The Masonic Leader

We hear of the Jewish Shekel and Half Shekel mentioned many times during King Solomon’s reign and the building of the Temple. During King Solomon’s time the Shekel and Half Shekel were used as a weight or measure. It was used by the Ancient Hebrews, by which the value of metals, metal vessels, census taking and other substances were fixed.

The Shekel and half Shekel being well known Biblical coins, are now a rarity. The first of these coins were struck during the first revolt of the Jews in A.D. 60-70, and bear a Chalice on the obverse with the denomination in Hebrew, and on the reverse a Branch with three Buds and “Jerusalem the Holy, half Shekels were also struck. The Silver Half Shekel of Silver (Half Shekel of Israel), was formerly believed to have been made at the time of Simon Maccabee, but is now credited to the period of the first revolt. On the obverse side is a “Chalice or Cup of ‘Manna’, the inscription in Hebrew reads “Half Shekel Israel”. On the reverse is a “Triple Lily, thought by some scholars to be the “Budding Rod of Aaron”, The inscription reads “Jerusalem the Holy”.

The second revolt led by Simon Barcohba, the leader of the Jews in their great Insurrection against the Romans, under the Emperor Hadrian, from 131 to 135 A.D. Three times had the oppressed Jews revolted without success from 115 to 118 A.D.; and in 130 A D., soon after Hadrian’s  return from Syria, a new rebellion broke out, for which they had been secretly prepared. At the head of it was Simon, who assumed the name of Barcohba, i.e. “Son of the Star”, pretending that the prophecy was to be fulfilled in him. “There shall come a Star out of Jacob” (numbers 24:l7). He fought at first with great success against the Romans, and even caused them to evacuate Jerusalem, where he was proclaimed King, and caused coins to be minted in his name, that bore the legend “the liberation of Israel.”

During the revolt, hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed, many were executed, and very cruel edicts were subsequently issued against them. From this last struggle dates the final dispersion of the Jews over the face of the earth. The Holy city was razed to the ground, and rebuilt as a Pagan city called Aelia Capitolina, and a Temple to Jupiter was erected on the site of the ruined Holy Temple. The Jews still retain in their liturgy, hymns which they chant in mournful memory of this last tragic event.

The second revolt Shekel depicts the “Screen of the Tabernacle with the Ark of the Covenant” and the Hebrew inscription “Deliverance of Jerusalem”, together with a couple of “Twigs” and a “Citron”. A typical copper Shekel of the second revolt depicts a “Vine Leaf” with the inscription “Second year of the deliverance of Israel”, and on the reverse side a “Palm Tree”, with the words “Simon”.

Three different kinds of Gold, Silver and Copper Shekels axe mentioned; the common Shekel, the Shekel of the Sanctuary (probably of double value), and the Shekel of Royal weight.

The Sacred Shekel was equal to 20 Gerahs (beans), and 3000 Sacred Shekels made up a Talent. The heavy Gold Shekel is reckoned approximately to contain 161 Troy grains, the  Silver Shekel 275.

The first dated coins appeared about the fifteenth century.

All ancient coins were very crudely made, according to today’s standard. Gold and Silver coins were invariably stamped, and most Bronze and Copper coins were cast.

The Mysteries existed for a simple reason: to satisfy the desire of those who wished to know the truth of who we are, what happens at death and what Divinity is. Certain Mysteries achieved widespread fame: those of Demeter and Kore at Eleusis for example (dating from at least the 6th century BC), and those of Isis and Osiris (from perhaps thousands of years earlier). Then there were the Mysteries of Mithras, of Dionysus, Bacchus, Orpheus, the Great Mother and many others. And as evidence slowly emerges, even the Great Pyramid is being seen as a place of initiation rather than burial.

A classical writer, Themistios wrote that when death comes, “the soul suffers an experience similar to those who celebrate great initiations. Wanderings astray in the beginning, tiresome walking in circles, some frightening paths in darkness that lead nowhere… And then some wonderful light comes to meet you…” (Burkert.W. Ancient Mystery Cults. Cambridge (Mass.) 1987, p.91 and p. 162.n. II)

The Mysteries demanded complete secrecy from its initiates. This demand was taken very seriously at Eleusis. Those who failed to keep their vow to do so would face the death penalty. For this reason we have no direct ‘inside’ information giving details of the rituals, passwords, texts and inner meaning of the symbolism of the secret rites. We have only fragments from observers who saw those of the events which occurred beyond the inner sanctum and a few tantalizing  hints from initiates or from scholars who had gleaned a little of what the secrets involved.

Know thyself-, nothing in excess; remember to keep silent. From the Mysteries of Eleusis, Greece.

The only ‘insider’ account is by an initiate into the mysteries of Isis, author Lucius Apuleins of Madaura. Even so, he does not violate his oath of secrecy. Nevertheless, he does reveal what occurred:

“…listen, and believe that what you hear is true. I approached the very edge of death and stood upon Proserpine’s doorstep, I returned home traveling through all the elements; in the middle of the night I saw the sun, a bright shining and glittering light; I entered the presence of the gods of the lower-world and the go& of the upper-world and adored them from close by.”

(from Metamorphoses, author’s Trans.)

His request for us to listen has a deeper meaning. The Latin word Audi, translated as ‘listen’ has the further meaning of ‘to learn’ or ‘understand’. Apuleius is challenging us to listen behind the words and symbolism to know the true meaning of this short ,exposure’. He traveled to the gates of death Proserpine (in Greek, Persephone) was the wife of Hades, king of the Underworld. There, in the middle of the night, he experienced the bright mystical light; he was humble in the presence of Divinity. Born again, he celebrated the next day as his birthday by a banquet with his friends.

Parallels with Freemasonry

While we cannot argue that Freemasonry directly derives from the ancient mysteries, or even that it has retained certain practices carried down through the centuries (it might have done, but we cannot point to any proof of this) we can show that many parallels of symbolism exist. In some way Freemasonry shares a symbolism in common with these ancient rites. And how much does Freemasonry share the understanding of that symbolism? We cannot answer this question definitively but it is certainly plausible to suggest that an understanding of the hidden meanings managed to survive the centuries.

The mystical rites of Eleusis lasted for three days. We can see a similarity in our own rituals: each of the three degrees in Freemasonry is a symbolic day; each is opened at sunrise in the east for work by the Master and closed with sunset m the west by the Senior Warden. And there is a further mysterious parallel here, of course, which relates to Christian mysticism and the three days of Easter.

The Temple Of Edfu

Inside, standing in front of the far wall, is the naos, the carved shrine for the statue of the god. This is a finely shaped and polished solid block of stone several yards high. But this naos at Edfu is curious, the rear of it is rough and unfinished; just as it was when it was taken from the quarry This combination of rough unfinished stone, out of which emerges the visible smoothed and highly polished structure suggests a parallel symbolism with the rough and the smooth ashlars present in every lodge.

In Freemasonry, the rough ashlar symbolizes the unrefined and ignorant man. The smooth ashlar represents the man who, by virtue of his Masonic progress, has become refined and perfected: able to support the harmony of society. It is reasonable to ask whether the ancient Egyptians at Edfu had in mind a similar symbolism of an initiate’s progression when they carved the naos for Horus.

For the Mysteries touched the very center and source of life itself, that too is Freemasonry’s aim if we take the Third Degree charge seriously. It would be very odd indeed if our symbolism did not carry some of those same hidden meanings which were most valued by the ancients.

Anon

Writing is comparatively speaking, of recent origin. A painter, artist, author, columnist or sculptor attaches his signature to the finished product, indeed all works either bear the signature of the author or some distinguishing trade mark.

In olden times however, before written language, it is quite obvious that all works were recognized by their author’s marks, and even today, marks are still used for purposes of identification. Marks, therefore, have never been the monopoly of Masons, many marks, particularly on some of the world’s oldest buildings are thousands of years old. And, let me say here, Mason’s marks are not secrets, but simply methods of recognition; and it is clearly demonstrable that they serve a useful purpose in aiding Masonic or other students to put together a history of not only buildings and great structures, but a history of the builders themselves.

Collecting and comparing them has done much to enlighten us about the old operatives who spread all over Europe, during the Middle Ages, under the protection of the Church, with the assistance of great Monarchs and Kings, and who finally were known as Freemasons.

Most of these old operatives banded themselves together in lodges and research show they practiced many of the rites and ceremonies which had their origin in Ancient Egypt, Phoenicia and even earlier cultures, and in these lodges, every Mason had his own mark, thus distinguishing one man’s work from another’s.

We do know that every lodge in Scotland during the 1600’s & 1700’s kept a book of Marks which registered the name, (generally the mark), and the trade or profession of each new Apprentice and every member. The Schaw statutes of 1598, probably the oldest, the earliest Masonic Constitution in Britain, required that the name and the mark of all FC’s & M.M.’s  be registered in a book kept for that purpose.

We find marks on the great works of the ancient Romans, Assyrians, Greeks, Chinese and Egyptian Temples, on the ruins of nameless structures of Judea, in fact, everywhere that architecture has been fostered, wherever man has chosen to erect noble edifices either to God, or for his own glorification.

These marks, were of every form and character as numerous and varied as the men who made them, and were a language to the illiterate operatives as they wandered from place to place. These men, governed by their own rules and laws, lived a separate life from the local people where they were working, and were “free” masons in the fullest sense, moving on to other places as their works were completed.

We know they were most strictly supervised by their superiors, were most careful of the choice of apprentices and could only be set to work by the officers, belonged to many nations, were bound by ties of brotherhood and placed their marks on the great cathedrals and palaces of Europe.

The Dyonisiac artificers, built the mighty temples of Greece and Rome, and were known to have been an organized body at least 1,000 years BC, and they expressed their marks as flowers. leaves, fruit, animals, fish, beautifully made, expressing symbolically, their names and preserving them to posterity.

The illiterate nobles of Europe, adopted these marks into their coats‑of‑arms and by these marks we remembered them, as also the totems and tattoos of the savage tribes, even our recent forebears, the convicts, had a distinguishing mark, some still preserved, and it is apparent on the banners of the Israelitish tribes, a symbol by which a man and his clan are recognized. In India and Ceylon, marks were engraved in red on the foreheads of the natives, again, a form of recognition and with some peculiar significance. The Master Architect of the ancient Yucatans impressed his own hand, covered with red paint upon the stones, leaving a perfect impression of fingers and palm, a perfect form of identification and setting his seal of approval on the finished work.

The Tau of the Hebrew Alphabet is found on many ancient monuments, thus approving the finished work, the Tau or Toth, being the final letter of the Hebrew Alphabet and this Tau mark is used by Hindus at the present time and is very frequently marked on their foreheads in red clay. Every stone in the foundation of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London bears the Mark of the masons who cut it, and can be verified by a visit to the underground lodge or temple built in the park at Windsor, designed by Sir Christopher Wren where an examination of the old records, giving the Marks of the builders of St. Paul’s and comparison with the marks on the foundation proves that the Mark degree was an integral part of their lives and this was long before Masonry as we know it today, was known.

A deep study of Masonry inevitably leads one to the conclusion that the Mark Degree is not a legend, but is based on the actual facts of the V.S.L., the stones of the Temple being marked and placed in their proper position so that no trace of the sounds of axes or hammers was heard.

This is the origin of the Mark Degree, and it is quite clear, in my mind, that every entrant to a lodge of operative masons, as well as later to the speculative lodges, had to record his mark, writing not being in use, and whether he was a Mark Man or a Mark Master, he still had to present his Mark in the same manner, as from earliest history.

As practiced today, the earliest known reference to the Mark Degree occurred at Portsmouth, England, on the 1st September, 1769, being introduced by Thomas Dunckerley, the Provincial Grand Master, into the Phoenix Royal Arch Chapter at Portsmouth. It has also been claimed to have originated in Scotland and the records of the Lodge of Edinburgh, record that it was worked in December 1598. It seems fairly clear, from studies of the old records that in olden days of Operative Masonry there was only one ceremony given, but in two parts: 1. Reception as an Apprentice;  2. Passing to Fellow craft or Master.

All the evidence that has been gathered over the years show that the Entered Apprentice and Fellow craft degrees, as we know them, are a division of the Apprentice Degree into 2 parts, and that the Mark Master and Royal Arch Degrees are a division of the Mark Master degree, which when received, made one a fully qualified Mason.

That great Mason and historian, Joseph Fort Newton, in his volume: “The Builders”, states:‑

“Our present Craft nomenclature, is all wrong, the old order was first, Apprentice, then Master, the Fellow craft, being, not a degree conferred but a reward of skill as a workman and merit as a man.”

The confusion today, he claimed, was due to the German Guilds whereby a Fellow craft was made to serve two extra years as a journeyman in order to be recognized and accepted as a Master.

In England, the reverse was true, as it was the Apprentice, not the Fellow craft, who prepared the Masterpiece which if accepted, made him a Master. Having gained his Mastership, he was entitled to become a Fellow of the Craft, and from having previously served them, he was now a peer and fellow.

It is necessary to show the distinction between a Master and the Master of the Work, represented today by the Master of the Lodge. They were both Masters and Fellows and could only become a Master of the Work, provided they had sufficient skill and were lucky enough to be chosen as such, by either the employer or the Lodge.

Although the Lodge of Reconciliation in 1813 stabilized the ritual, creating 3 degrees the “Ancients” had to waive their claim to the inclusion of the Mark with the Fellow craft, as the majority decided it did not come up to the definition of pure and ancient masonry, and it would appear that the ‘Mark’ was regarded by the moderns as a spurious addition to Craft Masonry.

It is reasonable to surmise in reference to the Mark Degree, that interpreting the Fellow craft Degree as being designed for speculative masons, the further teachings of the Mark Degree were used when an operative brother was admitted.

Mark Masonry, although tabooed by the U.G.L of England was kept up, however, in Scotland. A committee appointed in 1868 by the Grand Master of Scotland reported that the Mark Degree had been worked from time immemorial, long before the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and was worked by operative lodges of St. John’s Masonry, the degree was clearly, originally an operative one, and was superior in antiquity to any Grand Lodge or Grand Chapter.

In the 1600’s, Mother Kilwinning Lodge, the oldest in Scotland, had Masons choose their Marks and charged 4/‑ for them, (an enormous price then.). In 1778, it was resolved in the Banff Operative Lodge, that all Masons must be raised to Master Mason before receiving the Mark and the price was 1/6.

Mark Masonry made very little impact in England until March 5th, 1856, when the U.G.L of England decided unanimously that: “The degree of Mark Mason or Mark Master, is not at variance with the ancient landmarks of the Order and that the degree be an addition to and form part of craft masonry and could be conferred by all regularly warranted lodges, under such regulations as shall be sanctioned by the Grand Master.”

The decision was negated when brought up for confirmation on the grounds that it was a breach of the Articles of Union, which only allowed 3 degrees plus the Holy Royal Arch. The U.G.L. had blundered, because, in 1857, the Mark Grand Lodge was formed, housed itself in the Mark Masters Hall, London, is still there and most of the prominent masons of the day, including King Edward, took a great interest in it.

However, in 1851, some of the English brethren who were unwilling to join an untried organization such as the Grand Mark Lodge, applied to and were granted a charter from The Bon Accord Chapter of Aberdeen, quite irregular, of course, and was later rescinded

Much bitterness was aroused also, when Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland offered charters to Mark Masons in England, and this invasion of English territory had a lot to do with the formation of the Mark Grand Lodge of England, and since its formation, Mark Masonry has flourished throughout British Territories, Dependencies, and what, at that time, were the Colonies. Up until recently, there were some 800 Mark Lodges and about 120,000 members, but these are exceeded by the Scotch Lodges and Chapters throughout the world.

Unlike all other degrees in Freemasonry, the Mark degree has only one emblem, the keystone, and the whole degree is woven around this symbol. The symbol we use today is different from the ancient keystone, it being cone‑like in shape, with the point cut off and was revered as the most sacred portion of the Arch.

We can appreciate the importance of the keystone in the operative sense, but to us, it not only is the jewel of the degree, bears the MMM’s Mark, but teaches us to appreciate the fact that honest work, faithfully performed, even though unappreciated, will vindicate itself and bring just rewards. It teaches us to practice charity of thought, as well as deed, and not to judge harshly or condemn others through lack of understanding.

The high ideals of the Mark Degree are eloquently set forth, in the beautifully worded charge at the end of the ceremony, the essence of which is whatever our successes or failures, whatever happens to us, our duty is to grasp firmly our Masonic Principles that Mark Master Masons will never fail us, and to remember that the stone rejected by the builders became the head of the corner.

This gives us the key to the Vault in which the Principal Sojourner is about to descend. The whole scene is changed; it is no longer the Hell, whether of the “After death” or of the “Mystic,” but the abyss of chaos. “The earth was without form and void.” This   describes the dark void of nothingness out of which God created – LIGHT, not, be it noted, the earth, that was to come later.

We are also told in the passage that “The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” This is the vitalizing spirit which penetrates into the void and creates therefrom the visible universe. Here we have a hint of the deepest of all religious mysteries, namely, God the Un-manifested, manifesting Himself forth. Therefore the Principal Sojourner, symbolizing the Divine Spark, descends into the black void of man’s innermost nature and discovers that it is God Himself Who manifests us forth likewise. But for the Divine within us even our physical bodies could not exist in this mundane world, which itself is a manifestation of God.

It is difficult to grasp such a profound thought. Even as we seem to grasp it, it eludes us, but if we ponder over the matter we shall see that this is true. When a man dies his body disintegrates – why? because God – the Divine Spark – the Spirit, has withdrawn from the body, and so as He no longer manifests Himself in its form it passes back to the formless void from which it came. Thus we see that the Principal Sojourner, symbolizes not only the Divine Spark in man, but something vaster and greater; the Spirit of God manifested forth in all Ills vast creation. Nevertheless, God manifested in creation is not all that is God, there still remains behind God the Un-manifested, symbolized by the Principal.

In like manner after the mystical resurrection man must descend into the Void itself, in order to comprehend the nature of the Supreme Being. This Void is often called the Ocean, and the experience is different from that of entering the mystic hell. In a sense we may say that though it is blacker than Bell, yet there is no suffering therein, and the descending soul bears with it its own light.

The instructions, “In order to restore yourself to your personal comfort,” strike a rather worldly note after such profound teaching, but it is nevertheless a valuable piece of evidence that the candidate. should be prepared as a M.M., otherwise he cannot be restored to his personal comfort, for he has never been deprived of it. Mystically it teaches us that the descent into the Void is not accompanied by suffering as is the case with the previous descent into Hell. In this connection it is well to bear in mind the old saying, “God dwells in the silence.”

The Three Strangers.

The three strangers come from Babylon, this world, to the gates of the mystical heaven. It will be noted that they know their old home, thereby implying that after the mystical resurrection man knows that he is “A child of God,” but much of his old traditional faith has faded away, and as yet he has no clear cut conception of God by which to replace what he was taught once, but never really absorbed.

The question of  Z., “Are you not descended?” etc.; means are you men who have abandoned your old beliefs for fear of what the outside world thinks? There are men who having been brought up in a certain doctrinal faith throw it over, not because their consciences will not permit them to accept those beliefs, but because other people laugh at them. Such men are not true mystics or seekers after truth. They are mere word lings who want a “Comfortable and respectable religion.” Their disbelief, like their former belief, is merely copied from others, and repeated parrot wise. The Divine Spirit will never reveal the true secrets to such men. Neither will the Divine Spirit help those who conform blindly to established religious dogmas because it pays to do so. Those who serve religion not from conviction but for what they can get out of it, are not true seekers after God. These men are aptly described as the “menial tribe.”

It is quite possible for a man to be a true mystic and yet find after deep heart searching that he can understand and accept every tenet of the faith into which he was born. Such a one the Divine Spirit will lead onward to greater light. The difference between him and the worldly follower of the established religion is that he has not merely accepted those teachings because he was taught them, and it saves trouble to say he believes in them, but has learned within himself to know that for him, at any rate, they are true.

In like manner, the true mystic may find that to him certain doctrines appear false, and he feels bound to reject them, often with pain and sorrow, because to him they are not true. The Divine Spirit will guide him likewise; but the man who drops such beliefs merely because they are not popular is worse than the man who sticks to them without attempting to understand them, for he is a traitor and a coward.

The reply of the Principal Sojourner indicates that all true seekers after truth are Sons of God, the King of Kings. The seventy years represents that period of doubt, difficulty and despair which we have already dealt with under the name of the mystic hell, described by Bunyan as the Bondage of Christian in the dungeon of Giant Despair. Cyrus represents conscience, and acts as does the Principal Sojourner in the preliminary part of the ceremony when he releases the candidate. from the darkness of the V.. So conscience, or the Divine within, causes our resurrection, or release from bondage, in order that we may set forth to find the true secrets in the Holy City of Zion.

The reply of the strangers, “Any position to which,” etc., obviously implies humility. The path to the knowledge of God is humility, and the warning is peculiarly appropriate, for one of the besetting temptations of the mystic, who has passed through the mystic hell into the light of the resurrection, is to feel contemptuous of those who have not gained by experience what he has learned. It is not easy to bear with patience the ignorant remarks and the ofttimes ill-natured comments of those who criticize without having any real knowledge of the subject. Yet the mystic must restrain his indignation, he must learn “To suffer fools gladly,” and this is perhaps his hardest task. Therefore he must be prepared to do whatsoever the Lord sets him to do, for in the humblest task he may perchance find the key to the great mystery whose meaning he is striving to comprehend.

The Z. dismisses the three strangers with the significant phrase, “May the God of your fathers,” etc.. Though his old faith lies dead, the Truth which was in it will aid the candidate to discover the new Truth which he seeks, for Truth is ever the same, and though one set of doctrinal garments may appear to be worn out, the Truth they cover is ever new and ever old. God has taught men since the dawn of history; outward forms change, but the essentials are ever the same, although often we fail to perceive this fact.

J. S. M. Ward

The Lodge in which we as M.E.M. now work, and in which we confer the Degree of M.E.M. on those who are found worthy, is presumed to represent the Grand Lodge of Excellent Master which existed In Babylon during “the seventy years cf the captivity.’

The period began in the third year of Jehoiakim, and ended in the first year of Cyrus. Shortly after the death of the wise King of Israel disaster came upon his dominions. During the reign of Rehoboam , his son and successor, ten of the twelve tribes revolted and as a consequence the Jewish people were divided into separate kingdoms of Judah and Israel.

The Kingdom of Judah retained Possession of the Temple, but presently Jerusalem was attacked from without, and after a series of stirring events, it was finally captured and looted by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who carried away captives first Jehoiakim and finally Zedekiah, the last king of Judah,

The City surrendered at midnight in the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah to Nebubzaradan, the captain of the Babylonian Guards.

According to the Masonic tradition that general rifled the Temple of its sacred vessels, (other authorities maintain that the treasures of the house of God had been carried off at an earlier date), set the Temple and City on fire, and carried the citizens captive to Babylon, the ancient capital of Chaldea, situated on both sides of the Euphrates, and once one of the most magnificent cities of the ancient world.

At length, in the seventieth year of their captivity, Cyrus an his ascending the throne and commiserating the calamity which had befallen the ancient people of the Lord, issued an edict granting them permission to return to Zion and rebuild the Temple which the earlier king had laid in ruins.

Here in alien surroundings, the Jewish captives continued for three score years and ten, during these years, they would naturally seek to preserve their identity in the land of their captors; and such of them as followed the Masonic Craft, would find a common meeting place in the Lodge.

Only those who were descendants of the children of the captivity were admitted membership, and doubtless at their meetings they would frequently sigh for their old home, from which they were exiled.

This, they were slow to do. Under the care of Zerubbabel the prince of Judah, who was assisted by Joshua the High Priest, and Haggai, the Scribe, they returned to the land of their fathers. But, previous to their departure, they agreed upon certain signs and tokens to mark them out from the rest of their brethren. These were communicated in the Lodge of Excellent Masters which was arranged and furnished after the pattern of a Craft Lodge with this difference that it was divided into separate compartments.