Possible masonic pattern on gravestone?

[wulliam]

I've just found out, to my complete astonishment, that my gg-grandfather was a freemason.
This is the top of his gravestone:



Is this just a meaningless pattern, or could it be masonic? Is there any way of finding out?
If it is a masonic design, would it have a special meaning?

Thanks for reading!

[Joy Dean]

I don't recognise it as being Masonic, but try exploring here in case you can find anything similar http://www.freemasonry.london.museum/

[keldon]

The most obvious one would be the set square and compasses. Try this Google search to see if anything comes up.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&biw=1024&bih=672&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=masonic+symbols+gravestone&oq=masonic+symbols+gravestone&gs_l=img.3...43925.47866.0.48681.11.2.0.9.9.0.192.273.1j1.2.0...0.0...1ac.JR0ekGWSb_c

[Chrissie Smiff]

I've just looked at many coats of alms of the Masonic movement, including the main one but nothing quite like the top of the gravestone comes up I'm afraid William.

[wulliam]

Thanks to you all - nothing turning up at the moment but I'll keep looking!

[Joy Dean]

Try exploring in http://www.graveaddiction.com/symbol.html http://ghosts.eprofits.com/tag/crown-symbol/ http://www.gravestonestudies.org/pdf/symbols%2019th.pdf

[Olde Crone Holden]

My great grandfather was a Freemason and quite high up (Grand Master). There is nothing on his gravestone to indicate this. It was however mentioned quite extensively in his obituary.

OC

[Prairie Chicken]

Ditto to what everyone else said. I don't think the pattern is Masonic. My gfather was a Past Worshipful Master and just as mentioned above, nothing on his headstone but lots in the obtit. I have seen the Masonic symbol on headstones though.

[wulliam]

Thanks - I'll have a look at the links mentioned by Joy when I have a bit more time later on today!

[Anne in Carlisle]

There's a memorial wall stone in the Cathedral here with set square and compasses on, indicating he was a mason. This just looks like a nice pattern.

Anne

[Olde Crone Holden]

Wulliam

I'm second guessing you, but do remember that many Freemasons managed to hold onto their deeply held religious beliefs as well as embracing Freemasonry.

My Great grandfather was a very religious man, a strong nonconformist and for him Freemasonry was a practical way of advancing himself on this earth, lol, and thus enabling him to help his fellow man. I was astonished to discover just how many family members he supported on the quiet, including the widow of his cousin and her four children. She never knew who it was who was helping her, thought it was some kind of professional charity.

Also - I was quite surprised to find that there was little or no secrecy about Freemason membership etc, despite what the popular press would have us believe. Certainly at local level it appears to have been a "Gentleman's Club" devoted to charitable works and self advancement (in all ways).

OC

[wulliam]

OC

You second guess well! My great-grandfather (the son of the freemason) was a fine Christian man and an elder in the local church. I had always assumed that his father had the same views but never really thought about it - I need to do some more digging!

[Olde Crone Holden]

The two things are perfectly possible together - even today in my little local town, many of the Freemasons are elders or other church officials.

OC

[rab57]

The All-seeing eye may well be in it, which is a masonic symbol. The meaning of it as I understand is "No man can hide from God, as he sees all". Although not necessarily the Christian God, as any person who believes in a 'Supreme Being' can become a member.

The symbol is used by a few fraternities including the Orange Order, Royal Black Institution and maybe the Order of the Eastern Star.

[Olde Crone Holden]

I keep looking at this and thinking I really ought to know what it is...but if I do, I can't remember!

Is it maybe a stylised Phoenix symbol?

OC

[rab57]

The two things are perfectly possible together - even today in my little local town, many of the Freemasons are elders or other church officials.

OC

Freemasonry claims Salvation can be achieved through good works and a belief in any supreme being, when salvation can only be gained through belief in Christ's sacrifice on the cross which makes Freemasonry totally incompatible with Christianity. This view is shared by most Reformed (Calvinistic) Churches as well as the Church of Rome who introduced a Papal Bull threatening people with Ex-Communication if they became masons.

My Great-Grandfather was warned he would be expelled from the Free Church of Scotland if he never rescinded his membership of the Freemason's, he left the Free Kirk for the Church of Scotland as they accepted Freemasonry.

I will show my Grandfather this during the week and find his opinion of it as he is a Mason.

[wulliam]

Thanks for that Rab...I was puzzled myself at the thought of a Bible-believing Christian (ie one who believes as stated in your post) also being a Freemason. My grandfather was an elder in the Free Church, but I don't know about his father, the freemason - I will have to follow that up.

I really appreciate you taking the time to show your Grandfather the image - it'll be good to know what he thinks of it!

[Ann Bentley]

Surely, if we believe there is only one God, then The Supreme Being, by whatever name (or not) by which this being is known - is just that!

Ann

[joboy]

I am an 'unattached' freemason which means that for some reason I am unable to attend my lodge.
In my case it is infirmity.
I cannot identify the gravestone markings as anything masonic but that does'nt mean that it is not so as there are so many different symbols used by the myriads of different lodges throughout the world.
I am not particularly religious in the 'institutional'sense but do believe in a Supreme Being which is known in freemasonry as 'The Great Architect of the Universe' and anyone of any religious persuasion can become a freemason ... there are no bars whatsoever.
There are lodges in pretty well every country see here;

http://www.freemasonry.fm/By-Countries.html

I hope this might be useful.
Joe

[wulliam]

Surely, if we believe there is only one God, then The Supreme Being, by whatever name (or not) by which this being is known - is just that!

Hi Ann,

I don't think so. Jesus said quite explicitly that 'No one comes to the Father except through me'. Any Bible believing Christian (and what other kind is there?) believes that and so cannot accept that any other 'Supreme Being' is Supreme.

I am, however, still interested in what my ancestors may have believed, whether I agree with them or not!