English Symbolism The Veils
In the working of the present day American Chapter,
the veils and their corresponding colours i.e. (blue, purple, scarlet,
and white) were taken from 18th century English Royal Arch
practice.1 However, this is not quite the case with regard
to the attendant symbolism.
The attributes of universal friendship & benevolence,
unity & concord, fervency & zeal, and purity, are not ascribed to the
colours, as this I seems to be a purely American understanding. The
source of the English symbolism derives from Josephus, in his Jewish
Antiquities.2 “The veils too, which were composed of four
things, they declared the four elements; for the fine linen was proper
to signify the earth, because the flax grows out of the earth; the
purple signifies the sea, because that colour is dyed by blood of a sea
shell-fish; the blue is fit to signify the air; and the scarlet will
naturally be an indication of fire’ “ This description parallels
scripture from Exodus 38. 3 with an embellishment on the
furnishings of the tabernacle, from the author.
The four elements to which Josephus alludes are from
the work of the Greek scholar Plato, and are explained in the dialogue
of Timeaus4 as fire, air, water, and earth5 During
the pre-Christian epoch, the four elements represented the geometric
building blocks employed by the Grand Architect in his creation of the
universe, and its contents. Developed in this theory, is an elegant
mathematical expression of proportion, and ratio as given by the
physical form assigned to each of the bodies.
Fire (Tetrahedron) Considered the smallest, and most
acute of the elements, with the greatest propensity for transport. Fire
is also known as the original element, which can combine with, or
solubilize the others.
Air (Octahedron) Of the second order in size,
surface, and mobility. Air when divided, becomes a double volume of
fire, when condensed, two volumes of fire become one volume of air; and
two and a half parts of air make water.
Earth (Hexahedron) The most stable of the elements,
described by the figure with the greatest mass, area, and volume. Earth,
when dissolved by fire, whether acting immediately, or through the
medium of air and water, is dispersed but not changed.
Water (Icosahedron) Of the third order in size and
mobility. Water, when divided by fire or air, becomes one part fire and
two parts air.
There remains one more Platonic body; illustrative of
the universe, and without any doubt, the most valuable to the sciences
of geometry and engineering design.
Universe (Dodecahedron) The sum of the four elements,
an aggregate of energy and form. Representative of the signs, and
degrees of the Zodiac, as well as the months, and days of the year.
The five Platonic solids are in actuality regular
polyhedra, and were certainly known to the Pythagoreans, centuries
earlier. The construction of the four elements is effected by the use of
right triangles only. Two types are required, the isosceles triangle,
which is half of a square bisected diagonally, and half of an
equilateral triangle. (Fig. 1.)
Four equilateral triangles construct a regular
tetrahedron, (fire) the most fundamental of the solids. Eight
equilateral triangles construct a regular octahedron (air), and twenty
equilateral triangles produce the icosahedron (water). A square is
formed by reconstructing two isosceles triangles, and six squares form
the hexahedron (earth).
Twelve pentagons compose the dodecahedron, and cannot
be constructed by a combination of either type of triangle used thus
far. But, may be constructed from three hundred and sixty irregular
triangles.
The dodecahedron provides the correspondence, and
internal consistency between the other figures. If the bodies are
superimposed, the twelve vertices of the icosahedron (and six of it’s
sides) are on the surface of a cube; the eight vertices of this cube
coincide with eight of the vertices of the dodecahedron having its side
equal to that of the icosahedron. The twelve other vertices of the
dodecahedron and six of its sides are situated on the surface of
another, enveloping cube. Similarly, the six sides of any tetrahedron
can be set as diagonals on the six faces of a cube, the four vertices of
the tetrahedron coinciding with four of the vertices of the cube (the
four remaining vertices of the cube and the six other diagonals
producing another tetrahedron)6 Fig. 2. Hence the reasoning
behind the dodecahedron being taken as the geometrical symbol for the
harmony of the whole, or cosmos.
Despite the great beauty of the dodecahedron, it is
inferior to each of it’s parts. Vitruvius7 in his accounts of
the principal orders of architecture describes the constructive study of
the pentagon as a model of proportion. Unfortunately, the proper
explanation due this mathematical marvel is beyond the scope of this
work; but suffice it to say that architects ranging from Egyptians, to
Da Vinci, and Christopher Wren recognized, and venerated the knowledge
contained therein.
It is by reason of the afore mentioned facts not a
great stretch to assume that the “Ancients”, as the sole possessors of
the Royal Arch legend, also received this symbolism from their operative
forerunners. Much to our loss, I fear that during the period of
reconciliation, many of the speculative brethren lacked a sufficient
technical understanding to preserve many of the antediluvian traditions
of the craft. However, as we know, the word is not truly lost!
References
1. Coil’s Masonic Encyclopaedia: Macoy
Publishing Co. 1961, p.88.
2. 7he Works of Josephus: William Whiston; David
McKay Publisher, p.108
3. The Holy Bible (King James): A. J. Holman Co.
1968, p.80
4. 7he Dialogues Of Plato: B. Jowett; Charles
Scribner’s Sons 1887, Volume 2
5. Freemason’s Book Of The Royal Arch: Bernard E.
Jones; Harrap Publishing Co. 1976, pp. 196-197
6. 7he Geometry Of Art And Life: Matila
Ghyka; Sheed & Ward Publishers 1946, pp.40-70
7 Vitruvius On Architecture: Frank Granger
(Translator); Harvard University Press 1934.
General References
-
7he Elements Of
Euclid. Thomas Heath (Translator); General Publishing Company Ltd.
1956.
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7he Divine Proportion:
H.E. Huntley; Dover Publications Inc. 1970.
-
An encyclopaedia Of Freemasonry: Albert
Mackey; The Masonic History Co. 1921.
-
7he Ensigns Of 7he Twelve Tribes Of Israel:
Harry Mendoza; Lewis Masonic 1989.
M. R. Stapleton (New York
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