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DUTY: Let justice be the guide of all your actions.
FOR REFLECTION:
IMPORTANT SYMBOLS: Equal balance, ebony box, triangle, the color red. |
The Fourth Degree Provost and Judge ~ Summary ~ A law voluntarily accepted by a community should be a kind of lifestyle for the individuals comprising that community, and justice must always be observed. For a law to be considered as being accepted voluntarily, it should have been freely examined, discussed and voted by the people. A man who is not free cannot be considered as being just, and the unjust cannot be considered as being free. Masonry teaches man to avoid evil behavior and to not do injustice to others.
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The apron
is of white lambskin edged in red. In the center is a red-edged pocket
with a red and white rosette just below the opening. This pocket holds
the plans for the Temple. On the flap is embroidered a hand of justice
holding a scale.
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The cordon is a broad, watered crimson ribbon, worn from right to left and from which is suspended the jewel. |
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The jewel is a gold key which unlocks the ebony box seen in the ceremony. The ebony box represents the human heart where the candidate is to lock up the secrets of the order and as Mackey says, "... in the human heart are deposited the secret designs and motives of our conduct by which we propose to erect the spiritual temple of our lives" (Vol. 1, p. 307). This key is especially emblematic of that justice and uprightness that alone can unlock for us the mysteries contained in the higher degrees and enable us to advance toward perfection. |
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"Originally called Irish Master, this degree was worked in France by Masonic Lodges claiming possession of a charter from Ireland. The members of these Irish Lodges asserted jurisdiction over ordinary lodges and maintained they had the right inspection. The jewel of the Irish Masters was a key symbolizing this authority. When the Rite of Perfection was formed in the middle of the 18th century, this degree was incorporated as the seventh and its name was changed to Provost and Judge. The ritual was modified by Pike to teach the moral lesson of justice." (p. 40) |
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