Page 84 - WM Manual Guide and Monitor 2024 - 2025

was always erected "against the southerly wall of the church," and could therefore
receive no light from the north, or "dark side"; accordingly, the windows of the
workroom were necessarily on the east, south, and west sides. Steinbrenner, who
traces the Order to the German Steinmetzian, argues that windows were known as
lights, and quotes Cicero and Vitruvius in support of his contention. He holds that
these windows were the origin of the Great Lights, while others of the same school
of thought believe them to have been the prototype of the Lesser Lights.

This interpretation of the matter is on the side of simplicity, and makes

unnecessary that one go afield into occultism, but to some of us it is not
convincing, and that for more than one reason. That Operative Lodges always, or
even frequently, built their temporary headquarters on the south side of the church
is not supported by evidence, and may well be questioned; besides it is difficult to
understand how these windows could ever have become identified with the Holy
Bible, Square and Compass, or with the Sun, Moon and Master. Moreover, the
last-named symbolism was in use by occult fraternities long before lodges were
built, as many authorities have testified, and it seems most reasonable to believe it
to have been introduced into our Ritual by the Speculative accepted into the Craft
in the latter part of the seventeenth century.

THE THREE GREAT LIGHTS ??

I

Why is the Holy Bible called the V. S. L.?
To what extent are the materials in our ritual drawn from it?
In what sense is the Bible true?
What constitutes its "unity"?
How many books in it?
Can you tell how these books came to be gathered together?
Can you tell the difference between the canon (or "collection") of books used as
the Bible by the Greek Catholics, the Roman Catholics, and the Protestants?
What is inspiration?
In what way is the Bible inspired?
What does "infallible" mean?
Is the Bible infallible as history?
As a book of science?
In what way is it infallible?
If it is infallible in any manner at all how can we prove it?
How can its teachings be verified?
How are scientific teachings verified?