Post by Tamrin on Jul 2, 2008 21:39:21 GMT 10
In his book, Who was Hiram Abiff? (n.d., p.176), J.S.M. Ward, in a chapter entitled "Who was the Queen of Sheba?," observed of her:
Even more significant is the importance placed upon the queen by early speculative Freemasons. For instance, we see below the "Frontispiece" to the American Book of Constitutions, 1792, dedicated to George Washington and drawn and engraved by Seymour (Lennhoff, op. cit., opp. p.171).
For an earlier and more graphic (though less contextually significant) illustration of the same theme see the 1760 oil painting entitled, King Solomon Shows Queen Sheba the Plans for the Temple which are Held by His Architect Hiram, (courtesy Deutsches Freimaurer Museum). These illustrations depict an early tradition in which the queen saw not only the finished Temple, but was privy to the plans (secrets?). The prominence of the tradition is suggested by the context in which the engraving by Seymour was used and, in both illustrations, H.K.T. is prominent by his absence, with his place in the trinity arguably filled by the queen.
The important position she still plays in Masonry, particularly in connection with the successor of the Architect, is very remarkable in an Order which, like the Essenes, debars women from participation in its secrets. The anachronism seems to have struck some of the leading masons of recent years, for of late there has been a marked tendency to eliminate her as far as possible.In his book, The Freemasons: The history, nature, development and secret of the Royal Art (1934, p.335), Eugen Lennhoff, in a chapter entitled, “Women and Freemasonry,” corroborates Ward’s observation, saying:
This was not the attitude of the medieval masons, who, in legend and sculpture, stressed her importance and associated her very closely with Solomon.
Only one member of the fair sex has ever been accorded a share of homage from the gild, namely the Queen of Sheba. The inclusion of her effigy in the rows of statues on German cathedrals, especially since it generally occurs in conjunction with that of King Solomon, can be no accident.Predating the Mark°, we find the queen features in the medieval "Golden Legend," (Every, Christian Mythology, 1987, p.57), which sees timber from the Tree of Life, rejected by the builders of the Temple, thrown among the rubbish and then used to bridge a stream; the Queen of Sheba, recognising its virtue and destiny (to be used as the True Cross), refuses to step foot upon and thereby desecrate it, (instead she walks through the stream). Following her advice, King Solomon orders the timber to be overlaid with gold and silver and placed as a lintel in the temple.
Even more significant is the importance placed upon the queen by early speculative Freemasons. For instance, we see below the "Frontispiece" to the American Book of Constitutions, 1792, dedicated to George Washington and drawn and engraved by Seymour (Lennhoff, op. cit., opp. p.171).
For an earlier and more graphic (though less contextually significant) illustration of the same theme see the 1760 oil painting entitled, King Solomon Shows Queen Sheba the Plans for the Temple which are Held by His Architect Hiram, (courtesy Deutsches Freimaurer Museum). These illustrations depict an early tradition in which the queen saw not only the finished Temple, but was privy to the plans (secrets?). The prominence of the tradition is suggested by the context in which the engraving by Seymour was used and, in both illustrations, H.K.T. is prominent by his absence, with his place in the trinity arguably filled by the queen.