|
|
|
|
Veiled in Allegory.
Like symbols there is a great deal of confusion as to what allegory means. Here is one comprehensive explanation that we find, from a Masonic point of view, to be more accurate than most.
'A discourse in which there are juror more meanings, a patent, plain, or simple meaning and a figurative or hidden meaning the former hinting or indicating the latter, and the communication of the latter usually being the real objective of the author. Outstanding works of that kind are Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Spencer's Faerie Queen, and Dante's Inferno. One of the most effective allegories of recent years is Animal Farm, a biting sarcasm of Socialism or Communism, yet, nowhere in the book does either of those words appear, nor is any other word used which indicates that the book has a political or economic purpose.
In order accurately to define allegory, it is advisable to define symbol, the two being sometimes confused. An allegory explains itself to the reader who has the necessary perspective or penetrating sight, and it needs no previous explanation or agreement about its significance. But that is not true of a symbol, which has no secondary meaning at all, except by usage, association, of agreement attaching it to some other thing, event, or idea. Thus, light is said to symbolize learning, truth, instruction, or knowledge. Why? Because we can see in the light better then we can in the dark, and we understand things we see better than we can those which are invisible. But light can also symbolize liberty, because less incarceration is usually far from the light of day, even though not in an absolute dungeon. Could not light represent guilt, or imperfection, for the reason that light exposes defects and detectives have traditionally carried some sort of "dark lantern"? But that symbolism has never been agreed on and, hence, does not exist. On a celebrated occasion, Paul Revere and his fellow patriots agreed that a light or two lights in a certain church tower would represent danger, invasion. But, while that had great symbolic meaning at that time, it did not become established generally. Indeed a light in a window or in a belfry might be better regarded as a sign of safe harbour or refuge'.
(Coil's Masonic Encyclopaedia.)
Thus 'Allegory' does not mean a literal interpretation. Many people, including more than a few Freemasons, no longer understand that Freemasonry does not, and never has presented, literal meanings, only meanings that are there for each individual to discover for themselves. To participate in a Masonic Lodge is an attempt to understand this, always remembering that a Masonic Lodge is not a place, merely a coming together of like minded men who happen to call that gathering a Masonic Lodge. Please always bear in mind that no one individual, nor group of individuals, can speak for Freemasonry. Thus a Masonic Lodge is not 'Freemasonry' despite what some non-Freemasons would have you believe.
Confusion arises also because of the sheer amount of allegorical meanings and references within Freemasonry (or Free Masonry as preferred by some). A Masonic Lodge is an allegory for something else. To complicate matters still further, and as no one person can speak for Freemasonry, no definitive allegorical meaning can be ascribed to any particular aspect. Thus individual Freemasons can come to different allegorical interpretations of the same thing. Obviously there is a consensus on many matters within Freemasonry but that consensus is not imposed upon any individual Freemason and he is free come to another conclusion even although it is not a commonly held view. In other words there is no, and can never be, a Masonic 'dogma'.*
In addition it must be remembered that there are various divisions within Freemasonry. One of the most important in the western world is the Scottish Rite which together with the York Rite form the bulk of Masonic activity. However, it very important to realise that this type of structure, that is the Scottish Rite and York Rite, does not exist in Europe in the same way as pertains in North America. The Scottish Rite is a late entry to the Masonic 'system' in Scotland.
More to follow...
* Dogma is generally accepted to mean: A doctrinal system of principal and tenet particularly as laid down by the authority of a church.
To go to the page which discusses Morality
click here
or: MORALITY
To go to the page that discusses Symbolism
click here
or: SYMBOLS
A brief SUMMARY of the discussion on these pages will be found at the end of the
Symbols page by
clicking here.
Our thanks are due to Brother Robert L. D. Cooper, BA, FSA
(Scot),
Curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and Library
for his assistance in providing some of the contents of
these pages
|
|
Send mail to
Robert@RosslynTemplars.org.uk with
questions or comments about this web site. |
