The Working Tools.
The Working Tools of Fellow Craft are the Plumb, the Square and the Level, and are thus explained:
The Plumb is an instrument used by Operative Masons to try perpendiculars, the Square to square their work, and the Level to prove horizontals; but we, as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to use them for more n.o.ble and glorious purposes. The Plumb admonishes us to walk uprightly in our several stations before G.o.d and man, squaring our actions by the Square of Virtue, ever remembering that we are traveling upon the Level of Time to that "undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns."
SECOND SECTION.
You now represent a young F. C. on his way to the M. C. of K. S. T., to have his name enrolled among the workmen, and to be taught the wages of a F. C. Masonry is divided into two cla.s.ses, operative and speculative.
We have wrought in speculative Masonry, but our ancient brethren wrought both in operative and speculative. They wrought at the building of K. S.
T., and many other Masonic edifices. They wrought but six days in a week, and rested upon the seventh. The seventh, therefore, our ancient brethren consecrated as a day of rest, the better to enable them to contemplate the glorious works of creation and to adore their great Creator.
On our way to the M. C. the first things that attract our attention are the representatives of two brazen pillars, one upon the left, the other upon the right of the porch. The one upon the left, denominated * * *
denoted strength; the one upon the right, denominated * * * denoted establishment, having reference to a pa.s.sage of Scripture wherein G.o.d said to David, "And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee."
Those pillars were eighteen cubits high, twelve in circ.u.mference and four in diameter. They were prepared of molten bra.s.s, the better to withstand conflagration or inundation. They were cast in the clay grounds of the river Jordan, between Succoth and Zaradatha, where K. S.
ordered all the holy vessels to be cast. They were hollow, four inches, or a hand"s breadth, in thickness, and served as the archives of Masonry in which the Rolls, Records and Proceedings were kept. They were adorned with two chapiters, five cubits each. Those chapiters were ornamented with net-work, lily-work and pomegranate, denoting union, peace and plenty. The net-work, from its intimate connection, denotes union. The lily, from its whiteness, denotes peace. The pomegranate, from the exuberance of its seeds, denotes plenty. Mounted upon the chapiters were two globes, representing the terrestrial and celestial bodies, on the convex surface of which were delineated the countries, seas and other portions of the earth, the planetary revolutions and other important particulars. They represented the universality of Freemasonry--that from east to west and between north and south Freemasonry extends, and in every clime are Masons to be found, and teach that a Mason"s charity should be co-extensive.
Masonic tradition informs us that those pillars were placed at the porch of K. S."s T. as a memento to the children of Israel of their happy deliverance from the land of bondage, and represented the pillar of cloud that over-shadowed them by day and the pillar of fire that illumined them by night.
The next thing that attracts our attention is a flight of winding stairs, composed of three, five and seven steps. The three steps allude to the three princ.i.p.al officers of the lodge, three princ.i.p.al supports in Masonry, and the three princ.i.p.al stages in human life. The three princ.i.p.al officers are the W. M., S. W. and J. W. The three princ.i.p.al supports are Wisdom, Strength and Beauty, because it is necessary to have wisdom to contrive, strength to support and beauty to adorn all well governed inst.i.tutions. The three princ.i.p.al stages of human life are Youth, Manhood and Age--Youth as an E. A., Manhood as a F. C., and Age as a M. M.
The five steps allude to the five orders of architecture, and the five human senses. The five orders of architecture are the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite, three of which, from their antiquity, have ever been held in high repute among Masons--the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. The five human senses are hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting and smelling, the first three of which have ever been held in high repute among Masons, because by hearing we hear the * * *; by seeing we see the * * *, and by feeling we feel the * * *, whereby one Mason may know another in the dark as well as in the light.
The seven steps allude to many sevens--the seven sabbatical years, seven years of plenty, seven years of famine, seven years during which K. S."s T. was in course of erection, seven golden candlesticks, but more particularly the seven liberal arts and sciences, which are Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy and Music.
(Note:--A fine effect can be had, if an organ is played, by using the following. The organist should begin to play softly when the speaker begins on "Music:")
Music is that elevated science which affects the pa.s.sions by sound.
There are few who have not felt its charms, and acknowledged its expressions to be intelligible to the heart. It is a language of delightful sensations, far more eloquent than words; it breathes to the ear the clearest intimations; it touches and gently agitates the agreeable and sublime pa.s.sions; it wraps us in melancholy, elevates us in joy and melts us in tenderness. Again the pathetic dies away and martial strains are heard, reminding us of the battlefield and its attendant glory.
(As the word "glory" is p.r.o.nounced the organist at once strikes the chords of some war-music like "Dixie," "Ma.r.s.eilles Hymn," etc. After a few bars are played with full organ, the organist lets the music die away to a soft and gentle tremolo, and the Deacon resumes):
The glorious notes of the battle-hymn float over the red field of carnage. Brave men hear the inspiring music; the ranks close up; the bayonets are fixed; and, with a cheer which strikes terror to the heart of the foe, they rush forward in one glorious charge, across the plain slippery with the blood of patriots, up the opposing hillside, even to the mouth of cannon belching forth fire and death.--But stop! Look yonder! The dying soldier raises his head. His breast is already crimson with his heart"s-blood. His eye even now is dimming and glazing. The old home comes back to him in memory. He puts his hand to his ear as if listening. What does he hear?
(Here the organist plays softly the strains of "Home, Sweet Home," or some well-known lullaby; during which the Deacon continues):
Ah, it is the old, old melody of youth and home! Again we are around the old hearthstone. Again do we kneel at mother"s knee to lisp the evening prayer. Again she takes us in her arms, and sings to her tired child the soft, low lullaby of childhood"s happy days.--Oh, Music, Music! Art Divine! Thou dost move and stir the heart as nothing else can do! Yet never canst thy sweet potency be better used than when it inspires praise and grat.i.tude to the great Lord and Master of us all!
(At the word "all," the organist promptly strikes the chords of "Old Hundred," and, to its accompaniment, the Master calling up the Lodge, all unite in singing the long-metre doxology.)
This brings us to the outer door of the M. C., which we find partly open, but strictly tiled by the J. W. We will see if we can gain admission.
J. W.: "Who comes here?"
"A young F. C., on his way to the M. C. to have his name enrolled among the workmen and to be taught the wages of a F. C."
"How do you expect to pa.s.s the outer door?"
"By the * * * and * * * of a F. C."
"Give them."
"What does this * * * denote?"
"Plenty."
"How is it represented?"
"By a sheaf of corn suspended near a waterfall."
"How did it originate?"
"It originated in consequence of a quarrel that long existed between Jephtha, judge of Israel, and the Ephraimites. The Ephraimites were a wicked, stubborn and rebellious people, whom Jephtha strove to subdue by lenient means, but all to no avail. They became highly incensed because they were not called to share in the rich spoils of the Ammonitish war, raised an exceeding great army, crossed over the river Jordan, came down upon Jephtha and gave him battle. Jephtha, being apprised of their approach, called out the mighty men of Gilead and put the Ephraimites to flight. And to make his victory secure, he placed guards at all the pa.s.ses on the river Jordan, giving them this pa.s.sword: Shibboleth. The Ephraimites, being of a different tribe and dialect, could not p.r.o.nounce the word Shibboleth, but called it Sibboleth, which trifling defect proved them enemies, and there fell at that time forty and two thousand."
"The * * * and * * * with the explanation are correct. You have my permission to pa.s.s the outer door."
This brings us to the inner door of the M. C., which we find partly open but more strictly tiled by the S. W. We will see if we can gain admission.
"Who comes here?"
"A young F. C., on his way to the M. C., to have his name enrolled among the workmen, and to be taught the wages of a F. C."
"How do you expect to pa.s.s the inner door?"
"By the true * * * and * * * of a F. C."
"Give them."
"They are correct. You have my permission to pa.s.s the inner door!"
This brings us into the M. C. W. M., this young F. C. has come up to the M. C. to have his name enrolled among the workmen and be taught the wages of a F. C.
W. M.: "I congratulate you upon your arrival into the M. C. You have been admitted for the sake of the letter G. you see suspended over the Master"s station, which ent.i.tles you to the enrolling of your name among the workmen and to be taught the wages of a F. C. Brother Secretary, you will enroll the brother"s name. The wages of a F. C. are C., W. and O.
The C. of nourishment, W. of refreshment and O. of joy. I will also instruct you in the three P. J. They are a L. E., an I. T., and a F. B.
A. L. E., that you will ever be attentive to lessons from the I. T., and a F. B. should serve as a faithful repository for all the secrets of the Fraternity that may be entrusted to your care."
The letter G. has a very significant meaning. It is the initial of Geometry, the first and n.o.blest of sciences, and the basis on which the superstructure of Freemasonry is erected. By Geometry we may curiously trace Nature through her various windings to her most concealed recesses; by it we discover the power, wisdom and goodness of the Grand Artificer of the Universe, and view with delight the proportions which compose this vast machine; by it we discover how the planets move in their respective orbits and demonstrate their various revolutions; by it we account for the return of the seasons, and the variety of scenes which each season displays to the discerning eye. Numberless worlds are around us, all framed by the same Divine Artist, which roll through the vast expanse, and are all conducted by the same unerring law of Nature.
A survey of Nature, and the observation of her beautiful proportions, first determined man to imitate the divine plan and study symmetry and order. This gave rise to societies and birth to every useful art. The architect began to design, and the plans which he laid down, being improved by time and experience, have produced works which are the admiration of every age.
The lapse of time, the ruthless hand of ignorance and the devastations of war have laid waste and destroyed many valuable monuments of antiquity, on which the utmost exertions of human genius have been employed. Even the Temple of Solomon, so s.p.a.cious and magnificent, and constructed by so many celebrated artists, escaped not the unsparing ravages of barbarous force. Freemasonry, notwithstanding, still survives. The attentive ear receives the sound from the instructive tongue, and the mysteries of Freemasonry are safely lodged in the repository of faithful b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
Tools and implements of architecture and symbolic emblems most expressive have been selected by the Fraternity to imprint on the mind wise and serious truths, and thus through a succession of ages have been transmitted unimpaired the most excellent tenets of our inst.i.tution.