I don't want to ignore you. I like to read the spin. Barack Obama sound all right on the t.v. but if he is indeed a member I won't vote for him. The
reason is below. And it doesn't sound like I'am far off. I just hopw Barack Obama isn't a member
www.emfj.org...
The candidate represents Hiram Abif in ritual
The candidate is caused to represent a character named Hiram Abif. Even though there is no historical evidence to back up any part of the "drama"
that is about to unfold, it is explained to the candidate, or initiate, that Grand Master Hiram Abif was the Grand Architect at the building of King
Solomon’s Temple. Supposedly, Hiram knows some sort of a secret which, by its mere possession, a person would be allowed to pass himself off as a
Master Mason, or journeyman builder, if you will, thus allowing him to travel and work in foreign countries, and to receive Masters’ wages.
It had been promised to the workmen on the temple that upon its completion, those who were found worthy would receive the secrets, but three of the
Fellow Crafts got a little over anxious and entered into a pact of extorting the secrets which Hiram supposedly held. So, one day Hiram is confronted
by these ruffians, demanding the secrets from him. He refuses their demands, and they kill him.
Death
It is at this point that the candidate, portraying Hiram Abif, experiences part I of the symbolism of baptism - Death.
At midnight, or low-twelve, under the cover of darkness, they remove his body from the temple grounds and take it to the brow of a hill where a grave
had already been dug for the purpose, and bury him.
Burial
It is at this point that the candidate, portraying Hiram Abif, experiences part II of the symbolism of baptism - Burial.
The ruffians attempt to flee the country, but they are discovered by three Fellow Crafts who had been sent out in search of them. They are returned to
the temple and brought before King Solomon, who is portrayed by the Worshipful Master. They confess their guilt, and are summarily executed.
A new search is launched to find the remains of Hiram Abif. These same three Fellow Crafts return to the brow of the hill where they had come across
the ruffians, and there they discover what appears to be a newly made grave. They dig down and find a body. Owing to the high state of decomposition,
the body cannot easily be recognized, but the Fellow Crafts remove the jewel from around its neck and carry it back to King Solomon, who identifies it
as being the jewel of Grand Master Hiram Abif.
King Solomon then leads a procession to the gravesite, presumably for the purpose of removing the body from the grave and returning it to the temple
for more decent interment. Further, he advises the workmen that even though the Master’s Word, which it had been promised they would eventually
receive, has now been lost, he will devise a substitute word that will do just fine until the real word is found again.
In a lecture that the candidate is to hear later on, after the conclusion of the Hiramic Legend, he is told that the body of Hiram was indeed removed
from the temporary grave and returned to the temple, where it was buried in due form. But that is not what transpires at the gravesite.
Rather, King Solomon orders the Senior Grand Warden (Hiram, king of Tyre) to raise the body by the grip of an Entered Apprentice. The Senior Grand
Warden applies that grip to the cadaver, but owing to the high state of decomposition, the skin slips from the flesh, and the body cannot be raised.
King Solomon then orders him to apply the grip of a Fellow Craft. He does so - first, with the Pass Grip of a Fellow Craft, and then with the Real
Grip of a Fellow Craft - and for the same reasons as before, neither of those grips is strong enough. King Solomon asks, "What shall we do?". And
the Senior Grand Warden suggests, "Let us pray.".
The Chaplain then leads all those present in a prayer which concludes with,
"Yet, O Lord, have compassion on the children of Thy creation; administer them comfort in time of trouble, and save them with an everlasting
salvation."
(Nevada ritual, p. 137)
Resurrection
After praying for the salvation of the fallen martyr, King Solomon states how timely the prayer is, and declares that the body will be raised. After
determining a substitute word to replace that which was supposedly lost upon the death of Grand Master Hiram Abif, King Solomon informs the craftsmen
that the substitute word will be the first word uttered after the body is raised. The Worshipful Master, who up to this time has been portraying King
Solomon, then reaches down and grasps the hand of the candidate, who up to this time has supposedly been portraying Hiram Abif, with the real grip of
a Master Mason, or lion’s paw. And by the real grip of a Master Mason, the candidate is raised
"from a dead level to a living perpendicular".
(Officers’ Manual of Lodge Organization and Operation - Nevada, p. 96) (Note: This is not the terminology that is used during the legend, but I
bring this phrase to your attention because you will see it a little later on.)
As the candidate is "raised", he and the Worshipful Master assume the position known as the five points of fellowship; and while in that position,
which is foot to foot, knee to knee, breast to breast, hand to back, and cheek to cheek, or mouth to ear, the Worshipful Master whispers the words,
"Mah-Ha-Bone" into the ear of the candidate, "Mah-Ha-Bone" being what is called the substitute for the Master’s Word.
And it is at this point, know as "raising", that the candidate symbolically experiences the third and final stage of the symbolism of baptism -
Resurrection.
With the exception of explaining to the candidate what the word, "Mah-Ha-Bone" means - "What, the Builder"; and instructing him in the proper use
of the Grand Hailing Sign of Distress, this pretty much concludes the second section of the degree.
You know doubt have noticed by now that there is no re-interment. No body is returned to the temple for the purpose of burying it in due form, because
at this point, there is no body. The purpose of the Hiramic Legend is NOT the re-enactment of some nonsensical fairy tale with a moral attached to it,
much like an Aesop’s Fable. The REAL intended purpose of the entire staged production, this "allegory illustrated by symbols", is just exactly
what is symbolized - the death, burial, and resurrection of the candidate, that symbolism being exactly the same as is done by immersion in the
baptismal font of a Christian church.
The candidate, "representing" Hiram Abif, has not been initiated into a fraternity. Rather, the candidate, representing no one but himself, has been
baptized into "the religious faith of Freemasonry". (Remember that phrase. You will be encountering it again.)
Why do those who profess to be Christians not realize what it is that is happening to them at the time? The explanation is quite simple:
Allegory - "a long and complicated story with an underlying meaning different from the surface meaning of the story itself."
Generally, I would say that if an individual has had no discernment up to this point that he is involved in a religion, after undergoing the first
degree, the second degree, and the first portion of the third degree, the chances are better than not that it isn’t going to happen during the
"raising", or resurrection.
But even if a Christian does realize what it is that is happening, think of his circumstances at the time. Here he is, lying on the floor, surrounded
by all these men. At this point, his blindfold has already been removed, and what is he confronted with? Maybe Mr. Johnson, his boss at work, is
standing there. Maybe his very best friend is looking down at him. Maybe he is looking at his dad, his grand-dad, his uncle, his brother, standing
over him. It would take a tremendous amount of courage on his part to pick himself up off the floor, say to those present, "Hold on, I now realize
what is happening here, and because I am a Christian, I will have no part in it"; and then just walk out of the lodge room, leave the premises, and
never look back - never come back again. Chances are better than not, you will not see or hear of something like that happening.
