up after the passage between the twin pillars of the degree with the conductor delivering this instruction:

Brother, we will pursue our journey. The next thing that attracts our attention is the winding stairs which lead to the Middle Chamber of King Solomon’s Temple, consisting of three, five, and seven steps.
The first three allude to the three principal stages of human life, namely, youth, manhood, and old age. In youth, as Entered Apprentices, we ought industriously to occupy our minds in the attainment of useful knowledge; in manhood, as Fellow Crafts, we should apply our knowledge to the discharge of our respective duties to God, our neighbors, and ourselves; so that in old age, as Master Masons, we may enjoy the happy reflections consequent on a well-spent life, and die in the hope of a glorious immortality.
They also allude to the three principal supports in Masonry, namely, Wisdom, Strength. and Beauty; for it is necessary that there should be wisdom to contrive, strength to support, and beauty to adorn all great and important undertakings.
They further allude to the three principal officers of the Lodge, viz.: Master, and Senior and Junior Wardens.

Let’s pause here and consider what some of the deeper meanings of these first steps infer. The first segment is fairly straight forward; with narrative telling us that the three steps allude to the three stages of human life – Youth, Manhood, and Old Age.

Youth is defined as:
Young persons, collectively.
A young person; especially, a young man.
The quality or state of being young; youthfulness; juvenility.
The part of life that succeeds to childhood; the period of existence preceding maturity or age; the whole early part of life, from childhood, or, sometimes, from infancy, to manhood.

This is a pretty straight forward idea, especially as it says to us that “we ought industriously to occupy our minds in the attainment of useful knowledge”, but how does this apply to an older initiate, someone who is no longer in his youth. Is it a wistful thought to what was achieved when younger and in still in school? Taken on a deeper level, it could allude to the idea of the degree itself, the First degree being synonymous to mean that in the first, the candidate comes to the lodge as a youth (despite his chronological or physical age) with a clean slate of perception and a clean pallet of interpretation. In a sense, he comes as blank slate to its teachings or to the ideas before him. The degree being his introduction from exterior life to interior life which ushers him both into the fraternity and into the concept of the undertaking. Pike, in the first degree lecture in Morals and Dogma, calls this the focusing of the aspirants “unregulated force” – the channel by which they constrain their previously raw, infantile state, into that of a focused and youthful aspirant no matter their age.

Next, the candidate enters into his Manhood, more literally the 2nd degree, of which the ceremony says of it “we should apply our knowledge to the discharge of our respective duties to God, our neighbors, and ourselves” which is a really active process to live by. We, in essence, are to achieve much by way of our doing, essentially, the work of our daily life towards our deity in worship and practice, our community in which we live and reside, but more specifically as we apply it to ourselves in continuing to apply what we’ve learned in our youth to this state of existence.

The Free Dictionary defines Manhood as:
1. The state or time of being an adult male human.
2. The composite of qualities, such as courage, determination, and vigor, often thought to be appropriate to a man.
3. Adult males considered as a group; men.
4. The state of being human.

In the third entry, we can take much from it beyond it simply being our middle state of being. It is in fact our ability to BE in the first place, our SELF in daily practice. Interesting as this is, the second degree in which our further education takes place is not only about the practice of our youth but also our ability to learn and apply that education to our life.

Campbell says of the age progression that “As a child, you are brought up in a world of discipline, of obedience, and you are dependant on others. All this has to be transcended when you come to maturity, so that you can live not in dependency but with self-responsible authority.”[2] This is, in essence, the heart of the three degree progression and the fundamental of the three steps – he becoming a man (or woman, respecting your discipline)!

Old age is a bit more of a troubling and complex issue. So often in modern society we look at old age as a point of retirement where work and physical activity dramatically changes or diminishes. In this description, the idea of old age holds true in that the degree says of old age that in it “we may enjoy the happy reflections consequent on a well-spent life, and die in the hope of a glorious immortality”

There are several interesting meanings we can take from this especially that it is in the degrees that these physical changes are metaphorically said to take place which can become a literal interpretation, and that once attained the Master Mason can live through them – literally to reflect on the life well spent. What’s troubling here is that the major portion of the work of the lodge is spent in the third degree and a caution must be considered so as to not see the work of the Master Mason as just one of reflection and of casual rest lest no work, as described in Manhood, be completed.

Old Age is essentially defined as ones age nearing or passing the average life span of human beings, and thus at the end of the human life cycle. In the U.S. this is considered to be 78 years old giving a distinct impression as to when one should then become a True Master. It really is at a twilight of life period, one of great age and maturity where little change and much reflection takes place. This gives us an interesting perspective on the meaning as it implies a near end of physical life period of time which squares with the degrees lesson as the period of reflection of a life well spent. We become the Master of our all, ready to pass our knowledge on to the next generation.

With this vantage, we can take pause to deeply consider that our daily working of the degrees, intrinsically, could (or should) be conducted in the 2nd state, our manhood in which we conversely learn and grow.

Symbolism of the Second Degree

Cirlot, in his Dictionary of Symbols, makes an interesting point in that the idea of progression in the stages of age is not unique to Masonry. Besides the stages themselves, the number three (3) is a representation of synthesis and unites the “solution of conflict posed by dualism.” In other words, the third object brings about balance for the first two opposing states. Think of the balance of three dots, one stacked above two.

From this point, the degree breaks off to correlate these first steps with the three principal pillars of the lodge as Wisdom, Strength and Beauty which also has an interesting Kabalistic point of reference in the three pillars that make up the structure of the tree of life. Keep in mind, the orientation assumes the viewer reverse the structure to mirror ones own standing rather than simply reflect the observer.

Wisdom, the left hand pillar of mercy, is an active pillar and representative of alchemical fire, which is the principal of spirituality, often called the pillar of Jachin. It is a masculine pillar, and relates to our mental energy, our loving kindness, and our creative inspiration as we traverse it up the Kabbalaistic tree through the Sephirot.

Strength is the right hand pillar and takes the form of severity, shaped into the alchemical symbol of water. It can represent darkness, but it is a passive symbol that is feminine in nature and called the pillar of Boaz. Upon it we find the points of our thoughts and ideas, our feelings and emotions, and the physicality of our physical experience, our sensations, each an aspect of its Cabalistic progression.

Beauty, then, takes on the role of synthesis of the two, the pillar of mildness; it is upon this pillar that the novitiate is transformed through his progressive states as he progresses. The central pillar of Beauty is representative of Jehovah, the Tetragrammaton which represents deity itself upon which our crown of being resides balanced through feeling and emotion from our foundation of justice and mercy, all of which springs from our link to the everyday world.

These aspects of the Kabbalah are not specific attributes of the study in the blue lodge, rather elements of deeper esoteric study, found more specifically in the degrees of the Scottish Rite. Because of the pillars, and their deeper symbolic meaning, it does, however, necessitate looking at them deeper to see the relationship between them as the blue lodge degrees seem to have parallels in the study of the Kabbalah – a happy accident at some time past or with purpose to link the ideas together. Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty are specific aspects of the lower three degrees and emphasized here in the first three steps into the middle chamber, necessitating their deeper esoteric study to fully grasp their broader importance.

As the degree instructs – Wisdom is to contrive, Strength is to support, and Beauty is to adorn all great and important undertakings – which are the fundamentals of the three pillars in the Kabbalaistic study.

Conversely, as the degree states, these three pillars “allude to the three principal officers of the Lodge, viz.: Master, and Senior and Junior Wardens.” and can be interpreted as such in both a micro (in lodge) fashion and in a broader macro tradition of Masonry itself – in this Kabbalaistic formulation. When the alchemical aspects of wisdom and strength are combined we can see the 6 pointed star appears, the symbol of transformation, often depicted in the conjoining of the square and compass in which Masons are instructed to square their actions and circumscribe their passions, which also corresponds to the link between the Saints Johns – the Baptist as the principal of alchemical water, and the Evangelist as the symbol of alchemical fire, both of whom have much deeper esoteric connections in Masonry. Also, the figures of the lodge leadership have a deeper connection as you begin to look at their alchemical connections too, when you look at their relationship to the Sun and moon, and the aspirant candidate as the solution of conflict, as Cirlot described, and as defined in the first degree – the three sphere aspect to balance the two of conflict.

From these short first few tentative steps, we can see that there is a wealth of Masonic symbols at hand, but we are only one third into our progression. Our next step takes us deeper into the middle chamber to its central position where we encounter an interesting juxtaposition of the physical world to our very human aspect of being through our senses.

For now, reflect a time on these first three steps and consider what comes next upon the path.

Read the series:
Part 1 – Masonic Symbolism on the Winding Staircase
Part 2 – Symbolism on the Winding Staircase – 5 steps upon the stair
Part 3 – Symbolism on the Winding Staircase – Seven the Magic Number

[1] Campbell, Joseph, “The Power of Myth”, p. 129
[2]ibid* Duncan’s Ritual Monitor is the most universal aspect of the degrees and widely available in public circulation so as to get a glimpse of the Masonic degrees. Its publication, originating in 1866 and has been has been republished many times since. It includes the three blue lodge degrees of the Ancient York Rite, and four additional advanced degrees of the York Rite.

Out with the old

Posted on January 3, 2011April 20, 2012 by Greg Stewart

…and in the with the new!

Just wanted to toss a few things into the aether with the close of 2010.

The first is I wanted to mention a pod cast interview I gave to the Occult of Personality pod cast. The recording was from earlier in 010′, but it was a good conversation with a brother about, what else, Freemasonry. I’d recommend checking out the extra content as I know there is some of the more esoteric good-stuff inside.

You can find and listen to or down load the show from the Occult of Personality website.

Also, I wanted to give a quick nod to the latest Cohen Brothers film True Grit, in theaters now with Jeff Bridges. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend you do. Its a good film with a neat Masonic connection, that should of almost made the sub title to the film “The Revenge of the Masons Daughter”.

On other fronts, the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica in Amsterdam, the premier Hermetic Library in the Netherlands, it seems is not to be as the Ministry of Culture of the Netherlands has transferred the core collection of the library to the National Library in The Hague. Talks about the fate of the collection as a whole are ongoing. From the OVN

And, I’ve gotten a few questions about the Masonic Central pod cast, and unfortunately, I don’t have many answers. The temporary hiatus taken in April seems to of stretched much longer than expected with out a target for when it will resume. With that said, there has been some consideration of doing something a but more on the esoteric side that stretches beyond the confines of Masonry, a Salon Subrosa, but as of this writing, it is still taking shape. Like the old billboards read, WATCH THIS SPACE.

And, if your anywhere near Los Angeles (or Hollywood to be more precise), I recommend checking out a the Steven Daily “Covenant” showing at La Luz De Jesus (opening January 7th). The art, so I hear, is Masonicly inspired and is being called “…the visual manifestation into the secretive and ultimately dark world of the Freemasons.” Not sure how dark is will be,but the art looks pretty interesting and yet another glimpse of the Fraternity as it begins melting into the broader material culture of Americana. You can read about the artist here (with a glimpse into the show) and see the work in the show following its opening at the La Luz website.

There was lots more that happened in 2010, things already well documented and discussed. Its time to refocus forward – onward and upward.

I have high hopes for 2011, and starting off with positive optimism is a good thing. Now, lets make some strides and start the momentum.

Fiat LVX.

Cultural Assimilation

Posted on January 3, 2011August 7, 2021 by TimBryce | 1 Comment

When new people join companies and nonprofit groups there is a natural tendency for them to try and change the culture to suit their work habits, attitudes, and customs. Such changes are sometimes welcomed by the culture, but more often than not, it is steadfastly resisted and the person is rebuffed. Those people who believe the culture should adapt to them, as opposed to the other way around, are in for a rude awakening.

Any time you join an organization, you have to remember YOU are joining THEM, they are not joining you. You would be wise, therefore, to tread lightly until you truly understand the culture and can work within it. In order for any employee or member to be successful, they must believe in and possess the ability to adapt to the corporate culture.

Over the years I have been involved with a plethora of nonprofit groups and have observed the initial reaction of new members to the group. Some can adapt and become a member of the group, others tend to butt heads, become frustrated and quit. As a new member, there is a natural inclination to question policies and procedures in order to better understand the dynamics of the group. I consider this healthy. As an aside, I’m mystified when people join a group blindly and don’t ask any questions whatsoever. However, before offering suggestions to change the group, be sure to understand how the group is organized, its history, the duties and responsibilities of the officers, and the politics involved. With rare exception, nonprofit groups can be every bit as political as commercial enterprises, perhaps more so.

People who offer changes without first studying the corporate culture are usually surprised when the officers, elders or the entire membership reject their ideas. As a result, they feel rejected and move along to the next group where they will inevitably run into the same scenario again. Remember this, no matter how logical your arguments are in favor of a change, it is an emotional decision as people perceive it as an alteration to the status quo. If you are a dictator, people will reluctantly accept your changes, but most nonprofits involve a group of officers and people who only understand the status quo and, as such, staunchly defend it. Their mantra is typically, “That’s the way we have always done it.”

So, what is the best way to implement changes in such groups? First, assimilate the culture and take note of what is right and wrong with it. Second, get into a position of authority, such as an officer where you can establish your visibility and credibility. Third, introduce your changes in smaller increments. If they are successful, the group will begin to trust your judgment thereby paving the way to implement bolder changes later on. Just remember, “You eat elephants one spoonful at a time.” (Bryce’s Law) If you come on too strong, too bold, too fast, you will undoubtedly become too disappointed and too disillusioned.

Do not despair if things do not go your way. You will inevitably meet with setbacks. It is only natural. You can either decide to withdraw from the group or lick your wounds and move forward. Either way, do not take it personally; you are fighting a culture, not an individual.

Keep the Faith!

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Random Musings On The Direction Of Freemasonry As We Start A New Decade

Posted on January 1, 2011June 6, 2015 by Fred Milliken | 6 Comments

It’s a new year. 2011 is upon us. And Freemasonry is still with us. But is it really thriving as it could be? That is the question to be answered as we forge ahead into another decade. What can we do to make it better?

Now every time I pose questions like this I get the reply – YOU WANT TO CHANGE MASONRY?

Not really. I have no desire to touch the rituals that we use at all. But there is a lot that goes into Freemasonry besides ritual.

Today we need to recognize the fact that we are in the Information Age and take advantage of it. We also need to perhaps curtail some of the Grand Power and stop Freemasonry from becoming a centralized bureaucracy. This is not changing what Freemasonry is and stands for but rather streamlining how it operates.

Thinking along these lines has led me to random musings. Many are subjects I have proposed and written about previously. Many are also in common practice these days, but a lot depends on your jurisdiction. All of what is to follow are thoughts that are incomplete. Nothing written here is meant to neither comprise a complete list nor take advantage of all the possibilities that exist. Many good ideas are not here, not thought of and not expressed.

This is where you the reader come into play. You may want to eliminate some suggestions here and add some excellent ideas not mentioned. Please do not hesitate to do so in the COMMENTS section. If we put many heads together on one task the result can often times be truly amazing. So be my guest, have at it.

Please do not expect these suggestions to be in logical sequence or follow some sort of organizational chart. They are truly random musings. The theme here is the business/operational aspect of Freemasonry not the ritualistic/programming side. The latter could be another article in the future.

FINANCIAL

Each Lodge ought to own its own building and property. They ought not to belong to the Grand Lodge.
Each Lodge should employ a financial advisor to manage its investments.
Each Lodge should apply for non profit tax exempt status.
Lodges in urban and heavy suburban areas should all meet in the same building. One large building with greater amenities will have one heating/AC bill, one cost of insurance and one building and grounds to maintain. America’s insistence on a separate Lodge Building for each Lodge does not make economic sense nor is it copied by European counterparts.
Lodges should increase their dues to cover the complete costs of their operations and eliminate all fund raisers. Time spent on fund raisers is time taken away from Freemasonry.
Lodges should open a Pay Pal account making it easier for members to budget and pay their dues and make other special contributions.

GRAND LODGE

Grand Lodge should:

Offer a group discount insurance plan for all the Lodges in its jurisdiction.
Allow the consumption of alcoholic beverages in appropriate places within the Masonic building.
Allow Lodges to rent space to any upright, righteous and ethical organization. That would include, but not be limited to, Co-Masonry, Female Masonry, GOUSA, and Knights of Columbus. Renting space is an economic decision not one which sponsors or endorses organizations.
Allow Lodges to decide the floor work they will use and the dress code they will enforce.
Provide Grand Lodge Library lending by mail. Set up a Grand Lodge E-reader program and offer it to any dues carrying member of the jurisdiction.
Provide local Lodges with Masonic training, instructional and educational movies and power point presentations.
Conduct seminars at Grand Lodge for Masonic training, development and education.
Provide a statewide Speaker’s Bureau available for use by any Lodge.
Allow and encourage District wide degrees and special degree teams with an option of using special costumes.
Permit public installation of officers.
Allow Lodges to meet as frequently or as infrequently as they desire.
The Local Lodge is the only entity to set proficiency requirements and would be the sole judge of the proficiency attainment of a candidate.
Require all Grand Lodge Officers, including the Grand Master, to pass a written test on Masonic knowledge.
Operate a Grand Lodge library that will copy all its public domain literature to computer, that will offer computers and DVD players on the premises and that will also purchase the latest in Masonic literature by today’s Masonic authors.
Permit all chartered Lodges to file all Grand Lodge documents and reports electronically.

LOCAL LODGES

Should maximize their finances by renting out their building whenever possible. This includes the use of the Lodge building for public special events such as wedding receptions, baby showers, anniversary parties, etc. as well as permanent tenets.
Employ the use of Lodge computers for the Lodge and computerize Lodge minutes and all Lodge documentation and correspondence.
Provide a media room or a media section to its Lodge room.
Endeavor to provide suitable kitchen and dining accommodations and serve Lodge suppers as a regular part of most Masonic Communications.
Appoint a standing Investigating committee and train them in the art of Masonic investigation.
Reform the balloting procedure to an unpublished and unrevealed vote by the Investigating Committee. Any Brother who had any knowledge of why an applicant should not be admitted would communicate that information to an Investigating Committee member. Only good reasons would be accepted by the Investigating Committee as cause to deny an applicant.
Employ the use of movies and power point presentations as part of its ritual, instruction and education of candidates and members.