I hear this in Mormon parlance a lot. I know what the gesture implies (both in the temple and other ordinances), but what is its origin?

What exactly does "placing your hand to the square" mean? What is the square?

It originates in Masonic ritual

They are trying to railroad you into believing that the square is your arm position in raising it to agreement, not the real reason in that masons used a square when setting stones correctly. Ucking unbelievable!

A square is a tool used to help construct right angles.

The Freemasons adopted this tool as a symbol with meaning, and included gestures to represent it.

The Mormons adopted Freemasonry.

The End.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2013 02:11PM by kimball.

A square symbolizes perfect alignment, perfection. That's how it was explained to me.

Satan is crooked. He can't stand being squared.

BOring.
Wish they'd adopted the "walk like an Egyptian" stance.

I'd rather have Beyonce' kick me out and tell me my stuff is 'To the left, to the left'.....

All master construction, carpentry, and masonry depends upon, and always has depended upon, bringing corners to the square, and carefully bringing the whole structure to the square. From that we get all kinds of metaphors, like "a square deal." Squaring is exceedingly important, both technologically and metaphorically. So first the Masonic square (along with many other symbols), and then the Mormon knock-off "sign of the square."

Certainly and these are critical considerations for a valid organization.

But JS copied it in an attempt to be taken seriously.

The concept of the square and the number 4 being the symbols of fair and equal treatment goes at least back to the Pythagoreans, 600 BCE.
The Four Square Gospel
A square deal
Are we square now? (Have we settled all our debts and obligations with each other?)
Four is the only number that is the sum and the product of the same two equal numbers, 2+2, 2*2. Further, the square is a symbol of rectitude, being a figure consisting of 4 right angles and 4 equal sides.

We raise our arm to a right angle when being sworn in at court.

This is ancient symbolism.