Brethren,

      The Fifth Manhattan District now takes our next steps together as we look to a new year, new candidates, new experiences, and new connections in Masonry. I wanted to take this time to offer a big Thank you to our District Deputy Grand Master the R:.W:. Ryan Rodriguez Wiggins. His guidance of our District these past two years has aligned our District in a very positive direction. His leadership has been outstanding and our future looks bright.

      As we now begin to welcome back our Brothers to our lodges, I wanted to reflect on one of the lesser prominent symbols, Jacob’s Ladder.

In the twenty eighth Chapter of Genesis, we find Jacob in a dream had a vision of a ladder, whose feet rested on the earth and whose top reached to heaven. Angels were continually ascending and descending upon it and promised him the blessing of a numerous and happy posterity. When Jacob awoke, he was filled with pious gratitude and consecrated the spot for a house of God (Bethel). That said, the symbol in a Masonic viewpoint embraces the moral and intellectual progress in a succession of gates or steps (traditionally seven rungs but also containing that of three).

 

      We find the introduction of Jacob's Ladder is a recent addition to our Ritual (as it is thought to be adopted around the late 18th century). We also find that it evolved through Hermetic Masonry (around 1776).

We find the Ladder in the Persian Mysteries of Mithras, the mysteries of Brahma as well as the Egyptian mysteries. In the Mithraism mysteries the seven ringed Ladder is a symbol of the ascent of the soul to perfection. Little is known of its use in the Egyptian mysteries (but it is found among the hieroglyphics) and in the Brahmin mysteries there was also a Ladder of seven steps (which is emblematic of the seven worlds) which ultimately leads to the Sphere of Truth.

 

      In Masonry, I see Jacob's Ladder as our connection between Faith and Heaven, between man and God and our deep, Masonic core belief in Faith, Hope and Charity: our Faith in God, our Hope in immortality and our Charity for all men. These three Rungs are what we see presented in our First Degree Historical Lecture in the explanation of the Coverings of a Lodge with the principle rungs being Faith, Hope, and Charity. As we begin our work again, I ask that you keep these three ideas in the forefront of your mind and action.

      The summer saw the completion of the several courses for Masonic Education. Our Masonic Development Course saw deep and rich discussions, our Road to the East explored our Masonic Law and 24 Inch Gauge and our Master's Chair Course brought the Masters of our Lodges together (both new and old) to prepare them for this next year. Additionally, I encourage you to continue (or begin) our Masonic Reading Courses through our Library. Recently at our last Grand Lodge session, the Grand Lodge Staff Officers have been asked to again present certificates for completed Reading Courses to each Brother who completes one in our District. I currently have a bag full of certificates and pins that I will be presenting to Brothers of each Lodge in our District.

      We will again look to offer courses this year. The District Team will look for your assistance in encouraging Brothers (young and old) to sign-up for our next opportunity. We will explore this at our next visit and will schedule classes accordingly.

​

​

R:.W:. James William Gregg

Grand Sword Bearer

Fifth Manhattan Masonic District