As we look at the "camp" of Scottish Rite Masonry, we see time - time suspended in animation waiting for the world to catch up; time, not yet happened as we know it; time for us to get it together. As we look at the "camp," we see ourselves not as we are, but as we should be; not as others see us, but as we are.
You, the Scottish Rite Mason, are somebody...if you have traveled thus far, without hope of fee or reward, in assisting in the rebuilding of the temple. And what is in the temple? Certainly not the Temple of Solomon, for it is no more. In the words of Paul, "Know ye, that ye are a temple yourselves," and "offer up yourselves as a living sacrifice." The temple is you and in this vain, we study the "camp" of Scottish Rite Masonry.
A. THE CIRCLE
Since time immemorial, the circle has been an emblem of perfection, and to that end, we should strive. The circle, being the completion of all figures, and the beginning of all, is representative of GOD. The circle, being the center of everything, is HE that is high and lifted up as in the days of Isaiah. The circle is Alpha and Omega. The circle is all. In the circle, we find the sum of perfection, 360, the summation of geometry, the end result of Pythagoras' search. Yet the circle is not alone.
B. THE FIVE TENTS
In the first five emanations of GOD, the heavens and all its inhabitants were created to give the glory of the LORD of LORDS. We read of them as "angels," seraphims, cherubims, beasts (heavenly), and the heavenly hosts. With two natures created He them. Before the second five emanations were spoken, dissentions had set in this heavenly creation. Yet, God is ALL in ALL and can be no other way. The heavenly lodge was purged and Paradise was lost. A seal was set in the annals of time that man, in the far future, may know of these natures that caused the "Star of the morning" to err, and that man may seek to stray not from the paths of righteousness too far as Lucifer and his hosts did. A seal that is three-sided...
C. THE DELTA
The ancients have always worshipped GOD as HE that has three beings or attributes. He that is to know his god seeks. When your god is found, you will know him on your particular level and no more. However, the GOD of creation is harder to find as we see in the words of our Elder Brother: "Learn of me, for I am a gentle soul." We also find: "If you know my father, then you should know me." The Father is the Father.
D. THE PENTAGON
The second five emanations of GOD gave to us earthly things, those that are measured "by the square" and tempered in mercy. We may look upon the phase as the "age of fulfilling." We see man coming from the dust as a "scalene triangle," unequal in all sides and angles. GOD breathed into his nostrils the Holy Breath and man stood as a "right-angled triangle," one-half of perfection, one step below angels.
As man begins to grow in stature, his mind seeks to dwell on things other than heavenly things, and he becomes what he thinks, an "isosceles triangle," able to stand on his own. Time, that great equalizer of all things, caused man to "turn aside from God, becoming an "acute triangle," extremely severe but with great importance. Not so, says the Lord.
E. THE OX
After 400 years, a great cry went up into the LORD from His people Israel. Patience is wearing thin. Oppression is on all sides and is as a daily bread. After many trials and tribulations, a Deliverer comes:
F. THE EAGLE
Man's eyes are heavenward sometimes. Man is thankful, sometimes. Canaan is subdued. Peace is in the east and peace is in the west. Man is in an earthly paradise and forgets his God. Man has his great Temple at Jerusalem, for awhile. How swiftly time moves and causes forgetfulness. How swiftly time causes us to see more in ourselves than ourselves. As the eagle watches the aft, likewise does it watch the fore. A promise has been made and a promise will be kept, but it is not time. The eagle continues to fly. He is Lord of the skies. Yet there is another.
G. THE LION
Strength is established in this house. Promise made is promise kept. This house, above all houses shall bear Shiloh. This house, and no other, shall raise my people from the grave on iniquity with the five emanations of salvation. This house shall bring forth He that is the LOGOS. This house is the house that shall cause the "faithful" to be exalted. But it is not yet time. "How long O Lord, how long?" For 525 years shall you know darkness. When will it be over? Not until you, my creations, have gone back to Mt. Moriah and be reborn. Not until you, the faithful, shall have triumphed over yourselves. Then, and only then, will I give you the key.
H. THE ARK, THE CANDLESTICKS, AND THE PALM TREES
From Moses came the law. From Elijah came the prophecy. These have brought us thus far. Yet there is more to the journey. Man is away from his god. There must be a rebirth of priorities if man is to become a delta as GOD intended him to be. There was a covenant in the ark. There was truth in the palm trees, still man is wandering in darkness. "I AM that I AM," said the Lord. Therefore receive Grace and be saved. As the light lights the way in darkness and is not appreciated as lifesaving, so was the LIGHT not appreciated in life, and they put Him to death. Yet He lives.
I. THE FLAMING HEART
Give us the sign! Send us a symbol! This man cried over eons of time. Salvation was his goal; yet, it was a goal he sought without works. When salvation was with man, it was so simple that man saw it not.
Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot cure. Likewise with heaven's own, for 'in a ray of glory, He arose,' with all power in His hand. So man lieth down and riseth not up, until the heavens be no more. But have compassion on thy people, the children of thy creation, O LORD.
J. THE SEPTAGON
Walk the mystical ladder of Jacob and know that HE IS, WAS, and SHALL BE. Let us follow the sages of time.
From perfection by way of the circle and the delta, we have arrived to near perfection in the nonagon. It is the square of perfection, yet it is not perfect. Man is not perfect, but he should strive to be so. The age is upon you, Scottish Rite Masons. Dwell in the ninth "heaven," where the not so perfect dwell in paradise. Reach into the bowels of Mt. Moriah, and shake hands with Enoch. Talk to him of the pillars of Justice and Equality. Learn the Holy Royal Arch of Fraternity, and cast your eyes upward toward the last, the tenth heaven of paradise, the realm of HE that is of endless days, THE GRAND ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE, and say with a loud voice, "Laus Deo! Laus Deo! Laus Deo! I am 3 x 3 x 3 x 3. SALIX NONI TENGU!
You, the Scottish Rite Mason, are somebody...if you have traveled thus far, without hope of fee or reward, in assisting in the rebuilding of the temple. And what is in the temple? Certainly not the Temple of Solomon, for it is no more. In the words of Paul, "Know ye, that ye are a temple yourselves," and "offer up yourselves as a living sacrifice." The temple is you and in this vain, we study the "camp" of Scottish Rite Masonry.
A. THE CIRCLE
Since time immemorial, the circle has been an emblem of perfection, and to that end, we should strive. The circle, being the completion of all figures, and the beginning of all, is representative of GOD. The circle, being the center of everything, is HE that is high and lifted up as in the days of Isaiah. The circle is Alpha and Omega. The circle is all. In the circle, we find the sum of perfection, 360, the summation of geometry, the end result of Pythagoras' search. Yet the circle is not alone.
B. THE FIVE TENTS
In the first five emanations of GOD, the heavens and all its inhabitants were created to give the glory of the LORD of LORDS. We read of them as "angels," seraphims, cherubims, beasts (heavenly), and the heavenly hosts. With two natures created He them. Before the second five emanations were spoken, dissentions had set in this heavenly creation. Yet, God is ALL in ALL and can be no other way. The heavenly lodge was purged and Paradise was lost. A seal was set in the annals of time that man, in the far future, may know of these natures that caused the "Star of the morning" to err, and that man may seek to stray not from the paths of righteousness too far as Lucifer and his hosts did. A seal that is three-sided...
C. THE DELTA
The ancients have always worshipped GOD as HE that has three beings or attributes. He that is to know his god seeks. When your god is found, you will know him on your particular level and no more. However, the GOD of creation is harder to find as we see in the words of our Elder Brother: "Learn of me, for I am a gentle soul." We also find: "If you know my father, then you should know me." The Father is the Father.
- CREATOR..........HE HO; BRAHMA; I AM; JEHOVAH; ALLAH; ADONAI; OSIRIS; ODIN. "By this name, I was not know onto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
- PRESERVER.......YAH; VISHNU; EL SHADDAI; AMNON RE; ISIS; FREYA. "Man and woman created He them."
- DESTROYER......YAHWEH; SIVA; ELU; TYPHUS; THOR. "I will set my bow in the heavens as a covenant unto you."
D. THE PENTAGON
The second five emanations of GOD gave to us earthly things, those that are measured "by the square" and tempered in mercy. We may look upon the phase as the "age of fulfilling." We see man coming from the dust as a "scalene triangle," unequal in all sides and angles. GOD breathed into his nostrils the Holy Breath and man stood as a "right-angled triangle," one-half of perfection, one step below angels.
As man begins to grow in stature, his mind seeks to dwell on things other than heavenly things, and he becomes what he thinks, an "isosceles triangle," able to stand on his own. Time, that great equalizer of all things, caused man to "turn aside from God, becoming an "acute triangle," extremely severe but with great importance. Not so, says the Lord.
E. THE OX
After 400 years, a great cry went up into the LORD from His people Israel. Patience is wearing thin. Oppression is on all sides and is as a daily bread. After many trials and tribulations, a Deliverer comes:
- For 40 years, he is nobody.
- For 40 years, he is somebody.
- For 40 years, he was everybody.
F. THE EAGLE
Man's eyes are heavenward sometimes. Man is thankful, sometimes. Canaan is subdued. Peace is in the east and peace is in the west. Man is in an earthly paradise and forgets his God. Man has his great Temple at Jerusalem, for awhile. How swiftly time moves and causes forgetfulness. How swiftly time causes us to see more in ourselves than ourselves. As the eagle watches the aft, likewise does it watch the fore. A promise has been made and a promise will be kept, but it is not time. The eagle continues to fly. He is Lord of the skies. Yet there is another.
G. THE LION
Strength is established in this house. Promise made is promise kept. This house, above all houses shall bear Shiloh. This house, and no other, shall raise my people from the grave on iniquity with the five emanations of salvation. This house shall bring forth He that is the LOGOS. This house is the house that shall cause the "faithful" to be exalted. But it is not yet time. "How long O Lord, how long?" For 525 years shall you know darkness. When will it be over? Not until you, my creations, have gone back to Mt. Moriah and be reborn. Not until you, the faithful, shall have triumphed over yourselves. Then, and only then, will I give you the key.
H. THE ARK, THE CANDLESTICKS, AND THE PALM TREES
From Moses came the law. From Elijah came the prophecy. These have brought us thus far. Yet there is more to the journey. Man is away from his god. There must be a rebirth of priorities if man is to become a delta as GOD intended him to be. There was a covenant in the ark. There was truth in the palm trees, still man is wandering in darkness. "I AM that I AM," said the Lord. Therefore receive Grace and be saved. As the light lights the way in darkness and is not appreciated as lifesaving, so was the LIGHT not appreciated in life, and they put Him to death. Yet He lives.
I. THE FLAMING HEART
Give us the sign! Send us a symbol! This man cried over eons of time. Salvation was his goal; yet, it was a goal he sought without works. When salvation was with man, it was so simple that man saw it not.
Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot cure. Likewise with heaven's own, for 'in a ray of glory, He arose,' with all power in His hand. So man lieth down and riseth not up, until the heavens be no more. But have compassion on thy people, the children of thy creation, O LORD.
J. THE SEPTAGON
Walk the mystical ladder of Jacob and know that HE IS, WAS, and SHALL BE. Let us follow the sages of time.
- King Alfred of Saxony.....Forge wise laws and be an upright judge.
- Socrates..........................Teach of the most High God, and die before you give up your ideals.
- Confucius........................Teach those in your charge that "Justice is Equity."
- Minos..............................Teach the laws of God, no matter what name is used.
- Zoroaster.........................Teach and know that the heart is what makes a man upright, not stature.
- Moses.............................Separate that which is divine from that which is not, and give of these laws.
- I.N.R.I............................Teach of love - your God, your neighbor, and yourself.
From perfection by way of the circle and the delta, we have arrived to near perfection in the nonagon. It is the square of perfection, yet it is not perfect. Man is not perfect, but he should strive to be so. The age is upon you, Scottish Rite Masons. Dwell in the ninth "heaven," where the not so perfect dwell in paradise. Reach into the bowels of Mt. Moriah, and shake hands with Enoch. Talk to him of the pillars of Justice and Equality. Learn the Holy Royal Arch of Fraternity, and cast your eyes upward toward the last, the tenth heaven of paradise, the realm of HE that is of endless days, THE GRAND ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE, and say with a loud voice, "Laus Deo! Laus Deo! Laus Deo! I am 3 x 3 x 3 x 3. SALIX NONI TENGU!