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

Chapter 6 - Peculiarities of Masonic Language 349
Movement of glasses at Royal Arch "firing":
triangle, circle, square, and three claps
"Commence with point, then t.i.n.l. (making the base of the t.i.n.l. first, moving
from right to left), c.r.l. (in the same direction), then s.u.e. (the fourth side of the
s.u.e. being made downwards, terminating with a clap). This is indicated clearly
in the diagrams above." 1085 Even if a profane does not resolve the abbreviations,
it is easy for him or her to comprehend the movements with the help of
thisdiagram, taken from page 114 of this Royal Arch ritual:
To the drinking ceremony inevitably belong the toasts. Toasts were
introduced into the banquet scene in the times of the old table lodges, in order to
give the festive meal a fixed form, which took place at the same table as the
ritualistic labor in the early 18 th century when the esoteric and exoteric
ceremonies of Masonry were not yet separated. There are official and personal
Masonic toasts. They are dedicated, for example, to the patron saints, the King or
Queen, the female relatives of the Masons, the army or navy, the Grand Master,
the Grand Lodge, visiting brethren and other Masonic authorities, memorial
days, etc. Between the toasts, Masonic songs, the national anthem, and others are
sung. The German Masonic dictionary describes these customs as typically
English: "Diese Fülle von Gesundheiten ist aus dem feuchtfröhlichen Geiste des
merry old England zu erklären. Die alten englischen Freimaurer waren sehr
trinkfeste Leute. Heutigentags hat man dieses Übermaß der Gesundheiten
eingeschränkt." 1086 The IFL also mentions the "silent toasts" as a memorial for
deceased brethren: "In manchen Logen ist auch der sogenannte stille Trinkspruch
üblich, der nach einer uralten, schon den Römern bekannten Sitte auf der Höhe
1085 Ibid, p. 115/116.
1086 IFL, p. 1595.