Metals and Alchemy

The Bible tells that when Solomon direct the building of the Temple he required that no metal is used in its construction. Only wood and stone are to be used in the building. The metals that are considered too artificial and then very costly when worked on should outside of the temple. The Freemasons perpetuate today this tradition in a very symbolic matter because the construction technic is impossible to perform today without metal. Everything starts at the initiation when the candidate is deprived from the metals he carry with him, before entering the Chamber of Reflexion. Through this act he understands that metals represent wealth, the vanity, and that they should be kept aside any masonic consideration. Often during their sessions the Brethren are reminded that they have left their metals at he hall of the temple meaning that they have come to hear each other without any consideration a priori. The expression to " depose of its metals" means to work in lodge without taking in consideration their professional or personal interests. Every Mason get rid of the advantage or profane handicap, and this is a way to celebrate their equality sustaining on the reflexion of what aluminizes the profane passions. No alchemism is supposed to be associated with the masonic metals, because transmutation if occurs is the one that a profane passes through by freeing himself from their secular interests for a better concentration in the Masonic rules.