During my years of service as Grand Lecturer I have been impressed with the wide variety of interest shown by Brethren in things Masonic In three different directions I have observed them to be practically absorbed.

For one thing, Masons are interested in one another. They like to be told about conditions under which the other fellow labors or lives. In other words, they respond to the human side of Masonry.

In the second place, Masons are interested in the Grand Lodge Constitutions. I shall never forget the interest my own Lodge took in the Constitutions when, as Master, I read the volume to the Brethren. When I became District Deputy Grand Master I discovered that the other Lodges of my District were interested in our Masonic laws. And finally, since I became Grand Lecturer, I have been struck with the interest of the Brethren whenever any matter pertaining to our Constitutions comes up for discussion. The business of a Convention is not the interpretation of our Masonic Law, and all I attempt to do in a Convention is to stimulate interest in the laws of the Craft, so essential for a Master to understand if he is to rule and govern his Lodge wisely.

And, finally, a lively interest is shown in the allegory of our Scripture readings, and particularly that impressive picture of old age given in Ecclesiastes 12:1-7, Our Scripture lesson in the Third Degree. Of equal interest, though perhaps less picturesque is the interpretation of the Scripture lessons for the First and Second Degrees, a subject that I want to look into for a few moments with my readers.

Responding to many demands for an explanation of this allegory, I venture the following suggestions, based for the greater part on Cooke's Commentary on the Old Testament. Much of it is my own, the result of much though.

Now before we can appreciate, or even understand, the hidden meaning of these portions of Scripture we must know the meaning and the application of two words - "symbolism" and "allegory," wherefore I suggest that we look rather carefully at these two terms. And first to the word "symbol." Webster defines a symbol as a visible sign of an idea or quality of another object. "The lion is the symbol of courage," for example.

While we are all familiar with the use of symbols, yet we often fail to realize the extent to which symbolism enters into our everyday lives. In learning to Speak a child utters sounds that gradually take on the semblance of words. And since words are but symbols of ideas or objects, a child in learning to read is learning merely to use symbols, for that is all letters and words are.

We drive to a service station and instruct the attendant to put a quart of oil in the engine. In this negotiation we are employing symbolism, because the word "quart" is a symbol of a definite quantity of that which we purchase. The same principle holds true in making a purchase of five pounds of sugar at the grocer's, or in specifying in inches the length of our trousers.

All through life we are using symbols. The engineer in designing a roof truss uses the word "pounds" as a symbol of the load the structure is to carry. We are all familiar with the Cross of Christ, the six-pointed star of David, the plumb, the square, the level, the twenty-four inch gauge, the common gavel. We are also aware that the Bible in the center of the Lodge-room is a symbol of Light radiating in all directions. The letter "G" in the East, the Master's gavel, the ashlars, the American in the East - all these are of deepest significance to him who best understands the wealth of meaning in the word "symbolism."

Masons are fairly well acquainted with the word. Masonically, we have been brought up on it, and never are appalled just because the word is unusual, though frequent enough in its applications.

When we come to the word "allegory," however, here is something with which we may be one unfamiliar. The Greek word from which it comes means a description of one thing under the image of another. Or, if we want to alter this definition, we may say that it is a definition of one thing in terms of something else. Webster defines it as "a representation by a figurative story of something metaphorically suggested but not expressly stated."

Now, then, let us come to grips with the word. "Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan, is an allegory. The first seven verses of the twelfth chapter of Ecclesiastes are an allegory that may be interpreted in more than one way. The interpretation given later is one, while some prefer its interpretation as a storm in Palestine. One may take his choice.

In this particular bit of Scripture the words "old age" are not mentioned, yet, as you will see, and as I have often declared in our Grand Lecturer's Conventions, it is a perfect deacon of old death, decay of the physical body, and the transfer of the soul to life ever-lasting. And yet - none of these things are mentioned in so many words. All is left to the imagination of the reader, far which reason, if we are to get the riches lessons from allegory, as from symbols, we need an active imagination.

The Mason who has a full comprehension of symbolism and allegory will find his Masonic life infinitely richer in all its departments. He will see new beauties in our teachings and history that he never understood before. One definition of Freemasonry is that "it is a system of morals, illustrated by symbols, and veiled in allegory." It is a splendid definition, even though "symbolism" and "allegory" do seem like twelve-pound words.

Let us look at that portion of the Scriptures appointed for the First Degree and discover why it is used for that particular portion of our Work. David wrote it. You see David was a practical man, with no illusions about life or people. He realized what many of his people did not, and which many of us fail to realize today, that it is highly desirable for men to live together in harmony - and "harmony" is the theme, the motif, of this one hundred and thirty-third Psalm. For unity is harmony. The very first Scripture lesson heard by a candidate in a Loge-room is the lesson of "harmony," written by David, the father of Solomon:

"Behold, how good and how it is for Brethren to dwell together to do well together in unity! His like the precious ointment upon the head, then ran down upon the beard even Aaron's beard: the went down to the spirits of his garments; as the two of Herman, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for their the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore."

Let us look at a few features of this Psalm. Observe that David commences it with the word "Behold?' a word with a peculiar usage in the Scriptures. The writer in Hebrew in the Old Testament, and the writer in Greek in the New, used the word many times to direct the attention emphatically upon something of importance to follow. The effect was much the same as that of "Attention!" given a company of soldiers by its commanding officer - from positions of ease the soldiers became alert, and alert should be the mind upon confronting this word "Behold." David was so impressed with the importance of harmony among men that he commenced this chapter on harmony with the word.

"The precious ointment poured upon the heed of Aaron flowing over his beard and clothing on consecrated the man and his vestments and united them as one body filling all space around with a delightful fragrance. Concord of Brethren united in one else will and living as Brethren is similarly excellent and previous, diffusing all around a delightful satisfaction; and suggesting to those who witness it, a vision of peace and love and of sympathy and brotherly love ever extending" - so says Clarke in his Commentary on this Psalm. Clarke says, too, that the "skirts" of the clothing is the upper edge, or border, terminating the robe and girding the neck or perhaps the lower edge or rim terminating the robe below the waist. "Concord" is like the dew of Hermon: it falls gently, copiously, imperceptibly, watering the Land of Promise.

The power of the above similes in the second and third verses becomes apparent only when we realize the impossibility of causing Oil and water to mix. But - the Psalmist does it spiritually! For some Brethren to attempt to dwell together in unity might seem as impossible as mixing Oil and water, wherefore how gentle and fine the influence when those of opposing temperaments are able to adjust themselves to one another. The thought of harmony, or unity, rims like a stream of light, like a thread of gold, through all our Ritual. What finer portion of Scripture could have been selected for the First Degree than this one hundred and thirty-third Psalm?

In the Second Degree the portion of Scripture appointed to be read, recited or sung at the end of the perambulation is the seventh and eighth verses of the seventh chapter of the book of Amos. It is a bit of Scripture particularly adapted to the Second Degree, for in it is mentioned the plumbline. The plumbline is an important part of a plumb, and the plumb is one of the working tools of Fellowcraft.

" Thus you shewed me: and, behold, the lord stood upon a wall the made by a plumbline, with a plumbline and His hand. And the lord said unto me, 'Amos, what seest thou?' And I said, 'a plumbline.' Then said the lord, 'Behold, I will set in plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not let him as I am anymore'."

Observe that the word "Behold" is used twice - end following each occasion comes a significant statement. It has always seemed to me that the word "wall" is but an allegory of the life of a man built four-square and true by the square of virtue, the plumb of uprightness of character, and the plumbline of good judgment. The plumb is an implement of uprightness of character, and to me the plumbline is a symbol of good judgment, that very necessary quality in the mind of man.

A man may possess money, but without judgment he dots not use it wisely. He may be endowed with great intellectuality, and yet if he have no judgment his wisdom is much less useful to himself or to others.

The man of wisdom is wise because knowledge does not become knowledge until it is passed on to the mines of others; or, as the poet Browning so aptly expressed it, "when we lend our minds." Only in the Second Degree is the word "judgment" used, and all of my readers who are familiar with their ritual remember that portion of the Work.

And I repeat, in dosing, that it would have been difficult to choose a lovelier or a more apt bit of scripture for the Second Degree than the seventh and eighth verses of the seventh chapter of the book of Amos.

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