Emblem of the “Most Excellent Master” degree in Duncan’s book about the York Rite. Obviously a construction to lift rocks. The “Mark Capstone” can be held by a “lewis“, so this image combines several symbols.
Category Archives: Royal Arch
Sojourner
An Early Irish Jewel carrying Emblems of Many Degrees and showing Sojourner with Sword and Trowl.
Sojourner, a subject of its own. Let’s quote Jones a bit more.
The word ‘sojourner’ also comes from the Latin, and incorporates the word diurnus, meaning ‘daily.’ Literally to ‘sojourn’ is to dwell in a place for a time, to live somewhere as a stranger and not as a member of the community.
At the time of the Royal Arch Union, Sojourners in many chapters were known as the junior, Senior, and Principal Sojourners respectively, and their duties were to guard the veils.
The Freemasons Book of the Royal Arch by Bernard E. Jones (1957)
Catenarian Arch
The Catenarian Arch. The dotted line indicates the curve of a catenarian arch described by the swinging chain.
The Freemasons Book of the Royal Arch by Bernard E. Jones (1957)
Hand with Sword, Hand with Trowel
When Sanabal Hierusalem distrest,
With sharp assaultes, in Nehemias tyme,
To warre, and worke, the Jews them selves addrest
And did repaire theire walls, with stone, and lime:
One hand the swode, against the foe did shake,
The other hand, the trowel, up did take.
The image and text are from Choices of Emblemes (1586) of Geffrey Whitney (1548?-1601?). Belton and Dachez make quite something of this “Sanabal theme”. In his famous oration, Chevalier Ramsay referred to knights who rebuilt King Solomon’s Temple with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other. That theme would later appear in early French ‘high degrees’, most notably the “Chevalier d’Orient”, or “Knight of the East” that is still part of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. The text also seems to be used in the Royal Arch.
Choices of Emblemes (1586) of Geffrey Whitney (1548?-1601?)
Aaron’s Rod
The Rod of Aaron appears in some Royal Arch rituals, referring to the presence of God.
Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor (1866) by Malcolm C. Duncan
Soldier
Emblem of the Captain of the Host in the Royal Arch.
general officer jewel
Turban and Plumb
Royal Arch emblem of the Scribe.
general officer jewel
Mitre
The is the emblem of one of the “Allied Degrees” (of the York Rite?). The mitre also features in the/some Royal Arch degrees.
general officer jewel
Breastplate
The breastplate of the High Priest features in the Royal Arch and in the Royal Arch degree of the York Rite.
general officer jewel
Oil Lamp
Emblem of the Archivist in the Royal Arch.
general officer jewel
Descend
People descending into a hole, element of the Royal Arch here displayed on a 13th degree Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite jewel.
general officer jewel
Star of David with Triple Tau
Emblem of the Princeps in the Royal Arch.
general officer jewel
Crown on Triangle
Emblem of the Past Zerubbabel in the Royal Arch.
general officer jewel
Square on Triangle
Emblem of the Sojourner in the Royal Arch.
general officer jewel
Crown and inverted Triangle
Royal and Select Masters (a.k.a. “cryptic” degrees) breast jewel.
(“Cryptic Masonry is the second part of the York Rite system of Masonic degrees”.)
general officer jewel
Snake around Globe
Detail on a Royal Arch apron in Millar.
Continue readingWinged Globe
Emblem of the Grand Masters Royal Ark Council.
Also see globe, snake and globe, globe and compasses.
general officer jewel
Pilgrim
Dąbrowski has an image that can supposedly be found in the National Museum of Scotland. On that chart you clearly see a pilgrim. It is a Knight Templar element, it also features in some Royal Arch systems where it is part of the emblem of the Sojourner, see below. As a concept it exists in some 2nd “craft” degrees, but I know no images with an actual pilgrim in that context.
Continue readingArch Emblem
Dąbrowski has an unidentified “American Masonic Symbols”, see below. There are quite a few symbols on it that are unfamiliar to me, such as this one. It appears to be an arch within some sort of emblem. A Royal Arch reference?
Continue readingRoses
Dąbrowski has an unidentified “Masonic Symbols”, see below. The image itself says: “Templar Chart” so I suppose these are symbols from Templar degrees.
A rose also features in Royal Arch symbolism and can there be found in the middel of a cross and/or a reference to Sharon.
Continue reading