The Square & the Circle

Having re-read the recent additions to this superior platform of Masonic insightfulness, and failing to resist the urge to inject a more than casual comment on what very much appears to be the Dichotomy of the Craft, nervously I throw my hat into the ring.

In the blue corner, we have ‘Green Bean Masonry’ with all its trimmings, traditions, dinner clubs, and its connection to the material plane, and in the other blue corner, we have ‘Symbolic Masonry’ with all its teachings, philosophy, observance and its connection to the spiritual plane.

Without the need to quote words from the great teachers of Light nor require to don the cap of the likes of Euclid, but rather to look at this dichotomy from a place of Harmony and the Natural Laws that surround us on every plane. We are taught "no thing" is singular outside of the All. From the mind of the All, a duality is formed and the coming together of that duality in perfect harmony creates that which is to manifest into being. That creation is the result of consciousness. Perfect creation requires a balance of male and female energies.

Consider this duality to be that of what appears to be a ‘Happening’ in the blue corner of the Craft. Two schools of thought trying to occupy the same space at the same time whilst understanding that one without the other is indeed a "no thing."

With that being said, let us consider one of these dualistic circles of thought and boundless energy being bound to the title of ‘Green Bean Masonry’ and the other circle of thought and boundless energy being bound to the title of ‘Symbolic Masonry’. You see where I’m going with this?

Without faith in the true beauty of creation, and that the coming together of a duality in harmony, proportion, and ratio, which naturally births all intent into creation, all is lost. These two spheres of boundless energy will forever bounce about the blue corner, coming together in a way that is not harmonious and destined to endlessly repel from one another.

The mighty yet mysterious Vesica Pisces is a worthy vehicle to work on such a dichotomy, the ‘Vessel of the Fish’ is constructed as we know, by two circles of exact proportion (we’ll call them ‘aspects’ for this consideration) coming together in perfect harmony and proportion to create a third ‘aspect’.

This ‘third aspect’ or rather, the space known as the Vesica Pisces, the Fish Bladder, the Mandorla, call it what you will if you’ll excuse the simplicity, in Sanskrit means “Yoni”. Translate Yoni back and you get “Holy passage”. A Holy passage proportioned to the ratio of 265:153, or 153 for short. A sacred number in Pythagorean theory, which some attest to be the secret behind the parable of the 153 fish in Scripture. A passage for the soul to the material world, a ‘Holy’ soul that manifests itself into the material world.

Knowing that this ‘third aspect’ of 265:153 or the root of 3 (√3) defines three-dimensional space, it also defines the space within a cube by the measurement of the length of the diagonal of a cube, or dare I say a perfect ashlar.

In Scripture, Jesus after his resurrection helped his followers with their nights ‘fishing’. His followers hadn’t caught anything all night, but with the help of Jesus, just before dawn, they caught exactly 153 fish. A Scriptural riddle incorporating 153 subtly wants to tell us that a dualistic property of Jesus, namely a property labeled Mary or ‘The Sea’ alludes to the feminine aspect of duality and that it played a very important role in the resurrection of the Christ.

This duality of Jesus meaning ‘The Sea’, translated into Greek, becomes η αγδαληνη and also holds a numerical value of 153. What we have is a telling of a duality coming together in perfect harmony, proportion, and ratio to resurrect I AM that which has been born into being from perfection.

Your point being? I hear you say.

Well, let us scale the proportion down if I may and consider the Craft to be a singularity bound to the title of ‘Wisdom.'

Also, consider if you will, a duality being that of ‘Green Bean Masonry’ bound to the titles of ‘Male and Strength’, and ‘Symbolic Masonry’ bound to the titles of ‘Female and Beauty’. One without the other is a "no thing" creating disharmony within the singularity. Scripture teaches us the backlash of the singularity appearing to favor one brother over the other, how those very first brothers in Eden travailed, and the dichotomy fated on all mankind. Creation may travail in pain but it cannot escape its destiny. One can only imagine how good and how pleasant it would be today if those two brothers dwelt together in perfect harmony. In perfect Brotherly Love.

Understanding that a Bricklayer and a Poet have different skills but together they can create a thing of magnificent perfection, and that coming together with a desire to build that thing of magnificence for the betterment of all mankind, is by its very nature profound.

We are taught that inner work is to better ourselves and we are given the tools to do so, Bricklayers build square things, Poets build in circles. When will we realize that we are one and the same pouring forth from a singularity and treat each other with equal passion? Are we not taught that bettering ourselves, in turn, betters our Lodges and therefore betters the Craft as a whole?

Know thyself and respect your Mother.

Thanks to Bro. Steven O’Donnell is a Master Mason of Lodge St Duthus No 82 Tain, in the Highlands of Scotland.

Lord Provost Campbell, Glasgow

Bro. Alexander Campbell was born inGeorge Square,Glasgow. His father established the firm J & W Campbell, wholesale merchants in the Saltmarket and wasLord Provost of Glasgowbetween 1840 and 1843 and was educated atGlasgow High SchoolandGlasgow Universitybefore becoming a partner in the family firm. He was appointed convener of the committee in charge of raising of funds to build and maintain a new university on Gilmorehill. He was assessor to two rectors and two chancellors, being a member of the University Court from 1869 till 1884, when he received the degree of LLD. On the death of his father in 1876, he inherited the Stracathro estate near Brechin and was aJ.P.andDeputy Lieutenantfor the counties of Lanark and Forfar.

In 1880, Bro. Campbell was elected Member of Parliament for Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities, and held the seat until 1906.As a Conservative he was opposed to the policies of his brother, Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Liberal Prime Minister from 1905 to 1908. He acted on many Commissions appointed to enquire into Scottish educational endowments and the constitution of the Scottish Universities. Bro. Campbell was initiated into Lodge Govandale No.437 and master 1871—73.He died atStracathroat the age of 83 after a lingering illness, a fortnight later than his brother.