Freemasonry, Its Hidden Meaning

Freemasonry, Its Hidden Meaning

George Steinmetz

CONTENTS

A spiritual interpretation of the esoteric work of the Masonic lodge, analyzes the lectures and symbols of the three degrees. (1948)

PREFACE

The archetypal image of the wise man, the saviour or redeemer, lies buried and dormant in man’s unconscious since the dawn of culture; it is awakened whenever the times are out of joint and a human society is committed to a serious error *

In the present era, when indeed, the times are of joint, Freemasonry should eagerly embrace the sacred opportunity of awakening the torpid consciousness of the leaders of the masses to the real truths of Masonic Wisdom. This is my prayer and my hope; and this desire has inspired me to present in this treatise the illucidation of those Masonic truths as I have been given the light to see them.

C. G. Jung Modern Man in Search of a Soul. Harcourt, Brace & Co.

FOREWORD

A younger Brother shall be instructed in working, to prevent spoiling the material, for want of judgement, and for increasing and continuing of Brotherly Love.

A good man and true makes known to a friend his desire to become a Mason. He is given a petition for the degrees of Masonry, which he fills out and presents to the Lodge. It is received; a committee of investigation is appointed and functions, efficiently or otherwise, and if elected, the degrees are conferred in due course. The newly-made Master Mason sits among the brethren, is present at the conferring of a few degrees, becomes wearied of the same routine repeated over and over again and soon fails to attend Lodge, except, perhaps, on some special occasion such as a Past Master’s night, a banquet, or possibly not at all.

Over twenty-five years of experience in Masonry has forced the conclusion that this lack of interest of Masons in Masonry is largely due to failure on the part of the Lodge to teach the science and philosophy of Masonry, especially to the younger members, at the time when their curiosity is aroused and their interest is flaming. Masonry has been defined as a system of morals, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. The ritual nowhere adequately explains these symbols and allegories, and not only conceals the true explanations but also often actually misleads. To transform rough ashlars into perfect ashlars, reading, study and instruction are required. It should not be forgotten that only stones capable of being fashioned should be admitted to our Venerable Institution, and that the INTERNAL QUALIFICATIONS should be carefully scrutinized.

Masters of Lodges, officers and coaches are continually being asked questions by those of inquiring minds which they are all too often unable to answer. The necessary information can be obtained only from the continual and persistent study of the writings of those Masonic students who have placed their thoughts and researches upon the written page, thus conforming to the admonition to the well informed brethren to impart knowledge to the lesser informed.

In this book Brother Steinmetz has created an elementary textbook and guide for the study and understanding of the esoteric meanings of Masonry. He is enanently well qualified to undertake this task, being well versed in the Mysteries, a student of Hebrew, a clear, logical thinker, realizing the necessity for continued Masonic education. Since it is intended for the use of the beginner rather than for the advanced Masonic Scholar there are many quotations from the monitorial work to facilitate its use. S ome students of Masonry may not agree entirely with the interpretations herein set forth. Even these, however, will benefit as they will need arrive logically at a better explanation, and in so doing advance themselves.

A careful study of this book will implement the student with proper and plausible explanations of many of the symbols and allegories contained in the three degrees, and will stimulate him further to pursue the study of the deeper esoteric meanings of our exceedingly rich ritual. It must not be forgotten that although the Grand Lodge system dates from the year 1717, Masonry or the thing called Masonry has existed from the beginning of man.

This instructive, thought-provoking book should be in the hands of every English speaking Mason. The study and possession of the knowledge contained in it will bring about greater understanding, fellowship and brotherhood among those who are privileged to be members of this Honourable Institution.

HERBERT H. SCHULTZ MD., P.M., 320

Most holy and glorious Lord God, the Great Architect of the Universe, giver of all good gifts and graces; in Thy name we have assembled, and in Thy name we desire to proceed in all our doings. Grant that the sublime principles of Masonry may so subdue every discordant passion within us, so harmonize and enrich our hearts with Thine own love and goodness, that the Lodge at this time may humbly reflect that order and beauty which reign for ever before Thy throne.

CHAPTER I

By Way of Introduction

Myself when young did eagerly frequent Doctor and Saint, and heard great argument About it and about: but evermore Came out by the same door wherein I went.

This quotation from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam is veiled in allegory, as is Freemasonry, and is an excellent description of my mental state, when first I started meditating upon the deeper aspects of life.

The quotation appealed to me, for, as the Poet, I too had eagerly frequented both Doctor and Saint. Doctor, learned in things material; Saint, supposedly learned in spiritual matters. Like Khayyam, I came out by the same door wherein I went – not satisfied nor enlightened by the answers given me.

It is inherent in man to seek a religious belief to which he can subscribe with wholehearted faith. I was seeking such faith and was sincere in my desire to find a religious belief. But intellect demanded it be consistent with such knowledge as I possessed of natural history and material science.

In this search I studied every religion with which I came in contact. As a singer in various churches, I was afforded opportunities to hear the creeds of the principal faiths expounded. I did not exclude Roman Catholicism or Buddhism. Both contain much to commend, particularly the latter in its esoteric form. The study was far from time wasted.

None of these creeds provided a satisfying meaning of life; the answer to WHY AM I HERE? which, at some time, every individual asks from the depth of his being. The answer, to my entire satisfaction, finally came with a fuller understanding of Freemasonry.

Most of the truly great Masonic writers have deplored the lack of esoteric Masonic knowledge among the craft in general. Mackey speaks of the Parrot Mason, describing him as: One who commits to memory questions and answers of the catechetical lectures, and the formulas of the ritual, but pays no attention to the history and philosophy of the institution; called a Parrot Mason because he repeats what he has learned without any conception of its true meaning. He also ironically describes as Bright Mason s those who are letter-perfect in the ritual and continues: but the progress of Masonry as a science now requires something more than a mere knowledge of the lectures to constitute a Masonic Scholar.

Long ago J. D. Buck stated: In its ritualism and monitorial lessons Masonry teaches nothing in morals, in science, in religion, or in any other department of human knowledge or human interest, not taught elsewhere in current forms of thought, or by the sages of the past. In these directions it has no secrets of any kind. It is in the ancient symbols of Freemasonry that its real secrets lie concealed, and these are as densely veiled to the Mason as to any other, unless he has studied the science of symbol ism in general, and Masonic symbols in particular. * * * THE MOST PROFOUND SECRETS OF MASONRY ARE NOT REVEALED IN THE LODGE AT ALL. THEY BELONG ONLY TO THE FEW.

Buck also made the statement, which is as true today as when he first uttered it, years ago:

There was never a greater need than at the present time; never so great an opportunity as now for Masonry to assume its true place among the institutions of man and force recognition by the simple power of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth, based upon philosophy, as nowhere else exists outside of its ancient symbols. If the majority of Masons do not realize the true significance and value of their possessions ther e is all the more need for those who do to speak out, in the face of discouragement and detraction, and do their utmost to demonstrate the truth.

Albert Pike writes in Morals and Dogma: A few rudimentary lessons in architecture; a few universally admitted maxims of morality; a few unimportant traditions whose real meaning is unknown or misunderstood, will no longer satisfy the earnest inquirer after Masonic truth.

In Pike’s Legend 4 o to 14 o Scottish Rite, he states: In the United States, the Blue Degrees teach morality only, refuse to intermeddle with questions political or religious, and require only a belief in God, and, faintly, in the immortality of the soul; except so far as they declare the Holy Bible to be the rule and guide of man’s conduct, and the inspired word of God; which, if it were not evaded in practice, by the admission of Hebrews, would make the Masonry of the United States a strictly Christian association. In the early part of the 18th century, Freemasonry was, for many of its initiates, the teaching of the Hermetic philosophy.

In one of his most vehement bursts of sarcasm, of which Pike was a master when he deemed the occasion demanded, he refers to the Blue Lodge lectures in these words: It has been objected to us, that in our lectures we undervalue that which is absurdly called ‘Symbolic Masonry,’ as if any Masonry could be not symbolic. It is quite true that we should not value it, if we saw nothing in the symbols of the Blue Lodge beyond the imbecile pretences of interpretation of them contained in the ordinary sterile instr uction which we owe to Webb and his predecessors.

There is truth in all these charges. The average Mason is lamentably ignorant of the real meaning of Masonic Symbology and knows as little of its esoteric teaching. On the other hand one must admit the existence of mitigating circumstances. This is a busy world and few are blessed with the time, even though they have the inclination, to acquire such knowledge. There is no one source where a general knowledge may be acquired, as most writers deal with specific phases of Masonry. Frankly speaking, Pike, M ackey and even Waite, are too recondite for the average Mason to gain much enlightenment from their writing. Unless he approaches their work with a considerable background of metaphysical and philosophical knowledge, they will profit him little.

It is to place as much of this teaching AS IS SEEMINGLY ADVISABLE in a more accessible form that this book has been undertaken. The writer has earnestly endeavoured to write as simply as the profundity of the subject itself permits. The reader is asked to be mindful of the fact that in a work of this nature there is included the no small handicap of being forced to allude but vaguely, at