The Cable Tow

By Joseph Fort Newton THE word Cable-tow, we are told, is, purely Masonic in its meaning and use. It is so defined in the dictionary, but not always accurately, which shows that we ought not to depend upon the ordinary dictionary for the truth about Masonic terms. Masonry has its own vocabulary and uses it in its own way. Nor can our words always be defined for the benefit of the profane. Even in Masonic lore, the word cable-tow varies in form and use. In an early pamphlet by Prichard, issued in 1730, and meant to be an exposure of Masonry, the cable-tow is called a "cable-rope"; and in another edition a "tow-line." The same word "tow-line" is used in a pamphlet called A Defence of Masonry, written, it is believed, by Anderson as a reply to Prichard about the same time. In neither pamphlet is the word used in exactly the form and sense in which it is used today; and in a note, Prichard, wishing to make everything Masonic absurd, explains it as meaning "the roof of the mouth!" In English lodges, the cable-tow, like the hoodwink, is used only in the first degree and has no symbolical meaning at all apparently. In our American lodges, it is used in all three degrees and has almost too many meanings. Some of our 75 American teachers—Pike among them—see no meaning in the cable-tow beyond its obvious use in leading an initiate into the Lodge, and the possible use of withdrawing him from it should he be unwilling or unworthy to advance. To some of us, this non-symbolical idea and use of the cable-tow is very strange, in view of what Masonry is in general, and particularly in its ceremonies of initiation. For Masonry is a chamber of imagery. The whole Lodge is a symbol. Every object, every act is symbolical. The whole fits together into a system of symbolism by which Masonry veils and yet reveals the truth it seeks to teach to such as have eyes to see and are ready to receive it. As far back as we can go in the history of initiation, we find the cable-tow, or something like it, used very much as it is used in a Masonic Lodge today. No matter what the origin and form of the word as we employ it may be—whether from. the Hebrew "khabel," or the Dutch "cabel," both meaning a rope, the fact is the same. In India, in Egypt, in most of the Ancient Mysteries, a cord or cable was used in the same way and for the same purpose. Its meaning, so far as we can make it out, seems to have been some kind of a pledge—a vow in which a man pledged his life. Even outside initiatory rites, we find it so employed, as, for example, in a striking scene recorded in the Bible (I Kings 20:31, 32), the description of which is almost Masonic. The king of Syria, Ben-hadad, had been defeated in battle by the king of Israel and his servants are making a plea for his life. They approach the king of Israel "with ropes upon their heads," and speak of his "brother, Ben-hadad." Why did they wear ropes, or nooses, on their heads? Evidently to symbolize a pledge of some sort, given in a Lodge or otherwise, between the two kings, of which they wished to remind the king of Israel. The king of Israel asked: "Is he yet alive? he is my brother?" Then we read that the servants of the Syrian king watched too, see if the king of Israel made any sign, and, catching his sign, they brought the captive king of Syria before him. Not only was the life of the king of Syria spared, but a new pledge was made between the two men. The cable-tow, then, is the outward and visible symbol of a vow in which a man has pledged his life, or has pledged himself to save another life at the risk of his own. Its length and strength are measured by the ability of the man to fulfill his obligation and his sense of the moral sanctity of his obligation—a test, that is, both of his capacity and of his character. If a Lodge is a symbol of the world, and initiation is our birth into the world of Masonry, the cable-tow is not unlike the cord which unites a child to its mother at birth; and so it is usually interpreted. Just as the physical cord, when cut, is replaced by a tie of love and obligation between mother and child, so, in one of the most impressive moments of initiation, the cable-tow is removed, because the brother, by his oath at the Altar of Obligation, is bound by a tie stronger than any physical cable. What before was an outward physical restraint has become an inward moral constraint. That is to say, force is replaced by love—outer authority by inner obligation—and that is the secret of security and the only basis of brotherhood. The cable-tow is the sign of the pledge of the life of a man. As in his oath, he agrees to forfeit his life if his vow is violated, so, positively, he pledges his life to the service of the Craft. He agrees to go to the aid of a Brother, using all the power in his behalf, "if within the length of his cable-tow," which means, if within the reach of his power. How strange that anyone should fail to see symbolical meaning in the cable-tow! It is, indeed, the great symbol of the mystic tie which Masonry spins and weaves between men, making them Brothers and helpers one of another. But, let us remember that a Cable-tow has two ends. If it binds a Mason to the Fraternity, by the same fact it binds the Fraternity to each man in it. The one obligation needs to be emphasized as much as the other. Happily, in our day we are beginning to see the other side of the obligation that the Fraternity is under vows to its members to guide, instruct, and train them for the effective service of the Craft and of humanity. Control, obedience, direction or guidance these are the three meanings of the cable-tow, as it is interpreted by the best insight of the Craft. Of course, by Control we do not mean that Masonry commands us in the sense that it uses force. Not at all. Masonry rules men as beauty rule an artist, as love rules a lover. It does not drive; it draws. It controls us, shapes us, through its human touch and its moral nobility. By the same method, by the same power, it wins obedience and gives guidance and direction to our lives. At the Altar we take vows to follow and obey its high principles and ideals, and Masonic vows are not empty obligations—they are vows in which, a man pledges his life and his sacred honor. The old writers define the length of a cable-tow, which they sometimes call a "cable's length," variously. Some say it is seven hundred and twenty feet or twice the measure of a circle. Others say that the length of the cable-tow is three miles. But such figures are merely symbolical, since in one man it may be three miles and in another, it may as easily be three thousand miles—or to the end of the earth. For each Mason, the cable-tow reaches as far as his moral principles go and his material conditions will allow. Of that distance, each must be his own judge, and indeed each does pass judgment upon himself accordingly, by his own acts in aid of others. Recently a man of science said that if the earth were held in its orbit by iron bars, they would have to be close together, not more than a foot apart, covering the entire surface. If he said, these bars were twisted together into one gigantic cable, he doubted if it would be as strong as the invisible bond, or cable, by which the earth is held to its vast orbit. It was a striking way of teaching us that the cables that reach the longest and hold the strongest are invisible, and formed of forces with which men do not reckon, just because they are noiseless and unseen. Just so, when the cable-tow of each Mason is joined with that of every other Mason, and all are united in one Cable of Kindness, it makes a bond of brotherhood the might of which no mortal can measure. It helps to hold. the world together. It holds when other ties break, as it did in the Civil War in America. It is one of the holiest assets of humanity—a far-stretching Tie, mystical and unseen, yet more unbreakable than bands of steel, in which the obligation and loyalty and love of each of us is a strand.  There is an unseen cord that binds  The whole wide world together;  Through every human life it winds,  This one mysterious tether.  There are no separate lives; the chain  Too subtle for our seeing,  Unites us all upon the plane of universal being. Such is the Divine cable-tow by which the world is held in its moral orbit. To discover that cord running through our own lives—your life and mine—uniting us with all the seekers after truth, all lovers of right, all servants of God and man, is the mission and blessing of Masonry. What is the length of our cable-tow? Who knows how far it reaches? Small Talks on Freemasonry Joseph Fort Newton. Masonic Service Association of the United States : 1928.

Ramadan: Understanding its history and traditions

The sighting of the new crescent moon marks the start of Ramadan, the most sacred month in Islamic culture.

3 MINUTE READ

BY ESLAH ATTAR

---

EVERY YEAR, MUSLIMS around the world anticipate the sighting of the new crescent moon that signifies the official first day of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the most sacred month in Islamic culture. 

The start of Ramadan fluctuates each year because the lunar Islamic calendar follows the phases of the moon. The beginning and end of Ramadan are determined by a moon sighting committee in Saudi Arabia. The first day begins the day after the committee spots the new crescent moon, which can be tricky since it’s quite faint and can be seen for only about 20 minutes. If the moon isn’t visible to the naked eye because of haze or clouds, lunar calculations are used to predict whether it’s in the sky. This year Ramadan is predicted to begin on May 6, and to end June 3 with Eid al-Fitr celebrations.

SEE THE MOST EXQUISITE MOSQUES AROUND THE WORLD

1/15

VIEW SLIDESHOW

SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE (BLUE MOSQUE)

Constructed during the early 17th century, Istanbul's most photogenic building gets its nickname from the blue tiles adorning the interior.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEITH ARNOLD, GETTY IMAGES

NASIR AL MOLK MOSQUE

Uncommon in mosques, the stained glass windows of Iran's Nasir al Molk in Shiraz illuminate its Persian carpets with a kaleidoscope of patterned flecks of light.

PHOTOGRAPH BY RICHARD I'ANSON, GETTY IMAGES

ISTIQLAL MOSQUE

At the time of its construction in the late 20th century, Jakarta's Istiqlal was considered avant-garde for its minaret and dome, considered "too Arabic" for the local Muslim population. Traditionally, Javanese mosques include a layered, triple-roof style.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DASRIL ROSZANDI, ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES

JAMA MASJID MOSQUE

India’s Jama Masjid features a red sandstone and marble exterior that pay homage to the Mughal empire, much of which was influenced by Persia.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ZHENG HUANSONG, XINHUA/REDUX

SHAIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE

The massive Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi holds more than 40,000 worshippers in its courtyard and prayer hall. The world's largest Persian carpet stretches inside under German-imported chandeliers made with Swarovski crystals.

PHOTOGRAPH BY LUTZ JAEKEL, LAIF/REDUX

SULTAN HASSAN MOSQUE

Functioning as both a school and a mosque in Cairo for almost 300 years, Sultan Hassan provides an archetype mosque for experts to explain what Islamic philosophy is all about.

PHOTOGRAPH BY GETTY IMAGES

SHAH MOSQUE

One of the most celebrated characteristics of Iran’s Great Mosque of Isfahan is its expansion and development for more than 10 centuries, representing nearly a thousand years of Islamic art and architecture.

PHOTOGRAPH BY GETTY IMAGES

NATIONAL MOSQUE OF MALAYSIA

The roof of the National Mosque of Malaysia, built in capital Kuala Lumpur during the late 20th century, draws its inspiration from the underside of an open umbrella.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MANAN VATSYAYANA, GETTY IMAGES

EDUCATION CITY MOSQUE

This mosque in Doha is elevated on five piers, that represent the five pillars of Islam—shahada(knowledge), salat (prayer), zakat (charity), siyam (fasting) and hajj (pilgrimage)—each engraved with Quranic verses in elegant calligraphy.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BONNIE JO MOUNT, THE WASHINGTON POST/GETTY IMAGES

HASSAN II MOSQUE

Hassan II Mosque's nearly 700-foot minaret–the tallest in the world–is as iconic to Casablanca as the Empire State Building is to New York.

PHOTOGRAPH BY WOLFGANG KAEHLER, GETTY IMAGES

IBN TULUN MOSQUE

One of the best preserved mosques in Egypt, this majestic red brick complex was built in 876 by the Turkish governor of Egypt and Syria.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHEL SETBOUN, GETTY IMAGES

SÜLEYMANIYE MOSQUE

Ottoman mosques, like Istanbul's Süleymaniye Mosque, intentionally imitate the church of Hagia Sofia, another major tourist site in the city.

PHOTOGRAPH BY NIMON_T, GETTY IMAGES

ISLAMIC CENTER IN WASHINGTON D.C.

The Islamic Center in Washington D.C. is celebrated for fusing together differing styles and cultural influences, particularly from Iran, Egypt, and Turkey.

PHOTOGRAPH BY GETTY IMAGES

SHAH FAISAL MOSQUE

Produced in the late 1970s, the Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is a modern mosque that is Sunni in its practice, accomodating all of the rituals of the different denominations in the Muslim world.

PHOTOGRAPH BY SHAHID KHAN, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

GREAT MOSQUE IN KAIROUAN

The first Islamic city in North Africa and one of the four holiest cities for Muslims, Kairouan’s holy trifecta is complete thanks to the Grand Mosque of Kairouan, a structure in Tunisia

… Read MorePHOTOGRAPH BY RON WATTS, GETTY IMAGES

Origin of Ramadan

Ramadan, one of the months in the Islamic calendar, was also part of ancient Arabs’ calendars. The naming of Ramadan stems from the Arabic root “ar-ramad,” which means scorching heat. Muslims believe that in 610 A.D. the angel Gabriel appeared to Prophet Muhammad and revealed to him the Quran, the Islamic holy book. That revelation, Laylat Al Qadar—or the “Night of Power”—is believed to have occurred during Ramadan. Muslims fast during that month as a way to commemorate the revelation of the Quran. (Read how muslims, although often misunderstood, are thriving in America.)

By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to receive news, offers, and information from National Geographic Partners, LLC and our partners. Click here to visit our Privacy Policy. Easy unsubscribe links are provided in every email.
 by Ritterbach/

The Quran consists of 114 chapters and is taken to be the direct words of God, or Allah. The hadith, or accounts by the companions of Prophet Muhammad’s thoughts and deeds, supplement the Quran. Together they form the religious texts of Islam.

During Ramadan, Muslims aim to grow spiritually and build stronger relationships with Allah. They do this by praying and reciting the Quran, making their actions intentional and selfless, and abstaining from gossiping, lying, and fighting. 

(See how American Muslims celebrate Ramadan.)

Throughout the month Muslims fast, also refraining from drinking and sexual intercourse between sunrise and sunset. Fasting is obligatory for all Muslims, except for the ill, pregnant, traveling, elderly, or menstruating. Days missed fasting can be made up throughout the rest of the year, either all at once or one day here and there.

Muslim worshippers pray near the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MUAMMAR AWAD XINHUA, EYEVINE/​REDUX

Meals are opportunities for Muslims to gather with others in the community and break their fast together. Pre-dawn breakfast, or suhoor, usually occurs at 4:00 a.m. before the first prayer of the day, fajr. The evening meal, iftar, can begin once the sunset prayer, Maghreb, is finished—normally around 7:30. Since the Prophet Mohammad broke his fast with dates and a glass of water, Muslims eat dates at both suhoor and iftar. A staple of the Middle East, dates are rich in nutrients, easy to digest, and provide the body with sugar after a long day of fasting.

After the last day of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr—three days of festivities where Muslims gather to pray, eat, exchange gifts, and pay their respects to deceased relatives.

THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

These guidelines are fundamental to the lives of Muslims.

Sawm: fasting from dawn til dusk during Ramadan

Shahadah: believing there is no deity but God and prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) as his messenger

Zakat: giving to charity

Salah: praying five times a day

Hajj: making the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during their lifetime if able.