-
Articles/Ads
Article THE VISIBLE SYMBOLISM OF FREEMASONRY. Page 1 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Visible Symbolism Of Freemasonry.
THE VISIBLE SYMBOL ^
BY R . W . A . G . MACKEY . { Continued ' from page 182 . ) Hekce we learn from the great Jewish historian , that in constructing the Tabernacle , which gave the first model for the Temple
at Jerusalem , and afterwards for every Masonic Lodge , he applied this principle of symbolism to every part of it . He divided it into three parts , to represent the three great elementary divisions of the universe—the land , the sea , and the air . The first two , or anterior portions , which were accessible to the priests and the people , were symbolic of the land and the sea , which all men might inhabit ; while
the third , or interior division— -the Holy of Holies , whose threshold no mortal dared , to cross , and which was peculiarly consecrated to God—was emblematical of heaven , His dwelling-place . The veils , too , according to Josephus , were intended for symbolic instruction in their colour and their materials . Collectively , they represented the four elements of the universe . And in passing it may be observed ,
that this notion of symbolizing the universe characterized all the ancient systems , both true and false , and that the remains of the principle are to be found everywhere , even at this day , pervading Masonry , which is but a development of these systems . In the four
veils of the Tabernacle , the white or fine linen signified the earth , from which flax was produced ; the scarlet signified fire , appropriately represented by its flaming colour ; the purple typified the sea , in allusion to the shell-fish murex , from which the tint was obtained ; and , for an obvious reason , the blue was emblematical of the
air I . need not detain you with an elaborate detail of the whole system of religious symbolism as developed in the Mosaic ritual , ¦ yoiu in , 2 A r
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Visible Symbolism Of Freemasonry.
THE VISIBLE SYMBOL ^
BY R . W . A . G . MACKEY . { Continued ' from page 182 . ) Hekce we learn from the great Jewish historian , that in constructing the Tabernacle , which gave the first model for the Temple
at Jerusalem , and afterwards for every Masonic Lodge , he applied this principle of symbolism to every part of it . He divided it into three parts , to represent the three great elementary divisions of the universe—the land , the sea , and the air . The first two , or anterior portions , which were accessible to the priests and the people , were symbolic of the land and the sea , which all men might inhabit ; while
the third , or interior division— -the Holy of Holies , whose threshold no mortal dared , to cross , and which was peculiarly consecrated to God—was emblematical of heaven , His dwelling-place . The veils , too , according to Josephus , were intended for symbolic instruction in their colour and their materials . Collectively , they represented the four elements of the universe . And in passing it may be observed ,
that this notion of symbolizing the universe characterized all the ancient systems , both true and false , and that the remains of the principle are to be found everywhere , even at this day , pervading Masonry , which is but a development of these systems . In the four
veils of the Tabernacle , the white or fine linen signified the earth , from which flax was produced ; the scarlet signified fire , appropriately represented by its flaming colour ; the purple typified the sea , in allusion to the shell-fish murex , from which the tint was obtained ; and , for an obvious reason , the blue was emblematical of the
air I . need not detain you with an elaborate detail of the whole system of religious symbolism as developed in the Mosaic ritual , ¦ yoiu in , 2 A r