A Short Lesson in Masonic Emblem
By Rudy
Olano. IPM
26Dec05
“Masonry is a progressive moral science, veiled in
allegories and illustrated in symbols.”
The Lessons of
Freemasonry is often presented through the use of representation of
something close to the subjects.
What the students see or hear are not to be taken literally. The system is designed to challenge our
"corporeal and mental faculties to their fullest energy." And just like a good teacher, the Order
will make the serious student to
---Think. Often times, we hear
voices of concern regarding this method of instruction and that the Craft as
a whole needs to change and adapt to the present time. In
my own myopic view, we should return to the basic or more traditional way
in place of the contemporary system.
Quality rather than quantity. A simple question of the reasons behind
the indirect way of conveying the message through the use of symbols or
allegories sounds a reasonable.
However, the other or direct way might take away the one feature
which makes the study of Freemasonry unique. Resembling an attempt to define beauty,
the meaning of symbols and allegories will depend in the eye of the
beholder.
Almost everybody
recognizes the Square and Compass as the popular symbol of the Fraternity. Along with All-Seeing Eye, beehive and
other emblems mentioned in our lectures, the hourglass is also a symbol of
the Order. To non members, the
hourglass is always a primitive watch use to approximate time. And as the modern era advances from
mechanical to digital age, the hourglass is relegated as a museum
artifact. For Masons, the hourglass
does not represent time rather; it is a symbol of life. It reminds us that we, as mortals have
only limited amount of sand within the glass. As each particle passed through the
portal that determines the speed of passage, one had to reflect that in
spite of of the accomplishments, accolades and
future hopes, those sands will continue to pour regardless. And when the last grain falls out, then
life as we know it in this world will be over. The hourglass represents man's
limitations of his mortal existence.
It is an emblem of Life not of Time since the former is finite while
the latter will always outlive and consistently beyond the reach of our
mortal life.
In this short Lesson of
Freemasonry I hope to convey that in the study of our Craft which you are
so interested, one should be really careful on what you read or see for
they could mean something else. Veiled in allegories and illustrated in
symbols. Not because we don’t
understand things meant it is wrong or in need of
change. If I am be allowed to
whisper a soft counsel to brother ears---don’t be frustrated since a number
of our own brethren who joined the Craft for their own personal ambitions
do not even ask half of your own questions.
For further reading of Masonic Symbols, I humbly offer the following
link: http://www.calodges.org/no279/5junesymbl.htm
