ACACIA: An Eastern plant, sometimes a tree. Several hundred varieties are known. Masonicly it is an emblem of immortality.
ACCEPTED: Today, all
Masons are "free and accepted." In ancient times members other
than working Masons were "accepted."
AHIMAN REZON. Title given
by Lawrence Dermott to the Book of Constitutions. Used today
by
AMPLE FORM: Opening or
closing of any Lodge or Grand Lodge by the Grand Master;
opposed to "due form" or "full form" which is according to the
prescribed ceremonies. Even when the full form is used in
opening or closing a Grand Master's ceremonies are said to be
conducted in "ample form." When Grand Lodges and Lodges are
opened or closed by qualified officers other than Grand
Masters or Masters, they are sometimes said to be opened or
closed "in form."
ANCIENT: The original
Grand Lodge in
BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS:
Volumes printed by Grand Lodges containing the laws, by-laws,
constitution, edicts, decisions, ceremonies, etc., authorized
by Grand Lodge.
CABLE TOW: Part of dress
of candidate. Symbolically, a distance variously estimated
from three miles to "the scope of a brother's ability."
CARDINAL: Principal, as
cardinal virtues, cardinal points.
CARPET: (Sometimes
Master's Carpet, sometimes Chart). Cloth chart on which are
illustrated the symbols of Masonry for instruction of
candidates.
CHAPITER: Top part of a
column or pillar; the ornamental head on a support. Not to be
confused with
CHAPTER, which designates a body of Royal Arch Masonry; a body in the Scottish Rite, as Lodges designates bodies of Symbolic or Ancient Craft Masonry.
CHARGE: Charges; A Charge summarizing his duties is given a candidate following each degree. "Old Charges"; the ancient manuscript constitutions of Freemasonry; the rules and practices therein set forth.
CHARTER: (Sometimes
Warrant of Constitution). The document given by Grand Lodge
under authority of which a Lodge works. Lodge cannot be opened
or do business without its physical presence.
CIRCUMAMBULATION: A
journey around; a part of the ceremonies of initiation,
passing, raising. Symbolically refers to passage of sun
through heavens, from east to west by way of south. By walking
in this direction around their altar, early fire worshippers
imitated the Sun, their god.
CLANDESTINE: Irregular,
unauthorized; illegally made Mason or Masonic body.
CLOTHED: A Mason is "properly clothed" when dressed in apron. gloves, emblem of his office, if any, and other decorations authorized by [his] Grand Lodge (in some cases, cuffs, collars and hat).
COMMUNICATION: Masonic
name for meeting; Communications are regular, stated, called,
special, emergent. Regular and stated meetings are set forth
in the by-laws. Called or special meetings are at the pleasure
of the Master. Emergent meetings arc special meetings called
by the Master or Grand Master.
COMPASSES: One of the
three Great Lights; In six Grand Lodges the word compass is
used. [In
CORNUCOPIA: An emblem of
abundance. Hence generally the jewel of the Stewards in a
Lodge.
COWAN: An uninstructed
Mason, a Mason of lesser degree than that on which a Lodge is
open who gains or tries to gain admittance; an intruder; a
suspended Mason who tries to enter a Lodge; in general one who
has no business in a Lodge. All profanes who try to enter a
Lodge are cowans, but not all cowans are profanes.
DALE: Masonic terra` [Terra = The Earth; Land; Ground; Soil; as in Terra Firma.] for valley, or depression between high points
.
DECLARATION: The statement
made by Masters and Grand Masters during installation, giving
assent to certain charges. Part of the ceremony at opening and
closing of Lodge. In some states, a part of Masonic petition
.
DEDICATION: Setting aside;
for the use [of] God, the Holy Saints John, the purposes
Masonry.
DEMIT, DIMIT: To withdraw
from a Lodge by its permission; the paper which attests the
fact. [In
DIPLOMA: (Sometimes Master
Mason's Certificate). Document given by many Lodges to Masons
when made, attesting the fact. Not to be confused with receipt
for dues or good standing card which attest payment of yearly
obligations to Lodge.
DISCALCEATION: Removing of
foot covering as sign of respect or veneration for that which
is holy.
DISPENSATION: Grand Master can dispense with certain Masonic requirements; the dispensation is the paper carrying that permission. Also the temporary document given a new Lodge by the Grand Master prior to its receiving a charter or warrant from Grand Lodge.
DOTAGE: No set number of years, but enough to have dulled the senses and impaired the intelligence. Some men live to an advanced old age without going into dotage; others become senile early. Dotage is a bar to Masonic initiation
.
DUE GUARD: Probably
contraction of the French Dieu Garde-God guard. A mode of
recognition. Salute at Altar
EAVESDROPPER: One who
listens for that which is private. Early operative lodge
buildings had openings under the eaves for ventilation. Those
who tried to listen through these openings received the
droppings from the roofs; hence the name.
EDICT: Decree of Grand
Master or Grand-Lodge. Obedience is obligatory on all Masons.
Non compliance with a Masonic edict is contumacious.
[Contumacious = Stubborn, perverse, or rebellious. Willfully
and obstinately disobedient.]
ESOTERIC: That which is
secret, not for the uninitiated, not printed. Compare with
EXOTERIC: That which is printed, known, non-secret, available
to any one.
FLOOR-CLOTH: Same as
Carpet. In ancient times emblems were drawn upon the lodge
floor in chalk and erased after a meeting. To save trouble a
cloth was later substituted for the floor.
FREE-BORN: Necessary
condition for a Masonic initiate. Denotes one with no known
slave ancestry. [On
FREE WILL: (Free will and accord) Voluntary. No man is solicited to be a Mason. He must come of his own will and state that he has done so, several times during initiation.
GOAT:. Mythical animal supposed to be present in Lodges to
"butt" the candidate. Association of the goat with Freemasonry
came from its enemies in the eighteenth Century, who declared
Masonry raised Satan in magical incantations in Lodge
ceremonies; as the goat was associated with the devil, it
became associated with Masonry through its traducers of two
hundred years ago. [In my opinion Masons do a disservice to
Freemasonry to make jokes about a Masonic goat to men who
petition a Lodge.]
GOLDEN FLEECE: Order of chivalry in
GORMOGONS: Anti-Masonic
GRAND HONORS: Two methods of salute known to Masons; Private
Grand Honors, given only behind tiled doors, and Public Grand
Honors, given at funerals and cornerstone layings. Grand
Honors differ in form in different Grand Jurisdictions.
GRAND ORIENT: Governing body of the Scottish Rite in foreign
countries.
GREGORIANS: Another anti-Masonic body organized in the 18th
century to ridicule Freemasonry.
HAIL: To greet.
HALE: Perfect, healty.
HEAL. Properly to initiate one improperly or illegally made a
Mason.
HEEL: Part of the foot.
HELE: To cover or conceal. [The phrase Hele and Conceal is
reinforcement in the vow to privacy.]
HIGH TWELVE: ; .
HIRAM: Name of a King; name of the Builder; sometimes the name
of the Master's gavel.
HIRAM ABIFF: Translated Hiram, my father, or Hiram, his
father; "father" used as a term of respect.
INDENTED TESSEL: Ornamental border rounding the mosaic
pavement of Solomon's
JEWELS: (Movable). In this country, the
rough ashlar, the
perfect ashlar and the trestleboard. (Immovable). The square,
the level and the plumb, so termed because of the immovable
stations of the officers who wear them. Emblems worn by Lodge
officers.
JUST AND REGULARLY CONSTITUTED: Said of a Lodge with the legal
number of brethren to open and work, and brought into
existence properly and by lawful authority.
K
LANDMARKS: The ancient usages, customs, rules and laws which
cannot be changed without altering the character of
Freemasonry. No final determination, satisfactory to all
Masonic authorities, has ever been made as to an exclusive
list of Landmarks.
LEWIS: The son of a Mason. In former times a Lewis might be
made a Mason before he was of age.
LIBERTINE: Today, a dissolute, son, a licentious person;
formerly a dissenter, an unbeliever, or freethinker, who did
not did not subscribe to the doctrine of the Church.
LION'S PAW: Name of a form of recognition among Masons; is
often associated with the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (The
Messiah).
LOW TWELVE: .
MADE: A Fellowcraft is "made a Mason" in the third degree. [In
MAKE: "To make" is to confer the third degree.
MASON AT SIGHT: In most Grand Lodges the Grand Master may
convene as emergent Lodge under dispensation, and cause it to
confer the degrees on a candidate of his choice. One made a
Mason "at sight" is an unaffiliated Mason; no Grand Master has
the power of making such a Mason a member of a Lodge. Only the
Lodge can do that.
MAUL: (Usually setting maul). Often confused with gavel; the
setting maul is a heavy instrument used for tapping stones
down in place. Has prominent part in Master's degree.
MOCK MASONS: Apostate Masons in 1747 who paraded with profanes
to the Grand Feast.
MONITOR, MONITORIAL: The book containing the exoteric work of
the degrees; monitorial, instructions from the `book. In many
Grand Jurisdictions called manual.
MYSTIC TIE: Expression used by Robert Burns in poem saying
farewell to friends in a Scottish Lodge; now symbolically the
bond uniting all Masons.
NORTH: Masonically and symbolically a place of darkness.
NORTH EAST: Place in which cornerstones are laid; place of
first Masonic instruction. North East, half way between North,
a place of darkness, and East, source of light, has always
been a symbol of a commencement, a beginning; a new
construction, new endeavor.
OATH: Incorrectly used as synonymous with obligation. The
obligation is a promise; the oath is the calling upon God to
witness. In court one takes an obligation to tell the truth;
the oath is "So help me,
God." Tiler's oath; taken by committee and visitor prior to examination to determine if visitor is a Mason.
OBLIGATION: it is a tie, a bond, an agreement, a profession of intention, a responsibility, a duty agreed upon, a constraint of action, a pledge, an acknowledgement of promises made.
OBLONG SQUARE: A rectangle; the shape of a Lodge.
OCCASIONAL LODGE: Same as Emergent Lodge
.
OCCUPIED TERRITORY: State where a single Grand Lodge reigns or
two or more share by mutual agreement, and in which no other
Grand Lodge can come in without committing the Masonic offense
of "invasion of jurisdiction."
PASSED: Describes the advancement from Entered Apprentice to
Fellowcraft.
PASSWORD: Word by which one identifies himself to another;mode
of recognition
.
PAST. Describes an officer not now in office, such as Past
Master, Past Grand Master.
PAST MASTER'S DEGREE: Second degree in Royal Arch Masonry;
also conferred on Masters in many jurisdictions before
installation.
PASSING THE CHAIR: The ceremony of making an elected Master
eligible to installation, in jurisdictions where this custom
prevails
.
PENALTY: Masonic penalties are expulsion, indefinite
suspension, definite suspension and reprimand.
PLENTY: Symbolized by sheaf of wheat, or ear of corn,
suspended near a waterfall or water-ford.
POMMEL: The globes topping the pillars in [the] porch of King
Solomon's
PROFANE: A non-Mason. From meaning "without the
RAISED: Word signifying the completion of the ceremony of the
Master's Degree.
REFRESHMENT: Lodges are called "from labor to refreshment"
meaning to rest from work. Does not always mean something to
eat and drink.
REGULAR: According to duly constituted authority. An
"irregular&q uot; Lodge is one not properly and legally
constituted by a recognized Grand Lodge.
ROMAN EAGLE: Symbol of the imperial power of the
STS. JOHN:
SANCTUM SANCTORUM: The hidden. inner place, the holy of
holies, the secret room of the
SCALD MISERABLES: Another society opposed to Masonry in the
eighteenth century.
SHIBBOLETH: Ear of corn; stream of water; password.
SPECULATIVE: Title formerly applied to a non-operative member
of the builder's craft; now applied to all Freemasons.
STAR AND GARTER: A famous English order, A.D. 1349.
SUBLIME: Applied to the third degree of Masonry, because of
its lofty teachings.
SUMMONS: Order from Master or Grand Master to appear at a
meeting. Failure to answer is a Masonic offense.
TESSELLATED: Small mosaic work; a board design, usually of
squares.
TOKEN: From the Anglo Saxon word, “TACN” meaning a gesture, a
sign. It is a mode of recognition. In Biblical days the word
was used to signify a memorial, or other reminder, of a
covenant or promise; such as the Rainbow is a promise of God.
A Token is never a thing, it is rather an act.
VALE: Same as dale; valley; a low depression between high
points from which approach of visitors may easily be seen.
VOUCHING: Statement by one brother another person is a Mason.
WIDOW'S SON: Hiram Abiff, "a widow's son, of the tribe of Naphtali."
WORK: Masonicly, the conferring of degrees.
WORSHIPFUL: Applied to a Master, a Lodge; Most Worshipful to a
Grand Master or Grand Lodge. In