Episode 65. 18:53 Working Tools Series - The Wardens’ Columns

“There are two peculiar pieces of equipment in a Masonic lodge that have no explanation in our ritual. Masonic scholars have reached no conclusions as to the origin, function or purpose of the wardens’ columns.” 

This week we dive into the writings of John L. Cooper III, author of “The Questing Mind is a Salient Characteristic of a Freemason.” Before being elected the 10th Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of California in 1991, John was a leader in public education. In 2013, he became the first Past Grand Secretary to be elected as Grand Master in California. 

“John knows that everyone is capable of learning, and he has a way of making it so interesting that many of us are more motivated to learn and share than we might have been without knowing him.” -Allan L. Casalou 

It’s an all-new Minnesota Masonic Histories & Mysteries. 

Transcript

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Recently, a copy of a book crossed my desk, titled The Questing Mind is a Salient Characteristic of a Freemason. It was shared by a member of Acacia Lodge in Cottage Grove. And thank you, Brother Justin Ortega, for passing it along. The author was John L. Cooper III. Past Grand Secretary and Past Grand Master of Masons in California, 2013. John's love of Masonic research and study is incomparable, and this book is absolutely amazing. Many thanks to Grand Secretary of California, Alan Kasalew. For the time spent compiling, editing, and organizing this tremendous collection. this week on our podcast, we are revisiting the 1853 Working Tool Series with an excerpt from this book by John L. Cooper III, and it's titled The Warden's Columns, and it's titled The There are two peculiar pieces of equipment in a Masonic Lodge that have no explanation in our ritual. Masonic scholars have reached no conclusions as to the origin, function, or purpose of the Warden's Columns. In California Lodges, as well as in Minnesota, these are foot tall wooden imitations of Ionic Columns. They have a particular use in and when it is at Refreshment. The position of the columns being reversed when the Lodge changes from one activity to another. equipment show that But there is no explanation in the ritual as to why these two pieces of equipment show that nor is that an explanation of why they have the form that they do. However, we can guess an origin by knowing something about how early degrees were conferred and the author suggests that their origin is to be found by taking a look at how lodges, customarily function two centuries ago. lodges in the 18th century, usually met in taverns. In a room that provided sufficient privacy to conduct Masonic ceremonies. These rooms were usually furnished with tables, and when a candidate was to receive a degree, the tables would be taken down and placed against the wall so that there would be room to do the degree work. at meetings when no degree work was to be performed, the tables remained in place. The tables were placed together in the center of the room so that the officers could sit around the table, talking to their neighbors and enjoying the conviviality that such lodge meetings afforded. We do not eat nor drink in our lodge rooms today. But two centuries ago, they did. If you the museum at the Grand Temple in London, the home of the United Grand Lodge of England, you will see magnificent Masonic tableware, including beautiful rum punchbowls with Masonic symbols on the outside. These punchbowls were conveniently placed around the table. So that the officers and brethren could help themselves during the dinner and festivities, which followed. And from other sources, we know that our ancient brethren managed to enjoy themselves, even to excess, on more than one occasion. The entertainment, if it can be called that, was usually the rehearsing of Masonic lectures by well skilled brethren, who had memorized the old question and answer lectures. The author imagines that if mistakes were made in the recitation of these old lectures, the past masters of those days were as unforgiving in their comments as past masters are today. it was also the custom to smoke in lodge in those days. The devil weed had come to England with Sir Walter Raleigh in the time of Queen Elizabeth, and by the 18th century, pipe smoking was a popular habit. However, it was considered to be distracting to the rehearsal of the lectures to be reaching for more rum punch or filling one's pipe when the lectures were in progress. The master therefore called the lodge from labor to refreshment with some frequency so that the brethren could enjoy their pipes and their rum punch. After an appropriate break in the proceedings, the master would call his lodge from refreshment to labor again, usually with the sound of the gavel in the east. And of course, because that was the side of the table on which he was seated. The Brethren would instantly stop their conversation, put down their glasses of punch, and lay their pipes aside. For the, quote, sound of the gavel in the east, unquote, was their cue that it was time to pay attention to the lectures which constituted the teaching of Freemasonry. in order to remind the brethren that they were now at labor, the Masonic term they used for returning to the serious part of the evening, the wardens would use their columns. If the senior warden stood his column upright in front of him on the table, it was a sign that the lodge was at labor, and everyone should pay attention and stop talking. When the junior warden had his column upright, the lodge was at refreshment, and the brethren could disport themselves in the usual manner, as long as they did not violate any of the obligations of a brother toward another brother. If anything, our ancient brethren were courteous to a fault, and whether at labor or refreshment, never engaged in behavior which would have embarrassed the lodge nor caused, quote, injury to a brother in his person or good name, unquote. we have inherited this ancient tradition and still call from labor to refreshment and from refreshment to labor. Today this is usually associated with the conferral of a part of our degree work, but its use is not limited to that function. Properly speaking, the master of a lodge may call his brethren from labor to refreshment When it is desirable to do so, the columns remind us that some Masonic work is serious and requires our full attention and some Masonic work is less serious and allows us to have fun and enjoy each other's company. If any lesson is to be learned from the use of the warden's columns, it is that whether at work or at play, we never cease to be Masons. We are always under an obligation to act decorously and behave in a manner appropriate to a Mason. After all, that's what sets us apart from so much of the rest of society. For the 1853 Working Tool Series, I'm Reed Endersby, and this has been another episode of Minnesota Masonic Histories and Mysteries.