Maçonnieke encyclopedie-AM
De Maconnieke Encyclopedie zoekt
Een ogenblik !
A Mackay
PREFACE
MACKEY'S HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY
I ONCE delivered an address before a Lodge on the subject of the
external changes which Freemasonry had undergone since the
period of its revival in the commencement of the eightcenthtury.
The proper treatment of the topic required a referenee to German, to French, and to English authorities, with some of which I am afraid that many of my auditors were not familiar. At the close of the address, a young and intelligent Brother inquired of me how he could obtain access to the works which I had cited, and of many of which he confessed, as well as of the facts that they detailed, he now heard
for the first time. It is probable that my reply was not altogether satisfaetory ; for I told him that I knew of no course that he could adopt to attain that knowledge except the one that had been pursued by myself, namely, to spend his means in the purchase of Masonic books and his time in reading them.
But there are few men who have the means, the time, and the inclination for the purchase of numerous books, some of them costly and difficult to be obtained, and for the close and attentive reading of them which is neeessary to master any given subject. It was this thought that, years ago, suggested to me the task of collecting
materials for a work which would furnish every Freemason who might consult its pages the means of acquiring a knowledge of all matters connected with the science, the philosophy, and the history of his Order.
But I was also led to the prosecution of this work by a higher consideration. I had myself learned, from the experience of my early Masonic life, that the character of the Institution was elevated in every one's opinion just in proportion to the amount of knowledge that he had acquired of its symbolism, philosophy, and history. If Freemasonry was not at one time patronized by the learned, it was because the depths of its symbolic science and philosophy had not been sounded. If it is now becoming elevated and popular in the estimation of scholars, it owes that elevation and that popularity to the labors of those who have studied its intellectual system and given the result of their studies to the world. The scholar will rise from the perusal of Webb's Monitor, or the Hieroglyphic Chart of Cross, with no very exalted appreciation of the literary character of the Institution of which such works profess to be an exponent. But should he have met with even Hutchinson's spirit of Masonry, or Town's speculative Masonry, which are among the earlier products of Masonic literature, he will be conscious that the system which could afford material for such works must be worthy of investigation. Oliver is not alone in the belief that the higher elevation of the Order is to be attributed almost solely to the judicious publications on the subject of Freemasonry which have appeared during the present (nineteenth) and the end of the last (eighteenth) century. It is the press that is elevating the Order ; it is the labor of its scholars that is placing it in the rank of sciences. The more that is published by scholarly pens on its principles, the more will other scholars be attracted to its investigation. At no time, indeed, has its intellectual character been more justly appreciated than at the present day. At no time have its members generally cultivated its science with more assiduity. At no time have they been more zealous in the endeavor to obtain a due enlightenment on all the topics which its system comprehends.
It was the desire to give my contribution toward the elevation of the Order, by aiding in the dissemination of some of that light and knowledge which are not so easy of access, that impelled me years ago to commence the preparation of this work-a task which I have steadily toiled to accomplish, and at which, for several years,I have wrought with unintermitted labor that has permitted but little time for other occupation, and none for recreation. And now I present to my Brethren the result not only of those years of toil, but of more than thirty years of study and researeh-a work which will, I trust, or at least I hope, supply them with the materials for acquiring a knowledge of much that is required to make a Masonic scholar. Encyclopedia learning is
not usually considered as more than elementary. But knowing that but few Freemasons can afford time to become learned scholars in our art by an entire devotion to its study, I have in important articles endeavored to treat the subject exhaustively, and in all to give that amount oi information that must make future ignoranee altogether the result of disinclination to learn.
I do not present this work as perfect, for I well know that the emnating point of perfection ean never be attained by human effort.
But, under many adverse circumstances, I have sought to make it as perfect as I could. Encyclopedias are, for the most part, the result of the conjoined labor of many writers. In this work I have had no help. Every article was written by myself. I say this not to excuse my errors for I hold that no author should wilfully permit an error to pollute his pages-but rather to account for those that may exist. I have endeavored to comit none.
Doubtless there are some. If I knew them, I would correct them ; but let him who discovers them remember that they have been unwittingly committed in the course of an exhaustive and unaided task.
For twelve months, too, of the time in which I have been occupied upon this work, I suffered from an affection of the sight, which forbade all use of the eyes for purposes of study. During that period, now happily passed, all authorities were consulted under my direction by the willing eyes of my daughters-all writing was done under my dictation by their hands. I realized for a time the picture so often painted of the blind bard, John Milton, dictating his sublime verses to his daughters. It was a time of sorrow for the student who could not labor with his own organs in his vocation ; but it was a time of gladness to the father who felt that he had those who, with willing hearts, could come to his assistance. To the world this is of no import ; but I could not conscientiously close this prefatory address without referring to this circumstance so gratifying to a parent's heart. Were I to dedicate this work at all, my dedication should be-To FILIAL AFFECTION.
ALBERT G. MACKEY
A.
In the Accadian, Greek,
Etruscan, Pelasgian, Gallic, Samaritan, and Egyptian or Coptic, of
nearly the same formation as the English letter. It originally meant
with or together, but at present signifies one. In most languages it is the initial letter of the alphabet; not so, however, in the Ethiopian, where it is the thirteenth. This familiar first letter of the alphabet comes down to our own modern times from the most remote period recorded of the world's history. The common form of the letter corresponds closely to that in use by the Phoenicians at least ten centuries before the Christian Era, as in fact it does to almost all its descendants. Men of Tyre were Phoenicians, and we may trace the sound of the name they gave this letter by noting the pronunciation of the first letters in the alphabets of the Hebrews and the Grieks who took them from the same source. We derive the word alphabet from the first two Greek letters, and these are akin in their names to the Hebrew Aleph, or Awlef, and Bayth. Sounds of these letters, as in English words, must not be confused with the pronunciation of the names for them. The name of the Hebrew Aleph, signifies ox from the resemblance of the letter to the head and horns of that animal.
The sacred Aleph has the numarical value of one and is made up of two Yodes, one on each side of an inclined bar or Vawv. This combination of characters is said to typify the Trinity in Unity. The Divine name in Hebrew connected with this letter is, A H I H.
A. A. O. N. M. S.
These letters are the initials of the words Ancaient Arabic Order Noblea Mystia Shrine (see shrine).. They may be rearrenged to spell
out the words A Mason. The claim has been made in all sincerity that this peculiarity was prearranged and is not at all acciddental. Such a probabdity is not as rar as in type as may at first be imagined.
For instance the York Roll No. 1, about 1600 A.D., starts out quantly with such an endeavor in the form of an anagram, the letters of words or phrases transposed to make diferent words or phrases, thus:
An Anagraimee upon the name of Masonrie
William Kay to his friend Robert Preston
upon his Artt of Masonrie as Followeth :
Much might be said of the O noble Artt
A Craft that'a worth estieming in each part
Sundry Nations Noobles & their Kings also
Oh how they fought its worth to know
Nimrod & Solomon the wisest of all men
Reason saw to love this Science then
Ile say noe more lest by my shallow verses I
Endeavoring to praise should blemish Masonrie.
AARON
Hebrew , A-har-ohne, a word of doubtful etymology, but generally supposed to signify a mountaineer. Mackenzie saya the name means the illuminated. He was the brother of Moses, and the first High Priest under the Mosaic dispensation, whence the priesthood established by that lawgiver is known as the Aaronic. He is mentioned in the
English lectures of the Second Degree, in reference to a certain sign which is said to have taken its origin from the fact that Aaron and Hur were present on the hill from which Moses surveyed the battle which Joshua was waging with the Amalekites, when these two supported the weary arms of Moses in an upright posture, because upon his uplifted hands the fate of the battle depended (see Exodus xvii, 10-12). Aaron is also referred to in the latter section of the Royal
Arch Degree in connection with the memorials that were deposited in the Ark of the Covenant. In the Degree or Grade of Chief of the Tabernacle, which is the Twenty-third of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, the presiding officer represents Aaron, and is
styled Most Excellent High Priest. In the Twenty-fourth Degree of the same Rite, or Prince of the Tabernacle, the second officer or Senior Warden also personates Aaron.
AARON'S BAND
A Degree instituted in 1824, in New York City, mainly for social purposes, and conferred in an independent body. Its ceremonies were similar to those of the Order of High Priesthood, which caused the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State to take offence, and the small gathering dispersed in 1825.
AARON'S ROD.
The method by which Moses caused a miraculous judgment as to which tribe should be invested with the priesthood, is detailed in the Book of Numbers (chapter xvii). He directed that
twelve rods should be laid up in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle, one for each tribe; that of Aaron, of course, represented the tribe of Levi. On the next day these rods were brought out and exhibited to the people, and while all the rest remained dry and withered, that of Aaron alone budded and bIossomed and yielded fruit. There is no mention in the Pentateuch of this rod having been placed in the ark, but only that it was put before it. But as Saint Paul, or the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews ix, 4), asserts that the rod and the pot of manna were both
within the ark, Royal Arch Masons have followed this later authority. Hence the rod of Aaron is found in the ark; but its import is only historical, as if to identify the substitute ark as a true copy of the original, which had been lost. No symbolical instruction accompanies its discovery.
AB
1. The 11th month of the Hebrew civil year and corresponding to tbe months July and Augustus, beginning with the new moon of the former.
2. It is also a Hebrew word, signifying father, and will be readily recognized by every Freemason as a component part of the name Hiram Abif, which literally means Hiram his father (see ABIF).
ABACISCUS
The diminutive of Abacus- and, in architecture, refers to the squares of the tessellated pavement or checkered surface of the ground floor of King Solomon's Temple.
ABACUS.
A term which has been erroneously used to designate the official staff of the Grand Master of the Templars. The word has no sucb meaning ; for an abacus is either a table used for facilitating arithmetical calculations, or is in architecture the crowning plate of a column and its capital. The Grand Master's staff was a baculus, which see.
ABADDON.
A Hebrew word ab-ad-done, signifying destruction. By the Rabbis it is interpreted as the place of destruction, and is the second of the
seven names given by them to the region of the dead.
In the Apocalypse (Revelation ix, 11) it is rendered by the Greek word Apollyon, and means the destroyer. In this sense it is used as a significant word in the high degrees.
ABAZAR.
Probably from the Hebrew word ab-ee-ay-zer, meaning helpful. The title given to tbe Master of Ceremonies in the Sixth Degree of the Modern French Rite.
ABBREVIATIONS.
ABBREVIATUREN,DUITS
Abbreviations of technical terms or of official titles are of very extensive use in Freemasonry. They were, however, but rarely employed in the earlier Masonic publications. For instance, not one is to be found in the first edition of Anderson's Constitutions. Within a comparatively recent period they have greatly increased, especially
among French writers, and a familiarity with them is therefore essentially necessary to the Masonic student.
Frequently, among English and always among French authors, a Masonic abbreviation is distinguished by three points,.:, in a triangular form following the letter, which peculiar mark was first used, according to Ragon, on the 12th of August, 1774, by tbe Grand Orient of France, in an address to its subordinates. No authoritative explanation of the meaning of these points has been given, but they may be supposed to refer to the three lights around the altar,or perhaps more generally to the number three, and to the triangle, both important symbols in the Masonic system.
A representative list of abbreviations is given, and these will serve as a guide to the common practice, but the tendency to use such conveniences is limited only by personal taste governed by the familiarity of the Brethren using them with one another. This acquaintance may permit the mutual use of abbreviations little known elsewhere. All that can be done is to offer such examples as will be helpful in explaining the usual custom and to suggest the manner in which the abbreviations are employed. With this knowledge a Freemason can ascertain the meaning of other abbreviations he may find in his Masonic reading.
Before proceeding to give a list of the principal abbreviations, it may be observed that the doubling of a letter is intended to express the plural of that word of which the single letter is the abbreviation.
Thus, in French, F.:, signifies Frére, or Brother, and FF :. Fréres, or Brothers. And in English, L :. is sometimes used to denote Lodge, and LL :, to denote Lodges. This remark is made once for all, because we have not deemed it necessary to augment the size of
the list of abbreviations by inserting these plurals. If the reader finds S:.G:.I:. to signify Sovereign Grand Inspector, he will be at no loss to know that SS:.GG:.II:. must denote Sovereign Grand Inspectors.
A:.&A:. Ancient and Accepted.
A:.&A:. R :. Ancient and Accepted Rite as used in England.
A:.&A:. S :. R :. Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.
A:.&P:. R :. Antient and Primitive Rite.
A:.C:. Anno Coadio. Latin, meaning the Year of Destruction; referring to the year 1314 in Knights Templar history.
A:.D:. Anno Domini. Latin, meaning Year of 0ur Lord.
A:.Dep:. Anno Depositionis. Latin, meaning In the Year of the Deposit. The date is used by Royal and Select Masters.
A:.F:.M:. Ancient Freemasons.
A:.F:.&A:.M :. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
A:.H:. Anno Hebraico. Latin, meaning Hebrew Year.
A:.Inv:. Anno Inventionis. Latin, meaning In the Year of the Discovery. The date used by Royal Arch Masons.
A:.L:. Anno Lucis. Latin, meaning In the Year of Light. The date used by Ancient Craft Freemasons.
A.:L:.G:.D:.G:.A:.D:.L'U:. A la Gloire du Grand Architecte de l'Univers. French, meaning To the Glory of the Grand Architect of the Univers. The usual caption of French Masonic documents.
A:.L'O:. A l'0rient. French, meaning At the East. The Location or seat of the Lodge.
A.:M:. Anno Mundi. Latin, meaning In the Year of the World. The date used in the Ancient and Accepted Rite.
A.:O:. Anno 0rdinis. Latin, meaning In the Year of the 0rder. The date used by Knights Templar.
A.:Q.:C:. Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, the Latin name for the printed reports of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076, London.
A.:V.:L:. An du Vraie Lumiére. French, meaning Year of the True Light.
A.:V:.T:.O:.S.:A.:G:. Ad Universi Terrarum Orbis Summi Architecti Gloriam. Latin, meaning To the glory of the Grand Architect of the Universe.
A.:Y.:M:. Ancient York Masons or Ancient York Masonry.
B.: Bruder. German, meaning Brother.
B.:A.: Buisson Ardent. French, meaning Burning Bush.
B:.B:. Burning Bush.
B'n:. Brudern. German, meaniug Brethren.
Comp.: Companion. Used by Brethren of the Royal Arch.
C:.C:. Celestial Canopy.
C:.H:. Captain of the Host.
D:. Deputy.
D:.A:.F:. Due and Ancient Form.
D:.D:.G:.M:. Sometimes abbreviated Dis :.
D:.G:.M:. District Deputy Grand Master.
D:.G:.B:.A:.W:. Der Grosse Baumeister aller Welten. German, meaning The. Grand Architect of all Worlds.
D:.G:.G:.H:.P:. Deputy General Grand High Priest.
D:.G:.H:.P:. Deputy Grand High Priest.
D:.G:.M:. Deputy Grand Master.
D:.M:.J:. Deus Meumque Jus. Latin, meaning God and my right.
D:.Prov:.G:.M:. Deputy Provincial Grand Master.
Deg:. Degree or Degrees. Another way is as in 33°,meaning Thirty-Third Degree.
Dis:. District.
E:.Eminent; Excellent; also East.
E:.A:. Entered Apprentice. Sometimes abbreviated E:.A:.P:.
E:.C:. Excellent Companion.
Ec:. Ecossaise. French, meaning Scottish; belonging to the Scottish Rite.
E:.G:.C:. Eminent Grand Commander.
E:.G:.M:. Early Grand Master. A central Authority had been made to control the Knights Templar of Ireland independently of the Grand
Lodge and at the very first meeting of the Lodge "at High Noon of St. John." 1779, the Worshipful Master appended to his name the letters E. G. M.,that is, Early Grand Master. There was then no governing body in Freemasonry except the Grand Lodge (see "Templar Legends," by Brother W. J.Chetwode Crawley, Transactions, Quatuor Coronati Lodge, 1913, volume xxvi).
E:.O:.L:. Ex Oriente Lux. Latin, meaning 0ut of the East comes Light.
E:.V:. Era Vulgus. Latin, meaning Common Era, also stands for Ere Vulgaire, French, meaning Vulgar Era; Year of the Lord.
F:. Frére. French, meaning Brother.
F:.A:.M:. Free and Accepted Masons.
F:.E:.R:.T:. According to the statutes of the United Orders of the Temple &nd Saint John of Jerusalem, etc., the standard of Saint John is described as gules, on a Cross Argent, the Agnus Dei-meaning Red on a Silver Cross with a representation of the Lamb of God-with the letters F.E.R.T. These letters are the initials of the words of the motto Fortitudine Ejus Rhodum tenuit, meaning By his courage he held Rhodes. Brother Gordon P. G. Hills, Transactions of Quatuor Coronati Lodge, 1914, volume xxvii page 233, says, "I suppose it refers to the gallant defense by the Grand Master in 1522, when however, the Island was surrendered, although the garrison were permitted to depart with the honors of war." A writer in the Pall Mall Gazette, June 4, 1901, states that the legend appears on the coinage of Louis of Savoy in 1301 and on that of Thomas in 1233.
F:.C:. Fellow Craft.
F:.M:. Freemason.
G:.Grand- Sometimes read as Great; Geometry. Also has another meaning well known to the Craft.
G:.A:.O.:T:.U:. Grand Architect of the Univers.
G:.A:.S:. Grand Annual Sojourne.
G.:C:. Grand Chapter; Grand Council; Grand Cross; Grand Commander; Grand Chaplain; Grand Conclave; Grand Conductor; Grand Chancellor.
G:.C:.G:. Grand Captain General; Grand Captain of the Guard.
G :.C:.H.: Grand Captain of the Host; Grand Chapter of Herodom.
G:.Com:. Grand Commondery; Grand Commander.
G:.D:. Grand Deacon.
G:.D:.C:. Grand Director of Ceremonies.
G:.E:. Grand Encampment; Grand Bast; Grand Ezra.
G:.J:.W:. Grand Junior Warden.
G:.G:.C:. General Grand Chapter
.
G:.G:.H:.P:. General Grand High Priest.
G:.G:.K:. General Grand King.
G:.G:.M:.F:.V:. General Grand Master of the First Veil.
G:.G.:S:. General Grand Scribe.
G:.G.:T:. General Grand Treasurer.
G:.H:.P:. Grand High Priest.
G:.K:. Grand King.
G:.L:. Grand Lodge. Grande Loge, in French.Grosse Loge, in German.
G:.M:. Grand Master; Grand Marshal; Grand Monarch.
G:.N:. Grand Nehemiah.
G:.O:. Grand 0rient; Grand 0rganist.
G:.P. Grand Pursuivant; Grand Prior; Grand Prelate; Grand Preceptor; Grand Preceptory; Grand Patron; Grand Priory; Grand Patriarch; Grand
Principal.
G:.P:.S:. Grand Principal Sojourner
G:.R:. Grand Registrar; Grand Recarder.
G:.R:.A:.C:. Grand Royal Arch Chapter.
G:.S:. Grand Scribe; Grand Secretory; Grand Steward.
G:.S:.B:. Grand Sword Bearer; Grand Sword Bearer.
G:.S:.E.: Grand Scribe Ezra.
G:.S:.N:. Grand Scribe Nehemiah.
G:.S:.W:. Grand Senior Warden.
G:.T:. Grand Treasurer; Grand Tyler.
H:.A:.B:. Hiram Abif.
H:.E:. Holy Empire.
H:.J:. Heilige Johannes. German, meaning Holy Saint John.
H:.K:.T:. Hiram, King of Tyre.
H:.R:.D:.M:. Heredom.
Ill:. Illustrious.
I:.N:.R:.I:. Jesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudoeorum. Latin, meaniug Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. The Letters are also the initials of a significant sentence in Latin, namely, Igne Natura Renovatur Integra,
meaniug By fire nature is perfecily renswed.
I:.P:.M:. Immediate Past Master. English title of an official last promoted from the chair.
I:.T:.N:.O:.T:.G:.A:.O:.T:.U:. In the Name of the Grand Architect of the Universe. Often forming the caption of Masonic documents.
J:.W:. Junior Warden.
K:.King.
K:.E:.P:. Knight of the Eagle and Pelican
K:.H:. Kadash, Knight of Kadosh.
K:.H:.S:. Knight of the Holy Sepulcher
K:.M:. Knight of Malta
K:.S:. King Salomon (Suleiman)
K:.T:. Knights Templar; Knight Templar.
L:. Lodge. Lehrling, the German for Apprentice.
L:.R:. Lonon Rank. A distinction introduced in England in 1908.
L:.V:.X:. Lux Latin, meaning Light.
M:. Mason; Masonry; Marshal; Mark; Minister; Master. Meister, in German. Maître, in French.
M:.C:. Middle Chamber.
M:.E:. Most Eminent; Most Excellent.
M:.E:.G:.H:.P:. Most Excellent Grand High Priest.
M:.E:.G:.M:. Most Eminent Grand Master (of Knights Templar).
M:.E:.M:. Most Excellent Master.
M:.E:.Z:. Most Excellent Zerubbabel.
M:.K:.G:. Maurer Kunst Geselle. German, meaning Fellow Craft.
M:.L:. Maurer Lehrling. German, meaning Entered Apprentice.
M:.L:. Mére Loge. French, meaning Mother Lodge.
M:.M:. Master Mason. Mois Maçonnique. French, meaning Masonic Month. March 18 the first Masonic month among French Freemasons.
Meister Maurer. German, meaning Master Mason.
M:.P:.S:. Most Puissant Sovereign.
M:.W:.Most Worshipful.
M:.W:.G:.M:. Most Worshipful Grand Master; Most Worthy Grand Matron.
M:.W:.G:.P:. Most Worthy Grand Patron.
M:.W:.M:. Most Wise Master
M:.W:.S:. Most Wise Sovereign
N:. Novice.
N:.E:.C:. North-east Corner.
N'o:.P:.V:.D:.M:. N'oubiez pas vos décorations Maçonniques French, meaning Do not forget your Masonic regalia, a phrase used in France on the corner of a summons.
O:. Orient.
O:.A:.C:. Ordo ab Chao. Latin, meaning Order out of Chaos.
OB:. Obligation.
P:. Past; Prelate; Prefect; Prior.
P:.C:.W:. Principal Conductor of the Work.
P:.G:.M:. Past Grand Master; Past Grand Matron.
P:.J:. Prince of Jerusalem.
P:.K:. Past King.
P:.M:. Past Master.
P:.S:. Principal Sojourner.
Pro:.G:.M:. Pro-Grand Master.
Prov:. Provincial.
Prov:.G:.M:. Provincial Grand Master.
R:.A:. Royal Arch; Royal Art.
R:.A:.C:. Royal Arch Captain; Royal Arch Chapter.
R:.A:.M:. Royal Arch Mason; Royal Arch Masonry; Royal Ark Mariner.
R:.C:. or R:.t:. Rose Croiz. Appended to the signature of one having that degree
R:.E:. Right Eminent.
R:.E:.A:.et A:.Rite Ecossaise Ancien et Accepté. French, meaning Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.
R:.F:. Respectable Frée. French, meaning Worshipful Brother.
R:.L:. or R:.[]:. Respectable Loge. French, meaning Worshipful Lodge.
R:.S:.Y:.C:.S:. Rosy' Cross (in the Royal order of Scotland).
R:.W:. Right Worshipful.
R:.W:.M:. Right Worshipful Master.
S:.Scribe,Sentinel, Seneschal, Sponsor.
S:.C:. Supreme Council.
S:.G:.D:. Senior Grand Deacen.
S:.G:.I:.G:. Sovereign Grand Inspector General
S:.G:.W:. Senior Grand Warden.
S:.M:. Secret Master; Substitute Master; Select Master; Secret Monitor; Sovereign Master; Supreme Master; Supreme Magus.
S:.O:. Senior Overseer.
S:.P:.R:.S:. Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret.
S:.S:. Sanctum Sanctorum. Latin, meaning Holy of Holies. Formerly also used for Soverein of Sovereigns
S:.S:.M:. Senior Substitute Magus.
S:.S:.S:. The initials of the Latin word Salutem, meaning Greeting, repeated thrice and also found similarly in the French, Trois Fois Salut, meaning Thrice Greeting. A common caption to French Masonic circulars or letters
S:.W:. Senior Warden.
Sec:. Secretary.
Soc:.Ros:. Societas Rosicruciana
Sum:. Surveillant. French, meaning Warden.
T:.C:.F:. Trés Cher Frére. French, meaning Very Dear Brother.
T:.G:.A:.O:.T:.U:. The Grand Architect of the Universe.
T:.S:. Trés Sage. Meaning Very Wise, addressed to the presiding officer of French Rite.
U:.D:. Under Dispensaiion.
V:.or Ven:. Vénérable. French, meaning Worshipful.
V:.D:.B:. Very Dear Brother.
V:.D:.S:.A:. Veut Dieu Saint Amour, or Vult Dei Sanctus Animus. A formula used by Knights Templar. The expression Veut Dieu Saint Amour
means literally, Wishes God Holy Love, which in correct English might be expressed by Thus wishes God (who is)holy love. Vult Dei Sanctus Animus is the Latin Version of the same phrase. Only in this case God is in the genitive case and therefore the exact translation would be The holy spirit of God wishes or Thus wishes God's holy spirit.
V:.E:. Viceroy Eusebius; Very Eminent.
V:.F:. Vénérable Frére. French, meaning Worshipful Brother.
V:.L:. Vraie Lumiére. French, meaning True Light
V:.S:.L:. Volume of the sacred Law.
V:.W:. Very Worshipful
W:. Worshipful
W:.M:. Worshipful Master. Würdiger Meister, in German, meaning Worshipful Master.
[]Lofge.
[][]Lodges.
An equilateral triangle is an emblem of the Trillity and also of the Chapter in Royal Arch Masonrv.
The Swastika or Pylfot or Jaina Cross, as it bears all three names which are explained else where, has been used as a part of the signatures of members of Hermetic bodies and is then called the Hermetic Cross, which is attached to documents. The position of such a Cross in relation to the signature and the color of the ink indicates the rank of the signer and these particulars are subject to change.
This combination of the Maltese Cross and the equilateral triangle is not only sometimes found as a designation for the Knight of Rose Cross
but was used as early as 1725 to mean a reference to a Lodge of Saint John.
The supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, for the Northem Jurisdiction of the United States, has on page 36 of the book entitled lnformation for Bodies and Officers
(this being a part of the report of the Committee on Rituals and Ritualistic Matters in the Proceedings of 1870, pages 64, 65), the following illustrated Instructions :
The Sovereign Grand Commander shall prefix the triple cross, in red ink, to his signature, thus:-
The Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, has in the Statutes as amended to October, 1921, Article xiv, section 3, the following illustrated instructions: The distinctive symbol to be used before the signature of the Sov:.Gr:. Commmder is a Cross with three cross-bars, near tha extremities of which and of the shaft are
small cross-bars, the signature to be followed by a rayed equilateral triangle enclosing the figures 33 (violet ink to be used). The Symbol Cross.to precede the signature of a Sov:.Gr:.Insp:.General has two
cross-bars near the extremities of which and of the shaft are small cross-bars, the signature to be followed by a rayed equilateral triangle enclosing the figures 33 (purple ink to be used);the title to be written Sov:.Gr:.Insp:.Genl:.. The Symbol Cross to precede
the signature of an Inspector Honorary is a plain cross with two crossbars (no crossbars at the extremities), followed by a rayed equilateral triangle enclosing the figures 33, the tittel to be written Insp:.Genl:.Hon:.(crimson ink to be used). The rest of
the symbols to precéde signatures and titels to remain
the same as given in the present edition of the Statutes (the ink to be red). In each of the above the cross-bar are to be horisontal and except where shown differently the shaft is inclined to the right to
correspond with the angle of the strokes of slanting writing. The shafts of the crosses used by the Court of Honour are vertical, the ends of the shaft and cross-bars being provided with a cross-bar at the extremities.
For the Rose Croix the symbol is a Passion Cross set on the apex of a pyramid or equ-ateral triangle.
