Mackey A G - Encylopedia of Freemasonry - The Grand Masonic ...

96 BALUSTER
BANNERS
the 8th of May, 1843, in consequence of a recommendation
made by a preceding convention
which had met in Washington, D . C ., in March,
1842 . It consisted of delegates from the
States of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New
York, Maryland, District of Columbia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia; Alabama,
Florida, Tennessee, Ohio, Missouri, and Louisiana.
Its professed objects were to produce
uniformity of Masonic work and to recommend
such measures as should tend to the elevation
of the Order . It continued in session
for nine days, during which time it was principally
occupied in an attempt to perfect the
ritual, and in drawing up articles for the permanent
organization of a Triennial Masonic
Convention of the United States, to consist of
delegates from all the Grand Lodges . In
both of these efforts it failed, although several
distinguished Masons took part in its proceedings
; the body was too small (consisting,
as it did, of only twenty-three members) to
exercise any decided popular influence on the
Fraternity . Its plan of a Triennial Convention
met with very general opposition, and its
proposed ritual, familiarly known as the "Baltimore
work," has almost become a myth . Its
only practical result was the preparation and
publication of Moore's Trestle Board, a Monitor
which has, however, been adopted only by
a limited number of American Lodges. The
"Baltimore work" did not materially differ
from that originally established by Webb .
Moore's Trestle Board professes to be an exposition
of its monitorial part ; a statement
which, however, is denied by Dr . Dove, who
was the President of the Convention, and the
controversy on this point at the time between
these two eminent Masons was conducted
with too much bitterness .
Baluster . A small column or pilaster,
corruptly called a bannister ; in French, balustre
. Borrowing the architectural idea, the
Scottish Rite Masons apply the word baluster
to any official circular or other document issuing
from a Supreme Council .
Balzac, Louis Charles. A French architect
of some celebrity, and member of the Institute
of Egypt . He founded the Lodge of
the Great Sphinx at Paris . He was also a
poet of no inconsiderable merit, and was the
author of many Masonic canticles in the
French language, among them the well-known
hymn entitled Taisons nous, plus de bruit,
the music of which was composed by M . Riguel.
He died March 31, 1820, at which time
he was inspector of the public works in the prefecture
of the Seine .
Band. The neck ribbon bearing the jewel
of the office in Lodge, Chapter, or Grand
Lodge of various countries, and of the symbolic
color pertaining to the body in which it is
worn.
Banner-Bearer. The name of an officer
known in the higher degrees in the French
Rite . One who has in trust the banner ; similar
in station to the Standard-Bearer of a
Grand Lodge, or . of a Supreme Body of the
Scottish Rite .
Banneret. A small banner . An officer
known in the Order of the Knights Templar,
who, with the Marshal, had charge of warlike
undertakings . A title of an order known as
Knight Banneret, instituted by Edward I .
The banneret of the most ancient order of
knighthood called Knight Bachelor was
.(Fig . 1.)
(Fig. 2.) (Fig. 3.)
shaped like Fig . 1 . The Knights Banneret,
next in age, had a pennon like Fig . 2. That
of the Barons like Fig . 3.
Banners, Royal Arch . Much difficulty
has been experienced by ritualists in reference
to the true colors and proper arrangements of
the banners used in an American Chapter of
Royal Arch Masons . It is admitted that they
are four in number, and that their colors are
blue, purple, scarlet, and white ; and it is known
too, that the devices on these banners are a
lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle ; but the doubt
is constantly arising as to the relation between
these devices and these colors, and as to
which of the former is to be appropriated to
each of the latter. The question, it is true, is
one of mere ritualism, but it is important that
the ritual should be always uniform, and
hence the object of the present article is to
attempt the solution of this question .
The banners used in a Royal Arch Chapter
are derived from those which are supposed to
have been borne by the twelve tribes of Israel
during their encampment in the wilderness, to
which reference is made in the second chapter
of the Book of Numbers, and the second verse :
"Every man of the children of Israel shall
pitch by his own standard ." But as to what
were the devices on the banners, or what were
their various colors, the Bible is absolutely
silent. To the inventive genius of the Talmudists
are we indebted for all that we know
or profess to know on this subject . These
mystical philosophers have given to us with
wonderful precision the various devices which
they have borrowed from the death-bed
prophecy of Jacob, and have sought, probably
in their own fertile imaginations, for the
appropriate colors .
The English Royal Arch Masons, whose
system differs very much from that of their
American Companions, display in their Chapters
the twelve banners of the tribes in accordance
with the Talmudic devices and colors .
These have been very elaborately described
by Dr . Oliver in his Historical Landmarks
(ii ., 583-97), and beautifully exemplified by
Companion Harris in his Royal Arch Tracing
Boards .
But our American Royal Arch Masons, as
we have seen, use only four banners, being
those attributed by the Talmudists to the four
principal tribes-Judah, Ephraim, Reuben,
and Dan. The devices on these banners are
respectively a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle .
As to this there is no question, all authorities,