The Point Within a Circle
A point inside a circle, bordered by two parallel lines: the individual Mason, the boundary of his conduct, and the two Saints John.
Also called: circumpunct · point within a circle between two parallel lines
What it means
Webb explains it plainly. The point represents an individual brother; the circle is the boundary line of his conduct beyond which he is never to let his passions or prejudices carry him. The two perpendicular parallel lines stand for Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist, the patron saints of Freemasonry, and the Holy Scriptures rest on top.
The lesson: in going round the circle, a Mason necessarily touches both lines and the Scriptures, and while he keeps himself so circumscribed he cannot materially err.
English and older European explanations sometimes name other figures for the two lines. The American monitorial reading is the one above.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Point Within a Circle mean in Freemasonry?
A point inside a circle, bordered by two parallel lines: the individual Mason, the boundary of his conduct, and the two Saints John.
Who can wear the Point Within a Circle?
This is a lesson rather than a badge. It turns up on Lodge charts, prints and gifts, and owning or displaying one says nothing about rank. On a lapel most people will read it as Masonic.
Sources
Drawn from the published monitors and from what the bodies concerned publish about themselves. Nothing here comes from, or goes beyond, any obligated material.
- Thomas Smith Webb, The Freemason's Monitor; or, Illustrations of Masonry (1797)
- Jeremy L. Cross, The True Masonic Chart, or Hieroglyphic Monitor (1819)