“The Grand Templar's Song”
Description
Grand Templars will be led by Moses's staff and Aaron's rod "to the promised land of God." Moses saw the Burning Bush and became a pilgrim. Noah loved the Free Masons and built the first ship. The singer sees lights and the serpent and finds "the Secret"
Notes
The images in Tunney-StoneFiddle seem confused but become clearer when compared with other Masonic songs. For example, the line "The serpent passed me by, I bent unto the ground" are, in "The Brilliant Light" dream sequence: "I cast it [Aaron's rod] on the ground and a serpent it became When he ordered me right courteously to lift it up again. I stooped and it spit fire ... I done as those words commanded and took it by the tail." The burning bush and travels of Moses are themes shared with "The Grand Mystic Order." These images are also in "The Knight Templar's Dream." What seems to have been lost in Tunney-StoneFiddle is a first verse explaining that the images are part of a dream and an indication that Masonic rituals are being described. - BS
The story of Aaron's staff that became a serpent is told in Exodus 7:8fff., I wonder, though, if the reference here isn't to Numbers 21:6fff., where God sends serpents ("fiery serpents," in the King James Bible, though the translation is somewhat uncertain). The Burning Bush is in Exodus 3. The story of Noah is in Genesis 6:9-9:29; nowhere does it state that Noah built the first ship. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "The Grand Mystic Order" (subject and some phrases)
- cf. "The Knight Templar's Dream" (subject)
- cf. "The Brilliant Light" (subject)
- cf. "Orange and Blue" (Masonic symbolism)
References
- Tunney-StoneFiddle, p. 130, "The Grand Templar's Song" (1 text, 1 tune)
- BI, TSF130