Masonic ritual and symbolism

Masonic ritual refers to the scripted words and actions that are spoken or performed during the degree work in a Masonic Lodge. Masonic symbolism is that which is used to illustrate the principles which Freemasonry espouses.

Variety

Freemasons conduct their degree work from memory, following a preset script. There is no single Masonic ritual for Craft Freemasonry. Each Masonic jurisdiction is free to standardize (or not standardize) its own ritual. However, there are similarities that exist among jurisdictions. For example, all Masonic ritual for the first three degrees makes use of the architectural symbolism of the tools of the medieval operative stonemason. Freemasons, as speculative masons (meaning philosophical rather than actual building), use this symbolism to teach moral and ethical lessons, such as the four cardinal virtues of Fortitude, Prudence, Temperance and Justice, and the principles of "Brotherly Love, Relief Or morality), and Truth" (commonly found in English language rituals), or "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" (commonly found in French rituals).

Degrees

These moral lessons are presented to the candidate through the performance of the ritual. The use of allegory is a common thread. A candidate progresses through three degrees: Entered Aprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason (thus, allegorically, passing through the stages of a working stone Mason's carreer). With each degree, the candidate gains knowledge and understanding of himself, his relationship with others and his relationship with the Supreme Being (as per his own interpretation). While the philosophical aspects of Freemasonry are intended to be interpreted by each individual Mason for himself, to encourage the candidate to reflect on their possible meanings they are sometimes discussed in Lodges of Instruction or Research, or in informal groups within a lodge. Freemasons, and others, frequently publish — to varying degrees of competence and acceptance — studies on these philisophical aspects that are available to the public. Any mason may speculate on the symbols and purpose of Freemasonry, and indeed all masons are required to some extent to speculate on masonic meaning as a condition of advancing through the . There is no one accepted meaning and no one person "speaks" for the whole of Freemasonry.

Symbols

Two of the principal symbols always found in a Lodge are the square and compasses. Some Lodges and rituals explain these symbols as lessons in conduct: for example, that Masons should "square their actions by the square of virtue" and to learn to "circumscribe their desires and keep their passions within due bounds toward all mankind". However, as Freemasonry is non-dogmatic, there is no general interpretation for these symbols (or any Masonic symbol) that is used by Freemasonry as a whole.

A Tracing board is a painted or printed board that can be displayed during a ritual (Degree) of Freemasonry. Its purpose is to illustrate the symbols that the Initiate is informed about during lectures that succeed the ritual proper, and which in England are sometimes referred to as the "Tracing Board lecture". In English Freemasonry there are three Tracing boards, one for each Degree, and the Tracing boards will be changed during the ceremony according the Degree in which the Lodge has been 'opened'.

Controversy

Some Christian critics of Freemasonry say that the ritual is incompatible with Christian beliefs. Freemasons, especially Christian Freemasons, disagree.

Historian John J. Robinson researched the controversy and explored Masonry's rituals for his book A Pilgrim's Path: Freemasonry and the Religious Right. Robinson felt so strongly that Freemasonry and Christianity were indeed compatable that he toured the United States and England to defend the order and, on his deathbed, became a Freemason.

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