Short Talk Bulletin Vol 12 No 12

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Short Talk Bulletin

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SHORT TALK BULLETIN - Vol.XII   December. 1934   No.12 
  
PASSAGES OF JORDAN  
  
by: Unknown  
  
And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together,  and went  
northward, and said unto Jephthah.  Wherefore  passest thou over to   
fight against the children of Ammon,  and didst not call us to go  
with thee?  We will burn thine  house upon thee with fire.  
And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at  great strife  
with the children of Ammon; and when I called  you, ye delivered me  
not out of their hands.  
And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life  in my hands,  
and passed over against the children of Ammon,  and the Lord  
delivered them into my hand; wherefore then are  ye come up unto me  
this day, to fight against me?  
Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead,  and fought  
with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead smote  Ephraim, because they  
said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of  Ephraim among the Ephraimites,  
and among the Manassites.  
And the Gileadites took the passage of Jordan before  the  
Ephraimites, and it was so, that when those Ephraimites  which were  
escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of  Gilead said unto him,  
Art thou an Ephraimite?  If he said,  Nay:  
Then said they unto him, Say ye Shibboleth; and he said  Sibboleth;  
for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and  
slew him at the passages of Jordan:  and there fell at that time of  
the Ephraimites forty and two  thousand. - (Judges 12:1-6)  
This account from the Old Testament is the source  material from  
whence comes the familiar Masonic story of the  pass in our Middle  
Chamber lecture.  
Mispronunciation marking the user as enemy is a device  used at least  
four times since “Sibboleth” betrayed the  Ephraimites.  St. Bryce’s  
Day, November 2, 1002, Saxons used  “Chichester Church” as a test  
word; pronounced soft, the  speaker was a Saxon and spared; if hard,  
he was a Dane and  slain.  In 1282 the French were massacred by  
Sicilians; the  test was the word for dried peas.  One pronouncing it   
“checkaree” satisfied the soldiers, that he was a Sicilian;  if he  
said “siseri,” he was known to be a Frenchman and was  killed.  In  
1840 the Egyptians returned across the Jordan  from a campaign to  
drive the Turks from their country.   Resentful at being forced to  
help Egyptians, Syrians seized  some of the Jordan fords and asked  
those who crossed to  pronounce the word for Camel:  “Jamel.”   
Egyptians have no  soft “J” sound.  When they answered “Gamel,” like  
their  prototypes among the Ephraimites, they were “slain at the   
passages of the Jordan.”  Still a third time was a test used  at the  
Jordan.  In the world war straggling Turks were met  at the fords by  
the Syrians who demanded of those who would  pass that they pronounce  
the Syrian word for onion.  Those  who said “buzzel” passed safely;  
those who said “bussel”  were killed.  
That forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed at the  passages of  
the Jordan is Improbable; forty, plus two  thousand, is generally  
considered to be a much more likely  figure.  At least, the words are  
open to either  construction.  
“Shibboleth” is a word of many meanings, both  Masonically and  
Biblically.  
R.W. Charles C. Hunt, Librarian and Grand Secretary of  the Grand  
Lodge of Iowa, Masonic student and authority, went  to the Hebrew  
Bible for the use of the word, with the  following interesting  
result:  
“It appears in Zecharias 4:12, translated  “Branch.”  
Isaiah 27:12, translated :Channel.”  
Genesis 41:5-6-7-22-23-24-26-27;  
Ruth 2:2; Job 24:24, translated “Corn” or “Ears of  Corn.”  
Psalms 69:15, translated “Water Flood.”  
Judges 12:6, not translated, as to do so would be  to destroy the  
sense of the story in which it is used  as a pass or test word.  
In modern days “shibboleth” means (Standard Dictionary)   
“A test word or pet phrase of a party; a watchword.”  The  example  
given is:  “Opposition to internal improvements  became a Democratic  
shibboleth,” quoted from Harper’s  Monthly, July, 1892.  
Masonically, Shibboleth means both a stream, and corn  or wheat; so  
used, both are emblems of plenty.  
“Corn” does nor denote the familiar source of corn  meal, familiar  
and dear to the American palate.  Our corn is  a cultivated  
descendant of “Indian Corn” or Maize, so called  to distinguish it  
from European corn, which, prior to the  discovery of America, was  
the term for wheat, barley and  other grains.  “Corn” is so used in  
the Old Testament, the  principal grains of which are wheat and  
barley.   
There is no unanimity of opinion as to what kind of a  stream should  
be an emblem of plenty.  For years a minor  controversy has raged, as  
interesting as (apparently) it is  unsettleable.  
Should the sheaf of wheat be suspended near a  “waterfall” or a  
“waterford?”  
The greatest American Masonic authority - many argue  that on the  
whole the greatest Masonic authority of the  world - is Albert  
Gallatin Mackey.  He pronounced  emphatically for “waterfall.”  Yet  
many learned authorities  contend that Mackey was not infallible, and  
that he erred.  
It is human to see our own ideas as correct, the other  fellow’s  
wrong.  South Carolina, Mackey’s state, uses  “waterfall,” Iowa and  
Colorado, among others, use  “waterford;”  Henry Evans, Editor of the  
“Square and  Compass,” of Denver, is a Colorado Mason; Charles Hunt,   
already quoted, is of the Grand Lodge of Iowa.  The student,   
therefore, must judge which is correct by argument rather  than by  
weight of authority which attaches to such names as  Mackey, Hunt,  
Evans, etc.  
The two following quotations, grave and dignified when  considered  
alone, at least border on the humorous when read  together.  The  
first is from the Ahiman Rezon (Code and  Monitor combined) of South  
Carolina:  
“The passages of Scripture which are referred to  in this part of the  
section will be found in Judges  XII, 1-6.  The vulgate version gives  
a paraphrastic  translation of a part of the 6th verse, as follows:    
“Say. therefore, Shibboleth, which being interpreted is  an ‘Ear of  
corn.’  The same word also in Hebrew  signifies a rapid stream of  
water, from the root  SHaBaL, to flow copiously.  The too common  
error of  speaking, in this part of the ritual, of a ‘waterford’   
instead of a ‘waterfall,’ which is the correct word,  must be  
carefully avoided.  A ‘waterfall’ is an emblem  of plenty, because it  
indicates an abundance of water.  A ‘waterford,’ for converse reason,  
is, if any symbol  at all, a symbol of scarcity.”  
Hear now the South Dakota (Monitor):  
“Note - The common error of using the word  ‘waterfall’ instead of  
‘waterford,’ which is the  correct one, must be carefully avoided.   
The word to  which allusion is made in this part of the ritual   
signifies an ear of corn.  Corn has never been used as  an emblem of  
Plenty.  The fall or the ford has nothing  to do with it, except that  
it originated for the  purposes used by us at the Fords of Jordan,  
and not at  the falls.  The same volume of water which passes over   
the falls may be found at the ford below.”  
At first sight the argument that the same volume of  water passes  
over the ford as passes the falls seems  unanswerable; some go  
further, saying that as a fall may not  extend all the way across a  
river, more water “may” cross  the ford than goes over the fall!  
To which those who argue on the other side submit that it is not a  
matter of gallons per minute, for either ford or fall, but the  
impression which fords and falls make upon the mind. Less water  
tumbles over Niagara than flows down the Mississippi, yet the  
torrential falls give a greater impression of quantity than the  
Father of Waters, peacefully and sluggishly moving in great but  
shallow width.  According to those who argue for fall instead of  
ford, the former conveys the idea of plenty of water, while a ford,  
which can only exist where the water is shallow, argues a paucity of  
water: -  
“’Fall of Water. - There is a certain emblem in  the degree of  
Fellowcraft, which is said to derive its  origin from the waters of  
the Jordan, which were held  up while the Israelites passed over, and  
which would  naturally fall with great violence when the whole host   
had reached the opposite shore.’ Oliver Dict.  
“An ingenious explanation of a false emblem.  The  Jordan, it is  
true, is full of rapids and falls, and a  waterfall may not be out of  
keeping in the emblem, yet  a waterford has much more meaning, and  
waterfall is  probably its corruption.  The Jordan is fordable in   
places.”  
The April 15, 1876, issue of the “Canadian Craftsman”  contained the  
following:  
“WATER-FALL OR WATER-FORD.” 

“There is a dispute now going on among our  brethren in the State of  
New York, which promises to  afford scope for very a learned  
discussion during the  next meeting of their Grand Lodge.  The work  
as agreed  upon by the Grand Lodge requires the use of the words   
‘waterford’ in the lecture to the Second Degree,  instead of ‘fall of  
water,’ and the ritual having thus  been formally and authoritatively  
declared, every Lodge  is required to conform to it, on pain of  
losing its  Warrant if it disobeys.  The old form ‘fall of water,’   
however, has its partisans, and the controversy waxes  somewhat warm.   
An effort is to be made at the next  meeting of the Grand Lodge to  
reverse its decision, but  we hardly think the effort will succeed.   
It is  difficult to see upon what principle the term ‘fall of  water’  
can be used; ‘waterford’ is in every respect  more correct.”  
It is to be noted that in New York the proper term is  “still”  
“waterford.”  
Certain Jurisdictions print the word they prefer in  their Monitors;  
others indicate it with a picture; most  consider it secret work and  
do not print anything about it.  Colorado, Iowa, New York, South  
Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin  are among those which suspend sheaves of  
wheat beside fords,  while South Carolina, Florida, Delaware and the  
District of  Columbia hang theirs beside a waterfall.  
In September this year, the “Square and Compass” of  Denver stated:  
“Too often the word ‘waterfall’ is used to  indicate the location  
where the sheaf of wheat was  found.  The proper indication is  
‘waterford’ as showing  an abundant flow of water affording ‘plenty’  
of that  necessary element in a dry country for the sustenance  of  
man and beast, whereas a ‘waterfall’ would suppose a  restricted  
amount of the precious drops, caught among  the rocks of a fall,  
instead of being spread out over a  thirsty land.”  
Previously the “Illinois Freemason” stated:  “A  Waterford is not a  
symbol of plenty.  The text should not  read waterford , but instead  
waterfall.  The oldest charts  illustrate a waterfall, not a ford.   
Just how the  substitution came to be made is one of those things  
which  cannot be explained other than to say that somebody did some   
tinkering with the ritual.”  
To which the “Masonic Chronicler” of Chicago retorted:   
“It is absurd to contend that a waterford is a symbol of  plenty,  
neither can a waterfall have any such significance.”  
It is true that many early charts show falls, not  fords.  But  
whether “the oldest charts” did so is a matter  to be answered only  
by those who have seen them.  “Very” old  “Master’s Carpets” or  
“Trestleboards” of England show  neither.  Allyn’s Ritual (an Expos’)  
published 1831, uses  “ford.” Jeremey Cross’s “True Masonic Chart”  
shows neither.  So that with authorities at odds on the question,  
“proof”  becomes merely argument and opinion!  
More space than the controversy is worth may well have  been given  
it, yet so many ask the facts that it seems worth  while to put the  
several contentions side by side.  
More pertinent, perhaps, is the natural query; “Why  should there be  
“any” symbol of plenty?  Plenty of “what?”.  And why emphasize it to  
the Fellowcraft?”  
Here again authority may not speak, since all symbols of rich content  
have many meanings, not only one.  Those who attempt to read from her  
wealth of symbols the inner, spiritual meaning of Freemasonry’s  
gentle teachings find no difficulty of meeting upon common ground  
that an ear of corn or sheaf of wheat suspended near a waterfall or  
waterford, are symbols of the “plenty” (all we need) of ethical  
teaching, moral value and spiritual inspiration, which he who hath  
eyes to see may discern in Freemasonry  
The Fellowcraft has come from darkness into light; he  is now,  
Masonically, a man grown.  He has climbed the  Winding Stairs, and  
pauses before he approaches the Middle  Chamber.  Entry into that  
holy place is not a mere physical  going into a room, but an ability  
to join mentally and  spiritually in the search for the solution of  
the mystery  there symbolized by the letter “G.” Freemasonry seems to  
cry  with no uncertain voice.  “Here, in what you have seen, is   
plenty - (all you require) - to read the mystery and know as  much as  
man may know of the meaning of that letter which is  the symbol of  
the Most High.  
So read, the symbol becomes high and beautiful, and the  controversy  
as to whether ford or fall is correct is of  little consequence or  
worth.  Happy the Fellowcraft who  does, indeed, receive his “plenty”  
when he crosses the  passages of the Jordan, learns the correct  
pronunciation of  Shibboleth, and pauses into his Middle Chamber.