The length of the cable tow indicates the extent to which a member is willing to go in assisting a fellow Mason. It represents a vow that a Mason will fulfill his duties and help a fellow brother to his full capability. In Freemasonry, the cable-tow is a visible symbol of a person’s pledge to the craft. A cable-tow, therefore, was a robust heavy rope used for binding and pulling objects. A tow was also a rope used for pulling objects. In the ancient days, cable was a strong rope used to tie together with heavy objects on a raft. Cable TowĪ cable-tow is usually attached to a Mason’s robe. In history, number 3 was used severally when referring to God and his teachings. In ancient Hebrew, the letter G had a similar numeric value of 3. Some Masons link the meaning of the letter G to Hebrew. Other lodges believe it stands for ‘Gnosis’ the understanding of spiritual mysteries which is a central part of the craft. Others articulate its meaning to ‘Geometry’ the study of the order of numbers in mathematics and sciences in general. Some Masons say it refers to ‘God’ the Supreme Being. Its symbolism in Freemasonry often differs from one jurisdiction to another. The letter G appears inside the Square and Compasses and at the center of the Blazing Masonic star. The Square and Compasses combined serve as a reminder to Freemasons to explore personal desires and passions while maintaining morality. It represents self-restraint and control, which is the basis of morality and wisdom. The compass stands for the ability to mark a clear boundary around our desires and passion. It indicates Masons’ ability to apply the teachings of conscience and morality in testing the rightness of their actions. To deal with someone squarely refers to treating a person the way we want to be treated. The square in Masonry symbolizes morality in the essence of the Golden Rule. Its origin is traceable back to the middle ages from the stonemasons guild. The Square and Compasses are one of the most recognized Freemasonry symbols. The symbol first appeared as a Masonic icon in 1797 in the publication of Freemason’s Monitor or Illustrations of Masonry by Thomas Smith Webb. In Freemasonry, the All-Seeing Eye is a symbol used to remind members that the Great Architect of the Universe God is observing all deeds, actions, and human thoughts. It is also known as the Eye of Providence or the Masonic Eye. It is incorporated in the craft’s initiation ceremonies to represent the symbol of resurrection to a future life. It is further interpreted as a symbol of initiation. ‘We masons, describing the deplorable estate of religion under the Jewish law, speak in figures…akakia being the greek word for innocence, or being free from sin implying that the sins and corruption of the old law, and devotees of the Jewish Altar…’ In his theory of Christianizing Masonry, Hutchison explains the interpretation as: In Greek, the tree signifies the moral quality of the innocence of life. The sprig of Acacia is also a symbol of innocence and purity in Freemasonry. The immortality of the soul is an unprovable fact therefore, masons are required to take it by faith. Its meaning is derived from the evergreen and durability nature of the tree. This statement is used during Masonic funeral rites. By this, we are reminded that we have an immortal part within us, which shall survive the grave, and which shall never, never, never die.’ ‘This evergreen is an emblem of our faith in the immortality of the soul. In Freemasonry, it is a symbol of the immortality of the soul. The Ark of the Covenant and the tabernacle were all made from Acacia. In Hebrew scriptures, Acacia is a sacred wood known as ‘shittah.’ In the Old Testament, it was severely used to make sacred furniture. It’s free and our next email goes out in a few hours. If you’d like to join them, sign up for Masonic Find’s newsletter. NB: Aspiring Masons and Master Masons from all over the world look forward to our emails.
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