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

Chapter 6 - Peculiarities of Masonic Language 379
states that " '[o]pening on the center' simply means opening in the interior or
central circle of Freemasonry." 1219
Foreign Countries
In the closing ceremony, the Senior Warden answers to the question of the
Worshipful Master, "What induced you to become a Master Mason?" with: "In
order that I might travel in foreign countries, work, and receive Master's wages,
being better enabled to support myself and family, and contribute to the relief of
worthy distressed Master Masons, their widows and orphans." 1220 This reply is
misleading, because it does not mean that the Master Mason goes on real travels
around the world to earn money to support his family and friends. On the
contrary, it means that he experiences death and resurrection, when he is laid in
the coffin, having died the symbolic death of Grand Master Hiram Abiff; the
"foreign countries" being a metaphor for heaven, or life after death. Accordingly,
an American Masonic encyclopedia, Masonry Defined, states: "Heaven, the
future life, the higher state of existence after death, is the foreign country in
which the Master Mason is to enter [...]." 1221
6.16.3 Orient, Valley, Zenith, Nadir
As the term "East" is important in Freemasonry, the word "Orient" is
likewise essential and is also used with reference to the most valued bodies and
institutions. Thus, the "Oriental Chair" is the seat of the Worshipful Master of a
lodge, referring to the "Oriental Chair of King Solomon." 1222 Standing alone, the
Masonic metaphor "Orient" is the denomination of the city where a Masonic
body resides, e.g., a German lodge that is located in Düsseldorf, is "im Orient
Düsseldorf," abbreviated with the famous three points "i∴O∴Düsseldorf." The
metaphor "Grand Orient," consequently, designates the siege of a Masonic Grand
body. The choice of this term results from light symbolism: "From the Latin
participle "Oriens," rising, i.e., the rising of the sun - the East. The Lodge, being
a source of light, is called the Orient or East. A Grand body is called the Grand
East; thus the Grand Lodge of France is called "Grand Orient." This title is
applied to most of the Grand bodies in Europe." 1223 As mentioned before, the
"Grand Orient of the Universe," in German "ewiger Osten," is a metaphor for
heaven. A German abbreviation for a deceased brother is "i∴d∴e∴O∴e∴,"
1219 Ibid.
1220 Cf. Duncan, p. 145.
1221 MD, p. 238/239.
1222 TRMC, p. 113.
1223 GHCDF, p. 279.