The Rudolf Steiner Archive

7. The Nature and Purpose of Freemasonry from the Perspective of Spiritual Science I

[ 1 ] Today I would like to give a brief insight into various rites and orders in Freemasonry, as already discussed. Of course, I can only tell you the most essential things about Freemasonry, because the subject is so vast and there are so many insignificant details attached to it.

[ 2 ] We also find the basis for the whole of Freemasonry in the temple legend of Hiram-Abiff or Adonhiram, which I have already mentioned to you when discussing the Rosicrucian Order. Everything that is called the mystery and tendency of Freemasonry is expressed in this temple legend. We are led to a kind of Genesis, a theory of human descent. Let us therefore allow the essential features of this temple legend to pass before our minds once again.

[ 3 ] One of the Elohim united himself with Eve, and from this marriage between one of the divine creators and Eve, Cain was born. Then another Elohim – namely Jehovah or Adonai – created Adam, who is to be regarded as the original human being of our third root race. This Adam then united with Eve, and from this marriage Abel was born. Thus, at the origin of the human race, we have two starting points: Cain, the direct offspring of one of the Elohim and Eve, and Abel, who is, so to speak, with the help of a divinely created human being, Adam, the actual Jehovah-human being.

[ 4 ] The entire conception underlying the creation story of the Temple legend is based on the assumption that Jehovah has a kind of enmity toward everything that comes from the other Elohim and their offspring, the sons of fire—as the descendants of Cain are called in the Temple legend—and that he sowed discord between Cain and his line and Abel and his line. The result was that Cain killed Abel. This is the primordial enmity that exists between those who have their existence as a kind of gift from God and those who work for everything themselves. The fact that Abel sacrifices animals to the god Jehovah, but Cain sacrifices fruits of the earth, also shows in the Bible the contrast between the lineage of Cain and the lineage of Abel. Cain must wrest the fruits of the earth, that which is necessary for man, through hard work, while Abel takes that which is already alive, that which is already prepared for life. Cain's family creates, so to speak, the living out of the non-living. Abel takes that which is already alive, that into which life has already been breathed. Abel's sacrifice is pleasing to God, but Cain's sacrifice is not.

[ 5 ] Thus we see that Cain and Abel characterize two types of humanity. One type is that which takes what God has prepared; the other type—free humanity—is that which tills the soil and strives to extract life from the lifeless. Those who understand this temple legend and want to live according to it see themselves as the sons of Cain. All those who created the true human arts and sciences are descended from the line of Cain: Tubal-Cain, the original builder and god of blacksmiths and tools; and also Hiram-Abiff or Adonhiram, the hero of the temple legend. This Hiram is summoned by King Solomon, who is famous for his wisdom and thus belongs to the lineage of the children of Abel, who received their wisdom as a gift from God. Thus, at the court of Solomon, we see the contrast renewed: Solomon the wise and Hiram the free worker, who acquired his wisdom through human effort.

[ 6 ] Solomon summons Balkis, the Queen of Sheba, to his court, and when she appears at the court, she sees in him something like a statue made of gold and precious stones. As if gifted by the gods of mankind, he appears monumental to Queen Balkis. As she admires the great work, Solomon's temple, she also wants to meet the architect and gets to know him. From a single glance that the architect casts at her, she recognizes Hiram's true worth. Solomon immediately feels a kind of jealousy toward Hiram. This intensifies when Queen Balkis demands that all the workers who participated in the construction of the temple be brought before her. Solomon declares this impossible, but Hiram grants the request. He climbs a hill, makes the mystical sign of the tau, and all the workers flock to him. The queen's wish is fulfilled.

[ 7 ] Solomon is therefore reluctant to resist Hiram's pursuers or to confront them. A Syrian mason, a Phoenician carpenter, and a Hebrew miner were hostile to Hiram. For these three journeymen had been unable to learn the master word from Hiram Abiff. The master word is what would have enabled the journeymen to build independently. This master word is a secret that was only revealed to those who were capable. They therefore decided to harm him.

[ 8 ] The opportunity arose when Hiram Abiff wanted to cast his masterpiece, the bronze sea. The movement of the water had to be captured in the mold. The moving sea had to be captured in a rigid form in a lively and artistic manner. That is the important thing. The three journeymen had agreed to do something to the casting so that instead of flowing into the mold, it would spread around the area. Hiram then wanted to stop the fire casting by pouring water on it, but this caused the metal to spray into the air and fall back down as a rain of fire with terrible force. Hiram could do nothing. But suddenly a voice rang out: Hiram! Hiram! Hiram! — This voice told him to throw himself into the sea of fire. He did so and sank deeper and deeper until he reached the center of the earth, where the fire originated. There he met two figures: the progenitor Tubal-Cain and Cain himself. Cain was illuminated by the rays of Lucifer, the angel of light. Now Tubal-Cain gave Hiram his hammer, which had the magical power to restore everything, and said to him: You will have a son who will have a people of wise men around him, and you will be the progenitor of those who come out of the fire, which makes them wise and thoughtful. - The bronze sea was now restored by the hammer.

[ 9 ] Hiram then met Queen Balkis again outside the city. She became his wife, but he could not banish Solomon's jealousy and the vengeance of the three journeymen. The three journeymen killed him. He was only able to save the triangle on which the master word was engraved by throwing it into a deep well. Then he was buried and an acacia branch was planted on his grave. The acacia branch revealed the grave to Solomon. The triangle was also found. It was sealed and buried. Only a few (27) know the location. [It was agreed:] The first word spoken after the discovery of the body would be the new master word. The new master word is the one that has become that of the Freemasons. They trace their origins with some justification to this temple legend, to those ancient days when King Solomon rebuilt the temple as a lasting monument to the secret of the fifth root race.

[ 10 ] Now we must understand what can be acquired and learned for humanity in Freemasonry. This is not so easy. Some who learn about the complicated initiation rites of Freemasonry may ask themselves: Isn't what goes on in the initiation ceremony something extremely trivial and insignificant?

[ 11 ] I will now demonstrate this to you using the initiation rite of Johannine Freemasonry. Imagine that someone has decided to become a Johannine Freemason. There are three degrees: apprentice, journeyman, and master. After these three degrees, the higher degrees begin, which lead into occult knowledge. I will now describe to you how someone is admitted to the degree of apprentice. When he is led into the Masonic temple for the first time, he is first taken by the brother supervisor into a dark, gloomy chamber. There he is left alone for a few minutes to his thoughts. Then all metal objects, whether gold, silver, or other metals, are taken from him, his clothes are torn open at the knee, and the heel of his left foot is removed. In this state, he is led into another room to the assembled brothers. Then a cord is hung around his neck and, after his chest has been bared, a drawn sword is held to his chest. In this state, he steps before the master. The master asks him if he still wishes to be accepted. He is then admonished in a serious manner, and in further preparation, the meaning of the removal of the heel is explained to him, and so on. He must renounce three things. If he has these three things, he can never become a Freemason. He is told: If you have any degree of curiosity about anything, leave the house immediately. Secondly, he is told: “If you are afraid to recognize all your faults and shortcomings, leave the house immediately.” And thirdly, he is told: “If you cannot bring yourself to look beyond all human inequality, leave the house immediately.” These three things are strictly demanded of everyone.

[ 12 ] Then a kind of frame is held up in front of him, through which he is thrown, and at the same time an unpleasant noise is made, so that he sails through the frame with quite terrible feelings. At the same time, he is told that he is falling into hell. At the moment when he falls down, a trapdoor is slammed shut, giving him the impression that he is in a very strange environment. A small incision is then made in his skin so that blood flows out, and at the same time, gurgling sounds are produced by those standing around him, giving him the impression that he is losing a lot of blood. Then the master strikes three blows with a hammer. What he hears inside the lodge after this point must be kept strictly secret. If he reveals anything, his membership in Freemasonry will be transformed like the drink he is given: sweet on one side, bitter on the other. The drink is in an elaborate vessel so that it can be sweet on one side and bitter on the other by turning the vessel. This is meant to symbolize the effect that betrayal can have on him.

[ 13 ] After this has happened, he is led into a sparsely lit room in front of a staircase. This staircase is designed to move, so that one believes one has descended quite deeply, when in reality one has descended only a short distance. The same happens when he falls. He falls only a short distance, but believes he has fallen into a deep well. When he is there, he is told that this is an important stage for him. In addition, his eyes were blindfolded before he reached the stairs. Then the following words are spoken to the brother supervisor: Brother supervisor, do you find the candidate worthy of entering Freemasonry? If he answers in the affirmative, he is asked: What do you expect from his entry? He must answer: Light! Then the blindfold is removed from the candidate and he finds himself in a brightly lit room. Now comes the fundamental question: Do you know your master? He replies: Yes, he has a yellow jacket and blue trousers. The blue trousers refer to his position. He then receives the three symbols of the apprenticeship: the sign, the handshake, and the word. The sign is a symbol, similar to occult symbols... [gap]. The hand sign consists of showing him the special hand gesture with which he is to greet people. The hand signs are different for journeymen and masters. The word also varies depending on the degree. It is not my place to reveal the “words.”

[ 14 ] Then the person in question is admitted to the apprenticeship. Upon admission, he is asked: How old are you? He replies: Not yet seven years. He must complete seven years of apprenticeship, and then he can advance to the journeyman's degree.

[ 15 ] When someone is ready to advance to mastery, the initiation is somewhat more difficult. The essential part, however, is that what is contained in the temple legend is actually performed on the person concerned. Anyone who wants to become a master is led into one of the chambers of the lodge, where he must lie down in a coffin and undergo the fate of the master builder Hiram. Then they are given signs, handshakes, and words. The word is the one that was spoken as the master word when Hiram's body was found. The signs of recognition among the masters are incredibly complicated. Recognition takes place through many forms and movements.

[ 16 ] The master masons call themselves “children of the widow.” Thus, this community of masters derives directly from the Manicheans. I will have more to say about the connection between Manichaeism and Freemasonry.

[ 17 ] The task of Freemasonry is connected with the task of our entire fifth root race. Now, of course, from the standpoint of a modern rationalist, you may regard everything I have said about the initiation of an apprentice, the various actions and ceremonies, as frivolity, masquerade, and comedy. But that is not the case. All the things I have said are processes that are outwardly symbolic, but in a certain sense they are reflections of ancient occult processes that took place in the mysteries, directly on the astral plane. Such processes, as they take place symbolically among the Freemasons, take place in the mystery temples on the astral plane. Even the initiation of the master, the placing in the coffin, and so on, is actually something that takes place on the higher plane. But in Freemasonry this is only symbolic.

[ 18 ] One might ask: What is the purpose of this? The Freemason should be aware that work on the physical plane should be carried out in such a way that the connection with the higher worlds is maintained. There is a difference between being in a community that values symbols that lead to a higher community, and ... [gap]. The Mason may have no other thoughts than the ordinary person, but the Mason has different feelings. The feeling is connected with the symbolic processes, and it is not indifferent whether such a sensation, such a feeling is evoked or not, because it corresponds to a certain rhythm on the astral plane.

[ 19 ] The meaning of the first action — removing the metal objects — is: Man should have nothing on him that he has not earned himself. It is important and essential for those who have already been made aware of the significance of symbolism to have a sense of this. He should also have a lasting memory of the tearing of his trousers at the knee. He should remember that he should enter life as if he were standing completely naked before humanity. Likewise, the removal of the heel should serve as a lasting reminder that, although he will be strong in Masonry, he still has an Achilles' heel. All of the following actions have, in essence, a similar meaning, especially in connection with the eerie feeling evoked when a sharp, cold sword is held to the chest. This is a feeling that intensifies over time, becoming a suggestion, so that at important moments he remembers that he should have a kind of cold-bloodedness. Cold-bloodedness is to be suggested by this. Taking full responsibility for one's actions is symbolized by placing a cord around his neck that can always be pulled tight. Presence of mind is suggested by these procedures involving trapdoors, stairs, and so on. These are certain processes that are carried out completely differently in the mysteries, however, because they take place in the astral realm.

[ 20 ] The apprentice must then take an oath. Everything is eerie and dark, the room lit only by a few small flames. I ask you to consider the full significance of this oath: “I swear that I will never betray anything of what is communicated to me from this moment on within this lodge, either in words, signs, or gestures. Should I betray anything, I give permission to any of the brothers who learns of it to cut my throat and tear out my tongue.” This is the oath taken by the apprentices. Even more terrible is the oath of the journeymen, which allows them to cut open their chests, tear out their hearts, and throw them to the birds. The oath of the master is so gruesome that it cannot be repeated.

[ 21 ] These things are intended to evoke a certain rhythm of sensations in the astral body. This then has the effect of influencing the human spirit in a certain intuitive way. In ancient times — Freemasonry is truly ancient — this intuitive influence on the spirit was the actual purpose of Masonic initiation.

[ 22 ] In ancient times, Freemasons were actually masons. They did everything that belonged to masonry. They were the temple builders, the builders of public buildings in Greece. In Greece, they were called Dionysiacs. They were the ones who built temples and public buildings in the service of Dionysus. In Egypt, they were the pyramid builders, and in the ancient Roman Empire, they were the builders of cities. In the Middle Ages, they were the builders of domes and cathedrals. From the 13th century onwards, they also built independently of the clergy. It was only then that the term Freemason came into use. Before that, they were in the service of religious communities. They were actually the master builders.

[ 23 ] Let us start from the idea that they were the builders of the pyramids, the mystery temples, the builders of the churches. Now you can easily convince yourself – especially if you read Vitruvius – that the way architecture was studied in the past was very different from ours. People did not study as we do today, calculating things, but rather what was passed down to them were certain intuitions expressed through symbols. If you read in “Lucifer” how the Lemurians built, how they mastered it, then you will get an idea of how people built in those days. How people built in ancient times can no longer be replicated today. We stand in awe and admiration before Chinese buildings, before buildings of the Babylonians and Assyrians, and yet we know that they did not know the mathematics of our time. We have the wonderful work of engineering in Lake Moeris in Egypt, a lake that was built to collect water and, when needed, to channel it across the land through artificial canals. It was not built with our modern engineering skills. The wonderful acoustics built into the ancient buildings could not be achieved in a way that is possible in today's architecture. It was therefore possible to build intuitively, not just rationally and intellectually.

[ 24 ] This entire type of architecture was related to the knowledge of the entire universe. If you consider the dimensions of the Egyptian pyramids, they are related to certain dimensions of the celestial sphere, to the distances between stars in the sky. The entire configuration of the celestial sphere was replicated in such buildings. There was a connection between the individual building and the dome of the sky. The mysterious rhythm that presents itself in the view of the stars, when we see not only with our physical eyes but with an intuitive gaze that opens up to higher relationships, to rhythmic relationships, was built into the buildings by the original builders because they built from the universe.

[ 25 ] This type of architecture was taught at that time, much as certain primitive peoples still receive a completely different kind of medical training than we do today. Our training is intellectual. Among primitive peoples, doctors are not trained as we are, but rather by developing certain occult powers. He must submit to physical discipline that seems horrifying to the nervous and whiny people of our culture. It trains him to be insensitive to pleasure and pain, and those who are insensitive to these have also developed occult powers within themselves. The original greatness in the training of the astral body was capable of leading to that great power which has been called the true royal art, which is already taken from the great symbols of the dimensions of the heavens.

[ 26 ] This gives you an idea of what Freemasonry was, and you will see that it had to outgrow its original purpose. It had to lose its significance as the world became more rational. It had its significance at the time when the fourth subrace was still developing. The fifth subrace brought with it the loss of significance for Masonry. Now the Freemasons are no longer masons. Anyone can now be accepted. For occultists, symbols have a real meaning. A symbol that is merely a symbol, merely an image, has no meaning; only one that can become reality, that can come into effect, has meaning. If a symbol has such an effect on the spiritual human being that intuitive powers are released, then it is a real symbol. Today, masons say we have symbols that mean this and that. But an occult symbol is one that seizes the will of man and passes into the astral body. To the extent that our culture has become a culture of the intellect, Freemasonry has lost its significance.

[ 27 ] On relations with Manichaeism ... [gap]. Then there are the higher degrees, which go up to ninety, up to ninety-six degrees, which only begin at the fourth degree. The meaning of the three lower degrees has gradually receded into the higher degrees. Something like a kind of sediment has remained in what is called the “Royal Arch,” which still exists in Freemasonry today. We will talk more about these bright sides and some of the dark sides later.