What is the role of the Worshipful Master in relation to the three columns?
In Masonic symbolism, the three columns represent Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty, each associated with a different Order of Architecture: the Ionic (Wisdom) in the middle, the Doric (Strength) on the left, and the Corinthian (Beauty) on the right.
According to W. Kirk MacNulty in "Philosophical Background for Masonic Symbolism," these columns symbolize a universe where expansive and constraining forces are held in balance by a coordinating agency, with the central column (Wisdom) maintaining equilibrium between the other two.
The Worshipful Master, who presides in the East of the Lodge, is symbolically connected to the central column of Wisdom. His role is to open and adorn the Lodge, setting the brethren to work with good and wholesome laws, thus embodying the principle of Wisdom that balances Strength and Beauty.
Furthermore, from "THE MYSTERIES OF FREEMASONRY" by Captain William Morgan, the Worshipful Master is described as presiding in the East, opening and adorning the day, and governing the Lodge with regularity, which aligns with the central column's role of equilibrium and wisdom.
In summary, the Worshipful Master’s role in relation to the three columns is to embody and exercise Wisdom, the central balancing principle that harmonizes Strength and Beauty within the Lodge.
References:
- W. Kirk MacNulty, "Philosophical Background for Masonic Symbolism"
- Captain William Morgan, "THE MYSTERIES OF FREEMASONRY"