In the Three Great Lights, which statement describes their role on the lodge altar?

• A. They are decorative items with no symbolic meaning.
• B. The Three Great Lights are The Volume of Sacred Law, The Square, and The Compasses.
• C. They are used only during certain ceremonies.
• D. They are not part of the Master Mason degree.

Answer: (B)

The Three Great Lights on the lodge altar symbolize the guiding standards by which a Mason lives and conducts lodge work. The Volume of Sacred Law represents divine guidance and truth, serving as the standard by which all actions are measured. The Square teaches morality and virtue, reminding Masons to act honestly and justly toward others. The Compasses symbolize self-control and the proper bounds of conduct, urging restraint and prudence in all thoughts and actions. Placed on the altar as constant symbols, they anchor the lodge’s work and rhythm every meeting around truth, virtue, and disciplined conduct. They aren’t decorative, nor are they limited to special ceremonies or to any one degree; they are central to the Master Mason degree and to Freemasonry as a whole. That’s why the statement identifying the Three Great Lights as the Volume of Sacred Law, the Square, and the Compasses—and noting their role on the altar—is the best answer.