As often taught, the trestle-board is the board upon which the Master traces the designs by which the Craft are to pursue their labors and its design may be found upon the pavement or floor of many lodges. It has always been considered one of the jewels of the lodge and its importance, both to the operative Mason and the speculative Mason, is unquestioned, but can we see deeper meaning within its design?

 
    To the ancient operative Mason the trestle-board was source of the planning necessary to construct a great building and the place where the many problems could be solved before that construction. Upon simple slate or wooden boards, the placements and foundations, walls, and ceilings could be traced in chalk, erased, and traced, again and again, in moving toward a finished edifice. The ideas of the mind could be visualized by the Master and used as a rule and guide in directing the workers toward actual creation and completion. These pictures were the plans through which the Master made thought become reality.

 
    To the speculative Mason the trestle-board teaches many lessons, such as the need to have a plan for his spiritual Temple, to know his direction in conduct and moral choices, and to work toward an understanding of the plan of the Great Architect. It is not an idle characterization to consider each of us as a living stone, molding ourselves through our choices, actions, and deeds. Without careful attemtion to [planning, no goal may be reached.

 
And so it is that, when reflecting upon the trestle-board, we should reflect carefully of our plans and designs, and what Temple we are building. Often we are reminded that the sands of the hour glass move grain by grain, and time, minute by minute, day by day. What plans do we have and how does our Temple grow?

 
    To the Master in the East and his officers, the trestle-board should be a constant reminder of the responsibility of leadership and the need to plan the work of the Lodge. The Master of a Lodge is faced with two aspects of leadership, operative, in the sense of running the Lodge business, and speculative, in the sense of meeting the morale and Masonic needs of the Craft. The light of a lodge must come from the East. Each Brother in a lodge has goals and expectations, but without due attention to his trestle-board, these become idle dreams and are gone.

 
The Master of the Lodge must have goals for his Lodge and himself. He should be a Master of planning and execution. Seeing the Trestle-board with Light over the East is a reminder of what is expected and what can be done through his leadership and guidance. Each meeting is a planning stage for labor and work, and should be used accordingly. 

 
    In the degrees, each step moves us toward becoming a Master, and our progress is traced upon a Trestle-board beyond our comprehension, but each step we take in becoming a better person is within our power. Thus we can draw our designs and map out a path toward being a better person and achieving happiness. These are laudable goals and worthy of our best design. May we mark our board well and build a noble life of service and Brotherly love.

Article written by Brother Robert Northcutt

The Grand Lodge of Texas Education and Service Committee