Interesting Masonic Facts
Delivered 10-Nov-1992 at Comox Lodge #188
by Wo. Bro. Jim English
Adoniram, who occupies a position of importance in Masonic Ritual is first mentioned in the Book of Samuel, 24th chapter where he was noted as being the Chief Receiver of Taxes for the House of David. Seven years later it is mentioned in the 1st chapter of Kings that he performed those duties for King Solomon, and thus was intimately involved in the construction of the Temple at Jerusalem. It goes on to record that he also performed those duties for Solomon's successor, King Rehoboam. He thus served three kings in succession as collector of taxes, and must have been fairly zealous, as 47 years after being first mentioned, was stoned to death by a group of unhappy citizens, or rather taxpayers. The site of his tomb, according to Talmudic legend, is Saguntum, in Spain, where he was interred following his death. Jesuits, visiting the site in 1480, discovered a sepulchre with a tall embalmed corpse, and an inscription that they interpreted as saying "The sepulchre of Adoniram, the servant of King Solomon, who came hither to collect tribute". Curious and possible!
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In lodges of the 1700's the emblems and symbols of the different degrees were drawn on the floor of the lodge with chalk or charcoal. They were obliterated at the end of each meeting because lodges met in rented rooms, and they did not want strangers viewing their secret writings. As this was troublesome and messy they were next painted on cloth or canvas, carried to each meeting and laid on the floor, hence the name 'carpets'. Today, these carpets, or charts as they are now called hang from walls or frames, and are displayed as required for the different degrees.
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Benjamin Franklin is remembered as one of the signatories to the Declaration of Independence and a prime contributor to the events of 1776. Born in Boston in 1706, he was a man of vision, action and invention, and, as seen in "Poor Richard's Almanac", a man of humour. Before 1734 he journeyed to England, and was probably made a mason at that time. On June 24th, 1734, he signed a petition to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts praying for permission to form a lodge in Philadelphia. This petition was granted and he became Grand Master of Pennsylvania. As the events of 1776 began, he was at the forefront and counted among his friends a number of Masons including George Washington. Indeed there was speculation that the participants in the "Boston Tea Party" had been at a masonic meeting prior to their act of defiance. On September 3rd, 1883 in Paris, the first treaties were signed, recognizing the United States of America. Franklin stayed on as Ambassador to France, and affiliated with the Lodge of Nine Sisters. He participated in the initiation of Voltaire on February 7th, 1778 and was Senior Deacon at the Lodge of Sorrow held on May 30th, 1778 held in his memory. Upon returning to America be brought his masonic revelations with him, and infused the lodges with his masonic knowledge. Freemasonry in America thrived, and was called "American" or "Ancient" work by Masons elsewhere. This leads me into my next topic..that of the origins of the so-called 'Ancient' or 'American' and 'Canadian'.
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I have often wondered how it was that Concord Lodge came to adopt the American ritual and my grandfather's lodge in Vegreville, Alberta the Canadian work? When gold was discovered in California in 1849, the word spread fast, and a huge number of men made their way on ships via Cape Horn to San Francisco, and thus on to the gold fields. They brought their Freemasonry with them. I saw evidence of that in the Masonic cemetery in Virginia City, Nevada. The next gold rush was to Alaska, the Yukon and the interior of BC at Barkerville. Gold seekers began their odyssey at Victoria and Vancouver. Hence we have Victoria Lodge #1 and Vancouver #2, both using American work. The next Lodge was formed in Nanaimo as Ashlar #3, and in 1914 Ashlar sponsored Concord #79 and we naturally adopted the American or Ancient ritual. At the same time, Canada was forming and by 1867 there was enough political will to form what in known as the 'Confederation of Canada'. BC agreed to enter, upon being assured that a railroad would be built "from sea to sea". Masonry in Eastern Canada had evolved from English Emulation work and was called Canadian, Grand Lodge being formed in 1855. As the railroad was being built across Canada, the masons who stayed in each of the small communities, formed lodges and adopted the Canadian work, thus Vegreville, on the CNR line, did Canadian work.
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Catherine the Great of Russia, a German born Princess, distrusted the Masonic movement, and in 1762 prohibited all Masonic Meetings in Russia. She was later persuaded that she was wrong, and revoked her prohibition. She ended up supporting the constitution of new lodges, going so far as to call herself "Protector of the Lodge of Clio in Moscow. Upon her death in 1776 Masonic Lodges were again prohibited and masons persecuted by her successor Paul I, Emperor of Russia.
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It seems that, as our FC are raised to the degree of a MM, someone in the anteroom will mention 'riding the goat'. The real origin of this form of activity as a rite of initiation lies in antiquity itself. The Greeks and Romans portrayed their God Pan in horns and hoof and shaggy hide. In early Christian times Pan gave way to Satan, who inherited the horns, hooves and beard. As the witch stories of the Middle Ages became popular, the devils and witches next appeared, riding on a goat. As Freemasonry, with its secret meetings, developed and spread, illiterate and superstitious people equated it with witchcraft, so the attributes of riding a goat were transferred from witches to masons, and has been carried forward in folklore to the present time.
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The town of Joppa was seaport town that supplied Jerusalem during the construction of King Solomon's Temple. By 1870 it was called Joffa, and today is a suburb of the modern Israeli town of Tel Aviv.
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Following the formation of the Grand Lodge in England in 1717, a number of lodges were formed, and, as was the custom they were named by a number only. By 1723 there were 20 lodges, numbered 1 through 20. By 1738 there were 106 lodges, and a second descriptive portion was being added, such as Lodge #6 at the Rummer Tavern in Queen Street, Lodge #84 at the Black Bag in Castle Street, or Lodge #98 at the Bacchus Tavern in Little Bush Lane. This continued until the close of the 18th century, when Lodges began to be called 'The Shakespeare Lodge at Stratford-on-Avon', 'The Royal Brunswick at Sheffield' and 'The Lodge of Apollo at Alcester'. Since that time the delineation has included both name and number, along with an addendum of a location.
It is interesting to note that all early lodges met at taverns, and always in upper rooms. By having a separate room, raised and accessed by a stairway only, privacy and secrecy were thus secured. 'Cowans and eavesdroppers' were thus circumvented. Today, a great number of lodges have carried on this tradition, but out reasons are now more practical...the people who rent the commercial space below the lodge rooms pay for the mortgage and maintenance of the lodge building.
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In the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredatha, Hiram Abiff cast all the sacred vessels or King Solomon's Temple, as well as the pillars for the porch. This place is 35 miles NE of Jerusalem, and selected because the clay there was very tenacious, perfect for making bronze castings. Even in the 19th century this clay was being used by jewellers to reproduce small pieces of brass and jewelry, in a technique that has not been changed in 4000 years. A wooden model of the piece to be cast is made, perfect in all its proportions. This is placed in a box, and clay packed tightly around it. The mold is then separated, the model removed and the edges of the mould reapproximated. A small channel is cleared, and the heated metal slowly poured in, filling all the void areas. Upon cooling the clay is removed and the casting cleaned up and smoothed, ready to take its place in the overall sculpture, where the pieces are brazed together. The pillars were an exceptional example of casting skill, as they were hollow, with the sides 4" thick, 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference, or thereabouts. Dimensions vary, but the basic size remains incredible, as was the undertaking that produced them.
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The last Grand Master of the Knight's Templar was Jacques de Molay. He was born in 1240 at Besoncian in Burgundy, and joined the Templars in 1265, and proceeded to the Holy Land where he distinguished himself. In 1298 he was elected Grand Master. Seven years later, in 1305, he was summonsed to France by Pope Clement V, under the pretence of uniting the Templars and Hospitaliers. He was received by Philip the Fair, King of France, and spent the next 2 years in France. On April 6th, 1307 he and his 3 principal officers were arrested, tortured over the next 7 years, and finally burned at the stake on the Ile de Orleans near Paris on March 11. 1314.
In the Middle Ages, it was customary to bury Knights Templar and other knights who had taken the vow to fight in defence of the Christian Religion, with their legs crossed. This posture can be seen in a number of stone edifices in England and Europe, including Westminster Abbey.
King Solomon's temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon in 588 BC, 416 years after its dedication. The whole city of Jerusalem was levelled and the inhabitants carried off as slaves. Although the temple was burned and pillaged, the deep foundation remained, and were the site of the housing for the Knight's Templar.
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JACHIN is the name of the right hand pillar which stood in the porchway of KST, and derives from the Hebrew Jah or God and 'iachin' will establish. Therefore it means God will establish, and is the pillar of establishment.
BOAZ is the name of the left hand pillar which stood in the porchway of KST, and derives from the Hebrew B or "in" and oaz "strength" and signifies "in strength".
Tubal Cain..in the book of Genesis, he is mentioned as the son of Lamech and Zillah, and was "an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron", and the founder of Smithcraft. He symbolizes labor, and reminds us that a Mason's labor is to acquire truth, not worldly possessions.