CLC - ENTERED APPRENTICE - 05.22.17

T HE P OINT W ITHIN A C IRCLE Circles are drawn with a compass – or with “compasses,” as this instrument is sometimes known. Freemasonry uses the symbolism of both the compass, and the circle which it draws, to teach the concept of limits. At an important point in the Entered Apprentice Degree, you were taught to use the compass to draw a boundary line between your desires and the rights of others. This lesson can also be understood to mean that others have the same right to their beliefs as you have to yours, and that respect for the beliefs of others is essential to brotherly love. At a later time your attention was called to the actual circle itself, with a reminder once more that there must be limits to your passions, prejudices and personal interests. Freemasonry expects its members to learn how to set limits for themselves so that they do not damage relationships with others.

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