Graveyard Guru 9/16/2010

The Many Symbols Freemasonary
By Stephanie Lincecum

If you follow this column, then you know I do not do the guru interviews in a traditional question-answer format. I use the information provided to formulate a short article or essay on a particular subject. In my requests for information, I have found many people are nervous about having their identities revealed online. This time, however, I failed to find anyone willing to participate in an interview at all! The topic I chose for this article is Freemasonry. Maybe that in itself says it all. I guess they still are a pretty secret society.

What I’ve included for you in this article is the small bit of research I have done on symbols of Freemasonry and its subsequent offshoots.

Wikipedia.org breaks the broad category of Freemasonry down like this:

“Freemasonry is a fraternal organization that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including…just under two million in the United States.

Freemasonry uses metaphors of operative stonemasons’ tool and implements, against the allegorical backdrop of the building of King Solomon’s Temple, to convey what has been described by both Masons and critics as ‘a system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.’”

These symbols are often carried to the gravesite of members of a Masonic fraternity and portrayed on their tombstones.

The most often recognized symbol found on tombstones that represents Freemasonry is the geometric “square and compass.” It may or may not have a letter G in the center. There are many theories as to what these instruments together symbolize. A simple view is the square represents the earth and the compass represents the heavens. The G in the center has been linked to both geometry and God.

The next tombstone symbol for the Masons that I see regularly in my area of the Southern United States is the cross in crown. It is sometimes accompanied with the letters H T W S S T K S. The cross in crown might denote the deceased was a member of the York Rite Masons. The York Rite is a broad category that includes the Royal Arch Masons and the Knights Templar, among others.

The letters supposedly represent the statement Hiram The Widow’s Son Sent To King Solomon. Determining what exactly that statement means is a whole other matter.

Other symbols you might see on a tombstone represent fraternities that are offshoots of Freemasonry. The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, more commonly known as the Shriners, is an example. Their emblem is the scimitar (sword with curved blade), crescent, star of Bethlehem, and head of a sphinx. All Shriners must be Masons.

The aforementioned Knights Templar have a detailed emblem. At the top is a knight’s helmet. A cross in crown is on top of a Maltese cross with crossed swords behind it. Included is the motto In Hoc Signo Vinces, a Latin rendition of a Greek phrase meaning “in this you will conquer.”

One other fraternal offshoot of the Masons I want to point out is the Order of the Eastern Star. According to Wikipedia.org, “The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization in the world that both men and women can join…It is based on teachings from the Bible, but is open to people of all monotheistic faiths…Members of the Order are aged 18 and older; men must be Master Masons and women must have specific relationships with Masons.”

The emblem of the Order is a five-pointed star, and the character-building lessons taught are stories inspired by Biblical figures. In the center of the star is a pulpit. One point contains the image of “Electa’s Cup” from the story of the “elect lady” in II John. Next is the “Adah Sword” from the story of Adah, Jepthah’s daughter, from Judges. Next is “Life-Time Wheat” from the story of Ruth, the widow. Then there is a “Crown and Sceptor United” from the story of Esther, the wife. Finally is the “Broken Column” from the story of Martha, sister of Lazarus, from the Gospel of John.

Depicted here are just a few of the symbols associated with Freemasonry. There are many, many more including some that might surprise you. I invite you to visit fellow Graveyard Rabbit Beth Santore’s site http://www.graveaddiction.com/ for more images of symbols with possible ties to the secret society of Freemasonry.