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. |
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| Have you heard that before? |
What is a symbol?
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| 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?
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| 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?
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| 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> |
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| 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” |
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| 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
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| Officers Management Workshops |
| Masonic Education Committee |
| Grand Lodge of California |