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Post by brought2light on Jan 5, 2007 16:05:38 GMT
I would like to build gavels for upcoming Masters and possible for PM's. I can make these on my wood lathe and give them as gifts or momentos of their time as a WM. My question is, are there certain wood species that are traditionally masonic?
In my mind Walnut with Ash or Maple would be a nice contrast in wood texture and colors to make these out of, but would like opinions from the brethren as to what may or not be acceptable or correct.
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giovanni
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Post by giovanni on Jan 5, 2007 16:10:24 GMT
I would like to build gavels for upcoming Masters and possible for PM's. I can make these on my wood lathe and give them as gifts or momentos of their time as a WM. My question is, are there certain wood species that are traditionally masonic? In my mind Walnut with Ash or Maple would be a nice contrast in wood texture and colors to make these out of, but would like opinions from the brethren as to what may or not be acceptable or correct. box-tree
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Post by Mikepm on Jan 5, 2007 20:24:30 GMT
In our lodge every member has a small wooden gavel to use at the festive board, and when a guest is invited the member who invited him pays for it. If memory serves me right i think that my lodge has used Yew & Ash. Ps if you don't turn up with your gavel there is a fine to pay for the charity box.
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wolfy
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Post by wolfy on Jan 5, 2007 21:30:35 GMT
Bro Mike, please forgive my slackness but what are all those gavels used for? applause?
if so what a wonderful idea!
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Post by keith on Jan 5, 2007 22:25:12 GMT
There is a set of "travelling gavels" made from a selection of native New Zealand timbers en route to a PHA Lodge in USA from the Australia and New Zealand Masonic Research Council following a lecture tour by a PHA past master a few years ago. It may well have arrived there by now although I don't really know.
I can see no reason why any particular timber should be preferable to any other, As long as the gavel will perform satisfactorily that's all that's required. You don't want the handle to break now do you? Why do some people tie themselves in knots searching for symbolism where none exists?
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Tamrin
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Post by Tamrin on Jan 6, 2007 0:00:06 GMT
During the Craft installation banquets in my district the newly installed Masters are presented with keyring gavels feating 'Bubinga,' 'Maple,' 'Huon Pine,' and 'Red Cedar' in the head, with a handle of 'Bubinga.' There is no pretense that they have anything other than local significance and the new W.M.s have the option of purchasing a full sized one (I didn't bother).
While there is a great deal of tree lore, as Robert Graves shows in The White Goddess, I suppose the most significant woods in a Masonic context wood would be 'Acacia' and 'Cedar' (in Hebrew, 'Asher').
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Post by brought2light on Jan 6, 2007 1:42:42 GMT
Why do some people tie themselves in knots searching for symbolism where none exists? Because Brother Keith, we don't know until we ask. Perhaps the better question for me to have asked would have been, are there any woods traditionally used in Masonic gavels. Since there are none, then I will use Walnut and Ash, both being a strong wood on and opposite ends of the color spectrum.
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Post by taylorsman on Jan 6, 2007 9:36:44 GMT
Now there is an interesting idea! Make the Gavels of the RWM, WSW and WJW respectively out of different woods. Now are there particular woods which have been associated with Wisdom, Strength and Beauty? Perhaps one of the more Esoteric members of this Forum could tell me? Anyway, as an idea it appeals strongly to me being a deeply Symbolical and Esoteric Mason.
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giovanni
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Post by giovanni on Jan 6, 2007 12:55:03 GMT
Now there is an interesting idea! Make the Gavels of the RWM, WSW and WJW respectively out of different woods. Now are there particular woods which have been associated with Wisdom, Strength and Beauty? Perhaps one of the more Esoteric members of this Forum could tell me? Anyway, as an idea it appeals strongly to me being a deeply Symbolical and Esoteric Mason. Taking into considerations the different function operated by the Officers, and the zodiacal correspondence, I suggest as follows: RWM = Juppiter = oak tree RSW = Venus = birch tree RJW = Mars = thorn tree or also elderberry tree
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Post by windtimber on Jan 6, 2007 15:17:47 GMT
Does anyone know what species of cedar comprised the cedar forests of Lebanon? Seems that would be somewhat appropriate...
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Post by mike on Jan 6, 2007 15:44:13 GMT
I My question is, are there certain wood species that are traditionally masonic? I'm suprised that no one has jumped in with the particular wood mentioned in our Rituals, that being Acacia. Acacia is thought to be the same as shittim wood in the OT and it is the wood from which the Ark of the Covenant was built and of course the inside of the walls of KST were covered with boards of cedar. M
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giovanni
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Post by giovanni on Jan 6, 2007 16:54:38 GMT
I My question is, are there certain wood species that are traditionally masonic? I'm suprised that no one has jumped in with the particular wood mentioned in our Rituals, that being Acacia. Acacia is thought to be the same as shittim wood in the OT and it is the wood from which the Ark of the Covenant was built and of course the inside of the walls of KST were covered with boards of cedar. M Acacia corresponds to Gemini, so it is symbol of friendship, asexual love. Friendship among Freemasons is a by-product of the lodge's work, but it is not its main purpose. We frequent the lodge to enhance our inner (at least in the Latin Freemasonries which are still working in the traditional manner).
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Post by taylorsman on Jan 6, 2007 17:22:55 GMT
"We frequent the lodge to enhance our inner (at least in the Latin Freemasonries which are still working in the traditional manner)."
And also in Co-Masonry Bro Gio.
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giovanni
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Post by giovanni on Jan 6, 2007 17:41:48 GMT
I know you Steve, and I have no doubt.
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giovanni
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Post by giovanni on Jan 6, 2007 17:56:54 GMT
Back to the topic. I would add that not only the gavels, but also the pedestals on which they are beaten should be made of the same wood, so to resonate in the same manner.
The sounds they so emit are therefore sonorous symbols and, even if they are not perceived in their feature, they do their work by themselves as well as any other symbol, as Jamblicus pointed out.
So, here is the Chaldaic sequence and the musical correspondence:
Saturn (DO), Jupiter (RE), Mars (MI), Sun (FA), Venus (SOL), Mercury (LA), Moon (SI).
Assuming that each Officer has his own gavel, we obtain that WM's one will sound RE, SW's one SOL and JW's one MI.
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Post by matt on Jan 6, 2007 20:46:03 GMT
Now there is an interesting idea! Make the Gavels of the RWM, WSW and WJW respectively out of different woods. Now are there particular woods which have been associated with Wisdom, Strength and Beauty? Perhaps one of the more Esoteric members of this Forum could tell me? Anyway, as an idea it appeals strongly to me being a deeply Symbolical and Esoteric Mason. Taking into considerations the different function operated by the Officers, and the zodiacal correspondence, I suggest as follows: RWM = Juppiter = oak tree RSW = Venus = birch tree RJW = Mars = thorn tree or also elderberry tree Bro. Giovanni, Where do you get those zodiacal correspondences?
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giovanni
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Post by giovanni on Jan 6, 2007 20:51:13 GMT
In a book titled "Aurora Consurgens", which is not translated into English, alas.
But I think that you search on Internet, you'll find something similar.
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Post by matt on Jan 6, 2007 23:48:32 GMT
I'm sorry, I did not properly articulate my last question. Would you please explain why you associate those planets to the chairs.
Thank you, Matt
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Post by keith on Jan 7, 2007 0:19:59 GMT
There are thousands of different timbers from all over the world. Why not use timbers native to the land in which you live? The Deacons wands we use in Kaimanawa are made from Rewarewa, New Zealand honeysuckle, a beautiful speckled wood. And if you want to find some symbolic meaning in them, use your imagination.
In NZ we have manuka, also known as teatree.its leaves were used by the early settlers as a substitute for tea, it is the first to grow in forest regeneration, providing shelter for young native trees; totara, a very light sound and durable timber, used by the Maori for making waka (canoes) and for carving; rimu, used extensively in house and furniture building; kauri, one of the most magnificent timber trees known, some specimens are up to 2000 years old; pohutukawa, our Christmas tree, a mass of red blooms at Christmas, Kowhai, masses of yellow blooms in the Spring. And so it goes on. It's quite easy to come up with symbolism for all of them if you put your mind to it, and I would expect the same could be done anywhere
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giovanni
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Post by giovanni on Jan 7, 2007 2:20:58 GMT
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