The dust shall return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:7
In
1811 Brother Josiah Bowring, a well known portrait painter of London who had
been initiated in the Chichester Lodge in 1795, prepared a set of tracing boards
for his lodge. His tracing board of a Master Mason included a large scroll
draped over most of the lower half of the coffin. In the centre of the scroll
was an interior view of King Solomon's temple, looking towards the Holy of
Holies in the west, which occupied nearly all of the area resting on top of the
coffin. A eulogy, comprising five lines of Hebrew characters, was inscribed on
the portion of the scroll overhanging on the right side of the coffin. Various
symbols were depicted on the portion of the scroll overhanging on the left side.
An epitaph, also in Hebrew characters, was inscribed at the bottom of the scroll,
part of it on the right side of the overhanging portions and part of it on the
left. Brother Bowring's tracing boards are among the earliest known in the
modern format. They are of special significance, because Hebrew characters were
used for all inscriptions on the tracing board of a Master Mason. Some 20 years
after Brother Bowring had prepared his boards Brother John Harris, an
architectural draughtsman and miniature-painter, also prepared a set of tracing
boards that he published in about 1821. His designs were similar to Brother
Bowring’s, except that Brother Harris omitted the scroll that is a central
feature of the tracing board of a Master Mason prepared by Brother Bowring.
Brother Harris also converted the Hebrew characters on the coffin to equivalent
cryptic characters or Roman numerals. Most of the tracing boards used in modern
speculative lodges have been derived directly or indirectly from the set
prepared by Brother Harris.
As
the general appearance of Brother Harris's set of three tracing boards appealed
to the Emulation Lodge of Improvement, it decided to adopt them. Even so, in
about 1846, the Emulation Lodge of Improvement commissioned Brother Harris to
modify his design of the Master Mason’s tracing board, to include a scroll
inscribed in Hebrew similar to that adopted by Brother Bowring in his design.
Brother Harris completed his new design about three years later. He included
Hebrew inscriptions on the scroll and also three Hebrew characters, He,
arranged on the coffin in the form of a triangle. However, he did not use Hebrew
characters for the other inscriptions on the coffin, but continued to use the
cryptic characters and Roman numerals as on his earlier board. This tracing
board is called the "Improved Harris". In lodges that do
not follow the Emulation working, the scroll on the tracing board of a Master
Mason is usually omitted and the three Hebrew characters, He, are
represented by the Roman numerals 5. The “Improved Harris”,
or Emulation tracing board, provides the background that is essential for a
proper understanding of the tracing boards of a Master Mason. It is an advantage
to know the derivation and meaning of the words that the Hebrew characters
represent. It also is important to remember that Hebrew is written from right to
left, as also are the cryptic characters used to replace Hebrew characters. All
of the words represented by the Hebrew characters and the substituted cryptic
characters are explained in the Geneva Bible published by Thomas
Bodley from 1560 onwards and also in the later editions published by Christopher
Barker from 1580 onwards, which is usually called the Barker Bible.
The
Geneva Bible has comprehensive marginal notes. William Shakespeare
(1564-1616) and many eminent scholars and philosophers of that era used it
extensively. The Barker Bible includes those marginal notes and
also tabulations of Hebrew names and associated words, with explanations of
their meanings. Both Bibles continued in popular use by educated people long
after the Authorised Version of King James was issued in 1611 and
it would have been very familiar to the early speculative ritualists. Most
Biblical names and other significant words in masonic usage were derived from
the unpointed Hebrew texts from which the Geneva Bible and Barker
Bible had been translated. As those texts were written using only the
twenty-two consonants without vowels, their interpretation was often a matter of
opinion. Moreover, unless Hebrew characters are written with great care, some
can easily be mistaken for others, with consequential changes in pronunciation
and meaning. For example if the left leg of He (the equivalent of H
in English and meaning a Window) inadvertently joins the top of
the character, it becomes Heth (the equivalent of a guttural Ch
in English and meaning a Fence). If Tau (the
equivalent of T in English and meaning a Cross) is
written carelessly, it could easily be mistaken for either He or Heth.
As in the English language, many Hebrew words also have various different
meanings according to the context in which they are used. Factors such as these
would have contributed to many of the variations found in the pronunciation and
interpretation of Hebrew words that are of significance in freemasonry.
A
detailed examination of the Emulation tracing board of a Master Mason will
develop our understanding of the tracing boards in common use and will put them
in a better perspective. Most of what follows is not included in lectures on the
tracing board, nor is any explanation of the symbols on the board and their
meanings usually given. Many tracing boards of a Master Mason differ from the
Emulation board in their details, but five basic elements are common to nearly
all boards. These five elements will now be described with reference to the
Emulation board. The first element is an enclosing rectangle with sides that are
in the proportions of the phi
ratio, which is approximately 1.618
and is called the Golden Section. These proportions are mathematically and
aesthetically elegant and produce the rectangle that is most pleasing to the
human eye. The derivation and symbolism of the phi ratio are
explained in the chapter discussing tracing boards in general. The board is in
portrait form with a thick black border, oriented so that east is at the foot of
the board and west is at the head of the board. This black border represents a
grave, reminding us of our ultimate destiny on earth. The second element is a
coffin enclosed within the grave, with its head to the west. The emblems of
mortality and the implements with which the master craftsman was slain are
resting on the coffin. A memorial tablet near the head of the coffin is
inscribed with details of the master craftsman and a record of his death,
similar to an inscription placed on the headstone of a grave. Three Hes
also are depicted on the coffin in the form of an open triangle, with its apex
to the east near the foot of the coffin. They allude to the untimely death of
the master craftsman and are intended to remind us of human frailty.
The
third element comprises a Master Mason’s working tools. The compasses are
placed between the pencil and skirret, with its legs extended to enclose a
circle having a point at its centre. When thus placed, the working tools remind
us that during our mortal lives we must keep our passions and prejudices within
due bounds, while using our mental and manual skills in the Lord's service. The
fourth element is a large parchment scroll placed within the triangle of Hes
and draped over most of the lower half of the coffin, with the ends hanging down
on each side. A depiction of the interior of the first temple at Jerusalem is at
the centre of the scroll, viewed looking westwards towards the Holy of
Holies, which can be seen through the partly drawn curtains at the
western end of the Holy Place. On the overhanging right hand side
of the scroll is a brief eulogy to the master craftsman, inscribed in Hebrew.
The overhanging left hand side of the scroll depicts an equilateral triangle
near its upper edge and near its lower edge a circle circumscribing a pentagram
or open pentacle with a Yod in the centre. Along the bottom of the
scroll an epitaph is inscribed in Hebrew, partly on the right side and partly on
the left. The scroll and its inscriptions remind us that, at the close of this
mortal existence, all those who have faithfully served the Lord may hope to
enter that house not made with hands, the Eternal Temple in the heavens. The
fifth element is an acacia bush at the head of the grave, reminding us that an
immortal soul dwells in every mortal frame.
Before
considering the various elements of the board in detail, it would be helpful to
review the parts played by several Biblical people who were significant,
directly or indirectly, during the building of the first temple at Jerusalem. It
is important to know the Hebrew characters and the cryptic transliterations
representing these Biblical names, as well as to understand the meanings of
their names. All of this is relevant to the inscriptions relating to the
untimely death of the master craftsman. The spellings of the names and words
that follow are from the unpointed Hebrew characters. For
convenience they are written as in English, from left to right,
but it must be remembered that in Hebrew they were written from right to
left. Of those responsible for the construction of the first temple at
Jerusalem, the three best known are Solomon King of Israel (Shin Lamedh
Mem He, which probably means peaceful), Hiram King of Tyre
(He Waw Resh Mem, which signifies altitude or exalted)
and Hiram Abif the skilful and experienced master craftsman whose first name is
the same as that of the King of Tyre and whose second name, Aleph Beth Yod
Waw, could signify his father. However Abif
probably was a surname, which is the sense ascribed to it by Luther and the
Swedish translators. Heinrich Gesenius (1786-1842), an eminent German biblical
scholar and Hebrew lexicographer, says in his book Hebräisches
Elementarbuch that Abif variously signifies a master,
teacher, or chief operator. This interpretation is
supported by the modern New English Bible translations, firstly in
I Kings 7:14 which describes Hiram Abif as "a man of great skill and
ingenuity, versed in every kind of craftsmanship in bronze" and
again in II Chronicles 2:13 where he is called "a skilful and
experienced craftsman, master Huram".
In
addition to those three important persons, there are another three Biblical
characters that are of special significance to a Master Mason. Those three are
Tubal Cain, Machbanai and Adoniram. Because Tubal Cain (Tau Beth Lamedh
and Qoph Yod Nun, usually translated as Tubal the Smith)
is one of the four founders of the crafts named in the Bible, he is referred to
in the earliest known copy of the Old Charges of the operative
freemasons, the Regius MS of about 1390. The New English
Bible version of Genesis 4:22 refers to Tubal Cain as "the
master of all coppersmiths and blacksmiths". He is the first
artificer in metals mentioned in the scriptures. In this context there can be no
doubt that Hiram Abif, the chief worker in bronze at the construction of King
Solomon’s temple, who was responsible for casting the two great pillars and
all the lavers and other ceremonial vessels, was indeed a master craftsmen and a
worthy successor of Tubal Cain who therefore deserved the appellation of Master.
Machbanai
(Mem Heth Beth Yod Nun Aleph Yod), was an important person who is
referred to in I Chronicles 12:13. He was the eleventh of the band of Gadite
warriors who joined King David in the wilderness at Ziklag, in about 1002 BCE,
when they formed a mighty host and made David king over all
Israel. They routed the Philistines and recovered the Ark of the Covenant, which
they conveyed to Jerusalem. King David was then able to begin preparations for
the building of the temple at Jerusalem. Machbenai appears in I Chronicles 2:49
as Machbenah (Mem Heth Beth Nun He) and there are several other
variations or derivatives of the name in the Bible. They include Machir (Mem
Kaph Resh or Mem Waw Heth Yod Resh) in Genesis 1:23 and
also Machi (Mem Heth Yod) in Numbers 13:15. There are several
other variations in spelling to be found in the Revised Version and also in the
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, which illustrate the difficulties in
achieving exact translations of the old unpointed Hebrew texts. Machbanai and
its variants have several meanings, which include the smiter that
is relevant to his role as a member of the mighty host. It can
also mean the builder is smitten and the builder (or master)
is slain, which are relevant to later events during the building of the
temple. A number of closely associated and similar sounding words that are of
special significance are discussed in the section on significant Hebrew words.
Adoniram
(Aleph Daleth Nun Yod Resh Mem, meaning my lord is exalted)
was another very important character involved in the construction of the first
temple at Jerusalem, even though he is often overlooked. King Solomon appointed
Adoniram as the superintendent over the levy of thirty thousand workmen from
among the Israelites, who were sent in courses of ten thousand a month to work
on Mount Lebanon. The first mention of Adoniram is in II Samuel 20:24, when
as Adoram he was an officer in charge of the tribute levied by King David. Later,
in I Kings 12:18, he is called Adoram when he was one of the officers in charge
of the levy under Rehoboam, a son of King Solomon. Rehoboam was the last king of
the united monarchy and also the first king of the southern kingdom of Judah.
Adoniram is referred to for the last time in II Chronicles 10:18, when he
was called Hadoram, the chief officer of Rehoboam's tribute. The Bible records
that when Adoniram was sent by King Rehoboam to collect the usual taxes, the
rebellious people of the northern tribes stoned him to death, which precipitated
Jeroboam's revolt against the king in about 922 BCE. Both Adoram and
Hadoram are shortened and familiar forms of Adoniram.
We will now
examine the various derivations of Machbanai and some other closely related
words with respect to their interpretations and their relevance to the untimely
death of the master craftsman, Hiram Abif. The initial letters of the words that
comprise Machbanai and other names, as well as of other relevant words, appear
on the tracing board of a Master Mason either as Hebrew characters or as their
cryptic transliterations. As in all languages, an interesting aspect of a study
of Hebrew names and their associated words is the uncertainty, in any particular
instance, whether the associated words came into the language as derivatives of
the name, or whether the name is composed of words reflecting characteristics of
the person. As with many English names, either possibility might be the
appropriate alternative, but no attempt will be made in this review to allocate
a probability in respect of a particular usage. This examination is not
exhaustive, nor does it set out to assign all of the available meanings of a
name.
Several
of the more important root words and their meanings will be examined, from which
are derived the various expressions in common usage. The root words may be
examined in relation to a commonality of meaning, or to a similarity in sound,
or to a possible mistake in the reading of a Hebrew character for one or another
of the reasons already mentioned. Sometimes these categories overlap, even
though the overlapping elements may not be immediately evident. Some relevant
words relating to building, arranged in the alphabetical order of the Hebrew
characters, are: bena meaning to build,
spelled Beth Nun Aleph; banah meaning to build
up, spelled Beth Nun He; bonai or b'nai
both meaning a builder, spelled Beth Yod Nun Aleph Yod;
and b'nain meaning a building, spelled Beth
Nun Yod Nun. Words relating to striking and death include the following:
mooch, which means to kill and is spelled Mem
Waw Heth. It is also written as mooth and is spelled Mem
Waw Tau. Another is machi meaning a smiter,
spelled Mem Heth Yod. Yet another word of similar import is machah,
meaning to destroy or to blot out, which is
spelled Mem Heth He. Finally in this context is the similarly
sounding makkah, meaning a blow or smiting,
which is spelled Mem Kaph He. There also are several other
relevant words that have similar sounds, but have quite different meanings. They
are: maq meaning putrid or rottenness,
spelled Mem Qoph; the interrogative mah, spelled Mem
He; and the definite article h' or ha,
spelled He. All of these words are of importance when endeavouring
to make an objective interpretation of the Hebrew inscriptions on the scroll and
the other characters that appear on the Emulation tracing board.
Although
the several physical components depicted on the board are individually related
to one or another of four of the five elements of the tracing board, their
symbolisms are so closely interwoven that their meanings can be understood
better if they are first considered together. Nevertheless, it is important also
to consider the more esoteric components separately. When appropriate, some of
the significant variations that appear on modern tracing boards will also be
mentioned. The physical components are the grave, the coffin, the elements of
mortality, the acacia bush, the working tools of a Master Mason and the
implements with which the master craftsman was slain. The coffin is placed in
the grave with the foot towards the east, which has been the traditional and
symbolic orientation for burials in all beliefs and in all ages, so that the
interred body is directed towards the rising sun, which is an ancient
emblematical reference to a belief in resurrection. The emblems of mortality are
placed over the pectoral region of the body to symbolise the departure of the
spirit from the body, which is eloquently expressed in one of the Scottish
rituals:
"Look
on this ruin, it is a skull
Once
of ethereal vision full.
This
narrow cell was life's retreat,
This
space was thought's ambitious seat.
What
beauteous vision filled this spot,
What
dreams of pleasure long forgot.
Nor
love, nor hope, nor joy nor fear
Has
left one trace or record here,
Yet
this was once ambition's airy hall,
The
dome of thought, the palace of a soul."
The
acacia, or shittim wood, is an evergreen and one of the few trees that can
survive the rigours of the harsh wilderness and deserts of the Holy Land, for
which reason it has been regarded as an emblem of immortality since ancient
times. Joel prophesied that in the Day of the Lord the Valley of
Shittim would receive the life-giving water. Shittim was esteemed as a sacred
wood among the Israelites. It was used to construct the Ark of the
Covenant, the frames of the tabernacle, the table for the shewbread and
for all other sacred furniture. In the Greek language akakos and akakon,
which respectively mean guileless and harmless, are
derived from akakia, which means acacia and in Greek
is also used as an alternative word for inosens, which means innocence.
The acacia bush at the head of the master craftsman's grave reminds us that his
virtuous conduct, integrity of life and fidelity to the trust placed in him
should be emulated by every Master Mason. An ancient custom, still in use, is to
carry or wear a sprig of evergreen such as acacia, rosemary or myrtle at
funerals and commemorative services. Acacia is also regarded as a symbol of
initiation. A special plant became associated with a particular rite in the
ancient initiations and religious mysteries, ultimately being adopted as a
symbol of that rite. Such symbolic plants include the lettuce in the mysteries
of Adonis, the lotus among the Brahmins, the lotus and the Erica or heath among
the Egyptians, the mistletoe among the Druids and the myrtle in the mysteries of
Greece. In freemasonry acacia is a symbol of initiation, not as an apprentice,
but into the life hereafter as it is emblematically portrayed in the third
degree. The acacia bush reminds us that innocence must lie in the grave until
the voice of the Most High calls it to a blissful eternity.
The
working tools are placed at the head of the coffin, because the brain is the
seat of learning. The pencil, skirret and compasses invoke the mental faculties
rather than manual skills in their use. The pencil is used by the skilful
architect to define precisely the requirements for the structure, which
symbolically warns us to carry out all of our responsibilities to God and man,
as our words and actions are recorded by the Almighty Architect to whom we must
give an account of our conduct through life. The skirret is used to mark out the
ground with accuracy for the foundation of the intended structure, symbolically
pointing out that a straight and undeviating line of conduct is laid down in the
scriptures to govern us in our pursuits. The compasses are used to delineate
exactly the limits and proportions of the several parts of the building, to
ensure that beauty and stability adorn the completed work. The compasses
symbolise the unerring justice and impartiality of the Most High, reminding us
to keep our passions and prejudices within due bounds because we will be
rewarded or punished accordingly as we have obeyed or disregarded His divine
commands.
The
implements with which the master craftsman was slain are the plumb rule, the
level (or the square in the Irish working) and the heavy setting maul. They are
placed at the foot of the coffin to signify that all earthly pursuits have been
trampled underfoot by death. The plumb rule and level (or square) reflect the
utmost integrity of the Master craftsman, even in the face of the gravest danger
that resulted in his death, which is signified by the heavy setting maul. From
time immemorial the heavy setting maul has been an emblem of death by violence.
The heavy setting maul is the implement used by operative masons to set ashlars
and paving stones level and to bed them down on their foundations, from which is
derived the expression "setting to a dead level". On
many tracing boards a try square, the Master's emblem of office in speculative
craft freemasonry, is shown near the foot of the coffin to signify that Hiram
Abif died in office while serving the Lord. On some boards three gallows squares,
the emblem of office of a Master in operative freemasonry, are depicted on the
vertical face at the foot of the coffin. Because three is regarded as the most
perfect and most sacred number, the three squares at the foot of the coffin show
that the Master craftsman had lived a blameless life, on the square with all
mankind, as he was when he departed this life. When associated with the acacia
bush at the head of the coffin, the three squares also signify that a state of
perfection can be achieved only when the immortal spirit is raised in the life
hereafter.
The
triangle formed with the three Hebrew characters He or the three 5s
has several interpretations, of which the first is mystical. From ancient times
the equilateral triangle has been an emblem of God and a symbol of perfection.
Because the apex is pointing downwards, we are reminded that perfection can only
be achieved by passing through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.
The sum of the three Hes forming the triangle is the mysterious
and omnific 15, a sacred number that is symbolic of the name of
God. The number 15 is sacred because it is the numerical
equivalent of the Hebrew characters Yod He, which signify Jah.
This is the "two lettered" name of God that is used in
Psalm 68:4 and is usually translated as Lord in the Bible. Most
biblical scholars consider that this "two lettered" name
is a name of God in its own right, equivalent to the Tetragrammaton.
The Tetragrammaton is spelled Yod He Waw He and is
also called the Ineffable Name, which is transcribed in English as
YHWH or JHVH and is usually rendered as Yahweh
and Jehovah. However, some say that the "two lettered"
name of God is only a contraction of the tetragrammaton. Because
the Hebrew characters do not include separate numerals, other characters are
used as substitutes for numerical values, the Yod representing 10
and the He representing 5. However, as a mark of
respect and in veneration of the sacred name, Yod and He
are not usually used together to represent 15, but Teth
and Waw are substituted respectively representing 9
and 6.
The
temporal interpretation of the three Hes or 5s,
commencing with the lowest and moving clockwise, relates to the individual in
his natural environment and to his civic obligations. The first character
concerns our physical surroundings and represents the five natural forms of
matter envisaged by the ancients, which are earth, air, water, ether and fire.
The second character concerns our mental capabilities and represents the five
human senses by which we perceive our environment, these being feeling, hearing,
seeing, tasting and smelling. The third character concerns our moral
responsibilities that are represented by the five points of fellowship, which
are to meet a brother on the square and sustain him when in difficulty or danger,
to support him in his virtuous and laudable undertakings, to pray for him and
assist him in his times of need, to keep inviolate his private affairs and
lawful secrets and to vindicate his reputation with as much sincerity in his
absence as in his presence.
There
also is a collective interpretation of the three characters that is of
particular interest to speculative freemasons. The three Hes are
the initial letters of the three Hirams who assisted King Solomon in the design,
supply of materials and erection of the temple. They were Hiram King of Tyre,
Hiram Abif and Adoniram, who are included in the important biblical names
already discussed. The characters also refer to the fifteen trusted craftsmen
who, in masonic legend, were chosen by King Solomon to make a diligent search
for Hiram Abif when he had disappeared from his place of work at the temple. The
craftsmen were formed into three lodges of five and went forth in different
directions, acquitting themselves in their various duties with the utmost
fidelity. When the body of the Master craftsman was found it was recovered and
conveyed to Jerusalem, where it was interred as near to the Holy of Holies as
Israelitish law would permit.
Finally,
the three characters represent the five perfect points of entrance in each of
the three speculative degrees of freemasonry, which are preparation, obligation,
sign, token and word. Test questions on the perfect points of entrance can be
traced back to the catechisms used by the operative freemasons, with whom they
comprised an essential part of the instruction received. The perfect points of
entrance are included in the earliest known speculative ritual, the Edinburgh
Register House MS of 1696, which contains a description of the Scottish
ceremony for the initiation of an Apprentice. They also appear in the Dumfries
No 4 MS of about 1710 and in the Trinity College, Dublin MS
of 1711. The test questions are used more extensively in the Scottish and Irish
workings than they are in the English workings.
Immediately
above the emblems of mortality is a memorial inscription, similar to those that
appear on the headstones of graves. The Roman numerals on the plaque are the
clue to deciphering the cryptic characters. It is immediately evident that the
numerals are intended to be read from right to left, as the Hebrew characters
would have been written, but it may not be so evident that in fact they are seen
as a mirror image. If all of the cryptic characters are visualised as being read
from within the coffin, then they are readily decipherable as standard
characters that were used in most of the old treatises on masonic scripts. From
time to time writers have said that they have found errors in the script, which
they have blamed on Brother John Harris's transcription, but those claims seem
to have been based on a false premise, especially as some of the cryptic
characters are the same whether read from within the coffin or from outside. In
the following comments all characters that are written from left to right must
be visualised as they appear in the inscriptions, which is from right to left.
The
three characters above the date are the equivalent of He Aleph Beth
and refer to Hiram Abif. The date is shown as AL 3000, which
is a reference to the Latin Anno Lucis meaning "in the
Year of Light", calculated by adding 4,000 to the years BCE (Before
Common Era). In 1650 Archbishop Ussher dated the creation of the world
and the appearance of Adam at 4004 BCE, which was rounded off when
determining the Year of Light. On the basis of the then available
knowledge for dating Biblical events, King Solomon’s temple was nearing
completion in about 1000 BCE, or AL 3000, when the master craftsman
was slain. Modern research indicates that the date probably would have been
about 950 BCE, or AL 3050, but the difference is of no consequence in
relation to the legend. On most modern boards cryptic characters equivalent to Tau
and Qoph are placed to the right and left of the plaque
respectively, but preferably they should be at the head of the coffin, each side
of the working tools as on the Emulation board. The Tau and Qoph
are the initials of Tubal Cain, who was sent to King Solomon as the Master Smith,
although his duties became much wider in scope. There is no Hebrew character for
C, but the sound derived from the initial Qoph of
Cain has been transliterated as a C in the cryptic characters.
Immediately
below the emblems of mortality, reading from right to left, there are cryptic
characters equivalent to Mem Beth, which appear twice on the
Emulation board, but only once on some modern boards. On the Emulation board and
in English lodges that derive from the Antients, as well as in all
Scottish lodges, these characters allude to the first words spoken when the
indecently interred body of Hiram Abif was discovered. The first pair of
characters allude to an exclamation of shock that was spoken in Hebrew when the
body was discovered: "Mahhah b'nai?" spelled "Mem
He, He, Beth Yod Nun Aleph Yod", the equivalent in English being: "What!
Is this the builder?" In the Irish and also in some Scottish
workings this is expressed as "Alas, the builder!"
whilst in some Scottish workings "The death of the builder!"
is used less correctly. The second pair of characters allude to an expression of
distress: "Machi b'nai!" which is spelled "Mem
Heth Yod, Beth Yod Nun Aleph Yod", equivalent in English to "The
builder is smitten!" The Jacobite masons in Scotland must have
noticed that the Hebrew pronunciation of this comment is almost identical to the
Gaelic "Mac benach", from Mac which means son
and bennaich which means to bless, hence signifying "the
blessed son", an enigmatic title that the Stuart freemasons applied
to their idol, the Young Pretender. The close relationship between
Scotland and France under the Auld Alliance is illustrated by an
equivalent expression in the French Rite, said to mean "He lives in
the son!" which cannot be derived from the Hebrew.
In
their book entitled The Hiram Key, Christopher Knight and Robert
Lomas propose another interesting derivation for the exclamations, which they
relate to the murder of Seqenenre Tao II, a Theban king of Egypt, in about 1600 BCE.
They suggest that the words come from the Egyptian "Ma'at-neb-men-aa"
and "Ma'at-ba-aa", meaning "Great is the
established Master of Freemasonry" and "Great is the
spirit of Freemasonry" respectively. In this context
they say that Ma'at has been translated as Freemasonry
because there is no other modern single word that conveys the multiplicity of
ideas of the Egyptian word, which they sum up as being "truth,
justice, fairness, harmony and moral rectitude as symbolised by the regular
purity of the perfectly upright and square foundation of the temple".
Ma'at is used in this context in the pyramid texts. It might be
tempting to assume that the circumstances are too remote for such an origin to
be feasible, were it not for the fact that so much of our modern English
language has been derived progressively through a series of different languages
over several millennia, especially words and expressions relating to the liberal
arts and sciences and to religious and esoteric subjects generally.
English
rituals derived from the Moderns, as well as some American rituals
of similar origin, use a different Hebrew pronunciation for the first
exclamations made by the Fellows of the Craft who discovered the body of Hiram
Abif, based on two Hebrew verbs of similar pronunciation. Those words are mookh
spelled Mem Waw Heth and makkah spelled Mem
Kaph He, which respectively mean to kill and to
smite, whence are derived the exclamations "The master is
slain!" and "The builder is smitten!" These
versions appear to have been introduced by the Moderns in about
1730, to distinguish them from the Antients who retained the
original words and whose rituals and customs differed little from those of their
Irish and Scottish brethren. Another version of the exclamation used in some
English and American workings comes from a similar sounding Hebrew noun, maq
spelled Mem Qoph and meaning rottenness, whence the
expression "He is rotten!" and the more fanciful "rotten
to the bone", which clearly is a play on words incorrectly
combining Hebrew and English.
There
is ample evidence that, prior to the union of the Antients and Moderns
early in the 1800s, the Moderns were only using one word, even
though the Antients were using the two words that had always been
used by their Irish and Scottish brethren. The original word used by the Moderns
was based on the Hebrew makkah, spelled Mem Kaph He,
meaning a blow or smiting, but it appeared later
with many different spellings and pronunciations. The earliest known version
appears in the Sloane MS of about 1700, when it seems that only
two degrees were being practised in England. Four versions of the word were in
use by the end of 1725 and at least eight by 1763, but in all there have been at
least sixteen versions of the word. There is little doubt that almost all of
them were either fanciful corruptions or mispronunciations of the various Hebrew
words we have examined. The union of the Antients and Moderns
more or less stabilised the usages, whilst permitting the distinctions already
mentioned.
An
important feature of the Emulation tracing board is a scroll draped over the
lower half of the coffin, in the middle of which is depicted an interior view of
the temple. This view is usually shown in miniature near the middle of the
coffin on other boards. The views vary in detail, but contrary to I Kings
6:14-35 they all show a series of columns around the interior walls. These
columns probably were included as symbols, possibly representing the five noble
orders of architecture and hence the work for which the master craftsman was
responsible, but no explanation is given in the old catechisms or in modern
rituals. On the Emulation board the ceiling of the Holy Place is
flat as described in the Bible, but on other boards it usually is arched. The
Emulation board shows a continuous series of small arched windows along the
walls of the Holy Place, near the ceiling, which would have
provided the only light as it is recorded in the scriptures. Most other boards
show a series of arches supported on columns along the full length of the Holy
Place, but without windows, although the Holy of Holies at
the western end appears to have a flat ceiling, as in the Biblical description.
On
all tracing boards the curtains at the western end of the Holy Place
are partially open, which reveals the Holy of Holies and permits a
glimpse of the Ark of the Covenant and the Cherubim
guarding it. Some boards depict a priest standing in front of the entrance to
the Holy of Holies. The floor of the temple is not shown overlaid
with gold as described in I Kings 6:30, but is depicted symbolically as a mosaic
pavement of black and white tiles. On most modern boards the first arch is
inscribed with characters that usually are indecipherable, although they are
supposed to replicate the eulogy and epitaph on the scroll of the Emulation
board. The representation of the temple on the board is explained beautifully in
another Scottish ritual:
"The
great lesson conveyed to us symbolically by this board, by the coffin enclosing
all within its cold embrace, is that at that very moment, even from death itself
springs life immortal. Here in the bosom of death we see the mosaic pavement
typical of life; not life traversed by toil and difficulty, as formerly
represented by the winding stair, but of life eternal, triumphant over death,
leading directly through the porch to the Holy of Holies. Observe the dormer
window, emblematically admitting the revelation of divine truth; but it is one
of the most beautiful and at the same time one of the most mysterious doctrines
of masonic symbolism that the Freemason, whilst always in search of truth, is
destined never to find it in its entirety. That teaches him the humiliating but
necessary lesson that the knowledge of the nature of God and of man's relation
to Him, which knowledge constitutes divine truth, can never be acquired in this
life. Such consummation only comes to him when he has passed through the gateway
of death and stands in the court of light, with the full light of revelation
upon him."
A
eulogy, written in basic unpointed Hebrew characters, is on the overhanging
right hand side of the scroll. It relates to the inscriptions on the coffin. An
epitaph, written in basic unpointed Hebrew characters, is at the bottom of the
scroll and also relates to the inscriptions on the coffin. As the original texts
of the inscriptions are not available, an interpretation of the Hebrew
characters on the tracing board must suffice. This presents some difficulties
because, even on the largest tracing boards, some of the Hebrew characters lack
clarity and definition, so that they cannot be read with certainty. It might be
supposed that it was not intended that the inscriptions should be read, but this
would not be in keeping with the meticulous care taken in other details and the
interrelationship of all components of the tracing board. As the script is
composed only of root words without vowels, prefixes or suffixes, its
interpretation is limited to character recognition for word definition and for
grammar. The interpretation of modern Hebrew writing is assisted by vowels,
prefixes and suffixes.
Because
the script on the tracing board is comprised of root words as in the original
Biblical writings, a different interpretation of a character may allow an
alternative composition of the root word. Unless they are carefully written, it
is possible to confuse several pairs of Hebrew characters, of which the
following are of particular relevance to the inscriptions on the scroll. Yod,
Waw, Zayin and also Nun, in the forms
that are used at the end of a word, could easily be confused if poorly written.
Several pairs of characters, Beth and Kaph, Daleth
and Resh, Gimel and Nun, as well as Mem
and Samech, are similar in shape. Three other characters that are
of the same general shape are He, Heth and Tau,
which could easily be misread if poorly written, because the left leg of He
does not quite join the top as in Heth, while the left leg of Tau
has a slight curve at the lower end. We do not know if Brother John Harris
correctly transcribed all of the characters from the original scroll on Brother
Josiah Bowring's tracing board, or if the original itself included any errors.
A
study of the script shows that a few small differences in the interpretation of
characters could produce interesting changes in the translations of the eulogy
and epitaph that are worth mentioning, though none alters their underlying
meanings. A Hebrew sentence with an active or finite verb usually commences with
the verb, followed by the subject and then the object. Passive verbs are usually
omitted when a word links the subject to the predicate that then follows.
Several interpretations have been considered, but some clearly are not relevant
to the circumstances. The root words and their relevant meanings for the adopted
interpretations are set out below in the sequence in which they appear on the
scroll. The interpretations give the exact meanings of their Hebrew counterparts,
although equivalent modern English words could have been substituted, for which
there are other Hebrew words. For example extremity is used with
its ancient connotation of death, as intended in extreme
unction. The alternative expressions are familiar and may have been
avoided deliberately.
The
first line of the eulogy appears to be Heth Yod meaning by
the life of and Kaph Lamedh meaning wholly, completely,
to be finished. The second line appears to be Resh Heth Shin
meaning to give up or to throw up followed by Lamedh
Beth meaning life or the heart or the
vital principle. The third line appears to be Shin Resh
meaning violence, destruction and Aleph Lamedh
meaning unto, into or causation. The
fourth line looks like Sadhe Yod Resh meaning to go
or to prepare for a journey. The fifth line is like Aleph
Beth meaning father and Yod meaning to.
If this is the correct interpretation of the characters, then the eulogy may be
expressed in the words: "Having given up his life as a result of
violence, he has passed on to the Father."
There is no doubt that the first character in the first line of the
eulogy is Heth, but if it should have been He then
the first line actually becomes a significant noun and the structure of the
sentence is altered. The alternative translation of the first line then becomes He
Yod Kaph Lamedh, which means the temple and in Hebrew
usage specifically the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem. However,
the structure of the sentence and its interpretation would only make sense if
the inscriptions in cipher at the head of the coffin were included. As the
ciphers originally were in Hebrew characters their inclusion might have been
intended and the eulogy would read: "Hiram Abif, the Master Smith at
the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, gave up his life as a result of violence
and has passed on to the Father." In all of the circumstances this
is the preferred interpretation.
The epitaph
The
part of the epitaph on the right of the scroll seems to begin with Beth
Heth meaning to rest, followed by He Waw
meaning alas!, then by Qoph Sadhe Resh meaning extremity
and finally Beth meaning in. The part of the epitaph
on the left side of the scroll appears to be Yod Kaph Shin Resh
meaning right, proper, or to be acceptable,
followed by Heth Yod meaning to live, then by Nun
Aleph which is an exhortation when following a verb, then by Sadhe
Beth meaning glory, splendour or beauty
and finally Yod meaning in. When read together,
these two parts of the epitaph testify to a belief in the resurrection, saying: "Alas!
He is at rest! In his extremity may he be acceptable to live in glory!"
Although
the portion of the epitaph on the right of the scroll clearly ends with Beth,
the two or possibly three characters preceding it are not very clear. Their
interpretation can affect the sentence structure and also the interpretation of
the preceding characters. The first two characters clearly read Beth Heth,
which means to rest, but the next two characters He Waw,
which usually signify a lamentation such as Alas! could signify a
possessive pronoun such as his in a different context. If only two
characters precede the final Beth, the last root word on the right
of the scroll might then be interpreted as Qoph Sadhe Beth, which
means to cut off, to cut down, extremity
or end. The intermediate character or characters are the most
obscure and might be interpreted as Qoph Teth Beth, with similar
meanings to Qoph Sadhe Beth, but also meaning destruction.
If on the other hand the obscure writing represents three characters, which
seems likely, other interpretations are possible for what would then be the root
word preceding the final Beth on the right of the scroll. One is Qoph
Beth Resh, the usual noun for a grave, a burial
place or a sepulchre as well as the verb to bury;
another is Qoph Sadhe He meaning to cut off or to
destroy; and lastly there is Qoph Beth Lamedh meaning to
kill or to slay. It is interesting that all of the
alternative nouns and verbs would be appropriate to the general tenor of the
epitaph, but grammatically the noun is to be preferred. The preceding He
Waw then becomes a possessive adjective and the final Beth
becomes an idiomatic preposition, so that the epitaph would then read: "At
rest in his grave, may he in his destruction be acceptable to live in glory."
The symbols on the scroll
On
the left hand side of the scroll, immediately above the epitaph, a pentacle
circumscribed by a circle has a Yod in the centre, signifying the
omnificence of God. The pentacle represents man and the single point directed
heavenwards represents his integrity and goodness. Operative freemasons
considered the pentacle or pentagram to be a symbol of deep wisdom and it is
found among the architectural ornaments of most religious structures of the
Middle Ages. Among speculative freemasons the pentacle is an emblem of the five
points of fellowship, which typifies the bond of brotherly love that should
unite the whole fraternity. The pentacle, circle and Yod combine
to herald a victory in death and a resurrection in the hereafter by the grace of
God. At the top of the scroll, above the pentacle, an equilateral triangle with
its point uppermost signifies perfection. From time immemorial the equilateral
triangle has been used almost universally as a symbol of the Deity. The pentacle
and the Yod within a circumscribing circle, when coupled with the
equilateral triangle, indicate that as the master craftsman, Hiram Abif, had
completed his earthly labours in the service of the Lord, he would return to his
Maker and receive his reward in life eternal. Thus the symbols on the left hand
side of the scroll aptly sum up the message that is conveyed by the inscriptions
on the coffin, in conjunction with the eulogy on the right hand side of the
scroll and the epitaph at the bottom of the scroll.
Interpreting the Hebrew
inscriptions
Those who wish to examine the foregoing interpretations in greater depth
may need more information on sentence structure, verb forms and nouns, for which
purpose the Introductory Hebrew Grammar by R. Laird Harris is a
useful reference. The Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon by
Benjamin Davidson is an invaluable source of information for a detailed study of
Hebrew words used in the Bible. It is arranged alphabetically and includes every
word and inflection used in the Old Testament, as well as identifying where each
word is used. Other useful references for the derivation of significant Hebrew
words and for Biblical history relevant to this discussion are The New
Bible Dictionary published by the Inter-Varsity Press, Unger's
Bible Dictionary by Merrill F. Unger and a book edited by John Bowker
entitled The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. A book by Roy
A. Wells, entitled Some Royal Arch Terms Examined, also is very
informative concerning the derivation and meaning of many Hebrew words relevant
in freemasonry. He also comments on the Gaelic interpretation of one of the
words, but in doing so he misses one vital point. The word itself certainly was
not one that had been coined by the Jacobite freemasons in Scotland, but the
very close similarity of its pronunciation in Hebrew and Gaelic no doubt gave
rise to its special connotation when used in Scotland and France.