By FRANKLIN
J. ANDERSON
Assistant
Editor, Royal Arch Mason Magazine
A study of the Masonic ritual, participating
in the conferral of the degrees, or merely witnessing the ceremonies during the
opening and closing of a lodge brings to our consciousness the frequency with
which reference is made to the number three, or the numerous occasions when
principles, tenets and phrases occur in groups of three. Such a grouping is denoted as a triad.
Anyone familiar with the ritualistic ceremonies of their jurisdictions
can readily identify at least 80 instances of triads in the Entered Apprentice
Degree, 70 in the Fellowcraft Degree and more than 100 in the Master Mason
Degree. Certainly many of these triads
are familiar to everyone who has entered the fraternity: (help, aid and assist;
cheat, wrong or defraud; hele, conceal and reveal).
Among ancient peoples the even numbers were thought to be ill-omened or
unlucky. Odd numbers were considered to
be good omens and favorable signs.
Generally, we regard numbers to be a mere product of human ingenuity,
but the ancients believed them to be of divine origin. Centuries before the Christian era, the
Hindus claimed that their letters or numbers were derived from the language of
the Gods. The Chaldean numbers were
related to the position and grouping of the stars in the sky. In the Kabala the Hebrew alphabet is called
“a visible expression of the divine forces inherent in the ineffable
name.” Pythagoras maintained that there
is a mysterious connection between Gods and numbers. The writings of Pythagoras must receive
particular attention because he was initiated into the mysteries of several
countries. His wisdom came from India as
well as Egypt, and in a sense, he acts as kind of a clearing house for the
teachings of all ancient civilizations.
A survey of many works on ancient customs would seem to indicate that to
all ancient peoples, numbers were sacred.
Our concern for numbers, generally speaking, is purely utilitarian. They are useful in making mathematical
calculations and in the transaction of everyday affairs; however, numbers were
part of a secret language used to describe the creation of the universe and the
evolution of the human soul. The
earliest form of elementary geometry must have been suggested by observation of
the heavenly bodies and their groupings, and it is not difficult to understand
how nature herself could have taught primitive man the first principles of
numerical and geometrical language, and imbued him with an idea that numbers
were sacred.
The number three was presumed
to be one of the more sacred of the uneven numbers. This conception may have been due in part to
the fact that primitive man divided the universe into three regions: heaven, earth and water, each being
represented in mythology by a deity.
In the Holy Scriptures we find confirmation of the sacredness with which
the number three was regarded, as we discover many illusions to it for the
purpose of emphasis or to stress the importance of events. In 1
Kings 17:21, a woman whose son had died came to Elijah, “And he stretched
himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord my
God I pray thee, let the child’s soul come into him again.’ ” In Daniel
6:10, it is related that Daniel opened his windows toward Jerusalem, knelt
three times a day and prayed. In 1 Chron. 21:12, God spoke to David and gave him his choice, “Either three years famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy
foes.” There are many instances other
than the three cited.
In Masonic lectures, as well as in secular prose, we often speak of the
three ages of man. (1) Childhood, which signifies an entrance
into the world from a state of darkness and ignorance to experience the primary
dawn of light and intelligence. (2) Manhood, which denotes a probationary
period between adolescence and maturity, before we assume rank and
position. During this period of
probation we no longer remain in a state of darkness but grow to possess light,
prudence and knowledge. When we attain
(3) Age, our strenuous labor of life
is past and we contemplate our endeavors and anticipate a new existence
appearing along the horizon.
The descriptions of the three ages of man are also illustrative
definitions of the three degrees of Symbolic Masonry. The Entered Apprentice comes from the
darkness and ignorance of the profane world into the primary dawn of light and
knowledge of Freemasonry. The
Fellowcraft increases his knowledge and partially proves himself worthy to
attain the rank of Master Mason when he can contemplate the work to be done for
the benefit of his fellowmen.
Three basic qualifications are necessary to enable a man to petition for
membership in the fraternity, to be freeborn, of lawful age and of good
character.
Jehovah signifies One Being, (1) One who is, (2) One who was and
(3) One who is to be or will be. The symbol of the triad, the triangle, was
used by the Ancient Jews to represent Deity, and the ancient nations used the
triad, triangle of number three as a sacred symbol.
The triad represents the three principal components of man - body, soul and spirit. Three components are necessary to form a
complete family – father, mother and child.
Three attributes sustain adult life – faith, hope and love.
Whenever we convene in lodge our communications are opened with prayer
and we pray for three things, wisdom in all our doings, strength of mind in all
our difficulties and the beauty of harmony and holiness in our
transactions. We ask that faith be the
foundation of our hope and charity the fruit of our obedience to the Divine
Will.
Another triad which has great importance in the life of every Freemason
consists of the first three audible answers each gives when he is made a
Mason. (1) “I am,” (2) “It is,” and
(3) “In God.” Each of these answers is a required and
necessary step in becoming a Mason. Had
each member not given, voluntarily, the correct response to any one of the
questions proposed, his journeys into the mysteries of Freemasonry would have
ceased.
These answers, while a necessary part of the ceremonies of becoming a
Freemason, have a much deeper implication.
They signify one with a free conscience, a trust of his fellowman and a
faith in a Supreme Being. Any man who
gives these answers sincerely and conscientiously is the type of man
Freemasonry desires.
(Reprinted from The Royal Arch Mason, Volume IX, Number 7, Fall 1968, pages 209 - 211)
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