AFFILIATE
Filius is Latin for son, filia for daughter; the prefix “af” is a form of the Latin ad, meaning to add to. To be affiliated means therefore to be adopted into a family as a son or daughter, a meaning that beautifully covers a Mason’s relation to his Lodge once he has affiliated with it.
– Source: 100 Words in Masonry
AFFILIATED
A Mason who is a member of a lodge is so called to distinguish him from a “demitted” or “unaffiliated” Mason, who is not a member of any lodge.
– Source: Pocket Lexicon of Freemasonry
AFFILIATE, FREE
The French gave the name of Free Affiliates to those members of a Lodge who are exempted from the payment of dues, and neither hold office nor vote. These Brethren are known among English-speaking Freemasons as honorary members. There is a quite common use of Affiliate in Lodges of the United States to designate one who has joined a Lodge by demit.
– Source: Mackey’s Encyclopedia of Freemasonry
AFFILIATED FREEMASON
A Freemason who holds membership in some Lodge. The word affiliation in Freemasonry is akin to the French “affilier,” which Richelet, Dictionnaire de la langue Francaise, Dictionary of the French Language, defines, “to communicate to any one a participation in the spiritual benefits of a religious order,” and he says that such a communication is called an affiliation. The word, as a technical term, is not found in any of the old Masonic writers, who always use admission instead of affiliation.
There is no precept more explicitly expressed in the Ancient Constitutions than that every Freemason should belong to a Lodge. The foundation of the law which imposes this duty is to be traced as far back as the Regius Manuscript, which is the oldest Masonic document now extant, and of which the “Secunde poynt” requires that the Freemason work upon the workday as truly as he can in order to deserve his hire for the holiday, and that he shall “truly labor on his deed that he may well deserve to have his meed” (see lines 269-74). The obligation that every Freemason should thus labor is implied in all the subsequent Constitutions, which always speak of Freemasons as working members of the Fraternity, until we come to the Charges approved in 1722, which explicitly state that “every Brother ought to belong to a Lodge, and to be subject to its By-Laws and the General Regulations.” Opportunity to resign one’s membership should therefore involve a duty to affiliate.
– Source: Mackey’s Encyclopedia of Freemasonry
Agapae
Traditional Observance lodges often refer to their communal meal or Festive Board as An Agape or Agapae.
– Source: Masonicdictionary.com
Agapae
The Agapae, or love feasts, were banquets held during the first three centuries in the Christian Church. They were called love feasts, because, including the partaking of the Sacrament, the Brethren met, both rich and poor, at a common feast-the former furnishing the provisions, and the latter, who had nothing, being relieved and refreshed by their more opulent Brethren. Tertullian (Apologia, chapter xxxix) thus describes these banquets: “We do not sit down before we have first offered up prayers to God; we eat and drink only to satisfy hunger and thirst, remembering still that we are to worship God by night: we discourse as in the presence of God, knowing that He hears us: then, after water to wash our hands, and lights brought in, every one is moved to sing some hymn to God, either out of the Scripture, or, as he is able, of his own composing.
Prayer again concludes our feast, and we depart, not to fight and quarrel, or to abuse those we meet, but to pursue the same care of modesty and chastity, as men that have fed at a supper of philosophy and discipline, rather than a corporeal feast.”
The agapae united the group meal and the Lord’s Supper because that Sacrament was first observed at a feast (see Matthew xxvi, 26-9). This custom was readily adopted among Gentile converts as such meals were usual practices by both the Greeks and Romans. Even in Bible times the observance was not always free of fault as is shown by Paul’s rebuke at Corinth (see First Corinthians xi, 17-34; also in this connection note Second Peter11, 13; and Jude12).
These disorders marred the religious value of the function and led to its suppression in churches. The merit of the purpose, when properly carried out. gives substantial service to right living and has therefore much ceremonial and social importance.
Dr. August Kestner, Professor of Theology, published in Jena, in 1819, a work in which he maintains that the agapae, established at Rome by Clemens, in the reign of Domitian, were mysteries which partook of a Masonic, symbolic, and religious character.
In the Rosicurcian Degrees of Freemasonry we find an imitation of these love feasts of the primitive Christians; and the ceremonies of the banquet in the Degree of Rose Croix of the Ancient and accepted Rite, especially as practiced by French Chapters, are arranged with reference to the ancient agapae.
Reghellini, indeed, finds an analogy between the Table Lodges of modern Freemasonry and these love feasts of the primitive Christians.
– Source: Mackey’s Encyclopedia of Freemasonry
Agnus Dei
The Agnus Dei, meaning the Lamb of God, also called the Paschal Lamb, or the Lamb offered in the Pascal Sacrifice, is one of the jewels of a Commandery of Knights Templar in America, and is worn by the Generalissimo.
The lamb is one of the earliest symbols of Christ in the iconography of the Church, and as such was a representation of the Savior, derived from that expression of Saint John the Baptist (John1, 29), who, on beholding Christ, exclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God.”
“Christ,” says Didron (Christian Iconography 1, page 318), “shedding his blood for our redemption, is the Lamb slain by the children of Israel, and with the blood of which the houses to be preserved from the wrath of God were marked with the celestial tau.
The Paschal Lamb eaten by the Israelites on the night preceding their departure from Egypt is the type of that other divine Lamb of whom Christians are to partake at Easter, in order thereby to free themselves from the bondage in which they are held by vice.”
The earliest representation that is found in Didron of the Agnus Dei is of the sixth century, and consists of a lamb supporting in his right foot a cross. In the eleventh century we find a banneret attached to this cross, and the lamb is then said to support “the banner of the resurrection.” This is the modern form in which the Agnus Dei is represented.
– Source: Mackey’s Encyclopedia of Freemasonry
Alarm
The Latin for weapons, or arms, was arma.
Our “art” and “article” came from the same root, art meaning something originally made by the use of the arms, hands and fingers.
The English “alarm” goes back directly to the Italian alle arme, and ultimately to the Latin ad arma so that “alarm” means “to arms, signifying that something has happened of possible danger.
A knock at the Lodge door is so named because it calls for alertness, lest the wrong man be permitted to enter.
– Source: 100 Words in Masonry
All Seeing Eye
An emblem found in every well-furnished lodge, and which is unnecessary further to explain.
– Source: Pocket Lexicon of Freemasonry
Allegory
The Greeks called a place of public assembly agora; from this they built the word agoreuein, meaning speak, in the sense of ad-dressing a public.
When to this is added alias, meaning another, the compound gives us our “allegory,” which is the speaking about one thing in the terms of something else.
In Masonry we have the allegory of Solomon’s Temple, of a journey, of the legend of a martyr builder, etc., in each case the acting and describing of one thing being intended to refer to some other thing.
For example, the building of Solomon’s Temple is described, not for the purpose of telling how that structure was erected, but to suggest boxy men may work together in brotherliness at a common task.
– Source: 100 Words in Masonry
Altar
Alt, in Latin, referred to height, preserved in our “altitude;” this root appeared in altare, literally meaning a “high place.”
In primitive religion it was a common practice to make sacrifices, or conduct worship, on the top of a hill, or high platform, so that “altar” came to be applied to any stone, post, platform, or other elevation used for such purposes. In. the Lodge the altar is the most holy place.
– Source: 100 Words in Masonry
ALTAR
The place where the sacred offerings were presented to God.
The proper form of the altar should be a cube about three feet in height, and having placed upon it the open Bible, Square and Compasses, while around it in triangular form are placed the three lesser lights.
– Source: Pocket Lexicon of Freemasonry
Apprentice
In Latin apprehendre meant to lay hold of a thing in the sense of learning to understand it, the origin of our “apprehend.” This became contracted into apprendre and was applied to a young man beginning to learn a trade. The latter term came into circulation among European languages and, through the Operative Masons, gave us our “apprentice,” that is, one who is beginning to learn Masonry. An “Entered Apprentice” is one whose name has been entered in the books of the Lodge.
– Source: 100 Words in Masonry
APPRENTICE
The Entered Apprentice is the first degree in Masonry, wherein the newly initiated brother is impressed by certain symbolic ceremonies of the duty he owes to his brethren, in a manner which can never be forgotten.
– Source: Pocket Lexicon of Freemasonry
Apprentice: Entered
The first degree of Craft Masonry, the Entered Apprentice Degree is symbolic of birth. The candidate in a state of darkness is brought into the lodge not knowing what will follow but trusting in his guide to lead him along the way in his quest for light (knowledge). While little of an historical sense is revealed to him, he is instructed about the inner workings and principles of the craft and during the Junior Warden’s lecture is taught the antiquity of the society as well as the symbolism of King Solomon’s Temple and its building, completion and dedication.
– Source: MasonicDictionary.com
ASHLAR
The Latin assis was a board or plank; in the diminutive form, assula, it meant a small board, like a shingle, or a chip. In this con-nection it is interesting to note that our “axle” and’ “axis” were derived from it. In early English this became asheler and was used to denote a stone in the rough as it came from the quarries. The Operative Masons called such a stone a “rough ashlar,” and when it had been shaped and finished for its place in the wall they called it a “perfect ashlar.” An Apprentice is a rough ashlar, because unfinished, whereas a Master Mason is a perfect ashlar, because he has been shaped for his place in the organization of the Craft.
– Source: 100 Words in Masonry
ASHLAR
Speculative Masons use the ashlar in two forms: one rough, just as it came from the quarry, representing Man in his ignorant, uncultivated state; and the other, finely finished and ready for its place in the building, represents Man, educated and refined.