The Arcana of Freemasonry (1915) - The Masonic Trowel

THE ARCANA OF FREEMASONRY 55
existed before the Operatives —when the old
double circle
Temples were formed by a simple
of stones, twelve in number for each, surrounded
by bushes. Thus a Brother who understands and
knows all the ten Greater Mysteries, knows and
understands all the Operative Masons' work, whilst
the latter are completely ignorant as to the former.
But the Operative Masons' origin
dates back
at least six hundred thousand years, and so I have
no doubt they will be contented with their great
antiquity. The proofs of all my contentions are in
the Ritual of Ancient Egypt, and on the various
monuments ; these I shall always be pleased to
identify and point out to any Brother who may
feel interested in this subject. The Operative
Masons, like the Speculative, have made many
"innovations" since they left Old Mother Egypt,
but this is not surprising considering all the vicis-
situdes they have passed through ; the wonder is
that so much remains of the original, and that so
little innovation has taken place after all these
years, remembering
the trials and tribulations
they have endured.
Our 24-inch gauge is the old cubit of the ancient
Egyptians. It is the ideographic hieroglyphic, and
has the phonetic value of Maat, and indicated,
primarily, " that which is straight," and was the
name given to the instrument by which the work
of the
" Craftsmen "
was kept straight and
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