The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

Chapter 4 - Signs & Symbols 131
of "the manifold blessings and comforts which constantly surround us, and
which we hope to enjoy by a firm reliance on Divine Providence, which is
hieroglyphically represented by the Blazing Star in the center." 361 Here, a clear
Christian attitude becomes obvious. Presumably, the humanitarian Masonic
streams (e.g. the Grand Orient de France) who do not require the belief in a
Supreme Being would certainly prefer the cord with the two or four tassels as
their symbol, since this symbol only alludes to the virtues and the mystic tie of
the brotherhood, and not to faith in God and blessings in paradise. According to
the EOF, there should be four tassels instead of two, for they have a special
symbolic meaning:
[i]n the old English tracing-boards the two lower tassels are often
omitted. They are, however, generally found in the French. Lenning,
speaking [...] for the German, assigns to them but two. Four tassels are,
however, necessary to complete the symbolism, which is said to be that
of the four cardinal virtues. 362
Other expressions for "tessellated border" are "indented tarsel," "indented
tassel," "houpe dentellée" in French, and "Schnur von starken Faden" (the cord
of strong threads) in German. 363 The particular Entered Apprentice carpet
illustrated above exemplifies a "tiled" lodge, being surrounded by a wall of tiles
with three entrances or gates.
4.1.2 The Chamber of Reflection, or Anteroom
An anteroom is present in the French degrees and exists in continental
European lodges. It also appears in some of the York degrees, such as the Order
of the Temple, and in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish rite, but not in the
Emulation rite. The anteroom (called "Chambre des Réflexions" in French, and
"Kammer des Stillen Nachdenkens" or "Dunkle Kammer" in German) is a small
room adjacent to the Lodge where the candidate is left alone prior to his
initiation with a sheet of paper and a pencil in order to meditate and to write
down his Philosophical Will, which is to be read out later in the lodge. The room
is lit by a candle and furnished with a human skull, bones, a lump of bread, a
flask of water, an hourglass, a saucer filled with salt and another one with
sulphur. On the wall, the word VITRIOL or sometimes VITROLUM is written
which means visita interiora terrae, rectificando invenies occultam lapidem
("visit the center of the earth, and by rectifying you shall find the hidden stone").
This formula, as well as the symbols are taken from alchemy.
361 Ibid, p. 82.
362 Sickels, p. 82.
363 Ibid.