by Moe | Aug 26, 2011 | Illustrations of Masonry
“Are you a Fellow Craft Mason?”
Ans. “I am—try me.”
“By what will you be tried?”
Ans. “By the square.”
“Why by the square?”
Ans. “Because it is an emblem of virtue.”
“What is a square?”
Ans. “An angle extending to ninety degrees, or the fourth part of a circle.”
“Where were you prepared to be made a Fellow Craft Mason?”
Ans. “In a room adjacent to the body of a just anti lawfully constituted lodge of such, duly assembled in a room or place, representing the middle chamber of King Solomon’s temple.”
“How were you prepared?”
Ans. “By being divested of all metals; neither naked nor clothed; barefoot nor shod; hood-winked; with a cable-tow twice round my neck; in which situation I was conducted to the door of the lodge, where I gave two distinct knocks.”
“What did those two distinct knocks allude to?”
Ans. ‘The second degree in Masonry, it being that on which I was about to enter.”
“What was said to you from within?”
Ans. “Who comes there? Who comes there?”
“Your answer?”
Ans. “A worthy brother who has been regularly initiated as an Entered Apprentice Mason, served a proper time as such, and now wishes for further light in Masonry by being passed to the degree of a Fellow Craft.”
“What was then said to you from within?”
Ans. “I was asked if it was of my own free will and
p. 63
accord I made this request; if I was duly and truly prepared, worthy, and well qualified, and had made suitable proficiency in the preceding degree; all of which being answered in the affirmative, I was asked by what further rights I expected to obtain so great a benefit.”
“Your answer?”
Ans. “By the benefit of a pass-word.”
“What is that pass-word?”
Ans. “Shibboleth.”
“What further was said to you from within?”
Ans. “I was bid to wait till the Worshipful Master in the east was made acquainted with my request, and his answer returned.”
“After his answer was returned what followed?”
Ans. “I was caused to enter the lodge.”
“How did you enter?”
Ans. “On the angle of the square, presented to my naked right breast, in the name of the Lord.”
“How were you then disposed of?”
Ans. “I was conducted twice regularly round the lodge and halted at the Junior Warden in the south, where the same questions were asked and answers returned as at the door.
“How did the Junior Warden dispose of you?”
Ans. “He ordered me to be conducted to the Worshipful Master in the east, where the same questions were asked and answers returned as before, who likewise demanded of me from whence I came and whither I was traveling.”
“Your answer?”
Ans. “From the west, and traveling to the east.”
“Why did you leave the west and travel to the east?”
Ans. “In search of more light.”
“How did the Worshipful then dispose of you?’
Ans. “He ordered me to be conducted back to the west, from whence I came, and put in care of the Senior Warden, who taught me how to approach the east, by advancing upon two upright regular steps to the second step, my feet forming the right angle of an oblong square, and my body erect at the altar before the Worshipful Master.
p. 64
“What did the Worshipful Master do with you?”
Ans. “He made a Fellow Craft Mason of me.”
“How?”
Ans. “In due form.”
“What was that due form?”
Ans. “My right knee bare, bent, my left knee forming a square, my right hand on the Holy Bible, Square and Compass, my left arm forming an angle supported by the Square, and my hand in a vertical position, in which posture I took upon me the solemn oath or obligation of a Fellow Craft Mason.” [See page 52 for obligation.]
“After your oath of obligation what was said to you?”
Ans. “I was asked what I most desired.”
“Your answer?”
Ans. “More light.”
“On being brought to light, what did you discover different from before?”
Ans. “One point of the Compass elevated above the Square, which denoted light in this degree, but as one point was yet in obscurity, it was to remind me that I was yet one material point in the dark respecting Masonry.”
Moe is the founder of GnosticWarrior.com. He is a father, husband, author, martial arts black belt, and an expert in Gnosticism, the occult, and esotericism.
by Moe | Aug 26, 2011 | Illustrations of Masonry
“Are you a Master Mason”
Ans. “I am—try me, prove me—disprove me if yon can.”
“Where were you prepared to be made a Master Mason?”
Ans. “In a room adjacent to the body of a just and lawfully constituted lodge of such, duly assembled in a room representing the sanctum sanctorum, or holy of holies, of King Solomon’s Temple.”
“How were you prepared?”
Ans. “By being divested of all metals; neither naked nor clothed; barefoot nor shod; with a cable-tow three times about my naked body; in which posture I was conducted to the door of the lodge, where I gave three distinct knocks.”
“What did those three distinct knocks allude to?”
Ans. “To the third degree of Masonry; it being that on
p. 91
which I was about to enter.”
“What was said to you from within?”
Ans. “Who comes there? Who comes there? Who comes there?”
“Your answer?’
Ans. “A worthy brother who has been regularly initiated as an Entered Apprentice Mason, passed to the degree of a Fellow Craft, and now wishes for further light in Masonry, by being raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason.”
“What further was said to you from within?”
Ans. “I was asked if it was of my own free will and accord I made that request; if I was duly and truly prepared; worthy and well qualified, and had made suitable proficiency in the preceding degrees; all of which being answered in the affirmative, I was asked by what further rights I expected to obtain that benefit.”
“Your answer?”
Ans. “By the benefit of a pass-word.”
“What is that pass-word?”
Ans. “Tubal Cain.”
“What next was said to you?”
Ans. “I was bid to wait till the Worshipful Master in the east was made acquainted with my request and his answer returned.”
“What followed after his answer was returned?”
Ans. “I was caused to enter the lodge on the two extreme points of the compass, pressing my naked right and left breasts, in the name of the Lord.”
“How were you then disposed of?”
Ans. “I was conducted three times regularly round the lodge, and halted at the Junior Warden in the south, where the same questions were asked and answers returned as at the door.”
“How did the Junior Warden dispose of you?”
Ans. “He ordered me to be conducted to the Senior Warden in the west, where the same questions were asked and answers returned as before.”
“How did the Senior Warden dispose of you?”
Ans. “He ordered me to be conducted to the Worshipful Master in the east, where by him the same questions were asked, and answers returned as before, who likewise demanded
p. 92
of me from whence I came, and whither I was traveling.”
“Your answer?”
Ans. “From the east and traveling to the west”
“Why do you leave the east, and travel to the west?”
Ans. “In search of light.”
“How did the Worshipful Master then dispose of you?”
Ans. “He ordered me to be conducted back to the west, from whence I came, and put in care of the Senior Warden, who taught me how to approach the east, by advancing upon three upright, regular steps to the third step, my feet forming a square and my body erect at the altar before the Worshipful Master.”
“What did the Worshipful Master do with you?”
Ans. “He made an obligated Master Mason of me.”
“How?”
Ans. “In due form.”
“What was that due form?”
Ans. “Both my knees bare bent, they forming a square; both hands on the Holy Bible, Square and Compass; in which posture I took upon me the solemn oath or obligation of a Master Mason.”
“After your obligation, what was said to you?”
Ans. “What do you most desire?”
“Your answer?”
Ans. “More light.”
[The bandage round the head is now dropped over the eyes.]
“Did you receive light?”
Ans. “I did.”
“On being brought to light on this degree, what did you first discover?”
Ans. “Three great lights in Masonry, by the assistance of three lesser, and both points of the compass elevated above the square, which denoted to me that I had received, or was about to receive all the light that could be conferred on me in a Master’s Lodge.”
Moe is the founder of GnosticWarrior.com. He is a father, husband, author, martial arts black belt, and an expert in Gnosticism, the occult, and esotericism.
by Moe | Aug 26, 2011 | Illustrations of Masonry
The Holy Bible ought to be opened at the 7th chapter of Amos and one point of the compass elevated above the square.
Preparation of Candidate Fellow Craft Degree.—He is ushered into the “preparation room” as before, and divested of all his clothing as in the preceding degree. In this case the right leg of the old drawers is raised up above the knee, the right sleeve of the shirt is rolled up above the elbow, the slipper is now put upon the left foot, the left heel being slip shod. The hoodwink is again put over both eyes and the cable-tow is put twice around the naked right arm and an apron tied on, in which condition he is “duly and truly prepared” and led by the Junior Deacon to the door of the lodge as before.
p. 107
Worshipful Master to Candidate:—You will advance to the altar, kneel upon your naked right knee, your left forming a square, your right hand resting on the Holy Bible, square and compass, your left forming a right angle Supported by the square in which due form you will say, “I,” with your name in full, and repeat after me.
Due Guard of a Fellow Craft.—Hold out the right hand a little from the body and on a line with the lower button of the vest, the palm being open and turned down-ward; also raise the left arm so as to form a right angle at the elbow, from the shoulder to the elbow being horizontal and fore-arm perpendicular.
Sign of a Fellow Craft.—Made from the due-guard by dropping the left hand carelessly to the side and at Om same time raise the right hand to the left breast, with the palm towards the breast and the fingers a little crooked; then draw the hand smartly across the breast from left to right and let it drop perpendicularly to the side.
Sign without Due Guard.—The usual way outside the lodge). Draw the right hand, palm open and fingers a little crooked, smartly across the breast from left to right and drop it carelessly by your side.
Pass Grip of a Fellow Craft.—Take each other’s hands as in ordinary hand-shaking and press the top of your thumb hard against the space between the first and second knuckles of the right hand. Should the person whose hand you hold be a Fellow Craft, he will return a like pressure on your hand, or else may give you the grip of an Entered Apprentice.
p. 108
Pass of Fellow Craft—Shibboleth. It is the name of this grip.
Real Grip of a Fellow Craft.—Take each other by the right hand as in ordinary hand-shaking and press top of your thumb hard against the second knuckle. Should the man whose hand you shake be a Fellow Craft, he will return a similar pressure on your hand, or may possibly give you any one of the two preceding grips.
Word of Fellow Craft—Jachin. It is the name of this the real grip.
Fellow Craft or Second Step.—Step off one step with the right foot and bring the heel of the left foot to the hollow of the right; your feet forming the angle of an oblong square.
Moe is the founder of GnosticWarrior.com. He is a father, husband, author, martial arts black belt, and an expert in Gnosticism, the occult, and esotericism.
by Moe | Aug 21, 2011 | Duncan's Masonic Ritual and Monitor
p. 6 p. 7
Seven Freemasons, viz., six Entered Apprentices and one Master Mason, acting under a charter or dispensation from some Grand Lodge, is the requisite number to constitute a Lodge of Masons, and to initiate a candidate to the First Degree of Masonry.
They assemble in a room well guarded from all cowans and eaves-droppers, in the second or third story (as the case may be) of some building suitably prepared and furnished for Lodge purposes, which is, by Masons, termed “the Ground Floor of King Solomon’s Temple.”
The officers take their seats, as represented in the Plate on page 8. Lodge-meetings are arranged as follows, viz.: a “regular” is held but once a month (i.e. every month on, or preceding, the full of the moon in each month); special meetings are held as often as the exigency of the case may seem to demand, if every night in the week, Sunday excepted. If Tuesday should be Lodge night, by Masons it would be termed, “Tuesday evening on or before the full of the moon, a regular night.”
p. 8
LODGE OF ENTERED APPRENTICES, FELLOW CRAFTS, OR MASTER MASONS. 1. Candidate prays. 2. First stop. 3. Second stop. 4. Third stop. 5. Room where candidates are prepared. 6. Ante-room where members enter the lodge. 7. Hall. 8. Doors. 9. Door through which candidates are admitted into the lodge. 10. Door through which members enter. 11. Altar. 12. Treasurer. 13. Secretary. 14. Senior Deacon. 15. Worshipful Master. 16. Junior Warden. 17 and 18. Stewards. 19. Senior Warden. 20. Junior Deacon. 21. Tyler.
p. 9
All business relative to Masonry is done at a “regular,” and in the Third, or Master Mason Degree. None but Master Masons are allowed to be present at such meetings; balloting for candidates is generally done on a “regular,” also receiving petitions, committee reports, &c., &c.
A petition for the degrees of Masonry is generally received at a “regular” (though, as a common thing, Grand Lodges of each State make such arrangements as they may deem best for the regulation of their several subordinate Lodges).
At the time of receiving a petition for the degrees of Masonry, the Master appoints a committee of three, whose duty it is to make inquiry after the character of the applicant, and report good or bad, as the case may be, at the next regular meeting, when it is acted upon by the Lodge.
Upon reception of the committee’s report, a ballot is had: if no black balls appear, the candidate is declared duly elected; but if one black ball or more appear, he is declared rejected.
No business is done in a Lodge of Entered Apprentices, except to initiate a candidate to the First Degree in Masonry, nor is any business done in a Fellow Crafts’ Lodge, except to pass a Fellow Craft from the first to the second degree. To explain more thoroughly: when a candidate is initiated to the First Degree, he is styled as “entered;” when he has taken the Second Degree, “passed.” and when he has taken the Third, “raised” to the sublime Degree of a Master Mason. No one is allowed to be present, in any degree of Masonry, except he be one of that same degree or higher. The Master always wears his hat when presiding as such, but no other officer, in a “Blue Lodge” (a “Blue Lodge” is a Lodge of Master Masons, where only three degrees are conferred, viz.: Entered Apprentice, 1st; Fellow Craft, 2d; Master Mason, 3d. Country Lodges are mostly all “Blue Lodges“).
A Lodge of Fellow Craft Masons consists of five, viz.: Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Wardens, Senior and Junior Dear hens; yet seven besides the Tyler generally assist, and take their seats as in the Entered Apprentice’s Degree. The Fellow Craft Lodge is styled by Masons “the Middle Chamber of King Solomon’s Temple.”
Three Master Masons is the requisite number to constitute a Masters’ Lodge, which is called by Masons “the Sanctum Sanctorum, or, Holy of Holies of King Solomon’s Temple.” Although three are all that is required by “Masonic Law” to open a Third Degree Lodge, there are generally seven besides the Tyler, as in the other degrees.
Moe is the founder of GnosticWarrior.com. He is a father, husband, author, martial arts black belt, and an expert in Gnosticism, the occult, and esotericism.
