As a general rule, Freemasonry tends to be concerned with internal matters—spiritual and educational practices within oneself, and ritual practiced within the four windowless walls of the lodge. But the truth is that if we discount Masonry’s connection to the wider world, we overlook some of its most significant teachings.

This is perhaps nowhere more relevant than in the monitorial lecture of the Entered Apprentice degree, which includes the following passage:

“The Form of a Lodge is oblong. It extends from East to West and from North to South, and it is said to be thus extensive to denote the universality of Masonry and to teach us that a Mason’s charity should be equally extensive; for in every country and in every clime are Masons to be found.”

Hearing this paragraph, as it is delivered in the degree lecture, our minds immediately jump to the consequences of the subject: That as Masons, our charity should be unlimited, as Freemasonry is found all over the world. Both of these concepts are important, but they tend to obscure the first part of the passage, regarding the form of the Masonic lodge. This has important implications.

The idea that the boundaries of a lodge extend geo-graphically, “from East to West and from North to South,” is a metaphor. We’re not talking about the physical building where a lodge meets, nor are we talking about its jurisdiction. (Although lodges do exist within the boundaries of a Grand Lodge, which for the most part operate within the confines of a state or country.) Rather, we’re exploring the “workshop” of Freemasonry, which covers the entire globe. Some old rituals added to this concept by noting that the height of the lodge was as great as the “vault of heaven,” and as deep as the center of the earth. In other words, Freemasonry is without boundaries or limits. It is truly universal.