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WHAT IS FREEMASONRY? THE ALLEGORY AND SYMBOLISM IN FREEMASONRY by M\Wor\Bro\ E. Conradie, O.S.M. I intend talking to you about "Allegory and Symbolism in Masonry" but do not let these words frighten you, because my aim is merely to give you, and especially the ladies in our midst, in as concise a form as I am able, some idea of what Freemasonry purports to be, and what we as Masons are striving after and hoping to attain. Now, if you consult any Encyclopedia or authoritative Masonic Work you are almost sure to find the following definition of masonry: "Freemasonry is a system of morality, veiled in allegories and illustrated by symbols". The three operative words in this definition are clearly morality, allegory and symbols, and if we have a clear conception of what these three words mean, we get down to the very heart of Freemasonry. Let us take first of all the word morality. Funk and Wagnall define it as “The doctrine of right and wrong in human conduct”, and gives, as a secondary meaning: “A virtuous life”. Freemasonry is, then, firstly a strictly moral or virtuous way of life, and a Mason is obliged to obey the moral laws. He can never be a “stupid atheist nor an irreligious libertine", as an ancient charge puts it. He, of all men, should best understand that God seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh at the outward appearance, but God looketh to the heart. A Freemason is particularly bound never to act against the dictates of his conscience. Provided a man believes in the Glorious Architect of Heaven and Earth he is not excluded from Freemasonry on the grounds of his religion or mode of worship. A Freemason views the errors of mankind with compassion, and strives, by the purity of his own conduct, to demonstrate the superior excellence of brotherly love, relief and truth. That, then, is what we mean when we say that Freemasonry is a system of morality. This system, our definition goes on, is veiled in allegory. Let us now get a clear idea of what is meant by the word allegory. Going back to Funk and Wagnall we find that an allegory is defined as: "The setting forth of a subject under the guise of some other subject or aptly suggestive likeness." An allegory tells its story as if true, leaving the reader or hearer to discover its lesson. An allegory is a moral or religious tale, of which the moral lesson is the substance, and all the descriptions and incidents but accessories Now in Masonry we use a number of allegories or religious tales to inculcate the lesson and the duty of morality. The most important of these tales is that concerning the building of King Solomon's Temple. In the story of the magnificent Temple built by the wisest of Kings, we find a lesson which can be applied to our everyday lives, that lesson being that it is man's duty to build a spiritual temple in his own heart where God can dwell as He undoubtedly dwelt in the Temple built by King Solomon. In this sense every Freemason is as much a builder as his operative predecessors. In fact, Freemasons are often called moral builders. In their teachings they declare that theirs is a more noble and glorious purpose than squaring stones and hewing timber. Their task is to fit immortal nature for that spiritual building not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. The builder builds for a century. The Freemason builds for eternity. Now, how far have we got? We have seen that Freemasonry, as a system, teaches us to lead a moral and virtuous life, and that its lessons are based on the building of King Solomon’s temple, which we interpret as meaning that it behoves every Mason to build within himself a spiritual temple, perfect in all its parts and acceptable to the Great Architect of the Universe. Obviously the success or failure of that spiritual building will depend on the zeal, the assiduity and the understanding of the builder. It is not enough that he should feel with his emotions how pleasant it is to be in Lodge with those who are engaged in a similar task, and to hear old and familiar truths expressed in beautiful language. He should also understand the significance of what he sees and hears. For he builds, in the spiritual sense, not for himself alone, but for the whole community, the whole country and the whole world. By his precept and example, he can influence his family, his environment and all who come into contact with him, just as a stone thrown into a pond can influence the whole surface of that pond’s water. Now, how is he to build? Well, obviously he must have tools, and that brings us to the third operative word in our definition of Freemasonry, namely the word symbols. A symbol is an object chosen to typify or represent some idea or quality in something else, on account of a resemblance in one or more of their characteristics. Thus oak becomes the symbol of strength, the sword the symbol of war, the dove the symbol of peace, and white the symbol of purity. The symbols of Freemasonry are the implements used by the operative mason or builder. There are literally dozens of these tools, but I need mention only a few of the better known ones, for instance, the square, the compasses, the plumb-line, the ruler, the maul, the level, and so on. To each of these tools we attach a moral lesson. Thus one is to us a symbol of morality, truthfulness and honesty. We do not merely say to a young Mason that it behoves him to live a moral life, but we hand him an instrument and we say: See to it that all your actions can be measured by this. Another is used by the operative Mason for the measurement of the architect's plans, and to enable him to give those just proportions, which will ensure beauty as well as stability to his work. So, in speculative Masonry, this important implement is symbolic of that even tenor of deportment that true standard of rectitude, which alone can bestow happiness here on earth, and felicity hereafter. And, so I can go on explaining the moral lessons attached to the different working symbols. But I think I have said enough to prove that Masons foregather to work. The purpose of a Lodge is not primarily meditation. Nor is it merely a meeting place for the exercise of good fellowship - although both these elements exist in Masonry. But Masons meet to work for their own improvement, and for the improvement of the world. That service is the more effective when the workers are bound among themselves by sacred obligations and when they labour unobtrusively. The sense of unity becomes far greater among the builders because they are pledged, than would be the case if all mankind were invited to join them. That will happen some day in the future; but just now, since efficiency is more important than numbers or public recognition, Masons succeed best because they work and serve in secret, though there is nothing in their secrets, which may not be openly divulged for the benefit of the world. They will be so divulged when all men and women are unselfish enough to desire to become builders who ask for no reward but the joy of serving. For he that is greatest, is he that serveth best. When mutual service becomes the recognised law of human life, each man will be a steward, not an owner, and will hold all his possessions, spiritual, intellectual, moral, physical, as the common wealth, which he joyfully administers for the common good. Only when this is reached will the One Will be done below as it is done above, by those who know, (as Freemasons know), that perfect freedom is only found in perfect service. S.M.I.B. Most Worshipful Brother. Eddie Conradie, O.S.M. was Presiding Master of Star of the Rand Lodge in 1950/51 and in 1952/53. He became Provincial Grand Master of the Transvaal, (under the G.E.N.), in 1960 and the second Grand Master of the newly formed Grand Lodge of Southern Africa in 1966.
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