THE CORNER STONE
by Byron E. Hams
Now my newly made Brothers you are placed in the north-east corner of
the lodge and in this position you become representative of a
spiritual corner-stone, and hence, to thoroughly comprehend the true
meaning of this placement, it is essential that we should investigate
the symbolism of operative and speculative masonry.
The difference between operative and speculative Masonry is simply
that-that while the former was engaged is the construction of a
material building, formed, it is true, of the most magnificent
materials which the quarries of Palestine, the mountains of Lebanon,
and the golden shores of Ophir could contribute, the latter occupies
itself in the erection of a spiritual house, "a house net made with
hands" in which, for stones, cedar, gold, and precious stones, are
substituted with the virtues of the heart, the pure emotions of the
soul, the warm affections gushing forth from the hidden fountains of
the spirit, so that the very presence of Jehovah, our Father and our
God, shall be enshrined within us or his Shekinah was in the holy of
holies of the material temple at Jerusalem.
The Speculative Mason, then, if he rightly comprehends the scope and
design of his profession, is occupied, from his very first admission
into the order until the close of his labors surd his life,-and the
true Mason's labors ends only with his life,-in the construction, the
adornment, and the completion of this spiritual temple of his body.
He lays its foundation a firm belief and an unshaken confidence in
the wisdom, power, and goodness of Cad. This is his first step.
Unless his trust is in God, and in bin only, he can advance no
further than the threshold of initiation.
And then he prepares his materials with the gauge and gavel of Truth,
raises the walls by the plumb line of Rectitude, squares his work
with the square of Virtue, connects the whole with the cement of
Brotherly Love, and thus skillfully erects the living edifice of
thoughts, and words, and deeds, in accordance with the designs laid
down by the Master Architect of the Universe in the great Book of
Revelation.
As the aspirant for Masonic light on your very first entrance within
our sacred porch, you prepare yourself far this consecrated labor of
erecting within your own bosom pr fit dwelling-place far the Divine
Spirit, and thus commence the noble work by becoming yourself the
corner-stone on which this spiritual edifice is to be erected.
In Masonry, the north has ever been esteemed the place of darkness;
and in obedience to this principle, no symbolic light is allowed to
illuminate the northern part of the lodge. The east in masonry is
symbolic of Masonic light or universal knowledge.
You are in the north-east corner of the lodge, because it is symbolic
of your relation to the order and to the world, From the profane
world you have just emerged. Some of its imperfections are still
upon you; some of its darkness is still about you; so get you belong
in part to the north. But you are striving for light and truth; the
pathway upon which you entered is directed towards the east. Your
allegiance, if I may use the word, is divided. You are not altogether
in darkness, nor altogether in light, If you were wholly in darkness,
the north would be the place to put you. If you were wholly in
light-a Master Mason,-the east would have received you.
But you are neither; you ore an Entered Apprentice, with some of the
ignorance of the world cleaving to you, and some of the light of the
order beaming upon you. One side of you faces the north, and the
other side faces the east. You are neither wholly in one part nor
wholly in the other part. As an Entered Apprentice you are not fully
developed you are incomplete and imperfect, and therefore rightly
placed in the north-east corner of the lodge, the joining point of
darkness and light.
The corner-stone, as the foundation on which the entire building is
supposed to rest, is, of course, the most important stone in the
whole edifice. You, my Brothers as Entered Apprentices are the most
important Brothers here, for you are the Master Masons of tomorrow.
We, the Craft are charged with giving you oil our knowledge of
Masonry that you are qualified to receive. And I stress the word,
qualified, for if you never become qualified the teachings of Masonry
will die with us. You are charged with, first becoming qualified to
receive this knowledge, second with receiving this knowledge, and
third and most important seeing that only those duly qualified
receive it from you. In this manner the teaching of Masonry have
been preserved over the ages. As the corner-stone of Freemasonry you
are the link between the ones of us that have the knowledge and the
ones that will come to Masonry in the future to find the knowledge.
This is why you are placed in the north-east corner of the lodge as
the corner-stone of Masonry.
My, Brothers, I have explained to you on three different levels why
you are in the north-east corner; Mentally, Physically, and
Spiritually. Masonry is a beautiful system of morality, veiled in
allegory and illustrated by symbols.
We will give you the allegory band the symbols, but only of your own
free will and accord through your own desire will you be able to
remove the veils.
Brethren please take due notice and govern yourselves accordingly.
Look well to the East.
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