The Lost Key: An Explanation of Masonic Symbols

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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.
Chapter VII. 77231. So, while this change from side to side in the symbolism is nowno more than theoretical we must realize that formerly it was full ofgenuine meaning. The discarding of the right shoe symbolizes thatexaltation of spirit, that lifting out of the body which accompaniesthe approach to any very sacred or holy place and is, this time, onthe active and outgoing side. The candidate is now hoping toshow the brethren that he has profited by his former lessons, thathe has actually been living his life in accordance with the scientificinstruction which they gave him on the occasion of his first initiationand so it is appropriately the active, positive side of hispersonality which is exalted and elevated above carnal affairs.232. Now it is the active aspect of the lower mental activities (legs)which is bent at the Altar to the will of the Higher Self and theposition of the left hand and arm, a position familiar to all Masons,symbolizes the determination to receive in the entire mind onlythat teaching which is square and to make the higher and lowermental activities (arms and legs) on the receptive side, square andright and true.233. The position of the right hand at the Altar in this Degreesymbolizes the fact that the higher mental activities on theoutgoing side (right hand and arm) shall flow into action throughthe Divine Law (Holy Bible), that is, that they will be guided bythe precepts of the Divine Law while the lower mental activities onthe positive side (right leg) are bent to the will of the Master of theLodge or the Higher Self of the candidate.234. Again the square must be formed before the Altar can beapproached but there is a slight difference in the square, this time,although it is still an oblong or imperfect square. The right footnow takes the prominent position signifying that the candidate hasbeen putting into practice the lessons learned. If the Masonicstudent will once get the basic meaning of the right and left sides,positive and negative, and the meanings of the various parts of the
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First published 1927 e.v.by Harry M
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CONTENTSSECTIONSPAGEQuestions on th
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2The Lost Key25. What is the symbol
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4The Lost Key80. What are the Worki
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6The Lost Keyother details with whi
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8The Lost Key6. So the Flag is an A
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10The Lost Key17. Suppose that a ma
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12The Lost Key24. Now that we have
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14The Lost Keymeaning. Let us quote
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16The Lost Keyordinary, uninstructe
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18The Lost Keyof religion and is th
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20The Lost Keysupposed to have gain
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22The Lost Keythe intelligence? The
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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 52 and 53: 48The Lost KeyMasonic membership. U
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 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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