Glossary

Browse the glossary by clicking on any of the letters below.

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Alphabetically Arranged with Cyclopedic Meanings and Bible References

Yalla

A word said to have been used by the Templars in the adoration of the Baphomet, and derived from the Saracens.

Year of Light

Anno Lucis, in the Year of Light, is the epoch used in Masonic documents of the Symbolic Degrees.  Between the creation of the world, according to sacred chronology, and the advent of Christ, 4000 years intervene; thus A. L. 2001 added to 4000 gives the Masonic year, 6001.  The Masonic era commences with the creation of the world (Anno Mundi), or Masonically expressed, (Anno Lucis), year of light or year of the Lodge.  Genesis 1:1

Yod

The Hebrew letter equivalent in sound to I or Y.  It is the initial letter of the word Jehovah, the tetragrammaton, and hence was peculiarly sacred among the Talmudists.  Basnage (lib. iii., c.13), while treating of the mysteries of the name Jehovah among the Jews, says of this letter:  "The yod in Jehovah is one of those things which eye hath not seen, but which has been concealed from all mankind.  Its essence and matter are incomprehensible; it is not lawful so much as to mediate upon it.  Man may lawfully revolve his thoughts from one end of the heavens to the other, but he cannot approach that inaccessible light, that primitive existence, contained in the letter yod; and indeed the masters call the letter thought or idea, and prescribe no bounds to its efficacy.  It was this letter which, flowing from the primitive light, gave being to emanations.  In Symbolic Masonry, the yod has been replaced by the Letter "G".  But in the high degrees it is retained, and within a triangle, thus constituting the symbol of Deity.  EXAMPLE

York Rite

Strictly speaking, there is no such Rite today.  At one time this term was applied to the first three degrees of Masonry, the Entered Apprentice, Fellow-Craft, and the Master Mason.  But at that time the Third Degree included what is now known as Royal Arch Masonry.  The Ancient York Rite, though no longer an active title, must be recognized in Masonic History as the oldest and purest of all the Rites.

 

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