Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-07-08
OHIO, JULY 9. 1869.

to his brother, Issachar.
E 9th The circunldJlabailQtiOT1, or walk
/ ing around he altar refers to Issachar, be
cause a. an indolent and ignorant tribe
n they required leader to conduct them
. and elevate them with the Other tribes
9TH. The advancement to the alta
represents the tribe of Dan, teaching b.
contrast to advance in the way of trutl
aud holiness as rapidly as this tribe sd
, vanced TO idolatry, for it first set up tn
. serpent for alteration. = -s-.ss
sth. The obligation alluded to tn
!. tribe of Cad, in allusion 10 the solemn
vow made by Jephtha. Judge of Israel,
member of this tribe. .sss
9th. The iacesture with the mysteries
the rich fruits of Masonic knowledge
was symbolized by the tribe of Asher
who was the inheritor of fatness an(
royal dainties. l-ss.z p l.l..
10th. The presentation of the. lamb
skin, by which the candidate is declared
free, and becomes entitled to such grea
privileges referred to the tribe of Naph
tall, which was given a peculiar free
dom by Moses, when he said 20, Naph
tall, satisfied with favor, and full of the
blessing of the Lord, possess thou the
West and the South" af
| 1lth. The ceremony of the North
] East corner referred to Joseph, because
| this is the most superficial part of Ma
sonry, so the two half tribes of Ephraim
and Manasseh, of which the tribe ol
Joseph was composed, were accounted
to be more superficial than the rest, as
! they were the descendants of the grand
sons only of Jacob. -
18th. The closing of the Lodge alludes
to the tribe of Benjamin, who was the
youngest of the sons of Jacob, and thus
closed his fathers strength. Hence the
pillar of strength the Senior Warden, is
| in the West, at the closing of the
Lodge to pay the craft their wages, and
see that none go away dissatisfied, har-
| mony being the strength and support of
all institutions, especially this. "'i'si =
| The names of all these tribes are sig
nificant. Reuben, signifies knowledge ;
Simeon, obedience; Levi. friendship I;
| Judah, truth; Zebufon, love; Issachar,
remuneration; Dan morality; Cad; in
dustry; Asher, affection; Naphtali,
strength; Ephraim, faith; Mannasseh,
charity, and Benjamin, hope. The
Entered Apprentice degree symbolic
cally represents mans entrance into the
world, and the birth ofintellectual light
in his mind. The Entered Apprentice
himself, represents the unregenerate
man, Walking in moral and mental dark
ness, seeking for that light which shows
the way that leads to duty and to Him
who gives to duty its reward" 1t has
been observed that the candidate is die
vested of all metals. Another reason fOr
this is, that King Solomon's Temple was
erected without the use of hammer,
axe or any tool of iron." Iron was re-
garded as a pollution, rusting SO easily
for the Lord from the mount, com mmapd.
ed Moses to raise simple altar of earth,
and if that should not prove permanent,
he was ordered to build it of unhewn
stone, emblematic of primitive truth,
hewn stone signifying what is ficticious.
The candidate passes through darness
before he sees the light,
"that hieroglyphic bright,
Which none but craftsmen ever saw"
Hence darkness was venerated by the
ancients because it existed before the
light. Darkness was an emblem of
death. and light of life. The candidates.
poor, blind, anxious to be brought from
darkness to light, and receive part in
Masonic mysteries, being man, free
born and aUeU Recommended, is now prop
erly prepared, every part of which is
symbolical, enters the Lodge. hat
an important step! How his mind
labors Is ne to be exposed to fearful
trials? Are hideous spectres toeOnfront
him? Does torture await him? Is he
to incur danger? But his fears all vail
ish when the first command comes ITO
kneel for the benefit of prayer" Though
he never before made a profession of re-
ligion, nor supplicated a throne of mercy,
nor bowed his knees in thankfullness for
blessings; yet now, in dark ness, sur
daA h,,t hn ,i,iaI pI, h.,
prayer ascends to the Almighty Father,
that the candidate may be endued with |
a competency of divine wisdom, that by
the pure principles of our art he may be
better enabled to display the beauties of
holiness, and dedicate and devote his
life to that Fathers service. And there !
on bended knees he declares that in times |
of difficulty and danger, he puts his trust |
in God. He then rises and travels with |
the sun, with the right side to the altar |
DIR. Oliver says 10 pass the altar in any |
other way, is unmasonic and not to be |
tolerated" He then approaches the |
East, the source of light. The ancients |
the East, for as il was the /
source of natural light, it became the
emblem IF spiritual light. Ezekiel says
43. 2, g the glrry of the God of Israel |
came from the way of the East" An
obligation taken with the face to the
East, was considered more solemn and
The code of Theodosius A.
d 43S, alludes to placing the right hand
on the gospels while taking an Oath.-
And in the code of Justinian A. d. $50,
this ceremony is distinctly laid down as
a necessary part of the formality of an
oath. This custom still largely prevails
The candidate, now, while bot n support
Qn6 1.Defiyan fha |
lights of Masonry with face turned to-
ward the East, becomes a Mason. The
allegory is complete, and he is brought
to light. He has represented man in
bis lost estate, untitled like the rough
1shJdr to form a part OF the spiritual
temple. He was enshrouded in darkness
destitute of spiritual knowledge, and
automatically naked. The darkness
was an emblem of the darkness of his
soul. He was deprived of everything
to indicate his utter want of
primitive truth. His journey and trials
ire emblems of human life. Man enters
eeble, helpless and naked upon a road
'ull of pitfalls and dangers. He has been
aught to prepare his mind to receive
great truths to be revealed hereafter-l II
Philosophy alone can aid him against
ignorance, and fiery passions. and the
roubles oflife, and the infirmities of age. I
He has passed short time after his
in darkness, in reflection :
lnd prayer, taken few steps, overcome {
light difficulties, assumed the perfor- l.
nance of weighty duties, and is an in,
nate of the temple of truth and
'irtue. His only duty yet is secrecy
He still remains in the dark quarter of y
he Lodge, thOuy not in the North, but
lalf way toward the East He is placed
n the Northeast corner, because the $
irst stone was laid in the Northeast cor
Ter of King Solomon's Temple, to COM ,
nemorate the fact that the children of
srael entered at the Northeast corner of
Tudea. He then receives the elamb-skin !