The Compasses...

[CoachN]

Really a lot of neat viewpoints on the compass. Although it perplexes me, as a working tool with so much visibility and so key to our fraternity, it get's much less "billing" than the square... In our MN ritual, it's used a little in the 1st, almost not at all in the 2nd, and a little in the 3rd. It's not even a "working tool" that's presented in our degrees. Why does an instrument with so much importance get so little billing?

As with your avatar, it does get top billing; what gets in the way is most Freemasons do not recognize or understand this prominent significance.

 

[mdonahue66]

I agree Coach, and that's why I mentioned it has so much visibility. To understand, we must be taught, so I do appreciate the content of this thread. As candidates enter lodge for their MM, they quickly meet the compass and a short paragraph about it's significance. It's mentioned once more later, and again in our lecture, but never any deeper than that initial paragraph, at least in our ritual or lectures.

 

[Casey]

This is a good point. I'm trying to think if there is any real mention of the compasses in Ohio ritual.

Hmmm... EA has the tfig and c-g. FC the l, p and s. MM all of the others and the t. Odd.

 

[BukeyeJackson]

This is a good point. I'm trying to think if there is any real mention of the compasses in Ohio ritual.

Hmmm... EA has the tfig and c-g. FC the l, p and s. MM all of the others and the t. Odd.

There is mention in our EA Ob. not sure about the FC but I know it's in the MM rit. I believe it holds some tenets.
(rent free)
Could this be another part of our higher learning? The compasses hold a place that is unique. They are visible and misunderstood. It's a visible symbol with hidden meaning. If I've learned anything from here it's that just because it's not said doesn't mean it's not to be learned and mastered.

 

[CoachN]

I agree Coach, and that's why I mentioned it has so much visibility. To understand, we must be taught, so I do appreciate the content of this thread. As candidates enter lodge for their MM, they quickly meet the compass and a short paragraph about it's significance. It's mentioned once more later, and again in our lecture, but never any deeper than that initial paragraph, at least in our ritual or lectures.

Glad ya mentioned it!

BTW - I'm running a bunch of articles in the new "Living Stones" magazine that talk about this very thing.

 

[CoachN]

This is a good point. I'm trying to think if there is any real mention of the compasses in Ohio ritual.

Hmmm... EA has the tfig and c-g. FC the l, p and s. MM all of the others and the t. Odd.

There is mention of the Compasses in the first degree. It's the Flanked Circumpunct talk. The unfortunate aspect of it is that nearly every Frreemason alive today doesn't see the connection.

 

[mdonahue66]

There is mention of the Compasses in the first degree. It's the Flanked Circumpunct talk. The unfortunate aspect of it is that nearly every Frreemason alive today doesn't see the connection.

While I know the Flanked Circumpunct, I do not believe it is part of MN ritual, which I know fairly well. If it's there (in our ritual), it's part of our third lecture (tracing board) which, unfortunately, is often omitted from our ritual, or postponed to the next stated communication for various reasons. I've only seen it maybe 3 or 4 times and have none of it commited to memory.

 

[CoachN]

While I know the Flanked Circumpunct, I do not believe it is part of MN ritual, which I know fairly well. If it's there (in our ritual), it's part of our third lecture (tracing board) which, unfortunately, is often omitted from our ritual, or postponed to the next stated communication for various reasons. I've only seen it maybe 3 or 4 times and have none of it commited to memory.

Brother,

Does MN Ritual mention the Holy Saints John? Does it require Brothers to be somewhere when an Obligation is taken? These all allude to the Compasses (and the flanked circumpunct) but Freemasons do not see it this way.

 

[mdonahue66]

Brother,

Does MN Ritual mention the Holy Saints John? Does it require Brothers to be somewhere when an Obligation is taken? These all allude to the Compasses (and the flanked circumpunct) but Freemasons do not see it this way.

Coach, I see where you're going, and did a quick refresh on the Flanked Circumpunct, to make sure I was on the right base. Without going into detail of positioning of the brothers and how extensively we make mention of the Holy Saints John, I think our ritual may have drifted over the last century and a half. Based on our ritual (I have very good knowledge of the verbage, groundwork, and stations, but not necessarily a deep knowlege of the meaning and history), and without a heckuva lot of education, it would be a broad leap to see an allusion to Compasses and the Flanked Circumpunct.

Side note... I've been an opponent of the tyled or restricted forum. Now I would love to be able to go into our ritual in detail with Coach and find out why I think I'm missing something here

 

[CoachN]

Coach, I see where you're going, and did a quick refresh on the Flanked Circumpunct, to make sure I was on the right base. Without going into detail of positioning of the brothers and how extensively we make mention of the Holy Saints John, I think our ritual may have drifted over the last century and a half. Based on our ritual (I have very good knowledge of the verbage, groundwork, and stations, but not necessarily a deep knowlege of the meaning and history), and without a heckuva lot of education, it would be a broad leap to see an allusion to Compasses and the Flanked Circumpunct.

Side note... I've been an opponent of the tyled or restricted forum. Now I would love to be able to go into our ritual in detail with Coach and find out why I think I'm missing something here

Good my Brother. Take a look at that flanking, what each represent and think "What constitutes the legs of the Compasses?"

 

[mdonahue66]

Good my Brother. Take a look at that flanking, what each represent and think "What constitutes the legs of the Compasses?"

Oh, Coach. I've been swimming in this all afternoon, and I'm barely treading water. The flanking is easy. But what constitues the legs? I don't know, but let me shoot this at you. One leg is stationary. It creates the point. That point is the individual Mason, or me. The other leg is mobile. It creates the circle. It circumscribes me and keeps me within due bounds. The flanks, represent the outermost limits to where I can draw those boundaries.....

 

[CoachN]

Oh, Coach. I've been swimming in this all afternoon, and I'm barely treading water. The flanking is easy. But what constitues the legs? I don't know, but let me shoot this at you. One leg is stationary. It creates the point. That point is the individual Mason, or me. The other leg is mobile. It creates the circle. It circumscribes me and keeps me within due bounds. The flanks, represent the outermost limits to where I can draw those boundaries.....

Let's rewind a bit and them forge ahead.

One flanking represents the L Work. The other flanking represents the R Work.

It is the Work of each degree that constitutes each flanking. And in turn, each flanking constitutes a leg on the Compasses.

Your Compasses remain legless if you haven't done the Work.

Masons who have not done the Work, have not any leg to stand upon.

 

[Gary]

Masons who have not done the Work, have not any leg to stand upon.

That's a very true statement.

 

[CoachN]

That's a very true statement.

And hopefully a well grounded one.

 

[mdonahue66]

Let's rewind a bit and them forge ahead.

One flanking represents the L Work. The other flanking represents the R Work.

It is the Work of each degree that constitutes each flanking. And in turn, each flanking constitutes a leg on the Compasses.

Your Compasses remain legless if you haven't done the Work.

Masons who have not done the Work, have not any leg to stand upon.

Thanks Coach. You're always so enlightening, and I have so much to learn. Now I've never heard the compass alluded to in this manner. Is this through Monitorial lecture, or does it come from your knowledge of other Masonic reference?

 

[CoachN]

Thanks Coach. You're always so enlightening, and I have so much to learn. Now I've never heard the compass alluded to in this manner. Is this through Monitorial lecture, or does it come from your knowledge of other Masonic reference?

I have never read of what I write anywhere. These are original insights developed as a direct result on me doing the Work Masonry asks of me. What I did was connect the dots that were right there before my eyes -- and yours.

 

[mdonahue66]

I have never read of what I write anywhere. These are original insights developed as a direct result on me doing the Work Masonry asks of me. What I did was connect the dots that were right there before my eyes -- and yours.

I need to work on connecting the dots......or even painting by numbers for that matter

 

[CoachN]

I need to work on connecting the dots......or even painting by numbers for that matter

Great! One does this by doing the Work of each Degree. goforit!

 

[removed12612]

I have never read of what I write anywhere. These are original insights developed as a direct result on me doing the Work Masonry asks of me. What I did was connect the dots that were right there before my eyes -- and yours.

I like this ..... I kinda thought about it like this: it is one of those pictures that you have to stare at for a while to see the hidden picture(meaning)....the problem is sometimes all people see is just dots....

BTW...Coach is very good at guiding you through a game of connect the dots......in Masonry, sometimes you dont simply connect dot 1 to dot 2 and so on....

 

[Gary]

I have never read of what I write anywhere. These are original insights developed as a direct result on me doing the Work Masonry asks of me. What I did was connect the dots that were right there before my eyes -- and yours.

Know what is in front of your face and all what is hidden from you will be disclosed.

The Gospel of Thomas 5