The Lost Key: An Explanation of Masonic Symbols

76The Lost KeyTHE SECOND DEGREE228. In the Second Degree the arrangement of the Clothing isaltered. Remembering the meaning of the Clothing as thosemental concepts which surround the mind, prejudice, preconceivedopinion, hostility to any new ideas merely because they arenew, as the clothing surrounds the body, and prevent that mindfrom receiving or “contacting” truth as the clothing prevents thebody from “contacting” exterior objects. Remembering, also, thatthe right side is positive, active, outgoing, while the left side isnegative, receptive and incoming just as the poles of a dynamo areactive and passive, positive and negative, we are ready to considerthe altered symbolism of the Degree.229. We remember, also, that the shoes are the body, the feet are thepersonality and the legs are the lower mental activities. In the FirstDegree the candidate was a learner only. Hence, very appropriately,the receptive side of his personality was bare (left foot) and thereceptive side of his lower mental activities (left leg). In theSecond Degree the condition of his right foot shows that the exaltationof the personality is on the positive side, the outgoing side.230. In ancient days there was a considerable lapse of time, someyears usually, between the Degrees which were then given to acandidate and hence there was abundant opportunity for the candidateto put into practice the lessons taught to him in the MysterySchool. At the present day one Degree follows fast upon the heelsof another and, as the candidate never knew what the moral lessonswere nor even that they existed any more than did his initiators, itis easy to comprehend that this change in sides, from left to right,holds but a scanty meaning. But in ancient times the candidatecame to a Mystery School really to learn something and, when hehad been taught that thing, he was expected to put his lessons intopractice and if he did not there was no following Degree in his case.