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

The Pot of Incense
Chapter 4 - Signs & Symbols 223
The Pot of Incense, according to the Virginia Text Book, is "an emblem of a
Pure Heart, which is always an acceptable sacrifice to Deity; and as it glows with
fervent heat, so should our hearts continually glow with gratitude to the great and
beneficent Author of our existence, for the manifold blessings and comforts we
enjoy." 638
4.6.11 The 47 th Problem of Euclid
The 47 th Problem of Euclid's First Book of Geometry is the theorem that the
area of the square erected on the hypothenuse of a right-angled triangle is equal
to the sum of the areas of the squares erected upon the two legs. This matter
remained to Euclid a problem and was solved by Pythagoras who created from it
a theorem. According to Coil, this theorem "is basic to geometric calculations
and has been adopted as the symbol of the Master's Degree in many
jurisdictions." 639
Those Masons of the last centuries who were inclined to trace the Craft back
to Egyptian and other archaic mysteries also recognized several distinguished
personalities of the past as Freemasons. Thus, Dove states in the Virginia Text
Book that the 47 th problem of Euclid was an invention of "our ancient friend and
brother, Pythagoras, who, in his travels through Asia, Africa, and Europe, was
initiated into several orders of Priesthood, and raised to the sublime degree of
Master Mason." 640 According to Dove, this wise philosopher enriched his mind
abundantly in "Geometry, or Masonry." 641 When, among his many theorems and
problems, he found this one, he exclaimed in great joy, "Eureka!" As Sickels
adds in The General Ahiman Rezon, "[i]t teaches Masons to be general lovers of
the arts and sciences." 642 The symbolism of the 47 th Problem of Euclid is
638 Dove, p. 123. Illustration: ibid.
639 Cf. CME, p. 255. Illustration of 47 th Problem: CME, p. 256.
640 Dove, p. 127/128.
641 Ibid.
642 Sickels, p. 213.