Tag Archives: nature

Two Serpents and a Cross

There is something odd here. In the Gaborria collection are two Misraim texts. One is said to be a 51th degree ritual, the other one has a bit of a vague description: “Le Chevalier du soleil. Prince Adepte. Grade philosophique composé par le bénédictin Don Pernetti. 28e de l’Ecossisme. 51e de Misraïm. 72e grade de la 8e série du Chap… Métr… de Fr…”. In short, a 28th Scottish degree, a 51th Misraim degree and also a 72nd degree in the Metropolitan Chapter. It is -indeed- the 72nd ‘degree’ in the collection of 81 that was compressed to the seven degrees of the French Rite.

When you look at both tracing boards, it seems that we are not looking at two serpents on a cross (or Caduceus), as the snakes appear to ‘stand up (somewhat) straight’.

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Burning Star of David

This is the backside of the jewel for the degree: “Le Grand Commandeur de l’Aigle noir R C 2e grade”. Ravignat calls this the “65th Degree: Knight of the Black Eagle Rose-Croix – Third Grade – Tschoudy and Bédarride”.

Bibliothèque Numérique Patrimoniale, Fonds Gaborria Ms.-417

Cedar

The Tall Cedars of Lebanon International is a side degree of Freemasonry in certain Grand Jurisdictions, open to Master Masons in good standing in a regular Masonic Lodge. Its motto, “Fun, Frolic, & Fellowship,” is indicative of this social bent. Its members are distinguished by the pyramid-shaped hats they wear at their functions. The name is derived from the cedars of Lebanon that King Solomon used to build his Temple. (Wikipedia)

Of course cedars also refer to the trees that were gifted to build the Temple of King Solomon. Here we see them on a 22nd degree AASR tracing board.

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Snake

There are several snakes and serpents on this website, but usually in combination with something else. Around an egg, around a globe, in a pelicans beak, around a cross, in a tree, with three pots. Or two around a cross. Also a brazen serpent. Then we have have a three headed snake and a coiled snake. All on its own, we find a snake on the tracing board of the historical, French degree of “Les Antipodiens”, the 60th degree in the collection of 81 degrees that were compressed to the French Rite. The text of the ritual says about the snake (in Microsoft translation):

The serpent signifies vice punished and trampled underfoot


Bibliotheque Nationale de France – Fonds Maçonnique – FM4 (1047 J)

Pug / Mops

The Mops-Orden (Order of the Pug) was founded in Germany around 1740 when Freemasonry was banned. Some say that it was mock-Masonry, others say that it was actually Adoption Masonry (as women could join as well), yet others say it was simply created to avoid the ban. Be that as it may, the emblem was a pug dog which took the middle of the tracing board.

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Sparrowhawk

On what Feddersen (F/20) describes as a “plan of the lodge in the Scottish degree” (from France) we see a bird (a dove?) in the East, a pelican in the North, a lion in the middle, an ape in the South and a fox in the west. He also says that the fox should be accompanied by a drum, the monkey with a yoke, the lion with crossed swords and the pelican with scales. That does not quite explain if the lion/crossed swords refers to a function or an element in the ritual.

Nettelbladt (Geschichte der freimaurerischen Systeme in England, Frankreich und Deutschland (1879)) describes the image above in connection with the German Strikte Observanz and calls the bird a “Sperber”, sparrowhawk. Also the ritual of the SO speaks about “sparrowhawk” which is swift and without confusion.

A 1764 Strikte Observanz ritual refers to the sparrowhawk with skilfullness:

Q. How many allegories are presented to a Scottish Master?
A. Four. A lion, a fox, a monkey, a sparrowhawk.
Q. Do you explain?
A. A Scotchman must add to the qualities of a master, the heart of a lion, the cunning of a fox, the wit of a monkey, and the skilfulness of a sparrowhawk in execution.

Feddersen (Die Arbeitstafel in der Freimaurerei Band I (1982) F/20, P. 290). He gives as source Les Franc Maçons Ecrase’s 1717. That is actually Les francs-maçons écrasés ; suite du livre intitulé L’ordre des francs-maçons trahi from 1747.

Wolf head Dagger

In the fascinating, French publication, supposedly originally from 1765, called Mutus Liber Latomorum we find about 30 beautiful colour plates with often uncommon Masonic symbols. There is a suggestion that they refer to historical (proto Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite?) degrees. The image above comes from a page with what seem to be (officers) jewels, see below.

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Mountain

In the fascinating, French publication, supposedly originally from 1765, called Mutus Liber Latomorum we find about 30 beautiful colour plates with often uncommon Masonic symbols. There is a suggestion that they refer to historical (proto Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite?) degrees.

Here we have one section of a plate (see below). Do the first two rows show emblems of officers? The third row general Masonic symbols (perhaps referring to the first three degrees)? And the bottom row? If the image on the bottom right is the Master’s drawing board does the mountain refer to the second degree and the mountain to the first? Do all images refer to different degrees?

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Olive Branch

In the Ark Mariner degree the story of Noah and the Flood plays a big part. In the emblem above you see a rainbow coloured ribbon, a rainbow and a dove holding an olive branch. The latter was a sign for Noah that the water level was dropping and that there was land again.

On a “Apprentice Mason of Practice” tracing board (see peacock), the olive branch mirrors the pomegranates.

Q. What do the two branches of pomegranate and olive tell us?
A. The pomegranate shows us the harmony, that should reign among us and the olive the peace being felt here.

Ark Mariner jewel. Year and designer unknown.