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Fact 1:
The ladder which is shown in the tracing board is called
Jacob's ladder and it symbolises the path between heaven
and earth |
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Fact 2:
The compass is one of the main symbols of the
freemasons, it is considered one of the essential tools
of a stone mason and appears next to the square at the
foot of the centre pillar |
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Fact 3:
The black and white squares on the floor of the tracing
board symbolise the struggle between good and evil |
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Fact 4:
The three pillars which appear on the tracing board
represent wisdom, beauty and strength, more commonly
known as the 'rule of three' |
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Fact 5:
The all seeing eye which appears on the mason's tracing
board also appears on the reverse of the United States
dollar bill! |
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Fact 6:
The sun appears on the top left hand side of the tracing
board and it represents the day |
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Fact 7:
The all seeing eye which appears in the centre top of
the tracing board is a symbol of god and his ability to
see everything we do and say |
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Fact 8:
The moon and stars appear at the top right hand side of
the tracing board and represent night |
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Fact 9:
A square (instrument of measure for stone masons) is the
emblem of the lodge master and represents moral code, it
is shown resting against the base of the wisdom pillar |
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Fact 10:
The two stone blocks that appear either side of the
centre pillar of the tracing board are particularly
symbolic. The masonry block on the left symbolises
unformed man whereas the block on the right is symbolic
of perfection |
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Fact 11:
The plumb line which appears on top of the complete
masonry block is a symbol or emblem of a junior lodge
warden |
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Fact 12:
Tracing boards are also used by existing members of the
masons to remind themselves of the different concepts
they have been taught during their initiation to
freemasonry |
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Fact 13:
The letters 'S', 'W' and 'B' which are engraved on the
three pillars of the trace board symbolise Strength,
Wisdom and Beauty |
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Fact 14:
A bible is shown at the foot of the ladder, symbolic
that freemasons must follow the word of the bible to
climb the ladder to heaven |
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Fact 15:
There are several different tracing boards used to
explain the symbols of freemasonry including first and
second degree boards |
