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

210 DEVICE
DIALECTICS
ume closely folded from unlawful eyes, and
he who would understand its true intent and
meaning must follow the old proverb, and
"commence at the beginning." There is no
royal road of arriving at this knowledge . It
can be attained only by laborious research .
The student must begin as an Apprentice, by
studying the rudiments that are unfolded on
its first page. Then as a Fellow-Craft still
more of the precious writing is unrolled, and
he acquires new ideas . As a Master he continues
the operation, and possesses himself of
additional material for thought . But it is
not until the entire volume lies unrolled before
him, in the highest degree, and the whole
speculative system of its philosophy is lying
outspread before him, that he can pretend to
claim a thorough comprehension of its plan .
It is then only that he has solved the problem,
and can exclaim, "the end has crowned the
work ." The Mason who looks only on the
ornamental covering of the roll knows nothing
of its contents . Masonry is a scheme of development
; and he who has learned nothing
of its design, and who is daily adding nothing
to his stock of Masonic ideas, is simply one
who is not unrolling the parchment . It is a
custom of the Jews on their Sabbath, in the
synagogue, that a member should pay for the
privilege of unrolling the Sacred Law . So,
too, the Mason, who would uphold the law of
his Institution, must pay for the privilege,
not in base coin, but in labor and research,
studying its principles, searching out its design,
and imbibing all of its symbolism ; and
the payment thus made will purchase a rich
jewel .
Device. A term in heraldry signifying
any emblem used to represent a family, person,
nation, or society, and to distinguish such
from any other . The device is usually accompanied
with a suitable motto applied in a
figurative sense, and its essence consists in a
metaphorical similitude between the thing
representing and that represented. Thus, the
device of a lion represents the courage of the
person bearing it . The oak is the device of
strength ; the palm, of victory ; the sword, of
honor ; and the eagle, of sovereign power .
The several sections of the Masonic sodality
are distinguished by appropriate devices.
1 . Ancient Craft Masonry . Besides the arms
of Speculative Masonry, which are described
in this work under the appropriate head, the
most common device is a square and compass .
2 . Royal Arch Masonry . The device is a
triple tau within a triangle .
3 . Knight Templarism . The ancient device,
which was borne on the seals and banners
of the primitive Order, was two knights
riding on one horse, in allusion to the vow of
poverty taken by the founders . The modern
device of Masonic Templarism is a cross pattee .
4 . Scottish Rite Masonry . The device is
a double-headed eagle crowned, holding in his
claws a sword .
5 . Royal and Select Masters . The device
is a trowel suspended within a triangle, in
which the allusion is to the tetragrammaton
symbolized by the triangle or delta, and the
workmen at the first Temple symbolized by
the trowel .
6 . Rose Croix Masonry . The device is a
cross charged with a rose ; at its foot an eagle
and a pelican .
7 . Knight of the Sun . This old degree of
philosophical Masonry has for its device rays
of light issuing from a triangle inscribed within
a circle of darkness, which "teaches us," says
Oliver, "that when man was enlightened by
the Deity with reason, he became enabled to
penetrate the darkness and obscurity which
ignorance and superstition have spread abroad
to allure men to their destruction ."
Each of these devices is accompanied by
a motto which properly forms a part of it .
These mottoes will be found under the head of
Motto .
The Italian heralds have paid peculiar attention
to the subject of devices, and have
established certain laws for their construction,
which are generally recognized in other countries
. These laws are, 1 . That there be nothing
extravagant or monstrous in the figures .
2. That figures be never joined together which
have no relation or affinity with one another .
3. That the human body should never be used .
4. That the figures should be few in number,
and 5 . That the motto should refer to the
device, and express with it a common idea .
According to P. Bouhours, the figure or emblem
was called the body, and the motto the
soul of the device .
Devoir . The gilds or separate communities
in the system of French compagnonage
are called devoirs. (See Compagnonage .)
Devoir of a Knight . The original meaning
of devoir is duty ; and hence, in the language
of chivalry, a knight's devoir comprehended
the performance of all those duties to
which he was obligated by the laws of knighthood
and the vows taken at his creation .
These were the defense of widows and orphans,
the maintenance of justice, and the
protection of the poor and weak against the
oppressions of the strong and great . Thus,
in one of Beaumont and Fletcher's plays, the
knight says to the lady :
"Madame, if any service or devoir
Of a poor errant knight may right your wrongs,
Command it ; I am prest to give you succor,
For to that holy end I bear my armor ."
Knight of the Burning Pestle . Act II ., Scene 1 .
The devoir of a Knights Templar was origi
nal ly to protect pilgrims on their visit to the
Holy Land, and to defend the holy places .
The devoir of a modern Knights Templar is
to defend innocent virgins, destitute widows,
helpless orphans, and the Christian religion .
Devotions . The prayers in a Commandery
of Knights Templar are technically called the
devotions of the knights .
Dialectics . That branch of logic which
teaches the rules and modes of reasoning . Dialecticke
and dialecticus are used as corruptions
of the Latin dialectica in some of the old manuscript
Constitutions, instead of logic, in the