Escape to Joppa 06/10/08
Masonic Matters
By Ed Halpaus
“The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.” Aristotle
This publication, while it is printed with the permission of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of A.F. & A. M. of Minnesota, contains the writings and opinions of Ed Halpaus, and is not in any way the opinion of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota.
“The man who fears no truths has nothing to fear from lies.” Sir Francis Bacon
I will bring you greetings from Most Worshipful Brother Thomas C. Jackson, Grand Master of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Minnesota, and all of the Grand Lodge officers, elected and appointed, of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota.
“Ah yes, truth. Funny how everyone is always asking for it but when they get it they don't believe it because it's not the truth they want to hear.” Helena Cassadine
Escape to Joppa
Many Masons are extremely interested in learning about the ritual of Freemasonry, not necessarily the memorizing of it but, the story behind it[i] and how it came to be a part of Masonry. I am one who thoroughly enjoys this area of study about Freemasonry. I have thought about this particular article for quite some time, before attempting to begin writing about it, thinking it would be too difficult to summarize for a short article, but I’m giving it a try.
[Before going further, I would like to comment on my understanding of the word Masonry, and why I capitalize it, or at least try to remember to do so. Possibly you might have heard someone say that when they hear the word mason or masonry they think of people and companies that work as cement contractors. Indeed when we see an ad or a pick-up truck for a cement contractor we will, in all likelihood, see the word masonry as part of the name of the company, and they do employ masons. It is my belief that the word masonry as it is used in the building trades is not to be capitalized when Masonic Students write about Freemasonry. However, it is my opinion that such students should capitalize Masonry when we’re writing about the Masonic Fraternity.]
Getting back to symbolism and the story or meaning behind some of the ritual of Masonry I am always amazed at how the Masons who devised the ritual of our fraternity included such profound lessons, and how we can study and learn from what they put together so many centuries ago. This study of Freemasonry is truly something we can enjoy studying for a lifetime. These lessons have some basis, which we can trace them to as well. For instance, in a part of the Hiramic Legend we learn that three certain workmen traveled from King Solomon’s
In reading in a Masonic Bible[ii] there is a reference as to where to look for information on the flight to Joppa;[iii] there is a note pointing the reader to the book of Jonah: In a portion of the story about Jonah God told him to go to Nineveh, but not wanting to go Jonah ‘rose up to flee unto Tarshish;’ (to escape the country, and not do what he was bid to do.) He did go to Joppa where he found a ship about to sail for Tarshish, and he obtained passage; you know the story, but if you’d like to refresh your recollection of it, just go to the book of Jonah in the Great Light of Masonry. Jonah’s story is not identical to the Hiramic Legend, but that is where the basis of a part of it comes from: In the Biblical Study Notes[iv] regarding this part of Jonah’s story we learn that Tarshish could mean ‘any number of
As Brother Tucker says in his book “The Lost Key” - “there is a wealth of detail in this drama [the Hiramic Legend] which cannot be gone into without practically writing out the legend itself.” Because of this I will take some shortcuts where possible; every Freemason will be able to fill in the blanks where necessary.
In the legend the three ruffians who were guilty of ‘this horrid crime’ represent the false leadership of ignorance. Such false leadership consists of Ignorance; Selfishness and Sensuality: The third, Sensuality, is a reference made by Brother Prentice Tucker regarding Adam and Eve, and the three yielding to temptation.[v] He ties this to our slain Grand Master by saying that he is the ‘conscious touch’ with the spiritual i.e. our divine self. When man’s lower nature (represented by ruffians) kills spiritual consciousness this prevents the consciousness from drawing any more designs.[vi]
The victim in the story symbolized the ‘intuitive’ or ‘conscious touch’ with the divine;[vii] the rubbish of the
Attempts to raise it from its grave are made; the Entered Apprentice cannot raise the intuitive power, nor is the knowledge of the Fellow Craft sufficient to do the job, because it takes more than mere knowledge of the moral law to accomplish such a task. It is the Lion’s Paw, the zodiacal sign of Leo, the symbol of the heart and love[viii] that raises the murdered intuitive power and divine self. Love is the fulfilling of the law and this is symbolized by the Trowel and the Lion’s Paw: “Nothing will restore man to his pristine condition of purity and intuitive knowledge of the spiritual law except perfect obedience to the law, which is embodied in service.” “It is this service to humanity and to Deity, this service which goes beyond the mere obedience to law that alone can restore the intuition or the touch with the spiritual.”[ix] “Unfortunately it is not often that the body is so raised, for our desire for truth is usually but dim and our service but perfunctory.”[x]
Finally, the ship the three are seeking passage upon represents a mental vehicle by which they can travel to a place to excuse themselves and their actions, (this is indeed a vain hope.)
“Tolerance is the eager and glad acceptance of the way along which others seek the truth.”
Sir Walter Besant
From the Great light of Masonry = “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
“Truth is always exciting. Speak it, then; life is dull without it.” Pearl S. Buck
Please remember: if you would like to participate in the latest Masonic Monday Question, please go to http://www.lodgebuilder.org and click on the Lodge Education forum. Past Masonic Monday Questions and the current one may also be read on the Web Site for the G.L. of MN at www.mn-masons.org under Masonic Monday Q&A When you have an answer send it to masonicmonday@gmail.com the question for the week of
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With “Brotherly Love”,
Ed Halpaus
Political Freedom, Religious Tolerance, Personal Integrity; Freemasonry – it’s not for everyone.
[i] The ritual itself is an allegory; the lesson of it is to be found through further study.
[ii] Heirloom Bible Publishers of
[iii] Jonah 1:3
[iv] Tyndale Life Application Study Bible
[v] The Lost key by Prentice Tucker 1927 edition
[vi] ibid
[vii] This has been described by H. Emilie Cady in her book Lessons in Truth as the divine self, as opposed to the human self, which seeks its own gratification at the expense of someone else.
[viii] The Lost key by Prentice Tucker 1927 edition
[ix] ibid
[x] Ibid
Labels: Symbolism