LECTURE XLIX.

ORNAMENTS OF A MASTER'S LODGE.

"The scientific division of Masonry consists of the knowledge of several of the arts and sciences, so far as to enable us to discern the reason for the operations of the instruments, tools, and machinery attached to the higher range of architecture, and to calculate a force and momentum of the different mechanic powers; as also to clear up and arrange our ideas in such manner as to be able to delineate them so clearly on our Tracing Board that, by the help of a proper scale, our Brethren of the second degree may take them off and complete our design. This is the part of, or applicable to our Brethren on the highest degree of the Craft of Master Masons."-DUNCKERLEY.

"The Great Father of all, commiserating the miseries of the world, sent his only Son, who was innocence itself, to teach the doctrine of salvation; by whom man was raised from the death of sin unto a life of righteousness; from the tomb of corruption unto the chambers of hope; from the darkness of despair to the celestial beams of faith; and not only working for us this redemption, but making with us the covenant of regeneration; whence we are become the children of the Divinity, and inheritors of the realms of heaven."-HUTCHINSON'S SPIRIT OF MASONRY.

THE Master's degree excels both the former in importance and sublinity, and therefore the Lodge ought to be entered by every Brother with serious thoughts and subdued passions, as into a consecrated precinct where death and resurrection are familiar objects of contemplation; not indeed with naked

feet as the Jewish priests entered their holy places, but with heads uncovered as a token of profound respect. It partakes of the sanctity of the tomb, which contains the canonized relics of the great and good; for the light of a Master Mason is darkness visible, serving to express the gloom which rests on the prospect of a future state. It is that mysterious veil which the Eureka of human reason cannot penetrate, unless assisted by that light which is from above. Yet it displays a feeble ray to show that we stand on the very brink of the grave, which, after this transitory life is over, will receive us into its cold bosom.

This Lodge is opened on the centre, because in that place all the Brethren stand on the same level, being equally near to and equally distant from each other, as the central point of a circle is to every part of its circumference; and the Porch, Dormer, and Stone Pavement are the proper ornaments by which it is distinguished from those of an Entered Apprentice and a Fellow-craft. It will scarcely be necessary to add that the Porch constitutes the entrance into the Sanctuary; the Dormer, inscribed with the Ineffable Name, is the avenue by which it is enlightened; and the Stone Pavement was for the High Priest to walk on with naked feet, when engaged in burning incense to the honour and glory of God, and offering up prayers to the throne of grace that the Most High would be pleased to give peace and tranquillity to the Israelitish nation throughout the ensuing year.

An old Manuscript Ritual in my possession explains these ornaments thus:- "What do we learn by the Porch at the entrance of the Sanctum Sanctorum? That we should open the porch of our hearts to the true belief of that Holy Book which lies open on the pedestal of our Lodges; and thereby prepare ourselves in the body of this flesh to enter into the Most Holy Place in heaven. What by the Square Pavement? That our minds and hearts may be so squared by the divine hewings as to avoid the stumbling-blocks and chequered works of vain janglings and deceit. What is the signification of the Dormer at the top of that Holy Place? It conveys a hope that the obscure darkness of our minds may be chased away by the holy light of heaven constantly shining into our hearts from the divine fountain of all wisdom and goodness."

Such is a brief description of this triad as it was formerly given in the Lecture of the third degree; and it is perfectly satisfactory as far as it goes, because it is consonant with the usual descriptions of the Temple, which is esteemed to be a legitimate type of the Master's Lodge. In the Porch was a door of olive-wood ornamented with Cherubim, and flowers of carved work, which led to the Sanctuary. This door was covered with gold and turned on hinges of the same metal. A similar door led from the Sanctuary to the Most Holy Place, and both doors were covered with a veil of linen richly embroidered; the structure of the Sanctuary was of hewn stones covered with boards of cedar which were

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carved with a variety of Cherubim and other figures, and overlaid with gold. Within the oracle was the Ark of the Covenant, which had preceded them to the promised land, beneath two colossal Cherubim with immense outspread wings, one wing of each Cherub touching the other in the middle of the temple, while the other wings touched the wall on each side; before them was the altar of incense formed of cedar, and entirely overlaid with refined gold; and on the sides of the Temple were arranged ten golden tables, five on each side, for the exhibition of the Shewbread. The Cherubim have been adopted as a sublime and significant Landmark of Masonry, of sufficient importance to be exhibited on our Grand Lodge certificates as the sacred shield of Speculative Masonry, and were thus noticed in the Lecture revised by Bro. Preston in the last century:

"There were four Cherubims in the Most Holy Place of King Solomon's Temple; two lesser made by Moses of massive gold, and two larger by Solomon overlaid with gold. The former were part of the Mercy Seat, and inseparable from it, while the latter spread their wings over it, and were added for the greater ornament of God's House. The four faces, wings, and arms of a man denote the sublime qualities of the immediate ministers of the deity, qualities entirely essential to fill up the extent of their duty. The face of a Man denotes their intelligence; of a Lion their intrepid courage; of an Ox their patience and perseverance in labour; and of an Eagle

their penetration, their sublime sight into heavenly things, and their readiness to rise up unto all that is great and divine. The wings being stretched out signifies that they are always ready to fly with the utmost rapidity wherever the commands of their Great Master call them. The wings bent down are a symbol of that profound respect in which these heavenly ministers stand before the Most High. Under the wings were the arms of men to show that zeal produces application and labour; for labour without zeal is useless; and zeal without application is only an hypocritical profession unacceptable with that supreme Being who requires sincere homage from those who serve Him."

The LION was the standard of Judah; and this being the most noble tribe, was stationed by Moses, under the divine direction, in the eastern quarter of the camp, as the most honourable place. The Ox, as the standard of Ephraim, stood in the west, both in the vision of Ezekiel and in the camp of Israel. The banner of Reuben bore the cognizance of a MAN, and was placed in the south; and the EAGLE, which denoted the tribe of Dan, was assigned to the north.

There was a peculiar propriety in all these designations. The first was to typify the important fact that the nation should be redeemed in the fulness of time by a Lion of the tribe of Judah, whose denomination should be the East; Dan was consigned to the North, a dark and inhospitable quarter, which is unrepresented in a Mason's Lodge, because