This is a hotly debated topic in Masonic forums around the world. In reality, we occasionally receive emails attempting to “correct” us. Instead of giving you our thoughts on the subject, we will provide you with some concrete facts so that you and your brothers can continue the discussion.
A “Compass” is: “an instrument for drawing circles and arcs and measuring distances between points, consisting of two arms linked by a movable joint, one arm ending in a point and the other usually carrying a pencil or pen.”
Some say that the compass in the square and the compass are actually two compasses linked at the top. If you want to go extremely technical, you could argue that the image of the compass depicts two pointed ends, the points of which are widely referred to and have meaning for brethren.
While this is the case, a compass, as defined in the dictionary, has two points. One is a sharp piece of hard metal that stays in place, while the other is a sharp piece of soft metal (lead) that creates a marking when used to circumscribe a point on a surface.
In theory, the compass used in the square compass might be two compasses pulled apart and reconstructed to have two hard metal points, resulting in a fully symmetrical gadget.
While logic and intuition may lead one to assume that cutting apart two compasses to create one is unusual, it’s not impossible.
If you go back to mainstream masonic authors from the 18th century, you will notice that they refer to the square and compass as both “Square and Compass” and “Square and Compasses” almost equally. The ratio varies slightly from author to author, but there is no explanation for this.
Some dictionaries identify “Compasses” as the Middle English equivalent of “Compass” (among other things).
So that is about all there is to say absolutely; there is no doubt that the debate will continue for generations to come. Because many speak modern English rather than Middle English, many refer to their particular jurisdiction’s ritual as the “Square and Compass” when there is only one occurrence and “Square and Compasses” when there are multiple occurrences.
For example, a necktie with one SQC may be referred to as a “Square and Compass Tie,” whereas a necktie with many SQCs may be referred to as a “Square and Compasses Tie.”
Should you wear the ring with the emblem pointing out or in?
Some people wear their Illuminati ring facing in, while others wear them outward. There’s nothing wrong with that; some individuals wear their baseball caps forward, while others wear them backward.
It is a matter of personal preference. While this is the case, from a strictly logical perspective, if you just stood up straight with your arms at your sides (like you would when addressing someone of significance) and asked the question in that setting, logic should lead you to the same conclusion. With the symbol pointed in, it will be the sole object on your body that appears upside down.
You do not wear your hat upside down, your belt buckle, your jewelry, your shirt, your name tag, your lapel pins, or anything else. If you were to get a tattoo on your breast, you probably wouldn’t be happy if the tattoo artist drew it upside down.
Based on this logic, our answer to the question is straightforward: you can wear your ring however you like… It’s a free country, and your ring means more to you than to anyone else, so wear it up, down, on a chain, or in your pocket as you see fit.