Lodge St. Andrew #518

One evening at a meeting a Brother was seen with a pack of playing cards in the Lodge. When the matter was reported to the RWM he summoned the brother concerned and demanded an explanation. The brother was taken aback and somewhat embarrassed but went on to explain thus:

"RWM I was not using these playing cards in an un-Masonic manner, for I regard them as my ritual and almanac, you see when I look at:

• The ACE it reminds me of the Grand Architect of the Universe.
  
  
• The TWO reminds me of the two great pillars at the entrance of King Solomon's Temple.
  
  
• The THREE reminds me of the 3 who rule the Lodge,
  
  1. the RWM,
  2. the WSW,
  3. and the WJW.
  
  
• The FOUR reminds me of our 4 degrees
  1. Entered Apprentice,
  2. Fellow Craft,
  3. Master Mason,
  4. and the Mark Ceremonial.
  
  
• The FIVE reminds me of the 5 noble orders of Architecture,
  1. Tuscan,
  2. Doric,
  3. Ionic,
  4. Corinthian
  5. and Composite.
  
  
• The SIX reminds me of the 6 principles of our order,
  1. Brotherly Love,
  2. Relief,
  3. Truth,
  4. Faith,
  5. Hope,
  6. and Charity.
  
  
• The SEVEN reminds me of the 7 liberal arts and sciences,
  1. Grammar,
  2. Logic,
  3. Rhetoric,
  4. Arithmetic,
  5. Music,
  6. Geometry,
  7. and Astronomy.
  
  
• The EIGHT reminds me of Ecclesiastes chapter 12 verse 8, vanity Oh vanity sayeth the preacher.
  
  
• The NINE reminds me of the working tools of the first 3 degrees.
  1. The 24 inch gauge,
  2. the Mallet,
  3. the Chisel,
  4. the Square,
  5. the Level,
  6. the Plumb Rule,
  7. the Skerrit,
  8. the Pencil,
  9. and the Compasses.
  
  
• The TEN reminds me of the 10 Commandments on which our order is based.
  
  
• The JACK reminds me of the Grand word in the Fellow Craft Degree.
  
  
• The QUEEN reminds me of the widow who bore the famous son and also our Sovereign.
  
  
• The KING reminds me of King Solomon the principle figure of our order.
  
  
• There are TWELVE face cards which remind me of
  • the 12 tribes of Israel
  • and the 12 signs of the Zodiac.
  
  
• There are TWO COLOURS which remind me of the pillars of Fire and Cloud.
  1. Of Night and Day.
  2. Of Good and Evil.
  
  
• There are FOUR SUITS which remind me of
  1. Prudence,
  2. Temperance,
  3. Fortitude
  4. and Justice.
  
  
• There are (poetical licence here) 365 spots in the pack which serves to remind me of the number of days in the year, the time when all brothers should be Freemasons, not only on the nights we attend our lodges.
  

That RWM is my explanation of my behaviour of playing with a deck of cards in open lodge".

The RWM admonished the brother.

Author Unknown