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

860
Chapter 10 - Conclusion
Here, we would like to ponder upon the expression "true Masonry," under
which we understand Craft Masonry, i.e. the first three degrees (maybe
comprising the Holy Royal Arch). In history, there were attempts at other forms
of Masonry which contained other "languages;" however, these became obsolete
or at least less universal than the one Masonry the profane world means when
referring to it.
This is so because the universality of the Masonic language depends on its
diversity and also on the sort of the trade that is used in its technical language.
Craft Masonry, as we have seen, draws its metaphors from the language of the
stonemasons' guilds. This is the most wide-spread and most successful form of
Masonry. There were and are other Masonic orders using a different background
to draw their vocabulary from, for example from the field of chivalry. A very
striking example of an unsuccessful attempt is the Order of Argonauts, a German
androgynous Masonic society founded about 1775 by brethren of the Rite of
Strict Observance. Its ritual is based on Jason's voyage in the ship Argo in search
of the Golden Fleece (also a quest story). The ritual leans on this Hellenistic saga
and employs a corresponding terminology: thus were "many of the symbols
taken from this source, such as meeting upon the deck of a vessel, the chief
officer being called Grand Admiral, and the nomenclature of parts of the vessel
being used. The motto was Es Lebe die Freude, or Joy forever." 2114 The ritual
was worked in a temple on an island situated in the pond of Riddagshausen, and
the terms borrowed from navigation were "Großadmiral", "Steuermann",
"Schiffsgeistlicher," and others. 2115 This order ceased in about 1787.
We thus can see that a limited technical terminology that only deals with
ships proves fatal for a fraternity. It might exist several years, or even a hundred
years, but then is doomed to fail due to a lack of interest of the masses in the one
topic offered. How many are interested in chivalry today and want to be called a
Sublime Illustrious Knight? We just have to look at the uncountable rituals and
degrees of the most pompous titles that have vanished (e.g. in Coil's Masonic
Encyclopedia under the entries "rituals," "rites," or "degrees") after they have
had their time of attracting candidates with their hocus-pocus. This is especially
true for many of the High Degrees or Hauts Grades that were founded from the
18 th century onward, and which wanted to add to Masonry but instead often
created superfluous bunk. Craft Masonry appears less unworldly, and it has
chosen the right mixture of symbolism, technical language, religion, philosophy,
tolerance, in some cases even politics, benefit, security, friendship, and
sociability, that still interests men and women of today. Moreover, the Great
Architect is a very proper metaphor for the creator of the earth, and better chosen
than ship metaphors like admiral, etc. Everyone can easily compare God to a
builder.
But it would be a mistake to declare the Masonic language a religious
language. We have seen that the Grand Orient of France does not even require
the belief in a Supreme Being. Of course, Biblical metaphors are employed, but
2114 EOF, p. 76. See also CME, p. 70.
2115 Cf. IFL, p. 92.