G. The letter G is a well-known
symbol of Freemasonry, though not a very old one. The time of its adoption is
unknown but it probably was not much before the middle of the 18th century. It
is not derived from the Gothic Constitutions or Ancient Charges or
otherwise from the Medieval Freemasons. It is not mentioned in any of the
early exposes of ritual prior to Samuel Prichard’s Masonry Dissected of
1730, and even there its significance is not fully developed. That was the
first exposed ritual which divided the work into three degrees, and in it the
Fellow Craft Degree begins as follows:
”Q. Are you a Fellow Craft? A. I am.
”Q. Why was you made a Fellow Craft? A. For the sake
of the letter G.
”Q. What does G denote? A. Geometry, or the fifth
Science.”
Then, after some reference to the Middle Chamber,
comes the following:
”Q. When you came to the middle, what did you see?
A. The Resemblance of the Letter G.
”Q. What doth G denote? A. One that’s greater than
you.
”Q. Who is greater than I, that am a Free and Accepted
Mason, the Master of a Lodge? A. The Grand Architect and Contriver of the
Universe, or He that was taken up to the top of the Pinnacle of the Holy
Temple.
”Q. Can you repeat the Letter G? A. I’ll do my
Endeavour.
”The Repeating of the Letter
G.
”Resp. In the midst of Solomon’s Temple there
stands a G,
”A letter fair for all to read and see,
”But few there be that understands
”What means that Letter G.
”Ex. My Friend, if you pretend to be
”Of this Fraternity,
”You can forthwith and rightly tell
”What means that Letter G.
”Resp. By Sciences are brought to Light
”Bodies of various kinds,
”Which do appear to perfect Sight;
”But none but Males shall know my Mind.
”Ex. The Right shall. Resp. If Worshipful.
”Ex. Both Right and Worshipful I am,
”To Hail you I have Command,
”That you do forthwith let me know
”As I you may understand.
”Resp. By Letters Four and Science Five
”This G aright doth stand,
”In a due Art and Proportion,
”You have your Answer, Friend.
”N. B. Four Letters are Boaz. Fifth Science Geometry.”
In the dialogue between Simon and Philip of about
1740, the
following occurs:
”Phil. You say you see three great Lights, did you
see no other Light?
”Sim. Yes one far surpassing Sun or Moon.
”Phil. What was that? Sim. The Light of the Gospel.
”Phil. Why was you made a Mason? Sim. For the sake
of the Letter G.
”Phil. What does it signifye? Sim. Geomitry.”
Appended to the MS. is a purported plan or ”form of
the old lodges,” which shows the letter G in the center of the floor. It also
has another showing ”the new lodge under the Desaguliers regulation” with the G
in the center.
Hutchinson (Spirit of Masonry, 1775, Lecture
VIII) gives the letter G great significance as indicating both God and
Geometry. Dr. Frederick Dalcho of South Carolina (Orations, p. 27)
expressed the same opinion. Dr. Oliver (Golden Remains of the Early Masonic
Writers) stated that G. A. O. T. U. was used by Masons to refer to the
Being designated by the letter G. It seems not to have been deemed esoteric.
It will surprise some to know that it was not until about 1850 that the letter G was placed in the center of the interlaced Square and Compasses for pins and badges as commonly represented today, and that it is supposed to have originated as a jeweler’s design and not by the action of any Masonic authority. Cross’ Chart of 1826 shows the Square and Compasses in one place and the letter G in others but the two are never combined. A moment’s reflection will apprise one that the G in the center of the Square and Compasses is an incongruity, since the proper place for the G is suspended in the East and under no circumstances does it appear in the lodge in connection with the Square and Compasses. The latter are great lights but the G is not. (See RELIGION.)
