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NM Freemason · Skills & Drills · Chapter 19

The Mosaic Pavement

Drawn from published Masonic monitor content. See site Credits for source citations.

Vocabulary (6)

Mosaic Pavement
The chequered black-and-white floor of every Lodge. The published lecture treats it as an emblem of human life, chequered with good and evil.
Indented tessel
The tessellated (often dentated or wavy) border surrounding the mosaic pavement. The published lecture treats it as emblematic of the manifold blessings and comforts that surround the diligent Mason on every side.
Blazing Star
A star, often five-pointed, in the center of the mosaic pavement. The published lecture treats it as emblematic of divine providence: a reminder that the watchful eye of the Most High attends every step of the brother's labor.
Chequered with good and evil
The published phrase: just as the pavement's black and white squares alternate, so the life of every man alternates between joy and sorrow. The Mason is reminded to be steady through both.
Furniture vs. ornaments
The published lecture distinguishes the Furniture of the Lodge (VSL, Square, Compasses) from its Ornaments: the mosaic pavement, the indented tessel, and the blazing star.
Solomonic origin
Traditional Masonic lecture traces the chequered pavement to the ground floor of King Solomon's Temple, though the biblical account itself describes the floor as cedar overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:30). The published lecture treats the chequered pavement as symbolic, not historical.

Multiple-choice (4)

1. What is the Mosaic Pavement an emblem of?
  1. The constancy of the brethren
  2. Human life, chequered with good and evil ✓
  3. The wealth of the temple
  4. The order of the planets
2. What is the Indented Tessel an emblem of?
  1. The boundary of the Lodge
  2. The manifold blessings and comforts surrounding the diligent Mason ✓
  3. The succession of the seasons
  4. The diligence of the Wardens
3. What is the Blazing Star an emblem of?
  1. The morning of creation
  2. The polestar by which the temple was oriented
  3. Divine providence: the watchful eye of the Most High ✓
  4. The Master's wisdom
4. Which group includes the Mosaic Pavement, the Indented Tessel, and the Blazing Star?
  1. The Furniture of the Lodge
  2. The Ornaments of the Lodge ✓
  3. The Jewels of the Lodge
  4. The Working Tools