"Awful" - Beautiful or Horrible?

In the Address to the Brethren, most masonic rituals have a line that goes along the lines of “can patiently await the arrival of that awful moment when the soul shall take wing…”.

However the use of the word “awful” here causes quite a debate. On one hand, you have those say that the meaning is awe filled, referring to a beautiful moment of death. While others take the obvious meaning of awful as we use it today to mean horrible.

So which is it? Beautiful or Horrible. Who is right and who is wrong. Also, is there a greater lesson that we can take from trying to figure out which meaning is the correct one? I will also share a mistake I made along the way in determine it’s meaning.

---

First, what I have observed in these discussions is that both sides rely on their own understanding of the meaning of the word awful to base their view on. This is generally how we argue in today’s society. So what we really need to do is investigate what the actual definition of the word is.

We can’t just use google or a modern dictionary to do this, the meaning of words change overtime. I find myself using the Websters 1828 Dictionary because it maintains the meaning of the words at the time our ceremonies were documented. The bonus for Websters 1828 is that its available online and is searchable.

AWFUL, adjective [awe and full.]

1. That strikes with awe; that fills with profound reverence; as the awful majesty of Jehovah.

2. That fills with terror and dread; as the awful approach of death.

3. Struck with awe; scrupulous.

A weak and awful reverence for antiquity.

Shakespeare uses it for worshipful, inspiring respect by authority or dignity.

Our common people use this word in the sense of frightful, ugly, detestable.

https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/awful

At first glance of the dictionary meaning, you might be inclined to think this is an open & shut case for the beautfil camp. The second meaning gives the horrible camp a fighting chance. What is apparent is that it has two meanings, except which is right?

Being an adjective, this means the word is used to describe a noun by modifying the quality or the extent of something. This is how we get to “full of awe”. I can hear now the cheers from team beauty, and the boos from team horrible.

Using our understanding of gramma, rhetoric and logic we shouldn’t just take the meaning of this adjective as the meaning of awe. We should properly investigate what “awe” means.

AWE, noun aw. [Gr. to be astonished.]

1. Fear mingled with admiration or reverence; reverential fear.

Stand in awe and sin not. Psalms 4:4.

2. Fear; dread inspired by something great, or terrific.

AWE, verb transitive To strike with fear and reverence; to influence by fear, terror or respect; as, his majesty awed them into silence.

https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/awe#

What I find interesting is the first meaning of awful gives cause to full of beauty or astonishment argument. While the meaning of awe fully justifies the horrible definition.

So this seams like we are at an impass. Neither would want to give up on their interpretation of the meaning. But isn’t that just it, interpretation. Why does it have to be one or the other could it be both where each side can agree to disagree but maintain they’re correct.

Freemasonry teaches us that there must be truth, that truth is objective. A stone is either square, plumb and level or it’s not. One side must be right and the other must be wrong, but which ones?

If we look at the surrounding text, but also consider other rituals like the English, Irish and Scottish most versions include an extra few words being “his last dying throb”.

Perhaps now in the moment of that final breath, before death, we can conclude it means horrible. Except this is a rush to a conclusion, and a faux pas at understanding the signifigance of time. See the use of “when” to segway into “when the soul shall talk wind…” tells us that the last dying breath is the moment of death. The rest of the text goes on to describe the beauty that awaits us at death.

It seems we still face a condundrum of who is right versus wrong. But what if I told you that neither are right. This is what I realised when I properly examined the text, but also thought about all that happens in that very moment.

Let’s think about it for a second.

That moment of death, is a beautfil moment spiritually, while medically and emotionally for you and everyone else it is horrible.

Here is the thing. Our ritual and Freemasonry loves to emphasise the dualities of everything. Light and Darkness. Good and Evil. Imperfect and Perfect. These duailities are expressed constantly throughout our ceremonies, one even given earlier in the address to the brethren is those who rule & teach vs those who submit & learn. Those dualities are contrasted against each other as well.

Now, here is what you need to know. If you think it is either beautiful or horrible you are wrong. It is not one or the other, it is both, and both simulteanously.

See it can’t be one or the other, because otherwise it would have been used as beautiful or horrible. Instead a word was chosen with both meanings because it expresses the duality and contrast of everything that is happening in that single moment.

That moment of death is both simulteanously beautiful and horrible.

Think about it like this — If you half fill a glass with water, some will say it is half full, others will say it’s half empty. But the truth is, it’s full with two different substances, liquid and air.

Which is why awful was specifically chosen for our ritual because it’s able to express in a single and powerful word a moment that is full of awe, and both beautiful and horrible at the same time. Hence one of the meanings of awe being “Fear; dread inspired by something great, or terrific.” which gives away the dual nature.

But who is right and who is wrong. If you think it is one and not the other, you are wrong. It is both beautiful and horrible all in once, hence being awful.