The Triangle in Freemasonry

   The triangle is one of the most interesting of the symbols of Ancient Craft Masonry.  Its symbolism is best portrayed in the degrees of the Chapter, yet in the Lodge we have it as a concealed symbol – in the arrangement of the lights, the seating of the three principal officers, and in certain ritual matters. 

   The most intriguing symbol of Freemasonry, in our estimation, is the Triangle.  We do not recall any mention of a triangle in the Craft degrees, and yet we cannot overlook the arrangement of the lights, the location of the three principal officers, and other esoteric symbolism.  Craft Masonry is built around a cube which is the symbolism of perfection in physical or material things.

   Over a century ago, the Forty-seventh problem of Euclid was worn by Grand Masters as a symbol of their office.  This was a triangle symbol, although not the equal sided or angled equilateral triangle.

   The triangle is found variously arranged in the Masonic system.  In one instance, we have the interlaced triangles, one black, the other white; the white triangle has its point up, the black triangle points down.  Thus arranged it represents the union of the active and passive forces in nature; it represents the male and female elements.  The interlaced black and white triangles represent the forces of darkness and light, error and truth, ignorance and wisdom, and good and evil; when properly place they represent balance and harmony.

   The ancients called the triangle the Delta.  It became the initial letter of Deity, its three different sides representing the Eternal, All Powerful, and Self Existent being – as we say in the Royal Arch, “Omnipresent, Omnipotent, and Omniscient.”

   The Order of High Priesthood employs three triangles arranged with their points meeting at a center point; this is known as the triple triangle.  The Hindu trimourti consists of three triangles with the Hindu sacred word “AUM” in the center.

   The triangle is one of the most ancient of symbols; it is also the most perfect symbol.  From this grows the feeling that the true word is one of three syllables.

   There is a tradition among Freemasons that the three founders of the Ancient Craft were in possession of certain words and secrets which were not to be given to the craft until the Temple had been completed, and that by agreement between the three, these secrets could only be revealed when all three were present and agreed to do so.

   The tradition is continued in the Royal Arch degree, and a trace of it exists in the degree of Royal Master.  It is quite generally believed that the secret that they were concealing was the secret of the Triangle, now known as the 47th Problem of Euclid.

   Bro. G. S. Shepherd-Jones, in an article on “Silent Symbolism” explains this theory:

   For the meaning of the old Past Master’s jewel, we must revert to the old secret of the three Masters, known at one time to but three in the world.  That secret was the Master’s triangle, called the “3, 4, 5, Triangle” because the sides of the triangle were in length as 3, 4, 5.  In every such triangle, the angle formed by the 3 and 4 sides, must be a right angle.  Thousands of years ago, such a triangle was used by the three Masters of Masons in marking out the foundation of rectangular buildings.

   The procedure was as follows:  after the centre of the proposed building had been marked, the three Masters brought their triangle to the center.  If the building was intended to be square, they placed the apex of the right triangle at the centre.  They then extended the sides of that right triangle both ways, and then marked off four equal lengths from the centre.  They now had two diagonals of a square, and by joining the four points, they had a perfect square for the foundation of the building.  If the building was to be twice its width, a two-by-one building, the next greatest angle of the triangle, that formed by the sides 3 and five, was brought to the centre, the 3 and 5 sides were extended both ways, four equal lengths marked off from the centre, the ends joined, and the result was a rectangle with the length twice its width.  A similar procedure was followed for the planning of a three-by-one building, the smallest angle of the triangle being used for that purpose.  You will doubtless remember that King Solomon’s Temple was a three-by-one building, three score cubits in length and twenty cubits in width.

   I have said that the three Masters brought their triangle to the centre, but this is not strictly accurate for there was no 3, 4, 5 triangle in existence.  The secret was so jealously guarded that no single Master had the whole secret in his possession, but each of those Masters had a rod.  These rods were in length as 3:4:5 and it was only when the three Masters came together, each with his rod, that the 3, 4, 5 triangle could be made, and it was literally true, that without the consent and cooperation of the other two, one of the Masters neither could or would divulge the secret.  But Pythagoras discovered it, and 200 years later, Euclid gave it to the world in the 47th problem in his First Book, and the diagram of that proportion is now the device of the Past Master’s jewel.

   The secret is well hidden from the initiate, but when a brother has passed the Master’s chair, he is deemed to have graduated in the whole system of the craft and to have brought his spiritual and material natures into proper harmony.  Therefore the Past Masters jewel, containing the 3, 4, 5 triangle is bestowed upon him as one who has been admitted to some of the more important teachings of the silent ritual.

   There are others, students of symbolism, who see in the equal-sided triangle the symbol of harmony, or the well balanced life.  To these, the three sides represent Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty.  Where these three are equally blended in one life, then exists the perfect life.  When these three are not in proportion, then this unity is destroyed.   For example, a man may be extremely wise; in this case, the sides denominated strength and beauty are out of proportion.  Or, the side representing strength may be out of proportion and wisdom and beauty suffer; or the side beauty may be out of proportion.  One may have beauty, and yet if lacking in wisdom and strength, he lacks proper proportion.

   The Royal Arch Mason sees only the perfect triangle of three sides and three angles.  He strives to build his life so that Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty may be in equal proportion, that he may become one of the perfect stones in the life spiritual.

(Reprinted from The Royal Arch Mason, Volume IV, Number 4, December 1952, pages 105 - 106)