FreemasonryGPT

The Entered Apprentice Trestle Board is a significant symbol in Freemasonry, particularly for new initiates. It is defined as the board upon which the Master inscribes the designs by which the Craft are to be directed in their labors. This is one of the first symbols that a new Entered Apprentice learns about upon entering the lodge.

Historically, the term "Trestle-Board" was first found in the Masonic expose "Masonry Dissected" by Prichard in 1730, where it was described as one of the immovable jewels of a Masonic lodge. The Trestle Board serves multiple purposes:

• Instruction Tool: The Master of the lodge uses the Trestle Board to instruct new candidates and members in Masonic teachings, providing a visual representation of lessons.
• Symbolic Representation: Central virtues such as Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth are "drawn" on the Trestle Board to remind Masons of their obligations and goals.
• Historical Reference: In Operative Masonry, workmen erected their Temples according to the plans laid down by the Master on his Trestle Board. As a Speculative Mason, one should endeavor to erect his spiritual Temple according to the rules and designs laid down by the Supreme Architect of the Universe in the Book of Life, which serves as his spiritual Trestle Board.

It is important to distinguish the Trestle Board from the Tracing Board. The Trestle Board is a board for drawing designs, while the Tracing Board is a picture drawn on the floor of the Lodge, containing symbols of the Degree to which it belongs.

In contemporary lodges, the term "Trestle Board" may also refer to the lodge's newsletter or official communication, underscoring its continued role as a channel of guidance and instruction.

In summary, the Entered Apprentice Trestle Board is an essential symbol in Freemasonry that serves as an instructional tool, a reminder of Masonic virtues, and a historical reference to Operative Masonry practices. It is a movable jewel of the lodge and one of the oldest symbols used in Masonry.