The Regius Poem, written in the 14th Century, established Masonry as a very old order. The roots of Masonry, however, extend much deeper than the Middle Ages; they, in fact, extend back to the dawn of civilization, to the days of Egyptian Pyramids and obelisks, 2,000 years before the birth of Christ. How do we know? The ancient Chinese writings dating back to 2,000 B.C., long before the time of Solomon, make reference to the use of Masonic symbols and working tools, used as emblems of the very truths we teach today.
Springfield Lodge #217, Springfield, Virginia, presents this program using a 1/15 scale Model of an ancient Egyptian Obelisk. The base of the Obelisk contains what is considered to be Masonic symbols. The symbols include a perfect white cube, a master's mark, square, etc.
The obelisk was made over 4,000 years ago and was transported to the United States in the 1870s. When being dismantled, the stones representing Masonic symbols were discovered. The program asked the question, "When did Freemasonry begin?"
The model is dismantled and the symbols shown and described. The program also describes the voyage the obelisk and its erection in Central Park, New York City.
This marvelous Egyptian Obelisk, created 2,000 before Christ, is the missing link with our earliest Masonic ancestry; physical proof of our ancient heritage. How ancient is Masonry? No one can precisely say. Masonry may indeed be much older than the obelisk suggest. We may never know just how deep our roots extend. But one thing we do know! The Supreme Architect of the Universe must have blessed our institution to have allowed it to survive these countless ages.
Masonry is considered an ancient fraternity. How ancient is it? Our program attempts to answer that question.
The presentation takes approximately 35 minutes. It will be held Friday evening July 9, 2010 at 7:00PM here in Winchester. It is open to all including friends, family, and anyone interested.
