The Lost Key: An Explanation of Masonic Symbols

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48The Lost KeyMasonic membership. Under the circumstances it is not so muchof a wonder that the explanation of the Masonic Symbolism hasbeen lost as that anything at all has survived. But, thank Heaven,it has survived to some extent, and the present volume is a humbleattempt to revive some of the forgotten glory of the lost WisdomTeaching and to infuse it into the shell of the rituals so thatMasonry may once again become instinct with life, a great Powerfor Good in the prevailing misery of the masses of mankind.142. But our aim is to restore—not to invent. to replace, not tosubstitute. So little have many brethren learned of the wonderfullessons of the Clothing that any new activity, no matter what itmay be, arouses opposition and especially is this the case when theythink, mistakenly of course, that the new activity involves someaspersion on their theological beliefs.143. So let us remember that our aim is to find out what the lessonsof Masonry are and were intended to be. Let us attempt to findout what were the “mysteries” hidden behind these forms of wordseven if, in that attempt, we are forced to admit that the ancientsknew more of practical psychology than most of our advancedthinkers do at the present day.144. In other words, Brethren, let us approach this great questionin true Masonic fashion, “neither naked nor clad,” freed from theencumbering folds of hampering prejudice and dogmatic prejudgingbut protected by the love for truth and right and justice andpurity which should ever distinguish the Masonic scholar.145. In order to explain the exact meaning of the various items ofthis most peculiar statement that the Great Lights can be seen onlyby aid of the Lesser Lights, the following diagram is introduced.We can understand the lesson of the particular symbolism onlyafter we have defined the terms in which it is given and, in order tounderstand these terms, we must understand their meaning when
Chapter IV. 49employed in the ancient symbolical writings for this particularsymbolic lesson in common with most of our symbolism, has comedown to us, in changed language perhaps, but the same in teachingand in meaning as in ancient times.146. DIAGRAM OF THE LESSER LIGHTS.{Higher Consciousness}SPIRIT(Sun)IndividualityHIGHER MINDHigher Self (WorshipfulMaster)LOWER MIND{Lower Consciousness}EMOTIONAL NATURE (Moon)PersonalityPSYCHIC NATURE Lower Self (Candidate)PHYSICAL NATUREDayNight147. The Sun has ahvays symbolized the Spirit or the spiritualnature in man. The Moon, probably from its association with tidesand crops, has ahvays been used to symbolize the lower or materialnature or the physical world. Similarly “Day” has been used tosymbolize the spiritual phases of existence and “Night” to symbolizethe lower phases of existence as opposed to the spiritual. Thisis so obvious in its application that it is deemed unnecessary toburden this treatise with reference to authorities. The ancients, aswe have already remarked, in the language of symbolism whichthey had developed to a considerable degree, were much moreprecise and exact in their symbolic reference than we are today.But, in the present treatise, it is not necessary to go into the subjectof exact symbolic meanings. Should any reader be inclined toquestion the meanings we have assigned to “Day” and “Night” inthe above it will be a good exercise for him to undertake a courseof reading in symbolism, the inevitable result of which will be toconvince him that the symbolic meanings we have assigned theterms in the above diagram, while not going at all deeply into thematter, are yet good, practical, working meanings which are
Page 2 and 3: First published 1927 e.v.by Harry M
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTSSECTIONSPAGEQuestions on th
Page 6 and 7: 2The Lost Key25. What is the symbol
Page 8 and 9: 4The Lost Key80. What are the Worki
Page 10 and 11: 6The Lost Keyother details with whi
Page 12 and 13: 8The Lost Key6. So the Flag is an A
Page 14 and 15: 10The Lost Key17. Suppose that a ma
Page 16 and 17: 12The Lost Key24. Now that we have
Page 18 and 19: 14The Lost Keymeaning. Let us quote
Page 20 and 21: 16The Lost Keyordinary, uninstructe
Page 22 and 23: 18The Lost Keyof religion and is th
Page 24 and 25: 20The Lost Keysupposed to have gain
Page 26 and 27: 22The Lost Keythe intelligence? The
Page 28 and 29: 24The Lost Keyexcept PREJUDICE? The
Page 30 and 31: 26The Lost Keytreatise, he will be
Page 32 and 33: 28The Lost Keythe activities or the
Page 34 and 35: 30The Lost KeyHANDS—Symbolize dir
Page 36 and 37: 32The Lost Keyand knowledge is of a
Page 38 and 39: 34The Lost KeyTHE OBLONG SQUARE93.
Page 40 and 41: 36The Lost Key101. There are other
Page 42 and 43: 38The Lost Keynature, the mind, etc
Page 44 and 45: 40The Lost Keyhis love for sports.
Page 46 and 47: 42The Lost Key121. Bending the knee
Page 48 and 49: 44The Lost Keythe members of the pa
Page 50 and 51: 46The Lost Key135. All outgoing cur
Page 54 and 55: 50The Lost Keydefinite enough to se
Page 56 and 57: 52The Lost KeyCosmos. It is very im
Page 58 and 59: 54The Lost Keyone which falls the m
Page 60 and 61: 56The Lost Key167. Beginning at the
Page 62 and 63: 58The Lost Keyby Christ Himself but
Page 64 and 65: 60The Lost Keyrealize that the vari
Page 66 and 67: 62The Lost Key184. Now, since we ar
Page 68 and 69: 64The Lost Keyservice and help woul
Page 70 and 71: CHAPTER SIXThe Working Tools199. In
Page 72 and 73: 68The Lost Keyyour imagination and
Page 74 and 75: 70The Lost KeyGavelSquareChisel2209
Page 76 and 77: 72The Lost Keylet down from above.
Page 78 and 79: 74The Lost Keyobservation. The form
Page 80 and 81: 76The Lost KeyTHE SECOND DEGREE228.
Page 82 and 83: 78The Lost Keybody firmly fixed in
Page 84 and 85: 80The Lost Keythe present day and o
Page 86 and 87: 82The Lost Key246. The meaning of t
Page 88 and 89: 84The Lost Keythe symbology to suit
Page 90 and 91: 86The Lost Key257. The first Sectio
Page 92 and 93: 88The Lost Keyunknown meaning, so m
Page 94 and 95: 90The Lost Keythe penalties of law
Page 96 and 97: CHAPTER NINEThe Method of Teaching
Page 98 and 99: 94The Lost Keysymbolism is understo
Page 100 and 101: 96The Lost Keya tremendous effect e
Page 102 and 103:
98The Lost Keyof the clothing was n
Page 104 and 105:
100The Lost Keythis intuition had b
Page 106 and 107:
102The Lost Key292. This is the tea
Page 108 and 109:
104The Lost KeyOUGHT to mean. There
Page 110 and 111:
106The Lost Keyhe is to progress, t
Page 112 and 113:
108The Lost Keyheld by the ancient
Page 114 and 115:
110The Lost Keythe clothing. The Mo
Page 116 and 117:
112The Lost Keyto meet the peculiar
Page 118 and 119:
114The Lost Key320. The Lost Word,
Page 120:
SectionAllegory . . . . . . . . . .
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The Lost Key: An Explanation of Masonic Symbols

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