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Slide 1

Epsilon Chai Iota Tau

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

E

EX

EXI

EXIT

Slide 15

Masonry is

What is a symbol?

What is a symbol?

What is a symbol?

What is a symbol?

Literal vs. Symbolic

VoSL

Cherry Tree

Legend

Sharp distinction in ritual

Personal meaning

Masonry uses symbols

Rainbow

Red Light

3

Operative, Speculative, Applied

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Symbols

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Symbolism in Masonry

By Eugene Goldman, past Master

End of slide show, click to exit.

Slide 1

Epsilon Chai Iota Tau

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

When finished, come this way.

E

EX

EXI

EXIT

Slide 15

Masonry is

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| a beautiful system of morality,
| veiled in allegory
| and illustrated by symbols.
|
|
| Have you heard that before?

What is a symbol?

|
| Main Entry: 1sym·bol
| Pronunciation: 'sim-b&l
| Function: noun
| Etymology: in sense 1, from Late Latin symbolum, from Late Greek symbolon, from Greek, token, sign; in other senses from Latin symbolum token, sign, symbol, from Greek symbolon, literally, token of identity verified by comparing its other half, from symballein to throw together, compare, from synballein to throw.
| Date: 15th century

What is a symbol?

|
| 1: an authoritative summary of faith or doctrine: CREED
| 2: something that stands for or suggests something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance; especially: a visible sign of something invisible <the lion is a symbol of courage>
| 3: an arbitrary or conventional sign used in writing or printing relating to a particular field to represent operations, quantities, elements, relations, or qualities
| 4: an object or act representing something in the unconscious mind that has been repressed <phallic symbols>
| 5: an act, sound, or object having cultural significance and the capacity to excite or objectify a response

What is a symbol?

|
| 2: something that stands for or suggests something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance; especially: a visible sign of something invisible <the lion is a symbol of courage>
|
| 5: an act, sound, or object having cultural significance and the capacity to excite or objectify a response

What is a symbol?

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| Something that stands for something else
| Excites or inspires
| Description
| Something we all sense, that reminds us of a moral principle

Literal vs. Symbolic

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| We pay respects to what the “G” represents
| In ritual, it would make no difference if it is “G” or not
| In law, it must be “G”

VoSL

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| Candidate is obligated on HIS Holy Book
| Ritual says “The Holy Bible”

Cherry Tree

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| Fiction?
| Fact?
| Does it matter?

Legend

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| Hyram could have lived to old age.
| No one killed in KST – would have been recorded
| No Cremation – no urn, no ashes
| No one could have been buried near Temple, much less Sanctom Sanctorum

Sharp distinction in ritual

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| “Sacred History”
| “Great Jewish Historian, Josephus”
|
|
| Probably factual

Personal meaning

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| Vague, so individual can develop individual interpretation and application.
| “It is not so important that we agree on the answers.  What is important is that we agree on what questions need to be asked.”

Masonry uses symbols

Rainbow

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| Light waves
| Covenant
| Promise
| Beauty
| Wealth
| Art
| Sunshine

Red Light

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| Do Not Enter
| Look this way
| Stop
| Danger
| For a good time…
| Horray!

3

Operative, Speculative, Applied

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| History
| Interpretation
| Application

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Blind men and the Elephant

Symbols

|
| Officers Management Workshops
| Masonic Education Committee
| Grand Lodge of California

|

Epsilon Chai Iota Tau

An expose' on the symbolism of Freemasonry   By Gene Goldman with Robert E. Winterton

This paper will reveal one of the most tightly kept secrets taught in Masonry.  This is a lesson that is so secret, and so fundamental to our nature, that it is not even spoken of in our ritual.  However, it is taught just the same.  It is the secret of the Epsilon Chai Iota Tau.  Four Greek letters, with so much significance an entire book could be written, and not even begin to explain the mystery contained within them.  Sherlock Holmes would be hard pressed to find all their meanings.  Philosophers could spend lifetimes delving into the depths of their significance, and still not scratch the surface.  Their many lessons are never taught, but everyone knows them.

The story of "The Purloined Letter" teaches us that the best way to hide something is to place it in plain sight.  It is interesting to note that this symbol, these four Greek letters appear in every commercial and government building in this country, and most people never take conscious notice of them.  School children see them every day and never ask what they mean.  Workers in businesses, customers in stores, patrons in movies, ball games and amusement parks see these letters, and read their hidden message every day and never realize it.  After this, you will never again be without conscious knowledge of them, and their importance to you, in your life.

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Epsilon Chai Iota Tau.  The most simple, and yet most complicated, translation to these four simple letters is "When finished, come this way".  Each of us places our own meanings, assigns our own importance and develops our own picture of what this means.

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"When finished, come this way".  For the businessman, when the deal is completed, fulfillment begins.