The Masonic Code
Kassim Bisaillon
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The Grand Lodge of Alaska maintains a masonic code that all lodges are obligated to comply with.The latest version is provided here as a resource for all Masons of Alaska to use in executing thier masonic work.
Pigpen Cipher is used extensively in Freemason documentation. There are still surviving examples of letters written using the cipher from the 16th Century. It can also be found on Masonic medals, certificates, tokens and even gravestones.
In 1934, a well-respected historian by the name of Charles Bourrel de la Roncire published a book about a cryptogram he had deciphered. It was allegedly the work of the infamous pirate, Olivier Levassuer, also known as The Hawk (La Buse).
Bourrel had identified the cipher, which was a form of pigpen, and translated that into plaintext. However, that was where his problems began, as the message seemed to simply be a recipe for a folk remedy rather than the location of a hidden treasure.
English actress and blonde bombshell, Diana Dors, was once considered a rival to Marilyn Monroe. When she passed away at the age of 52, she left behind an encoded message which only her husband had the key to. The message, it was said, led to millions of pounds which the actress had hidden.
Take a 3x3 grid and write the alphabet in it, three letters to each square. Under each letter place a dot. Now, when you want to encode a message you draw the shape of the grid around the letter just like pigpen, but you place the dot in a different place for each letter. For example:
In standard pigpen, the letters are written over two grids and two crosses. By changing the order of grids, you can make a cipher that looks like simple pigpen but will take a little longer to decrypt. For example, rather than using the standard grid, grid, X, X, you could switch to grid, X, grid, X or X, grid, X grid. For example:
There is also a variant of Pigpen which includes the numbers 0-9. This version expands the X grid to be 3 x 3. The letters take their usual places on the outside, while the digits are spread through the internal squares.
Pigpen is often used as an introduction to cryptography because it is simple, visual, and effective. Of course, that also makes it one of the least secure ciphers. Even a person who had never heard of pigpen would stand a chance at cracking the code using frequency analysis.
See also: Code-Breaking overview Adfgvx cipher Adfgx cipher Affine cipher Atbash cipher Baconian cipher Beaufort cipher Bifid cipher Caesar cipher Columnar transposition Cryptogram Double transposition Enigma machine Four-square cipher Gronsfeld cipher Keyed caesar cipher One-time pad Playfair cipher Rail fence cipher Rot13 Route transposition Trifid cipher Variant beaufort cipher Vigenere cipher
Printed in the United States of America. All rights in this book are reserved. No part thereof may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the Grand Lodge of California, except that quotations may be embodied in reviews by such other Grand Jurisdictions as have been recognized officially by this Grand Lodge. For information, address letters to: Grand Secretary, 1111 California Street, San Francisco, California 94108-2284.
The Craft, at the 1988 Annual Communication, adopted Most Worshipful Leo B. Mark's Recommendation to appoint a special committee to be known as the "Code Revision Committee," to prepare a revised California Masonic Code written in simple, understandable language, free from inconsistencies or ambiguities.
The Committee, during the past three years endeavored to accomplish the assignment in a manner that did not result in any substantive changes. It had the counsel of the Committee on Jurisprudence to assist in areas of legal interpretation.
This third edition of the California Masonic Code shall be the governing law of the Grand Lodge of California, subject to future amendments, well into the 21st Century.
?23 SUMMONS:
An imperative order issued by the Master and attested to by the Secretary or by other competent authority to appear as specified. A trial summons is one issued for the purpose of answering Masonic charges.
?130. USE OF TITLE AND EMBLEM
The title and emblem of this Grand Lodge has been registered with the Secretary of State pursuant to the California Corporations Code and Grand Lodge is entitled to control of the use thereof. The unauthorized wearing of the emblem is prohibited by the California Penal Code.
?210. JURISDICTION.
The Jurisdiction of Grand Lodge includes all Lodges and Masons in this state and other states or territories where no other Grand Lodge exists, and all Lodges and their members outside of this state, acting under its authority, and members of Lodges of this Jurisdiction wherever residing.
?220. SOVEREIGNTY.
Grand Lodge shall recognize as a sovereign Grand Lodge only Grand Bodies that:
A. Are regularly formed by subordinate Lodges which trace their origin to regular and legitimate Ancient Craft Masonry;
B. Hold undisputed sway as the acknowledged supreme power in Ancient Craft Masonry in the territory in which they claim jurisdiction, must not render allegiance or obedience, in any sense whatsoever, to any other Masonic power or Supreme Council, must recognize the exclusive jurisdiction of all other Grand Lodges in their respective territories, and must not presume to project their authority or sovereignty into the territory of their Grand Lodge;
C. Confine their authority and the exercise thereof to the three degrees of Craft or Symbolic Masonry; and
D. Recognize and support the Ancient Landmarks which include, particularly, the Three Great Lights and belief in a Supreme Being and the immortality of the soul.
This Grand Lodge shall recognize only one Grand Lodge in any state or territory of the United States unless the Grand Lodge which we recognize with exclusive jurisdiction over that state or territory chooses to waive its right to maintain exclusive jurisdiction and permit concurrent jurisdiction. In the event of such a waiver, this Grand Lodge may also recognize such additional Grand Lodges in that state or territory as have been granted such concurrent jurisdiction.
?230. MEMBERS AND MANNER OF ADDRESS.
Grand Lodge shall be composed of a Grand Master (whose manner of address shall be Most Worshipful), a Deputy Grand Master, a Senior Grand Warden, and a Junior Grand Warden (whose manner of address shall be Right Worshipful), a Grand Treasurer, a Grand Secretary and a Grand Lecturer (whose manner of address shall be Very Worshipful), a Grand Chaplain (whose manner of address shall be Very Reverend), the Assistant Grand Lecturers, a Grand Orator, an Assistant Grand Secretary, a Grand Marshal, a Grand Standard Bearer, a Grand Sword Bearer, a Grand Bible Bearer, a Senior Grand Deacon, a Junior Grand Deacon, a Senior Grand Steward, a Junior Grand Steward, a Grand Pursuivant, a Grand Organist, a Grand Tiler, and, at the discretion of the Grand Master, an Assistant Grand Organist and an Assistant Grand Tiler (whose manner of address shall be Worshipful), together with all Past Grand Officers and Past Masters of this Jurisdiction, and the Master and Wardens of the several chartered and duly constituted Lodges (except Research Lodges) or their representatives duly elected. (10/97)
A Past Grand Lodge officer is one of the elective Grand Lodge officers who has been regularly elected and installed and has served his term in Grand Lodge. (10/96)
?240. PREREQUISITE TO MEMBERSHIP.
Each officer and member of Grand Lodge must be a member of some Lodge in its Jurisdiction. If membership ceases, membership in Grand Lodge shall cease. Each officer, other than the Grand Chaplain, Grand Organist and Assistant Grand Organist, must, at the time of his election or appointment, be a member of Grand Lodge. (10/96)
?250. ELECTED LODGE REPRESENTATIVES.
The Representative of a Lodge in this Jurisdiction must be a member thereof and be one who, in the event that neither the Master nor either of the Wardens can be present at Grand Lodge, has been elected by ballot by the Lodge at a Stated Meeting or at a Special Meeting called for that purpose, and by a majority of the members present, to represent it at the next Annual or Special Communication.
?310. GENERAL POWERS.
Grand Lodge is the supreme Masonic power and authority in this Jurisdiction and is vested with all legislative, executive, and judicial powers, limited only by a strict adherence to the Ancient Landmarks, and by the provisions of its own Constitution and Ordinances. It alone has authority to charter or grant dispensations for a Masonic Lodge in this Jurisdiction.
320. EXECUTIVE POWERS.
The executive powers of Grand Lodge include:
A. The granting of dispensations and charters to establish and perpetuate Lodges in this state and in other territory where no Grand Lodge exists, and the revocation or suspension thereof;
B. The issuing of special dispensations for all purposes permitted by any of the provisions of the Constitution and Ordinances; and
C. The exercise of all authority necessary to carry its own legislation into complete effect.
330. LEGISLATIVE POWERS.
Grand Lodge reserves all legislative powers to itself except those specifically delegated to the Lodges in this Code. The Constitution and Ordinances which the Grand Lodge has an inalienable right to adopt and promulgate at its own convenience, and to amend or repeal at its own pleasure, are final and binding on all Lodges and Masons in its Jurisdiction until amended or repealed.