The Origin Of The Four Tassels

These are seen in the four corners of the indented border of the lodge carpet. We are told they represent the four cardinal virtues, but this is a late gloss, probably invented towards the close of the 18th century, and there seems no particular reason why they should represent the four cardinal virtues any more than the four elements or any other particular four.

Point Within a Circle

One of the most obscure symbols in Masonic iconography is the “Point within a Circle” appearing in the Tracing Board of the First Degree. The traditional explanation, is that it represents “the point from which a Master Mason cannot err”, bounded by the two straight lines to the north and south representing either the two … Read more