wandking said:
I've found that RWS card color meanings closely match Masonic color symbolism. In The Key to the Tarot, Waite writes that Smith chose the colors.
Where does he say that?
He does say that;
The Tarot cards which are issued with the small edition of the present work, that is to say, with the Key to the Tarot, have been drawn and coloured by Miss Pamela Colman Smith...
But nothing about her
choosing the colours.
wandking said:
This next entry is a prime example of Waite atempting to mislead the reader in some writings he did on Freemasonry:
Not long after release of his deck, Waite became active in Masonry and published several books on the craft but maintained secrecy involving Masonic Symbols.
This is incorrect.
R.A. Gilbert, Waite's biographer writes;
"And so, on 19 September 1901, at the age of 43, Waite was initiated in Runymede Lodge No. 2430 at Wraysbury in Buckinghamshire...
This was eight years before the release of his deck, but long before 1901 Waite was interested in Freemasonry.
wandking said:
Waite, writes, "There is no recognized scheme or science of colors in Masonry. Here and there in our ritual we find an 'explanation' for the use of a certain color, but this usually turns out to be merely a peg on which to hang a homiletic lecture about it, having little if any connection with the origins of its use.” According to Brother John Shroeder, a writer with the California Freemason On-Line, “Masonry employs symbols to teach moral lessons.” Not only Masonic lectures but also other writings clearly associate symbolism with color, especially blue and Shroeder goes on to say the “explanations are but the tip of the iceberg.” The Virginia Mentor's Manual contains a section saying that it is unknown where, when or why the name Blue Lodge originated but also points out that blue is a color of truth and fidelity, basic in teachings of the craft.. It also states that, "some find symbolism in the blue arch of the heavens and have urged that for a Freemason the virtues of friendship and benevolence must be as expansive as the heavens." It concludes with a reminder that the proper term is "Symbolic Lodge rather than Blue Lodge, although blue as a color and symbol is prominent in our teachings.”
As an example of Waite misleading anyone, this is spectacularly underwhelming. It does, in fact seem to bear out Waite's assertion rather than disprove it.
Bro. Shroeder also makes mention of the von Daniken-like theory of Stonehenge being a Masonic Temple and that the origin of Blue Lodge comes from the bluestones used in the inner ring of that structure.
Curiously, from the dawn of time he then fast forwards to the theories of Jung and reasons that perhaps an explanation can be found in them. Between these two Bro. Shroeder gives an enormous amount of possibilities each apparently being just as likely as any other.
So when Waite says that;
"There is no recognized scheme or science of colors in Masonry. Here and there in our ritual we find an 'explanation' for the use of a certain color, but this usually turns out to be merely a peg on which to hang a homiletic lecture about it, having little if any connection with the origins of its use.”
it seems that far from being misleading, he is spot on.
wandking said:
Dr. W. J. Chetwode Crawley, a highly respected Masonic Historian, states, "The ordinary prosaic enquirer will see selection of blue as the distinctive color of Freemasonry.” The Grand Lodge of India teaches that deep blue symbolizes wisdom.
So... within Masonry does the colour blue signify the inner ring of Stonehenge, or does the answer lie within Jung's theories, or does it symbolise wisdom, or does it symbolise the vault of heaven, or does it come from the colour of the ephod, or perhaps like Waite says;
"There is no recognized scheme or science of colors in Masonry..."
Waite has to be read carefully if you wish to make any sense of him. He is not saying that any particular colour has no significance, only that there is no overall scheme. There was a "science of colors" in other secret organisations he had been involved with and it is this he is contrasting Masonry to.
wandking said:
In an article titled, Talks on Freemasonry by Brother. Kenneth J. Tuckwood, District Chairman of Masonic Education offers good color references saying, “Colors have so large a place in customs of the craft that inevitably the question arises "did ancient symbolism inspire the colors of Masonry or were they chosen and the symbolism then found to fit them?" Henry Sadler, a noted Masonic authority writes," We must conclude, therefore that Freemasonry's colors were no more derived from ancient symbolism than were colors of the liturgical vestments of the Christian Church derived from those of the Jewish Priests.” Subsequent color associations are excerpts from Talks on Freemasonry.
For some reason you have excised this passage from the middle of that quote;
Many years ago a writer who went deeply into the question came to the conclusion that the English Grand Lodge, in choosing the colours of its clothing, was guided mainly by the colours associated with the Noble Orders of the Garter and the Bath. This idea is more or less confirmed by the late Henry Sadler, an authority universally respected, who said "Having looked at the matter from every conceivable point of view, I have failed to think of a more favourable explanation."
These people are agreeing with Waite, not contradicting him. They know the colour blue is significant, they are just not sure exactly what it signifies or where it originated.
Look, Waite can be criticised for many things in his writing, his faults don't have to be manufactured. If you want something misleading that he wrote, then the PKT is a fairly good start. Here is Bro. Gilbert's conclusion on his Masonic writing;
His besetting faults were a conscious refusal to accept his limitations as a historian, limitations that were inevitable, given his lack of academic training — and the sub-conscious recognition of them that led to an inordinate conceit and to constant belittling of his predecessors. Serious though these faults are they are not serious enough to deny him a place amongst the foremost masonic scholars... ...We too, perhaps, would be wise if we did him the courtesy of studying his work and recognizing its peculiar genius.
wandking said:
BTW, If knowing the Masonic color designations is of any importance to you, I'm willing to share what I know... just not in this forum since it's off-topic.
Sure... what does the colour blue signify?
Vincent
