CHAPTER LXIV.

MASONIC SYMBOLS.-THE BIBLE, SQUARE, AND COMPASSES.

THE Bible, Square, and Compasses, are often depicted together, thus forming one symbol. The Bible is open. The square is placed with its angle at the middle of the lowest part of the sacred volume, its limbs extending diagonally across the two pages. The compasses are placed with the hinge at the top of the page, in the middle, and their legs extending to the extreme corners at the bottom. By this combination we are reminded that the Bible is the standard by which we are ever to try ourselves and all our schemes and actions, the great directory of our lives, according to which we must apply the square and compasses, both in judging as to the past, and in framing our schemes as to the future. The square and compasses, as well as the Bible, are essential articles of the furniture of a Masonic Lodge. The Bible is dedicated to God, from whom we have received the revelation which it contains, and whose law we learn from its pages. The square is assigned to the whole body of the Craft, as all are equally bound, in all their conduct, to "act upon the square," that is, to pursue the paths of moral rectitude. The compasses are specially assigned to the Grand Master, as an emblem of his dignity, and of his official right and duty to direct all the affairs of the Craft, and this symbol therefore reminds every Freemason of his duty as a member of the Craft, as well as of those duties which are incumbent upon him as a man, and in all the relations of life. He is reminded that the authority of the Grand Master is to be respected, and that he is entitled to the support of the Craft, in those affairs in which, according to the wisdom

given him, and the powers of the office intrusted to him, he issues his directions.

The Bible is the GREAT LIGHT of Masonry: the Bible, Square, and Compasses are THE THREE GREAT LIGHTS of Masonry. In a subsequent chapter we shall have occasion. to notice its THREE LESSER LIGHTS.

CHAPTER LXV.

MASONIC SYMBOLS.-THE ALTAR.

THE Altar is one of the most frequently-recurring of masonic symbols. There is an altar in the centre of every Lodge, upon which the Bible, square, and compasses are placed; and the altar is very often, although not always, delineated with these upon it. The Bible is placed open towards the Worshipful Master of the Lodge, between whom, however, and the altar is the place of the Senior Deacon.

Altars have been employed in the worship of God from the earliest ages, and the altar thus fitly serves as a symbol to recall to our thoughts all the eminent examples of piety set before us in Old Testament history, and also to bring before our minds all those truths by meditation on which pious affections may be called forth in our own hearts, or their fervour increased. We have no precise information as to the first altar erected for divine worship; but we may well take for granted that it was by our first parents immediately after the Fall, when they offered their first sacrifice for sin. We find in the brief Mosaic record, no statement concerning the institution of the ordinance of sacrifice; but we find it very soon mentioned as an existing ordinance, and one, the observance of which was acceptable unto the Lord. "In process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering

He had not respect" (Gen. iv. 3-5). Here we see the rite of animal sacrifice existing, and it is impossible to resist the conclusion that it existed by divine appointment, a heaven-commanded, and therefore a heaven-accepted service, the appointment of which was connected with the first dim revelation and promise of the Great Propitiation, the sacrifice which was really and effectually to take away the sins of the world; nay, that it was itself a revelation of that precious doctrine, a symbol more fitted than any mere words to impress the minds of men, and to keep alive a remembrance of the great cardinal truths of religion. In like manner, we may well suppose the first altar to have been erected by divíne direction, for the offering of the first sacrifice; the mode of God's worship as well as the duty of it being revealed by Himself. And this new opinion, which consists with what we find both in the Old Testament and in the New, concerning the duty and the mode of worship, is confirmed by the very early mention of altars in the inspired record. The first time the term occurs, is immediately after the flood, and Noah was the builder of the altar; but it is not mentioned as a new thing. On the contrary, it is evident from the words of the sacred historian that Noah only proceeded to do, on his coming forth from the ark, what, according to all the habits and associations of his previous life, he deemed proper for the worship of that God who had so wonderfully preserved him and his family, who had shown Himself to be the great, the mighty, and terrible God by the destruction of the sinful world, but had also shown Himself the Lord God, merciful and gracious, by keeping in safety those, who, according to His command, took refuge in the ark. "And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour" (Gen. viii. 20, 21). The next patriarch of whom we read as building an altar is Abraham; but again the manner in which this fact is stated in the sacred narrative shows that in so doing, Abraham merely complied with the common practice of all pious

men.

It was soon after the calling of Abraham. "And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him" (Gen. xii. 7). After this the mention of altars becomes more frequent in the inspired history, but it does not seem necessary to trace the subject further, nor to note the particular instances of the erection of altars, till we come to the transition from the patriarchal to the Jewish dispensation, the construction of the Tabernacle, and the institution of a service with rites more numerous and more minutely detailed in the divine law than had existed before. Enough has been said, however, to show that the altar as a symbol naturally leads back our thoughts to the piety of patriarchal times, and that altars were from the first deemed essential to the offering of sacrifice, the most essential rite in the worship of God. The heathen, as they preserved some traces of the primitive religion amidst all their corruptions, retained, in particular, the rite of sacrifice; not only offering oxen and sheep, and other animals, to their false gods, but even in many cases human sacrifices, and seeking to appease the anger of the imaginary demons whom they worshipped, by the blood of their own children. Retaining the rite of sacrifice, they retained also the use of the altar, without which, indeed, no sacrifice seems ever to have been offered under any form of religion. But one of the first precepts given to the Jews concerning the rites of their religion, before yet the Tabernacle was constructed, or its altar made, respected the erection of their altars, and was probably intended to make a marked distinction between them and the altars of the heathen. "An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen. In all places where I record My name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou wilt make Me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it" (Ex. xx. 24, 25).