Acacia

Charles A. Woffard, 33

Acacia was esteemed a sacred wood among the Hebrews. Moses was ordered by God to make the

Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, the table for the Shew Bread and the rest of the sacred furniture of acacia.

Isaiah, in recounting the promises of God's mercy to the Israelites on their return from the captivity, tells them, among other things, that God will plant in the wilderness for their relief and refreshment the acacia.

In Freemasonry, the acacia is preeminently the symbol of the immortality of the soul. It presents itself to the Master Mason to remind him, by its ever-green and unchanging nature, of that better and spiritual part within us which, as an emanation of the Great Architect, can never die. As Masons we are taught that by "the ever-green and ever-living sprig" we are strengthened in hope and "with confidence and composure to look forward to a blessed immortality." The ancients believed the acacia to be incorruptible and, therefore, free from attack by all insects and animals, thus symbolizing the incorruptible nature of the soul.

The acacia is an extremely hardy and tenacious plant. Its roots grow deeply, and it clings very tenaciously to life, even in the barest spots. By its firm clinging to life through its roots and its visible display of life through its ever-present greenness, the acacia symbolizes our relationship to God. Our lives should be deeply rooted in Him, and we should display Him in our lives.