p. 52The Blazing Star

The blazing star is one of the most conspicuous emblems in the lodge. It refers to Sirius or the dog-star. The floods of the Nile in ancient times, like the overflow of the Mississippi in our days, often caused serious damage, carrying off cattle, homes and people. The inundation lasted ten or twelve weeks and often longer. The overflowing left behind a debris which fertilized the land, but at first the people did not know the time of the annual return of the overflow. They observed from one year to another that the overflowing was always preceded by an Ethesian (annual) wind, which, blowing from the north to south, drove the vapors towards the source of the Nile and brought the rainfall which caused the overflow. About this time they saw in the morning one of the most brilliant stars ascending the horizon a little before sunrise. That star became the public mark, on which everyone was to keep a watchful eye, not to miss the instant to retire to higher grounds. As it was seen but a very short time above the horizon towards the dawn of day, which becoming brighter every instant made it disappear, the star seemed to show itself to the Egyptians merely to warn them of the overflowing which soon followed.

They gave this star two names having a natural relation to the helps they borrowed therefrom. It warned them of the danger; whereupon they called it Thaaut or Tayaut, the dog; they called it also the barker the monitor Anubis. The warning given by the dog-star being their most important concern, the Egyptians from its rising, anciently dated their year and the whole series of their feasts. The Masons, too, date their New Year from the rising of the dog-star and count the years from the creation of Adam. To them this star is the symbol of prudence.

The “dog-days” from July to September owe their name to this ancient custom of Egypt.

The Cross

The cross in the lodge room is not the sign of salvation through Christ but a pagan emblem—the Nilometer of ancient Egypt. The annual overflow of the Nile caused the fertility of the soil, and the more extensive the inundation the greater the fertility. The height of the water was measured by a watermark consisting of an upright pole and a cross-bar, arranged in such a way that the cross-bar was raised by the water, but could not move downward. As the overflow of the Nile was considered the Salvation of Egypt, the Nilometer, having the form of a cross or rather the letter T (tau), came to be looked upon with veneration and occult powers were attributed to it. It became an amulet and was the symbol of fecundity for which it stands in the lodge.

The letters J.N.R.J., i. e., Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum, in the lodge ritual do not signify Jesus of Nazareth, King of Jews, but “Igne Natura Renovatur Integra”—“by fire nature is renewed,” or they represent the elements, Earth, Fire, Air and Water.

Square and Compass

The inundation of the Nile naturally obliterated the landmarks, which consisted principally of the holes dug in the earth at certain distances forming the boundary line of each state or division of property. These holes being filled with the alluvial soil brought down from the mountains of Ethiopia, when the waters receded, the whole country presented a level surface, and nothing but the practical assistance of geometry could possibly determine the amount and locality of private possessions. The survey was preceded by a great festival in honor of Osiris and Isis. The Nilometer (cross) was carried in procession, and also the square and compass, the instruments in the survey of the land. As the inundation lasted about three months it gave ample time for the festival.

The square and compass were the Egyptian emblems of justice, because by their use as instruments in the science of geometry everyone had “his old land-mark” restored to him.

The compass represents also the male generative principle, the square, the female productive principle.