Beauty and Bands - May 20, 2005
T.F.S.
Three, five, and seven
3 5 7
By Ed Halpaus, Grand Lodge Education Officer.
Number 51 – May 20, 2005
This publication is issued with the permission of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A.F. and A.M. of Minnesota.
“That which is striking and beautiful is not always good, but that which is good is always beautiful.” Ninon De L’Enclos
Beauty and Bands
In the old Masonic Ritual used in England prior to the union of the Ancients and the Moderns there were two rods used in the ritual, and they were named Beauty and Bands.
These names were allusions to the two rods spoken of by the profit Zechariah in the Great Light of Masonry: In Zechariah 11:7, 10, & 14 are some interesting passages referring to Beauty and Bands. The two staffs which Zechariah named were symbolic of the two roles God directed him to portray; that being two different kinds of shepherds. One shepherd showing how God would reject his people because they had rejected Him and the other demonstrating how God would give over His people to evil shepherds.[i] i.e. God providing the kind of shepherd the people deserve.[ii] Chapter 11 of Zechariah is an interesting chapter of the Bible to read and study.
According to Brother C.C. Hunt in his Book Masonic Concordance of the Holy Bible “the rod called Beauty symbolized ‘Holiness’ and that of Bands ‘Love.’ They were the rods by which the good shepherd led his sheep.” The Prophet Zechariah refers “to sheep, which, deceived by false shepherds, refused to follow the true leader,” and Zechariah therefore broke the rods, since the people were unheeding, “leaving the flock to their own fate.”
Masonically the rod Beauty “taught the same lesson as the lambskin; Bands, the cement of brotherly love and affection.” The disregard of these rods just as the disregard of the meaning of the lambskin and the lessons of brotherly love and affection, would bring unhappiness and suffering to the individual.[iii]
While the names of the rods are Beauty and Bands in the King James, or Authorized Version, as well as in the New Kings James version, in the other translations the names were translated into Favor and Union instead of Beauty and Bands. These more modern names I think are more telling of what the names mean; one was called Favor, (Beauty,) to ensure divine favor on the flock; Union, (Bands,) because such unity should be the result of the gracious leadership of the good shepherd.
Zechariah finally broke both of the staffs; the breaking of these staffs named Favor and Union signified the breaking of the covenant by which the Shepherd had been keeping other nations from attacking His people, and signifying the dissolution of the unity between the south and the north, (Judah and Israel.)
By the way, mentioning the leadership of the good shepherd, above, reminds me of the attitude of prayer Masons assume. Our Attitude of prayer, with the left over the right and fingers at the shoulders, is also referred to as the ‘sign of the good shepherd.’ This is how a good shepherd would carry a lost or wandering sheep back to the safety and comfort of once again being a part of the flock.
About this old piece of the Masonic ritual our good Brother George Oliver, DD., says: “The application of beauty and bands to the science of Freemasonry was in much esteem with our brethren at the beginning of the present century [1800’s]; but at the reunion, (of the Ancients and the Moderns,) being pronounced inconsistent with the general plan of the Order, it was expunged, and is now nearly forgotten, except by a few old Masons, who may, perhaps, recollect the illustration as an incidental subject of remark amongst the Fraternity of that period.”
“The God of love my Shepherd is, and he that doth me feed, while He is mine, and I am His, what can I want or need?” George Herbert 1593-1633
The name of our Brother Dr. George Oliver is very familiar to many Freemasons, but aside from knowing the name some may not know all that much about him. He was born November 5, 1782 in Peplewick, England, and was educated at Nottingham. He became a school master and later took the orders of divinity in 1813. He become the Vicar of Clee in 1815. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1836 and became rector of Wolverhampton. He is said to have been initiated into Freemasonry by his father, Dr. Samuel Oliver, in St. Peter’s Lodge, Petersborough, as a Lewis. In 1813 he was appointed Provincial Grand Steward, in 1816 Provincial Grand Chaplain, and in 1833 Provincial Grand Master in Lincolnshire. Brother Oliver was a Masonic scholar and writer. His study included history, symbolism, law, morals, religion, ethics, and facts.[iv] Brother Oliver died March 3, 1867.
“I would live to study, and not study to live.” Francis Bacon
More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to erhmasonic@ncis.com with Subscribe and the Title in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.
Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien = [French] = “Better is the enemy of well; let well enough alone.”
From the Great Light of Masonry: “Then I looked up – and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand! I asked, ‘where are you going?’ He answered me, ‘to measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.” Zechariah 2:1, 2 NIV
With “Brotherly Love,”
Ed Halpaus
Grand Lodge Education Officer
[i] Zondervan Life Application Study Bible note Verse 11:4-17
[ii] The New Oxford Annotated Bible NRSV note verse 11:8
[iii] Masonic concordance of the Holy Bible #668C
[iv] 10,000 Famous Freemasons by William R. Denslow Vol. 3
Three, five, and seven
3 5 7
By Ed Halpaus, Grand Lodge Education Officer.
Number 51 – May 20, 2005
This publication is issued with the permission of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A.F. and A.M. of Minnesota.
“That which is striking and beautiful is not always good, but that which is good is always beautiful.” Ninon De L’Enclos
Beauty and Bands
In the old Masonic Ritual used in England prior to the union of the Ancients and the Moderns there were two rods used in the ritual, and they were named Beauty and Bands.
These names were allusions to the two rods spoken of by the profit Zechariah in the Great Light of Masonry: In Zechariah 11:7, 10, & 14 are some interesting passages referring to Beauty and Bands. The two staffs which Zechariah named were symbolic of the two roles God directed him to portray; that being two different kinds of shepherds. One shepherd showing how God would reject his people because they had rejected Him and the other demonstrating how God would give over His people to evil shepherds.[i] i.e. God providing the kind of shepherd the people deserve.[ii] Chapter 11 of Zechariah is an interesting chapter of the Bible to read and study.
According to Brother C.C. Hunt in his Book Masonic Concordance of the Holy Bible “the rod called Beauty symbolized ‘Holiness’ and that of Bands ‘Love.’ They were the rods by which the good shepherd led his sheep.” The Prophet Zechariah refers “to sheep, which, deceived by false shepherds, refused to follow the true leader,” and Zechariah therefore broke the rods, since the people were unheeding, “leaving the flock to their own fate.”
Masonically the rod Beauty “taught the same lesson as the lambskin; Bands, the cement of brotherly love and affection.” The disregard of these rods just as the disregard of the meaning of the lambskin and the lessons of brotherly love and affection, would bring unhappiness and suffering to the individual.[iii]
While the names of the rods are Beauty and Bands in the King James, or Authorized Version, as well as in the New Kings James version, in the other translations the names were translated into Favor and Union instead of Beauty and Bands. These more modern names I think are more telling of what the names mean; one was called Favor, (Beauty,) to ensure divine favor on the flock; Union, (Bands,) because such unity should be the result of the gracious leadership of the good shepherd.
Zechariah finally broke both of the staffs; the breaking of these staffs named Favor and Union signified the breaking of the covenant by which the Shepherd had been keeping other nations from attacking His people, and signifying the dissolution of the unity between the south and the north, (Judah and Israel.)
By the way, mentioning the leadership of the good shepherd, above, reminds me of the attitude of prayer Masons assume. Our Attitude of prayer, with the left over the right and fingers at the shoulders, is also referred to as the ‘sign of the good shepherd.’ This is how a good shepherd would carry a lost or wandering sheep back to the safety and comfort of once again being a part of the flock.
About this old piece of the Masonic ritual our good Brother George Oliver, DD., says: “The application of beauty and bands to the science of Freemasonry was in much esteem with our brethren at the beginning of the present century [1800’s]; but at the reunion, (of the Ancients and the Moderns,) being pronounced inconsistent with the general plan of the Order, it was expunged, and is now nearly forgotten, except by a few old Masons, who may, perhaps, recollect the illustration as an incidental subject of remark amongst the Fraternity of that period.”
“The God of love my Shepherd is, and he that doth me feed, while He is mine, and I am His, what can I want or need?” George Herbert 1593-1633
The name of our Brother Dr. George Oliver is very familiar to many Freemasons, but aside from knowing the name some may not know all that much about him. He was born November 5, 1782 in Peplewick, England, and was educated at Nottingham. He became a school master and later took the orders of divinity in 1813. He become the Vicar of Clee in 1815. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1836 and became rector of Wolverhampton. He is said to have been initiated into Freemasonry by his father, Dr. Samuel Oliver, in St. Peter’s Lodge, Petersborough, as a Lewis. In 1813 he was appointed Provincial Grand Steward, in 1816 Provincial Grand Chaplain, and in 1833 Provincial Grand Master in Lincolnshire. Brother Oliver was a Masonic scholar and writer. His study included history, symbolism, law, morals, religion, ethics, and facts.[iv] Brother Oliver died March 3, 1867.
“I would live to study, and not study to live.” Francis Bacon
More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to erhmasonic@ncis.com with Subscribe and the Title in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.
Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien = [French] = “Better is the enemy of well; let well enough alone.”
From the Great Light of Masonry: “Then I looked up – and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand! I asked, ‘where are you going?’ He answered me, ‘to measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.” Zechariah 2:1, 2 NIV
With “Brotherly Love,”
Ed Halpaus
Grand Lodge Education Officer
[i] Zondervan Life Application Study Bible note Verse 11:4-17
[ii] The New Oxford Annotated Bible NRSV note verse 11:8
[iii] Masonic concordance of the Holy Bible #668C
[iv] 10,000 Famous Freemasons by William R. Denslow Vol. 3
Labels: Symbolism