Scottish Rite Masonry Illustrated - The Masonic Trowel

312 GRAND INSPECTOR INQUISITOR COMMANDER. GRAND INSPECTOR INQUISITOR COMMANDER. 313
pended over the head of the President, the Tetractys’”
of Pythagoras, thus: •. and under it a nakedsword
and a balance, or •. . the scales of justice. On
the column on the right of the Counsellors is inscribed
the word “Lenitas” and the attributes of the second and
fourteenth degrees, and on the column on their left, the
word “Misericordta,” and the attributes of the fourth
and fifteenth degrees. From these two columns springs
a Gothic Arch, from the apex whereof is suspended in
letters of gold the sacred word of the eighteenth degree.
On the three columns in the South, going from East to
West, are the busts of Moses, Zoroaster and Minos, with
the names of each inscribed on his column, and the
attributes of the ninth, thirteenth and twenty-second
degrees. On the columns on the North, also going from
East to West are the busts of Confucius, Socrates and
Alfred the Great, with the names of each inscribed on
his column and the attributes of the twenty-fifth,
twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth degrees.
In front of the President is an altar, on which are the
square and compasses, the pl~imb and level, a small pair
of scales, a naked swor~, two poniards and the book of
constitutions. ~
Between the throne of the President and Ihe altar is
a stand upon which is placed the coffer containing the
record of the Supreme Tribunal. In the centre of the
Note 552.—’sigitifiea lIterally, the nutDber four, and is therefore syn.
onymous with ihe quaternioE hut it bus been peculIarly aipplied to a
symbol of the Pythagoreuiils. which is ompoaed of ten dots arranged in
a triangular form of four rows.
This figure was in itself. as a whole. emhlemstic of the Tetragrammaton.
or sscred name of four letters (for tetractys. in Greek. means
four), and was undoubtedly learned byl Pythagoras during his visit to
Eabylon. Rut the parts of which it is composed were also pregnant
suimbols. Thus the one point was a symbol of the active principle or
creator, the two points of the passive principle or mutter, the three of
the world proceeding from theIr union, and the four of the liberal arts
afid sciences, which may be said to complete and perfect that world.”—
Mackay’s Enoyoloasdia of lrmmasou7. hz’tiala T.trao~s.
room are ten lights; in the East ten, and in the west
ten; each ten being arranged by 1, 2, 3, 4, in the form
of the Tetractys.
The altar is cov&red with a white cloth and on the
front part thereof, towards the West, is painted or embroidered
a pair of golden scales resting on the point of
a naked sword.
TITLES, OFTICERS AND THEIR STATIONS :—The assembly
is styled Supreme Tribunal and is composed of nine
members and never more. If any more members are
present they may be consulted but they cannot vote.
The presiding officer is styled Most Perfect President
and sits in the East.
The Wardens are styled Councilors or Inspectors,
and sit together in the West.
The Secretary, Keeper of the Seals and Archives i~
styled Chancellor and sits on the right of the President.
The Treasurer sits on the left of the President.
The Advocate is stationed in the South.
The Defender is stationed in the North.
The Master of Ceremonies is stationed in front of the
Counsellor.
The Pursuivant or Usher, at the door of the Tribunal.
The Tyler is not included among the nine members,
composing the Supreme Tribunal and is styled Inquisitor,
he is stationed outside. All the members of the
Supreme Tribunal except the President, are styled
Most Enlightened.
CLOTHING, JEWELS, ETC :—N’o apron is worn in the
Supreme Tribunal. In the inferior bodies, the Grand
Inspectors Inquisitors wear one of entirely white sheepskin,
with a Teutonic Cross embroidered in silver on the
flap. The collar is white. On the breast at the point is