THE BUILDER MAY 1917

THE SECRET KEY

Brothers:--In the March issue of "The Builder," Brother J. G.
Anderson of California, requests information regarding the ancient
uses of the two celebrated Pillars, "Jachin and Boaz."

He comes very near the "Key" of the whole situation when he does
so.

In reply to him I will first state that in prehistoric times, men
formulated a "Secret Doctrine" of procedure whereby their kind
should always profit by a certain wisdom, so called, that others of
their kind did not possess.

It is still called "The Secret Doctrine" and still exists.

The coming "New Religion" will be an explanation of the "Dark
Sayings" of the Old ones.

It seems strange that a body of men should have been able, for
thousands of years, to guide those who did not understand their
system, into the paths and ways of those who did. But it has been
done and is being done today.

We are all naturally afraid of that seeming danger which we do not
readily understand. It is this tendency in our nature that has been
taken advantage of, and mysteries created out of common things,
until our fear and superstition has been fully developed.

It should, I think, be the work of our modern Freemasonry to break
down and destroy this false condition by explaining the seeming
"Mysteries" which exist in the mind only, and relate entirely to
Education.

The ancient system is based upon the divine plan, furnished by the
apparent daily path of the Sun around the earth, and its annual
journey between the two Tropics. Broadly speaking, every religion
that ever existed, Freemasonry included, knowingly or unknowingly,
has been based upon this natural phenomena; the governing law of
which no human force can change, but can try to explain; and this
is what they attempted to do.

To carry out this idea they drew a Circle and divided it into
zones, after the manner in which the Sun naturally divided the
earth.

Today every school boy knows what these divisions represent, but
not so in those days; for it meant death to reveal this concealed
wisdom.

This plan of the earth was the "Key" used to unravel the balance of
the Mysteries; and should, I think, be the starting point of all
research societies today, who are trying to unfold the ancient
meanings.

The Wisdom which the ancients obtained was kept strictly among
themselves and this naturally made them mysterious. New members
were admitted, or initiated, and this constituted the priesthood.

It is upon their discovered Wisdom that Modern Freemasonry is
founded. And this is one of the reasons why the Orthodox Church is
as a general thing so bitter against the Order.

"Boaz" was used to mark the Sun's Highest point of ascension to the
North, or the Tropic of Cancer, and the longest day of the year.

The Great Pyramid Cheops of Egypt is the Boaz of the ancient
priesthood, and stands as near as may be, on the above mentioned
Tropical line.

Naturally divided by the Sun, because at "High Twelve" on the
longest day of the year, it casts no shadow. Any building to the
North of it does.

"Jachin" was used to mark the Sun's Lowest point of declination to
the South, or the Tropic of Capricorn, and the shortest day of the
year, at "Low Twelve."

The Torid Zone was called "The Ground Floor Plan of King Solomon's
Temple" which was the World. The Floor was said to be Checkered and
twice as long as it was broad. At the entrance stood "Jachin" on
the Right and "Boaz" on the Left. (See I. Kings, chapt. 7, v. 21.)
The front of the Temples being always left open for the Sun to
enter, while the worshipers entered from the West and always faced
the East during the services.

In front of all of these Temples were to be found "Boaz and
Jachin." And here they were used to locate the Spring and Fall
equinoxes. On the morning of March twenty-first, for instance, at
Sunrise, the Sun shone past Jachin, over the Checkered Floor, and
rested on the "Blazing Star" at the center. On the morning of the
Fall equinox, at Sunrise, the Bays of the Sun shone past Boaz, and
again rested on the Blazing Star. In this manner the Equinoxes were
located; no other method ever being used, so far as I have been
able to learn.

Thus the Pillars, together with the Checkered Floor, were used as
a Calendar, a clock, and a compass; and, so far as known, was the
only compass they ever devised.

These are not conjectures remember, but are actual working facts,
as set forth in the Bible.

Masonry is a gold mine studded with diamonds, so far as this
ancient method of obtaining and recording knowledge is concerned,
and will well repay for the time spent for its search.

Hoping this will help along the study of the ancient system, I
remain,

Yours fraternally,
Geo. F. Greene, 65 Myrtle St., Detroit, Mich.

