Article Written by Duncan Burden
Hiram Abiff is, arguably, the most famous character in Freemasonry. His story not only is central to a Mason being recognized as a Master Mason, it is from the Legend of Freemasonry that all the sinister and dark imagery of the Order can be found. From conspiracy theorists to filmmakers, dark rituals of death in candlelight, the skull and crossbones and the belief of lost secrets, all stem from this singular figure.
Here are ten top facts of Hiram Abif. (shown right)
1)Although Hiram Abif is the common name for this Masonic character, it is not universal. In continental Europe, he is called ‘Adoniram’ or ‘Adoram’ – meaning ‘Lord Hiram/Niram’. Besides this still being used, it can also be easily found in early French Masonic exposures, (Books claiming to reveal the secrets of Freemasonry). These books use namely Hiram and Adoniram, would include such works as ‘Catechisme des Francs-Masçon’ (‘The Free-Mason’s Catechism’) by Leonard Gabanon, printed 1744 and ‘L’Anti-Mason’ (author unknown) printed 1748. The famous Masonic writer Albert Pike stated that the name ‘Hiram’ could be better translated as ‘Khurum’ but this has never been taken as popular.
2)The surname of ‘Abif’ is actually a Masonic invention. Although the character is based on a Biblical figure and relevant event, there is no Hiram Abif actually mentioned in the Bible. The closest reference is in the Hebrew versions of Second Chronicles, chapter 2, vs 13-14, when Hiram, King of Tyre, responds to Kings Solomon’s request for skilled labor, and says ‘And now I have sent a skilful man, endowed with understanding, Ḥuram ‘abi.’ The word ‘Abi’ actually means ‘father’, but when used in reference to a name by ancient Jewish culture it was meant to portray as a sense of honor and respect for the individual, implying a sort of ‘master’. It is generally accepted that the Masonic adoption of the surname ‘Abif’, was to this and to differentiate him from King
3)Although Hiram Abif is the central character within the Third Degree, his first actual reference, in most Masonic jurisdictions, is actually in the Second Degree. During the Second Degree the candidate is told the first literal link between Freemasonry and the building of King Solomon’s Temple. In the Tracing board lecture of the Degree, it is explained to the candidate that the Two great pillars placed at the doorway of the Temple, which hold the Constitutional rolls of the Order, and were made of brass and that Hiram Abif was the Master in charge of their casting. In some jurisdictions, Hiram is subtly referred to in the First Degree ceremony, again during the Tracing Board Lecture, and again in reference to pillars.
4)Even though referred to in early Degree, the Hiram Abif legend is the focal part of the Third Degree (the Master Mason) ceremony. Hiram Abif is the first, and in most jurisdictions, the only named character a candidate ever has to re-enact as part of a ceremony and the Third Degree is considered the peak of Craft Freemasonry. Curiously though, Freemasonry before the forming of the first Speculative Grand Lodge was formed in 1717, has no record of having three degrees. Masonic documents and references only describe the statuses of only Apprentices and Fellowcrafts, with the term Master only used to describe the Mason in charge of a Lodge. This gave rise to the theory that the Hiram legend was originally the ceremony used to ‘Install’ a Master, but further information about the development of Craft rituals seems to make this very unlikely and the belief that the ceremony was created, adopted or adapted later.
5)The first literal reference to the character of Hiram being linked to Freemasonry is in the historic Cooke Manuscript, probably composed around the early 15th century. In this text it states that ‘Solomon held four score thousand masons at work. And the Son of the King of Tyre was one of them.’ Even though this seems substantial, many masonic scholars do not relate the document to actual Speculative Freemasonry, but rather hold the opinion that such references only came to light when Freemasonry gained social popularity in the late 17th century. When 18th century Masonic scholars began collecting these manuscripts, believing that to be about ‘Speculative’ Freemasonry, they simply adopted the rhetoric into the new rituals being developed, to give them both a sense of history and authenticity.
6)Many theories have been given by modern writers about the origins of Hiram Abif. Such as Idries Shah’s book ‘The Sufis’. He forwards the theory that the source of the Masonic legend of Hiram Abif is from a specific group of Islamic spiritualists called ‘Al-Banna’ (meaning ‘Builders’) who built the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. This group operated as a Fraternity similar to Freemasonry and, besides the mutual interest and references to building on the sacred Temple mount, this Islamic sect also drew theological/philosophical similarities between life and building.
Besides Shah, the noted French Masonic author, Paul Naudon offers the idea that the 12th century murder of Renaud de Montuban, possibly linked to St. Reinold, echoes the description of Hiram Abifs death. Naudon’s character was killed with a hammer blow to the head whilst was working as a Mason at Cologne Cathedral, his body buried by the murders and found under strange circumstances. A final example of Hiram origin theories would be from the English Masonic authors, Robert Lomas and Christopher Knight, and their book ‘The Hiram Key’. These Masons forward the suggestion that the ancient Egyptian Pharoah, Seqenere Tao (the Brave), was actually the historic inspiration for the Masonic Legend. The basis of the suggestion was to the heroic accounts of the 17th dynasty King and the injuries found on the Pharaoh’s mummy corpse, yet little credence has been given to their theory.
7)The first genuine and literal reference to Hiram Abif is found in the Constitutions composed by Dr James Anderson, with the forming of the first Speculative Grand Lodge in England. In his first edition of the Constitutions, printed in 1723, he states ‘The King of Tyre sent to King Solomon his namesake Hiram Abif, the prince of architects … the wise King Solomon was the Grand Master of the Lodge of Jerusalem, King Hiram was the Grand Master of the Lodge of Tyre, and the inspired Hiram Abif was the Master of Work.’ In his second version, published in 1738, he offers two further references to Hiram Abif, firstly ‘Their joy was soon interrupted by the sudden death of their dear master, Hiram Abif, whom they decently interred in the Lodge near to the Temple, according to ancient usage’. This is the first know account of Hiram’s death being part of Freemasonry. Anderson’s second reference in the same work was to describe the place of the Deputy Grand Master, to the left of the newly installed Grand Master, as being the ‘Chair of Hiram Abif’, this seating is personified in other degrees in Freemasonry itself.
8)Although references to Hiram and his death being part of Freemasonry existed, the first actual account of a Third Degree and of Hiram Abif, his murder and the recovery of his body, is not found until in Samuel Prichard published his ‘Masonry Dissected’ in 1730. This book revealed not only the full ceremonial account of all three Degrees, including the Third, but also offered all the passwords and signs of Freemasonry at the time. So precise was this publication that the Grand Lodge of England felt compelled to change its passwords around to try and catch ‘false’ Masons using the book to gain access to Lodges. This act, is believed to be one of the fundamental issues that split English Freemasonry into the Ancients and the Moderns, a rift of two Grand Lodges that was not healed until their union in 1813, creating the United Grand Lodge of England, that still exists today, recognized as the oldest Speculative Grand Lodge in the World.
9)Curiously, although the Masonic legend of Hiram Abif is meant to convey to a Mason that they should rather accept death than reveal the secrets entrusted to them, the most common reason Hiram Abif’s story is remembered is because his death marks the ‘loss of the secrets of a Master Mason.’ This element of ‘lost secrets’ has fueled two distinct lines of discussion and research. Firstly the supposed paradox, that as King Solomon and King Tyre were both Master Masons, the death of Hiram should not have caused the secrets to be lost, as they must have known them too as Master Masons. The second element is the endless research done into the claims of what the genuine secrets could be (assuming that they are more than the secrets that a Mason can eventually discover).
In reality, there is no paradox, only a misunderstanding in the context of the story. In the early versions of the Third Degree, and in other Masonic ceremonies such as the Holy Royal Arch, and Royal and Select Master, it is explained that the three original Masters, King Solomon, King Tyre and Hiram Abif agreed to bury the secrets, and if any of them died they would not perform the secrets again. They also agreed that if they no longer performed the secrets they would ensure that substitute secrets would be adopted and leave buried secrets to be found when the will of God to decided when Freemasonry was deemed to be ‘right’ for the secrets to be used again. So the ‘loss of the secrets’ was not because Hiram was the only one who knew them, but because the three Grand Masters thought they had no one to pass the secrets on to, so left it to fate for them to be rediscovered.
10)In 1726, according to a document known as the Graham Manuscript, an independent degree was being used by some Masonic lodges, which offer strong suggestions that originally Noah was the central character and not Hiram Abif. The Masonic scholar H. W. Coil translates the document into the modern vernacular as; ‘We have it by tradition and still some reference to scripture that Shem, Ham and Japheth went to their father Noah’s grave to try to find something about him to lead them to the veritable secret which this famous preacher had, for all things needful for the new world were in the Ark with Noah. Now these 3 men had agreed that, if they did not find the very thing itself, that the first thing they did find was to be to them as a secret thing not doubting but did most firmly believe that God was able and would cause what they did find to prove as veritable to them as if they had received the secret at first from God himself. So they came to the grave finding nothing but the dead body almost consumed. Taking a grip at a finger, it came away; so from Joint to Joint; so to the wrist; so to the elbow; so they reared up the dead body and supported it; setting foot to foot, knee to knee, breast to breast, cheek to cheek and hand to back, and cried out: ‘Help, O, father,’ as if they had said; ‘O, Father of Heaven, help us now for our earthly father cannot.'” So they laid down the dead body again and not knowing what to do, one, said: ‘Here is yet marrow in the bone;’ and the second said: ‘But a dry bone,’ and the third said; ‘It stinketh.’ So they agreed to give it a name as is known.’ Any Mason reading this would know how significant that is.
~Article written by Duncan Burden
Duncan Burden enjoys researching history. Although he often writes on Masonic issues, since he has been a Freemason for most of his adult life and is a member of various Masonic bodies, such as the Royal and Select Master Masons, and Operative Masons, he takes pleasure in writing on all historic, mysterious, and exciting topics.
He was born on the Norfolk Coast, and now lives in Hertfordshire, England.
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Wow, I really enjoyed this. Excellent!
I’m always fascinated by this sort of history. Mankind hasn’t changed in the sense of symbolism and those kinds of deep thinking.
And I’ve always wondered about that “widow’s son” symbolism. It surely has some special and particular meaning, but I’m guessing that it’s lost in time.
I looked up those pillars, Jachin and Boaz, and found that they were topped with capitals that had symbols of lilies (and pomegranates) in brass on them.
So if they were made of bronze, and has brass inlays (speculating about “inlays”), for that time that would seem like a the work of a real master.
The glorious work of the construction of King Solomon’s Temple taken from the plans of his father King David was overseen by King Solomon, Hiram, King of Tyre and Hiram Abif, the Widow’s Son. Hiram Abif was skilled in all manner of construction whether it be of stone or of metal and was the Grand Master of all Masons working on the temple. It was he that could give the secret word of a Master Mason whereby those who were worthy of it could better find employment. 12 of those working on the Temple feeling that they would not be worthy of the word conspired to force Hiram Abif to give it to them and 3 eventually murdered him. (This is Masonic Lore) The two bronze columns which you mention Jachin and Boaz stood in the porch of King Solomon’s temple upon Mount Moriah and were created by Hiram Abif. With Freemasonry we see a shift from practical masonry to speculative masonry during the Dark Ages where the craft of stone masonry is used as the background of the Freemasonry movement. During the Dark Ages we see the decline of Roman control and the Church becoming the supreme power in Europe. People were not permitted to read, engage in science or to question the Church (Catholicism). To do so would mean branding as a heretic and executed by burning at the stake or by some other horrible means. Freemasons met secretly, generally in a room above a tavern, where they were free to discuss their ideas and scientific discoveries among like minded individuals. Had they been found out they would have been killed. The history of Freemasonry is very deep, very old and very interesting. I’m currently doing a study on hidden masonic symbols in works of art and recently completed a course of study at Tel Aviv University on the Fall and Rise of Jerusalem to better understand the construction of the 1st Temple, what might be left of it and perhaps where the tremendous amount of wealth that it contained went after the Assyrians, Egyptians and Babylonians destroyed the temple.
With time; history is usually twisted and re-written to become subjective from objective. If we really want the truth in Hiram Abif character, the timeline of the different accounts should be checked. If you do, it will be established that the account of Seqenere Tao is the Oldest and it can be verified in Ancient Egypt history of very ancient. Tyre history is in the intermediate timeline.