What are the hidden meanings of second degree tracing board

Tracing boards in the Fellowcraft Degree present a connected system of symbols intended to illustrate the moral and philosophical advancement of the candidate 12. The emblems depicted on these boards correspond closely to early Masonic manuscripts and the historical allegory of Solomon's Temple 2.

Prominent upon the board are the two Great Pillars, which represent strength and establishment 1. Passing between them signifies that a Mason must balance power with wisdom and self-control, as power without control is destructive, while control without power remains ineffective 1. The celestial and terrestrial globes associated with the pillars symbolize the universality of Masonry, encompassing both the sky and the land 12.

The plumb line featured in the degree's emblemology, drawn from the prophetic vision in the Book of Amos, teaches the Fellowcraft how to evaluate moral conduct 1. It emphasizes judging work by a plumb line set in the very midst of a brother and his circumstances, taking into account individual capacity and tools rather than applying an unyielding external standard 1.

At the focal point of the Fellowcraft's symbolic journey is the letter "G" or the Blazing Star, representing Divine Providence and the Unseen Presence guiding the candidate toward truth 12. Older tracing boards also depicted symbol variations, such as a pointed cubic stone with an axe or distinct structural columns, before ritual developments in the mid-eighteenth century coalesced these allegories around the ascent to the Middle Chamber 2.