TETRAGRAMMATON. (From the Greek τετρὰς, _four_, and γρὰμμα, a letter). The four-lettered name of God in the Hebrew language, which consisted of four letters, viz. הוהי commonly, but incorrectly, pronounced _Jehovah_. As a symbol it greatly pervaded the rites of antiquity, and was perhaps the earliest symbol corrupted by the Spurious Freemasonry of the pagan Mysteries. It was held by the Jews in profound veneration, and its origin supposed to have been by divine revelation at the burning bush. The word was never pronounced, but wherever met with _Adonai_ was substituted for it, which custom was derived from the perverted reading of a, passage in the Pentateuch. The true pronunciation consequently was utterly lost; this is explained by the want of vowels in the Hebrew alphabet, so that the true vocalization of a word cannot be learned from the letters of which it is composed. The true pronunciation was intrusted to the high priest; but lest the knowledge of it should be lost by his sudden death, it was also communicated to his assistant; it was known also, probably, to the kings of Israel. The Cabalists and Talmudists enveloped it in a host of superstitions. It was also used by the Essenes in their sacred rites, and by the Egyptians as a pass-word. Cabalistically read and pronounced, it means the male and female principle of nature, the generative and prolific energy of creation. THAMMUZ. A Syrian god, who was worshipped by those women of the Hebrews who had fallen into idolatry. The idol was the same as the Phoenician Adonis, and the Mysteries of the two were identical. TRAVELLING FREEMASONS. See _Freemasons, Travelling_. TRESTLE BOARD. The board or tablet on which the designs of the architect are inscribed. It is a symbol of the moral law as set forth in the revealed will of God. Every man must have his trestle board, because it is the duty of every man to work out the task which God, the chief Architect, has assigned to him. TRIANGLE. A symbol of Deity. This symbolism is found in many of the ancient religions. Among the Egyptians it was a symbol of universal nature, or of the protection of the world by the male and female energies of creation. TRIANGLE, RADIATED. A triangle placed within a circle of rays. In Christian art it is a symbol of God; then the rays are called a _glory_. When they surround the triangle in the form of a circle, the triangle is a symbol of the glory of God. When the rays emanate from the centre of the triangle, it is a symbol of divine light. This is the true form of the masonic radiated triangle. TRILITERAL NAME. This is the word AUM, which is the ineffable name of God among the Hindoos, and symbolizes the three manifestations of the Brahminical supreme god, Brahma, Siva, and Vishnu. It was never to be pronounced aloud, and was analogous to the sacred tetragrammaton of the Jews. TROWEL. One of the working tools of a Master Mason. It is a symbol of brotherly love.