The Lost Word

Short Papers Competition 2009 © 2010 Internet Lodge and the author Paper 22/2009 Title The Lost Word Author Bro Kerry LeBoutillier – Australia There are many Freemasons around the world who blindly believe in the story of Hiram Abiff and the story of the lost word of the Master Mason. And I would argue they are as entitled to that belief as that of the cargo cults of New Guinea who believed that the World War 2 pilots flying over their mountain tops were re-incarnations of their respective Gods. Brethren, you do not need to be a Rhodes Scholar to realise this particular truth is a bit threadbare.
Think about this. One legend has it that Hiram King of Tyre, King Solomon and Hiram Abiff are the holders of the master masons word. If Hiram Abiff is killed why have the other two suddenly forgotten it? Even if we stretch the imagination and say that that each knew one third of the word (or words) then we must still know two thirds of the word (or words). Other legends have it that Hiram Abiff was the only one with the Master Masons word. But this supposes that there were no Master Masons at the building of the temple, otherwise the word would have been familiar to them. This supposition cannot be correct either because we are told that Adoniram was the chief Master Mason. Indeed his name in Hebrew is reported to mean exalted master. This should trouble me, but it doesn’t. To see why, stay with me. Have a look at the elements of the story; conspiracy, intrigue, murder, confession, retribution and salvation.
That there is a conspiracy there is little doubt. Our ritual tells us that 15 Fellowcraft conspired together to obtain the Master Masons word. There is the recantation of the twelve and the subsequent plan of attack at the temple by the remaining three. These elements of the story, along with the failed and eventually successful attempts to find them provide us with the intrigue as well as the symbolism in the actual numbers. Then there is the murder itself.
Why did some of the protagonists confess? Is not the third founding principle, truth? And why is it important to search for Hiram? Because we seek the truth. We want to be sure of his fate. When we learn that fate, our thoughts turn to justice and retribution.
Each new master mason learns this saga. He represents Hiram Abiff. He is slain and left to rot. But he is eventually raised from the dead level to the perpendicular. What can we read into this? We do not normally pick up dead bodies in such a manner. Why is it necessary to raise him from the dead level to the perpendicular? Because it provides us with the clear allusion to geometry; a theme so important in Freemasonic symbolism.
To return to my theme. The reason that it doesn’t trouble me is very simple. The story is an allegory and the message is, good will triumph over evil provided we follow a path which will lead us there.
Sources: http://watch.pair.com/symbol.html http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/mackeys_encyclo pedia/index.htm