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“Ideally the Lodge room should be in the form of a double
cube, though this of course is not essential; any room,
oblong for preference can be used. Lodges, like Churches,
are supposed to face East and West; where they do not do so
geographically the dais end is referred to as the East, and
the other sides to their relative compass points. The door,
leading from an anteroom, is in the Northwest corner. The
Brethren are seated in rows along the North, South, and
West. The Past Masters sit in the East. The floor should be
of a black and white checkerboard pattern with an indented
border; a carpet usually represents this. An emblem with the
letter G is suspended from or depicted on the ceiling in the
centre.
The
Worshipful Master has his chair and pedestal in the East.
These should be of the Ionic order, and his emblem, the
Square, may be carved or painted on the front of the
pedestal. On the pedestal are the Volume of the Sacred Law,
resting on a cushion, (opened at 2 Chronicles vi), with the
square and compasses in silver or gilt resting on them when
the Lodge is open, a gavel and sounding-board, sometimes the
box of working-tools, and an Ionic column which is always
upright.
The
Senior Warden faces him in the West. His chair and pedestal
are Doric. His emblem is the Level. By his pedestal is the
perfect ashlar, a cubic block suspended from a triangular
tripod. The Junior Warden, who has the Plumb Rule for his
emblem, has his chair and pedestal (Corinthian) in the
middle of the South. By it is the rough ashlar, an
unsmoothed block resting on a column. Both Wardens have
gavels, sounding boards, and columns; the Senior Warden's
column is erect when the Lodge is open and horizontal when
it is closed, and the Junior Warden's vice versa. By each of
the three pedestals is a candlestick. The Master's must
always be lighted when the Lodge is open. The Wardens' are
normally lighted also, but are extinguished for one of the
ceremonies. The Immediate Past Master sits on the dais to
the left of the Worshipful Master. The Senior Deacon is at
or near the right of the Worshipful Master; the Junior
Deacon is on the right of the Senior Warden. The Inner
Guard's position is by the door, and the Tyr’s is outside it
in the anteroom.
There
are three tracing boards, one for each Degree, which may be
displayed in various ways. Only one is exposed at a time,
according to the degree in which the Lodge is open.” |