Answer for the Masonic Monday Question for the week of December 4,
2006
Wow what a couple of questions we had this week; they sure did generate a lot of interest from
Masons and non-Masons alike. This weeks question was a two part question;
The first of the two questions was:
Which Volume of Sacred Law should be on the Masonic Altar, and which Volume of
Sacred Law should the candidate for the degrees place his hands on?
That first question could be said to have a specific correct answer, but the second question was
more of an opinion question, so all the answers to that were correct depending on your outlook.
That question was:
Should a witness in a court of law, (Masonic or otherwise,) or a person taking an oath of
office, (again Masonic or otherwise,) place his hands on a Volume of Sacred Law, and if so
which Volume of Sacred Law?
Before moving on to answers or information to support an answer it’s time to list
everyone who did have the answer to the questions. There was very good response to this
question, and I don’t mean only because of the number of people who sent in an answer,
but also because of the thoughtful answers to the opinion portion of the question that
Brother Glenn likes so well; actually the opinions and thoughtful answers were to both
parts of the question. Here are those who had the correct response according to our crack
team of evaluators, Brother Glenn, and the pile of Funk and Wagnall books piled up on
the porch.
Brother Bob Knowles of Helios Lodge #273 in Cambridge, MN
Brother Todd Ovonovich of St. John’s #1 in Still Water, MN
Brother Mike Sullivan of MN. River Valley Lodge # 6 of Shakopee
Brother Tom Westby of Grand Marais Lodge in Grand Marais, MN.
Brother L.C. Addison II of Montgomery Lodge in St. Paul, MN
Brother Bruce Sherman of Ancient landmark Lodge #5 in St. Paul, MN
Brother Michael Beckett from England
Brother Norman Davis of Tuscan Lodge # 77 Waseca, MN
Brother John A. Freeburg, LEO of Anoka # 30 in Anoka, MN
Brother R. Hayward of Braden Lodge #168 of St. Paul, MN
And
Marlene Vernon from a suburb of St. Paul, MN
All of these people are interested in things Masonic and able to answer a good question on
Masonry. Congratulations to all of you who answered this weeks question; each of you should be
walking around with a big smile on your face this week for being one who answered the question
and having so many good thoughts to share with Brother Glenn.
Now on to an answer to the question and some documentation:
As to the first part of the Question: “Which Volume of Sacred Law should be on the Masonic
Altar, and which Volume of Sacred Law should the candidate for the degrees place his
hands on?”
This question was really a two part question with two different answers. For the first part of the
question we should look in the Masonic Manual of Minnesota beginning on page 15 –
Minnesota’s Official Position; (the Masonic Manual can be viewed, printed or copied from the
Secretaries Resources Page of the Grand Lodge Web Site at www.mn-masons.org In the Official
Position under Volume of Sacred Law it says: “An open volume of the Sacred law, ‘the rule and
guide of life’ is an essential part of every Masonic meeting. The Volume of Sacred Law to a
Christian is the Bible; to Freemasons of other faiths, it is the book held holy by them.” That’s on
page 16 and then on page 17 there is another section with the heading “The Volume of Sacred
Law.” Here it says: An open volume of Sacred Law (Holy Bible) which includes the Old and New
Testament shall be displayed upon the altar at all Stated and Special Communications. When
Brothers of other faith traditions who have taken their vows on a different Volume of Sacred Law
are present, it is proper and salutary to display on the Altar the Volume of Sacred Law which they
honor and revere. This practice conforms to the highest ideals of our Craft in respect for the
various faith traditions of our members when in Lodge assembled.
“The vows of Masonic initiation must be taken upon the Volume of Sacred Law that will bind them
to the solemn obligations of our fraternity. Each candidate for initiation should be asked, prior to
the first degree, what volume of Sacred Law they revere as their Great Light in Masonry. If a
candidate desires to provide a Volume of Sacred Law other than the Lodge’s, he may do so and
his obligation can be taken on that book. Separate books can be used for each candidate.”
So there you have it as far as Minnesota is concerned; the Great Light of Masonry with the
Square and Compass is the Holy Bible, but every candidate should be asked what book he hold
holy and if different from the Holy Bible he must be allowed to take his obligation upon it.
Back in 2002 I was asked by a Brother about this very Question as it pertained to a Jewish Man
taking his first degree; what book ought to be used and then displayed upon the Altar, here is
what I suggested to him:
“I suggest that the proper book is the Tanakh. Tanakh is an acronym for the Hebrew words
Torah, Neviim, & Kethuvim.
“Torah = for the Law or Teaching.
Neviim = for the Prophets.
Kethuvim = for the Writings.
“They are the 3 broad definitions, and divisions of the 39 books of the Hebrew Scriptures. The
books Christians would call the “Old Testament.” However, the Jews have the books arranged
differently than the Christians. Of course I am referring to the Protestant Old Testament not the
Old Testament of the Catholic Church, which contains additional books.`
“Torah = Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
“Neviim, or Prophets = Joshua, Judges, 1st Samuel, 2nd Samuel, 1st Kings, 2nd Kings,
Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, (or as Brother Dave pronounces it in the 3rd Degree Jose,) Joel,
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai., Zechariah, Malachi.
“Kethuvim, or Writings = Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs (Song of Solomon,) Ruth,
Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1st Chronichles, 2nd Chronicles.”
This Brother had a second question, and that was: “What Volume Of Sacred Law should be on
the Altar of a Masonic Lodge when there are members of varying faiths present?
Would we offend a brother who is a Moslem, Jew, or Catholic by using the King James Version of
the Bible? Or should we place all the possible Volumes Of Sacred Law on the Altar, so as not to
offend a Brother? And how do we do that? Do we or should we ask each member of our Lodge,
and each visitor to our Lodge what their Religion is so we will know what Volume Of Sacred Law
to place on the Altar?
Looking in the Masonic Manual the Volumes of Sacred Law that should be placed upon the altar,
in addition to the Holy Bible, are the Volumes of Sacred Law each brother took his obligation on if
it was not the Holy Bible. So it could be the Tanakh, the Koran, the Catholic Holy Bible, plus
others, but in Most Lodges in Minnesota there would not be so many volumes of Sacred law as to
overcrowd most altars.
A very similar Question as this weeks question came up a few tears ago on the Philalethes list
server, a computer e-mail chat line for Masons who are members of the Philalethes. The
Philalethes is a Masonic research organization.
On to the questions about which Volume of Sacred Law should be on the Altar, Brother
Michael Segall, a Freemason in Paris France, wrote that: “Many Brethren fail to realize that the
Bible is not on the Altar as the Holy Book of any specific Religion. A Lodge is not a church, a
synagogue, a temple, or a mosque. The Bible is there as a moral guide, which has [helped]
shaped Western Civilization, and as the source of most of the legends and specific terminology of
Masonry. It also serves to constantly remind us that we work to the glory and under the invocation
of the Great Architect of the Universe, who is one and the same for all monotheistic faiths. Its
presence should not offend anyone who understands what Masonry is all about.”
It is the opinion of Brother Segall, a Brother of the Jewish Religion, that the Bible cannot be
replaced in a Lodge by any other Holy Book. He says there is only one situation when another
book might be required, in addition to the Bible but not in it’s stead: That is for taking one’s
obligation.
In practically all Grand Lodges in the world, the candidate is asked if he is willing to take his
obligation on the Bible, or whether he prefers a Holy Book of his own faith. In some countries
such as Turkey and Israel, the Holy Books of the main local religions may be added on the Altar.
For instance the Koran in Turkey, or the Tanach, the Koran, and the Christian Bible in Israel, but
adding these books to the Bible on the Alter is not while not mandatory is certainly Brotherly.
Marlene Vernon said in her answer; “The work of sacred law is not to be imposed but to be
chosen in accord with the sincerity of our hearts.”
Brother Bob Knowles wrote; “On #1: The standard book that should be on the alter of the
Masonic Lodge should be the Bible, but...if you have a member of that Lodge that follows the
Koran or Talmud then their belief should be addressed and considered. The same goes for a
candidate for the degrees. This is because Masonry encompasses all beliefs. Question #2:
The same goes for this question, the persons beliefs are considered, freedom of religion is a
basis for the founding of our country, it does not matter what they place their hand on as long as
they do it on something. Standing for a Pledge of Allegiance or singing the National Anthem falls
into a different category and includes all walks of Faith.”
Brother Todd Ovonich said; “The lodge should furnish whatever sacred volume of law the
candidate believes in, And that volume of law should remain on the alter during meetings.”
I agree with Brothe4r Todd – In the Masonic Manual it mentions if the Brother wished to provide
the Volume of Sacred law he hold sacred he can, but I personally think the Lodge could buy a
copy of the Volume of Sacred Law to place on the Altar.
Brother Mike Sullivan offers this: “I believe a person should take his vows on the book which has
the authority to bind him to the vows he is taking.”
Brother Tom Westby from Grand Marais has this to say: “A candidate for a degree will normally
be given his choice of VSL, regardless of the Lodge’s usual VSL.”
“As far as the Gov’t offices etc. are concerned, the oath should be taken on the current VSL that
is recognized within the jurisdiction or country the gov’t post will be to serve. The obligation a
gov’t official takes is in regard to the country which he will be serving, not some other country or
ethnic area or his or hers personal belief. That’s what I think!”
Brother L.C. Addison writes: “This is a very touchy subject to some and has and probably will
continue to cause a lot of dissention amongst the U.S. and maybe some within our own family.
My thoughts are these. We as the U.S. do not adhere to a national religion. We are free to
choose the religion that best suits our spirituality being nourished to the best it can be. So since
we are bound by law to not discriminate on the basis of religion then those who are crying out
against Mr. Ellison, who is choosing to be obligated on the Koran [Qu'ran], must allow him the
right he has been given by the principles of our nation. I think that the principle followed in our
wonderful Fraternity should apply here. The candidate is allowed to be obligated on his Holy Book
or VSL of choice and the Holy Bible still occupies a place on the Altar.
Brother Bruce Sherman says: “In our lodge we have three books of sacred law on the altar; the
Bible, Quran and Torah. This however was not the case until just recently when we got a petition
from a Moslem Brother. We decided to put out the other two to show respect and to remind us all
of the fact that Masonry is universal in all things. A fact that some of our Brothers may have
forgotten.
”However, I have heard that the Bible is the only book of sacred law that is required because the
first five books of the Bible make up the Torah and Moslems tend to revere the Bible as a book of
sacred law. So, in one book, the Bible we have the three recognized "major" religions of the world
covered. The Quran cannot because it is specific to Moslems, the Torah cannot because it does
not include christens. Only the Bible encompasses all three.”
I think this would be a good spot to insert portions of a paper written by Brother Roger Firestone
on the subject of the Torah, the Tanakh and the Old Testament being acceptable to Jews. The
entire article can be read at: http://mastermason.com/rfire/masonry/jewish_faq.html
What is the Jewish holy book called?
We call it the Bible (or Holy Scriptures).
That, of course, is the English term. The Hebrew word is Tanach (sometimes also
rendered Tanakh). "Tanach" is an acronym, constructed from the three sections of the
Bible, Torah (the Law), Nevi'im (the Prophets), and Kesuvim [Ketuvim] (the Writings or
Hagiographa). In the modern rendering, these constitute 39 books, although the division
into two books of Samuel, Kings, etc. is an artifact which postdates the construction of
the Jewish scriptural canon.
Is the Jewish holy book different from the Old
Testament?
Yes and no. Yes, it uses a different ordering of the books from that common in Christian
versions of the Bible. No, the content is not significantly different, except for certain
particular passages that were given a Christian interpretation in translation.
Jews prefer not to use the term "Old Testament," though. We think that our Scriptures are
as current as when they were written (or given to Moses on Mt. Sinai, if one is a
traditionalist). In writing about Jewish practice and Scripture, we prefer to use the terms
"Hebrew Scriptures" (or "Jewish Scriptures") and "Christian Scriptures."
Should the Torah be placed on the altar for a Jewish
candidate?
The Torah is only one part of the Jewish Bible. Placing just the Torah on the altar would
be the equivalent for Christians of placing only the Four Gospels on the altar, without the
epistles, Revelation, etc. The books of the Prophets and the Writings play an important
role in Jewish worship and in the understanding of the Jewish law. The Torah is the most
important section of the Bible, and is particularly venerated, but it is not the whole of
Scripture.
Should the Talmud be placed on the altar for Jewish
candidates?
The Talmud is a book of legal interpretation. It also teaches a great deal about Jewish
thinking and religious belief. But it is not Holy Scripture. The works of St. Augustine and
St. Thomas Aquinas bear a similar relationship to the Bible for Christians, but those
works are not Scripture, either.
Thank you for participating in this question about the Volume of Sacred Law; Brother
Glenn and all the rest of us on the Grand Lodge Education Committee appreciate you and
your answers. We’ll be posting another question for the week of December 11th – good
luck on that question and when you have an answer send it to Brother Glenn at:
[email protected]
Fraternally,
Ed Halpaus
Grand Lodge Education Officer