The Masonic ritual defines Freemasonry as "a peculiar system of
morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols". The ritual
is a very concise document. In a brief sentence or a short paragraph
it expresses profound ideas and gives precise standards by which we
can govern our individual actions in every field of human activity.
The ritual reminds us too of the interdependence of the several
parts of Masonry. If we attempt to treat any one of these parts as a
complete whole we neglect its most important function - indeed the
only function that gives it meaning as part of the whole structure
of Masonic morality. Each feature of Masonic instruction, to be
properly understood, must be considered in the whole context of
Masonry.

Some appreciation of the historic background of Masonry is necessary
to an understanding of the Institution. Much research has been done
by many writers into the early history of Masonry. Some of that
research has been directed at finding some specific date, era or
place when or where the Institution could be said to have had its
beginning. That research has revealed that Masonry is very old. The
oldest existing records have references to still older Masonic
records. The Regius Poem about Masonry, for example, was written
some six hundred years ago. It refers to the statutes for Masonry
that were "ordained by King Athelstane" and King Athelstane had been
dead for more than four hundred years when the Regius Poem was
written.

Research has not revealed any starting time or place for Masonry,
only that it appears to have existed in that remote period beyond
the beginnings of recorded history. Aristotle held that man is a
political animal. He lives not on his own, but in a society that
even at its most primitive stage must have had organisation. In
order for the human race to progress there must have been, even in
primitive times, men who speculated or meditated about God and the
nature of His creation. The established fact that Masonry is of very
ancient origin, together with the fact that the basic precepts of
the Institution are time-less in their appeal to the best thinking
of human society, strongly suggest that Freemasonry today is in the
legitimate and unbroken line of descent from the first society of
men who had the intelligence to feel awe and reverence for the life,
order, beauty and harmony of the world around them, and were
impelled by that feeling to worship the Divine Architect who
designed and governs all. "The ordinance of God, how inscrutable it
is, and goes on for ever."

In some quarters Masonry is considered to be a synonym for secrecy.
This, in spite of the fact that numerous books have been published
purporting to "expose" the secrets of Masonry. In spite, too, of the
clear record that such "exposes" have had no visible effect on the
vitality of Masonry. The great Masonic secret, the source of Masonic
strength and vitality, is that intangible but vital force which
results from a brotherhood existing for the purpose of helping each
member realise his noblest aspirations. We do have special ways of
identifying ourselves to brother Masons; a common practice among men
with common interests. In a very interesting article published in
the Year Book of 1967 Brother J. Harvey MacPherson, in commenting on
our identifying signs, tells of seeing tribal men in India and
Africa, who were not Masons, using identifying signs exactly the
same as those regularly in use by Masons. Brother MacPherson
observed "signs and tokens which we believed to be peculiar to
Masonry are shown to be spread universally, outside and beyond the
Craft.

They are moreover known by the same names and are used to convey the
same meanings. This cannot be mere coincidence. There must be a
purpose underlying their occurrence and recurrence."

Masonry was, at one period in its long history, exclusively
Christian in character. Grand Lodge was opened with an invocation to
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At some point (which I have been
unable to discover) our Masonic ancestors recognised and
acknowledged what one writer has described as "the astounding
parallelisms between the great religions of the earth moving towards
one and the same ethical and spiritual goal". The decision was then
made that no man would be excluded on religious grounds if he
professed his belief in God. That decision resulted in the
Institution of Masonry becoming truly universal, as its precepts
have always been among men of goodwill.

All through history, no less than today, men found that pictorial
representation conveyed an easily  remembered message. We usually
think of a picture as something seen visually, but a picture may be
seen with equal clarity by mental comprehension of an object or
scene. We recognise this as a good story-teller outlines the details
of an interesting story. Our allegories and symbols are meant to
convey pictures that represent principles.

The use of allegory and symbols in imparting moral instruction is a
method of teaching that comes to us from our ancestors in the
earliest recorded periods of human history. Mancius, a disciple of
the Chinese philosopher Confucius, wrote (around 300 B.C.), "A man
should abstain from doing unto others what he would not that they
should do to him." This is called the principle of acting on the
square. Again he writes, "A Master Mason, in teaching his
apprentices, makes use of the compasses and the square. Ye who are
engaged in the pursuit of wisdom must also use the compasses and
square."

In his book The Builders, Brother Rev. Dr J. F. Newton reviews some
historical records of the use of builder's tools in allegorical
instruction and then says, "from such records we have, it is not
possible to say whether the builders themselves first used their
tools as emblems, or whether the thinkers first used them to teach
moral truths." The records to which Brother Newton referred were
from various stages of ancient history back to a Chinese classic,
The Book of History, written some two thousand years B.C., which has
the instruction, "ye officers of the government apply the
compasses".

From very ancient times there have been three popular forms of
instruction by illustration. These are the allegory, the parable and
the fable. The allegory and the parable have been used primarily for
moral instruction. The fable has generally been used to ridicule
human weaknesses. In allegory a particular function of a symbolical
figure is used by way of associating it with a moral standard. A
parable is a short story about people, meant to convey a moral
truth. The fable is a fictitious story about animals, told with the
object of emphasising some foolish aspect of human behaviour.

Ours is "a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and
illustrated by symbols". What is "peculiar" about our system of
morality? Why is it "veiled" in allegory? Our system of morality is
perhaps peculiar in that it is not dogmatic. We do not have precise
rules which tell us what kind of conduct is immoral, or what kind of
conduct is moral. We do have very exact standards of rectitude by
which we can judge what our action should be in every kind of
situation where moral principles are involved, and we are told that
the V.S.L. sets out our duties clearly.

"Veiled in Allegory". A veil is a very flimsy cover, but it does not
permit a clear picture to the casual viewer. One must earnestly want
to see the hidden moral of the allegory. To the casual onlooker a
square may simply be two solid sides bounding a right angle, a very
necessary tool for builders. To a Mason, the square is also an
emblem of rectitude in conduct. The compass is a useful instrument
for, among other things, making circles. As a symbol the compass
serves as a reminder to us of our relationship with God - "the
centre of all" - and how necessary it is for us to keep our lives in
constant contact with that centre as we move through our daily
activities.

An allegory is then simply a figurative story or statement. Its
purpose is to illustrate some moral principle. That principle is
represented by a symbolic figure that clarifies and emphasises the
message of the allegory. When Christ said to His disciples, "I am
the vine, ye are the branches" He was using allegory to provide the
symbolic figure of a complete vine to illustrate for them, and to
remind them, that they were dependent on Him for spiritual life, and
He was counting on them to use their vital connection with Him to
make their lives fruitful. Christ's disciples were familiar with the
grape vine. The symbolism of that vine would be a constant reminder
to them of the source of their spiritual strength and their
responsibility to use it effectively.

Life is a mosaic of varied experiences. We have all experienced
complex situations where nothing seems to be more certain than the
uncertainty of following events. Sunshine, shadow, fortune,
misfortune and difficult decisions are common to all of us. In his
poem "Ulysses" Tennyson has the king say, after a long and active
life, "I am a part of all that I have met . . ." We are all part of
our personal experiences. However much alike experiences seem to be
when we compare those of one person with those of another, the
impact of an event on one individual can never be quite the same as
it is on another individual because each one of us has a distinct
and unique personality. This invites the question of how to define
moral behaviour for each individual experience. Our social and legal
systems recognise that there may be mitigating circumstances in
every apparently anti-social or illegal act. Our personal conduct is
our own personal responsibility; but we are not wise enough, or
perhaps even moral enough, to see what is the good and right way to
act in every moral situation. We need help and advice. That is the
purpose of Masonry. It provides that help by brotherhood and that
advice by its allegorical teaching and by symbolism.

Brother Albert Pike, one of the greatest explainers of Masonic
principles, wrote "the symbolism of Masonry is the soul of Masonry.
Every symbol in the Lodge is a religious teacher, a mute teacher of
philosophy."

If our standards have reliability and exactitude, our allegories
always illustrate moral truths and our symbols are always
meaningful; they are as understandable to the Moslem and to the
Hindu as they are to the Christian or the Jew, and as applicable in
India or Nigeria as they are in Canada. Masonry has proved to have
that quality of universality.

As worshippers of the Supreme Being, we pray to that Being and
always have open in our Lodge a Volume of the Sacred Law to remind
us of the source of our strength and of our duties to God, our
neighbour and to ourselves. The V.S.L. is the one regarded as such
by the members of the Lodge. It may be, along with the Christian
Bible, the Jewish Scriptures, the Moslem Koran, the Hindu Gita or
any book recognised by those who use it as being of Divine origin.

The Masonic Institution, as the name suggests, is concerned with
building. We are speculative Masons and, as such, our concern is
with building a structure of character to the Glory of God. As men
who speculate, or think deeply about the basic values of such
qualities as good purpose, honesty and integrity, we find that the
tools of the operative Mason have the same essential values and
meanings when used symbolically as standards and guides for
behaviour as they do in erecting physical structures. The Square, as
I have already illustrated, has for centuries been used as a symbol
of good conduct. "On the Square" and 'square dealing" are
expressions that have come to us from ancient history as epitomising
the ultimate in behavioural rectitude. Similarly, the Compasses
have, throughout history, been used to symbolise action directly
related to and controlled by a central ideal. These symbols are a
visual expression of standards of behaviour that are applicable
everywhere, in every kind of moral situation and in every language.

The allegories of Masonry are based on incidents, practices and
legends related to the building of King Solomon's Temple. There are
very good reasons for this. Some that are readily seen are:

1.      That Temple was the first building of which we have any
        knowledge, that was planned, built and dedicated for divine
        worship; it is therefore a landmark in history.

2.      No other structure in history so involved the total effort
        of a nation, together with help from a neighbouring nation,
        in purpose, planning, construction and dedication, without
        any apparent limit in cost, so that the completed structure
        would represent the ultimate in man's ability to erect a
        Temple of surpassing beauty to the Glory of God. That Temple
        was also the supreme achievement in building by a people who
        have given to the world a knowledge of God and a conception
        of man's relationship with the Divine that has influenced
        and enriched the spiritual life of the whole human race.

3.      The planning, craftmanship and art incorporated into King
        Solomon's Temple resulted in it, and King Solomon, becoming
        famous, and it has through the ages to this present day been
        recognised as the symbol of magnificence and regal
        splendour.

The quality of the completed work suggests to us that the selected
master builders of the Temple put into their work such a high degree
of dedication as to set them apart as men who worked together to
develop visions and skills above and beyond the ordinary
requirements of erecting a physical structure and as such they hold
an honoured place among our Masonic ancestors.

Inevitably legends relating to incidents and practices associated
with such a monumental work as building King Solomon's Temple have
come to us by tradition, in addition to the historical accounts
given in the Bible. These form the basis of our Masonic allegories.
These are appropriate because of their ancient origin and because
the truths they illustrate are as meaningful today as they were in
the time of King Solomon. They emphasise that while good building
demands planning and dedication, preparation must also be made to
provide for means to fortify against the inherent weaknesses of the
human character. The moral truths that these allegories embody serve
also to illustrate that what was true at the building of King
Solomon's Temple is no less true today. Building to the Glory of God
demands total effort, and that effort be governed by the unvarying
symbolic standards of the Square, the Level, the Plumb and the
Compasses.