The Three laser lights

Title

Creator

Oliveros, Hermogenes

Language

English

Year

1967

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

How to Arrange Them. . • The Three Lesser Lights VW Hermogenes Oliveros, In the Eleusinian Mysteries, the temple in which their ceremonies were held was lighted by the three lights of nature, the Sun, the Moon and Mercury, mystically represented by three images, which penetrated there into through a hole or window opened on the roof. The three great lights of nature have become the three lesser lights of a Masonic Lodge. But how, when or where the substitution of the "Master of a Lodge” for "Mercury” was made is impossible to trace. While the three lesser lights are to be found in all regular Masonic Lodges, there seems to be no fixed rules as to where they should be placed in the Lodge. In some jurisdiction a light is placed at the station of the Master, one at the Senior Warden’s and another at the Junior Warden’s. There may be some justification for this arrangement but it would not be possible to adopt it to the “work” as it is now given in this and many other jurisdictions. In some Lodges they are repre sented by a metal stand about three feet high with three arms branching out at the top. At the extreme of each arm is a light and these lights are in the form of an equilateral tri angle. The metal stand is usually placed at the right of the Altar as you face the East. In other Lodges the three lesser lights are grouped about the Altar in the form of a right-angled triangle; the base of the triangle be ing parallel to the West, with the hypothenuse running from the South to the East to join up with the perpen dicular in the East. The metal stand with its branch ing arms in the form of an equilateral triangle is emphatically incorrect. It is a product of an inventive age and a concession to cheapness and facility in installation which should never be tolerated save when a more expensive arrangement is inadvisable. The other grouping is the one used in this and many other jurisdictions. It is sanctioned by Albert Pike. He uses this arrangement in his liturgy for the first as well as in the thirtysecond degrees. This arrangement is justified too in that it is the natural position in which to place the triangle, could we but consider it as separate and apart from the necessity of avoid ing the placing of a light in the North; in that the base, which here represents “Ignorance” is surpassed in potential ity by “Learning” represented by the perpendicular which is longer than the base as four is to three. This per pendicular runs from East to West which constantly reminds us of the belief of our ancient brethren that all learning has its origin in and pro ceeds from the East. This grouping, however, might be considered objectionable in that it places a light in the North directly op posite the one in the South. This is contrary both to the practices of the Ancient Mysteries as well as to the teachings of Modern Masonry. In the Ancient Mysteries the initiate in his circuinambulations followed the Turn to neat pogo MAY, 1967 11 course which our forefathers ascribed to the sun in its daily travel. When the initiate reaches the East, it is here the Sun rises, at the South the Sun is at meridian height, while it is in the West the Sun sets. From here until he reaches the East again the initiate is supposed to travel at night, or as we say, in a place of dark ness. For this reason modern Mason ry has no light in the North and not for the reason as given in our lec ture in the first degree. The correct placing as depicted in all the ancient prints fixes the lights about the Altar in the form of a rightangled triangle but with the right an gle at the South; the base runs from the East to the South, the hypothenuse runs from the East to the West with the perpendicular connecting the South with the West. Both methods represent the rightangled triangle as we have it in the 47th Problem of Euclid. Its sides in the proportion of 3, 4 and 5 of which proportion 3 is the base, 4 the perpen dicular, and 5 the hypothenuse. Its perpendicular represents the Male, its base, the Female, while the Hypothen use represents their progeny or the product of the two. Thus to the an cients did this right-angled triangle represent “Humanity”. The light in the East is dedicated to the Master of the Lodge, the one in the West to the Sun and the one in the South to the Moon. As the Master sits in the East the light de dicated to the Sun is on his right; the one to the Moon is on his left. Hence you will understand why the jewels of the Senior and Junior Deacons who likewise sit on his right and left bear respectively representations of the Sun and the Moon. Therefore, in pointing out the lesser lights to the initiate, the Master should be care ful to call his attention first to the light in the West as representing the Sun, next to the one in the South as representing the Moon and finally to the one in the East as representing the Master of the Lodge. When the three principal officers of the Lodge group themselves about the Altar each should be careful to take his stand di rectly in front of his respective sta tion. They will thus form an equi lateral triangle ever considered by our Ancient brethren as an emblem of “Deity” With the Master, Senior and Jun ior Wardens thus grouped about the Altar, we form a living equilateral triangle symbol of Deity; and with the three lesser lights about the Altar, the right-angled triangle of Euclid, symbol of Humanity. We, therefore, have at the conferring of each and every degree in Masonry a striking symbolizattion of the two great fund amental teachings of our order: — The Fatherhood of God and the Broterhood of Men”. A • • * REGIONAL GRAND LODGE OFFICERS TO BE INSTALLED The officers of the Regional Grand Lodge for the Ryukyus in Okinawa will be installed on May 27, 1967 when Grand Master Tinio and his party arrive there for the visitation. The complement of officers is headed by RW Andrew H. Bulkley who suc ceeds RW Will K. Prestidge, Jr., who has served as Regional Grand Master for two terms. Incidentally, the installation ceremo nies will be done by MW Tinio on his 67th. birthday, a month after his own installation as Grand Master. The Okinawa occasion is part of the far east trip of visitation being made by the Grand Master. He and his party will take off on May 21 for 12 The Cabletow

Media