Identifier: encyclopaediaoff00mack (find matches)
Title: An encyclopaedia of freemasonry and its kindred sciences : comprising the whole range of arts, sciences and literature as connected with the institution
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: Mackey, Albert Gallatin, 1807-1881 McClenachan, Charles T. (Charles Thompson)
Subjects: Freemasonry Freemasonry
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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nds, even so in time of peace, the samebeing hanged up, did defend the owneragainst the malevolent detractions of theenvious. Shield of DaTid. Two interlacedtriangles, more commonly known as theSeal of Solomon, and considered by theancient Jews as a talisman of great effi-cacy. (See Seal of Solomon.) Because theshield was, in battle, a protection, like atalisman, to the person, the Hebrews usedthe same word, po, Magen, to signify botha shield and a tallsmen. Gaffarel says, inhis Curiositates InauditcB (Lond. IVans.,1650, p. 133,) The Hebrew word Maghensignifies a scutcheon, or any other thingnoted with Hebrew characters, the virtuewhereof is like to that of a scutcheon.After showing that the shield was never animage, because the Mosaic law forbade themaking of graven images, he adds: Ma-ghen, therefore, signifies properly any pieceof paper or other like matter marked ornoted with certain characters drawn fromthe Tetragrammaton, or Great Name offour letters, or from any other. The most
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usual form of the Shield of David was toplace in the centre of the two triangles, andat the intersecting points, the Hebrew word X7JX, AglA, which was compounded ofthe initials of the words of the sentence,JlX dSj;S 13J nnx, Atah Gibor Lolam Ado-nai, Thou are strong in the eternal Grod.Thus constructed, the shield of David wassupposed to be a preservative against allsorts of dangers. l§>Iiock. A striking of hands and feet,so as to produce a sudden noise. There isa ceremony called the shock, which wasin use in the reception of an Apprentice inthe beginning of this century, and is stillused by some Lodges in what is called the Shock of Entrance, and by all in the Shock of Enlightenment. Of thefirst shock as well as of the second, I havefound evident traces in some of the earlierrituals of the last century, and I have nodoubt that it was an ancient ceremony, thegradual disuse of which is an innovation. Shock of £nlighteuiuent. Aceremony used in all the degrees of Sym-bolic Masonry.

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