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  • Oct. 19, 1867
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Oct. 19, 1867: Page 1

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    Article EARS OF WHEAT FROM A CORNUCOPIA. Page 1 of 2 →
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Ears Of Wheat From A Cornucopia.

EARS OF WHEAT FROM A CORNUCOPIA .

LONDON , SATURDAY , OCTOBEK 19 , 1867 .

By Bro . D . HURRAY LYOJT , A . M ., Masonic University of Kentucky , U . S . ; Corresponding Member of the Union of German Freemasons , Leipsic ; one of the Grand Stewards in the Grand Lodge of Scotland ; author of the " History of Mother Kilwinning , " &~ o .

MASONIC SEALS . Prom an impression thai ; fac-siniiles of the seals of our Scottish , lodges Avould form an interesting contribution to , and embellishment of , the pages of the MAGAZINE , we purpose , as opportunity

offers , to dedicate a " Wheat Ear " to the illustration of the subject in hand—a feature which , it may be mentioned , we had a few years ago the privilege of imparting to a now defunct Masonic contemporaiy , and in the further development of

which we beg the fraternal aid of those who are in possession of material worthy of our acceptance . In design , our seals would doubtless be found to be as vaiied as the colour of our clothing , or the emblazonment of our banners , and in the aggregate

would indicate how little attention has hitherto been given to the heraldry of St . John ' s Masonry . The seals and banners of Craft lodges should be purged of all emblems appertaining to other than the Craft degrees ; and as abuses cannot be

remedied until their existence is demonstrated , a view of our lodge seals is most desirable . In a recent communication our indefatigable and greatly respected fellow-worker in the Masonic vineyard , Bro . Hughan , of Truro , reproduced an impression

of the seal of the Operative Lodge of Banff—a companion to which , we beg to present in a facsimile of the Lodge of Aberdeen ( No . 34 ) .

The present seal of the Aberdeen Lodge was made in 1762 , as appeal's by the minutes of a meeting of the lodge held the 27 th February of that year ; and although there is no allusion in these minutes to a former seal , it is probable that one had previously been in use . An act of

incorporation , or " Seal of Cause / ' as it is termed , was granted by Gilbert Menzies of Pitfoddels , then Provost , and the Magistrates and Council of Aberdeen , as a fitting tribute of gratitude to the Craft and their Oversman or Deacon , George

Baxter , for having successfully finished the Bridge of Dee , a work of considerable magnitude and beauty , and of great public utility . This Seal of Cause is dated 5 th August , 1527 , and was granted to the Masons in conjunction with the Wri ghts

and Coopers . The same bodies we find were associated in the preceding century in the foundation and maintenance , within St . Nicholas Parish : Church in Aberdeen , of a chantry and altar dedicated to St . John the Baptist and St . John

the Evangelist , the Masons' patron saints . The Wrights and Coopers , as one corporation , had , and continue to have , a coat of arms charged with emblems appropriate to both trades ; and there is reason to believe that the Masonic body had

likewise its proper shield and common seal , although not now to be found . And as a proof of the little care sometimes taken of such things , it may

be mentioned that the seal of one of our lodges was lately found amongst a parcel of old keys and bits of iron exposed for sale on a stall in the market-place : we have known also of lodge records and other Masonic property being held

in pawn by publicans , for drink supplied to the unworthy custodiers of paraphernalia belonging to dormant lodges ! The first quarter of the seal of the Lodge Aberdeen , it will be observed ,, is charged with a section of the arms common to

the Mason Craft , placed as on that of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , which arrangement differs slightly from that on the seal of Mother Kilwinning . The hieroglyphics borne on the second and fourth

quarters symbolise the two grand elements of the mystic science ; those on the third aro familiar to every operative builder . The exhibition of six rounds in the ladder is not quite in harmony with our modern ritual ; although traditionary lore

makes it appear that our ancient brethren saw in the six rounds an emblem of the six periods of the Creation , and was thereby stimulated to pursue with industry their daily toil , that they might the better appreciate the Sabbath rest . The motto

encircling the general field of the seal , and which as a monitor of our obligations to secrecy is peculiarly appropriate to Ereemasonry , is taken ( slightly altered ) from Horace : — " Conceal what is entrusted to you , though tortured both by wine

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1867-10-19, Page 1” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 4 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_19101867/page/1/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
EARS OF WHEAT FROM A CORNUCOPIA. Article 1
THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS. Article 3
ADDRESS. Article 6
THIRD DECADE OF MASONIC PRECEPTS. Article 7
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 7
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 9
MASONIC MUSIC FOR (A.T.T.B.) Article 11
MASONIC MEMS. Article 12
METROPOLITAN. Article 12
PROVINCIAL. Article 12
SCOTLAND. Article 16
IRELAND. Article 16
Untitled Article 17
ROYAL ARCH. Article 19
ROSE CROIX. Article 20
LODGE MEETINGS, ETC., FOR THE WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 26TH, 1867. Article 20
THE WEEK. Article 20
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Ears Of Wheat From A Cornucopia.

EARS OF WHEAT FROM A CORNUCOPIA .

LONDON , SATURDAY , OCTOBEK 19 , 1867 .

By Bro . D . HURRAY LYOJT , A . M ., Masonic University of Kentucky , U . S . ; Corresponding Member of the Union of German Freemasons , Leipsic ; one of the Grand Stewards in the Grand Lodge of Scotland ; author of the " History of Mother Kilwinning , " &~ o .

MASONIC SEALS . Prom an impression thai ; fac-siniiles of the seals of our Scottish , lodges Avould form an interesting contribution to , and embellishment of , the pages of the MAGAZINE , we purpose , as opportunity

offers , to dedicate a " Wheat Ear " to the illustration of the subject in hand—a feature which , it may be mentioned , we had a few years ago the privilege of imparting to a now defunct Masonic contemporaiy , and in the further development of

which we beg the fraternal aid of those who are in possession of material worthy of our acceptance . In design , our seals would doubtless be found to be as vaiied as the colour of our clothing , or the emblazonment of our banners , and in the aggregate

would indicate how little attention has hitherto been given to the heraldry of St . John ' s Masonry . The seals and banners of Craft lodges should be purged of all emblems appertaining to other than the Craft degrees ; and as abuses cannot be

remedied until their existence is demonstrated , a view of our lodge seals is most desirable . In a recent communication our indefatigable and greatly respected fellow-worker in the Masonic vineyard , Bro . Hughan , of Truro , reproduced an impression

of the seal of the Operative Lodge of Banff—a companion to which , we beg to present in a facsimile of the Lodge of Aberdeen ( No . 34 ) .

The present seal of the Aberdeen Lodge was made in 1762 , as appeal's by the minutes of a meeting of the lodge held the 27 th February of that year ; and although there is no allusion in these minutes to a former seal , it is probable that one had previously been in use . An act of

incorporation , or " Seal of Cause / ' as it is termed , was granted by Gilbert Menzies of Pitfoddels , then Provost , and the Magistrates and Council of Aberdeen , as a fitting tribute of gratitude to the Craft and their Oversman or Deacon , George

Baxter , for having successfully finished the Bridge of Dee , a work of considerable magnitude and beauty , and of great public utility . This Seal of Cause is dated 5 th August , 1527 , and was granted to the Masons in conjunction with the Wri ghts

and Coopers . The same bodies we find were associated in the preceding century in the foundation and maintenance , within St . Nicholas Parish : Church in Aberdeen , of a chantry and altar dedicated to St . John the Baptist and St . John

the Evangelist , the Masons' patron saints . The Wrights and Coopers , as one corporation , had , and continue to have , a coat of arms charged with emblems appropriate to both trades ; and there is reason to believe that the Masonic body had

likewise its proper shield and common seal , although not now to be found . And as a proof of the little care sometimes taken of such things , it may

be mentioned that the seal of one of our lodges was lately found amongst a parcel of old keys and bits of iron exposed for sale on a stall in the market-place : we have known also of lodge records and other Masonic property being held

in pawn by publicans , for drink supplied to the unworthy custodiers of paraphernalia belonging to dormant lodges ! The first quarter of the seal of the Lodge Aberdeen , it will be observed ,, is charged with a section of the arms common to

the Mason Craft , placed as on that of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , which arrangement differs slightly from that on the seal of Mother Kilwinning . The hieroglyphics borne on the second and fourth

quarters symbolise the two grand elements of the mystic science ; those on the third aro familiar to every operative builder . The exhibition of six rounds in the ladder is not quite in harmony with our modern ritual ; although traditionary lore

makes it appear that our ancient brethren saw in the six rounds an emblem of the six periods of the Creation , and was thereby stimulated to pursue with industry their daily toil , that they might the better appreciate the Sabbath rest . The motto

encircling the general field of the seal , and which as a monitor of our obligations to secrecy is peculiarly appropriate to Ereemasonry , is taken ( slightly altered ) from Horace : — " Conceal what is entrusted to you , though tortured both by wine

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