Ball and Cross FOB

Golden Globe and Cross FOB

This Golden Globe and Cross FOB represents the pinnacle in geometric design and craftsmanship for Masonic jewelry. In its closed position it looks very much like a "Ballot Ball" that one would use during Masonic voting, however, by an ingenious arrangement of hinges, which are imperceptible from the exterior, it may be opened out into the form of a cross. Each section is pyramidical in shape with a spherical base. The base is gold, but the pyramids are oxidized silver, almost black, the emblems being engraved into pure silver, thus showing up white. A paper is sold with these charms explaining the symbolism of the whole, which is explained below. It must be noted that that the below explanations are frankly Christian, and therefore not applicable to all systems of Freemasonry. They would, however, be perfectly valid in the jurisdictions of the Grand National Lodge, or the Mother Lodge of the Three Globes.

Symbolism on the Golden Globe

Taken from Brother C. Clark Julius's book "Masonic Timepieces, Rings, Balls and Watch Fobs"

Explanation of the Cruciform Arrangement of St. John's Lodge Emblems contained in the golden Globe:

1st Row: (to be read from West to East)

"The Conception of God"

1st Square:

Compasses: God's omnipotence is visible everywhere.

Sun and Moon: The heaven's show forth His glory, one day declares it to be another.

Plumb-line: His power descends from above to the whole of the earth

2nd Square:

Level: and spreads over the surface of the world.

Two columns: Rising and setting are His work

Delta: and show us there must be a divine existence.

3rd Square:

Cross and Cabletow: The true and first perception of Him has come to us through Christ.

4th Square:

Gavel: Through him we learn the proper government of the moral as well as the physical world.

Blazing Star: Thus He appears as the paternal Creator,

Hexagonal Star: as the merciful, beneficent, preserver of the world,

Square: and as the everlasting, all-righteous God.

2nd Row: (to be read from North to South)

"The Way From Darkness to Light"

(The moral evolution in virtue of the conception of God.)

1st Square:

Rough Ashlar: The natural man who, being ignorant, has to learn by the spirit of God,

Tesselated pavement: but is still His child, capable of development by the divine light that dwells within him.

Seven steps: by patient perseverance in well doing, and thus ennobling himself

Trowel: he purifies and refines his heart according to the will of the Great Architect.

2nd Square:

Cross and cabletow: The real Teacher of the true way of life is the Master of Nazareth,

3rd Square:

Skull & crossbones: who has shown by precept and example, that we can, whilst on earth here, separate the earthly from the heavenly,

Acacia: and who has brought life

Perfect Ashlar: and eternal existence to all.

N.B. -- The above is not the doctrine of St. Johns Lodges in particular but of Freemasonry in general.

Below is a different example in Sterling Silver

This globe is 925 sterling silver, measures 1 inch in diameter and weighs in at 29 grams.

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