The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-10-26
JEWS IN MASONRY.

IL.
Peculiar Relations Between the SYM.
bols of the Order and Judalsm,
and Notably in the Royal
Arch Degree.
The fvllowin" le%.er, which appeared
in the Paola (kap.) Western Spirit of
recent date, which was written by ].
B. Hobson, evidently bright Mason, !.
will be read with much interest:
"Why do SO many Jews join the
fraternity? A Pdola frispd
few days since asked US the question:
why is it that so many Jews join the
Masonic order?' 1t is fact that it Is
seldom you find Jew who is not
lr...D Der of the order and 10 an iDtelli.
gent Mason, one that Is posted In the
rituals and understands the meaning
of the symbols used In Masonry, the
reason why Jews are friends Ut the
order il well understood. There is not
a symbol used in a properly furnished
lodge that is not of Jewish origin. All
the legends and ceremonies useu in
comforting the various degrees are Iaken
from Jewish history ard trad. lion.
All the proper images or emblem. are
taken from the Bible "a book entirely
written by Jewish suthoss) which
alone contains the authentic records Of
ancient Masonry. 1t was to Moses,
the great Jewish law-giver, that the
first formal revelation was made of
Gods sacred name at the burning
bush, that it might be password to
induce the Isrselites to believe that be
had been really sent for their deliver
ance; this incident Is typified in the
Royal Arch degree and so on III. ,ugh
the various degrees of Masonry. The
formula, the language used In cnnfer-
ring the degrees, the Legends and
mea ming of the ceremonies are III! OBJ
tained from the Jews The Jews are
remarkable people. Scattered as they
are all over the world, they nevsr be-
come homogeneous with the PEOPLE
with whom they come in contact either
by marriage or otherwise. tn y re-
main distinct in race and religion and
tn the midst Of the most fiery per.ecu-
ton, the most cruel ostracism ever re-
manned faithful to the religion vi their
ancestors. They do not, like other
people, lose their identity by adopting
the religions and customs of tue ma
lions among whom they dwell, but
cling as tenaciously to their race and
religion as did their ancestors under
the magnificent reign of King Solomon
(the reputed founder of Masonry over
5000 years ago. Is 1t then any wonder
that people who are SO devoted TO
their race and religion and hold in
. such loving veneration the tradi,itions
and history of their people, should
: love and support an order
l SO
: tory? From our standpoint all there
, is of Masonry is found in the first three
8 degrees. All the so-ea!led high de-
+. grees are but the ice cream and pie of
the order. The substantials are. found
: 10 the Blue Lodge, and for that we are
3 indebted to King Solomon, who We
! are told, after reign of forty years,
! died, and with him expired forever
J the glory and power Of the Hebrew
empire.''
Jewish Voice says: "NoticiDg in your
t and Jews by j. b. Hobson of Paola
g not only the work-not only the 'Ko.
Arch degree of Masons, but the very
| 'OLAulAS "oAu - ACOAS" ooO
: Chaldaic, comprising the essence o.
d Masonry, when closely observed. III
9 union there is strength is saying
Is which Masons verify by their unqual.
a flied unity and equity, 'on' (s,repgth)
therefore forms par, of the
o omnific word. Catering the lodge fol-
a the first time we declare our trust il
y .Jah' Cody; and being first prepared
n ia our heart, the Chaldean word sbal'
as applied. This has received The
q slight modification sbel' which might
81 have been done by corruption, as il
J. the case with many words when W.
'e search for their etymology. The signs
s. of the blue lodge are not only purely
Jewish, but express the word 'Shsddai
(Almighiy) thus: Sheen which i
the equivalent of the letter G, has the
form Of grand hailine' sign and ida
70 leth' Of The Fellow Crafts sign. Da
y leth, in fact, means door, and take!
ID this meaning from the shape of an an
Of cient tent door, which would be .
h triangular square. as il line wouIC
at he drawn from the head to tht l.houlde
rs when the Fellow Craft sign is given
pa and sYod' is the sign Of an En,ere,
I, Appre ntice. sYod' signifies hand, ON,
N this letter gets its name from the fac
il. that 1t resembles the main Of the hand
10 thus we have the three signs lie sShad
- 10 a, ,u !, oh ia tho A JDniuhfv ond Ero