Chapter 76 · Study

Form of the Lodge

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Vocabulary · 12

Oblong square: An older English phrase for a rectangle — what we today simply call a rectangle. The form of a Lodge is an oblong square extending East to West and between North and South.
East: In Masonic geography, the station of the Worshipful Master, not necessarily the compass East. Every other station is located in proper relation to it.
Altar: The central piece of furniture in the Lodge, on which the Three Great Lights rest. Its central location symbolizes the place God has in Masonry; the candidate approaches it in search of light and assumes his obligation there.
Northeast corner: The traditional site of the cornerstone of a building, which served as the reference point from which the rest was laid out. The newly-obligated EA is placed there to symbolize a beginning.
Worshipful Master: The presiding officer of the Lodge. 'Worshipful' is an Old English word meaning worthy of respect. Some jurisdictions and languages use 'venerable' instead.
Tyler: Guards the avenues approaching the Lodge. A Lodge is duly tyled when the Tyler has taken the necessary precautions to guard against intrusion by cowans, eavesdroppers, or other unauthorized persons.
Cowan: A person who wishes to learn the secrets of Masonry without experiencing the rituals or going through the degrees — an imposter. The older operative meaning was a worker in unmortared stone.
Eavesdropper: One who tries to steal the secrets of the Lodge. The word comes from the old practice of standing under the eaves of a building (where rain dripped) to listen secretly to conversations within.
Inner door: The door between the Lodge room and the ante-room. The Junior Deacon tyles its inside; the Tyler keeps watch outside.
Rough Ashlar: A stone in the rough state, taken from the quarry. The symbol of man in his uncultivated, rude state; the work of the Apprentice is to fit himself, by education, for becoming a Perfect Ashlar.
Perfect Ashlar: A stone that has been wrought by the experienced workman and made fit for the builder's use. The symbol of man in his improved state — the standard at which the speculative Mason aims.
Mosaic pavement: The checkered black-and-white floor of the Lodge; representative of human life, checkered with good and evil. It supports the altar at its center.