Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 15

Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 15

The Junior Deacon now leads him to the door

communicating with the Lodge-room, and telling him

to close his fist, takes him by the right hand, and, with

his (candidate's) knuckles, gives three loud and dis-

tinct knocks on the door.

 

Junior Deacon: " Worshipful Master there is an

alarm at the door."

 

Worshipful Master: "Attend to the alarm, Bro.

Junior Deacon."

 

Junior Deacon (gives 3 raps) : "Tyler informs

Junior Deacon and Junior Deacon reports to the Wor-

shipful Master.

 

Junior Deacon: "The Secretary desires admis-

sion."

 

Worshipful Master: "You will admit him."

 

Secretary (at altar makes due-guard and sign) :

"Worshipful Master the usual 'constitutional questions

have been propounded and satisfactorily answered."

 

Worshipful Master (gives one rap) : "Bro. Jun-

ior Deacon, you will retire, prepare and present the

candidate for the first degree. Bro. Senior Deacon,

' you will attend to all alarms and take charge of the

door."

 

 

 

WORK ON THE FIRST DEGREE.

 

 

 

57

 

 

 

Junior Deacon makes due-guard and sign at the

altar before going out. Senior Deacon goes directly

from his chair to the door and makes alarm to let Jun-

ior Deacon out; then takes seat in Junior Deacon's

place. Junior Deacon in preparation room gives alarm

— three raps on door.

 

Senior Deacon (rising) : "Worshipful Master,

there is an alarm at the door of the preparation room."

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Senior Deacon,

attend to the alarm, and report the cause."

 

The Senior Deacon with his rod approaches the

door, gives three loud and distinct knocks, opens the

door and enquires :

 

Senior Deacon: "Who comes here?"

 

Junior Deacon: "Rev. James Hunt, who has

long been in darkness, and now seeks to be brought

to light and to receive a part in the rights and bene-

fits of this Worshipful Lodge, erected to God and

dedicated to the Saints John, as all brothers and fel-

lows have done before/'

 

Senior Deacon: "Mr. Hunt, is this of your own

free will and accord?"

 

Mr. Hunt: "It is."

 

Senior Deacon: "Brother Junior Deacon, is the

candidate worthy and well qualified?"

Junior Deacon: "He is."

 

Senior Deacon: "Is he duly and truly prepared ? 99

Junior Deacon: "He is."

 

Senior Deacon: "Is he of lawful age, and prop-

erly vouched for?"

 

Junior Deacon: "He is."

 

Senior Deacon: "Who vouches for this?"

 

Junior Deacon: "A brother."

 

Senior Deacon: "By what further rights and

benefits does he expect to gain admission ? "

 

 

 

58

 

 

 

HAND BOOK OF FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

Junior Deacon: "By being a man, free-born, of

good report, and well recommended."

 

Senior Deacon: "It is well, you will wait with

patience until the Worshipful Master is informed of

your request, and his answer returned/'

 

The door is then closed; the Senior Deacon re-

turns to the altar, gives three raps on the floor with his

rod, and reports :*

 

Senior Deacon: "Worshipful Master, the alarm

was caused by Rev. James Hunt, who has long been

in darkness, and now seeks to be brought to light and

to receive a part in the rights and benefits of this

Worshipful Lodge, erected to God, and dedicated to

the Saints John, as all brothers and fellows have done

before."

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Senior Deacon,

is this of his own free will and accord?"

' Senior Deacon: "It is."

 

Worshipful Master: "Is the candidate worthy

and well qualified?"

 

Senior Deacon: "He is."

 

Worshipful Master: "Is he duly and truly pre-

pared ? "

 

Senior Deacon: "He is."

 

Worshipful Master: "Is he of lawful age, and

properly vouched for?"

 

Senior Deacon: "He is."

 

Worshipful Master: "Who vouches for this?"

 

Senior Deacon: "A brother."

 

Worshipful Master: "By what further rights

and benefits does he expect to gain admission?"

 

Senior Deacon: "By being a man, free born, of

good report, and well recommended."

 

* For the preparation ceremonies, see "Master's Carpet,"

pp. 253-260.

 

 

 

WORK ' ON THE FIRST DEGREE. ,59

 

Worshipful Master: "It is well. Since he comes

endowed with all these necessary qualifications, it is

my order that he enter this Lodge in the name of

the Lord, and be received in due form "

 

RITE OF INDUCTION.

 

The Senior Deacon returns to the door, which

he immediately opens, and says: "It is the order of

the Worshipful Master that the candidate enter this

Lodge in the name of the Lord, and be received in

due form." The candidate is then conducted into the

Lodge-room, and halted about six or eight feet from

the door, where the Senior Deacon receives him on

the point of the Compass, pressed to his naked left

breast, and addressing him in the following words,

performs the "Shock of Entrance/' or the "Rite of

Induction," as represented in the figure.*

 

 

 

 

* For the origin of this ceremony see "Master's Carpet,"

pp. 265-267.

 

 

 

60 HAND BOOK Otf FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

Senior Deacon: "Mr. Hunt, upon your first ad-

mission into a Lodge of Masons, I receive you upon the

point of a sharp instrument pressing your naked left

breast (here he presses the point of the Compass

against the left breast of the candidate), which is to

teach you that, as this is an instrument of torture to

your flesh, so should the recollection of it be to your

conscience, should you ever presume to reveal any of

the secrets of Freemasonry unlawfully."

 

The Senior Deacon then passes the Compass to

the Steward, and taking the candidate by the right

arm, conducts him a little further inward, and towards

the center of the Lodge, where he is halted, the Junior

Deacon in the meantime, retiring to his proper place,

and the Stewards marching behind the candidate. The

Senior Deacon then addresses the latter as follows :