An important symbol of the Entered Apprentice Degree. A ladder of several staves or rounds of which three are illustrated to the candidate as Faith, Hope and Chairty; the three theological virtues.
- Source: Masonicdictionary.com
The introduction of Jacob's ladder into the symbolism of Speculative Freemasonry is to be traced to the vision of Jacob, which is thus substantially recorded in the twenty-eighth chapter of the Book of Genesis: When Jacob, by the command of his father Isaac, was journeying toward Padanaram, while sleeping one night with the bare earth for his couch and a stone for his pillow, he beheld the vision of a ladder, whose foot 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 as the house of God.
This ladder, so remarkable in the history of the Jewish people, finds its analogue in all the ancient initiations. Whether this is to be attributed simply to a coincidence-a theory which but few scholars would be willing to accept-or to the fact that these analogues were all derived from a common fountain of symbolism, or whether, as suggested by Brother Oliver, the origin of the symbol was lost among the practices of the Pagan rites, while the symbol itself was retained, it is, perhaps, impossible authoritatively to determine. It is, however, certain that the ladder as a symbol of moral and intellectual progress existed almost universally in antiquity, presenting itself either as a succession of steps, of gates, of Degrees, or in some other modified form. The number of the steps varied; although the favorite one appears to have been seven, in reference, apparently, to the mystical character almost everywhere given to that number.
"Its three principle rounds, representing Faith, Hope, and Charity, present us with the means of advancing from earth to heaven from death to life – from the mortal to immortality".
Tracing board - 1st Degree: England 1819
The Masonic ladder which is presented in the symbolism of the first degree ought really to consist of seven steps which thus ascend: Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, Justice, Faith, Hope, and Charity, but in the earliest examples of it present it only with three, referring to the three theological virtues, whence it is called the theological ladder.
As the symbol of progress, Jacob’s ladder was early recognized. Written in the sixteenth century, Jacob’s ladder is a symbol of the progressive scale of intellectual communication betwixt earth and heaven.
In the Ancient Craft degrees of the York Rite, Jacob’s ladder was not an original symbol. It is said to have been introduced by Dunckerley when he reformed the lectures. This is confirmed by the fact that it is not mentioned in any of the early rituals of the last century, nor even by Hutchinson, who had an excellent opportunity of doing so in his lecture on the Nature of the Lodge, where he speaks of the covering of the Lodge, but says nothing of the means of reaching it, which he would have done, had he been acquainted with the ladder as a symbol. Its first appearance is in a Tracing Board, on which the date of 1776 is inscribed.
As to the modern Masonic symbolism of the ladder, it is a symbol of progress, such as it is in all the old initiations. Its three principle rounds, representing Faith, Hope, and Charity, present us with the means of advancing from earth to heaven from death to life – from the mortal to immortality. Hence its foot is placed on the ground-floor of the Lodge, which is typical of the world, and its top rests on the covering of the Lodge, which is symbolic of heaven. In Dunckerley’s system, the ladder is said to rest on the Holy Bible, and to reach to the heavens. This symbolism is thus explained: By the doctrines contained in the Holy Bible we are taught to believe in the divine dispensation of Providence, which belief strengthens our Faith, and enables us to ascent the first step. That Faith naturally creates in us a Hope of blessed promises, which enables us to ascend to the second step. But the third and last being Charity comprehends the whole and he who is possessed of this virtue in its ample sense, is said to have arrived to the summit of his profession.
The delineation of the ladder with three steps only on the Tracing Board of 1776, which is a small one, may be attributed to notions of convenience. But the fact that Dunckerley derived his symbol from Ramsay; that Ramsay’s ladder had seven steps, being the same as the Kadosh symbol; that in all the old initiations the number seven was preserved; and lastly, that Preston describes it as having “many rounds or staves, which point out as many moral virtues, but three principal ones, namely , Faith, Hope, and Charity,” irresistibly lead us to the conclusion that the Masonic ladder should properly have seven steps which represent the four cardinal and three theological virtues.
As the Sun was male, so the moon was female; and Isis was both the sister and wife of Osiris. The compass therefore, is the Hermetic symbol of the creative deity, and the square of the productive Earth or Universe'
