For the F.C., the Pavement is rectangular, all the angles being angles of 90°. But now [109] the M.M. finds that, in the Third Degree, his Pavement has a most important feature; it is different, being a perfect square. Historically, this agrees with our prototype, for we know that in K.S.T. the Middle Chamber was a double square 40 X 20 cubits, but the Sanctum Sanctorum was 20 X 20 cubits, that is, one single perfect square. And this last place was reserved for the High Priest alone; it was "for the High Priest to walk on." This allusion to the High Priest means, of course, that the Lodge is in reality a Temple, a building erected on consecrated ground and properly dedicated, for on it "all glory" has to be given to the Most High, as "all gratitude," too, is for the Most High.
In this assertion, that the Square Pavement is for the High Priest, there is the assumption that now the M.M. has been admitted to fellowship with the High Priest; for the Lodge is the counter part of the Temple, and the Third Degree stands for the Sanctum Sanctorum. Further, there is the assumption that the M.M., as "brother to H.A.," is the Associate, the equal and companion, of both the Priest and the King; all of whom, it is implied, had the right to enter there and offer their adoration to [110] the Most High. And surely "the Builder" must have been there before the Priest himself, before K.S. himself, and, of course, before H., K. of T.
That historic trio, K.S., our M., H.A., and H., K. of T., were the acknowledged custodians of the "genuine secrets" at the building of the First Temple at Jerusalem, which was set up jointly by them. And when at the Adytum, or Sanctum Sanctorum, there was perfect solidarity between them. The communication of those secrets required the consent and co-operation of the three, as every R.A. companion knows. Every M.M. will see this when he, too, comes to re-discover "that which was lost."
Many must have thought it strange that we should declare the Pavement of the M.M.'s Lodge to be "square," seeing that the conventional carpet in our Lodge is always rectangular, the length exceeding the width by at least one-third. The carpet, however, is a compromise between two different things, viz., the cosmological conception of the Lodge represented by the parallelopipedon and the square of the Sanctum Sanctorum. We could not be changing carpets in opening the Lodge on the center" and on resuming "on the square"; hence the compromise.
[111] Taking the words as they stand in the Ritual and in their obvious sense, we must conclude that the Square of the Pavement lies enclosed within the ring of the Border, the two geometrical figures being concentric, (see Illustration), and that the four angles of the Square touch the circumference at four points, these marking the four quarters of the globe, N., E., S., and W.
That same Square may, however, be viewed as two "conjoined" triangles resting on the center, the four points of it representing the four main points of a Mason's character. Seethe allusion made to these moral qualities in the Ceremonies; in enumerating them, they appear to be six; there are first the three Dictates which should be indelibly imprinted on the Heart, "of Truth, of Honor, and of Virtue"; and then there are the three distinguishing characteristics of a good Freemason, viz., "Virtue, Honor, and Mercy." But it should be noted that two of these, "Virtue and Honor," are repeated, because as the two triangles touch and form one Square, there are only four corners, the four points of the Square, and inconsequence there are only four qualities mentioned.
[112] The Center of that Square is also referred to whenever the Lodge is opened in the Third Degree, when we find that, as we told the Initiate, "in all regular well- formed, constituted Lodges, there is a point within a circle (by keeping) round which the Brethren cannot err; this circle is bounded between N. and S. by two grand parallels . . . on the upper part of this circle rests the V. of the S.L." The Mason should move round that point as the axis of Freemasonry, and he should do so with the regularity of the planets, of which the Border is the Symbol. The matter may now be summed up as follows. On the floor of the Lodge we observe four different things :-
(1) The central point, which may be variously
symbolized by an Eye, or by the letter G.
or simply by a point.
(2) The two Triangles, which put together form a Square.
(3) The Square, with the four corners, N., E., S., and W., and
(4) The all-embracing Circle which we call the Border.
[113] The E.A. standing on the Border is an imperfect man, who, as he moves about, is treading on a combination of whole and broken squares. The F.C. has penetrated into the Pavement, but is still a Seeker. The M.M. is the Ideal Man who, having reached the center, is led by his inner light, and, being animated with definite convictions, takes care to tread only on the squares, or cubes, of the Mosaic, which typify his acts, thoughts, and motives.
In this Ideal Man we may see personified all the excellences of character inculcated by the Craft, and through him we may learn that, if all our actions were done "on the square," and were of a true die, like the cubes of a Mosaic, the result would inevitably be an exemplary model life, "perfect in its parts and honorable to the Builder."
The Mason goes round the four corners of
the Lodge to show the need of squaring the whole of his life.
Nor is this "squaring" inconsistent with the idea of
the circling heavens symbolized by the Border. The orbits on which
the planets move are more or less round, but since the Pavement
is emblematical of the globe we live in, which we have learned
to divide into four quarters, both the [114] circumambulations
around the Border and the perambulations along the sides of Pavement
have their own peculiar lessons to teach.
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