Trestleboard Second Quarter 2026

Second Quarter 2026 (April/May/June)   In the Trestleboard of the Second Quarter of 2026, our California Hispanic & Latin American Research Lodge presents an edition deeply dedicated to the study, reflection, and dissemination of one of the most evocative contemporary symbols within the Masonic imagination: the Universal Masonic Flag, with its green field, central beehive, and seven bees arranged in a perfect circle.    This issue not only examines its geometric structure, its possible historical origins, and its cultural influences, but also invites us to contemplate the initiatic value it embodies. Every color, every form, and every proportion reveals a silent message that speaks to the modern Mason: to work with constancy, to live with hope, to serve with purity of intention, and to remember that fraternity is a collective work built day by day.    The green that covers the flag reminds us of perpetual renewal and the immortality of the spirit; the beehiv...

Wednesday June 24th, 2026. Brothers and guests Join us on  Wednesday June 24th, 2026. Quarterly  Stated  Meeting and Summer Solstice Dinner 2026   The evening begins with a social gathering at 6:00 pm, featuring delicious Spanish food and wine.    Our Stated meeting will follow at 8:00 pm.  Your presence is important, and we look forward to a great evening. See you in lodge!   Location: Elysian Masonic Temple 1900 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Google Map  info@ResearchLodge.net  California Hispanic & Latin American Research Lodge   www.ResearchLodge.net 

La llamada Bandera Masónica Universal , compuesta por un fondo verde, un panal central y siete abejas dispuestas en círculo, es un símbolo contemporáneo cuyo origen exacto no cuenta con documentación concluyente . Su desarrollo parece surgir de la convergencia de tradiciones simbólicas europeas —en especial francesas— y reinterpretaciones latinoamericanas difundidas durante el siglo XX. Estudiosos han analizado y divulgado este emblema como una síntesis visual de valores masónicos universales : trabajo, constancia, fraternidad, orden y esperanza. Sin embargo, gran parte de su historia se basa en transmisiones orales, interpretaciones simbólicas y estudios no oficiales , lo que obliga a presentar sus orígenes con cautela. Posibles influencias francesas y la relación con la fleur‑de‑lis. Aunque no existe evidencia formal que vincule directamente esta bandera con logias francesas, al parecer su simbolismo se nutre de elementos presentes en la Masonería francesa del siglo XVIII y XI...

  🟩 The Color Green: Hope, Immortality, Renewal, and the Bond with Nature and Mother Earth. In Masonic tradition, colors constitute a symbolic language that conveys ethical and philosophical principles beyond profane speech. The color green, although not part of the oldest chromatic symbolism of Freemasonry, has been incorporated into contemporary interpretations to express active hope, spiritual renewal, and the continuity of life. It reminds the Mason of his sacred bond with nature and with Mother Earth, the living temple of the Great Architect of the Universe and the eternal source of life, balance, and harmony. 🐝  The Beehive and the Seven Bees: Industriousness, Order, and Virtue. The beehive, placed at the center of the flag, forms the symbolic nucleus of the emblem. The seven bees, arranged around the hive, represent t he activity, unity, and collective discipline that characterize Masonic labor. They symbolize: Organized society Cooperative work Harmony am...

 

The Arrangement of the Bees Around the Beehive . Freemasonry conceives geometry as a philosophical language and as the foundation of universal order. For this reason, the placement of the bees around the beehive follows a precise geometric pattern , rich in initiatic meaning. The Correct Geometric Structure . In this flag: The beehive occupies the exact center of the green field. The seven bees are arranged around it, forming a perfect geometric circle . Angular Distribution . The bees are positioned according to a division of the circle into seven equal sectors , each measuring approximately  51.42° . This arrangement produces: A circle of seven equidistant points. A symbolic crown surrounding the beehivel The idea that the virtues encircle, protect, and sustain the central work Symbolism of the Circle of Seven . The circle expresses: Perfect unity A continuous cycle of labor Protection of the luminous center Harmony between the individual and t...

 

The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California Is Founded. Most Worshipful Grand Master Hon. Robert J. Eagle Spirit, Sr. June 19, 1855 stands as a defining date in American history—a day when fraternity, resilience, and community leadership took root in the Golden State. On that day, three Masonic lodges operating under constitutional charters united in San Francisco to establish the first Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California. This foundational moment became a cornerstone for the organization, empowerment, and social advancement of the African American community during an era marked by deep national divisions and systemic challenges.   Parallel Paths and Reconciliation: The Relationship with the Grand Lodge of California. The rise of Prince Hall Freemasonry in California unfolded alongside the development of the Grand Lodge of California, founded only a few years earlier in April 1850 in Sacramento. For more than a century, racial barriers and segregationist policies in the Uni...

According to traditions preserved in various Jacobite lodges, the Fleur-de-lis “opened its petals” in a mystical gesture that revealed within it the figure of a worker bee.  This image was no accident: since Antiquity, the bee has symbolized order, diligence, constancy, and virtue, qualities that sustain the life of the hive and, by analogy, the life of the initiatic community.   Fleur-de-lis — symbol of lineage and inherited authority.. Worker bee — symbol of labor, discipline, and collective construction. The opening of the symbol represented an initiatic unveiling: what was once understood as a privilege of birth became an invitation to inner work.   The shift in paradigm: from blood to merito. This symbolic transformation marked a radical shift in the identity of the exiled Jacobites. Having lost their lands, titles, and political power, they understood that true nobility could no longer depend on blood, but on personal effort .   In this new para...