| Sidney Albert Luke Lodge #558 |
| Education |
A Lecture given by Bro. David Vermette, in open lodge:
In light of Brother Cameron’s passing to the second degree, it would seem an appropriate time
to elaborate on the role of the Pillars in Masonry and their symbolic importance. Some of the
information will be repetitive and time allowing my be shuffled over in order to get to the core of the
issue which is the symbolism and role of pillars in myth, history and our Craft.
The Book of the Work mentions that the left hand pillar, ________, stood at the porchway or
entrance of KST. It was named after the G.G. of D., who was a priest and ruler of Israel. In the
Entered Apprentice degree, we are told that the import of the word is ___________.
In the Fellow-Craft degree, we encounter the right hand Pillar which The Book names as
_________. This Pillar was named after the A.H.P. who officiated at its dedication. It’s import is
______ _____ ______, and when conjoined with ________ creates __________.
The second degree which we have heard tonight deals partly with the construction, dimensions and
the use of the Pillars as a memorial. The purpose behind this education is to deal with the more
symbolic aspects of these Pillars, utilizing the findings of Quatuor Coronatorum with some
elaborations from other source materials. From the F.C. lecture, it is most relevant to note for our
purpose that the Pillars were hollow. As well, we must keep in mind the role that the Pillars of fire and
cloud played in the Exodus, where they were seen as an instrument of God’s direct aide to His
people, to assist in their deliverance from the Pharaoh of Egypt.
The F.C. ritual notes that the pillars were each 18 cubits high, with a circumference of 12 cubits.
They were made of molten brass, formed hollow with an outer shell of approximately 4 inches. (All
from The Book of the Work). I have read in the Old Testament that the Pillars were cast at the
River Jordan, as no sound of tools was permitted at the actual site of the temple’s construction.
The adornment of the Pillars was placed on two chapiters which were 5 cubits high, and consisted of
three symbols: Network, a connection of meshes, was used to show unity. Lilly’s were used so that
their whiteness could symbolize purity. And finally, pomegranates were depicted as the
abundance of their seeds could represent plenty. The final effect must have been visually stunning.
As our ritual notes, the Pillars were placed at the eastern gate of the KST (Some Masonic scholars,
not a majority, feel their may have been a western entrance with pillars as well i.e. Alex Horne.) They
were so placed to serve as a constant memorial to remind the children of Israel of their
deliverance from Egypt, which Jehovah had facilitated by a Pillar of Fire and a Pillar of Clouds, which
led His people and hampered their pursuers.
It is a common feature of temples of ancient times to be oriented towards the east. Ancient
monuments around the world have been shown through the science of archeoastronomy to be often
oriented to where the sun rose or set, particularly on the equinoxes and solstices. This can be seen
as evidence of the Hermetic maxim, “As above so below” in ancient construction.
One of the main symbolic representations of the Pillars is as an ancient archive of knowledge. This
myth portrays them as antediluvian devices to store knowledge. According to Quatuor Coronatorum,
the suggestion that the Pillars at KST were hollow has given birth the Masonic legend that
information of vital importance was stored within in the form of scrolls.
This relates to the tale of Noah and the biblical flood. There are two versions of this story which
have some similarities and differences. In the first, Noah’s lineage is traced back in time through
Lamech and Enoch to Seth, the son born to Adam and Eve after the tragedy of Cain and Abel. The
myth suggests that this chain of individuals were all righteous men in a world full of wickedness.
Between them, they were responsible for the developments which made civilization possible. They
created the science of astronomy, learned to divide time into days, weeks, solar and lunar years.
This knowledge in turn led to the possibility of agriculture which could only be successful by knowing
when to plant and when to harvest. According to Josephus in his Antiquities of the Jews, Noah was
pre-warned of the flood. The decision was made to make one pillar of brick and one of stone
to protect the knowledge of time and astronomy.
A slightly different version of the same legend has come to be much more important to Masonry,
especially the Scottish Rite. This version holds that it was actually Jabal, the son of Lamech, who
created the two pillars. Jabal is credited with the development of both masonry and geometry. His
family were responsible for other discoveries; his first brother Jubal was the creator of music and
song, his half brother Tubal Cain was the first artificer of metals, his sister Na’Mah created the art of
weaving, Jabel’s father Lamech created two pillars, one of marble which would not burn and
one of “lacerus” which would not sink. Both pillars were inscribed with the knowledge accumulated
up to that time so that civilization could rebuild after the coming disaster. Brother H. Carr notes we
have not been able to determine exactly what “lacerus” consisted of.
Quatuor Coronatorum believe one of the earliest Masonic documents, The Mathew Cooke
Manuscript (circa 1410) is based on the Jabal version of the story. This manuscript holds that after
the deluge, one pillar was found by the Greek mathematician Pythagoras, and the other by the
previously mentioned philosopher Hermes. The significance of all these stories is that
the Pillars are a symbol of knowledge and most especially, the knowledge that made civilization
possible 10,000 years ago when agriculture, geometry, astronomy and other developments, seemed
to spring wholly formed out of the darkness of prehistory.
--- --- ---
In terms of KST, it is important to note that while we speak of them as conjoined, they are actually
free standing than load bearing pillars. The use of such pillars was not unique to KST. Most ancient
temples, from Egypt to Greece were flanked by such structures. In this sense, they were meant
to be highly visible, in contrast to what occurred inside the temple which was shrouded in mystery.
We know that at King Solomon’s Temple, the Holy of Holies was off limits to the general public and
the general clergy. Dr C. Myers, in Catholic Biblical Quarterly sums up this situation best; “The twin
pillars loomed large at the entrance to the Temple, providing a visual link to the unseen grandeur
within.”
These Pillars provided a powerful visual message at a time when almost everyone except the priests
were illiterate. The message to the average people at the time was clear: David’s royal dynasty had
been approved by the most high God. Successive generations of kings were crowned next to the
Pillars. When the Babylonians invaded and destroyed them, they were not rebuilt even though the
Temple was. By then, the intended message concerning the House of David was accepted, and
thus the symbolic need for the Pillars in coronation ceremonies was no longer necessary.
As an aside, it is worth considering that while they symbolized knowledge, they just as frequently
represented the power to which this knowledge, or rather, the possession of, was linked. Today, it is
hard to conceive of a time when people did not have an inherent right to education to the utmost
of their ability. Knowledge, which today is freely available in any library, was jealously guarded by
the priests and later the Mystery Schools. This possession was how the lower classes were
controlled, and the basis on which civilization moved forward with some form of incremental
development.
One might think of the Pillar colloquially as a modern day billboard: just as any illiterate individual
can understand the message of such boards, the common people could comprehend the message
of pillars. The message seemed to imply: “I am here to bear witness to the powerful and secret
knowledge that rests nearby, forever beyond the grasp of the ordinary man.” Thus, the Pillars at
KST served to confer a special status.
It might be insightful to examine the fate of Egyptian obelisks from the distant past. This information
comes from Peter Clayton’s Chronicles of the Pharaohs, 1997. History tells of 50 obelisks being
moved from Egypt by a cast of characters including Emperor Augustus of Rome and Napoleon. All
who wanted to associate themselves with the glory and hidden mysteries of ancient Egypt. It is worth
considering that hieroglyphics remained encoded until the early 1800’s, an example of knowledge
just out of reach. Rulers wanted to associate themselves with the secret knowledge that they
believed the obelisks contained. Today only 6 obelisks remain in Egypt, and of these, only 4 are in
the location where the Pharaohs originally placed them.
When it came to obelisks, size did matter. The tallest stands at Lateran in Rome, a 37 meter marvel,
weighing 455 tons and cut as a single slab from sandstone. It was so large, that an additional 4
meters (making it 41 meters) were cut off of it for transportation, which necessitated the need of a
boat specially designed and built for this task.
From Egypt, obelisks were transported to all the new power centers of the world. They arrived in
New York, Paris, London and even St. Peters Square at the Vatican (which was topped by a cross in
the 16th Century). In fact, 13 were transported to Rome alone.
Civilization has continued to build monuments designed as stand alone pillars. The most famous of
these new constructions is the Washington Monument, which stands in mute testimony to the power
and knowledge which has resided in the city from is founding to the present. The monument itself
is a 500 foot brilliant white marble tower. We all know of the connections of our Craft to early
American history. The cornerstone ceremony was conducted by Benjamin B. French, the Grand
Master of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, who wore George Washington’s sash and
apron for the event which occurred on February 22, 1885.
It is of crucial importance to note that the monument is not a stand alone feature. A round circular
terrace was built at the base, which alone took 3 years to construct. (David Olsen, Architecture of
our Nation’s Capital, NY:NY, 2002). From day or night, it presents a singular image to the world.
From above, it forms a perfect circle with the monument as a point in the center. This brings to mind
the Junior Warden’s catechism from the opening of the Third Degree. The circle with a point at the
centre is an ideogram, a hieroglyphic representation of the idea “light”. Examples of this can
viewed at the Ashmoleon Museum’s Library of Hieroglyphs and Ancient Symbols. According to Allan
Gardiner, author of Egyptian Grammar, the symbol of light is symbolic of illumination and the
knowledge which we all admitted seeking on our arrival as an Entered Apprentice. Indeed, this
symbol can be seen in early tracing boards, sometimes at the bottom of Jacob’s Ladder and
sometimes in the leg area of the grave. Examples are illustrated in the Shadow of Solomon by
Gardiner.
With this background, we can turn to the Pillars in our own Masonic Temple. Peter Dawkins is a
scholar with the Francis Bacon Research Trust. In his book Dedication to the Light (1984) Dawkins
points out possible interpretations of the pillars. That on the left is “The Sun Pillar” which
represents Wisdom. It shows to us “what is in the light” and is denoted by the word “Science”. It is
topped by a globe of the visible world. That on the right is the “Moon Pillar” which represents
intelligence. It is topped by a shaded globe and is denoted by the word “Philosophy”.
These two images were central symbols of Bacon’s understanding of our world. Some of his
greatest works, including Great Instauration - The Renewal of the Sciences and the Sylva Sylvarum:
A Natural History feature the image of the twin Pillars toped by globes on the inside title page, a
place of prominence. The early values that FMY espoused with regards to nature and science were
identical with those found in Bacon’s writings.
The fact that our pillars are named is very unusual. Excavations of pillars in the Holy Land are
common. Professor Scott in the Journal of Biblical Literature notes that in 16 excavations of pillars
he participated in, none were inscribed with names. He goes on to say that the names of the
Masonic pillars may come from the first words engraved on the Pillars of KST. As the Temple was
destroyed by the Babylonians, we must look to the Old Testament for our information. The first
mention of the Pillars is in 1 Kings v7:L21 and the second is in 2 Chronicles v3:L17 where Masonic
degree words are mentioned simply as personal names.
We get our information on the Pillars from what is called the Sancino Translation. The translation
implies that the Pillars function is to essentially bear witness to the might of God.
Our ritual is very specific in placing ______ on the left side and ______ on the right. However, the
ritual is silent an whether this is to be determined by a person standing outside the Temple looking
in, or a person inside looking out. There is a possible solution to this dilemma and again it rests in
the Old Testament. 2 Chronicles 4:10 refers to a “molten sea” which is in fact a large water basin
located outside the Temple. This is one of the many Temple instruments that were cast at the same
time as the Pillars. The reference states specifically, “And he set the sea on the right side of the
House eastwards towards the south”. The commentary by Sancino further mentions the basin was in
the southeast corner. A simple diagram illustrates that the basin was near to _______. Therefore,
we know that the Pillars are considered left and right from the perspective of an individual looking
out of the Temple. This is exactly what our second degree tracing board depicts.
There is not a complete consensus on this point. Jewish historian Josephus and Masonic
researcher Brother H. Carr disagree. For me, the matter is settled by Brother Alex Horne who
provides a supporting argument for the prevailing opinion: In ancient times, the Hebrews referred to
the 4 cardinal points of the compass from the position of a man facing the rising sun. Thus, the right
hand and the south were synonymous”.
For our purposes, we must remember that the original objective of the Pillars at the KST was to
provide divine legitimacy on the Dynasty of David as rulers of Israel. The Craft adopted the use of
these Pillars to legitimize and elevate candidates to the highest possible levels. The importance of
this is especially relevant as many scholars believe the first two degrees originally formed 1 central
degree, which was later split in two. In this case, the Pillars would have been of central importance
rather than serving as merely another symbol. We could say they illustrated symbolically that the
illuminated initiative to knowledge was the beginning point, starting a journey to the highest level of
development flawed humans could aspire to.--- --- ---
It seems clear to us that many meanings and certain aspects of the Craft have been lost and
forgotten in the mist of time. It reminds one of the rule of the Ptolemy’s in Egypt: when they came to
power, they continued to perform the religious services which predated the pyramids, even though
no one knew what the ceremonies actually meant any longer. We should also remember that FMY is
a system of both great specifics and great ambiguities. There may be hundreds of pages of ritual,
and only a small handful exist to explain the role of the Pillars. It is this way much of Masonry. You
can’t help but feel that nothing is accidental, and that the meanings remain hidden, even protected
from casual observations.
The Fellow Craft pledges himself to work daily to uncover the hidden mysteries of nature and
science. He is charged with learning the liberal arts and sciences.
We are all educated men, yet we are not excluded from this charge. It is often said that learning is a
lifetime process and even the most knowledgeable man has much to see if only he chooses to look.
This is what separates Masonry from other fraternal organizations and how if properly and
unflinchingly followed, a Masons light can become darkness visible.
In light of Brother Cameron’s passing to the second degree, it would seem an appropriate time
to elaborate on the role of the Pillars in Masonry and their symbolic importance. Some of the
information will be repetitive and time allowing my be shuffled over in order to get to the core of the
issue which is the symbolism and role of pillars in myth, history and our Craft.
The Book of the Work mentions that the left hand pillar, ________, stood at the porchway or
entrance of KST. It was named after the G.G. of D., who was a priest and ruler of Israel. In the
Entered Apprentice degree, we are told that the import of the word is ___________.
In the Fellow-Craft degree, we encounter the right hand Pillar which The Book names as
_________. This Pillar was named after the A.H.P. who officiated at its dedication. It’s import is
______ _____ ______, and when conjoined with ________ creates __________.
The second degree which we have heard tonight deals partly with the construction, dimensions and
the use of the Pillars as a memorial. The purpose behind this education is to deal with the more
symbolic aspects of these Pillars, utilizing the findings of Quatuor Coronatorum with some
elaborations from other source materials. From the F.C. lecture, it is most relevant to note for our
purpose that the Pillars were hollow. As well, we must keep in mind the role that the Pillars of fire and
cloud played in the Exodus, where they were seen as an instrument of God’s direct aide to His
people, to assist in their deliverance from the Pharaoh of Egypt.
The F.C. ritual notes that the pillars were each 18 cubits high, with a circumference of 12 cubits.
They were made of molten brass, formed hollow with an outer shell of approximately 4 inches. (All
from The Book of the Work). I have read in the Old Testament that the Pillars were cast at the
River Jordan, as no sound of tools was permitted at the actual site of the temple’s construction.
The adornment of the Pillars was placed on two chapiters which were 5 cubits high, and consisted of
three symbols: Network, a connection of meshes, was used to show unity. Lilly’s were used so that
their whiteness could symbolize purity. And finally, pomegranates were depicted as the
abundance of their seeds could represent plenty. The final effect must have been visually stunning.
As our ritual notes, the Pillars were placed at the eastern gate of the KST (Some Masonic scholars,
not a majority, feel their may have been a western entrance with pillars as well i.e. Alex Horne.) They
were so placed to serve as a constant memorial to remind the children of Israel of their
deliverance from Egypt, which Jehovah had facilitated by a Pillar of Fire and a Pillar of Clouds, which
led His people and hampered their pursuers.
It is a common feature of temples of ancient times to be oriented towards the east. Ancient
monuments around the world have been shown through the science of archeoastronomy to be often
oriented to where the sun rose or set, particularly on the equinoxes and solstices. This can be seen
as evidence of the Hermetic maxim, “As above so below” in ancient construction.
One of the main symbolic representations of the Pillars is as an ancient archive of knowledge. This
myth portrays them as antediluvian devices to store knowledge. According to Quatuor Coronatorum,
the suggestion that the Pillars at KST were hollow has given birth the Masonic legend that
information of vital importance was stored within in the form of scrolls.
This relates to the tale of Noah and the biblical flood. There are two versions of this story which
have some similarities and differences. In the first, Noah’s lineage is traced back in time through
Lamech and Enoch to Seth, the son born to Adam and Eve after the tragedy of Cain and Abel. The
myth suggests that this chain of individuals were all righteous men in a world full of wickedness.
Between them, they were responsible for the developments which made civilization possible. They
created the science of astronomy, learned to divide time into days, weeks, solar and lunar years.
This knowledge in turn led to the possibility of agriculture which could only be successful by knowing
when to plant and when to harvest. According to Josephus in his Antiquities of the Jews, Noah was
pre-warned of the flood. The decision was made to make one pillar of brick and one of stone
to protect the knowledge of time and astronomy.
A slightly different version of the same legend has come to be much more important to Masonry,
especially the Scottish Rite. This version holds that it was actually Jabal, the son of Lamech, who
created the two pillars. Jabal is credited with the development of both masonry and geometry. His
family were responsible for other discoveries; his first brother Jubal was the creator of music and
song, his half brother Tubal Cain was the first artificer of metals, his sister Na’Mah created the art of
weaving, Jabel’s father Lamech created two pillars, one of marble which would not burn and
one of “lacerus” which would not sink. Both pillars were inscribed with the knowledge accumulated
up to that time so that civilization could rebuild after the coming disaster. Brother H. Carr notes we
have not been able to determine exactly what “lacerus” consisted of.
Quatuor Coronatorum believe one of the earliest Masonic documents, The Mathew Cooke
Manuscript (circa 1410) is based on the Jabal version of the story. This manuscript holds that after
the deluge, one pillar was found by the Greek mathematician Pythagoras, and the other by the
previously mentioned philosopher Hermes. The significance of all these stories is that
the Pillars are a symbol of knowledge and most especially, the knowledge that made civilization
possible 10,000 years ago when agriculture, geometry, astronomy and other developments, seemed
to spring wholly formed out of the darkness of prehistory.
--- --- ---
In terms of KST, it is important to note that while we speak of them as conjoined, they are actually
free standing than load bearing pillars. The use of such pillars was not unique to KST. Most ancient
temples, from Egypt to Greece were flanked by such structures. In this sense, they were meant
to be highly visible, in contrast to what occurred inside the temple which was shrouded in mystery.
We know that at King Solomon’s Temple, the Holy of Holies was off limits to the general public and
the general clergy. Dr C. Myers, in Catholic Biblical Quarterly sums up this situation best; “The twin
pillars loomed large at the entrance to the Temple, providing a visual link to the unseen grandeur
within.”
These Pillars provided a powerful visual message at a time when almost everyone except the priests
were illiterate. The message to the average people at the time was clear: David’s royal dynasty had
been approved by the most high God. Successive generations of kings were crowned next to the
Pillars. When the Babylonians invaded and destroyed them, they were not rebuilt even though the
Temple was. By then, the intended message concerning the House of David was accepted, and
thus the symbolic need for the Pillars in coronation ceremonies was no longer necessary.
As an aside, it is worth considering that while they symbolized knowledge, they just as frequently
represented the power to which this knowledge, or rather, the possession of, was linked. Today, it is
hard to conceive of a time when people did not have an inherent right to education to the utmost
of their ability. Knowledge, which today is freely available in any library, was jealously guarded by
the priests and later the Mystery Schools. This possession was how the lower classes were
controlled, and the basis on which civilization moved forward with some form of incremental
development.
One might think of the Pillar colloquially as a modern day billboard: just as any illiterate individual
can understand the message of such boards, the common people could comprehend the message
of pillars. The message seemed to imply: “I am here to bear witness to the powerful and secret
knowledge that rests nearby, forever beyond the grasp of the ordinary man.” Thus, the Pillars at
KST served to confer a special status.
It might be insightful to examine the fate of Egyptian obelisks from the distant past. This information
comes from Peter Clayton’s Chronicles of the Pharaohs, 1997. History tells of 50 obelisks being
moved from Egypt by a cast of characters including Emperor Augustus of Rome and Napoleon. All
who wanted to associate themselves with the glory and hidden mysteries of ancient Egypt. It is worth
considering that hieroglyphics remained encoded until the early 1800’s, an example of knowledge
just out of reach. Rulers wanted to associate themselves with the secret knowledge that they
believed the obelisks contained. Today only 6 obelisks remain in Egypt, and of these, only 4 are in
the location where the Pharaohs originally placed them.
When it came to obelisks, size did matter. The tallest stands at Lateran in Rome, a 37 meter marvel,
weighing 455 tons and cut as a single slab from sandstone. It was so large, that an additional 4
meters (making it 41 meters) were cut off of it for transportation, which necessitated the need of a
boat specially designed and built for this task.
From Egypt, obelisks were transported to all the new power centers of the world. They arrived in
New York, Paris, London and even St. Peters Square at the Vatican (which was topped by a cross in
the 16th Century). In fact, 13 were transported to Rome alone.
Civilization has continued to build monuments designed as stand alone pillars. The most famous of
these new constructions is the Washington Monument, which stands in mute testimony to the power
and knowledge which has resided in the city from is founding to the present. The monument itself
is a 500 foot brilliant white marble tower. We all know of the connections of our Craft to early
American history. The cornerstone ceremony was conducted by Benjamin B. French, the Grand
Master of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, who wore George Washington’s sash and
apron for the event which occurred on February 22, 1885.
It is of crucial importance to note that the monument is not a stand alone feature. A round circular
terrace was built at the base, which alone took 3 years to construct. (David Olsen, Architecture of
our Nation’s Capital, NY:NY, 2002). From day or night, it presents a singular image to the world.
From above, it forms a perfect circle with the monument as a point in the center. This brings to mind
the Junior Warden’s catechism from the opening of the Third Degree. The circle with a point at the
centre is an ideogram, a hieroglyphic representation of the idea “light”. Examples of this can
viewed at the Ashmoleon Museum’s Library of Hieroglyphs and Ancient Symbols. According to Allan
Gardiner, author of Egyptian Grammar, the symbol of light is symbolic of illumination and the
knowledge which we all admitted seeking on our arrival as an Entered Apprentice. Indeed, this
symbol can be seen in early tracing boards, sometimes at the bottom of Jacob’s Ladder and
sometimes in the leg area of the grave. Examples are illustrated in the Shadow of Solomon by
Gardiner.
With this background, we can turn to the Pillars in our own Masonic Temple. Peter Dawkins is a
scholar with the Francis Bacon Research Trust. In his book Dedication to the Light (1984) Dawkins
points out possible interpretations of the pillars. That on the left is “The Sun Pillar” which
represents Wisdom. It shows to us “what is in the light” and is denoted by the word “Science”. It is
topped by a globe of the visible world. That on the right is the “Moon Pillar” which represents
intelligence. It is topped by a shaded globe and is denoted by the word “Philosophy”.
These two images were central symbols of Bacon’s understanding of our world. Some of his
greatest works, including Great Instauration - The Renewal of the Sciences and the Sylva Sylvarum:
A Natural History feature the image of the twin Pillars toped by globes on the inside title page, a
place of prominence. The early values that FMY espoused with regards to nature and science were
identical with those found in Bacon’s writings.
The fact that our pillars are named is very unusual. Excavations of pillars in the Holy Land are
common. Professor Scott in the Journal of Biblical Literature notes that in 16 excavations of pillars
he participated in, none were inscribed with names. He goes on to say that the names of the
Masonic pillars may come from the first words engraved on the Pillars of KST. As the Temple was
destroyed by the Babylonians, we must look to the Old Testament for our information. The first
mention of the Pillars is in 1 Kings v7:L21 and the second is in 2 Chronicles v3:L17 where Masonic
degree words are mentioned simply as personal names.
We get our information on the Pillars from what is called the Sancino Translation. The translation
implies that the Pillars function is to essentially bear witness to the might of God.
Our ritual is very specific in placing ______ on the left side and ______ on the right. However, the
ritual is silent an whether this is to be determined by a person standing outside the Temple looking
in, or a person inside looking out. There is a possible solution to this dilemma and again it rests in
the Old Testament. 2 Chronicles 4:10 refers to a “molten sea” which is in fact a large water basin
located outside the Temple. This is one of the many Temple instruments that were cast at the same
time as the Pillars. The reference states specifically, “And he set the sea on the right side of the
House eastwards towards the south”. The commentary by Sancino further mentions the basin was in
the southeast corner. A simple diagram illustrates that the basin was near to _______. Therefore,
we know that the Pillars are considered left and right from the perspective of an individual looking
out of the Temple. This is exactly what our second degree tracing board depicts.
There is not a complete consensus on this point. Jewish historian Josephus and Masonic
researcher Brother H. Carr disagree. For me, the matter is settled by Brother Alex Horne who
provides a supporting argument for the prevailing opinion: In ancient times, the Hebrews referred to
the 4 cardinal points of the compass from the position of a man facing the rising sun. Thus, the right
hand and the south were synonymous”.
For our purposes, we must remember that the original objective of the Pillars at the KST was to
provide divine legitimacy on the Dynasty of David as rulers of Israel. The Craft adopted the use of
these Pillars to legitimize and elevate candidates to the highest possible levels. The importance of
this is especially relevant as many scholars believe the first two degrees originally formed 1 central
degree, which was later split in two. In this case, the Pillars would have been of central importance
rather than serving as merely another symbol. We could say they illustrated symbolically that the
illuminated initiative to knowledge was the beginning point, starting a journey to the highest level of
development flawed humans could aspire to.--- --- ---
It seems clear to us that many meanings and certain aspects of the Craft have been lost and
forgotten in the mist of time. It reminds one of the rule of the Ptolemy’s in Egypt: when they came to
power, they continued to perform the religious services which predated the pyramids, even though
no one knew what the ceremonies actually meant any longer. We should also remember that FMY is
a system of both great specifics and great ambiguities. There may be hundreds of pages of ritual,
and only a small handful exist to explain the role of the Pillars. It is this way much of Masonry. You
can’t help but feel that nothing is accidental, and that the meanings remain hidden, even protected
from casual observations.
The Fellow Craft pledges himself to work daily to uncover the hidden mysteries of nature and
science. He is charged with learning the liberal arts and sciences.
We are all educated men, yet we are not excluded from this charge. It is often said that learning is a
lifetime process and even the most knowledgeable man has much to see if only he chooses to look.
This is what separates Masonry from other fraternal organizations and how if properly and
unflinchingly followed, a Masons light can become darkness visible.
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