The Lost Key: An Explanation of Masonic Symbols

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88The Lost Keyunknown meaning, so many actions traditional but unexplained,and so the lessons are not learned and the work is not done andthe turning up of the lower corner of the Apron has becomeobsolete in fact as well as in symbol and the Apron is worn by theMaster Mason in the same manner as that in which it is worn bythe Fellow Craft.263. Some day, perhaps, that custom will be revived when Masonrycomes to realize the magnificent beauty of its lessons and whenthose lessons, through the constant repetition of the symbolismshall have sunk down into the subconscious minds of the Masonswho watch the rituals and have there become a part and parcel oftheir consciousness so that they are, in time, incorporated into thecharacter itself. Some day the custom shall be no longer obsolete,but now that little passage in the ritual stands there to shame themembers of the Craft and, every time they hear those words saidand every time that they see that up raised corner of the Aprondropped again, there should arise a prayer in every heart that theday may soon come when every Master Mason shall deserve towear his Apron with the corner turned up to distinguish him asindeed and rightfully an Overseer and Master of the Work.264. Well does the Master know the trials which the candidatemust still endure and the assaults which the ruffianly qualities ofthe lower nature will make again and again against the integrity ofhis high purpose and so, to help him in the struggle, the last andmost beautiful Working Tool is given him together with the lessonof its use and purpose, that lesson which embodies the teachingthat will enable him to lay up in the heavens the Golden Treasureof the Spirit, that Treasure which the Christ so strongly emphasizedand whose importance He so clearly pointed out. For theashlars which are built into the walls of the Temple are the soulsand minds of men and the cement which binds them tog-ether andholds them in one great solid and substantial building is that Love
Chapter VIII. 89which, by the use of the Trowel of good deeds and loving-kindnessand of service to humanity he spreads with all the skill of theMaster Mason, thereby binding himself to others and others tohimself with the bonds of that Cement of Love which is at oncethe Law and the fulfilling of the Law.265. For Love is the CONSCIOUS REALIZATION OF UNITY ORIDENTITY WITH THE OBJECT LOVED and, when once this high degreeis reached, the candidate has begun to realize the unity of all menin the spirit and the glorious truth of the Fatherhood of God andthe Brotherhood of Man in the Spirit, and so there is implantedwithin his heart the first dim perception of that stupendous truthwhich, as he ponders it and meditates upon it, will show him thepossibi1ity of cultivating that great love despite the often hideousmasks of personality in which the blinded and almost. unconsciousspirit is encased, that love of spirit for spirit which is the Love ofwhich the Master spoke and which is the Love that He taught isthe fulfilling of the Law. For, as all spirit is one, so the varioussparks of that great Universal Spirit Whom we reverence andadore as God and which sparks are the brothers and sisters whocompose the multitudes of humanity are one, and so he learns thatin loving them, not with the carnal love of matter for matter butwith the pure love of spirit for spirit, he is loving his brother, hisMaker and himself.266. The lesson of the Trowel is, perhaps, the most profound in allMasonry as it is the most important. All the other lessons havebeen leading up to this one glorious teaching, this teaching of theunity of one with all. To live the life as symbolized by the Trowel isto live the life which Christ commanded and it is, as He has toldus, the “fulfilling of the Law.” He who learns the lesson of theTrowel is no longer concerned with the other lessons of the Symbolismas he who learns the Law and obeys the Law rises above theLaw and becomes a citizen of those supernal regions where law and
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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
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26The Lost Keytreatise, he will be
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28The Lost Keythe activities or the
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30The Lost KeyHANDS—Symbolize dir
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32The Lost Keyand knowledge is of a
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34The Lost KeyTHE OBLONG SQUARE93.
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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 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 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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