From the East – May 2023
Greetings Brethren,
During the Entered Apprentice Degree, the Rough and Perfect ashlar are two symbols that are briefly touched on. They rep-resent the journey of personal growth and development that a Mason must undertake.
As Masons, the rough ashlar represents the natural state of man, full of imperfections and flaws. The rough ashlar is a rough, unfinished stone that has not yet been shaped or polished, symbolizing the raw and unrefined state of the Mason at the beginning of his Masonic journey.
The perfect ashlar, on the other hand, represents the ideal state of man, polished and refined through hard work, education, and self-improvement. The perfect ashlar is a smooth and perfectly square stone, representing the Mason who has achieved a state of moral and intellectual perfection.
In Freemasonry, the rough and perfect ashlar represents the journey of the Mason from a state of ignorance and imperfection to a state of knowledge and moral excellence. The rough ashlar represents the Mason’s starting point, a rough and unrefined state that is full of flaws and imperfections. The perfect ashlar represents the goal of the Masonic journey, a state of moral and intellectual perfection that is achieved through hard work, education, and self-improvement.
The rough and perfect ashlar are powerful symbols in Freemasonry that represent the Mason’s journey of personal growth and development. They serve as a reminder of the Mason’s duty to strive for self-improvement and to work towards achieving a state of moral and intellectual perfection.
Fraternally,
WM Rigil Abellanosa