The Mysteries of Free Masonry Part 36

Q. Have you received those lights, and in what manner? A. In receiving first the small light.

Q. Explain this? A. When I was received by steel and fire.

Q. What signifies the steel? A. To remind us of the steel by which our Most Respectable Chief, Hiram Abiff, lost his life, and which I am sworn to make use of whenever I can revenge that horrible murder of the traitors of Masonry.

Q. What means the fire? A. To put us in mind that our forefathers were purified by fire.

Q. By whom were you received? A. By Cyrus.

Q. Why by Cyrus? A. Because it was he who ordered Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple.

Q. What did you promise and swear to perform when you received this degree? A. I swore that I would see the laws, statutes, and regulations strictly observed in our Lodge.

Q. What was your name before you received this degree? A. Zerubbabel.

Q. What is your name now? A. Cyrus.

Q. What means the word Animani? A. "I am that, I am;" and it is also the name of him who found the lion's den.

Q. Why is the Lodge decorated with blue and yellow? A. To remind us that the Eternal appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai, in clouds of gold and azure, when he gave to his people the laws of infinite wisdom.

Q. Where do you find the records of our order? A. In the archives of Kilwinning, in the north of Scotland.

Q. Why did you travel from the South 'round to the East? A. In allusion to the power of the Grand Architect of the universe, which extends throughout all the world.

Q. Why did you wash your hands in the taking of one or the previous degrees? A. To show my innocence.

Q. Why is the history of Hiram Abiff so much spoken of? A. To put us always in mind that he chose rather to sacrifice his life than reveal the secrets of Masonry.

Q. Why is the triangle, with the word secret on it, considered as the most precious jewel in Masonry? A. Because by its justness, equality, and proportion, it represents our redemption.

Q. By what mark was the place discovered where Hiram Abiff was buried by his a.s.sa.s.sins? A. By a sprig of ca.s.sia (say granate).

Q. For what reason do the Master Masons in the Symbolic Lodges speak of a sprig of ca.s.sia? A. Because the Sublime Grand Elected descendants of the ancient Patriarchs did not think proper to give the real name or truth of Masonry; therefore, they agreed to say that it was a sprig of ca.s.sia, because it had a strong smell.

Q. What are the reasons for the different knocks at the door to gain admittance? A. To know and be a.s.sured that they have pa.s.sed the different degrees, which number we must understand.

Q. For what reasons do we keep our mysteries with such circ.u.mspection and secrecy? A. For fear there might be found amongst us some traitorous villains similar to the three Fellow Crafts who murdered our chief, Hiram Abiff.

Q. What is the reason that the Grand Masters of all Lodges are received with so much honor in the Symbolic Lodges? A. Those homages are due to their virtues as Princes of Masons, whose firmness has been shown on so many occasions, by spilling their blood in support of Masonry and the fraternity.

Q. Why do we applaud with our hands? A. In that manner we express our happiness and satisfaction at having done a good action, and rendered justice.

Q. What reflections occur, when contemplating the conduct of Solomon?

A. That a wise man may err, and when he is sensible of his fault, correct himself by acknowledging that fault, whereby he claims the indulgence of his brethren.

Q. Why do the Symbolic Lodges take the name of St. John of Jerusalem?

A. Because in the time of the Crusades, the Perfect Masons, Knights, and Princes, communicated their mysteries to the Knights of that order; whereupon it was determined to celebrate their festival annually, on St. John's day, being under the same law.

Q. Who was the first architect that conducted the works of Solomon's temple? A. Hiram Abiff; which signifies the inspired man.

Q. Who laid the first stone? A. Solomon cut and laid the first stone, which afterwards supported the temple.

Q. Was there anything enclosed in that stone? A. Yes; some characters, which were, like the name of the Grand Architect of the Universe, only known to Solomon.

Q. What stone was it? A. An agate of a foot square.

Q. What was the form of it? A. Cubical.

Q. At what time of the day was the stone laid? A. Before sunrise.

Q. For what reason? A. To show that we must begin early and work with vigilance and a.s.siduity.

Q. What cement did he make use of? A. A cement which was composed of the finest and purest flour, milk, oil, and wine.

Q. Is there any meaning in this composition? A. Yes; when the Grand Architect of the Universe determined to create the world, he employed his sweetness, bounty, wisdom and power.

Q. What is the reason why the number eighty-one is held in such esteem among Princes of Masons? A. Because that number explains the triple alliance which the Eternal operates by the triple triangle, which was seen at the time Solomon consecrated the temple to G.o.d; and also that Hiram Abiff was eighty-one years of age when he was murdered.

Q. Was anything else perceived at the consecration? A. A perfume which not only filled the temple, but all Jerusalem.

Q. Who destroyed the temple? A. Nebuchadnezzar.

Q. How many years after it was built? A. Four hundred and seventy years, six months, and ten days, after its foundation.

Q. Who built the second temple? A. Zerubbabel, by the grant and aid of Cyrus, King of Persia. It was finished in the reign of Darius, when he was known to be a Prince of Jerusalem. Cyrus not only gave Zerubbabel and the captive Masons their liberty, but ordered all the treasures of the old temple to be restored to them, that they might embellish the second temple, which he had ordered Zerubbabel to build.

Q. What signifies the jewel of the Right Worshipful Grand Master of all Lodges being a triangle? A. He wears it in remembrance of the presents given by monarchs and the protectors of the order, in recompense for their zeal, fervor, and constancy.

Q. What way have you traveled to become a Right Worshipful Grand Master of all Lodges, and Grand Patriarch? A. By the four elements.

Q. Why by the four elements? A. To put us in mind of this world, and the troubles in which we live; to cleanse ourselves from all impurities, and thereby render ourselves worthy of perfect virtue.

Q. Where was the Lodge of Grand Masters first held? A. In the sacred vault, east of the temple.

Q. Where is that lodge held at present? A. All over the world, agreeably to the orders of Solomon, when he told us to travel and to spread over the universe, to teach Masonry to those whom we should find worthy of it, but especially to those who should receive us kindly, and who were virtuous men.

Q. What did Solomon give you to remember him at your departure? A. He rewarded the merits of all the workmen, and showed to the Chief Master the cubic stone of agate, on which was engraved, on a gold plate, the sacred name of G.o.d.

Q. How was the agate stone supported? A. On a pedestal of a triangular form, surrounded with three cross pillars, which were also surrounded by a circle of bra.s.s.

Q. What signifies the three pillars? A. Strength, wisdom and beauty.

Q. What was in the middle of the circle? A. The point of exactness, which teaches us the point of perfection.

Q. What else did Solomon give you? A. The great sign of admiration and consternation, by which I am known by a brother. He also put a ring on my finger, in remembrance of my alliance with virtue, and loaded us with kindness.

Q. Why have you a sun on the jewel of perfection? A. To show that we have received the full light, and know Masonry in its perfection.