Had the pleasure of attending an Entered Apprentice Degree at Linden Lodge #132 last evening. This was a special degree performed with all of the lights on. Unfortunately my back didn't cooperate very well and I had to leave early. There was the usual fine compliment of brothers in attendance for this joint degree on two candidates one from Linden #132 and one from Fellowship #490 both Monday evening lodges who are working in a new spirit of cooperation.
As I was sitting outside the lodge room I had an interesting conversation with one of the new candidates and the Tiler of Linden lodge. Often times the spirit of Freemasonry takes place with a couple of brothers just talking about life....ahhh....the original social media....human interaction.
Also, I was thinking about what was going to be said inside the lodge room. Actually all during the day on Monday I couldn't get the part of the lecture dealing with the jewels of a lodge out of my head.
In contemplating this section I pondered what is truly being said....three movable and three immovable jewels. We are taught that the movable jewels are the "rough ashlar, the perfect ashlar, and the trestle-board" and when viewing the illustrations of these jewels I'm not so sure I want to move them. Some lodges have small renditions of the ashlars and the trestle board could be moved but seems cumbersome.
Then we have the immovable jewels....the square, level, and plumb. Certainly they seem more capable of being moved. Even the operative version of these tools are easily carried in one hand and obviously the speculative versions are much smaller and lighter versions.
Why....are these terms movable and immovable used along with jewels?
A jewel is a precious possession, something that is treasured, esteemed and indispensable.
What about movable and immovable ?
It turns out that movable means capable of being moved without injury...able to be rearranged.
Immovable means impossible to alter, unyielding in principal, purpose or adherance; steadfast.
Therefore the movable jewels; the rough ashlar, the perfect ashlar, and the trestle-board are always changing or moving. The rough ashlar...a rude and imperfect stone taken from the quarry is symbolic of the candidate for Masonry....he is a rude and imperfect stone take from the quarry of the human race...hence movement. The perfect ashlar is a stone made ready by the Fellowcrafts for the builders use....again movement....the rough ashlar or candidate begins to be shaped by the tools of the Fellowcraft, the better to fit him for the builders use. By furthering his education in Freemasonry he begins to be shaped or changed to prepare him for the Builders use. In other words he is becoming a changed and improved man to be a better fit for the Builders use or Gods use. The trestle-board is also ever changing...the plans laid down are seldom the same for each building...so is the spiritual trestle-board for each man, God has a different plan for each of his creation. Thus plans are ever changing and evolving for Gods plan for that man.
The immovable jewels....the square, level and plumb.....the square teaches morality, the level equality and the plumb rectitude of life. Remembering that these are immovable, steadfast and unyielding in principal. The square always teaches morality, the level always teaches equality and the plumb always teaches rectitude of life.
In conclusion the movable jewels are always changing but are always guided by the steadfast principles of the immovable jewels.
Search these things out my brothers you will be continually amazed by the words of our ritual and will more than likely question those who wish to change it.
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