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Volume 1 - Issue 12December 2006

Lodgeroom International Magazine

From All Of Us
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2/21Freemasonry: Its not about me changing them , Its about me changing me .


LodgeroomInternational

MagazineCover:The Brethren Who Have Contributed

thisYear to Making this Magazine a Success

Published by:Willam McElligott, P.M.

R. Theron Dunn

Due and timely notice:

Neither the editors, publishers or writers of thismagazine represent themselves as speaking FORany grand lodge or official body. The material ispresented for informational purposes only, and

is solely the opinions of the authors, editors andpublishers.

Questions or Comments:

[email protected]

Volume 1 - Issue 12 - December 2006

Happy Holidays!!Featured ArticlesMasonic Christmas Story

By Wor. Bro. C.S.L. (Laurie) Lund &V.W.Bro. R.G. (Ron) Dixon ........................................ 3

Lodgeroom International GroupAnnouncements ............................................... 4

Lodgeroom Over Simpkins Store .......................... 4Between The Square and Compasses

By Bro Ren Gunon ................................................. 5Why Past Masters Disappear by Wr. Tim Bryce. ........ 5Where Were the Seeds of Freemasonry Sewn?

By Wr. Bill McElligott ............................................... 6The Solstitial Doors By Bro Ren Gunon .................... 6The Old Potter By Unknown ........................................... 7The Carpet By Wr. Giovanni Lombardo ......................... 7

Regular FeaturesBetween The Pillars ................................................. 2Masonic Humor .....................................................19Valuable Links to Masonic Works........................ 20The Last Word .......................................................21

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Between The PillarsAn EditorialMerry ChristmasHappy Channaka

Happy SolsticeBy R. Theron DunnThis has been anawesome year. It hasbrought many changes, inmy life, in this magazine,in the LodgeroomUS,L o d g e r o o m U K ,Lodgeroom PHA and in

the Lodgeroom International Group.

This is the end of the first year of publishing theLodgeroom International Magazine , andwithout the help of all of you, we would not bewhere we are today. This magazine, thanks tothe contributors you see on the cover, hasreceived truly international recognition.

We have brothers in Bulgaria, Russia, Australia,the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada,France, Italy, Austria, Japan, Mexico and morecountries than we have room for... we are truly,The Lodgeroom International Magazine!

We have received recognition from thePhilalethes Society and a number of GrandLodges, and at least one United Grand Lodge. Iwant to thank all the contributors, and all thebrothers that passsed this magazine on to theirfriends and brothers.

So here, in no particular order, are the men whohave filled these pages with wit, wisdom, andLIGHT! From Top left to bottom right:

Wr. Bill McElligott, Wr. Theron Dunn, Wr. AdamKendall, Wr. Franceschetti Bottone, Wr. JarrodMorales, Wr. David Beresniak, Most WorshipfulDan Robey, P.G.M., Br. Peter Dowling, Wr.David T. Lang, Frisjoth Thuen, Br. Galen Dean,Br. Gary Bond, Wr. Giovanni Lombardo, Br. Jeff

Peace, Wr. Robert Trachtenberg, Rev. Br. WayneMajor, Most Worshipful Carl Claudy, P.G.M., Wr.Tim Bryce, Br. Lance Ten Eyck, Wr. Albert G.Mackey, and Wr. Albert Pike.

With the help of these brothers and others, nextyear promises to be even better than this year.For those that missed any of this years issues,back issues are available on CD for $10 for thewhole year, or $5 for January through June orJuly through December.

Next year starts off with a new column, The Meaning of the Ritual . This will be a monthly

examination of the deepermeaning within the ritual.It will involve steppingwithin the outer portico,and will be an in-depth look at the ritual in a historicaland and esotericperspective.

To start off the year, we will begin with anexamination of Wr. Prince Hall, who the brotherwas and what the Grand Lodge movement hestarted means to us today. We will look at thehistory of the Prince Hall Grand Lodges, thebrothers who have been Prince Hall Masons,where they started and where they are today.

We will also examine the issue of regularity, whatit means. We will also look at recogntion of PrinceHall Grand Lodges, where the MainstreamGrand Lodges are on the issue, what is being doneto extend universal recognition, and why it is soslow in coming.

That will be the January 2007 issue. Februarywill examine Masonry during the civil war, withstories of Masonic brotherhood extending across

the lines both to the north and to the south.

Yes, the coming year promises to be an excitingone, and you can be a part of it. If you havesomething to say, or something you would like tosee included in The Lodgeroom InternationalMagazine, please send it to:

[email protected]

Please include a 2x2 300 DPI color head andshoulders photo with your submission.

The Lodgeroom International Magazine is

published as a service to the brethren, so there isnever any cost associated with it. Please, passthe magazine on to your lodge brothers andencourage them to subscribe so they will get themagazine monhtly.

Thank you for making 2006 a banner year, andwe look forward to seeing you around TheLodgeroom International Group forums:

LodgeroomUSLodgeroomUK

LodgeroomPHA
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A Masonic Christmas StoryPosted December, 1997

By Wr.. Bro. C.S.L. (Laurie) Lund &V.W.Bro. R.G. (Ron) Dixon

(With Apologies to Clement C. Moore)

Twas nigh afore Christmas at the Freemasons Hall(Civil Services regular), the order was tall;Reams from Grand Lodge, a notice of motion,A ballot or two and a pause for devotionTo brethren departed of the year 94,Plus a candidate who would soon walk the floor.

Our own Junior Warden, when faced with the crunchSaid, Lets all call off and go upstairs for lunch.

The Master replied, as Masters all do, Intoned in avoice reserved for the few, Before we partake of the fellowship there Is the summons to read and aballot to clear.

Not to mention the candidate, hes quakingwith dread at the stories of whether the goathas been fed.

The Master, exhorting the brethren to work,A firm grip on the gavel, he turned with a jerk To the Secretary, putting a shine to each lens,Polished both to a lustre and reached for his pens.

Its half past the hour, the Master then wincedAt the stuff left to do and remained unconvinced

That the evening would go as smooth as hed hoped,since hed gone to the trouble of feeding the goat.

Though the ballots behind us, the notice is gone,Grand Lodge is finished, the work still goes on.

The Inner Guard knew as the Tyler did tooThat knock, knock and knock was the rightthing to do.

The goal of masonicpride.org is very simple. Wewant to provide a home focusing on what makesus proud to be Freemasons, and serve as a portalto all of the wonderful resources that internetFreemasonry has to offer.

What we are is a group of Freemasons that lovethe Fraternity. We are comprised of writers,speakers, and Masons interested in theprogressive growth of Freemasonry.

While all Masons and non-Masons alike arewelcome to visit us and frequent our forum, to

be a member of the Masonic Pride group, onemust not only be an active internet Mason,

but also making a difference in their Lodgeand Community, showing that they are

proud to be a Freemason.

In April of 2006, we launched TheMasonic Pride Project. The

Masonic Pride Group is a smallgroup of writers and speakers whoscommon goal it is to bring out the best

in internet Masonry, for the

common goal of moving thefraternity forward in the

most positive way possible.We feel that there are several

challenges in todays Masonry, and are ready tohelp tackle these big issues, but will simply notdo it by attacking an individual brother or aspecific Grand Lodge.

Simply put, the Masonic Pride group is interestedin personal responsibility and accountability, andhow we as individual Masons can impact thefraternity at the local level, impacting ourcommunities and our families.

Our work will be complete with a monthlypodcast and access to the most excellent Masonicpublications available on the web today.

The reasoning behind this project is really verysimple. There is much work to be done, and wewant to send the message, and tackle theseproblems in a positive way. By doing it this way,be hope to build credibility. To be a part of TheMasonic Pride Group, we can be visited on theweb at www.masonicpride.org.

PODCAST

Show #1 April 2006 (20 Megs)

Show your Masonic Pride!

Sidebenchers slept soundly and were only stirredWhen the crack of the candidates knuckles washeard.

The slight groan that penetrated lips that werepursed Appeared to the Deacon as just a light curse.

Onward they travel, the guide and the manSeeking truth and enlightenment wherever they can.

The secrets were given, the grip and the token,Obligation was offered, the words then were spoken.

Though never, not once, was one heard to gloatAs the Entered Apprentice never did meet the goat.

The evening now ended, the candidate clear.

The Junior Warden entreats from the South us tohear; The oath we look forward to right from thestart,Happy to meet and sorry to part.

Christmas had come to Civil Service that nightAs men came together under the light;Giving freely of time as a labor of loveAs we bent to the task of the Most High above.

To Stewards, to Deacons, the Tyler, the GuardThe Wardens, the Master, who all work so hard,To Past Masters steady, Sidebenchers too. ToTreasurer, Chaplain, the D. of C. who Help carrythe Lodge, year in and year out;

To your family extended, a warm Christmas time.Thank the G.A.O.T.U. weve run out of rhyme!

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Lodgeroom Inter national Magazine

Lodgeroom International GroupAnnouncements:

The Newest Member of TLRIntGroup Masonic Forums!The Lodgeroom International Proudly Announces the addition of our newest member forum:Lodgeroom Prince Hall:

www.lodgeroomuk.net/PrinceHall

January Issue of The LodgeroomInternational MagazineThe January issue of The Lodgeroom International Magazine will feature articles discussionissues related to Prince Hall Grand Lodges:

Who was Prince Hall?What is the History of Prince Hall Grand Lodges?Where is Prince Halls Original Charter Stored?Famous Prince Hall MasonsOn Regularity and RecognitionWhat is Wrong With This Picture?and much more...

Lodgeroom InternationalMagazines New Montlhy ColumnStarting with the January 2007 issue, Lodgeroom International Magazine will institute a newcolumn: The meaning of the ritual. Each month the magazine will present a column dealingwith the tenets, teachings, ritual of the first three degrees. We will obviously avoid discussionof the secrets, that is the manner means and modes of recognition, signs, grips and words.Those are proper issues for open tyled lodges. If you have something to say about the teachings,please let me know so I can include your article.

January: The Manner of PreparationFebruary: Minerals and MetalsMarch: Why were you thus received?

April: Perambulation

There are many lessons of vast importance contained inthe Entered Apprentice Degree of Freemasonry. Theselessons are so important to the author of this book that hehas been so bold as to title the book, Everything I neededto know about Freemasonry; I learned as an apprentice.Worshipful Brother Stephen Dafoe is not a Freemasonwho takes his craft lightly. He is often fond of saying,We do not need more men in Masonry, but more

Masonry in men . Every page of this book reflects thatexpression. The book is one mans reflection on the lessonslearned in that first degree and is a thorough examinationof the philosophy taught with each step, pace and gesture.In so doing, Dafoe has not created a dry account of thefirst degree, but rather a book that will inspire allFreemasons to get back to the basics.

To Order this book or any item in this magazine, go to:

http://mason-defender.net/recommend.htm

$15 00

The LodgeroomOver Simpkins

StoreThe plainest lodge room in the land was over

Simpkins store,Where Friendship Lodge had met each month

for fifty years or more;When oer the earth the moon, full orbed, had

cast her brightest beams,The brethren came from miles around on

horseback and in teams;And O! what hearty grasp of hand, what

welcome met him there,As mingling with the waiting groups they

slowly mount the stair,Exchanging fragmentary news or prophecies of

crop,

Until they reach the Tylers room and currenttopics drop,

To turn their thoughts to nobler themes theycherish and adore,

And which were heard in meeting night up overSimpkins store.

Podcasts Now AvailablePodcasts of Lodgeroom International Magazine in Audio Format:

http://podcast.lodgeroominternational.com/

You can download and give these articles toany Blind or partially sighted Freemason,it would make a great Xmas present.

Continued on Page 9 - Simpkins Store
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Between The Square And TheCompasses

Bro Ren Gunon

From The Great Triad

THERE is one particularsubject which on examinationreveals a: most remarkableparallelism between the Far-Eastern tradition. and the

initiatic traditions of the West. This is the questionof the symbolic values attached to the compassesand the square. As we pointed out earlier, theseclearly correspond to the circle and the square;[1]that is, they correspond respectively to thegeometrical figures representing Heaven andEarth.[2]

Masonic symbolism, in conformity with thiscorrespondence, normally places the pair of compasses on top and the square underneath.[3]Between the two symbols we usually find theBlazing Star which is a symbol of Man[4] and,more specifically, of regenerate man:[5] withit, the Great Triad is completed. It is also statedexplicitly that a Master Mason always findshimself between the square and the compassesin other words in the very place in which theBlazing Star is inscribed. As this place is noneother than the Invariable Middle,[6] this meansthat the Master is being equated with true manexercising the function of mediator midwaybetween Heaven and Earth. This equation is allthe more exact becauseat least symbolicallyand virtually if not in actual factMasteryrepresents completion of the lesser mysteries;and the goal of these mysteries is, precisely, thestate of true man.[7] In other words, what wehave here is a set of symbols that is strictlyequivalent to the symbolism we have alreadyencountered in various different forms in the Far-Eastern tradition.

We would like to mention another point while onthe subject of Mastery. The characteristics of Mastery as we just described them correspond tothe final grade in Freemasonry, and this fits inperfectly with the fact we have drawn attention

to elsewhere,[8] that the craft initiations (alongwith the initiations derived from them) all relateto the lesser mysteries. This is certainly not todeny that in the so-called higher grades(themselves composed of elements of very mixedorigin) we find several allusions to the greatermysteries. At least one of these allusions can betraced back directly to the ancient OperativeMasonry, and this shows that originallyFreemasonry was capable of opening perspectivesonto regions that lay beyond the bounds of thelesser mysteries. What we are specificallyreferring to here is the distinction made in Anglo-Saxon Freemasonry between Square Masonry and

Arch Masonry. In the transition from square toarchor from triangle to circle,[9] to use theterms adopted by eighteenth century FrenchFreemasonry to describe the same thingwecome back once again to the fundamentalopposition between square (or, more generally,rectilinear) figures as representative of Earth, andcircular figures as representative of Heaven.There can therefore be no doubt that we areconcerned here with the passage from the humanstate represented by Earth to the supra-humanstates symbolized by Heaven (or theHeavens).[10] In other words, what is beingdescribed here is transition from the domain of the lesser mysteries to the domain of the greatermysteries. [11]

To return to the parallelism between Westernand Eastern tradition, we should add that the compasses and square are not onlyimplicitly present in the Far-Easterntradition in the sense that they are theinstruments used for tracing the circle and the square: they also feature there explicitly.Perhaps the most important single exampleis their use as attributes of Fu Hsi and NiuKua. Although we have already mentioned

this fact before,[12] we did not then offer any explanation for one feature which at first sight could seem a strange anomaly. What we are referring to is the fact thatas acelestial symbol and therefore yang or masculinethe pair of compasses should strictly speaking belong to Fu Hsi, and thesquarea terrestrial symbol and therefore

yin or feminineto Niu Kua. But in fact whenFu Hsi and Niu Kua are depicted together,linked by their serpents tails whichcorrespond exactly to the two serpents of thecaduceus, it is Fu Hsi who holds the squareand Niu Kua who holds the compasses.[13]We do not have to look very far for the causeof this inversion, because what we have hereis the same exchange of attributes that wementioned earlier in relation to celestialand terrestrial numbers: an exchange whichin cases such as this can very appropriatelybe described as hierogamic,[14] Otherwiseit would hardly be possible to explain howthe compasses could belong to Niu Kua,especially when we bear in mind that thespecific sphere of activity ascribed to her defines her function as primarily one of maintaining the worlds stability.[15] What is more, this function allies her with thesubstantial aspect of manifestation, and stability is expressed in geometricalsymbolism by the cube.[16] As far as the

Continued on Page 9 - Between

Why Past Masters Disappearby W:.Tim Bryce, PM, MPSPalm Harbor, Florida, USAA Foot Soldier for Freemasonry

Have you ever been in aLodge where the immediatePast Masters seem toroutinely vanish? I have.

In fact, I have seen quite a few Lodges where itseems to be customary for the Past Masters todisappear. No, I do not believe an accident hasbefallen them, but you have to wonder why theyno longer take an interest in the Lodge. Did theyburn themselves out during their year in the East?

Were they there to simply get their Past Mastersapron and no longer care about the Lodge?

I have a theory on this phenomenon; basically, Ibelieve the more successful Past Masters returnto the Lodge to support it, and the less effectivePMs lose interest and drop out of sight. I haveseen this far too often to believe it is just acoincidence. Those Worshipful Masters whoworked hard and had what was considered a goodyear return to Lodge, if for no other reason, tomake sure the programs they instituted duringtheir year are perpetuated. They come to Lodgeto offer counsel to their successors and becuase

they truly enjoy attending Lodge with theirBrothers. On the other hand, the dysfunctional

Worshipful Masters cannot wait for their year toend and pass the hot potato over to someone else.This type of person either believes he did a good

job which nobody appreciated, or feels his officersand the Craft abandoned him.

I attribute the problems of the dysfunctionalWorshipful Master to our election process wherewe hang on to our antiquated policy of progressingthrough the chairs. Becuase of this, I have seenBrothers too often rise above their level of competency. Let me give you an example, I knowof a Brother in the western United States who,when called upon, heartily volunteered to be a

steward. He was happy with the position and dida great job working in the kitchen. And he wouldhave been happy to continue serving in thatcapacity, but he was encouraged by others to moveup the line of deacons, wardens, and finallyWorshipful Master. By his own admission, he hada bad year as Master and wished he had remaineda steward, but due to the tradition of the chairs,he found himself in a position he wasntcomfortable in.

The antithesis of the Lodges with the disappearing

Continued on Page 10 - Disappear

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Where Were the Seeds of Freemasonry Sewn?By Wr. Bill McElligott,P.M.

The development of thecraft guilds in MedievalSociety had a vast effect onthe institutional structureof most towns. At first,

when a town was founded, th ere was only oneguild and all the town inhabitants were membersof that guild. The guild's officials were thegoverning body of the town and were the oneswho exercised all the powers granted by the towncharter. This led to a hesitancy amongst the guildmembers in power to admit new members. Serfscould flee to the town, live there a year and aday, and so become freemen, but most did notgain admittance to the guild. This practice led tomost towns having an unprivileged sector withintheir population.

After a time, great differences in wealth andeconomic interests began to develop among themembers of the guild itself. Artisans were inclinedto make far less money than the merchants wholived by trade. The merchants were interested inusing their monopoly for importing goods and

selling them within the town to keep prices high.This annoyed the artisans who did not share inthe high profits. Gradually the structure of the"one" guild broke down as more and more artisansbroke away from the town guild and formed theirown separate corporations. This differed fromtown to town. For example, in Oxford the townguild still remained the dominant guild with otherguilds subordinate to it and the rules stipulatedthat no one could belong to an occupational guildwho was not a member of the town guild.However, this was the exception and not the normwhich was for the guilds to break off and form acomplete separation from the town guild. Thisleft the original "one" or town guild to becomethe merchant guild.

This formation process of the craft guilds lastedover many years. By the end of the twelfth centurythe only craft guilds found in England outsideLondon were those of the textile workers:weavers, dyers, and fullers. In London, the guildseventually became known also as liveries. A guildobtains its charter from the monarch, but its grantof livery since 1560 comes from the Court of Aldermen, who have to be satisfied that "....anumber of men of good repute from some trade

or mystery not already represented by an existingguild have joined together for a time sufficientlylong to justify the belief that they will continueto gold together and are not likely to fall apartfrom lack of interest or support."

This guild structure appeared a little earlier inFrance but it took until the thirteenth century forit to develop fully. In France, almost everyconceivable occupation was represented by a guild.There were butchers', bakers', sword makers',goldsmiths', tanners', leather workers', booksellers'and parchment-makers' guild. Even the prostituteshad a guild in some French cities, notably Parisand Toulouse. As a rule the members of a guildtended to live together on the same street.

In the first half of the 14th century the guilds of Florence, Italy were divided into the seven greatguilds called the Arti Maggiori (greater guilds)and 14 lesser guilds called the Arti Minori (minorguilds). Both the members of the greater guildsknown as the popolo grasso (fat people) and themembers of the lesser guilds known as the popolominuto (little people) could vote. The great guildsincluded the wealthiest and most powerful menof the city and were comprised of:

The Arte di Calimala (guild of workers in wool)The Arte della Lana (guild of wool merchants)The Arte dei Giudici e Notai (guild of judges

Continued on Page 10 - Seeds

The Solstitial DoorsBro. Ren Gunon

We have said that the twozodiacal doors, which arerespectively the entrance andexit of the cosmic cave; andwhich certain traditionsdesignate as the door of menand the door of the gods,must correspond to the two

solstices; and we must now make clear that thefirst corresponds to the summer solstice, that is,to the sign of Cancer, and the second to the wintersolstice, or to the sign of Capricorn. To understandthe reason for this, it is necessary to refer to thedivision of the annual cycle into two halves, one

ascending and the other descending.

The first is the period of the movement of thesun toward the north (uttarayana) , going from

the winter to the summer solstice; the second is that of the movement of the sun toward the

south (dakshinayana), going from the summer to the winter solstice. 1 In the Hindu tradition, the ascending phase relates to the deva-yana, and the descending phase to the pitri yana,which exactly coincides with the designations

of the two doors we have just mentioned: thedoor of men is that which gives access to thepitri-yana, 2 and the door of the gods is that

which gives access to the deva-yana; they must- ther ef ore be loca ted re spec tive ly at the beginning of the two corresponding phases, thatis, the first must be at the summer solstice, and

the second at the winter solstice. But in this case it is properly a question, not of an entrance and an exit, but of two different exits, inasmuch as the point of view differs from that which relates in a special way to the in initiatic role of the cave, even while it remains perfec tly compatible with the latter. Indeed, the cosmic cave is he re cons idered as th e place of manifestation of the being: after manifestingitself in a particular state, for example the

human state, the being will depart from it by one of the two doors dependin g upon the

spiritual degree it has reached. In one case, that of the pitri-yana it will have to return to another state of manifestation, which naturally will be represented by a re-entry into the cosmic cave thus env isaged. In the other case, on the contrary, that of the deva-yana, there is no further return to the manifested world. Thus, one of these two doors is both an entrance And an exit, while tile other is a final exit; but, as concerns initiation, it is precisely this final departure that is the ultimate goal, so that the being that entered by the door of men must, if it has effectively attained this goal, depart

through the door of the gods. 3

We have already explained that the zodiacssolstitial axis, which is relatively vertical withrespect to the equinoctial axis, must, in the annualsolar cycle, be regarded as the projection of thenorth-south polar axis. According to thecorrespondence of temporal symbolism with thespatial symbolism of the cardinal paints, thewinter solstice is in a way the north pole of theyear, and the summer solstice the south pole, justas the spring and autumn equinoxes correspondrespectively to east and west. 4

In Vedic symbolism, however, the door of thedeva-loka is situated at the northeast, and that of the pitri-loka at the southwest; but this should be considered only as a moreexplicit indication of the direction in whichthe course of the annual cycle moves. Indeed,in conformity with the correspondence just mentioned, the ascending period progresses

from north to east, then from east to south;similarly, the descending period progresses

from south to west, then from west to north, 5

so that one could say, with still greater precision, that the door of the gods islocated at the north and turned toward theeast, which latter is always regarded as theside of light and of life, and that the door of men is located at the south and turned toward the west, which, in parallel fashion,is considered as the side of darkness and of

Continued on Page 15 - Doors

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The Old PotterThe old potter who had lived many years at thefoot of the mountain passed away with no oneleft in the village to fashion the vessels of clay.When the Enlightened Master of the monasteryhigh in the mountain saw that there was a greatneed for someone to continue the trade, he sentout several of his students to seek for someonewho might agree to come live with them and work at the old potters wheel.

After a week had gone by a group of studentsreturned, filling the air with wonderful tales of what they had seen, calling for all who could hearthem to Come see what we have brought!

A crowd soon gathered and before them were setcups, bowls and all other manner of pottery of aquality unlike anything they had ever seen.Soon the Master appeared and asked, Where isthe home of this one of such skill and will hecome to our village to serve our needs?

We found his shop many miles to the east fromhere. He said he would gladly supply all of ourneeds, but he would not agree to come here tolive among us. they replied.

Take me to him. The Master said. I wouldmeet such a craftsman and I will implore him tobe our companion.

. . . . .

When the Master was shown to the pottershumble shop he was amazed and overjoyed withwhat he saw. Never had he seen such skilldisplayed. The form and balance of each piecewas poetry; the glazes glowed like precious gems.

Speaking in the silence of his own heart hesaid to himself, Truly such artistry must bethe product of an enlightened soul, I willquestion him to determine if I am correct inmy assumptions.

Tell me, my brother, it is said that in matters of strength, water is greater that the stone, but I ask you, which is more powerful, the mighty sea orthe raging river?

As the potter turned toward the Master, he caused

a single tear to fall from his eye.

With this the Master exclaimed, You are trulya man of the Path! Which discipline did youfollow to come to the light; what is the focus of your meditations?

To this the potter answered, In the calm, the pinetree composes no song to sing with the wind.

The Masters heart leapt in his breast and hebegged of him, Who was your master? Takeme to him that I might touch the earth beneathhis feet.

Then the potter scooped up some dust that hadgathered under the wheel. Cupping it in his palm,he spat into the dry clay, gently kneaded it andformed it into a small ball. He then took theMaster by the hand and forced his thumb into theball, creating a tiny bowl with a thumbprintclearly impressed into the damp clay. He removedit from his palm, blew his breath into its cavity,then placed it near the kiln to dry.

. . . . .

Three years later, having finished hisapprenticeship, the Master returned to the villagewhere he worked at the potters wheel for therest of his days.

The MasonicCarpet

Symbols carry out their task by themselves Jamblicus

Hic est sensus, qui habet sapientiam 1

Revelation

By. Wr. GiovanniLombardo, P.M.Lemmi Lodge #400

Introduction

In the foreword to TheMasonic Symbology,Br....... Ivan Mosca warnsthe reader not to search for

the initiates handbook,because: each symbol, each instrument, each ruleis a means to catalyze, to hold up, to favor theinner work.

Can an oriental carpet deliver a secret, esotericmessage to whoever is able to receive it? Myanswer is affirmative and, on the other hand, thewind blows wherever it pleases. 2

However, why the symbol? Which is the reasonof its allusive speech? The answer is indeedsimple: man cannot either explain or descriptemotions, intuitions and feelings. They take root

in the deepest soul, where the conscious reasoncannot grab them, and so they refer to theunspeakable, which can never be expressedadequately by words.

Mircea Eliade wrote: The symbol revealscertain aspects of reality the deepest aspects which defy any other means of knowledge. Images, symbols and myths arenot irresponsible creations of the psyche;they respond to a need and fulfil a function,that of bringing to light the most hiddenmodalities of being. Consequently, the studyof them enables us to reach a better

understanding of man - of man as he is,before he has come to terms with theconditions of History. 3 Man can thereforedisguise, degrade or even humiliate symbols,but he will never be able to pull them out,because mythos, more and better than lgos,direct speaks to the essential man, whom

History has not yet conditioned, making himto face the Sacred, which appears alluringand terrible at the same time.

Nevertheless this bare man does not lose hisdignity; he does not descend at the bestial level:to the contrary, he finds out his lost innocenceand rises over an Eden-like condition, thusdiscovering the common stock from which bothmen and gods stem, as Pindar said.

Here is a picture of my carpet: there are someroses, which lay down along the perimeter, thena thorn. Two equal and mirrorlike trees hug asquare; inside that, man can progressively see aneight-pointed star, a cross, a circumference, anda point.

* * *

The Rose and the Thorn

Early morning roses woke up to bloomAnd so they bloomed to get old.

In the bud they found both life and death.

These verses of Caldern de la Barca confirmthe rose symbolizes the reality in its becoming.By studying the so-called natural symbolism,Ren Gunon wrote that the rose in the West andthe lotus in the East symbolizes the productionof manifestation. 4

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To city eyes, a cheerless room, long usage haddefaced;

The tell-tale lines of lath and beam on wall andceiling traced;

The light from oil-fed lamps was dim andyellow in its hue;

The carpet once could pattern boast, thoughnow twas lost to view.

The alter and the pedestals that marked thestations three,

The gate-post pillars topped with balls, therude carved letter G,

Where village joiners clumsy work, with manythings beside,

Where beautys lines were all effaced andornament denied;

There could be left no lingering doubt, if doubtthere was before,

The plainest lodge room in the land was overSimpkins store.

While musing thus on outward form themeeting time drew near,

And we had glimpse of inner life throughwatchful eye and ear;

When lodge convened at gavels sound withofficers in place,

We looked for strange, conglomerate work, butcould no errors trace.

The more we saw, the more we heard, thegreater our amaze,

To find those country brethren there so skilledin Masons ways;

But greater marvels were to come before thenight was through,

Where unity was not mere name, but fell onheart like dew;

Where tenets had the mind imbued, and truthsrich fruitage bore,

In plainest lodge room in the land, up overSimpkins store.

To hear the record of their acts was music tothe ear;

We sing of deeds unwritten which on angelsscroll appear;

A widows case - four helpless ones - lodgefunds were running low;

A dozen brethren sprang to feet and offered notto slow.

Food, raiment, things of needful sort, while onegave a load of wood,

Another shoes for little ones, for each gavewhat he could.

They spake the last: I havent things like thoseto give - but then

Some ready money may help out - and he laiddown a ten.

Were brother cast on darkest square upon lifescheckered floor,

A beacon light to reach the white - was over

Simpkins store.

Like scoffer who remained to pray, impressedby sight and sound,

The faded carpet neath our feet was now likeholy ground;

The walls that had such dingy look were turnedcelestial blue;

The ceiling changed to canopy where starswere shining through;

Bright tongues of flame from alter leaped, theG was vivid blaze;

All common things seemed glorified byheavens reflected rays.

O! Wondrous transformation wrought throughministry of love -

Behold the Lodge Room Beautiful! - fair typeof that above.

The vision fades - the lesson lives; and taughtas neer before,

In the plainest lodge room in the land, up overSimpkins store.

Lawrence N. Greenleaf

Simpkins StoreContinued from Page 4

square is concerned, admittedly it could beargued that in a sense it is also anappropriate symbol for Fu Hsi in hiscapacity as Lord of the Earth, and servesas the instrument which he uses to measureit.[17] He will then coins-pond to theWorshipful Master who rules by the square,as he is described in Masonicsymbolism.[18] But if this is so it is becausein himself and no longer in association with

Niu Kuahe himself yin-yang, re-integrated in the state and nature of primor - dial man.From this new perspective the square itself acquires a. different significance. The fact that it contains two arms set at right anglesto each other invites us to interpret it as thereunion of. the horizontal and the vertical;and as we have seen earlier; horizontal inone of its senses corresponds to Earth, or

yin, and vertical to Heaven or yang. This is preci se ly th e reason why, in Maso nicsymbolism as well, the Worshipful Master ssquare is regarded as the union or synthesisof level and perpendicular.[19]

We would like to add one final comment onthe stylised depictions of Fu Hsi and NiuKua. Fu Hsi is shown on the left, Niu Kuaon the right.[20] This of course agrees withthe pre-eminence generally attributed in theFar-Eastern tradition to the left over theright, which we explained earlier.[21] But also, Fu Hsi holds the square in his left hand while Niu Kua holds the compasses in her right. Here the connotations of the symbolsthemselves call to mind the saying we havealready quoted: The Way of Heaven has

preference for the right; the Way of Earth

BetweenContinued from Page 5

prefers the left.[22]

By way of summary, an example such as thisshows very clearly how perfectly coherenttraditional symbolism always is. But at the sametime it also shows that it will never lend itself toany form of more or less rigid systematisation.The reason for this is that traditional symbolismmust remain capable of responding to andreflecting each and every one of the countlessvarying perspectives from which everything inexistence can be viewed. Thanks to this, it opensup possibilities for understanding which areliterally unlimited.

Notes:

[1] In Chinese, as in English, the same wordfangdenotes both the instrument and the figure.

[2] The different ways of positioning thecompasses and square in relation to each other inthe three degrees of Craft Masonry each have theirown significance. To begin with, the celestialinfluences are portrayed as dominated by theterrestrial influences; then they are showngradually detaching themselves, and finally asdominating the terrestrial influences in turn.

[3] When these positions are reversed the symbolhas a specific meaning that is to be comparedwith the inversion of the alchemical symbol forSulphur as a sign that the Great Work has beenaccomplished. Compare also the symbolism of the 12th Tarot trump.

[4] The Blazing Star has five points, and 5 is thenumber of the microcosm. This correlation isalso explicitly affirmed in cases such as thePentagram of Agrippa, which shows the starcontaining the actual figure of a manhead, armsand legs each corresponding to one point in thestar.

[5] According to an old ritual, the Blazing Staris the symbol of the Mason [one could equallywell say of the initiate in general] ablaze withlight in the middle of the darkness [of the profaneworld]. This description is obviously an allusionto the statement in the Gospel of St. John: Andthe light shineth in darkness, and the darknesscomprehended it not.

[6] It is no coincidence that the Lodge of theMasters is also called the Middle Chamber.

[7] For its bearing on the Masonic formula just quoted, it is worth pointing out that the Chineseexpression beneath Heaven ( Tien hsia ) whichwe mentioned earlier as a term for the cosmos asa whole is also open to another interpretationwhen considered from the strictly initiatic point of view. It then corresponds to the Temple of the

Holy Spirit, which is everywhere and which isthe meeting place of the Rosicrucianswho are

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also the true men (see Aperus sur lInitiation ,capters 37 and 38). We will also mention in thisconnection that Heaven covers and that

Masonic activities must be carried out, precisely,under cover, so that the Lodge itself becomesan image of the Cosmos. See The Lord of theWorld , chapter 7.

[8] Apeus sur lInitiation, chapter 39

[9] The triangle is here substituted for thesquare for the simple reason that both arerectilinear figures and thereforeinterchangeable. The symbolism itself is not affected in the least.

[10] Strictly speaking these termsdo not have the same meaning thatthey do in the Great Triadorrather, they correspond to theterms as used in the GreatTriad but at a level which isinternal to the manifesteduniverse. In this respectthey correspond to theterms used in theTribhuvana, with theone exception thatEarth here (i.e. Earth as symbolizing the humanstate as a whole) should be understood ascomprising both the Earth and the Atmosphereor intermediary regionof the Tribhuvana.

[11] . The vault of heaven corresponds to thecanopy of perfection alluded to in certain gradesof Scottish Freemasonry. We hope in a separatestudy to be able to examine in greater detail thearchitectural symbolism involved

[12] The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of theTimes , chapter 20.

[13] On the other hand no such inversion of attributes occurs in depictions of the Hermetic

Reb is: her e the com passes are held by themasculine half (associated with the Sun) and thesquare by the feminine half (associated with the

Moon). As for the correspondences with Sun and Moon, it is worth recalling our comments in anearlier note on the numbers to and 12, and also

the words of the Emerald Tablet The Sun is its father, the Moon its Mother. This statement refers precisely to the Rebis or Androgyne which isthe single thing containing in itself the combined virtues of Heaven and Earth. The Androgyneis of course single as far as its essence isconcerned; so far as its outward aspects areconcerned it is dual res bina [just like thecosmic force we spoke of earlier. The symbolicserpents tails with which Fu Hsi and Niu Kuaare portrayed are of course also reminiscent of this cosmic force.

[14] Granet himself ( La Pense chinoise , p. 363)

BetweenContinued from Previous Page

specifically acknowledges this interchangebetween compasses and square, as well asbetween odd and even numbers. Unfortunatelythis has not prevented him from making themistake of defining the pair of compasses as afeminine emblem, as he does elsewhere (p. 267,note).

[15] See The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times , chapter 25.

[16] This interchange of attributes betweenFu Hsi and Niu Kua can be compared with

the situation in the third and fourth Tarottrumps, where a celestial symbolism

(stars) is ascribed to the Empress and aterrestrial symbol (cubical stone) to the

Emperor. Also, in position andsequence the Empress is associated

with the number 3, which is odd,while the Emperor corresponds to

the even number 4: the sametransposition expressed in a

different way.

[17] We will return to thisidea of measuring the

Earth when we discussthe lay-out of theMingTang.

[18] As organised andgoverned by Fu Hsi and his successors, theEmpire was constitutedjust like the MasonicLodgein such a way as to present an image of the whole Cosmos.

[19] Level and perpendicular are also attributesof the two Wardens and consequently are broughtinto relationship with the two terms of thecomplementarity represented by the two pillarsof the Temple of Solomon. It is also worth notingthat whereas Fu Hsis square is depicted witharms of equal length, that of the Venerable Onesnormally has arms of unequal lengths. Generallyspeaking it could be assumed that it is just aquestion here of the difference between a squareand an elongated rectangle; but in fact theinequality of the arms is also related specificallyto a secret of Operative Masonry regarding theformation of a right-angled triangle with sidesproportional to the numbers 3, 4 and 5. Later inthis study we will have more to say about the

symbolism of this triangle.

[20] Here of course right and left are meant toindicate the right and left of the figuresthemselves as opposed to the right and left of anobserver.

[21] By way of contrast, in the Rebis figure themasculine half is on the right, the feminine half on the left. Also, the figure only has two hands;the right one holds the compasses, the left thesquare.

[22] Chou Li.

DisappearContinued from Page 5

Masters are those Lodges where there are morePast Masters than ordinary Brothers. Its nice tohave the participation of the Past Masters, but if there are no ordinary Brothers sitting on thesidelines, I see this as a danger sign. There arethose Lodges where the Past Masters simplyrotate through theEast in order to perpetuate the Lodge. Soundsadmirable right? Maybe. But it also sounds ratherincestuous. I see this as a sign of stagnation andthe Lodge should start thinking about cultivatinga new crop of officers if it wants to remain a viableinstitution.

This brings up a point, we also have to be waryof those Past Masters who do not relinquishcontrol over the Lodge gracefully. Some overstaytheir welcome in an attempt to maintain controlover the Lodge. Occasionally this is done out of necessity, but a lot of times it is done to pacifysomeones ego. We should never lose sight of thefact that this is a volunteer organization. Its notabout control; its about who best can work, andbest agree.

Keep the Faith!

As with all of my Masonic articles, it is availableto be redistributed forinclusion in other Masonic publications and webpages (exceptFlorida). Simply add the following:

Reprinted by permission of the author.

SeedsContinued from Page 6

and notaries)The Arte del Cambio (guild of bankers)The Arte della Seta (guild of silk weavers)The Arte dei Medici e Speziali (guild of

physicians and pharmacists)The Arte dei Vaiai e Pellicciai (guild of furriers)

The fourteen lesser guilds included smallerbusinessmen and craftsmen.

These lesser guilds were often called the craftguilds and were comprised of butchers;shoemakers; blacksmiths; builders; secondhanddealers; wine-dealers; innkeepers; sellers of salt,oil and cheese; tanners; armorers; ironworkers;girdle makers; woodworkers; and bakers. Therewere many other crafts than are identified here,and they formed their own organizations butbelonged to the same larger guild.

These 21 guilds comprised only a smallpercentage of the population and yet held all the

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power. In order to hold political office, aFlorentine had to belong to one of the guilds. Theguild-member citizens assembled in the publicsquare to pass major laws.

Gentlemen were involved with one of the sevenliberal arts (grammar, logic, music, rhetoric,arithmetic, geometry or astronomy).

Below these twenty-one guilds were seventy-twounions of voteless working men. Below thesewere thousands of day laborers forbidden toorganize and living in poverty. At the bottom of the ladder were a few slaves. By the middle of the 15th century the number of guilds extendedto well over a hundred in Venice with suchindustries as shipbuilding, iron manufacturing,glass blowing, leather dressing and tooling, gemcutting and setting, textiles, etc.

http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/ Renaissance/guildhall/guilds/guildinfo.html

Medieval Guilds by Karen Ralls

Members of the craft guilds were divided intoMaster, Journeyman, and Apprentice. The masterwas a very accomplished craftsman who took onapprentices. Usually, these were boys in theirteens who were provided food, clothing, shelter,and an education by the master, in return forworking for them for free as an apprentice, oftenfor a fixed term of service from about five to nineyears. After this, an apprentice became a

journeyman, who was allowed to work for one oranother master and was paid with wages for hislabour. Once a journeyman could provide proof of his technical and artistic skills, by showinghis "masterpiece", he might rise in the guild andbecome a master. He could then set up his ownworkshop, and hire and train apprentices.However, to become a master was difficult, asmasters in any particular craft guild tended to bea select inner circle, who possessed not onlytechnical competence, but also proof of theirwealth and social position. It is difficult tooverstate the importance of these guilds in tradeand commerce prior to the industrial revolution.

But what does all of this have to do with the

western mystery traditions? Briefly, the secrets of the various crafts were jealously guarded by theGuild Masters, who also recorded every member'sname and individual mark. In many survivingmedieval (and other) buildings in parts of Europetoday, the original Mason's marks can still be seen,for example, and other guilds also had their uniquemarks and symbols. Perhaps a contemporaryexample might be the individual mark or stamp of the customs or Assay office, as in modern-dayBritain, to indicate quality and approval of worksmanship. In addition to marks or symbols,the guilds had other ways of communicating theirmore specialized concepts and religious traditions

SeedsContinued from Previous Page

- especially after the decline of the guilds, muchof the hidden knowledge was carried on bytravelling musicians, troubadours, meistersingers,and so on.

http://www.ancientquest.com/embark/guilds.html

Is it possible that Freemasonry is just an extensionof the Craft Guilds of the middle ages. Lets havea look at some of the evidence.

Carpenters, masons, and slaters

A man was referred to as warden of the carpentersin 1525, and in 1537 it was claimed that WilliamFrere, mayor, had recently incorporated thecarpenters, masons, and slaters. (Footnote 34) In1556 the council agreed to renew the corporationof joiners, carpenters, slaters, and paviours, andin 1579 there was a freemasons' company.(Footnote 35) In 1604 the freemasons, carpenters,

joiners, and slaters were given royal permissionto form a corporation under a master and wardenswhich should have a monopoly of the buildingtrade within the city. (Footnote 36) The universitydiscommoned the master and other members of the company in 1605 and 1606. The struggle wasstill continuing in 1609 when the city was hostileto the employment, for the building of MertonCollege quadrangle, of many 'foreign' masons;more men were discommoned; in 1610 38members publicly relinquished the companybefore the mayor and vicechancellor in the guildhall, but six stood firm. (Footnote 37) The masons'charter was recalled by the Privy Council in 1612,and had been handed in by late 1613, when itwas ordered that masons and slaters should work as freely in the city as hitherto. (Footnote 3

In 1640 the freemasons working on UniversityCollege chapel were imprisoned by the vice-chancellor for refusing to allow someroughmasons to work with them on the groundsthat they were not apprenticed to freemasonry.It appears that a guild had been re-formed inthat year which was not confined to masons, forone of the ringleaders was a joiner. Theuniversity claimed that the incident at the collegerepresented an attempt by about 40 members of the guild to combine against seven men whorefused to join. (Footnote 39) No furtherreference to a masons' company has been founduntil c. 1736 when its master was chosen by the

whole fraternity out of a group of four assistantson St. James's day (25 July). (Footnote 40) Bythe early 18th century there was a separatecompany of joiners.

Smiths

A smiths' guild existed in the mid 15th century.(Footnote 27) In 1667 smiths and watchmakers

jointly petitioned the city council over a matterof trade regulation, and in 1678 and 1690 thesmiths and farriers made similar joint petitions.(Footnote 2 In neither case was a companymentioned, but in the early 18th century there

was a company of locksmiths, gunsmiths, andfarriers, which appointed a master and twowardens on 24 June each year. (Footnote 29) Ablacksmiths' company was in existence in 1801when its flag was used in an election campaign

Tailors

In 1454 Thomas Wythig gave property to feoffeesfor the tailors' guild, the earliest clear referenceto their association. (Footnote 29) As early as1306, however, street celebrations of tailors onthe eve and day of the nativity of St. John theBaptist (24 June), (Footnote 30) later the feastday and founder's day of the craft, suggest thatsome form of craft association existed, andprobably it continued thereafter, for tailors werenumerous in the later Middle Ages. Wythig's giftof four tenements and a brewhouse wasconditional on the provision of a chantry priestfor the fraternity of St. John the Baptist in St.Martin's church. (Footnote 31)

The master and two wardens were to be electedannually on the Monday after St. John's day byall who had held the office of master or warden,and were to swear their oaths before the mayor.(Footnote 45) The company's officers were tomake quarterly searches for poor workmanshipand unlawful trading, and were empowered todistrain for fines or quarterages. All tailors in thecity and suburbs were to be free both of the cityand company and work only on freemen'spremises, never in any university or privilegedbuilding. Members should employ no more thantwo or three apprentices at a time, and shouldfirst present them for approval to the company'sofficers. As with other companies incorporatedby the city at that time it was agreed that thetown clerk should serve as steward, and thatinternal disputes should be settled by the mayor.

Full historical evidence is available for the aboveFrom: British History Online, Source: CraftGuilds. A History of the County of Oxford: VolumeIV, Alan Crossley (Editor) (1979).URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/ report.asp?compid=22813#s9

Cordwainers :

From the 16th century the guild was usuallyknown as the cordwainers' guild or company.

(Footnote 19) Its meetings continued to take theform of courts until c. 1530. (Footnote 20) Thechief officers were a master and a steward, butthe stewards, first recorded c. 1190, (Footnote21) were later known as wardens. (Footnote 22)There were 2, later 4, key-keepers, 2 leather-searchers, and, until the Reformation, 2 keepersof a light of Our Lady in the church of theCarmelite Friars. (Footnote 23) All were electedannually on the Monday after St. Luke's day (18Oct.), except that the steward's office appears tohave been at the nomination of the master until

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Continued on Next Page 14 - Seeds

the mid 16th century. (Footnote 24) The leather-searchers were not identical, although theyoverlapped, with the leather-searchers appointedby the town council. (Footnote 25)

Research point: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/ report.asp?compid=22813#s2

Also:

During the middle ages in Europe, working menof particular trades usually joined associationscalled craft guilds. These Guilds were forerunnersof the modern Unions and served to regulatedoccupations and preserved a monopoly of crafts .Weavers were probably the first to organize.Quickly the goldsmiths, saddlers, fishmongers,bakers, dyers, glove makers, and other craftsmensaw the benefits of organization and formed theirown separate fraternities.

In major cities such as Paris, London, and otherlarge cities there were as many as 50 or moreguilds by the 14th century. Although many of theguilds were authorized by the local government,some obtained their charter directly from the king.Guild Rules and Regulations Guild rules werestrict. They decreed that nonmembers could notpractice the trade within their territory.

In more liberal or sparser populated areas, aworker could become a member as soon as heshowed the required degree of skill. In cliqueyconservative areas, membership was difficult ,or impossible, to obtain. Membership waspassed on to sons or sons-in-law of members, orcould be purchased from a retiring member atextreme cost.

Guilds regulated standards of quality inmerchandise made and sold by their members,and penalties were invoked for inferiormerchandise. The weavers' guild, as an example,required a certain number of threads to the inchin standard cloths. As in modern Unions, hoursof labor were fixed, and night work or work onholidays was prohibited. At the beginning of theIndustrial age these Guild's insistence on obsoletestandards and processes became a severehandicap to modernization.

Guild's often provided for care of sick or needymembers and members' widows and orphans andsince the members of craft Guilds usually livedon the same street, the Guild served as a centerof social interest for its members.

Qualifying for membership in a guild involved along and underpaid (if paid at all)apprenticeship.The apprentice was bound out by their parents toan employer for approximately seven years. Theemployer committed to feed, clothe, and lodgethe apprentice with his family above or behindthe shop in exchange for the apprentices labor.


When the apprenticeship was completed, theapprentice was free to pursue their craft and work for daily wages. Often though, they opted to travelfrom town to town seeking more knowledge of their craft. If they were frugal and saved theirearnings, they might start a small shop and beaccepted for guild membership and privileges.

While the craft guilds dominated small retail sales,the organizations called Merchant Guilds held astalwart hold on the economy as many membersof these guilds engaged in massive wholesale tradewith distant places. The far reaching influence of one such group of merchant guilds provided thefoundation for the powerful Hanseatic League thatdominated the Baltic cities for centuries. TheMerchant Guilds held considerable authority incity governments, and their guildhalls weredesigned to reflect the power of their position.Many of these impressive buildings still standtoday. Another form of Guild that was seen in someEuropean cities was designed for charitable andreligious purposes.

h t tp : / / rena issance- fa i re .com/Renfa i res / Entertainment/History-of-Guilds.htm

Medieval England - daily life in medieval towns

Towns were built on trade, and the elite of townswere the merchants. Merchant guilds controlledtown government, though they often clashed withcraft guilds for power. Merchants needed stabilityfor trade, so they supported the king and theestablishment of a strong central governmentagainst the rule of individual nobles. The king,for his part, encouraged the growth of towns andtrade. Town charters became a major source of royal revenue. Eventually the growth of townsand guilds led to the breakdown of the manor-centred feudal society.

Merchant Guilds. Guilds controlled the trade ina town. Merchant guilds regulated prices, quality,weights and measures, and business practices.The power of the guilds was absolute in theirdomain, and to be expelled from a guild made itimpossible to earn a living. Each guild had apatron saint, celebrated religious festivalstogether, put on religious plays, and looked afterthe health and welfare of the members and theirfamilies.

Craft Guilds. Separate from the merchant guildswere the craft guilds, which regulated the quality,working hours and conditions of its members.There were three levels of craftsmen; masters,

journeymen, and apprentices. Parents paid a feeto place a boy with a master craftsman as anapprentice. There he received food, lodging (oftensleeping under the counter in the shop itself),clothes, and instruction in the craft.

Apprentices, Journeymen, and Masters. Theperiod of apprenticeship lasted for 2-7 years, afterwhich time the apprentice became a journeyman.The term has nothing to do with traveling; it

comes from the French "journee", (day), andmeant that the journeyman was paid by the dayfor his work. After several years as a journeymanthe craftsman would submit a piece of his bestwork to the guild for approval. If this "master-piece" was accepted he could become a mastercraftsman and own his own shop.

All townsmen were free, and this provided someincentive for serfs to run away to the towns. If they could remain there for a year and a day theywere considered free and could not be compelledto return to the manor.

ht tp: / /www.bri tainexpress.com/History/ Townlife.htm#merchantguilds

Almshouses are charitable housing provided toenable people (typically elderly people who canno longer work to earn enough to pay rent) tolive in a particular community. They are oftentargeted at the poor of a locality, at those fromcertain forms of previous employment, or theirwidows, and are generally maintained by a charityor the trustees of a bequest.

Almshouses so named are EuropeanChristian institutions. Alms are, in the Christiantradition, monies or services donated to supportthe poor and indigent. Almshouses wereestablished from the 10th century in Britain, toprovide a place of residence for poor, old anddistressed folk. The first recorded Almshouse wasfounded in York by King Athelstan, and the oldeststill in existence is the Hospital of St. Cross inWorcester, dating to circa 990.

In the Middle Ages the majority of Europeanhospitals functioned as almshouses. See thehistory of hospitals.

Almshouses have been created throughout theperiod since the 10th century, up to the presentday. There is no strict delineation betweenAlmshouses and other forms of sheltered housing,although Almshouses will tend to be characterisedby their charitable status and by the aim of supporting the continued independence of theirresidents.

The almshouses in the village of Woburn,Bedfordshire (illustration, left), originated in abequest by the will of Sir Francis Staunton, 1635,

of 40 to the poor, and refounded by John, Dukeof Bedford.

In physical form, and owing in part to the antiquityof their formation, Almshouses are often ancientbuildings comprising multiple small terracedhouses or apartments, and providingaccommodation for small numbers of residents;some 2,600 Almshouses continue to be operatedin the United Kingdom providing 30,000dwellings for 36,000 people. In the Netherlandsa number of hofjes are still functioning as

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accommodation for elder people (mostly women).The economics of Almshouses takes the form of the provision of subsidised accommodation, oftenintegrated with social care resources such aswardens.

http://www.answers.com/topic/almshouse

An example of the establishment of Almshouses

Judd's Almshouses on the east side of Bishopsgate. In Bishopsgate Ward Within (O.S.1880). Near St. Helen's Church at No. 36Bishopsgate Street Within (Lockie). Built by SirAndrew Judd for six poor Almspeople to bemaintained out of lands given to the Skinners'Company (S. ed. 1603, p. 175). The money havingbeen provided by Dame Elizabeth Hollys, d. 1554,in her will (Cox, 250). Bequest for endowmentmade 1558 (Cox, 251).

The Almshouses were re-erected in 1729 by theSkinners' Company to the west of the original site(Cox, p. 254). In the yard was a handsome leadencistern, bearing date 1733. Removed about 1895.

From: 'Judd's Almshouses', A Dictionary of London (1918). URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=5007.

Thames Almhouses

Richard Quartremain, a wealthy merchant of North Weston in the parish of Thame, and hiswife Sibyl, founded the chantry or guild of StChristopher in 1447. This included an almshouseor 'hospital' for six "poor men".

Rent for the almshouse was provided from a farmin Long Crendon and certain 'divers tenements'in Thame.

Payments included 6d. a week to each of the fivepoor men, and one woman, with an additional1d. a week for bread for each, and, a sum of 5s. ayear for their smocks and 22s 1d. on the repair of the almshouses.

THE WORSHIPFUL HABERDASHERS'

COMPANY

Writing in 1837 William Herbert said of thiscompany "They were incorporated by letterspatent of the 26th of Henry Vl Anno 1447, by thestyle of the Fraternity of St. Catherine of theVirgin, of the Haberdashers of the city of London;but at present are denominated the Master andfour Wardens of the Fraternity of the Art orMystery of Haberdashers in the City of London.This corporation is governed by a master, fourwardens, and ninety-three assistants, with a liveryof 342 members, who, upon their admission, payin cash a fine [fee] of twenty-five pounds, and to

whom belongs a great estate, out of which,according to the generous benefactions of theseveral donors, they annually pay to charitableuses about the sum of 3,500.... They may takeeach too apprentices.... There have been twenty-two lord mayors free of this company. Theirprincipal tenets are Serve and Obey. TheirPatroness is St. Catherine. They have hadaltogether ten charters." Originally, in theFourteenth Century, the Haberdashers were abranch of the gild of Mercers, dealers inmerchandises, or small wares (the phrase "smallmercies" may have thus originated), but in courseof time the cappers, or hat makers, separated fromthem. The Haberdashers of small wares also werecalled Milaners, for selling merchandise fromMilan, corrupted into milliner. (In QueenElizabeth's time the English paid out 60,000 peryear for pins alone.) The company, though its firstcharter w as received in 1447, had been organizeda century before that, and had a set of regulations,or by-laws, as early as 1372. Having lost its olddocuments in the London fire of 1666 the comepony drew up a new code, and among the judgesgiving it legal sanction was the great jurisconsultSir Matthew Hale. The officers were named asMaster, four Wardens, and 50 Assistants. By"livery" was meant the ceremonial or symbolicclothing which a privileged number of memberswas entitled to wear: such livery did not signifyservitude. The Hurrers, or hatters, and Mercerswere combined. The list of the Companiescharities is a long one: it supported five schools;four almshouses; six benefices; two lectures; threeexhibitions; and paid many pensions. Many otherbenefactions it administered as a trustee.

The similarities between the Haberdashers'Company and the Masonic Fraternity are verystriking; the more so since the Company was herechosen at random as a specimen of the TwelveGreat City Companies of London and the longlist of lesser Companies, the Mason Companybeing among the latter. They were ancient; hadapprentices; had ceremonies; administered anoath; the membership was divided into ranks; theywere governed by Master and Wardens (in aMasonic Lodge that still is the case, for theappointive officers are to assist the Master andWarden, and the Secretary and Treasurer do notgovern); they had tenets; arms; were devoted tocharity; had quarterly communications and feastsand from a very early time admitted "non-

operatives" who "were made free" of the company,so that there were "free Haberdashers" just asthere were "free Masons." This entering of non-Operatives into Masonry, of which they were then"free," may be one of the many original meaningsof "free Mason." The antiquity, form of organization, oaths, non-operatives, etc., cannottherefore explain why the Free Masons alonecontinued over into a worldwide fraternity, forthe other gilds or fraternities, identical in generalcustoms, would have done the same. It is theextraordinary similarity of the old Free Masonrywith the old gilds and companies coupled withthe fact that it alone developed into a worldwide

Fraternity which is of itself the best proof thatthe Freemasons also possessed a secret of theirown which none of the others ever had.

See London Companies, by William Herbert;London; 1837. It is not as exhaustive as the largehistories written since by Hazlitt, etc., but hasthe advantage of having been written by a manwho got his information at first hand, and beforethe new industrialism had changed the face of London commerce and business.

ht tp: / /www.standrew518.co.uk/ENCYC/ MacEncH.htm

Ashmole's Charity

By 1757 the corporation was distributing 2 2s.a year among the poor as the interest on 60 givenfor charitable uses by Elias Ashmole (d. 1692).The charity was not established by will, and nodeed has been found. In 1678 Ashmole wrote thatfor over 20 years he had given 5 a year to thepoor of the city; the corporation perhapsaccumulated the 60 from those gifts. In 1765 itreduced its payments to 2 a year. Until 1805 thecharity was distributed in 2s. doles to poorwomen. Nothing was paid in 1806. There was adistribution to both men and women in 1807;thereafter no payments were made to the poorfor at least 13 years. (fn. 94) From 1835 thecharity was one of the Municipal Charities.

From: 'Lichfield: Charities for the poor', A Historyof the County of Stafford: Volume 14: Lichfield(1990), pp. 185-94. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42355.

The scenery around East Barnet is pleasing, butthe place has lost somewhat of its rural quite sincethe opening of the railway. Between the villageof East Barnet and the station many small houseshave been built. By the church is Church Farm,"The Country House," Industrial Schools for about100 destitute boys, between the ages of 6 and 13,not convicted of crime. The farm of 50 acres iscultivated by the boys. Oak Hill Park, east of thevillage, is a fine mansion standing on an eminenceand commanding extensive views. Belmont onthe north of it, was formally called MountPleasant, and was the residence of Elias Ashmole,founder of the Ashmolian Museum.

Freemasons connection to Guilds expanded

The Worshipful Company of EnvironmentalCleaners

http://www.environmental-cleaners.com/ About%20Us.htm

Masonic LodgeThere is a Masonic Lodge that takes its namefrom the Company's Motto - Tergere et Sevare. Itis Tergere Lodge No 8830, and existing


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Freemason members.

The organisation of Tylers (roof and floor tilelayers) and Bricklayers existed in 1416; it wasincorporated by a Royal Charter in 1568.Originally, the Company possessed a monopolyover bricklaying within the City of London.However, after the Great Fire of London, the Kingdecreed that brick or stone, instead of timber,should be used in the building of homes. Therewas too much rebuilding to be done by only theTylers' and Bricklayers' Company; craftsmen fromacross England were summoned, and themonopoly was terminated. The Company nowexists, along with most Livery Companies,primarily as a charitable body. The Company alsosupports various building schools.

The Tylers' and Bricklayers' Company ranksthirty-seventh in the order of precedence of LiveryCompanies. Two of its Liverymen have becomeLord Mayor of London

Halls and Alms Houses

The Company has owned two halls at differenttimes. The second, in Leadenhall Street, wasowned from the 16th century and was one of thefew to escape the Great Fire. Not used by theCompany after 1767, when it became thesynagogue of Dutch Jews, it was rebuilt in theearly 19th century and the site sold in 1915. Todaythe Company holds its meetings in various liveryhalls in the City. One advantage is that themembers can visit halls which they might nototherwise see thereby adding interest to its events.

The Company also owned Alms Houses inIslington for the benefit of distressed liverymenand their widows. These were sold in 1937 andthe proceeds invested to provide pensions andfinancial help to the needy instead of accommodation. The charitable work continuestoday.

So we have a distinct connection between guilds,their successors The Livery Companies andAlmshouses.

Almoner (from the Greek eleimosyne,

westernized as eelmosyna, 'alms' via LatinAlmosunartius and French, known in Englishsince circa 1300) is a chaplain or church officerwho originally was in charge of distributingcharity.

Historically, almoners were Christian religiousfunctionaries whose duty was to distribute almsto the poor. Monasteries were required to spendone tenth of their income in charity to the poor (atithe). Bishops kept their own almoners andalmoners were attached to the courts to the kingsof France. Charles VIII of France had a GrandAlmoner in his employ.

Today one of the most prominent such offices isthat of the Anglican Lord High Almoner. The HighAlmoner (currently Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch,Bishop of Manchester) is responsible fororganising the Queen's annual distribution of Maundy money on Maundy Thursday.

The "Almoner of His Holiness," the pope's officialalmoner, continues in office even after the popedies. He "continues to carry out works of charityin accordance with the criteria employed duringthe pope's lifetime" (Universi Dominici Gregis,22).

The name almoner was also used for a hospitalofficial who interviews prospective patients toqualify them as indigent, and was later appliedto the officials who were responsible for patientwelfare and after-care. This position is nowusually filled by social workers.

The title "almoner" has fallen out of use inEnglish, but its equivalents in other languagesare often used for many pastoral functions coveredby chaplains or pastors.

The Almoner remains an active and importantoffice in Masonic Lodges in England. His duty isto oversee the needs of the Brethren within hisLodge. He is the contact for Charity and looksafter the welfare of the members, including visitsto the sick, aged and infirm.

St. John the Almoner

A little over 900 years ago the Abbey of St. Maryin Jerusalem set up a small hospital to care forsick pilgrims. The hospital was attached to a littlechurch dedicated to St. John and run by monksfrom the local Benedictine Abbey. The subsequentcapture of Jerusalem in 1099 during the FirstCrusade and establishment of a ChristianKingdom, encouraged even more pilgrims to visit.

The Hospital quickly benefited from many giftsof property in Europe as well as in the east.Eventually the monks began to move away fromtheir Benedictine origins and in 1113 PopePaschal acknowledged the autonomous new orderof the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. TheHospitallers, both brothers and sisters, took vowsof poverty, chastity and obedience. Their mainaim was to care for the sick.

In 1877 the St John Ambulance Association wasfounded


DoorsContinued from Page 6

death; and thus are exactly determined thetwo permanent ways of the manifested world,the one light, the other dark; by the one, thereis no return [from the non-manifested to themanifested]; by the other, one falls back again [into manifestation]. 6

There still remains however an appearance of contradiction to be resolved; the north isdesignated as the highest (uttara) point, and theascending movement of the sun is moreoverdirected toward this point, whereas its descendingmovement is directed toward the south, whichthus appears as the lowest point; however, thewinter solstice, which in the year corresponds tothe north and marks the beginning of theascending movement, is in a certain sense thelowest point, while the summer solstice, whichcorresponds to the south, and is where thisascending movement ends, is in the same respectthe highest point, from which the descendingmovement will then begin, to be completed atthe winter solstice. The solution of this difficultylies in the distinction, which there is reason tomake, between the celestial order, to whichbelongs the progress of the sun, and theterrestrial order, to which on the contrarybelongs the succession of the seasons. Accordingto the general law of analogy, these two ordersmust, in their very correlation, be the inverse of one another, so that what is highest according toone becomes lowest according to the other, andreciprocally; and thus, according to the Hermeticdictum of the Emerald Tablet, that which is above[in the celestial order] is as that which is below[in the terrestrial order]; or again, according tothe Gospel saying, the first [in the principialorder] are the last [in the manifested order].Besides, it is no less true that, as concerns theinfluences attached to these points, the northalways remains benefic, and is considered asthe point toward which the ascending movementof the sun in the heavens is directed, or, in relationIo the terrestrial world, as the entrance to thedeva-loka. Similarly, the south always remainsmalefic, considered as the point toward whichthe descending movement of the sun in theheavens is directed, or, with regard to thterrestrial world, as the entrance to the pitri-loka.We should add that here the terrestrial world maybe considered as representing, by transposition,the whole of the cosmos, and the heavens,according to the same transposition, as the extra-cosmic domain. From this point of view, theconsideration of invertedness with respect, notonly to the perceptible order but to the cosmicorder in its entirety, should be applied to thespiritual order, understood in its loftiest sense.

1 It should be noted that the zodiac frequently

represented on the portals of medieval churchesis arranged in such a way as to indicate dearlythis division of the annual cycle.

2 . See for example Bhagavad-Gita, 8, 23-26;and cf Man and His Becoming according theVedanta, chap. 31. - An analogous correspondenceis found in the monthly cycle, the period of thwaxing moon being similarly related to die deva

yana, and that of the waning moon to the pitri yana The four lunar phases can he said tocorrespond in a more restricted cycle to the four

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Lodgeroom International MagazineDoorsContinued from Previous Page

solar phases which are the four seasons of theyear.

3 3. The door of the gods cannot be an entranceexcept in the case of voluntary descent into themanifested world, whether of a being alreadydelivered; or of a being representing the directexpression of a supra-cosmic principle. But it is obvious that these exceptional cases do notLitter into the normal processes that we arc hereconsidering. We will only observe that it is easyto understand thereby the reason why the birth of the Avatara is considered to take place at the timeof the winter solstice, the time of Christmas inthe Christian tradition.

4 . In the day, the ascending half is from midnightto midday, and the descending half from middayto midnight; midnight corresponds to winter andto the north, midday to summer and the south;morning corresponds to springtime and to the east(the direction of sunrise), and evening to autumnand the west (the direction of sunset). Thus, thephases of the day, like those of the month, but ona yet more reduced scale, reproduce analogicallythose of the year; and it is the same, moregenerally, for any cycle which, whatever may beits extent, is always divided naturally accordingto the same quaternary law. According to Christiansymbolism, the birth of the Avatara takes placenot only at the winter solstice, but also atmidnight; it is doubly in correspondence,therefore, with the door of the gods. On the otherhand, according to Masonic symbolism, theinitiatic process is accomplished from middayto midnight, which is no less exact if oneconsiders this process a5 a movement from thedoor of men to the door of the gods; theobjection one might be tempted to make by reasonof the descending character of this period isresolved by an application of the inverse senseof the analogy, as we shall see below,

5. This relates directly to the question of dedirection of ritual circumambulations indifferent traditional forms- According to thesolar modality of symbolism, this directionis that which is here indicated, thecircumambulation being thus accomplishedwith the center about which one turns

constantly on ones right. In the polar modality, it is accomplished in the oppositedirection from the former, therefore with thecenter to ones left. The first case is that of the

pradakshina , such as is used in the Hindu andTibetan traditions; the second case is foundespecially in the Islamic tradition.

It is perhaps not without interest to point outthat the direction of these circumambulationsproceeding respectively from left to right and fromright to left also corresponds to the direction of the script in the sacred languages of these sametraditional forms. In the present form of Masonry,

the direction of the circumambulations is solar;but it seems on the contrary to have been polarin the ancient operative ritual, according towhich Solomons throne was placed in the westand not in the east.

6 . Bhagavad-Gita 8, 26. - One might note thatthe light and darkness characterize respectivelythese two ways, corresponding exactly W the twocomplemen-tary principles yang and yin of theFar-Eastern tradition.

7 . To this double point of view there corresponds,among other applications, to the fact that ingeographical or other representations the pointplaced above may be either the north or the south;in China, it is the south; and in the Western worldwas the same with the Romans and even duringa part of the Middle Ages. This usage moreover,is in reality, as we have just said, the most correctas regards the representation of terrestrial things,while on the contrary, when it is a matter of celestial things, it is the north which normallymust be placed above; but it goes without sayingthat the predominance of one or the other of thetwo points of view, according to the traditionalforms or according to the epochs, may determinethe adoption of a single arrangement for everycase without distinction; and in this respect, the

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