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

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4.7 Acoustic Signs
Chapter 4 - Signs & Symbols
After the analysis of visual signs, this short section will deal with sound
symbolism in Masonry. According to Pollard, "symbols have meaning only in
terms of experience. Since no two men's experiences are ever exactly the same,
they often give different interpretation to the same symbols." 678 This is also true
for Freemasonry. To illustrate this fact, in a book on Masonic humor Pollard
gives a short anecdote about four travelers in the compartment of a European
train - a colonel, a sergeant, an old maid, and her attractive niece:
As the train entered a tunnel there was the sound of a kiss followed by
the sound of a slap. Each properly identified the symbols but the not two
gave the same meaning to them. The maiden aunt thought the sergeant
had kissed her niece and been slapped for his efforts. The niece thought
the colonel had kissed her aunt and that she had slapped him. The
colonel knew he had been slapped. He figured the sergeant had kissed
the young lady; she had thought he - the colonel - had done it and had
slapped him. Only the sergeant had enough experience with what had
happened to give proper interpretation to what he heard. He knew that
he had kissed the back of his hand and then slapped the colonel. 679
This little story shows that, in order to interpret Masonic symbols, one has to
be an insider. One has to perform the symbolic actions, or to see them
performed, and to employ the symbols oneself. Even then, the Masons can form
their own opinion on what they have experienced, since many symbols have
multiple meanings. A lecture follows each initiation ceremony of the degrees, in
which the corresponding symbols are explained to the candidate, so that he has at
least a guideline. In the following, different sound symbols will be analyzed -
knocks and passwords, the latter including the category of the strange custom of
"spelling" and "halving."
4.7.1 Knocks
In 1760, an exposé of Masonry was issued under the title The Three Distinct
Knocks. This alludes to the fashion of the candidates to give three distinct knocks
on the door. 680 In Masonry, knocks are given differently. For example, they are
given with the fist at the door (this is technically called, an "alarm") 681 . Or, they
can be given with the bottom of the rods on the floor. Further, the clapping
678 Cf. Pollard, p. 91.
679 Cited from Glen S. Faxon, Sr., in Pollard, p. 92.
680 Cf. Duncan, p. 43.
681 Cf. ibid, p. 28. Cf. also Section 5.2 on technical terminology.