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

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29. Refreshment
Chapter 5 - Technical Terminology
As we have seen in point 9., under "calling on/off," the Masonic
"refreshment" has nothing to do with having a short meal or refreshing drinks but
simply means an interruption of the lodge work without closing the lodge in
ritualistic form. Although, the origin of this expression presumably stems from
the habit of having lunch breaks during the "work" or "labor":
Probably, when this word was first used in Freemasonry, the lodge did
take a recess for the purpose of allowing the members to have actual
refreshments of food and drink, and especially if the lodge was a Table
Lodge, such was unquestionably the practice.
But, in recent times, the word is used symbolically and means a recess
or period when the lodge is called off, during which the members may
retire to the outer room and smoke, chat, and stir around until lodge is
again called on. The lodge is thus said to be called from labor to
refreshment and from refreshment to labor.
It is also the custom when dignitaries who are not Freemasons address
the lodge or Grand Lodge to call from labor to refreshment. Many are
conducting installations of officers publicly so families and friends can
participate. 838
In the ancient table lodges, labor and refreshment did not take place in
separate rooms since the lodges used to meet in taverns, and everything was
executed around the same table. In the modern lodges, these two procedures take
place at a different time and in different rooms. Thus, the traditional toasts are
spoken at the "white table." 839
5.3 Biblical Terms
Although they do so less frequently than the androgynous orders, Craft
Masonry and the high degrees draw some symbolism from the Bible:
N° Word Meaning
1 Aaron's Rod symbol in some high
degree systems (e.g.
Royal Arch) of the
appearance of God
838 Ibid, p. 511.
839 Cf. IFL, p. 1291/1292, "Weiße Tafel."