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During your fellow craft degree, you made a climb up a set of winding stairs. Depending on the arrangement of your lodge, this may have been symbolic in nature, or you may have physically climbed some stairs. Regardless of whether you actually climbed stairs or not, the staircase of 3, 5, and then 7 steps forms a metaphor for your development as a mason. We’ll touch on that briefly with this email today.
Much of the symbolism of the winding staircase is explained in the ritual itself. There are some points to bring out that may lead one to further research and insight.
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The significance of the number three has already been mentioned to you. We have the three degrees, the three great lights, the three lesser lights, the three principal officers, and the three tenets of freemasonry.
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The five steps are also explained in some detail. They symbolize the five classical orders of architecture as well as the five human senses which man constantly employs and is dependent upon in his daily life.
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The seven steps symbolize the seven liberal arts and sciences. These were formulated as early as 330 CE and their study was considered a means to the knowledge of God. Classically, the proper study of the Seven Liberal Arts guided the intellect to approach the hidden light behind the world. The invisible underlying structure of reality could be discovered in this way.
There is a great deal to learn from studying the various areas covered by the numbers 3, 5, and 7, Far more than could explained in an email. You are encouraged to explore these areas in your leisure hours so that you may develop your mind further and improve your practice of freemasonry.
Your master mason degree is approaching. Depending on your progress and your lodge’s schedule, it may be scheduled in the coming weeks. Like the emails you received as an entered apprentice, it’s our hope that your time with your mentor, the materials that you’ve been given, and these emails have helped clear up some of the questions that you have. After you’ve become a master mason your lodge secretary will add you to the email list for your lodge and the Grand Lodge of Indiana. You’ll continue to receive emails about events going on at your lodge, informational topics, and the events of our Grand Lodge.
The master mason degree is not the end of your journey, it’s only just begun. On behalf of the thousands of masons here in Indiana and the millions around the world, we congratulate you on making it this far. Your master mason degree will be an event that you won’t soon forget.
The Grand Lodge of Indiana Education Committee
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