Master’s Message

Brethren of Unity Lodge No.146 A.F.&A.M.,

Centuries ago, there were other legends associated with Masonry besides the current legend of Hiram Abiff. At one time, Noah was considered one of the early Grand Masters of Freemasonry. This may be discounted by those who are not familiar with the Bible. How can the guy who built the big boat be comparable to the guy who planned the Temple of Solomon? Noah had an enormous task before him, to make an ark of gopher wood. He was provided guidance in this by the direct order of God, much as the Temple was constructed with specifications similar to that of the Tabernacle Moses erected in the desert to protect the Ark of the Covenant.

According to Albert Mackey, “Before the Flood, there was a system of religious instruction which from the resemblance of its legendary and symbolic character to that of Freemasonry, has been called by some authors “antediluvian Masonry.” This system was preserved by Noah, and after the deluge was communicated by him to his immediate descendants. This system was lost at the time of the dispersion of mankind, and corrupted by the pagans in their Mysteries. But subsequently it was purified, and Freemasonry, as we now have it, was organized by the King of Israel at the time of the building of the temple.

Another great building is related to Noah. The descendants of Noah, about 101 years after the Flood, contrived to build the Tower of Babel, in the Valley of Shinar, that they could make for themselves a name. Fifty-three years was spent in this construction, before the language of the builders was confused, and they were scattered throughout the world, the dispersion mentioned by Mackey. Nimrod, King of Babylonia and Assyria, was the Grand Master at this time, and had many cities constructed after this dispersion, and the science of Geometry was preserved in the area between the Tigris and Euphrates, by the Magi. According to the York Constitutions, likely written after Anderson’s, the descendants of Noah brought their construction skills and sciences to all the nations of the world after this dispersion.

Mackey compares the two legends here by reducing that of the Tower of Babel, from the source of Freemasonry, to the confused state of darkness an initiate finds himself in before seeking light, at the building of the Temple of Solomon, as in our current legend. He does not agree with this characterization himself, as the Babylon of the Tower of Babel was indeed the birthplace of the sciences and architecture.

The cities of Assyria, according to legend, were built under the guidance of Nimrod, and under the direction of Ashur, the son of Shem and therefore grandson of Noah. This was the legend until the beginning of the 18th century, perhaps coinciding with the formation of the Grand Lodge in 1717. Anderson did not believe that Ashur was a proper name, but was instead a reference to the building of the cities of Assyria.

The legend of Noah is still within our current ritual, although it may be indirectly. His father was Lamech, possibly the same Lamech who was the father of Tubal-Cain, the first instructor of artificers in brass and iron. These men were probably at least half-brothers, and may have been the same person. Many of the names in the Bible are not actually proper names, but are titles or epithets describing a person. Tubal-Cain instructed the artificers of brass and iron. Noah instructed his three sons in the art of Masonry, preserving the Craft.

As always Brethren, let us Meet on the Level, Act by the Plum and Part upon the Square. This is our Lodge….Your Lodge. Be the change you wish to see in the world….it all begins where you were first made a Mason. Until we meet again brethren, may the God of Peace and Love delight to dwell with and bless you.

S & F,

Dennis Mark Haas
Worshipful Master