STANDARD. A staff with a flag or colors, under which men are united or bound for some common purpose. From the earliest antiquity all nations have been in the habit of using peculiar standards or banners, by which they were distinguished from each other in peace, and rallied to action in war. The ancient Egyptians were, probably, the first to adopt the use of the standard to distinguish their people or a particular tribe during their wars, or when performing their ceremonies publicly. They are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. The earliest Roman standard was a bundle of straw fixed to the top of a spear. This was ceeded by figures of the horse, the boar, etc.—all of which soon gave place to the gle, which continued to be the Roman ensign, and was ward assumed by the German, and since by the French rors of the Napoleonic dynasty. Standards are frequently ried in Masonic processions, with appropriate devices ed or embroidered thereon. The standard appropriate to the Order, and that which is designated as the principal or general standard of symbolic Masonry, is described as follows: " The escutcheon, or shield on the banner, is divided into four compartments, or quarters, by a green cross, over which a narrower one of the same length of limb, and of a yellow color, is placed, forming what is called a cross vent voided or; each of the compartments formed by the limits of the cross is occupied by a different device.
In the first quarter is placed a golden lion, on a field of blue, to represent the standard of the tribe of Judah; in the second, a black ox, on a field of gold, to represent Ephraim; in the third, a man, on a field of gold, to represent Reuben; and, in the fourth, a golden eagle, on a blue ground, to represent Dan. Over all is placed, as the crest, an ark of the covenant, and the motto is Holiness to the Lord.' " Besides this, there are six other standards proper to be borne in processions, the material of which must be white, bordered with blue fringe or ribbon, and on each of which is inscribed one of the following words