In old days, men fought, bled and died over arguments as to the proper name of Deity, and to win a discussion as to how many angels could dance together on the point of a needle!

Moderns do not go as far as bloodshed over the word "hele" (pronounced hail, but in spite of the determinations of philologists and Masonic authorities who may well be considered final, now and then some more or less learned Freemason wishes to change after the meaning of the word or its pronunciation, or its spelling, or any two, or all three!
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Like the Square and the Compasses, the Level and the Plumb are nearly always united in our Ritual. they really belong together, as much in moral teaching as in practical building. the one is used to lay horizontals, the other to try perpendiculars, and their use suggests their symbolism. By reason of their use, both are special working tools of the Fellow-craft, along with the Square; and they are also worn as jewels by two of the principal officers of the lodge.
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Published in Masonic Bulletin-BCY-May 1959

In our study of Masonic history it is necessary to recognize the impossibility of pinpointing with any degree of accuracy the beginning of Speculative Masonry. It is true that the Grand Lodge of England was formed in 1717 by four Operative Lodges in London, but we know that for at least seventy years previous there had been a speculative element in the Operative Lodges, since from the diary of Elias Ashmore we read: "I was made a Freemason at Warrington, Lancashire. . . on 16th October, 1646." When we consider the dictionary definition of the word speculative, we find a common meaning to be, entering into considerations which are governed by chance. But in the Masonic sense the word relates to an older meaning, namely, to ponder a subject in its different aspects and relations. Thus Joseph Fort Newton indicated a beginning of the speculative element among Operative Freemasons by saying: "They mixed thought and worship with their work."
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Presented on Past Master's Night of Avalon Lodge No.2, GLN&L May 11, 2006 at Masonic Temple, Cathedral Street, St. John's, Newfoundland.

Introduction
Wor. Master, brethren. It is difficult to make any comprehensive paper dealing with Freemasonry short in length so essentially, this paper will attempt to give a sense of where we, as masons, came from and primarily, it will take us up the period in which the first Grand Lodge was formed. The paper, which draws much of its information from some extremely well researched books I have read, may also serve to shed some light on why Freemasonry has come under fire from time to time by those who depend upon hearsay and a false interpretation of historical reporting.
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The emblem is composed of the claws of a tiger, united in the middle with the head of a sphinx. On the back of the emblem are a pyramid, urn and star. Additionally the emblem bears the motto "Robur et Furor" which means "Strength and Fury."

The Crescent hangs from a scimitar, while a five-pointed star dangles from the sphinx.

The meaning of the Shriners' emblem is as follows.
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