(20230115) Canada: GL Manitoba: News

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The Mosaic Floor is an important part of masonic lore. Often in artwork with Masonic symbols in it, there appears a white and black checkered floor. This is often referred to as a the Mosaic floor or the Mosaic pavement.

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In some descriptions it is based on the main floor of King Solomon’s Temple. Although some dismiss this, there are descriptions making it clear the floor of the temple is made of wood and it’s elevated. The argument is stone was not used for an elevated floor. While this is most likely a true argument, it does not take into account a Mosaic floor does not have to be built of stone, merely one of multiple colors. It makes it difficult to prove or disprove what the floor was made of since no archaeological evidence of the Temple of Solomon exists and any written accounts of the temple were most likely done by scribes in the court of Solomon, who had no knowledge of the engineering which went into the building of the temple.

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The explanation Freemasons use is the black and white floor of King Solomon’s Temple is representative of the good and evil in every man’s life. This explanation attempts to explain the reasoning for the floor. It tends to make the concept of the Mosaic floor a more modern creation, at least in it’s philosophy. Scribes most likely understood the basic concept of good and evil. Since this fact is not related in the descriptions of the temple it is less likely it was the reasoning for the floor. Again there is no archaeological evidence for the Temple of Solomon so it is hard to say whether it is lost knowledge or a modern interpretation.

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Regardless of whether it is meant as a direct representation of the floor in Solomon’s Temple or not, the philosophical explanation is what is most important to the Freemason. The reminder good and evil is present in all of our lives is taken as a reminder and as a warning. A reminder there are always those who, by design or by accident, bring unhappiness or “evil” into our daily lives and to be vigilant to those threats and concerns. It reminds us not to just avoid them, but also temper our reaction to those events and actions. It warns us we are just as capable of inflicting unhappiness or “evil” on others.

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Freemasons remember it is our own deeds coloring the Mosaic floor. We all have good days and bad days, the goal is to always have the one extra white square balancing our life to the good and not the bad. We keep this balance by how we respond when “evil” enters our life and whether we choose by our actions to insert “evil” into the lives of others. ~MasonryToday

or need if you need a ride to your cancer treatments.

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Adieu, A Heart-Warm, Fond Adieu is a poem written by Masonic Poet Laureate Robert Burns.

Adieu, a heart warm, fond adieu,

Dear brothers of the mystic tie!

Ye favored, ye enlightened few,

Companions of my social joy!

Tho’ I to foreign lands must hie,

Pursuing fortune’s sliddery ba’,

With melting heart and brimful eye,

I’ll mind you still, though far awa’.

Oft have I met your social band,

An’ spent the cheerful, festive night;

Oft, honored with supreme command,

Presided o’er the sons of light;

And by that Hieroglyphic bright,

Which none but Craftsmen ever saw,

Strong memory on my heart shall write

Those happy scenes, when far awa’.

May freedom, harmony and love

Unite you in the grand design,

Beneath th’ omniscient Eye above,

The glorious Architect divine;

That you may keep the unerring line,

Still guided by the plummet’s law,

Till order bright completely shine,

Shall be my prayer when far awa’.

And you farewell, whose merits claim

Justly that highest badge to wear,

Heaven bless your honored, noble name,

To Masonry and Scotia dear!

A last request, permit me here;

When yearly ye assemble a’,

One round, I ask it with a tear

To him. the Bard. that’s far awa’.

An article by VW Bro. Barry D. Thom

St. Clair lodge # 577, GL of Canada in the Prov. of ON

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     The pillar(s)? of cloud and fire are first mentioned in Chapter 13 of the Book of Exodus, shortly after Moses leads the Israelites out of their captivity in Egypt. The narrative states that the pillar of cloud went ahead of them by day to guide their way, and the pillar of fire by night, to give them light. 

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     Elsewhere in the Bible, there are references to the pillars of cloud and fire in the Book of Psalms, and the Book of Nehemiah. 

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     Christian commentators have generally considered that the narrative describes not two pillars (one of cloud and one of fire), but a single pillar which changes its appearance by day or by night. Carl Friedrich Keil, for example, wrote: “We have to imagine the cloud as the covering of the fire, so that by day it appeared as a dark cloud in contrast with the light of the sun, but by night as a fiery splendour.” As evidence for this, Keil cites Exodus 40:38, which he interprets to mean that the fire was in the cloud (a rendering followed by most modern translations). He also points to Exodus 14:20, which suggests that the cloud had a bright side and a dark side, being able to simultaneously illuminate the Israelite camp while spreading darkness over the Egyptians. This point is explicitly stated in an ancient Jewish version of the text, ‘Targum Pseudo-Johathan’ which reads: “a cloud, one half of which was light and one half darkness.” 

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     Walter Bayerlin suggests that the imagery is primarily derived from an ancient incense burning ritual, which in turn was developed around the idea that God must always be concealed in a cloud of smoke, because no mortal can set eyes on him and live.

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Barry’s Comment:

Emulation Cdn. Working states two pillars. So my Brethren, does it really matter whether there was one Pillar or two? I think not.

Freemasonry is the world’s oldest and largest fraternity. It is comprised of adult men (18+) of good character from every country, religion, race, age, income, education, and opinion. Its body of knowledge and system of ethics is based on the belief that each man has a responsibility to improve himself while being devoted to his family, his faith, his country, and his fraternity.

Submissions welcome, please submit your Lodge events, photos, & etc.

to the email address provided below. 

 Grand Lodge of Manitoba |  204.453.7410 | reception@grandlodge.mb.ca