Symbology Of Brotherhood

Chapter III

In the first section of this chapter, the different approaches to the Masonic symbols will be presented. While in the second section embles and symbols will be widely described.

According to Allen E. Roberts (1974), Masonic symbology has born through ancient Persians and Sumerians over three thousand years before Christ. Firstly, those symbols were just an ancient scripts which were series of pictographs drawn on tablets made of clay.

What is more, Masonic symbology was used in the past not because the Brotherhood wanted to keep their secrets, but due to the fact, that the most of the world 's population was illiterate in that time. It was a very common during the Dark Ages and the Middle Ages because most of the population

Any person can make and claim about this or that symbol. In contrast, there is "Masonic Symbolism" in which specific symbols are explained by recognized Masonic sources and, particularly, by specific explanations right in the ritual. Lastly, there is "Comparative Symbolism" – various symbols are studied and compared from the standpoint of similarities and differences.

Freemasonry teaches many important lessons among which are temperance, fortitude, prudence, and justice as well as brotherly love, relief and truth. The degrees of Freemasonry seek to teach those lessons through allegorical stories whereby a candidate will progress.

The most widely recognized emblems according to both McNaulty (1991) and E.Roberts(1974) are:

Order of the Eastern Star Emblem

MacNulty is sure that The Order of the Eastern Star is an appendant body within Freemasonry. Members are both male and female, but predominantly female. Masonry is also the largest organization in the world to which both men and women may belong. It is a social order comprised of persons with spiritual values. It strives to take good people and through uplifting and elevating associations of love and service, and through precept and example, build an Order which is truly dedicated to charity, truth and loving kindness. What is more, the five points of the star represent five strong

There are some other ways to make a Mason recognazible. They use their body language to communiucate with each other without being understood by strangers. Members of Grand Lodge use handshakes,body language, grips and passwords. The author of this diploma paper will present selected signs to point out their diversity.

Sign of an entered apprentice: According to Alex Horne (1981),the sign of the ‘Entered Apprentice’ alludes to the penalty of the Entered Apprentice 's obligation. The sign is made by drawing the right hand rapidly across the neck.

'BOAZ ' – Grip of an entered apprentice (handshake): The Grip of the ‘Entered Apprentice’ is made by pressing the thumb against the top of the first knuckle-joint of the fellow Mason, the fellow Mason also presses his thumb against the first Mason 's knuckle. The name of this grip is "Boaz".

Duegald of the fellow craft: ‘The duegald of the Fellow Craft’ represents the positions of the hands: "my right hand on the Holy Bible, square, and compasses, my left arm forming an angle, supported by the square and my hand in a vertical