Some Jargon Explained
There are lots of terms which Freemasons use which may be unfamiliar, or unkown to non-members.
AllegoryThe Greeks called a place of public assembly agora; from this they built the word agoreuein, meaning speak, in the sense of addressing a public. When to this is added alias, meaning another, the compound gives us our "allegory," which is the speaking about one thing in the terms of something else. In Masonry we have the allegory of Solomon's Temple, of a journey, of the legend of a builder, etc., in each case the acting and describing of one thing being intended to refer to some other thing. For example, the building of Solomon's Temple is described, not for the purpose of telling how that structure was erected, but to suggest men may work together in brotherliness at a common task. |
ApprenticeIn Latin apprehendre meant to lay hold of a thing in the sense of learning to understand it, the origin of our "apprehend." This became contracted into apprendre and was applied to a young man beginning to learn a trade. The latter term came into circulation among European languages and, through the Operative Masons, gave us our "apprentice," that is, one who is beginning to learn Masonry. An "Entered Apprentice" is one whose name has been entered in the books of the Lodge. |
ApronLeather aprons were worn centuries ago by stonemasons to protect their skin and clothing, as well as to carry their tools. Today, lambskin or cloth aprons, often elaborately decorated or embroidered, are worn by members as a symbolic connection to those medieval craftmen from which we derive our Masonic tradition. |
AtheistThe Greek for God was theos; when the prefix "a" was placed before it, we get the origin of "atheism," signifying a denial of the god, or gods. The word should be distinguished from "agnosticism," which means neither to affirm nor to deny but to remain in doubt; and from "infidel", which means that one does not believe some doctrine. Christians call Mohammedans "infidels" because they do not believe the Bible; Mohammendans call Christians "infidels" because they do not believe the Koran. Inasmuch as Masonry requires of a petitioner that he believe in God, the atheist is automatically excluded from the Fraternity. |
Blue LodgeBlue Lodge or Blue Freemasonry is a term often uses to denote the Craft Lodges operating the three degrees of freemasonry. Blue is the color of the Ancient Craft Degrees, and it teaches the symbol of universal friendship and benevolence. Because blue represents heaven, each brother Mason should be equally considerate in his Masonic virtues of friendship and brotherly love. The origin of the term may derive from the practice of English Freemasonry, and the masonic jurisdictions derived from it, which use blue as the colour of their regalia. |
Brotherly LoveTolerance for the beliefs and opinions of others. |
CandidateAmong Romans it was the custom
for a man seeking office to wear a shining white robe. Since the name
for such a color was candidus (whence our "candid"), the office seeker
came to be called candidate. In our ceremonies the custom is reversed: the candidate is clothed after his election instead of before. |
CharityThe Greeks had a word, charisma, meaning a gift, and a number of words from the same root, variously suggesting rejoicing, gladness. Latin had a similar word, carus, meaning dear, possibly connected with amor, signifying love. From these roots came "grace", meaning a free, unbought gift, as in the theological phrase, "the grace of God", and "charity". Strictly speaking, charity is an act done freely, and spontaneously out of friendship, not as a civic duty and grudgingly, as is sometimes the case in public charity. The Masonic use of the word is much nearer this original sense, for a Mason extends relief to a needy brother not as a duty but out of friendship. |
CharterThe Charter of a Lodge is the official document , issued by Grand Lodge, authorising the membership to organize and constitute a Lodge. |
CowanCowan is not a word we encounter much nowadays. It originated back in the days of mediaeval stonemasons. Building in stone required training and long and patient study, to understand how a building’s structure and stability depended on geometry. This understanding was known as a ‘secret art and hidden mystery’, not to be shared by the stonemasons with their untrained and unskilled fellow workers, known as cowans. |
CraftThis term is often used to describe the practice of Freemasonry, e.g. becoming a member of the Scottish Craft. It refers to the series of degrees practised by lodges operating under the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Freemasonry originated in Scotland as lodges of stone-masons started to admit gentlemen who were not operative stonemasons. The use of the term Craft' to describe the system may be said to hark back to this learning of a skill, or craft. In Anglo-Saxon, craft meant cunning, skill, power, dexterity, etc. The word became applied to trades and occupations calling for trained skill on the part of those practicing it. The distinction between such trades and those not requiring trained workmen, so rigidly maintained, was one of the hallmarks of the Middle Ages. Freemasonry is called a Craft, partly for historical reasons, partly because, unlike so many fraternities, it requires a training (given in the form of initiation ceremonies) of those seeking its membership. |
DegreeOne of a series of three progressive stages in becoming a Freemason. The ceremonies consist of morality 'plays' using ritual. |
DogmaDefinition: 1 a : something held as an established opinion especially: a definite authoritative tenet. b : a code of such tenets - pedagogical dogma. c : a point of view or tenet put forth as authoritative without adequate grounds. 2 : a doctrine or body of doctrines concerning faith or morals formally stated and authoritatively proclaimed by a church. The literal meaning of dogma in ancient Greek was "something that seems true." These days, in English, dogma is more absolute. If you believe in a certain religion or philosophy, you believe in its dogma, or core assumptions. If you belong to a cult that believes that cupcake consumption is the only true path, then you follow the cupcake dogma. Dogma, once adopted, is accepted without question. Go eat cupcakes! |
Entered ApprenticeThe first of the three Degrees involved in becoming a Freemason. When a candidate is initiated he is 'Entered' an apprentice in the same way that the operative mason would become indentured to a stonemason to learn his skills. |
EsotericThis is the opposite of exoteric. The root of it is the Greek eso, within. It means that which is secret, in the inner circle. Ritual may be said to have an esoteric meaning, as the stories are not intended to be taken as literal truth, but should be interpreted by the candidate in search of a deeper understanding. |
ExotericThis is the opposite of esoteric. The exoteric aspects of masonic ritual are the literal meanings of the words, rather than their spiritual interpretation. |
FellowcraftThe second of the Degrees involved in becoming a Freemason. Having undertaken further study the apprentice would advnace to become a Journeyman, or Fellow of the Craft. The term us sometimes referred to in a Speculative lodge as Fellow Craft, or Fellowcraft. |
Grand Lodge of Scotland
|
Grand Master MasonScotland is unique in the title given to the head of its Grand Lodge. Other Grand Lodges around the world use the local language equivalent of "Grand Master", only Scotland uses the title "Grand Master Mason". |
Harmony
Bear in mind that Harmony after a Lodge Meeting is a continuation of the Meeting so although a relaxed and social atmosphere is appropriate, and indeed desirable, loud, coarse or intemperate behaviour is unacceptable. |
InitiatedThe completion by a candidate of the First Degree. |
InstallationThe act by which a Lodge Office-Bearer is installed to the position of authority he is to fill. In Freemasonry it is, therefore, applied to the induction of one who has been elected into his office. The Officers of a Lodge, before they can proceed to discharge their functions, must be installed. The ceremony is an old one, and does not pertain exclusively to Freemasonry. The ancient Romans installed their priests, their kings, and their magistrates; but the ceremony was called inauguration, because performed generally by the augers. The word installation is of comparatively modern origin, being medieval Latin, and is compounded of in and stallum, meaning a seat. |
LodgeA group of Freemasons assembling under the authority of a charter issued by a Grand Lodge; also a building or a room where Freemasons meet. |
Master MasonThe third of the Degrees involved in becoming a Freemason. While the earlier terms (Entered Apprentice and Fellowcraft) originate from the operative mason, the Third Degree dates only from the Eighteenth Century, and is wholly speculative. |
ObligationThe solemn promise made by a Freemason on his admission into any Degree is technically called his obligation. In a legal sense, obligation is synonymous with duty. Its derivation shows its true meaning, for the Latin word obligatio literally signifies a tying or binding. The obligation is that which binds a man to do some act, the doing of which thus becomes his duty. By his obligation, a Freemason is bound or tied to his Order. |
Operative MasonAn operative mason is an individual involved in working as a stonemason - actively involved in fashioning and building in stone. |
PassedThe completion by a candidate of the Second Degree. |
ProfaneThe word profane comes from two Latin words, "pro" meaning "before" and "fanum" meaning "temple". In earlier usage, profane had a more literal meaning of "outside the temple". It was simply an antonym for the term "sacred" just as "secular" still is. (Classical music lovers will note, for example, the Debussy work, "Danses sacrees et profanes" as a use of the same word in French with this meaning.) |
RaisedThe completion by a candidate of the Third Degree. |
RegularA classification of Freemasonry that practices customs which conform to the "Basic Principles of Grand Lodge Recognition" agreed by individual sovereign Grand Lodges. |
ReliefCharity is extended to those in the community in which the freemason lives. |
RitualThe method of opening and closing a Lodge, of conferring the Degrees, of Installation, and other duties, constitute a system of ceremonies which are called the ritual. Much of masonic ritual is esoteric, and uses language which may now be perceived as archaic. |
Speculative FreemasonThe term 'speculative' refers to those gentlemen who joined lodges of operative masons in the seventeenth century. By association the term is also applied to present-day Freemasons (sometimes also called Masons). The terms Freemason and Mason are often used interchangeably, however sometimes for disambiguation the term Freemason is used for the Speculative lodges, and Mason used to describe Operative stonemasons. |
TruthHonesty and integrity in personal, business, and public life. |
TylerThe Tyler stands at the front door of the lodge with a sword in hand, symbolizing the need for members to be 'ever watchful and guarded in our words and actions, particularly when before the enemies of Masonry, ever bearing in remembrance those truly Masonic virtues, silence and circumspection'. |
TylerIn Latin tegere (from which came "thatch") meant cover, roof; regulate were the tiles, pieces, slabs, used roof coverings. A tiler, therefore, is one who makes, or fastens on, tiles. In speculative Masonry the Tyler is a workman who closed the building in, and hid its interior from outside view. The guardian of the entrance to the lodge was figuratively called by this name. An officer of a symbolic lodge, whose duty is to guard the door of the lodge, and to permit no one to pass in who is not duly qualified, and who has not the permission of the Master. A necessary qualification of a Tyler is, therefore, that he should be a Master Mason. Although the lodge may be opened in an inferior degree, no one who has not advanced to the third degree can fulfil of the Tyler. As the Tyler may be compensated for his services he is considered, in some sense, a servant of the lodge. It is, therefore, his duty to prepare the lodge for its meetings, to arrange the furniture in its proper place, and to make all other arrangements for the convenience of the lodge. This is a very important office, and, like that of the Master and Wardens, owes its existence, not to any conventional regulations, but to the very landmarks of the order; for, from the peculiar nature, it is evident that there never could have been a meeting of Freemasons for masonic purposes, unless a Tyler had been present to guard the lodge from intrusion. The title is derived from the operative art; for as in operative masonry the tiler, when the edifice is erected, finishes and covers it with the roof of tiles, so in speculative masonry, when the lodge is duly organized, the Tyler closes the door and covers the sacred precincts from all intrusion. |