[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
101
Our kinship with these men may be proved by
the character of our Third Ceremony, which is
unquestionably " the foundation and keystone
of the whole speculative edifice." For, as Waite
has put it, the M.M.'s Degree " is not only of the
Hermetic Schools, but of the Schools thereunto
antecedent." Indeed, it can be conclusively
shown that the said Degree pre-supposes a
more fully developed Kabbalism than has as
yet been discovered among the adepts of the
Hermetic Art in any part of Europe.
In the meantime we must not lose sight of the
fact that the Harodim were the same as the
Menatschin, Craftsmen "of that superior class
appointed to preside over the rest." They were
considered eligible for the secrets of the Third
Degree after they had shown " patience and
industry."
THE PAVEMENT AND ITS BORDER
We shall now consider the beautiful flooring of
the Freemason's Lodge. As already observed,
its width is equal to the diameter of a circle
which is called " the Border," one
102
of the first things which are pointed out to the
E.A. Much is made of this symbol, in speaking
to him, because the E.A. is supposed to stand
on the fringe of Freemasonry.
The Pavement is the first of " the Ornaments "
of the Lodge enumerated in the First
Degree; and the Border is mentioned
immediately after as something quite distinct
from it. They will continue to be of considerable
interest to us through our Masonic career. But
the two are really one symbol. The Border is
mentioned as a thing apart because it has a
significance all its own, and because, as
already said, the E.A. is then imagined to be on
the edge of the Craft. The two are treated
103
separately to facilitate an analysis and to bring out
the separate meaning of each. But the unity of the
symbol is clear, and it makes a beautiful design for
the floor of the Lodge.
The Border is said to be "indented and tessellated,"
which signifies that it is made of square tiles or
fragments of such tiles, that is, squares or parts of
squares, laid to cover a surface. But the Pavement
consists of Mosaic, which carries a deeper
significance. It lies foursquare within the ring of the
Border. (see Illustration).
In modern times we have conventionalised the
Border as an ornamental fringe of a carpet, with the
pattern just described. But the original Border was
a Zodiac, that is, a belt either circular or oval, which
from ancient times used to be divided into twelve
parts, whereon were depicted the twelve Signs by
which certain constellations, or groups of stars,
were indicated. This accounts for the statement of
the W.M. when explaining the First T.B., that this
symbol " refers us to the planets which in their
various revolutions form a beautiful Border or
skirtwork round the Sun."
And this being so, it follows that when the Initiate
goes round the Lodge he is but tracing
104
the course which the orbs of space are supposed
to follow, and like them he is gravitating towards the
mystic Sun, this last occupying the central point
wherein we conceive to be the source of all light.
For the Speculative Mason begins his career on the
Border, where we give him a glimpse of that Sun,
and of starland generally, that he may admire the
beauties of the heavens, as well as of the earth,
this latter being typified by the Pavement.
That the Pavement has a cosmic significance is
proved by the declaration that it is emblematic of
our earthly life, "pointing out the diversity of objects
which decorate and adorn the creation, the animate
as well as the inanimate parts thereof." Thus, we
see that, however large this earth of ours may
loom, it is but part of the vast Universe, and the
Mason at the centre of the Pavement will find
himself brought into relation with that Universe, with
stars beneath his feet, stars above him and all
around, the whole wonderful panorama of Starland
moving forward, each star carrying out its mission
of service to the G.A.O.T.U.
Here, indeed, we have a simple but impressive
allegory of man's instinctive aspiration, ad astra,
after the soul of nature. The
105
numberless orbs of the celestial firmament
revolve year in, year out, unceasingly, but the
G.A.O.T.U. remains at the centre, unmoved
and immovable, the Sovereign Ruler, the
Source of all power, reigning over His creation
by virtue of His own perfection, unchangeable,
without the least wane of His light and power. It
is by the realisation of this truth that the human
heart is brought into tune with the Infinite.
Even the E.A. learns that the Pavement of this
ideal Lodge consists of "Mosaic." Mosaic is an
elaborate and delicate piece of workmanship,
wherein a vast multitude of tiny cubes of
different sizes and hues have been carefully
combined so as to produce an artistic design of
an allegorical character. And accordingly this
design is described as "variegated and
chequered," which means symmetrically set
out and diversified in colour.
But while the Pavement consists of Mosaic, the
surface is flat, that is, perfectly level, for in all
Mosaic only one of the six sides of each cube
is exposed to view. This should remind us that
similarly we only know our fellow-creatures by
their external acts, their aims and motives
being more or less obscure and
106
problematical. Wherefore any judgment we
may pass on them must necessarily be based
on a very imperfect and limited knowledge.
As with the Border, we have conventionalised
this symbol by a plain rectangular carpet with a
pattern of black and white squares which we
lay on the floor of our Lodges; it is only where it
meets the Border that we see any half-squares
or broken sections.
This accords with the cryptic reference to the
form of the Lodge when we explain it to the
Initiate: " Pendant to the corners of the Lodge
are four tassels meant to remind us of the four
cardinal virtues, namely: Temperance,
Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice." Thus we see
again that everything in the Lodge has its
moral application. The four virtues named
circumscribe a Mason's sphere of life; their
symbols, the tassels, are at the four extreme
points.
THE SQUARE PAVEMENT OF
THE M.M.
For the F.C., the Pavement is rectangular, all
the angles being angles of 90° . But now
107
the M.M. finds that, in the Third Degree, his
Pavement has a most important feature; it is
different, being a perfect square. Historically,
this agrees with our prototype, for we know that
in K.S.T. the Middle Chamber was a double
square 40 X 20 cubits, but the Sanctum
Sanctorum was 20 X 20 cubits, that is, one
single perfect square. And this last place was
reserved for the High Priest alone; it was " for
the High Priest to walk on." This allusion to the
High Priest means, of course, that the Lodge is
in reality a Temple, a building erected on
consecrated ground and properly dedicated,
for on it " all glory " has to be given to the Most
High, as " all gratitude," too, is for the Most
High.
In this assertion, that the Square Pavement is
for the High Priest, there is the assumption that
now the M.M. has been admitted to fellowship
with the High Priest; for the Lodge is the
counterpart of the Temple, and the Third
Degree stands for the Sanctum Sanctorum.
Further, there is the assumption that the M.M.,
as " brother to H.A.," is the Associate, the
equal and companion, of both the Priest and
the King; all of whom, it is implied, had the right
to enter there and offer their adoration to
108
the Most High. And surely "the Builder" must have
been there before the Priest himself, before K.S.
himself, and, of course, before H., K. of T.
That historic trio, K.S., our M., H.A., and H., K. of
T., were the acknowledged custodians of the " [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl aikidobyd.xlx.pl
101
Our kinship with these men may be proved by
the character of our Third Ceremony, which is
unquestionably " the foundation and keystone
of the whole speculative edifice." For, as Waite
has put it, the M.M.'s Degree " is not only of the
Hermetic Schools, but of the Schools thereunto
antecedent." Indeed, it can be conclusively
shown that the said Degree pre-supposes a
more fully developed Kabbalism than has as
yet been discovered among the adepts of the
Hermetic Art in any part of Europe.
In the meantime we must not lose sight of the
fact that the Harodim were the same as the
Menatschin, Craftsmen "of that superior class
appointed to preside over the rest." They were
considered eligible for the secrets of the Third
Degree after they had shown " patience and
industry."
THE PAVEMENT AND ITS BORDER
We shall now consider the beautiful flooring of
the Freemason's Lodge. As already observed,
its width is equal to the diameter of a circle
which is called " the Border," one
102
of the first things which are pointed out to the
E.A. Much is made of this symbol, in speaking
to him, because the E.A. is supposed to stand
on the fringe of Freemasonry.
The Pavement is the first of " the Ornaments "
of the Lodge enumerated in the First
Degree; and the Border is mentioned
immediately after as something quite distinct
from it. They will continue to be of considerable
interest to us through our Masonic career. But
the two are really one symbol. The Border is
mentioned as a thing apart because it has a
significance all its own, and because, as
already said, the E.A. is then imagined to be on
the edge of the Craft. The two are treated
103
separately to facilitate an analysis and to bring out
the separate meaning of each. But the unity of the
symbol is clear, and it makes a beautiful design for
the floor of the Lodge.
The Border is said to be "indented and tessellated,"
which signifies that it is made of square tiles or
fragments of such tiles, that is, squares or parts of
squares, laid to cover a surface. But the Pavement
consists of Mosaic, which carries a deeper
significance. It lies foursquare within the ring of the
Border. (see Illustration).
In modern times we have conventionalised the
Border as an ornamental fringe of a carpet, with the
pattern just described. But the original Border was
a Zodiac, that is, a belt either circular or oval, which
from ancient times used to be divided into twelve
parts, whereon were depicted the twelve Signs by
which certain constellations, or groups of stars,
were indicated. This accounts for the statement of
the W.M. when explaining the First T.B., that this
symbol " refers us to the planets which in their
various revolutions form a beautiful Border or
skirtwork round the Sun."
And this being so, it follows that when the Initiate
goes round the Lodge he is but tracing
104
the course which the orbs of space are supposed
to follow, and like them he is gravitating towards the
mystic Sun, this last occupying the central point
wherein we conceive to be the source of all light.
For the Speculative Mason begins his career on the
Border, where we give him a glimpse of that Sun,
and of starland generally, that he may admire the
beauties of the heavens, as well as of the earth,
this latter being typified by the Pavement.
That the Pavement has a cosmic significance is
proved by the declaration that it is emblematic of
our earthly life, "pointing out the diversity of objects
which decorate and adorn the creation, the animate
as well as the inanimate parts thereof." Thus, we
see that, however large this earth of ours may
loom, it is but part of the vast Universe, and the
Mason at the centre of the Pavement will find
himself brought into relation with that Universe, with
stars beneath his feet, stars above him and all
around, the whole wonderful panorama of Starland
moving forward, each star carrying out its mission
of service to the G.A.O.T.U.
Here, indeed, we have a simple but impressive
allegory of man's instinctive aspiration, ad astra,
after the soul of nature. The
105
numberless orbs of the celestial firmament
revolve year in, year out, unceasingly, but the
G.A.O.T.U. remains at the centre, unmoved
and immovable, the Sovereign Ruler, the
Source of all power, reigning over His creation
by virtue of His own perfection, unchangeable,
without the least wane of His light and power. It
is by the realisation of this truth that the human
heart is brought into tune with the Infinite.
Even the E.A. learns that the Pavement of this
ideal Lodge consists of "Mosaic." Mosaic is an
elaborate and delicate piece of workmanship,
wherein a vast multitude of tiny cubes of
different sizes and hues have been carefully
combined so as to produce an artistic design of
an allegorical character. And accordingly this
design is described as "variegated and
chequered," which means symmetrically set
out and diversified in colour.
But while the Pavement consists of Mosaic, the
surface is flat, that is, perfectly level, for in all
Mosaic only one of the six sides of each cube
is exposed to view. This should remind us that
similarly we only know our fellow-creatures by
their external acts, their aims and motives
being more or less obscure and
106
problematical. Wherefore any judgment we
may pass on them must necessarily be based
on a very imperfect and limited knowledge.
As with the Border, we have conventionalised
this symbol by a plain rectangular carpet with a
pattern of black and white squares which we
lay on the floor of our Lodges; it is only where it
meets the Border that we see any half-squares
or broken sections.
This accords with the cryptic reference to the
form of the Lodge when we explain it to the
Initiate: " Pendant to the corners of the Lodge
are four tassels meant to remind us of the four
cardinal virtues, namely: Temperance,
Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice." Thus we see
again that everything in the Lodge has its
moral application. The four virtues named
circumscribe a Mason's sphere of life; their
symbols, the tassels, are at the four extreme
points.
THE SQUARE PAVEMENT OF
THE M.M.
For the F.C., the Pavement is rectangular, all
the angles being angles of 90° . But now
107
the M.M. finds that, in the Third Degree, his
Pavement has a most important feature; it is
different, being a perfect square. Historically,
this agrees with our prototype, for we know that
in K.S.T. the Middle Chamber was a double
square 40 X 20 cubits, but the Sanctum
Sanctorum was 20 X 20 cubits, that is, one
single perfect square. And this last place was
reserved for the High Priest alone; it was " for
the High Priest to walk on." This allusion to the
High Priest means, of course, that the Lodge is
in reality a Temple, a building erected on
consecrated ground and properly dedicated,
for on it " all glory " has to be given to the Most
High, as " all gratitude," too, is for the Most
High.
In this assertion, that the Square Pavement is
for the High Priest, there is the assumption that
now the M.M. has been admitted to fellowship
with the High Priest; for the Lodge is the
counterpart of the Temple, and the Third
Degree stands for the Sanctum Sanctorum.
Further, there is the assumption that the M.M.,
as " brother to H.A.," is the Associate, the
equal and companion, of both the Priest and
the King; all of whom, it is implied, had the right
to enter there and offer their adoration to
108
the Most High. And surely "the Builder" must have
been there before the Priest himself, before K.S.
himself, and, of course, before H., K. of T.
That historic trio, K.S., our M., H.A., and H., K. of
T., were the acknowledged custodians of the " [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]