Esoteric Document

I've posted images of this before, but it looks better now because I got it nicely framed. The image area is roughly 18" x 22". It belonged to my great-grandfather, John Henry Cavannaugh of Savannah, Georgia. I believe it's a certificate of his reaching the 32nd degree, the highest level in Scottish Rite Feemasonry.


If you want to see the thing in all its 2700 x 3600 pixel glory, it's in my scrapbook at this link:
http://asher63.livejournal.com/pics/catalog/427/48931

Symbolism

It's “Rays from a Pillar of Fire in the Clouds reaching to Moses.” Supposedly.
http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/founders/franklin/rebellion-to-tyrants-is-obedience-to-god-benjamin-franklin