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Post by torence on Nov 5, 2010 19:51:14 GMT 9.5
The Old Points were a sophisticated study of man’s psychology decades before the “science” was invented by Freud. They were discarded in favor of the new fad, the scientific lecture, at the time of the union. I do not condemn my Fore Brothers for doing so, however, as a man could readily get this information outside of Lodge. He was constantly reminded of the lessons of the Old Testament throughout his work week and by reading the Book of Books at home. Altering the show promoted new interest in our club and now that the information has been set aside we should reintroduce it. What was once old fashion and passé is new again.
The Opening of the Lodge is symbolized by Reuben. Reuben was the first-born of Jacob who called him “the beginning of his strength.” The word means “Door” and a traditional Reuben sandwich is served open-faced, like a welcoming doorway.
The preparation of the candidate symbolizes Simeon. Simeon prepared the weapons to slaughter the Schechemites whose demise was executed the most cruelly. The fact that candidates are not permitted anything offensive or defensive recalls the lesson of this tale.
The report of the Senior Deacon refers to the tribe of Levi. Levi’s report precipitated the ambush of the Schechemites.
The entrance of the candidate into the Lodge refers to Judah, the tribe that first crossed the river Jordan.
Our Chaplain’s prayer for the candidate recalls Zebulem and the blessing that Jacob gave him over his Brother Isaacher. The circumambulation recalls Issacher, the lazy tribe, who had to be led into battle.
Dan is represented when the candidate approaches the altar because of the choice that he must make at that time. The Dan faltered into idol worship and had to choose to correct themselves to make themselves correct before the Lord (No offense intended to you Pagans. Please forgive my affront.).
Gad is represented in the obligation because of the promise that their Judge, Jepthah made to God to slay the first thing that came out of his house as a sacrifice if he were to be victorious over the men of Gilead. Israel at that time was ruled by Judges and the skirmish proved successful for the young nation. By modern standards, though, the tale illustrates that culture’s disregard for the feminine. What was once a tale of extraordinary virtue now runs counter-culture to our modern attitude.
The Master entrusts the candidate like Asher. Asher was fat and jolly and full of the blessings of life. The candidate is thus rewarded for his efforts.
Along with the gift of the lambskin comes the hope that the candidate will choose to work and ascend to a position of responsibility in the lodge in reminiscence of the tribe of Naphtali. “Oh Naphtali,” Moses declared when he divided the land, “Possess you the West and the South for you are full of the blessing of the Lord.”
The Northeast corner ceremony relates to Joseph as he represented two tribes, Ephraim and Manesseh who were shallow and less instructed then the other tribes. As the candidate is there placed in view of his Brothers, he also gets to see for the first time the Craft from who he should draw those things that he needs to build his edifice.
Benjamin closes the Lodge. Benjamin was the youngest of Jacob’s sons and as thus he “closed his father’s strength.”
By the way, this information was the “degree formula” that Joseph Smith usurped for the Nauvoo Temple Endowment Ceremony. These Old Points form the basis of every Masonic degree and should we ever heed the need for new degrees or to revise the old ones, we will do well to pay attention to their structure.
Fraternally, Torence Evans Ake Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois
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Post by paul on Nov 6, 2010 5:28:39 GMT 9.5
The Old Points were a sophisticated study of man’s psychology I have not seen these "Points" before. Are they peculiar to North America?
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Post by torence on Nov 6, 2010 11:43:59 GMT 9.5
The Old Points were a sophisticated study of man’s psychology I have not seen these "Points" before. Are they peculiar to North America? IMHO, it would be more accurate to state that they were an essential part of Provincial work during the last four decades of the 18th Century. Robert Macoy 33° of New York did the study. His explanation can be found in his "Cyclopedia" of 1894
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Post by torence on Nov 6, 2010 21:06:38 GMT 9.5
Lawrence Dermott, the Athol or Ancient Secretary) also referred to us as "Noachims," descendants of Noah. Masonry then, it was said, traces its roots to the flood and our worthy Fore Brothers knew their world to have no more than a handful of sister planets that could not be more than 6000 years old.
No doubt, future generations will view our prattling, like the modern concept of an eleven dimension universe, to be similarly uninformed. If we do not desire to be considered equally superstitious, then new allegories are called for in our work.
The original thread, however, is labeled Landmarks. None of these illustrations are rightful Landmarks. A Landmark, IMHO, is a condition for Masonry that existed before there was any grand this or that and hence is fundamental to what constitutes a Masonic Lodge.
A Warrant is not a Landmark, neither is a constitution. I do not know that we can affirm that the Book of Books, or VSL, was central before the advent of the Premier Grand Lodge. The lesser lights have moved regularly around Lodge Rooms, though I suspect that they were always present in one form or another. The degree structure and the lies that we tell (Don't get excited. Jesus told lies too. We now call them "parables") are peculiar to the place and time in which Masons work. (Part of any reawakening for Masonry in this century will be the recognition of the inalienable right of the Local Lodge to decide the details of instruction for itself).
So what is a Landmark? And how can we extrapolate for our speculative purposes on their importance?
For study, let's agree that the three lesser lights are landmarks. What then, are their function? were they ever the Great or only lights? In the US, two of them are said to reflect the heavenly bodies adorning the Deacon's staves, leaving one to represent the Master, the director of show, who causes the Deacons to perform their motions as do these celestial bodies. To an astronomer working from an earthly perspective, these lights seem at first glance to act independently almost at random but upon closer examination, he realizes that they are co-ordinated and govern by strict physical laws.
As a Singular Deist, I comprehend the logic of a one God universe. I suspect in the study of the lesser lights that my Fore Brothers identified a similar well ordered design.
Any thoughts?
Fraternally, Torence Evans Ake Secretary - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 - Lansing, Illinois
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Post by paul on Nov 9, 2010 13:35:12 GMT 9.5
>let's agree that the three lesser lights are landmarks. What then, are their function?
I suspect that what are now the lesser lights were more important than they are now - with the inclusion of the Master of the Lodge to veil a more substantial figure. And the inclusion of a dead planetoid is a most peculiar spiritual symbol and therefore may veil some most peculiar matter.
Equally the 3 greater lights must symbolise more profound realities - who could think that a simple trade instrument is more important than the Sun around which this planet orbits?
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Post by LorrB on Nov 10, 2010 7:26:06 GMT 9.5
...because it is describing the power/force which is directing the path of the Sun?
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Post by paul on Nov 10, 2010 8:02:01 GMT 9.5
It rather depends on what force is considered to direct which path of the Sun. I hope that Masonry conceals more than celestial mechanics
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Post by LorrB on Nov 10, 2010 11:26:11 GMT 9.5
... my mistake.... Power/Force (cap-it-al letters). I did mean more than gravity/electro-magnetc forces.
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Post by paul on Nov 10, 2010 11:45:27 GMT 9.5
Fair enough. To return to the lesser lights: how can the Sun (the physical eye of Ra) be a lesser light? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RaSurely the Being whose body uses the Sun as its physical eye is not a lesser light? That Being manifests as the Temple in the Heavens
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Post by LorrB on Nov 10, 2010 12:13:08 GMT 9.5
"The Sun, the moon and the stars are messenger of His Will" ? Ra to my understanding is not at the top of the tree in Godland.
The three 'Great Lights of Masonry' are the Holy Bible the Square and Compass. When taken together, they are interpreted to symbolise God's expression through the creation of the universe.
Holy Bible is valued at 516 and it seems relevant that this is also the value of 'The Gates of Light'. The latter is actually the title of a famous cabalistic text written in the thirteenth century by Joseph Gikatila and translated into Latin in the Renaissance by Paul Ricci. The book described the cabalistic Tree of Life that underlies the creation of the universe - as set out in the first chapter of Genesis - "Let there be Light: and there was Light."
Possibly even more important is the fact that at 515 (516 by colel) in Hebrew we find ChVR ASh - the Light of the Sun. This is the great light of the cosmos. The Hebrew term is particularly significant when we realise the close etymological connection to the name ChVRM - Hiram. That name has a gematria value of 814, just one less than the 815 of Square and Compass. The symbolism of the conjoined Square and Compass is said to embody the union of earth and heaven. Traditionally this represents Life, because in Egyptian cosmology all life was first created from the union of Seb and Nut - the earth and the sky. In Greek Zwh - Life - has a value of 815, the same as Square and Compass.
www.masoncode.com/Great%20Lights.htm
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Post by LorrB on Nov 10, 2010 12:24:35 GMT 9.5
Re the lesser light/s (Sun, Moon and Mercury) “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good,” Genesis 1:16-18.
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When professed Christians and pagans are engrossed in darkness and sin, Jesus desires that the lesser light should rule.
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John was the lesser light pointing the people to Jesus, who was the greater light. Once Jesus began His public ministry, His people rejected Him (John 1:11). Consequently, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” John 1:29. Furthermore, John the Baptist said concerning his relation to Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” John 3:30.
prophesyagain.com/lesser_light.pdf
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Post by paul on Nov 10, 2010 12:36:53 GMT 9.5
Ra has two meanings - as do most of the gods in mythology - the humanoid god and the planetary or stellar entity.
In this case the Egyptians by referring the Sun as the eye of Ra were referring to the Being whose body is the solar system and hence the Being whose body is the (local) temple in the heavens
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Post by paul on Nov 10, 2010 12:38:03 GMT 9.5
“ And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night:so how did the Sun come to be a lesser light in the ritual?
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Post by paul on Nov 10, 2010 12:41:59 GMT 9.5
John was the lesser light pointing the people to Jesus, who was the greater light. That is certainly the orthodox position but there are various issues with that. For example, John baptised his followers as a form of initiation into his group. Surely it was at very least ambiguous that he baptised Jesus - in the same way as all new recruits. Why not just hand over his followers? Perhaps there is more to understand.
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Post by LorrB on Nov 10, 2010 13:32:31 GMT 9.5
Some teachers recognise the genius of their student but they still have to get them sit the exam.
A Master of a lodge is not always the brightest spark in the temple.
If one goes as far as they can go with a project but knows there is more that needs doing, wouldn't there be a sense of relief when an able person came along to fulfil that need?
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Post by paul on Nov 10, 2010 13:42:21 GMT 9.5
It is strange that the two Sts John are the patrons of Masonry when the "historical" Jesus was overtly so much more important. Is there some veiled message? This fellow www.amazon.com/History-Fiction-Science-Chronology-No/dp/2913621058 claims that most of history is a cut and paste rewrite of events in the middle ages. Lots of nice statistical tests. It seems that scholars in the middle ages commonly found ancient documents that they translated and published and unfortunately lost the originals. It makes proof of history before the 14th century quite problematic.
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Post by LorrB on Nov 10, 2010 13:43:37 GMT 9.5
Ra has two meanings - as do most of the gods in mythology - the humanoid god and the planetary or stellar entity. In this case the Egyptians by referring the Sun as the eye of Ra were referring to the Being whose body is the solar system and hence the Being whose body is the (local) temple in the heavens If RA and Sun are Solar then they would be lesser to the Universal Being. Sun -> Sirius -> Alcyone -> and so on. Our sun is only one of 200 -400 billion stars in just our galaxy let alone the rest of the Universe where scientists tell us there are billions of other galaxies. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way
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Post by paul on Nov 10, 2010 13:48:16 GMT 9.5
>If RA and Sun are Solar then they would be lesser to the Universal Being.
Quite so, although how they are in the same category as a dead planetoid (moon) is a puzzle. Who can solve it?
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Post by torence on Nov 12, 2010 3:55:42 GMT 9.5
I suggest that you contact R.W. Bro. Charlie Cockerel at cbcockrell@yahoo.com. He is the Secretary of Tranquility Lodge No. 2000 and which meets annually, curiously enough, in Waco Texas. Since Buzz Aldrin claimed the moon for The Grand Lodge of Texas, I assume that this lodge is the authority for all things that are both Lunar and Masonic.
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Post by LorrB on Nov 16, 2010 9:30:53 GMT 9.5
All the various modes of recognition are regarded as a landmark. They never change and constitute not only the means whereby on e Mason may recognise and know another in the dark as in the light, but they also constitute, in themselves a definite and clearly defined, though as yet unrecognised, formulation of truth. The significance of the S…s, the St..s, the T….s, d. g. , g..s and W…s have a specific esoteric significance. This is little realised as yet, but they are potent in effect when rightly used with the power of the illumined mind of the M.M. behind them. The teaching behind this will eventually be recognised, and thus open up a wide and comparatively new field of Masonic interest and research. These modes of contact have not only an external or exoteric purpose but they concern also the transmission of energy and the wielding of forces and it is therefore perhaps just as well for humanity that the emphasis has been laid upon the exoteric usage and not upon the true inner significances. www.amazon.com/Spirit-Masonry-Foster-Bailey/dp/0853301352
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