Templar Edification

In York Rite Masonry, we are introduced to the presence of Cherubim and their importance to our Masonic Ritual. The part of Masonic Ritual where the presence of Cherubim is most prominent is when we do the circumambulations in the Royal Master Degree where the Cherubim (if enough members are present) greet the candidate and the Conductor of the Council as they make their way around the Council. The first mention of Cherubim in York Rite Masonry is during the Super Excellent Master Degree during the dedication of the Temple after the Keystone is lowered into place. The Ark is placed into the completed Temple and upon the Ark are Cherubim indicating the presence of God. When we do the opening of the Royal Arch Degree, the Captain of the Host mentions the Masters of the Veils are guards of the Veils. He mentions that on the veils are representative of the four tribes of Israel, Judah, Ephraim, Ruben and Dan an on each banner is delineated a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle. This is the are...

  A Royal Christian Shield E. John Erfourth, (from) 04 AUG 2019 Figure 1  Observation 1 – 18 th Century   Art taken from “Ovason’s Secret  Architecture”, late 18 th Century.  Citing Edward Kohout,  “Mundane Astrology”, 2002:  “The progression of the signs is  from left to right with the sign of  Cancer upon the keystone.  A reason that the signs appear to  be going in the wrong direction is  that we are looking into the  “temple” from the outside.  A heraldic shield that depicts an  ox , an eagle , a lion and a man are  direct references to the fixed signs  of the zodiac, namely Taurus,  Scorpio, Leo and Aquarius.”  What else might these mean? Anything else? Like what? 1   Figure 2  Observation 2 – Present Day   Citing the Grand Lodge of   Washington State online:  “Royal Arch Masonry tradition teaches us that the symbols on the shield are representative of the ...

 Gothic Bible Fragment from “Parallel Pronouncing Bible”, John Williams & Co., N. Y., 1890 “Father our thou in heaven, blessed name, thy come kingdom, thine become, will thy as in heaven so on earth. Loaf our this daily, give us this day, and forgive us, that sinful are just as also we forgive those sinful to us. And not bring us into temptation, but lead us from this evil, for thine is kingdom and might and glory into eternity. Amen.” A 19th Century Gothic Bible facsimile of the Lord’s Prayer found within the Minneapolis Scottish Rite Center is reminiscent of versus, signs, tokens & ideals observed in York Rite Masonry. Kudos to Dawson College for translating select passages into English a few decades ago, that is greatly appreciated and perhaps even more so for those of us who regularly recite the Lord’s Prayer when an Asylum or Conclave of Knights Templar is opened in due form. It is rare to happen upon art or written word that predates its 6th Century origins, which is ...