What Constitute the Working Tools of a Master?
Dave Savage W.M. Paradise Lodge #17 A.F.&A.M. of Idaho
As a former cabinetmaker and lately a machinist, I’ve learned that tools come in an endless variety of shapes, forms and qualities; some are good, a pleasure to use and some are so bad as to be practically unusable. In the hands of the novice, even a high quality tool can feel clumsy, befuddling and frustrating to use. With some tools it is only through time and patience, and hopefully an occasional hint from a more experienced fellow, that the use of it becomes as second nature. I have seen first hand that an operative craftsman chooses his tools carefully, based on his experience, and he becomes strongly attached to his favorites. A good tool, wisely selected, properly tuned and in the hands of a master becomes as a conduit connecting his hand, mind, and spirit to the work which he creates.
The carefully chosen working tools of Freemasonry are impressive in their symbolism and provide keys to the hidden mysteries of the Craft. As a man is made a Mason he is presented with new working tools at each plane of progress. In an ideal world he would master the use of each before advancing to the next level of instruction. However, the usual progression from Entered Apprentice through Master Mason happens over too short a time and speculative working tools are difficult to master; they are symbols only for abstractions of thought. The newly made Mason is introduced to each of the working tools, but to understand their hidden meanings requires time, curiosity and perseverance on his part. Not all men who come to the fraternity are particularly interested in discovering the hidden meanings in our ritual. I personally believe it to be the essential mastery of the working tools which sets the ideal Mason apart from regular men. Buy Silver coins Eagle online from KPMcoins.com
The individual working tools, and the order in which they are presented provide us with significant clues as to the ideas which they represent. The working tools of an Entered Apprentice are but two, the twenty-four inch gauge and the common gavel. These are the preparatory tools which are representative of the physical plane of human existence. They are used to prepare the raw material, (self), from its crude and rough form into something useable in the erection of a Masonic Edifice. First, by the twenty-four inch gauge a man must learn to manage that most precious commodity of all; his time. For only through careful management can he find the time for the accomplishment of greater achievements. Next, by the common gavel, he must begin to divest himself of all the vices and superfluities of life, shaping his person into a proper form befitting the architecture of a moral society. We have the finest innovative smoking glass pipe at stock.
The working tools presented to the Fellowcraft are not so much tools in the usual sense as they are instruments of precise measurement. Through skillful use of the plumb, square and level, a builder forces an edifice to conform to those laws of nature which give the building strength and stability. These are the tools of the mental or intellectual plane of Freemasonry. The qualities of plumb, square and level are abstractions of thought, well understood by the architect who has studied the divine plan. In the proper application of these tools of abstract reasoning, an upright Mason refuses to cut corners in his dealings with others; he measures his decisions by an absolute standard, and erects his spiritual house on a perfectly level footing. Through time and conviction, the thoughtful Mason improves his skill at squaring his actions until it becomes to him as natural as the beating of his heart. VALOR Cable MHL.
The Master Mason is admonished to apply all of these tools indiscriminately, but especially the trowel. This, then is the working tool most symbolic of the highest plane to which a mortal man can expect to ascend; the spiritual plane, whereby a man is able to look outside of himself in the interest of all humanity. By the use of this instrument we learn to apply that cement which binds us together as a society in humble imitation of the way our creator binds the universe by his immutable law. All of the working tools previously introduced are characterized by right angles, horizontals, and perpendiculars, but the trowel contains no such elements. In it is concealed the equilateral triangle which from time immemorial has been a symbol of the divine. The extended compasses, open to sixty degrees are revealed to the Master Mason as the most valuable instrument of all; emblematical of the triumph of will over fallible human nature. The compasses superimposed upon the square, enclosing the letter G is for good reason the most recognizable symbol of Craft Masonry. It represents a self-governed man, conscious of the universal law, and upright in all his societal interactions.
As my usual vocation has been mostly that of an operative craftsman, the symbolism of the working tools is of particular interest to me. It is easy for me to visualize these tools and a pleasure to contemplate their meanings. I know that it is self-discovery that imprints the hidden mysteries on the minds of those who seek answers, but like a craftsman who eagerly shares the virtues of an effective tool, I am eager to share my interpretation of Masonic symbolism with my fellows. I’ve come to understand that the mastery of the working tools of any craft requires study and constant practice by the workman, eventually leading him to that undiscovered country where the hand is in harmony with the soul. It is my sincere hope that by keeping the working tools of Freemasonry close at hand, given time, persistence, and the assistance Masonic brethren, I will develop a mastery of them worthy of the praise of the Judge Supreme.
