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IntroductiontotheBannerPresentationCompanionsWeasFreemasonsprobablyappreciatethespiritualandsymbolicsignificanceoftheVolumeoftheSacred Law more than any other people. However, what we frequently miss is the historicalimportanceoftheBible.NowtheremaywellbeCompanionsherewhoknowmuchmoreabouttheOldTestamentthanwedo,however,fromahistoricalstandpoint,weunderstandthatAbrahammarriedSarahandtheirsonwasIsaacwhomarriedRebecca.Isaachadtwosons,EsauandJacob[EsaumarriedandfoundedtheArabNation];JacobmarriedLeah,Rachael,BillhahandZilpah.Jacob,whowaslaterrenamedIsrael[hencewehavethelandofIsrael],hadtwelvesonsandone[ormore]daughters.TenofhisSonsformedtenofthetwelvetribesofIsraelandarerepresentedbytenofthebanners,orensigns,inourChapter.TheothertwotribeswereformedbyManassehandEphraim,whowereJacob’sgrandsonsbyhissonJoseph.ThisthereforeleavesthetwelfthsonLevi,whosenameyouwillseeattachedtoSimon’sbannerinthetemplelayoutatthefrontofyourritualbook.Nowasyouwillhearlaterasweexplaintheirbanner,Levi,andindeedSimeonalsowithhim,werearatherbarbarousandnastypair.Forthisreason,JacobdecreedthatSimeonandhisdescendantsshouldownverylittlepossessionsandliveinsideJudah’slandandthatLeviandhisdescendantsshould own no land at all and be dispersed throughout all the tribes in the promised land,furthermore,topreventthemfromcausinganymoremischief,theyandtheirdescendantsweretodevotealltheirlivestopriestlyduties.FromLevithereforedescendedboththeHighPriestAaronandtheself-proclaimedleaderMoses,fromwhobothJudaismandChristianityhaveinheritedtheTen Commandments. From Levi and Aaron also descended the present day tribe of “Cohen”[CohenimorPriests].WhentheIsraelitesmarchedthroughthewilderness,thetwelvetribeshadbetweenthemthefourprincipalbannersorstandards,everyoneofwhichhadadistinctsigninscribeduponit.Thetribesencampedaround theTabernaclewere:on theEast threenamely Judah, IssacharandZebulon,undertheStandardofJudah[alion];onthesouththree,namelyReuben,SimeonandGad,underthebannerofReuben[aman];onthewestthree:namelyEphraim,ManassehandBenjamin,underthestandardofEphraim[anox];andonthenorththree,namelyDanAsherandNaphtali,underthestandardofDan[aneagle].TheensignswhichyouseeonthestaveswerethedistinctivebannersofthetwelvetribesofIsraelandfigurativeofthepeculiarblessingbequeathedtoeachbythePatriarchJacobwho,beforehisdeathassembledthemtogetherforthatpurpose.

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JudahThebannerofJudahwasbornebyNashan,itsprince.Itwasdesignatedbyalioncouchantsurmountedbyacrownandsceptre.Judahwasthechieftribe,andwaseminentlydistinguishedforprosperityinwarandforpeaceand quietness at home. Its dignity was marked by the divine favour inchoosingDavidfromthistribetobetheinstrumentofhisblessingtothepeopleof Israel.TothetribeofJudahwasassignedthemosthonourablestationinthecamp,intheeast,beforetheentrancetotheTabernacle,andunder itsstandardthetribesof IssacharandZebulunpitchedtheir tents.Thecolourofthisbannerwascrimsonorscarlet.IssacharThebannerofIssacharwasbornebythestandard-bearerofPrinceNathaniel.It was sky- blue and was charged with a strong ass couching beneath itsburden.SomesayitboreasunandamoonandtheRabbisareinclinedtothisopinion. The ass is a patient animal and a proper symbol of labour and,accordinglytheposterityofIssaquahsatdownquietlyonthelandallottedtothem and cultivated it with diligence and assiduity. Instead of employingthemselves in war or mercantile pursuits they were lovers of peace andquietness.Theactoftheasscouchingbetweenitsburdenswasanappropriatesymboloftheindolentcharacterofthistribe,whopreferredtosubmittoeveryspeciesoftyrannyandoppressionratherthantroubletoasserttheirnaturalrightsinthefieldofbattle. Theywere thus like theasswhich, thougha strongandhardyanimal,would rather sinktamelyundertheheaviestloadthanshakeitoffbyanexertionofitsbodilypowers.ZebulunPrince Eliab erected the banner of Zebulun. It was purple and bore for itsdistinguishingcharacteristicaship.ThisreferredtotheprophecyofJacobintheBookofGenesis,whichsaid“Zebulunshalldwellatthehavenofthesea,andheshallbeforahavenofshipsandhisbordershallbeuntoSidon”.

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[Spoken by theDC] The next honourable post, on the south side of the camp,was occupied byReuben,SimeonandGad.ReubenThedeviceofthegreatbannerofReuben,whichwasbornebyPrinceElizur,wasanotherof thecherubic forms,namelyaman,becausehewas the first-born of his father. He was designated by Jacob as the“excellenceofdignityandtheexcellenceofpower”.Theseepithetsmayrefer in general to the prerogatives of the first-born, which Reubenwouldmostcertainlyhaveenjoyed,accordinglytohis justclaim, ifhehadnotforfeiteditbyhismisbehaviourwiththefather’sconcubine.Hisfatherthereforepredictedofhim“unstableaswater,thoughshallnotexcel”andthenmentionsthereasonwhy,namely;thataswaterbyanaturalpropensity inherent in itssubstance flowsdownhill, soshouldReuben fall fromhis birth right and subside into an inferior situationamong the tribes. And the prophecy was remarkably verified: fornothinggreatorpraiseworthyhasbeenrecordedrespectingtheposterityofReuben.Theywereinferiorinnumberstotheothertribesandthepre-eminencewasgiventoJudah.Simeon&LeviPrince Shelumiel, as the leader of the tribe of Simeon, bore a yellowbanner emblazoned with a sword. Some say Simeon’s banner wasemblazoned with a city, others with a tower. Simeon and Lev wererepresentedbyinstrumentsofwar,theformerbyaswordthelatterbyadagger,inallusiontotheabhorrenceshownbythedyingpatriarchtothecrueltyofthesetwosonswhohadcarriedoutthebarbarousmurderoftheShechemites,contrarytotheirassuranceofkindnessandgoodfaith.Theirfatherthereforesaid:“Cursedbetheiranger,foritwasfierceandtheirwrathforitwascruel.IwilldividetheminJacobandscatterthemin Israel”. Having associated in wickedness, it was ordained by asuperintending Providence that their posterity should be disunited sothattheymightnotbefurnishedwithanopportunityofworkingevilupontheir Brethren as their progenitors had upon the people of Shechem.HencethetribeofSimeonhaslittleornopossessionsinthePromisedLandbutdweltinthemidstof Judah: somewandered in searchofadwellingplaceas farasMountSeirand thedesertsofGideon. As for the tribe of Levi it was entirety dispersed among the other tribes and devotedexclusivelytotheserviceofthealtar.

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GadThebannerofthetribeofGadwasunderthechargeofPrinceEliasaph.Itwaswhiteandwasemblazonedwithatroopofhorsemen.Gadsignifiesatroopofhorsemenanditisinallusiontothename,thatJacobforetoldthedifficultiesthatwouldbeopposedtotheprogressofhisposteritybythehostility of their neighbours. But though they were doomed to besometimes defeated, yet in the end, by Divine assistance they wouldovercomealldifficultiesandestablishthemselvesfirmlyandpeaceablyintheportionallottedtothem;thisprophecywasfulfilledtotheletter,forthe tribewhichoccupiedacountrybeyond the Jordanwerenecessarilyexposed to the incursionsof theAmmonites, fromwhomthey sufferedseverely. But at length, through the military talents of Jephthah, the Ammonites were finallysubduedandtroubledthemnomore.[SpokenbytheDC]ThethirdorwestsideofthecampwasoccupiedbythehalftribeofEphraimunitedwiththoseofManassehandBenjamin.EphraimEphraimsteppedintotheinheritanceofhisfatherJosephandwaselevatedtooneoftheleadingtribesofIsrael.Hisgreenbanner,bornebyPrinceElishamwasconsecratedwiththefigureofacherubicemblemoftheDeity,namelyanox,whichdenotedpatientindustryandstrength.ThusGodsaid“Ephraimisthestrengthofminehead”.ManassehPrinceGamaliel led the tribeofManasseh: their tentswerepitchedunderaflesh-colouredbanner,whichwaschargedwithaluxuriantvine,plantedbythesideofawall,whichitstendrilswereoverhung.Somegivethisbanneraunicornandothersapalm-tree.“Josephisafruitfulboughgrowingbywell-wateredsoilandshootingforthtwoluxuriousbranches.”ThisreferredtothetribesEphraimandManassehandthepredictionwasfulfilledbytheirfuturepre-eminence.OfJosephitwassaid“thearcherssorelygrievedhimandshotathimandhatedhim”,which referred to the persecutions of his Brethrenwho sold him intoEgyptandtothefalseaccusationsbywhichhewasthrownintoprison.But“hisbowabode in strengthand thearmsofhis handsweremade strongby themightyGodofJacob”ashisenemiesweretermedarchers,soheissaidtobearmedwithabowinhisowndefence,bywhichhetriumphedoverhisenemiesandrosetothehigheststateofworldlyprosperity.

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BenjaminThetribeofBenjamin,representedbyPrinceAvidan,wasdesignedbyagreenbanner,emblazonedwithawolf,becauseitwasoverawarlikeandcrueltribe.It was predicted “Benjamin shall raven as a wolf; in the morning he shalldevourtheprey,andatnightheshalldividethespoil”.ThoughBenjaminwasagreatfavouritewithJacob,beinghisyoungestson,yetJacobconferrednopeculiarblessingsuponhimbutdescribeshimas the fatherofa fierceandwarlikepeople.ThisisanevidentproofthatJacobactedundertheinfluenceof Divine inspiration. The tribe accordingly partook of the character thuspredicted; they made war single handed against all the other tribes andovercametheminbattle.Saul,whowasalsosprangfromthistribe,possessedgreatmilitarytalents.Hiswholelifewasspentinwarandatlengthhe,aswellashissons,wasslaininbattle.[SpokenbytheDC]Thefourthandlastquarterofthecamp,onthenorthsidewasassignedtoDanwithwhomwereassociatedthetworemainingtribes,AsherandNapthali.DanThe tribeofDanwas the largestnext to Judahand itwas for this reason,probably,thatitwasplacedintherear.ThegreatbannerwasbornebyPrinceAhiezer. It was of bright green in colour and charged with an eagle, acomponentpartofthecherubim,denotingwisdomandsubtlety;somegivetoDanabannerwiththedeviceofaserpentbitingtheheelofahorse;some,aneaglebearingaserpentinitstalons;others,aserpentonly:oneauthorthinksDan’sstandardborealion’swhelp.ThenameofDansignifiesjudgingandthereforeJacobsaid“Danshalljudgehispeople”,orinotherwordsthatthetribeshouldbetheheadofoneofthegreatdivisionsintheWilderness.He said further “Dan shall be a serpent by theway” and the tribe of Danwas remarkable fordefeatingitsenemiesratherbypolicythanforce,ofwhichtherearemanyinstancesintheBible.ThetribeofDanhowever,wereringleadersofidolatry,andwerethefirstwhoapostatizedfromGod.AsherPrincePagielunfurledthebannerofAsher,whichboreaflourishingtreeoracup.Itscolourwaspurple.ThetribeofAsherwaspromisedatractintheHolyLandwhichshouldbefruitfulandprolific.Induecoursetheywereallottedsuchland,whichproducedthenecessitiesoflifeinabundance,andMountCarmelaboundedinthechoicestfruits.

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NapthaliThebannerofNaphtaliwasbornebyPrinceAhiraandwasdesignedbyahind.Itscolourwasblue.“Naphtaliisahindletloose:hegivengoodlywords”.ThisprophecydenotesthattheposterityofNaphtalishouldbeaspiritedandfreepeopleandthatthetribeshouldbefruitfulandundergoaprodigiousincrease.Thus from four sons, whom Naphtali brought with him into Egypt, weredescended upwards of fifty thousand descendants when they wereemancipatedformtheircaptivity.TheirportionwasinUpperGalilee,acountryalwaysnotedforitsproductivenesssoil.ThisagreedwiththeblessinggiventothetribeofMoses:“ONaphtali,satisfiedwithfavour,andfullwiththeblessingoftheLodge”.[SpokenbyDC]

ThusCompanionswereviewthevariousTribes,theirpositions,activitiesandusefulnessaroundtheTabernacleandsymbolisethebannersinourChaptersasarticlesofequipment.ThefactthatthehighestdegreeororderofconstitutionalFreemasonryadoptstheseBannersaspartoftheirsymbolismtemptsustoextendthespeculationastowhatmaybelearnedfromthem.Veryobviouslythefirstlessonisthatoforganisation.Intheworldsgreatestmovementstherearethosewhoarequalifiedtogo first,othersoccupyingan intermediateposition,andthentherearethosewhoareleftintherear.Thereisageneralanxietyamongstmentobeinthefrontandagreateranxietytoemergefromtherearbut,itisnottobesupposedthattheoneishonourableofnecessity,ortheotherdishonourable.The three tribes under Dan had the rear in its special charge, here were to be found theambulance wagons, the sick and wounded the camp followers, the women, old men andchildren.WhoshallsaythatDan’spositionintherearwasnotanhonourablecommission?FreemasonrytheninitshighestdegreeteachesusavaluablelessonthatGodhasappointedeachofus,hisplace,inthesocialsystemandthatnomanisdishonouredinwhateverstationhefindshimself.Privilegecarrieswithitgreatresponsibilitiesand,distinctionofteninvolvesdanger.IfJudahwasinfronthewasnotthereforthesakeofgratifyinghisownprideoracceptingtheapplauseofthecrowd.HewasthereananinstrumentofDivineFavour.This, or something corresponding, is the lesson for all whom God has placed in the front,whetheritbethepossessionofwealth,oroflearning,orofenterpriseoranyability;thesegiftsarenotforselfishmen.Eachandeveryonehasbeendestinedbythegreat“Iam”toplayourpartinthegreatschemeoflifewhichhedirects.OurOrderhasthehonourtoshowforthtotheworldtheglory,powerandimportanceofHisOmnipotentwill.And,maywebesoguidedbyhisprecepts,andguidedbythemaximsofourorder,andneverdeviatefromthepathsofHonourandVirtue.