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

Chapter 4 - Signs & Symbols 207
with cement, the symbol of brotherly love holding the individual stones together
in the whole building. 10. For the candidate to be "high up in the wall" means
that he has a high position and popularity in his fraternity as well as in society.
11. That the candidate's defects cannot be seen "from the ground" denotes that
the more humble and less important brethren do not dare to criticize him, or do
not notice his defects at all. 12. "He has the south, or west, or even the east"
means that the Mason unfit for the fraternity is either a Junior Warden (who is
stationed in the South), a Senior Warden (who is stationed in the West), or even
the Worshipful Master (in his Master's chair in the East). This denotes that the
doubtful character has attained a very high position among the lodge officers. 13.
"The great beams of the roof rest above him" means that a lot of responsibility
lies upon his shoulders, and that he is "one of the pillars of Masonry," on which
the weaker members rest and rely. 14. "The stone crumbles" means that the
doubtful member will cease to see anything valuable in his order and will cease
to attend his lodge meetings, and thus break off his liens with Masonry step by
step. 15. "The crack which is opened in the ceiling" denotes the disturbed
harmony of the remaining brethren and the crumbling hierarchy and
administration, when an important member neglects to fulfill his duty. Lodge
culture thus might degenerate and give way to insincere horse-play and convivial
atmosphere. 16. The damaged "fresco painting" is again a metaphor used to
designate something which was beautiful before, like harmony, equality, and
unity among the members. It is also the outward appearance of the lodge,
because the lodge's holding together and its friendship are also noticed and
admired by fellow Masonic lodges. 17. "A leak, letting in the rain" is a Masonic
metaphor for betraying the secrets of Freemasonry to profanes. In technical
Masonic language, when a profane approaches, it "rains," and when a woman
approaches, "it snows." The doubtful character thus is not trustworthy and does
not keep his vow of silence. 18. The "disintegration of the block" is a metaphor
for the unworthy member falling apart. Technically speaking, he has "demitted"
from his lodge. Symbolically, his individual stone ceases to form a part of the
whole structure of the temple of humanity. 19. "The beam which drops down"
means that all the responsibilities the unfit member had now crush down on the
shoulder of someone else. The whole lodge is damaged by his leaving, since
nobody else is capable of holding his deserted office - to say it symbolically, no
other block is able to hold the beam. 20. Finally, the "roof sinks in," which
means the end of this individual lodge, its administration, and its harmony.
Maybe the lost block can be replaced, and the damage to the whole structure
repaired. But this short legend, which needs such a long explanation, wants to
show to what extent a single unfit member can harm the fraternity.