Xxviii. The Sprig Of Acacia : XXVIII. THE SPRIG OF ACACIA. Intimately connected with the legend of the third degree is the mythical history of the Sprig of Acacia, which we are now to consider. There is no symbol more interesting to the masonic student than the Sprig of Acacia, not only on account of its own peculiar import...
Xxix. The Symbolism Of Labor : XXIX. THE SYMBOLISM OF LABOR. It is one of the most beautiful features of the Masonic Institution, that it teaches not only the necessity, but the nobility, of labor. Among the earliest of the implements in whose emblematic use it instructs its neophytes is the Trestle Board, the acknowledged...
Iii. The Primitive Freemasonry Of Antiquity : III. THE PRIMITIVE FREEMASONRY OF ANTIQUITY. The next important historical epoch which demands our attention is that connected with what, in sacred history, is known as the dispersion at Babel. The brightness of truth, as it had been communicated by Noah, became covered, as it were, with a cloud...
I. Preliminary. The Origin And Progress : I. PRELIMINARY. The Origin And Progress Of Freemasonry. Any inquiry into the symbolism and philosophy of Freemasonry must necessarily be preceded by a brief investigation of the origin and history of the institution. Ancient and universal as it is, whence did it arise? What were the accidents...
Xii. The Symbolism Of Solomon's Temple : XII. THE SYMBOLISM OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE. I have said that the operative art is symbolized--that is to say, used as a symbol--in the speculative science. Let us now inquire, as the subject of the present essay, how this is done in reference to a system of symbolism dependent for its constructi...
Preface : PREFACE. Of the various modes of communicating instruction to the uninformed, the masonic student is particularly interested in two; namely, the instruction by legends and that by symbols. It is to these two, almost exclusively, that he is indebted for all that he knows, and for all that he c...
Vi. The Dionysiac Artificers : VI. THE DIONYSIAC ARTIFICERS. After this general view of the religious Mysteries of the ancient world, let us now proceed to a closer examination of those which are more intimately connected with the history of Freemasonry, and whose influence is, to this day, most evidently felt in its...
Xvii. Ritualistic Symbolism : XVII. RITUALISTIC SYMBOLISM. We have hitherto been engaged in the consideration of these simple symbols, which appear to express one single and independent idea. They have sometimes been called the "alphabet of Freemasonry," but improperly, I think, since the letters of the alphabet have...
Xxvii. The Legend Of The Third Degree : XXVII. THE LEGEND OF THE THIRD DEGREE. The most important and significant of the legendary symbols of Freemasonry is, undoubtedly, that which relates to the fate of Hiram Abif, commonly called, "by way of excellence," the Legend of the Third Degree. The first written record that I have been able...
Xvi. The Covering Of The Lodge : XVI. THE COVERING OF THE LODGE. The Covering of the lodge is another, and must be our last reference to this symbolism of the world or the universe. The mere mention of the fact that this covering is figuratively supposed to be "a clouded canopy," or the firmament, on which the host of stars is...
Xi. The Speculative Science And The Operative Art : XI. THE SPECULATIVE SCIENCE AND THE OPERATIVE ART. And now, let us apply this doctrine of symbolism to an investigation of the nature of a speculative science, as derived from an operative art; for the fact is familiar to every one that Freemasonry is of two kinds. We work, it is true...
Xix. The Rite Of Investiture : XIX. THE RITE OF INVESTITURE. Another ritualistic symbolism, of still more importance and interest, is the "rite of investiture". The rite of investiture, called, in the colloquially technical language of the order, the "ceremony of clothing", brings us at once to the consideration of th...
Xx. The Symbolism Of The Gloves : XX. THE SYMBOLISM OF THE GLOVES. The investiture with the gloves is very closely connected with the investiture with the apron, and the consideration of the symbolism of the one naturally follows the consideration of the symbolism of the other. In the continental rites of Masonry, as practised...
Xxvi. The Legend Of The Winding Stairs : XXVI. THE LEGEND OF THE WINDING STAIRS. Before proceeding to the examination of those more important mythical legends which appropriately belong to the Master's degree, it will not, I think, be unpleasing or uninstructive to consider the only one which is attached to the Fellow Craft's degree--th...
Xxv. The Legends Of Freemasonry : XXV. THE LEGENDS OF FREEMASONRY. The compound character of a speculative science and an operative art, which the masonic institution assumed at the building of King Solomon's temple, in consequence of the union, at that era, of the Pure Freemasonry of the Noachidae 140 with the Spurious Freemasonry...
Xxi. The Rite Of Circumambulation : XXI. THE RITE OF CIRCUMAMBULATION. The "rite of circumambulation" will supply us with another ritualistic symbol, in which we may again trace the identity of the origin of Freemasonry with that of the religious and mystical ceremonies of the ancients. "Circumambulation" is the name given by sacred...
Xiv. The Officers Of A Lodge : XIV. THE OFFICERS OF A LODGE. The Three Principal Officers of a lodge are, it is needless to say, situated in the east, the west, and the south. Now, bearing in mind that the lodge is a symbol of the world, or the universe, the reference of these three officers to the sun at its rising, its setting...
Untitled : THE SYMBOLISM OF FREEMASONRY BY ALBERT G. MACKEY [1882] Title Page and Front Matter Preface Contents I. Preliminary. The Origin and Progress of Freemasonry II. The Noachid III. The Primitive Freemasonry of Antiquity IV. The Spurious Freemasonry of Antiquity V. The Ancient Mysteries VI...
Xxiii. Symbolism Of The Corner Stone : XXIII. SYMBOLISM OF THE CORNER-STONE. We come next, in a due order of precedence, to the consideration of the symbolism connected with an important ceremony in the ritual of the first degree of Masonry, which refers to the north-east corner of the lodge. In this ceremony the candidate becomes...
Iv. The Spurious Freemasonry Of Antiquity : IV. THE SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY OF ANTIQUITY. In the vast but barren desert of polytheism--dark and dreary as were its gloomy domains--there were still, however, to be found some few oases of truth. The philosophers and sages of antiquity had, in the course of their learned researches, aided by...
Xiii. The Form Of The Lodge : XIII. THE FORM OF THE LODGE. In the last essay, I treated of that symbolism of the masonic system which makes the temple of Jerusalem the archetype of a lodge, and in which, in consequence, all the symbols are referred to the connection of a speculative science with an operative art. I propose...
Xxxi. The Lost Word : XXXI. THE LOST WORD. The last of the symbols, depending for its existence on its connection with a myth to which I shall invite attention, is "the Lost Word, and the search for it". Very appropriately may this symbol terminate our investigations, since it includes within its comprehensive scope all...
Xv. The Point Within A Circle : XV. THE POINT WITHIN A CIRCLE. The point within a Circle is another symbol of great importance in Freemasonry, and commands peculiar attention in this connection with the ancient symbolism of the universe and the solar orb. Everybody who has read a masonic "Monitor" is well acquainted with...
X. The System Of Symbolic Instuction : X. THE SYSTEM OF SYMBOLIC INSTUCTION. The lectures of the English lodges, which are far more philosophical than our own,--although I do not believe that the system itself is in general as philosophically studied by our English brethren as by ourselves,--have beautifully defined Freemasonry to be "...
Viii. The Travelling Freemasons Of The Middle Ages : VIII. THE TRAVELLING FREEMASONS OF THE MIDDLE AGES. The first of these points to which I refer is the establishment of a body of architects, widely disseminated throughout Europe during the middle ages under the avowed name of "Travelling Freemasons". This association of workmen, said to have been...
Footnotes : FOOTNOTES 1. "The doctrine of the immortality of the soul, if it is a real advantage, follows unavoidably from the idea of God. The "best" Being, he must "will" the best of good things; the "wisest", he must devise plans for that effect; the "most powerful", he must bring it about. None can deny...
Vii. The Union Of Speculative And Operative : VII. THE UNION OF SPECULATIVE AND OPERATIVE MASONRY AT THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON. Thus, then, we arrive at another important epoch in the history of the origin of Freemasonry. I have shown how the Primitive Freemasonry, originating in this new world; with Noah, was handed down to his descendants...
Xviii. The Rite Of Discalceation : XVIII. THE RITE OF DISCALCEATION. The "rite of discalceation", or uncovering the feet on approaching holy ground, is derived from the Latin word "discalceare", to pluck off one's shoes. The usage has the prestige of antiquity and universality in its favor. That it not only very generally prevailed...
Xxiv. The Ineffable Name : XXIV. THE INEFFABLE NAME. Another important symbol is the Ineffable Name, with which the series of ritualistic symbols will be concluded. The Tetragrammaton, 122 or Ineffable Word,--the Incommunicable Name,--is a symbol--for rightly-considered it is nothing more than a symbol--that has more th...
Title Page And Front Matter : THE SYMBOLISM OF FREEMASONRY: ILLUSTRATING AND EXPLAINING ITS SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY, ITS LEGENDS, MYTHS AND SYMBOLS. By ALBERT G. MACKEY, M.D., "Ea enim quae scribuntur tria habere decent, utilitatem praesentem, certum finem, inexpugnabile fundamentum." Cardanus. 1882. Entered, According To Act...
Ix. Disseverance Of The Operative Element : IX. DISSEVERANCE OF THE OPERATIVE ELEMENT. The next point to which our attention is to be directed is when, a few centuries later, the operative character of the institution began to be less prominent, and the speculative to assume a pre-eminence which eventually ended in the total separati...
V. The Ancient Mysteries : V. THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES. I now propose, for the purpose of illustrating these views, and of familiarizing the reader with the coincidences between Freemasonry and the ancient Mysteries, so that he may be better enabled to appreciate the mutual influences of each on the other as they are hereafter...
Ii. The Noachidae : II. THE NOACHID. I proceed, then, to inquire into the historical origin of Freemasonry, as a necessary introduction to any inquiry into the character of its symbolism. To do this, with any expectation of rendering justice to the subject, it is evident that I shall have to take my point of departure...
Xxii. The Rite Of Intrusting, And The Symbolism : XXII. THE RITE OF INTRUSTING, AND THE SYMBOLISM OF LIGHT. The "rite of intrusting", to which we are now to direct our attention, will supply us with many important and interesting symbols. There is an important period in the ceremony of masonic initiation, when the candidate is about to receive...
Xxx. The Stone Of Foundation : XXX. THE STONE OF FOUNDATION. 216 The Stone of Foundation constitutes one of the most important and abstruse of all the symbols of Freemasonry. It is referred to in numerous legends and traditions, not only of the Freemasons, but also of the Jewish Rabbins, the Talmudic writers, and even...