A
(א , Aleph) In the Accadian, Greek, Etruscan, Pelasgian, Gallic, Samaritan, and Egyptian or Coptic, of nearly the same formation as the English letter. It originally meant with or together, but at present signifies one. In most languages it is the initial letter of the alphabet not so, however, in the Ethiopian, where it is [...]
A. A. O. N. M. S.
These letters are the initials of the words Ancient Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine (see Shrine). They may be rearranged to spell out the words A Mason. The claim has been made in all sincerity that this peculiarity was prearranged and is not at all accidental. Such a probability is not as rare as in [...]
AARON
Hebrew אהרן, A-har-ohne, a word of doubtful etymology, but generally supposed to signify a mountaineer. Mackenzie says the name means the illuminated. He was the brother of Moses, and the first High Priest under the Mosaic dispensation, whence the priesthood established by that lawgiver is known as the Aaronic. He is mentioned in the English [...]
AARON’S BAND
A Degree instituted in 1824, in New York City, mainly for social purposes, and conferred in an independent body. Its ceremonies were similar to those of the Order of High Priesthood, which caused the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State to take offence, and the small gathering dispersed in 1825.
AARON’S ROD
The method by which Moses caused a miraculous judgment as to which tribe should be invested with the priesthood, is detailed in the Book of Numbers (chapter xvii). He directed that twelve rods should be laid up in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle, one for each tribe; that of Aaron, of course, represented [...]
AB
אב. The 11th month of the Hebrew civil year and corresponding to the months July and August, beginning with the new moon of the former. It is also a Hebrew word, signifying father, and will be readily recognized by every Freemason as a component part of the name Hiram Abif, which literally means Hiram his [...]
ABACISCUS
The diminutive of Abacus, and, in architecture, refers to the squares of the tessellated pavement or checkered surface of the ground floor of King Solomon’s Temple.
ABACUS
A term which has been erroneously used to designate the official staff of the Grand Master of the Templars. The word has no such meaning; for an abacus is either a table used for facilitating arithmetical calculations, or is in architecture the crowning plate of a column and its capital. The Grand Master’s staff was [...]
ABADDON
A Hebrew word אֲבַדּוֹן, ab-ad-done, signifying destruction. By the Rabbis it is interpreted as the place of destruction, and is the second of the seven names given by them to the region of the dead. In the Apocalypse (Revelation ix, 11) it is rendered by the Greek word Απολλυων, Apollyon, and means the destroyer. In [...]
ABAZAR
Probably from the Hebrew word אביעזר, ab-ee-ay-zer, meaning helpful [Actually, meaning Father of Help, transliterated as 'Abiy`ezer. Ed 2010.]. The title given to the Master of Ceremonies in the Sixth Degree of the Modern French Rite.
