Is Freemasonry a Total Moral Philosophy?

Part 1 - An Allegory in Freemasonry

By RWorBro JDF Black PDGM (UGLV)

From the time we join Freemasonry we are instructed that it is a system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. The significance of many of those symbols is explained in the various Degree ceremonies and in the lecture on the First Degree Tracing Board, where we are told, for example, that the square teaches morality, the level, equality and the plumb rule, justice and uprightness of life and actions. However, nowhere is there any indication that a particular segment of the ritual might conceal an allegory, let alone any suggestion as to what such allegory might refer. Therefore, the first thing we need to do is to establish criteria to determine whether or not a passage of our ritual might conceal an allegory.

An allegory is defined as the “figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another”¹; That form of the definition is not particularly helpful. Let us rotate it a little to say that an allegory may be defined as a situation in which the description of a nominated object is changed to a greater or lesser degree so that it more precisely defines another, unnamed, object. This definition provides us with a means to determine whether or not a particular segment of the ritual might conceal an allegory.

Let me give you an example of an allegory that has no connection whatever with Freemasonry, sheep shearing sheds. These buildings are equipped with multiple machines that are jointly powered but are each independently hand operated. The buildings are designed to provide stock for the independent operators to work on. These buildings are invariably located in the midst of major cities. No, that is not a mistake, I am, in reality, describing share markets in the guise of sheep shearing sheds. Of course, the words used in each case have entirely different meanings. The buildings, instead of being made of galvanised iron and wood, are made of concrete and steel; the machines, instead of being hand held shearing combs are computers and phones; and the stock, instead of being four legged woolly animals are share portfolios. However, I am sure you were quite happy to believe I was describing sheep shearing sheds until you recognised an anomaly in where you believed such buildings would be located. It is just such anomalies and discrepancies that should alert us to the presence of an allegory in our ritual.

To achieve these ends, we need to examine the description of the named object as it appears in the ritual to see whether anomalies or discrepancies have been created due to changes having been made to the true description of the named object. If so, we could assume we are dealing with an allegory. The identity of the un-named object involved in that allegory will be such that the anomalies and discrepancies that appear when the description is applied to the named object, cease to be so when applied to the new (un-named) object.

That sounds to be a bit complicated but it really isn't. As an example of the ease with which it can be applied, let us examine the ceremony of the opening of the Lodge. Instead of dealing with all of the ritual associated with that ceremony let us concentrate on those matters that suggest that there are anomalies and discrepancies in the description of the roles of some of the Officers of the lodge and in the symbolic significance of the jewels of some of those Officers.

Instead of dealing directly with the ritual of the opening of the lodge, let me refer to the parallel ritual concerned with the Installation of the Master and the Investiture of Officers. When the Worshipful Master is installed he is presented with a gavel to control the lodge. When the Senior Warden is invested he is presented with a gavel to control the brethren in the west. A few minutes later the Junior Warden is invested and presented with a gavel to control the brethren in the south. That means we need one brother, the Master, to control those in the north and the east, two, the Master and SW, to control the brethren in the west and two, the Master and JW, to control those in the south. That surely is an anomaly. Then we come to the investiture of the Deacons and they are informed that it is their duty to:-

"preserve peace order and harmony in the Lodge (what are the Master and his two Wardens doing, they have been given gavels specifically for that purpose), so that the beauties of our ceremonies be not marred by any impropriety (isn't that the specific role of the DC), and if unfortunately any dissension should arise amongst the members (they) are thereby instructed to hold out the olive branch as an emblem of peace."

Can you imagine a newly appointed Junior Deacon, who has been in the Lodge for perhaps two or three years, having the temerity to approach a couple of salty old Past Masters who are having a dispute to hold out the olive branch as an emblem of peace? I rather suspect he might be told where to go, and in any case we now have five brethren required to control a lodge of Freemasons.

There has got to be an allegory there somewhere.

When the Inner Guard is invested he is told that his jewel:

"The crossed swords, refer to two of the four cardinal virtues, namely, prudence and fortitude."

Prudence and fortitude!! What do they have to do with opening a lodge. They seem to be more appropriately concerned with moral behaviour and self control than with opening a lodge.

Finally, we come to the investiture of the Tyler. We are told that his jewel, the sword, teaches us to:

"Set a guard upon our tongues, place a watch at the entrance of our thoughts and a sentinel over our actions." All very valid matters in relation to the security of the Lodge, and if the ritual finished there we could be well satisfied, but it doesn't. It continues on, "... thereby excluding every unworthy word, thought and deed, so as to preserve a conscience void of offence towards God and man." What has that to do with opening a lodge? It seems to be entirely related to self-control.

Is this the allegory?

To determine whether such a proposition is tenable, we need to re-examine the ritual to see whether the anomalies I have raised cease to be anomalies if the ritual is used to describe a man exercising self control. To do this, we need to understand that self control involves the integration of the potentially conflicting desires between the head, the heart and the hands in such a way that the final outcome is compatible with our moral principals. The three factors that need to be controlled are therefore, the head, the heart and the hands. If we concede that the gavels in the hands of the Master and his two wardens symbolise control of the head, the heart and the hands, the first of the anomalies cited in relation to the opening of the lodge cease to be so when applied to the description of a man exercising self control. What then is the role of the Deacons? We are told that theirs is a mediating role and in terms of self control they could be considered to represent those mediating influences of conscience and reason that might need to be applied to any discordant factor to resolve potential differences between the desires of the head, the heart and the hands. In this context, the requirement in the ritual for the Senior Deacon to carry all messages and commands from the WM to the SW and await the return of the JD, takes on a new significance since it implies that all avenues are to be investigated before any final decision is taken to resolve any differences between the desires of the head, the heart and the hands.

You will notice that once again, the items that were anomalous in describing the role of the Deacons in opening the lodge cease to be so when they are applied to the Deacons in this mediating sense.

If we carry this concept forward to include the significance of the jewels of the Inner Guard and the Tyler, we are reminded that those mediating influences need to be applied with such prudence and fortitude as will enable us to "Set a guard upon our tongues, a watch at the entrance of our thoughts and a sentinel over our actions, thereby excluding every unworthy word, thought and deed, so as to preserve a conscience void of offence towards God and man", in other words, always exercise self control.

This interpretation is also in keeping with the ceremony of closing the lodge where the last thing we do before closing is to ensure that the Tyler is in his place. In other words that we are always ready to exercise self control both inside and outside the lodge.

I therefore submit that the anomalies identified with many of the phrases used to describe the role of the progressive Officers and the significance of some of their jewels, in the ceremony associated with the opening of the lodge, the nominated object, cease to be anomalies when they are applied to describe the mental processes involved in a man exercising self control, the unnamed object.

In these terms, the criteria established to identify an allegory have been satisfied and the unnamed object identified.

Whether or not you accept this interpretation is immaterial, what is important is that we should all examine the ritual with care to identify anomalies that might exist in the description of any object that might lead us to believe we are dealing with an allegory and then endeavour to find a non-sectarian interpretation of that allegory to our own satisfaction.

Reference

¹ Concise Macquarie Dictionary: ISBN 0 86824 056 7

Is Freemasonry a Total Moral Philosophy?

By RWBro. JDF Black, PDGM

Paper in five parts

< Introduction | ^ Part One | > Part Two | > Part Three | > Part Four | > Part Five