why do we call each other companion in the Royal Arch instead of brother
The title refers to the shared experience of exile and captivity among the ancient Jews from the destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar to its restoration under Zerubbabel 1.
Albert C. Mackey explains that the term marks a distinct shade of meaning from that of Brother 1. While "Brother" represents the universal brotherhood of man and a natural relation shared by all, "Companion" signifies a connection formed by choice and confined to a few 1. It denotes a common pursuit of a single object, whether expressed through the joint endurance of suffering or the shared enjoyment of happiness 1. In this view, all men are brethren, but companionship requires a closer, mutually chosen bond forged through shared labor and adversity 1.
where does that term come from originally
Etymologically, the term derives from Latin words meaning "with bread" and carries military connotations denoting a strong bond among those who share sustenance and hardship, as an article on the United Grand Lodge of England's website notes. Historically within Chapter practice, the title was first introduced in England in 1778 to replace "Brother", according to an article in The Square Magazine.
Albert C. Mackey links its symbolic origin to the shared captivity and exile of the ancient Jews from the destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar through to its rebuilding under Zerubbabel and Cyrus 1.
do craft lodges ever use companion
Craft lodges do not use the title "Companion"; members within a Craft lodge are addressed as "Brother" 21. The designation "Companion" is reserved for members of the Royal Arch 12. Arthur Edward Waite notes that while Craft Masons are Brethren, members of the Royal Arch are styled Companions 2. Albert C. Mackey explains that "Brother" is the title applied among Freemasons in symbolic lodges, standing as the Craft equivalent to "Companion" in the Royal Arch 1.
Present-day practice maintains this distinction without exception. Members are addressed as "Brother" in a Craft lodge, while "Companion" is designated specifically for a Royal Arch Mason, as the United Grand Lodge of England states. The title is used in the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch but not as a title for members within a Craft lodge, as the Grand Lodge of India confirms.
what does masonic scholarship say about the distinction
The distinction between Brother and Companion rests on both organizational scope and symbolic intent 1. In Symbolic Lodges, Masons are styled Brother, a title grounded in a natural relation shared by all humanity and reflecting the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man 1. It signifies common participation in human nature, shared labor, and union under a mutual covenant 1.
In the Royal Arch, members are addressed as Companion 1. While serving as the Royal Arch equivalent to Brother in the Craft, the title represents a closer, mutually chosen bond confined to a few rather than a universal relationship 1. Symbolically, it evokes the shared captivity and exile of the ancient Jews from the destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar to its restoration under Zerubbabel and Cyrus 1.
Albert C. Mackey holds that while all men are brethren by nature, companionship requires a specific common pursuit, whether defined by the joint endurance of suffering or the shared enjoyment of happiness 1.
Written by AI. It can make mistakes — check anything that matters against the sources listed.
1 follow-up left in this thread
This thread is getting long. A fresh one often reads better — and the library is the same either way.
Where to go next
Each opens a thread of its own.