Past High Priest David L. Gray

6/20/2000

One can make a good argument that Modern Freemasonry, in it�s present form, with all rituals and ceremonies inclusive, has a strong resemblance to those same Judaic rites, ceremonies, dogma and teachings we have read about in the old testament and studied with the Qabblah.

One of the most fascinating, and least talked about aspects of Capitular Freemasonry, is its� array of colors. Those same colors borne by the Four principals Tribes of Israel - Judah, Ephraim, Rueben and Dan. In the American Rite of Royal Arch Freemasonry we assign the colors Blue to Judah; Purple to Ephraim; Scarlet to Rueben, and White to Dan.

In the book of Exodus, there are twenty-six references to the colors blue, scarlet and purple mentioned together. They mention these colors in regards to garments being made and edifices being constructed. Let�s examine a possible reason why these colors were so important to God�s chosen people during the Exodus and now to the Royal Arch of Freemasonry.

The adopted element color of FIRE is RED and its assigned symbol is that of the TRIAD. The fire and heat that comes from it suggest life, and therefore is related to the life giving color of blood. Red is also the natural color of fire. The natural movement of a flame is upward and tends to form a point, like a Triad. The Triad is unsteady, as it has three sides. This may have been another reason to associate the Triad with the constantly active and moving Fire. When a Triad is in it upward position � It represents God, while a Triad in a pointing down position � represents man.

The adopted elemental symbol of the color BLUE is the CIRCLE and represented by AIR. The Circle is a symbol of completeness.

Red also represents Force, while Blue represents the Conscience. When red force, combines with blue conscience � the result is a purple aura of the body that represents one-ness or wholeness or completeness � Purple is also the color of spirituality.

The short synopsis of colors leads us to a portion of the explanation of the Royal Arch Emblem. The outer (blue) of Conscience � represents the Most High God circumscribing the bounds of man to live within. The inner (red) Triad of Force � represents God, and inside the Triad we have the Tetragrammaton � Consisting of three united "T"�s.

This "T" in which I allude to, is not to be confused with the English letter "T". The Triple Tau, and the three "T�s" in the Tetragrammaton allude to the three stages in life within the mind, which are youth, manhood and old age. The or Tau Cross is an ancient symbol of the continuing of eternal life. The vertical line represents the inner nature of the individual intelligence, or the untamed elements (Spiritual, Physical and Mental).

The cross bar in the beginning is at the bottom , and as life continues on through obstructions and temptation to the right way of living are gradually overcome. When the cross bar has risen three quarters , the individual intelligence, or mind has accomplished life, and worked out its own salvation. When the cross bar is at the top , the Soul of his own individual intelligence, independent of its physical body, assures man of the on-going or eternal life, symbolized by the circle added to the Tau cross. The three within the circle symbolize all three elements of man, which are Spiritual, Physical and Mental � made Godlike . These perfect elements are put within the Triangle to symbolize that whosoever accomplished this has escaped his human confinement, and becoming one with the Most High God. The circle around the Triangle is to symbolize that he is now able to continue eternally � Godlike.

So, while the Royal Arch Mason is building his spiritual temple and moving his horizontal line up the vertical scale, he remains within the (red) Force of God and his inner soul being directed and circumscribed by the God�s (blue) circle of conscience. The climax of these events will lead to that purple spiritual aura and a temple completed. So Mote It Be.