Baptism scene on a “Ecossais. Grand Architect” tracing board in a 1748 French collection of rituals.
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Find your Symbol of Freemasonry
Baptism scene on a “Ecossais. Grand Architect” tracing board in a 1748 French collection of rituals.
Continue readingDid you notice that odd drawing above the grasshopper? What could this be?
Continue readingWhat a complex and weird drawing from Rite des Sophisiens. Below it says: “du Temple de la Sagesse”, ‘Temple of Wisdom’. The “Ordre sacré des Sophisiens” (‘sacred order of Sophisiens’) was a proto (some say: pseudo) organisation of Egyptian Freemasonry in the first half of the 18th century in France.
Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Fonds Maçonnique, FM 4 (15): Rituels. Rite des Sophisiens. Livre d’or du rite
Image from the Rite des Sophisiens, a proto (according to some: “pseudo”) Egyptian French order from the first half of the 18th century. On the banner we see a cow’s head and on top, is that a cat’s head?
Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Fonds Maçonnique, FM 4 (15): Rituels. Rite des Sophisiens. Livre d’or du rite
This appears to be an old emblem of the Order of the Amaranth. It can be found in MacKenzie’s Royal Masonic Cyclopedia (1877) with as description:
AMARANTH, ORDER OF THE, OR IMMORTALS.-An Equestrian Order, instituted by Queen Christina of Sweden, in 1653. Badge, two AA interlaced – in a laurel crown, surrounded by a label bearing the motto, Dolce nella memoria. Ribbons, white and crimson, shot or shaded blue. Jewel set with gold and diamonds. Knights 15-in number; ladies 15 in number; grandmistress, the Queen-altogether 31. The Knights, if on investiture, still bachelors, could not marry, and married Knights took an oath not to marry a second time. Sir Bulstrode Whitelock, Cromwell’s ambassador, was one of the first of this Order. The annual festival was held at the Epiphany.
Royal Masonic Cyclopedia (1877) Kenneth MacKenzie
The equilateral triangle, sometimes named “delta” after the Greek capital D is a somewhat widely used symbol within Freemasonry. MacKenzie (Royal Masonic Cyclopedia, 1877) says of it:
The Delta is the Emblem of the Chapter in Royal Arch Masonry; Overseer’s mark of approval in Mark Master’s Degree; Emblem of the Trinity.
general image
Image printed in the chapter about the 29th degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.
A. & A. R. The intermediate Degrees 19º – 29º A.C.F. Jackson (1982)
Detail of a 28th degree Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite tracing board. The explanation goes:
Continue readingThe words lux ex tenebris show us that mankind, enlightened by the light of wisdom and faith, can penetrate easily the obscurity of ignorance and superstition.
With three candles you may have to think of the “Greater Lights” of Wisdom, Strength and Beauty, but on this 28th degree Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite tracing board, they have quite another meaning.
Continue readingThe 3 candles symbolize man’s life – youth, manhood, old age – lit by the lights of truth.
the three letters ‘S’ mean Science adorned with Sagacity makes the Saintly Man. (There are various variations of this interpretation in early rituals.
From a 28th degree Ancient Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite tracing board.
Continue readingThe Chest, guarded by the Sovereign Commanders, where the Key of the Temple is kept
Detail of a 27th degree Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite tracing board.
Also see chest with three keys.
Continue readingA gold bar on a 26th degree Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite “floor cloth”.
Continue readingOn a 26th degree Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite “floor cloth”.
Continue readingOn a 26th degree Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite “floor cloth”.
Continue readingOn a 26th degree Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite “floor cloth”.
Continue reading“An Angel in a Cloud” on a 26º AASR “floor cloth”.
Continue readingA “lighted log” on a 26º AASR “floor cloth”.
Continue readingContinue reading2 The Very Puissant’s sceptre made of a rule with, at the top, an open compass and a shining triangle.
On a 23º AASR tracing board.
Continue readingAn axe, a saw a hammer; wood working tools in a 22º AASR tracing board.
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