Masonic Fire
Origins and Meaning
Hospitaliers Lodge
September 2009
What is Masonic Fire
• Many of us were introduced to Masonic
Fire on their Initiation Night
• During the Festive Board that normally
follows most regular meetings, Toasts are
drunk and these are followed by a
choreographed routine of finger pointing
and hand clapping
• But what does it really mean?
Meanings
• There are very few references to Masonic
Fire in the literature
• One particular scholar, Bro. Yoshio
Washizu , may have written what can be
termed a seminal text on the subject
• Masonic Fire is not part of the regular
ritual, but as we will see further on, it is an
attempt by Freemasons to regularise a
popular occurrence
Parallels
• Bro. Washizu describes Masonic Fire as
“an old custom which may be derived from
that of firing after toasts”
• Although he dates the custom of letting off
shots during or after toasts to the mid
fifteenth century, we may be forgiven for
noting that the Chinese were letting off
celebratory firecrackers invented by the
priest Li Tian over 1000 years ago
Celebrations and Fire
• Since then, many societies and cultures
have included ‘Fire’ in their celebrations
• 21 gun salutes
• Feu de joie
• Middle Eastern use of small arms fire
• Fireworks during celebrations
Masonic Interpretation
• There is no real Masonic interpretation
• Used in Freemasonry since early sixteenth
century with the first recorded description in
France on 1730 and in England in 1760
• These writings clearly associate Masonic Fire
with the actions of loading and firing a weapon
with powder
• There is evidence that at some time certain
movements were used further strengthening this
association
New Brother’s Health
• Each has his Bottle before him; when they want to drink,
they say, give the Powder, everyone rises, the Grand
Master says, ‘charge’
• The Powder, which is the Wine, is poured into the glass;
• The Grand Master says, ‘lay your hands to your firelocks’
[armes], and they drink to the health of the Brother
• They carried the glass to the mouth in three movements;
after which and before replacing the glass on the Table,
it is carried to the left breast, then to the right and then
forwards, all in three movements and in three other
movements it is set down perpendicularly on the Table
• They than clap their hands three times and each of them
cries three times Vivat
Reception d'un Frey-Maçon (1737)
Toasting in the 15th Century
• Then the Master takes up his Glass, and gives a Toast to
the King and the Craft, with Three Times Three in the
Prentice’s; and they all say Ditto, and drink all together,
minding the Master’s Motion:
• They do the same with the empty Glass that he doth;
that is,
• He draws it across his Throat Three Times ..., and then
makes Three Offers to put it down;
• At the third, they all set their Glasses down together,
which they call ‘firing’:
• Then they hold the Left-hand Breast-high, and clap Nine
Times with the Right, their Foot going at the same Time
• When this is done, they all sit down
Jackson, A. C. F.: English Exposures (1986), p. 61.
Implements
• Actual firearms or similar weapons do not
appear to have ever been used during Masonic
Fire!
• The implements most commonly mentioned are
wine and beer glasses, special Masonic Firing
Glasses, small gavels and of course the hands
as used in clapping
• Firing Glasses had unusually robust bottoms to
withstand the shock of being slammed down on
the table producing the desired sound
emphasising that the ‘guns’ had not misfired
Differences
• After a non Masonic toast, applause is
sometimes polite and even expected
• Such applause is often irregular with all
free to start and stop whenever, employing
gusto or none
• Of course this would be considered most
unseemly in a Masonic context, wherein
regularity and harmony are prized
Inferences
• 3 times 3
– because there were antiently but Three Words, Three
Signs and Three Gripes; but there have been Three
added, viz. The Grand Sign of a Master, the PassGripe of a Fellow-Craft, and Pass-Word, which is
Twelve in all for you to remember.
– The Word, Sign and Gripe of an entered Apprentice is
Three: The Word, Sign, Gripe, Pass-Gripe and PassWord of a Fellow-Craft is Five; And the Master hath
Four, viz. The Sign, the Grand Sign, the Gripe and
Word, which is Twelve
Changes
• With the use of proper ‘firing glasses’ much less
common, hand clapping is now employed
• The most popular variation is the PLR followed
by the 3 x 3 hand clapping
• A typical ‘fire’ procedure being PLR, PLR, PLR,
one (point to the left), two (point to the right), one
clap, short pause and three short claps followed
by another set of three short claps.
• Running fire is employed by some Lodges
Allegory
• Freemasons have sought to imbue this custom
with meanings other than a simple
choreographed toast:
• The Sign of the Cross made by a clergyman in
benediction over food or drink
• The ‘Hammer of Thor’ sign used in Scandinavia
in olden times to appease the great God
• The motions made by a bricklayer when lifting
cement with his trowel
• A royal salute of 21 guns
Silent Fire
• Controversial
• Given without clapping and usually on the
cuff
• Possibly devised as a counter to
eavesdroppers when meetings were held
in public places
• Conveys sorrow when coupled with the
toast for Absent Brethren
• Often referred to as the ‘Tylers Toast’
Non Brethren
• In 1986 the Board of General Purposes (UGLE)
made the following recommendation about the
presence of non-masons at ‘after proceedings’
and it was adopted formally by the Grand Lodge:
• “whilst it is desirable to exclude all non-masons
from the dining room before the commencement
of the toast list, it is not strictly necessary but
‘fire’ should not be given in their presence”
Conclusion
• The lack of literature on the subject is
telling! This does not however reduce the
significance of the practice and has indeed
elicited a ruling by the UGLE as recently
as 1986. The origins of Masonic Fire
remain unclear with several theories vying
for the honor. One aspect is however
clear, the practice permits all the brethren
to participate.
May Masonic Fire be forever
in your hearts and hands
Thank you
Acknowledgements
Bro. Yoshio Washizu ARS QUATUOR CORONATORUM