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

Chapter 7 - Rituals 423
By its hypothesis, the latter is concerned with Operative Masonry and
there is militant insistence hereon in the earlier part of the action; but at
what may be called the crisis of the Grade [...] there intervenes another
element. We hear no longer of labours in quarries and forests, of
promised rewards above to the makers of earthly temples here below,
but of a purely spiritual edifice, a house not made with hands, a stone
rejected by the builders, and again another stone, wherein - according to
the Apocalypse - that secret name is written which to each who receives
it is reserved alone, so that it is his and no other's. 1306
Each member symbolizes one stone of the construction: "[t]he whole house is
spiritual, [...] above and below it is built of living stones, like that of the Rosy
Cross." 1307 Waite argues in his Encyclopedia that "the Keystone, the New Name
and the House itself are Christ." 1308
The phraseology of Mark Masonry is distinguished by containing more
architectural terms than the Craft language, since the building of Solomon's
temple is to be enacted, and the roles of operative masons are played. The
expressions used for God are G.O.O.T.U. (i.e. Grand Overseer of the Universe;
in "Lecture," p. 53,), in correspondence with the offices of the three overseers of
the lodge, and G.G. (i.e., Grand Geometre, in "Lecture," p. 4), or simply G.O.U.
(in "Lecture," p. 4).
The Opening Ceremony starts with the Worshipful Master giving one knock
and asking the Junior Warden about the first care of a Mark Master Mason,
which consists in seeing that the Lodge is properly tyled, just as in Craft
Masonry. The Inner Guard verifies this to be so, and the Junior Warden reports it
to the Worshipful Master. Then, the Junior Warden names the six principal
officers of the Lodge, who are the Worshipful Master, the Senior and Junior
Wardens, and the Master, Senior, and Junior Overseers. 1309
The Junior Overseer's place in the Lodge is at the South gate, in order to
guard it, and to examine all materials for the building of the temple, and to pass
them to the Senior Overseer, if he has approved of them (p. 4-5). The station of
the Senior Overseer is at the West gate, which he has to guard, and where he
examines all materials for the building of the temple, in order to pass them to the
Master Overseer, if he has approved of them (p. 5). The Master Overseer is
placed as a guard at the East Gate, and he examines all material for the building
of the temple, which has been sent to him by the Junior and Senior Overseers. In
case of doubt or difficulty, it is his task to call a council of his brother Overseers
(p. 6).
1306 Waite, p. 34.
1307 Waite, p. 34/35.
1308 Ibid.
1309 This is valid for the English ritual; in the American system, it takes eight officers to open a lodge
in the Mark Master's degree: 1. Right Worshipful Master, 2. Senior Grand Warden, 3. Junior Grand
Warden, 4. Senior Deacon, 5. Junior Deacon, 6. Master Overseer, 7. Senior Overseer, 8. Junior
Overseer (cf. Duncan's ritual, p. 150).