228 FROM THE ART OF BUILDING TO THE ART OF THINKING
symbolism can be found in both French compagnonnage and the
German Bauhiitte, in which there also occurs specific mention of the
two pillars, Jachin and Boaz, important elements of symbolic masonic
language. What sense did operative masons attach to this symbolism of
Solomon's Temple? Once we understand how set and professed the
Christian interpretation was during the Middle Ages, it seems obvious
that beyond the similar connections this symbolism forged with their
professional concerns and the model it provided for their work, the
masons of that time would have been incapable of seeing it from any
other perspective or deducing from it an esoterically different teaching
inside their Church-controlled brotherhoods.
Eloquent proof of this is provided by the ritual itself. The best artic-
ulation of it is Dumfries Manuscript no. 4, dating from around 1710
and belonging to the Old Dumfries Lodge (now Dumfries Kilwinning
no. 53).^2 It provides a fairly complete record of the entire ritual that
was followed at the time of the transition that preceded the construc-
tion of the Great Lodge of London. This manuscript provides charac-
teristic clues related to the symbolism of Solomon's Temple. It takes the
form of a question-and-answer catechism:
Q. How high is your lodge?
A. Inches and spans Inumberable.
Q. How Inumberable?
A. The material heavens 8c stary firmament.
Q. How many pillars is your lodge?
A. Three.
Q. What are these?
A. Ye square, the compass, & ye bible.This is the affirmation of the cosmic and sacred meaning of the
Lodge. Following is the Christian meaning of the temple:
Q. What ladder had they... building of ye.. .?
A. Jacobs... between ye heaven [ ] ye earth.*- Words are missing from this part of the manuscript.