Archive for the 'Freemasonry' Category
T
he Symbolism of the Masonic Apron
This Article was written by Mike Fox, owner of Fox Jewelry; the leading marketer of Masonic Rings and other fraternal rings.
The apron derives its meaning as the symbol of wholesomeness. That symbolism is derived from two different aspects. First of all; the color of white of the Masonic apron and secondly; the material from which the Masonic apron is made. It is from each of these points of view that we need to consider before the symbolism of the Masonic apron can truly be appreciated. The color must be pure and unadulterated white. For all time, white has been symbolic of innocence and purity. In the early ages of the Christian faith, a white garment or blanket was always placed upon the newly baptized as a symbol of their innocence and purity and to denote that the newly baptized had been cleansed of their sins. This practice is still commonplace in today’s culture. The white alb is a part of the vestments of the Roman Catholic Church. The alb is a long, white linen liturgical vestment worn by the priest during the holy mass. It symbolizes the innocence and purity that should adorn the soul of the priest who ascends the altar. It is said to stimulate to piety by teaching us the purity of heart and body that we should possess when being present at the holy mysteries. In most all of the religions of other nations, white is symbolic of innocence and purity.
In so far as the material of the Masonic apron; it is without question, required to be of lambskin. There is no other material such as silk, satin or linen that can be substituted without destroying the symbolism of the garment. Throughout the ages, the lamb has been a symbol of innocence and purity. In Masonry; the pure and unspotted lamb-skin Masonic apron is symbolic of the perfection of body and purity of mind which are essential qualifications of anyone participating in the Masonic sacred mysteries.
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ing the 47th Problem
Article written by Mike Fox, owner of Fox Jewelry; the leading marketer of Masonic Rings and other fraternal rings.
The forty-seventh problem of the first book of Euclid is that: in any right-angled triangle the square which is described upon the side subtending the right angle is equal to the squares described upon the sides which contain the right angle. It was discovered by Pythagoras while in Egypt and was taught to him by the priests in that country. It was solved by Euclid, the Father of Geometry. It is a symbol of the production of the world by the prolific powers of the Creator. The 47th Problem of Euclid, also called the 47th Proposition of Euclid, or the Pythagorean Theorem, is represented by what appear to be 3 squares. “In any right triangle, the sum of the squares of the two sides is equal to the square of the hypotenuse.” (The hypotenuse of a right triangle…which is the longest “leg”…or the 5 side of the 3:4:5).
3:5:7: These are the steps in Masonry. They are the steps in the Winding Stair which leads to the Middle Chamber and they are the number of brethren which form the number of Master Masons necessary to open a lodge of: Master Mason: 3 Fellow Craft: 5 Entered Apprentice: 7 Master Masons.
The essence of the Pythagorean Theorem (also called the 47th Problem of Euclid) is about the importance of establishing an architecturally true (correct) foundation based on use of the square.
The 47th Problem of Euclid is the mathematical ratio (the knowledge) that allows a Master Mason to: “Square his square when it gets out of square.”
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Known as the cup Jesus drank from at the Last Supper, the sacred Holy Grail is arguably the most sought after religious artifact next to the Ark of the Covenant. Legends of the ancient Grail’s existence have been steadily fueled over the centuries by ongoing quests to locate it. Some have even speculated the term Holy Grail was really a metaphor and doesn’t refer to a physical object. Still, many have searched in hope they may have a chance to hold the most divine of sacred relics. Popular theories base the Grail’s whereabouts to be secretive passed down from generation to generation, changing hands only when the time is necessary.
Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church, The Knights Templar has long been suspected of knowing where the Holy Grail is kept. Rumors have placed the Knights in key locations during the Crusades with individuals claiming to have witnessed Templar digging and searching for holy relics while they occupied the Temple Mount. These mysteries have long tied the Templar to relics like the Holy Grail, Ark of the Covenant, and the Shroud of Turin. Theories suggest that when the Holy Land was lost, many Templar faced persecution and several went into hiding along with the relics they were said to be protecting. It’s believed the Order’s efforts to keep the relics a secret were very extensive, to the point of using cryptic messages in communication and elaborately constructed buildings to hide them in. Many stories about the quest for the sacred chalice often involve decoding signs and messages left behind by the Knights Templar.
Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church, The Knights Templar has long been suspected of knowing where the Holy Grail is located. Identified as the cup Jesus drank from during the Last Supper, the Sacred Holy Grail is arguably one of the most prized religious artifacts next to The Ark of the Covenant. Legends concerning the ancient Grail’s existence have been steadily fueled in the past centuries by ongoing quests recover it. Some have even speculated the term Holy Grail was really a metaphor and doesn’t relate to a physical object. Still, many have searched in hope that there may be the opportunity to see and hold the most divine of sacred relics. Popular theories base the Grail’s location to remain a secret that is passed down from generation to generation, changing hands only when the appropriate time is necessary. Rumors have placed the Knights Templar in key locations during the Crusades with certain individuals claiming to having witnessed the Templars digging and searching for holy relics during the time that the Templars occupied the Temple Mount. These mysteries have long tied the Knights Templar to relics such as The Ark of the Covenant, and The Shroud of Turin. Theories suggest that whenever the Holy Land was lost, many Templars faced persecution and many of them went into hiding alongside the relics they were be protecting. It’s believed the Knights Templar’s efforts to maintain the cherished relics a secret were very extensive, to the point of making use of cryptic messages in communication and elaborately constructed buildings to hide the relics. Many stories regarding the pursuit of the sacred chalice often involve decoding signs and messages left behind by means of the Knights Templar. To see one of the most extensive collections of Knights Templar Rings, visit our site at: www.foxjewelry.net.
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The Knights Templar trace their origin too shortly after the beginnings of the FirstCrusade. In the early 1100’s, a French nobleman from the Champagne region; known as Hugues de Payens, collected eight of his knight relatives including Godfrey de Saint-Omer, and commenced the Order. Their stated mission was to protect pilgrim’s en-route to visit the Holy Places. The Knights Templars approached King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, who allowed them to set up their headquarters on the Temple Mount. The Dome of the very Rock, towards the center of the Mount, was understood to occupy the site the Jewish Temple. Known to Christians through the entire Muslim occupation of Jerusalem to be the Holy of Holies, the Dome Rock became a Christian church known as the Templum Domini, the Temple of the Lord. However; the Templars were housed within the Aqsa Mosque. The Aqsa Mosque was assumed to be at the site of Salomon’s Temple. Because of the fact that the Aqsa mosque was referred to as Templum Solomonis, it was actually not long until the knights had encompassed the association with their name. The Templars became referred to as Pauperes Commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici, otherwise known as the Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, which was later shortened to “Knights Templars”.
The very first order of the Knights Templar consisted of Hugues de Payens and eight other knights, two of whom were brothers and every one of whom were his relatives by either blood or marriage: Godfrey de Saint-Omer, Payne de Monteverdi, Archambaud de St. Agnan, Andre de Montbard, Geoffrey Bison, and two men recorded only by the names of Rossal and Gondamer. The ninth knight remains unknown; however some have speculated that likely it was Count Hugh of Champagne himself; despite the fact that he joined the Knights on his third travel to the Holy Land in 1125.
Very little was heard about the Order for the first nine years; however in 1129, once they were officially sanctioned by the church for the Council of Troyes, they became famously known throughout Europe. Their fundraising campaigns requested donations of funds, land, or noble-born sons to be with the Order, to fulfill the implication that donations would likely help both to defend Jerusalem, and also to make sure the charitable giver place in Heaven. The Order’s efforts were helped substantially through patronage of Bernard of Clairvaux, the most important churchman of that time period, as well as a nephew of 1 of the original nine knights. The Order at its outset was the subject of strong criticism, especially considering the concept that religious men will additionally carry swords. Due to these critics, the influential Bernard of Clairvaux wrote a multi-page treatise entitled De Laude Novae Militae (“In Praise of the New Knighthood”), by which he championed their mission and defended the thought of a military religious order by appealing to the long-held Christian theory of just war, which legitimated “taking up the sword” to defend the innocent in addition to Church from violent attack. By so doing, Bernard legitimized the Templars, who became the first “warrior monks” of the Western world.
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The Freemasons and the Masonic Ring
Today, Freemasons all over the world display their Masonic Rings as a symbol of the obligations taken when going through the steps of becoming a Mason. It is a visual statement and represents their membership of the largest and oldest fraternity known to mankind. The Masonic Ring represents the wearer’s “authenticity”, a concept that freemasons describe as a “cable tow,” a symbol that binds that person to freemasonry for all times. Public display of the Masonic Ring has not always been the case. Many times throughout history, the Masonic Ring was worn very discreetly or hidden from view of others because of the unjust stigma attached to Masonry in general. During those periods of time, many Masons wore a Masonic Ring similar to the one shown here. The Masonic Flip Ring was very popular during that period of time and still is. You can wear the Masonic Flip Ring as a signet ring or wear it displayed as a Masonic Ring. The Master Mason ring or Masonic Ring is also referred to as the Blue Lodge Masonic Ring. In the past, it was not unusual for a new member of the Masonic family to take several years to get through the steps of becoming an Entered Apprentice, then on to a Fellow Craft and then finally becoming a Master Mason. Nowadays it is not unusual for this process to take only a few months or even a few weekends. In some jurisdictions around the world, it may take as long as 7 years to become a Master Mason because of proficiency requirements in some jurisdictions. Once the Fellow Craft Mason completes the Master Mason degree, they are eligible to buy and wear the Master Mason Masonic Ring. Freemasonry is well known to be a secret society and is known for its traditions and features many rituals, signs and symbols. Yes it is true that the Freemasons have a “secret handshake”. The Masonic Ring and the symbols on the ring is representative of many of the obligations taken in order to become a Freemason. Those obligations require a certain behavior of the wearer. There are certain rules of etiquette that must be followed when wearing the Masonic Ring. The Masonic Ring is worn on the third finger of the Mason’s right hand. Typically the Mason will only wear one Masonic ring at a time even though there are many other types of Masonic Rings such as Scottish Rite Rings, Knights Templar Rings, and Shrine Rings etc.; that are all indicative of the Masonic family. Typically, a married Mason will wear their Masonic Ring on the opposite hand of the wedding ring. Sometimes the Masonic Ring is worn on the pinky finger of the right hand. There is much debate as to how to wear the Masonic Ring. Should the points of the compass be worn with the points pointed outward or inward toward the Mason? Although the Grand Lodges have not made a regulation, it is my belief that the points should be pointed away from the wearer. If one needs to be reminded of being a Mason, then that Mason should wear the ring with the points of the Compass pointing toward them. When the Masonic symbol is displayed on the side of a building, the points of the Compass and Square are pointing downward.
This article was written by Mike Fox, owner of Fox Jewelry. They are the leading marketer of Masonic Rings and have the largest of selection of Masonic Rings anywhere. We welcome your visit our online store at: Fox Jewelry. Feel free to contact us at 712-239-6155 or email us at: [email protected].
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The Symbolism of the White Gloves in Freemasonry
This is an 
article written by Mike Fox, Owner Fox Jewelry, the leading marketer of Masonic Rings and other Masonic and Fraternal Jewelry.
The act of presenting with a title or with the robes and insignia of an office or rank; namely investiture, is very closely connected with the investiture of the apron and the consideration of the Masonic Apron. In some countries, it is the custom to present the newly-initiated candidate with a white leather apron but also with two pair of Masonic gloves. One pair of gloves is to be worn by the Mason and the other pair is to be given to his wife or to the women to whom he is to be married. The practice of giving one pair of the white gloves to the wife or his betrothed is still the custom in much of Europe but the custom has for the most part been given up here in the United States. The Masonic gloves given to the candidate are intended to remind him that the acts of a Mason. The acts should be as pure and as spotless as the gloves given to the new Mason. The white gloves are still used in the United States and are worn as part of the duties of the lodge and its processions. In most lodges the white gloves are worn by the Mason in addition to the white apron. The white Masonic apron and the white Masonic gloves are symbolic of the “pure heart” and the “pure hands”.
Fox Jewelry has the largest selection of Masonic Rings and other Fraternal rings anywhere. Whether you are “window shopping” or intending to make a purchase of your Masonic Ring, Fox Jewelry would be happy to answer any of your questions that you may have. Please feel free to visit our blog at: www.masonicjewelryblog.net
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King Solomon’s Temple and the Role of the Trestle-board
This is an article written by Mike Fox, Owner Fox Jewelry, and the leading marketer of Masonic Rings. There is a tremendous amount of Masonic symbolism attached to King Solomon’s Temple that was built by the Jewish and Tyrian artisans; one of which is the trestle-board and its significance in the history of Freemasonry.
To construct King Solomon’s Temple, the operative Masons followed the architectural designs drawn on the trestle-board by the architects of that period in time. From those blue prints, the operative Masons honed and squared their materials and raised the walls and arches of the temple.
Thus; the trestle-board has since become one of the symbols of Freemasonry. In the Masonic ritual, the Mason’s of today are reminded that as the operative Mason constructed the temple of King Solomon according to the rules and designs of the master architects, the speculative Mason erects his own spiritual temple within himself paying obedience to the rules and designs laid down by the Grand Architect of the Universe.
The trestle-board is, then, the symbol of natural and moral law. It is universal in its application. Masonry does not interfere with the kind or development of any one’s religious faith but asks that the interpretation of the Masonic symbols shall be according to what each faith is deemed appropriate by its Creator.
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This article is written by Robert Fox, Owner of Fox Jewelry and the leading marke
ter of Masonic Rings and other Masonic Jewelry.
I get many requests for white gold to be used in making our Masonic rings and other Masonic jewelry. Of all the metals used for making jewelry, gold has been one of the most popular because it does not lose its brilliance or luster over time when cared for properly. There are a lot of Masons that prefer white gold, silver or platinum be used in their Masonic rings because it is more subtle than yellow gold and is a good alternative to be used for fine jewelry. Since platinum is very expensive, white gold has become increasingly more popular. Most people do not realize that pure gold is almost never made into jewelry because it is too soft and would bend and break very easily when handling. There is no such thing as white gold that is a pure substance. Instead, there are alloys of gold that can be white. Normally these alloys will contain Palladium, Nickel, Silver or Manganese.
Almost all commercially available gold jewelry is a gold alloy made up of a combination of additional alloys. The term Karat also referred to as K as in 10K or 14K is used to express the purity of gold. The purest of gold is 24K or 24 Karats. White gold metal is an alloy of nickel, manganese, silver or palladium and gold.
Initially, nickel was the metal of choice for alloying with yellow gold to make white gold. This is not done as often now because many wearers of white gold were found to be allergic to the nickel used in the process.
Nowadays, palladium is increasingly used in white gold. For the Mason or wearer who prefers the more subtle look of platinum, white gold is a much more affordable choice and white gold is becoming a very popular choice for men and women in their choice of Masonic rings and other Masonic jewelry as well as wedding and engagement rings. Often times Rhodium is used to give white gold a platinum look. The addition of other alloys with the yellow gold makes it harder and more durable. Typically, the mixture is 90% yellow gold and 10% other alloys.
I hope that I have answered your questions with the above explanation of white gold and why it so popular amongst Masons and other wearers of fraternal jewelry. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact me at: [email protected]
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Fox Jewelry’s ch
eckout now includes financing with Bill Me Later for our customers. Bill Me Later³ is a PayPal service that gives our customers 6 months no payments and no interest financing on $99+ purchases. Our shoppers can now consider how they’ll pay before they checkout. Knowing that you have financing options earlier in the shopping process, you will be able to get the item that you have always wanted. Bill Me Later is a PayPal service that lets our customers buy now and pay later with a credit line that’s built into their PayPal account it’s possible to use my best credit card for airline miles it’s a card that helps me get out of trouble. Bill Me Later is subject to credit approval and offered through WebBank, Salt Lake City, Utah. Think of it as instant and reusable credit at the point of sale. Bill Me Later is available as a payment option in one of our PayPal products. This is just another way that Fox Jewelry makes your shopping experience as easy and pleasant as possible. When looking for your Masonic Ring, please take a look at our store. Thank you for your business!
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Without a 
doubt, the Masonic apron has been developed from the apron adorned by operative masons during the middle ages. It appears as though the original operative aprons were fashioned from the skin of an animal; most likely a sheep. The apron was large enough to cover up the wearer from their chest to their ankles. The apron was held by a leathern strap which passed round the wearer’s neck. From each side of the apron, a strap enabled the mason to tie the apron around his waist. The Masonic aprons were also large, easily covering a man from his chest to his ankles. The method of securing the apron was that of operative masons, with the bow and strings in front. This method was continued later, even when silk or linen strings were used. The use of this this type of apron continued for several centuries. The woven apron used by modern masons is somewhat new in the whole scope of things as it did not come into use until the eighteenth century.
The wearing of the leather apron was around for a long time as the leather Masonic apron was the predominant apron worn until the mid 1700’s when softer materials and more comfortable materials came into use.
Uniformity in the material, design, form and decorations of the apron were not officially insisted upon by the United Grand Lodge until 1814. The pattern was submitted and agreed to in May of 1814 prescribing the order for general uniformity.
Although the design has changed a bit since 1814, the original order was that the Entered Apprentice Apron shall be: A plain white lamb skin 14 to 16 inches wide, 12 to 14 inches deep, square at bottom, with white strings and without decoration of any kind. A Fellow Craft Apron may be: A plain white lamb skin, much like the entered apprentice, only with the addition only of two sky-blue rosettes at the bottom. The Master Mason Apron shall be similar with sky-blue lining and edging, 1 1/2 inch deep, and an additional rosette on the fall or flap. No other decorations or colors shall be allowed except to officers and past officers of the lodges, who may have the emblems in silver or white in the center of the apron.
As a great gift for Dad or your Masonic brothers for almost any occasion, take a look at the Masonic aprons at: Fox Jewelry located in Sioux City, IA, or visit their website at www.foxjewelry.net.
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