I have ran into Mathew 13:13 as a reference to the use of symbolism.
Albert Pike in Morals and Dogma says this, you can understand it how ever you like:
"Every Lodge is a Temple, and as a whole, and in its details symbolic. The Universe itself supplied man with the model for the first temples reared to the Divinity. The arrangement of the Temple of Solomon, the symbolic ornaments which formed its chief decorations, and the dress of the High-Priest, all had reference to the order of the Universe, as then understood. The Temple contained many emblems of the seasons-the sun, the moon, the planets, the constellations Ursa Major and Minor, the zodiac, the elements, and the other parts of the world. It is the Master of this Lodge, of the Universe, Hermes, of whom Khūrūm is the representative, that is one of the lights of the Lodge.
For further instruction as to the symbolism of the heavenly bodies, and of the sacred numbers, and of the temple and its details, you must wait patiently until you advance in Masonry, in the mean time exercising your intellect in studying them for yourself. To study and seek to interpret correctly the symbols of the Universe, is the work of the sage and philosopher. It is to decipher the writing of God, and penetrate into His thoughts."
I have made this statement before, and I believe it to be 100% true. Not all Freemasons were K.G.C., but all K.G.C. were Freemasons. To fully understand some of their early combine symbols I believe you have to think like that. Remember that the 33rd degree is bestowed upon you by your brothers, which means you had to earn it back in those days. They were not just handing the 33rd like a merit badges to boy scouts. I have read a lot of unsupported speculation of what deeds some of the 33rd degree Freemasons did to receive the prestigious degree, but I find about 99% of the accusations to be unsupported bull. There were Rebel and Yankee soldiers that were Freemasons before during and after the Civil War. They were sworn Brothers in the secret society that was split in half no different than some families had been split up with brothers on opposite sides of the battlefields. Severely wounded Freemasons were said to have cried out for relief and the battle was stopped until the men could be tended to and removed and taken to the rear of the battle line. I have read multiple accounts of this sort of thing taking place up and down the battle lines in several states. In one instance the lodge hall was spared from the cannons and a meeting held there which it is said that Freemasons from both sides of the battling attended then returned to their perspective sides. This scared the crap out of Lincoln and the secret service.
L.C.
