In the system of Freemasonry, the Temple of Solomon is represented as having a gate on the east, west, and south sides but none on the north. In reference to the historical Temple of Jerusalem, such a representation is wholly incorrect. In the walls of the building itself there were no place of entrance except the door of the porch, which gave admission to the house. But in the surrounding courts there were gates at all of the points of the compass. The Masonic idea of the Temple is, however, symbolic.
The Temple is to the Speculative Mason only a symbol, not an historical building, and the gates are imaginary and symbolic also. They are, in the first place, symbols of the progress of the sun in his daily course, rising in the east, culminating to the meridian in the south, and setting in the west, which it is the object of the third degree to illustrate, symbols of the three stages of youth, manhood, and old age, or, more properly of birth, life, and death. — ( John 2:19 )
Biblical Reference
1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
~~ooOoo~~
This page is adapted from the Glossary at Phoenixmasonry — Used with permission.
