The Plumb Rule

I pass by an old 'Masonic Center' every day while walking the dogs. It sits at 1338 Jefferson St. - I wonder how they managed that? I have to say that if this is a modern day representation of Solomon's Temple, it is sadly in need of repair.

Hiram Abiff (also known as "the Widow's Son") is a character who figures prominently in an allegorical play that is presented during the third degree of Craft Freemasonry. In this play, Hiram is presented as being the chief architect of King Solomon's Temple, who is murdered by three ruffians during an unsuccessful attempt to force him to divulge the Master Masons' secret password.

This resonates for me, after figuring out that "the name of Jesus Christ" is a password for VALIS. Not the actual one, but the concept. That's why, according to Robert Anton Wilson, there are super-computers devoted to calculating the true name of G*D, because Hiram got murdered, and he took his password with him.

One of the weapons of the conspirators was a plumb rule. I was using a plumb rule today, which doubled as a chalk line. I got the blue powder all over my fingers, I got the blue blood all over my hands.

Thing is, my father died an hour after midnight on 10/14/12 last year. 10/13 is a day that lives in infamy among Freemasons and Templars - the day of Jacques DeMolay's death - the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. I called my dad The Last Templar for a long time.

And I am the Widow's Son.

His murderers hide his body under a pile of rubble, returning at night to move the body outside the city, where they bury it in a shallow grave marked with a sprig of acacia.

That sprig of 'acacia' still marks his grave. Dare I go back to the scene of the crime... and uncover the secret beneath the rubble?

8/17/13 Update. Note: all quotes from the Master Mason Emulation ritual except where excepted.

Fifteen Fellow Crafts, of that superior class appointed to preside over the rest, finding that the work was nearly completed and that they were not in possession of the secrets of the Third Degree, conspired to obtain them by any means, even to have recourse to violence. 

At the moment, however, of carrying their conspiracy into execution, twelve of the fifteen recanted; but three, of a more determined and atrocious character than the rest, persisted in their impious design, in the prosecution of which they planted themselves respectively at the East, North, and South entrances of the Temple, whither our Master had retired to pay his adoration to the Most High, as was his wonted custom at the hour of high twelve.

Having finished his devotions, he attempted to return by the South entrance, where he was opposed by the first of those ruffians, who, for want of other weapon, had armed himself with a heavy Plumb Rule, and in a threatening manner demanded the secrets of a Master Mason, warning him that death would be the consequence of a refusal.

Flight 11 strikes the north face of the North Tower. (give us the flipping of north/south as a representative of mirror imaging between myth and reality)

Our Master, true to his Obligation, answered that those secrets were known to but three in the world and that without the consent and co-operation of the other two he neither could nor would divulge them, but intimated that he had no doubt patience and industry would, in due time, entitle the worthy Mason to a participation of them, but that, for his own part, he would rather suffer death than betray the sacred trust reposed in him.

This answer not proving satisfactory, the ruffian aimed a violent blow at the head of our Master; but being startled at the firmness of his demeanour, it missed his forehead and only glanced on his right temple. 

JW touches Candidate’s right temple with Plumb Rule but with such force as to cause him to reel and sink on his left knee. 

SW in whisper instructs Candidate to kneel on left knee and then to regain upright position; Wardens assist and ensure Candidate recrosses feet.

Flight 11 did not strike a crippling blow, and the North Tower remained standing.

WM: Recovering from the shock he made for the North entrance where he was accosted by the second of those ruffians, to whom he gave a similar answer with undiminished firmness, when the ruffian, who was armed with a Level struck him a violent blow on the left temple.

9:00: Lee Hanson receives a second call from his son Peter, aboard Flight 175: "It's getting bad, Dad. A stewardess was stabbed. They seem to have knives and Mace. They said they have a bomb. It's getting very bad on the plane. ~ Wikipedia 911 timeline

A level is the tool used to define a level plane, or a flat, two-dimensional surface.

SW touches Candidate on left temple with Level which brought him to the ground on his right knee.
SW in whisper instructs Candidate to kneel on right knee and then to regain upright position. Wardens assist and ensure Candidate recrosses feet.

Flight 175 strikes the South Tower, but the tower remains standing.

WM: Finding his retreat cut off at both those points, he staggered, faint and bleeding, to the East entrance where the third ruffian was posted, who received a similar answer to his insolent demand, for even at this trying moment our Master remained firm and unshaken, when the villain, who was armed with a heavy Maul, struck him a violent blow on the forehead WM, seated, lifts heavy Maul and goes through movement of striking without touching Candidate which laid him lifeless at his feet.

The towers remain standing for good while, but after a loud explosion, they suddenly fall to earth at the speed of gravity. Hiram's third Temple of Solomon is finally brought down by a blow from thermite, and a "controlled demolition".