An Explanation of the
First Degree Tracing
Board
Presented by
RW Brother Roy Martin
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An explanation of the First Degree Tracing Board.
The Tracing Board has not always been part of Lodge paraphernalia. In the early days the
Tracing Board was the Lodge. Meetings were usually held in private rooms above pubs or
taverns. Some of the more famous being the Goose and Gridiron and the Rummer and
Grapes in London.
The Tyler would mark out the floor with chalk or charcoal and because not all Tylers
were good artists, templates were provided to ensure the accuracy of the designs. Some of
these still exist in various Masonic museums. When the meeting was over, an entered
apprentice or junior member of the Lodge would get a bucket and mop and wash off the
designs. The system worked well for a while but a number of problems began to emerge.
On occasions when the brother who was cleaning the floor became to enthusiastic, he
would splash too much water on the floor which would drip through the ceiling and onto
the drinkers in the tavern below, much to their annoyance. More seriously though, the
markings on the floor were becoming difficult to remove so that they were etched into the
floor and the designs were discernible to strangers.
Something had to be done and so it was that the first floor cloths were introduced. These
were quite large pieces of cloth on which the designs were painted. They were stretched
over the floor of the Lodge. Some of them were quite large with the result that the
brethren had on occasions to walk over them. They soon fell into disrepair. So it was
decided to place the floor cloths onto trestles.. They became known as trestle cloths. The
earliest reference to a trestle cloth is in the minutes of the Kings Arms lodge no 28 in
1735 and a little later the Kilwinning Lodge No38 where the dimension of the cloth is
given as 18‟6” by 5‟6”.
It is quite likely that the practice of squaring the Lodge derived from this time as officers
would have had to walk around the floor cloth to do their duties.
Few trestle cloths have survived. The reason being that with the constant folding and
rolling up of the cloths, they soon deteriorated and the cost of replacement became
prohibitive. So, the designs were painted onto boards instead. The trestle board came into
general use and is what we call today the Tracing board.
The position of the Tracing Board in the Lodge varies from Lodge to lodge. Most Lodges
using Emulation workings place the Boards in front of the Junior Warden, West Country
and Bristol workings place them in the centre of the lodge floor while Complete
Workings and Taylors place them to the left of the Master alongside the Chaplain. The
main criteria is that the boards can be seen clearly.
When a Brother arrives late for a meeting and the Director of Ceremonies omits to inform
him as to the degree being worked, a quick glance at the Tracing Board and he will know
immediately. Equally in the most rare event of a brother dropping off to sleep or more
charitably, closing his eyes while he contemplates some deep masonic thoughts, on
awakening, he can glance quickly at the Tracing Board and know what work is being
done!
A Lodge in America actually uses a projector to display an image of the Tracing Board on
a large screen behind the Junior Warden‟s pedestal.
A very modern usage, I think you will agree. However…..
The usages and customs of Freemasonry have ever borne a near affinity to those of the
ancient Egyptians. Their philosophers, unwilling to expose their mysteries to vulgar eyes,
couched their systems of learning and polity under signs and hieroglyphical figures
which were communicated to their chief priests or Magi alone, who were bound by
solemn oath to conceal them.
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The system of Pythagoras was based on similar principle as were many others of more
recent date.
Let me repeat that sentence „the system of Pythagoras was based on similar principle‟
What was it then that Pythagorus felt he could not reveal? What did he have to hide?
Every schoolboy in the World knows his theorem „ in a right angled triangle, the square of
the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the square of the other two sides‟ So what was it
that he was hiding? The answer is at the very core of Freemasonry. It may seem a little
obvious to us nowadays but in the times of Pythagorus, around 750BC it was a matter of
great controversy.
Pythagoras had studied the work of the Egyptian mathematicians. He had learnt much
from them. He knew the importance of the circle in all geometric calculations. He knew
that from the circle he could produce any shape he wanted. With three overlapping circles
he could produce the perfect square. From that the triangle and so on. He knew the circle
was the easiest shape to draw. Stick a stake in the ground attach a piece of string and then
make a mark on the ground at the limit of the string and you will have a circle. He also
knew from the writings of Erostothanes that the earth was a sphere and that the earth
circled the sun in a predictable path which was circle and that that circle was completed in
a predictable time cycle. This was known as the heliocentric theory. Unfortunately for
Pythagorus, the established church had other ideas. They said that because God created
the Earth first and then the heavens, the Earth must be the centre of the Universe not the
sun! Anyone who opposed this theory was accused of heresy and could be sentenced to
death. So Pythagorus had to keep quiet. The same was the case for others who followed
him. People like Copernicus, the Catholic Bishop. Even Galileo was placed under house
arrest for his beliefs. Even when he publicly denounced them he was detained and in fact
died while under house arrest. And this was as late as 1642AD.!
So what does this have to do with Freemasonry? Consider this. The priests and rulers of
ancient Egypt are known to have passed on secret knowledge to selected people. These
secrets came down through the royal line and the priesthood. Moses was an Egyptian
Prince by adoption so he would have been privy to those secrets. He in turn would have
made them known to selected people. These secrets would have found their way down to
the most expert of workmen as they were formulae and knowledge of geometry and
mathematics. We know that these secrets were a very advanced knowledge of the cosmos.
The way the earth and the other planets circled the sun. The way they all followed their
own orbits. The way the seasons were the result of that journey around the sun. They
knew how long it took the earth to make that journey. They knew the Earth spun on its
axis in its orbit around the sun. They could predict day and night, winter and summer,
spring and autumn. This information was invaluable in determining the position and size
and shape of buildings and in knowing when to sow crops and when to reap. The first
appearance of the two great sciences of mankind – architecture and agriculture. Shelter
and sustenance.
But the church and authorities banned such knowledge as being heresy. So what if the
secrets of our early masons was none other than the knowledge of the cosmos and all that
that revealed but which they could not reveal for fear of death. And what if they professed
the geocentric theories of the church which they used as the substituted secrets until time
or circumstances revealed the genuine? Something to think about!
Masonry, however, is not only the most ancient but the most honourable society that ever
existed for there is not a character or emblem here depicted, but serves to inculcate the
principles of piety and virtue among all its genuine professors.
Let me first draw your attention to the form of the Lodge which is a regular
parallelapippadon , in length from E .to W. in breadth from N. to S. in depth from the
surface of the earth to its centre and even as high as heavens.
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A parallelapippadon is a trapezoidal shape. The best description I have heard is this. If
you take a pyramid, cut off the top and then take a slice anywhere you like further down,
the shape you will remove will be a parallelapippadon.
The reason that a Freemason’s Lodge is represented of that vast extent is to show the
universality of the science, that a Mason’s charity knows no bounds save that of
prudence.
Our lodge stands on Holy ground because the first Lodge was consecrated on account of
three grand offerings thereon made which met with divine approbation.
First, the ready compliance of Abraham with the will of God by not refusing to offer up
his only son Isaac as a burnt sacrifice when it pleased the Almighty to substitute a more
agreeable victim in his stead.
Abraham had made a promise to his God, that as a demonstration of his dedication to one
God – monotheism – he would sacrifice his only son, Isaac. As he approached the Kidron
valley, he climbed Mount Moriah until he came upon an area of flat rock about fifteen
metres square and here he built the funeral pyre. He tied Isaac‟s hands and feet and laid
him on the sacrificial altar. He raised his blade above his head and was about to plunge
into his son‟s heart when God stayed his hand and substituted a ram that was caught in a
thicket nearby.
With the time that has elapsed between the telling of this story and it being written down,
it is for you decide if you believe it to be true or not. It does not really matter because it is
the principle of the story that is important. It teaches us that God is a compassionate God
and it is this principle of forgiveness that has formed the basis of the three great religions
of the world, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Second, the many pious prayers and ejaculations of King David, which actually appeased
the wrath of God and stayed a pestilence which then raged among his people owing to
him inadvertently having had them numbered.
This second reason is rather strange. David had „inadvertently had them numbered‟. How
can you inadvertently order a census?
For some reason David had asked Joab to count all the people in his Kingdom. The
general did a fine job. Not only did he count the people but he analysed them by sex, by
age, by ability to bear arms and by location.
The seer Gad then came to David and told him that God was angry with him because he
had held the census. In fact he was not just angry he was furious. So much so that he had
lined up a number of punishments for him from which David had to choose one.
He could choose either three years of famine, three months of flight with his enemies at
his heels or three days of pestilence. David said he was truly sorry that he had unwittingly
offended God and was prepared to pay any penalty that God may choose. He chose
pestilence and many died.
When the angel stood on that piece of rock that was used by Abraham for his sacrifice,
ready to attack Jerusalem, God, being aware of David‟s sincere repentance stayed the
hand of the angel and ordered David to build an altar there. David went to its owner, the
deposed King Aruanah and offered to buy it. Aruanah said “take it for nothing” but David
insisted on paying for it. “How can I give my God a sacrifice that has cost me nothing”.
When God saw that David was genuine in his repentance he forgave him and told him to
build an altar on the spot. And it was here of course that the temple built.
Now quite what all that means I really do not know but it is a fascinating subject for
research.
Thirdly, the many thanksgivings, oblations, burnt sacrifices and costly offerings of
Solomon King of Israel , made at the completion, consecration and dedication of the
Temple at Jerusalem to God’s service.
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The consecration of the Temple was a remarkable day in the history of Jerusalem. The
Temple was complete and the only work left to do was to bring the Arc of the Covenant
from its resting place into the Sanctum Sanctorum.
King Solomon loved a party. There was no way he was going to let this day pass without
an elaborate celebration. He spent seven months planning it and he invited all the leaders
of the tribes of Israel and their peoples to the feast. Solomon led the procession and the air
was heavy with incense and the smell of thousands of burnt sacrifices. The Temple of
Jerusalem, the most magnificent and beautiful structure ever built was finally dedicated to
the Lord God of Israel.
These three did then, have since and I trust ever will, render the groundwork of
Freemasonry, Holy.
Our Lodge is situated due E and W, because all places of Divine worship as well as
Mason’s regular, well formed and constituted Lodges are, or ought to be so situated..
For which we assign three Masonic reasons.
First, the sun, the Glory of the Lord, rises in the E. and sets in the West.
Second, all learning originated in the E and thence spread its benign influence to the
west.
The third, last and grand reason is too long to go into here but it is explained in our
lectures which I trust you will have many opportunities of hearing.
Let us just look for a moment at what we mean when we talk of the East and the West.
For us East is where? Jerusalem? Babylon? For a citizen of Jerusalem, East is where?
Delhi, Bombay? East to an Indian is Bangkok? Singapore? And so on until you come
back to Malta. So East is really an illusion. When we talk of the sun rising in the East we
are not referring to a physical location. The sun does not rise anywhere! Nor does it set. It
apparently rises because of the rotation of the Earth.
So if we are not talking about the physical rising of the sun what are we talking about?
The Initiate enters the Lodge in the dark as if it was night and without any knowledge of
what lays before him. He is then introduced to light, as at the dawn of day. He is shown a
path. A path to knowledge, to understanding, to realisation. That s what we mean by the
rising of the sun. As the sun rises in East to open the day so we are placed in the East to
open our minds and receive the ancient wisdom. And as the day progresses so we
progress and advance our daily knowledge until by the third degree we are ready, as in
life, for our inevitable destiny.
Our Lodge is supported by three great pillars. They are called Wisdom, Strength and
Beauty: Wisdom to contrive, Strength to support and Beauty to adorn. Wisdom to conduct
us in all our undertakings, Strength to support us in all our difficulties and Beauty to
adorn the inner man.
Th Universe is the Temple of the Deity we serve. Wisdom, Strength and Beauty are about
His throne as pillars of His work, for his Wisdom is infinite, his Strength is omnipotent
and Beauty shines through the whole of creation in symmetry and order.
The Heavens he has drawn forth as canopy, the earth he has planted as his footstool.
He crowns his Temple with stars as with a diadem and His hands extend their power and
glory.
The Sun and Moon are messengers of His will and all His law is concord.
The three great pillars supporting a Masons Lodge are emblematical of these Divine
attributes.
They further represent Solomon, King of Israel. Hiram King of Tyre and Hiram Abiff.
Solomon, King of Israel for his wisdom in building, completing and dedicating the Temple
at Jerusalem to God’s service.
To Hiram, King of Tyre for his strength in supporting him with men and materials and to
Hiram Abiff for his curious and masterly workmanship in beautifying the same.
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Although it was Solomon who built the temple , it was his father who designed it. But
David was considered too warlike to be involved in its construction There was too much
blood on his hands. Even so it was four years into Solomon‟s reign before the work
started. You see, Solomon had a problem. His people were either soldiers or farmers. He
had no one with the skills required to build such a magnificent structure. But he recalled
that King David had a very good friend in Hiram King of Tyre. Hiram was a Phoenician.
The Phoenicians were sea faring people well skilled in boat building and had many expert
carpenters, metal workers and masons. Solomon went to King Hiram and asked him to
supply him with a workforce capable of building such an advanced structure. He also
asked for supplies of Lebanese cedar.
The Lebanese cedar grows to great height and is a straight grained wood, easily worked
and valuable to builders. In return he would provide corn, oil and wine all products
essential to a seafaring people. The wood was floated from Tyre down to Joppa and then
transported overland to Mount Moriah. Joppa later became known as Jaffa and we know it
today as Tel Aviv. Hiram also sent a man to oversee the whole project. He was the son of
a widow woman from the tribe of Nephtali, whose father had been a worker in brass. We
know him as Hiram Abiff.
As we have no noble orders in architecture known by the names of Wisdom Strength and
Beauty we refer them to the three most celebrated,. The Doric, the Ionian and the
Corinthian.
The Doric column is the oldest known pillar in architecture. The Ionic and Corinthian are
slighter columns and much more ornate. You can see all three columns in the Coliseum in
Rome. The first level are all Doric, the middle layer are all Ionic and the top layer are all
Corinthian. I will return to the pillars later.
The covering of a Masonic Lodge is a celestial canopy of divers colours, even as the
heavens. The way by which we as Masons hope to arrive at it, is with the assistance of a
ladder , in scriptures called Jacob’s ladder. It is composed of many staves and rounds,
which points out as many moral virtues, but there are three principle ones. Faith, Hope
and Charity. Faith in the Great Architect of the Universe, Hope in our salvation and to be
in Charity with all men.
Not all Tracing Boards have a ladder. Some have a staircase. The number of steps also
varies. Some have a dozen, some twenty or more and there is even one in Ireland that has
over a hundred. But in every case there are at least three.
It reaches to the heavens and rests on the Volume of the Sacred Law because by the
doctrines contained in that Holy Book we are taught to believe in the dispensations of
Divine Providence, which belief strengthens our faith and enables us to take that first
step. Faith is represented on our Tracing Board by the cross of Christianity, the universal
symbol of Faith.
This faith naturally creates in us a hope of becoming partakers in the blessed promises
therein recorded, which hope enables us to ascend the second step.
Hope is represented in our Tracing Board by the Anchor which keeps us safe through the
storms and trials of the rough seas of life.
But the third and last being Charity, comprehends the whole and the Mason who is
possessed of this virtue in its most ample sense, may justly be deemed to have attained the
summit of his profession: figuratively speaking an ethereal mansion, veiled from human
eyes by a starry firmament, emblematically depicted here by seven stars, which is an
illusion to as many regularly made masons without which number no Lodge is perfect,
neither can any candidate be legally initiated into the Order.
Charity is represented in our Tracing Board by the cup. It has no handles which implies
that it can be used to drink from any side. It also means that it can be filled from any side.
For Charity like its sister mercy blesses him who gives as well as him who receives.
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The interior of a Freemasons Lodge is composed of Ornaments, Furniture and Jewels
The ornaments of the Lodge are the Mosaic Pavement, the Blazing Star and the indented
or tassellated border.
The Mosaic pavement is the beautiful flooring of a Freemason’s Lodge. The blazing Star
is the Glory in the centre and the indented or tasselllated border , the skirtwork around
the same.
The Mosaic pavement may justly be deemed to be the beautiful flooring of the Lodge by
reason of its being variegated and chequered. This points out the diversity of objects
which decorate and adorn the creation, the animate as well as the inanimate parts
thereof.
Let us just contemplate for a moment the beautiful flooring of our Lodge. If I asked you
what is the first image that comes to mind when someone mentions your Mother Lodge, I
would bet that it is the flooring of the Lodge. The stark, dramatic black and white squares.
There is no compromise. Total honesty. No grey areas. The squares represent the good
times and bad, happy times and sad, good health and bad, rich and poor.
When the stresses of modern life become too much and the pressure gets you down, call
to mind the beautiful flooring of your Mother Lodge. Contemplate its simplicity, its
reliability, its honesty. It is your sanctuary, your safe haven. It wants nothing from you.
Everyone here is your friend. You will never be alone. Take comfort in that thought and
courage to continue. We should consider ourselves fortunate and privileged to belong to
such a remarkable organisation.
The blazing star, or the Glory in the centre refers us to the Sun, which enlightens the
earth and by its benign influence dispenses blessings to mankind in general.
The glory is shown by the letter G that hangs in our lodges. As with the Tracing Board, its
position varies. In most it hangs in the centre for all to see. It is argued however that it is
seen by those seated in the West of the Lodge the correct way round and by those in the
East the wrong way round which is disrespectful. A more popular position is above and
behind the master where all can see it the right way round. Albeit the master and Grand
Lodge officers will have their backs to it but this is of no concern because they will,
through their experience, have noted its presence when they entered the lodge.
The letter is said to refer to God the Grand Geometrician of the universe. However, some
would dispute this. After all „God” may well be spelt with a „G‟ in English and even
German – namely „Gott‟, but in Spanish it is „Deus‟, in French it is „Dieu‟, in Greek it is
„Theos‟. Perhaps it is the letters G, O and D that we should look at. In Hebrew G is
Gomer which is wisdom, O is OZ which is strength and D is dabar which is beauty.
The indented or tassellated border refers us to the planets which in their various
revolutions form a beautiful border or skirtwork round that grand luminary the Sun, as
the other does around a Freemason’s lodge
The furniture of the Lodge are the V. of the S.L, the Compass and the square.
The Sacred Writings are to rule and govern our faith. On them we obligate our
candidates to Freemasonry.
Where a Lodge includes brethren of different religions, the V of the S.L. will be different.
So if a Lodge has both Christians and say Moslems then the altar will support both the
Holy Bible and the Koran. A candidate will take his obligation on his own Holy Book and
no attempt is ever made to force a brother to take an oath on the sacred writings of a
different religion, indeed if that were to happen his membership would be void.
So are the Compass and the square when united to regulate our lives and actions.
The sacred volume is derived from God to man in general, the Compasses belong to the
Grand Master and the Square to the whole Craft.
The Jewels of the Lodge are three moveable and three immovable.
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The moveable Jewels are the square, the level and the plumb rule. Among operative
Masons the square is to try and adjust rectangular corners of buildings and assist in
bringing rude matter into due form. The level is lay levels and prove horizontals and the
plumb rule is to try and adjust uprights while fixing them on their proper bases.
Among Free and Accepted Masons, the square teaches morality, the level equality and the
plumb rule justness and uprightness of life and actions.
They are called movable jewels because they are worn by the Master and his Wardens
and are transferable to their successors on nights of installation.
Let me just refer back to the three great pillars that support the Lodge. Wisdom Strength
and Beauty. It is not everyone who appreciates that they are here in the Lodge at every
meeting. They are placed alongside the pedestals of the Master and his Wardens. They
support the candles in some Lodges.
The pillar beside the master‟s pedestal is the Ionic Pillar. It is a slender pillar, wider at the
base than at the top. It is decorated with rams horn volutes and is the pillar of wisdom. At
its base is the square. The square belongs to the Worshipful Master and he is chosen for
his wisdom.
The Doric pillar is a simple, stark, strong pillar. As wide at the base as it is at the top. The
top is cast from one piece of stone. This is the pillar of strength and at its base is the level.
The level belongs to the Senior Warden who is chosen for his strength.
The Corinthian column is a slender column like the Ionic. It has the same rams horns
volutes but is decorated with acacia leaves. This is the pillar of beauty. At its base is the
plumb rule which belongs to the Junior Warden who is chosen for….his beauty.
The Master is distinguished by the square, the Senior Warden by the level and the Junior
Warden by the Plumb Rule.
The immovable Jewels are the Tracing Board , the rough and the perfect Ashlars.
The tracing Board is for the Master to lay lines and draw designs on, the rough Ashlar is
for the E.A. to work, mark and indent upon and the perfect Ashlar is for the experienced
craftsman to try and adjust his Jewels on.
They are called the immovable jewels because they lay open and immovable in the Lodge
for the Brethren to moralise upon.
As the Tracing Board is for the Master to lay lines and draw designs upon, the better to
enable the brethren to carry on the intended structure with regularity and propriety, so
the V of the S.L. may justly be deemed to be the spiritual Tracing Board of the Great
Architect of the Universe in which are laid down such Divine laws and moral plans that
were we conversant therewith and obedient thereto, they would bring us to an ethereal
mansion not built by hands but eternal in the heavens.
The rough Ashlar is a stone rough, and unhewn as taken from the quarry, till, by the
industry and ingenuity of the workman it is modelled wrought into due form and rendered
fit for the intended building.
This represents the mind of man in its infant or primitive state, rough and unpolished as
that stone: till by the kind care and instruction of its parents or guardians in giving him a
liberal and virtuous education, his mind becomes cultivated and he is thereby rendered a
fit member of civilised society.
The perfect Ashlar is a stone of true die or square, fit only to be tried by the Square and
Compass.
This represents the mind of man in the decline of years, after a well spent life of piety and
virtue which can not be tried and approved than by the Square of God’s Word and the
Compass of his own self convincing conscience.
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In all regular, well formed and constituted Lodges there is point within a circle round
which a Mason cannot err; this circle is bounded in the North and South by two parallel
lines, the one representing Moses the other King Solomon.
“A point within a circle round which a Mason cannot err” How many times have we
heard that spoken in our Lodges? And how many times have we let it pass without a
second thought? How many of us have actually tried to work out what it means? “A point
within a circle…” Are we referring to the sun perhaps, and is the circle the orbit of the
earth spinning on its axis around the sun? But we have already said that with regard to
Freemasonry the sun is an illusion. So what is it? We determined that the sun was in fact
the source of all learning. It was the start of realisation, of understanding. When we were
initiated into Freemasonry we were in a state of darkness – blindfolded. That is not to say
that we were ignorant or stupid. After all the ritual says we were „ restored to light”. That
implies that we already had some intelligence. When the blindfold was removed we took
our first step on a journey of towards knowledge – not of history or geography or any
other academic subject – but a step towards self knowledge that most interesting of
human studies. So the point within the circle is in fact – ourselves. The circle is the limit
of our understanding. As we become more knowledgeable so our circle grows bigger.
On the upper part of this circle rests the V. of the S.L. supporting Jacob’s ladder. The top
of which reaches to the heavens; and were we as conversant with that Holy Book and as
adherent to the doctrines therein contained as both those parallels were, it would lead us
to Him who will not deceive us nor will he suffer deception.
In going round this circle we must of necessity touch on both of those parallel lines,
likewise on the V.of the S.L. and while a Mason keeps himself thus circumscribed, he
cannot err.
So there it is.You are the point within the circle and by your daily advancement in
Masonic knowledge your circle gets bigger. And provided you pay attention to and follow
the words contained in your Holy Book, you will not go wrong.
The word Lewis denotes strength and is here depicted by certain pieces of metal
dovetailed into a stone, which form a cramp and enables the operative Mason to raise
great weights to certain heights with little encumbrance and to fix them on their proper
bases.
Lewis likewise denotes the son of a Mason; his duty is to bear the heat and burden of the
day, from which his parents by reason of their age ought to be exempt; to help them in
time of need and thereby render the close of their days happy and comfortable. His
privilege for so doing is to be made a Mason before any other person however dignified.
Pendant to the corners of the Lodge are four tassels, meant to remind us of the four
cardinal virtues of Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice, the whole of which,
tradition informs us were constantly practised by a great majority of our ancient
Brethren.
The distinguishing characteristics of a good Freemason are Virtue, Honour and Mercy
and should these be banished from all other societies may they ever be found in a
Mason’s breast.
Compiled by
RW Bro Roy Martin
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