Question: It is customary, at the erection of all place of least light (for the same reason, few peostately and superb edifices to lay the first or foun- ple were buried on the North side of the dation stone at the NE corner of the building. church. This side was usually reserved for the Why the NE corner?
graves of suicides or unbaptised children). Further symbolism tells that the East represents Wis-
Bro. Rev Neville Barker Cryer tells us that the NE dom; the West, Strength and the South, Beauty, corner is the place in all medieval churches where therefore, placing the Entered Apprentice at the the Easter sepulchre, the symbolic tomb of Christ North East corner symbolises the fact that he has was set and from that position the first light of come from darkness in the North and is aspiring Easter came. Easter proclaimed the great prom- towards the East, the place of greatest light. In ise of God’s love and care for his people and fits case you haven’t noticed, the candidates gradual well with the stress on Charity and Brotherly approach towards the East (if your Lodge follows Love of which the WM speaks in his address at the rubric strictly according to the Emulation ritthis part of the Initiation ceremony.
ual). He is placed in the West by the SW’s pedestal for “The 1st Degree Charge”, the Lecture on
The ceremony of laying a foundation stone is per- the 2nd Degree Tracing Board has him in the cenhaps the last remaining link between operative tre of the Lodge at the West side of the Tracing and speculative masonry, a link possessing the Board and for the 3rd Degree Tracing Board he most ancient and historical traditions. The VSL stands before the Masters pedestal in the East has many references to foundation stones eg: Ez- (Note: In strict Emulation working the Traditional ra iii, 10, 11, records the high significance of the History is delivered by the WM). This movement laying of the foundation stone of the Tem- through the Degrees symbolises his advancement ple: “And when the builders laid the temple of the in knowledge and the acquisition of greater Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with light. Perhaps DC’s have forgotten the symbolism trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with implied here as not many Lodges follow the exact cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of path as described above. David King of Israel…………… And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the The initiate enters the Lodge and begins his spirLord, because the foundation of the house of the itual journey in the West – Have you ever thought Lord was laid.” Clearly this was a very important why most baptismal fonts in churches are situatoccasion.
ed at the West end of the building? It’s because the West is also where we begin our journey
In Freemasonry Entered Apprentices are seated through Christian life - yet another link with the in the North of the Lodge because the North is the early Christian influence on Freemasonry.
Cross Keys November 2021
