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

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Chapter 6 - Peculiarities of Masonic Language
corner of the building, symbolic of Masonic progress from darkness to
light.
Thus placed it faces North - the place of darkness - and admonishes
the Mason that, in this world, he must face, with stout heart, all the dark,
hard problems of life. 1215
6.16.2 Extent of the Lodge; Open on the
Center; Foreign Countries
Extent of the Lodge
A lodge is measured symbolically with regard to its universality and its
unlimited benevolence. Thus, it is stated in the GHCDF that "[a] Mason's Lodge
is said to extend from East to West, in breadth between North and South, in
depth from the surface to the center of the earth, and even as high as the heavens,
to show the universality of the science, and that a Mason's charity should know
no bounds save those of prudence." 1216
Open on the Center
A peculiar Masonic technical term is the "opening on the center" of a lodge.
This applies only to the Third Degree, that of Master Mason. An English
Masonic encyclopedia, TRMC, provides the following reason:
[a] declaration made by the W. M. in the beginning of the third degree,
and no other degree can be thus opened, in the very nature of things. It
is, however, not universal. A very good reason why Master Masons'
Lodges can alone be opened on the centre, is that the Entered
Apprentice Lodge is the exterior circle, the Fellow Craft the
intermediate circle, and the Master Masons' Lodge alone in possession
of the true light. 1217
The American Masonic cyclopedia, GHCDF, differentiates this explanation
insofar as it states that in the first two degrees, truth is but partially revealed and
seen through a shadowy veil, while in the Third Degree, in the inner circle - the
great center of Masonic light - truth shines with cloudless luster. 1218 Thus, Macoy
1215 Ibid.
1216 GHCDF, p. 505.
1217 TRMC, p. 111.
1218 Cf. GHCDF, p. 106.