Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 18

Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 18

RITE OF ILLUMINATION.*

 

Here all the brethren assemble around the altar,

and place themselves in two rows, extending from

the altar towards the East, as already indicated, the

Stewards with their rods standing one at the end of

each row, and having their rods crossed over the Mas-

ter's head. All being thus arranged, the Master goes

on :

 

Worshipful Master: "In the beginning, God

created the heaven and the earth. And the earth

was without form, and void, and darkness was upon

the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God moved

upon the face of the waters. And God said, 'Let

there be light/ and there was light. In humble com-

memoration of which august event, we masonically

say, 'Let there be light/ and there is light."

 

Here the hoodwink is quickly removed by the

Senior Deacon, who stands behind the candidate, and

 

* For the origin of this rite, see "Master's Carpet," pp. 281-

286. -

 

 

 

72

 

 

 

HAND BOOK Otf FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

 

Candidate being brought to light.

 

 

 

the Master and all *he brethren make the due-guard

of an Entered Apprentice, as in the figure.* Standing

thus for a little while, the Master concludes. Then all

drop their hands again.

 

Worshipful Master (approaching the altar) : "My

brother, upon being brought to light in this degree, you

discover the THREE GREAT LIGHTS in Masonry,

by the assistance of the three lesser. The three great

lights in Masonry are the HOLY BIBLE, SQUARE

and COMPASS. The Bible is given as the rule and

guide of our faith ; the Square, to square our actions ;

and the Compass to circumscribe and keep us within

due bounds.* The three lesser lights are three burn-

ing tapers, placed in a triangular form, representing

 

* In some Lodges they stamp on the floor with the righ* foot,

and strike the palm of the right hand againBt the left.

 

* App. Note A., p. 266.

 

* "Standard Monitor," Cook, 1903, p. 10.

 

 

 

WORK ON THE FIRST DEGREE.

 

 

 

73

 

 

 

the sun, moon, and Master of the Lodge, and are

thus explained: As the sun rules the day, and the

moon governs the night, so should the Worshipful

Master endeavor to rule and govern his Lodge with

equal regularity."

 

RITE OF ENTRUSTING.*

 

The Master then steps back a few paces and fac-

ing the altar, makes the due-guard and sign of an

Entered Apprentice; the Senior Deacon at the same

time, addressing the candidate, says :

 

"Brother Hunt, you now behold the Worshipful

Master approaching you from the East, under the due-

guard and sign of an Entered Apprentice Mason."

 

Worshipful Master: ''An Entered Apprentice ,

steps off with his left foot (again making the step,)

bringing the heel of the right to the hollow of the

left, forming the angle of a square, and this is the first

step in Masonry. This is the due-guard (makes the

due-guard; see page 26), of an Entered Apprentice

and alludes to the position in which your hands were

placed while taking your obligation. This is the sign

(makes the penal sign ; see page 27), of an Entered

Apprentice, and alludes to the penalty of your obliga-

tion."

 

The Master then approaches the altar, and con-

tinues :

 

Worshipful Master: "In token of friendship and*

brotherly love, I present you my right hand, and with

it the grip and word of an Entered Apprentice; but

as you are uninstructed, I will explain them with

Brother Senior Deacon."

 

Worshipful Master (taking the candidate by the

rio^t hand) : "Brother Senior Deacon, I hail."

 

' * For the origin of this rite, see "Master's Carpet," pp. 287-

 

292.

 

 

 

74 HAND BOOK Otf FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

 

Senior Deacon: "I conceal."

Worshipful Master: "What do you conceal?*'

Senior Deacon: "All the secrets of Masons in

Masonry, to which this token alludes. (At the word

"token" the Senior Deacon presses the top of the

candidate's thumb against the first knuckle-joint of

the Master's first finger, the Master also pressing his

thumb against the candidate's knuckle. See Fig.)

 

 

 

 

Worshipful Master: "What is this ? "

Senior Deacon: "A grip."

Worshipful Master: "Of what ? "

Senior Deacon: "Of an Entered Apprentice Ma-

son."

 

 

 

WORK ON THE FIRST DEGREE.

 

 

 

75

 

 

 

Worshipful Master: "Has it a name?"

Senior Deacon: "It has."

 

Worshipful Master: "Will you give it to me?"

 

Senior Deacon: "I did not so receive it, neither

will I so impart it."

 

Worshipful Master: "How will you dispose of

it?" J

 

Senior Deacon: "I will letter and halve it with

you."

 

Worshipful Master: "Letter and begin."

 

Senior Deacon: "No you begin."

 

Worshipful Master: "You must begin."

 

Senior Deacon: "A."

 

Worshipful Master: "Z."

 

Senior Deacon: "AZ."

 

Worshipful Master: "B."

 

Senior Deacon: "O."

 

Worshipful Master : "BO."

 

Senior Deacon: "Boaz."

 

Worshipful Master (to the candidate) : "The

grip is right, the word is right. You will now arise

and salute the Junior and Senior Wardens as an En-

tered Apprentice."

 

The candidate is here assisted to his feet, the

Master retires to his seat raps the Lodge down, the

candidate is conducted by the Senior Deacon to the

Junior and Senior Wardens, before each of whom he

makes the step, due-guard and sign, and is led towards

the East, halting on a line with the altar.

 

Worshipful Master (one rap) : "How is it in

the South, brother Junior Warden?"

 

Junior Warden (rising, and making the due-

guard) : "All right in the South, Worshipful."

 

Worshipful Master (one rap) : "How is it in the

West brother Senior Warden ? "

RITE OF ILLUMINATION.*

 

Here all the brethren assemble around the altar,

and place themselves in two rows, extending from

the altar towards the East, as already indicated, the

Stewards with their rods standing one at the end of

each row, and having their rods crossed over the Mas-

ter's head. All being thus arranged, the Master goes

on :

 

Worshipful Master: "In the beginning, God

created the heaven and the earth. And the earth

was without form, and void, and darkness was upon

the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God moved

upon the face of the waters. And God said, 'Let

there be light/ and there was light. In humble com-

memoration of which august event, we masonically

say, 'Let there be light/ and there is light."

 

Here the hoodwink is quickly removed by the

Senior Deacon, who stands behind the candidate, and

 

* For the origin of this rite, see "Master's Carpet," pp. 281-

286. -

 

 

 

72

 

 

 

HAND BOOK Otf FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

 

Candidate being brought to light.

 

 

 

the Master and all *he brethren make the due-guard

of an Entered Apprentice, as in the figure.* Standing

thus for a little while, the Master concludes. Then all

drop their hands again.

 

Worshipful Master (approaching the altar) : "My

brother, upon being brought to light in this degree, you

discover the THREE GREAT LIGHTS in Masonry,

by the assistance of the three lesser. The three great

lights in Masonry are the HOLY BIBLE, SQUARE

and COMPASS. The Bible is given as the rule and

guide of our faith ; the Square, to square our actions ;

and the Compass to circumscribe and keep us within

due bounds.* The three lesser lights are three burn-

ing tapers, placed in a triangular form, representing

 

* In some Lodges they stamp on the floor with the righ* foot,

and strike the palm of the right hand againBt the left.

 

* App. Note A., p. 266.

 

* "Standard Monitor," Cook, 1903, p. 10.

 

 

 

WORK ON THE FIRST DEGREE.

 

 

 

73

 

 

 

the sun, moon, and Master of the Lodge, and are

thus explained: As the sun rules the day, and the

moon governs the night, so should the Worshipful

Master endeavor to rule and govern his Lodge with

equal regularity."

 

RITE OF ENTRUSTING.*

 

The Master then steps back a few paces and fac-

ing the altar, makes the due-guard and sign of an

Entered Apprentice; the Senior Deacon at the same

time, addressing the candidate, says :

 

"Brother Hunt, you now behold the Worshipful

Master approaching you from the East, under the due-

guard and sign of an Entered Apprentice Mason."

 

Worshipful Master: ''An Entered Apprentice ,

steps off with his left foot (again making the step,)

bringing the heel of the right to the hollow of the

left, forming the angle of a square, and this is the first

step in Masonry. This is the due-guard (makes the

due-guard; see page 26), of an Entered Apprentice

and alludes to the position in which your hands were

placed while taking your obligation. This is the sign

(makes the penal sign ; see page 27), of an Entered

Apprentice, and alludes to the penalty of your obliga-

tion."

 

The Master then approaches the altar, and con-

tinues :

 

Worshipful Master: "In token of friendship and*

brotherly love, I present you my right hand, and with

it the grip and word of an Entered Apprentice; but

as you are uninstructed, I will explain them with

Brother Senior Deacon."

 

Worshipful Master (taking the candidate by the

rio^t hand) : "Brother Senior Deacon, I hail."

 

' * For the origin of this rite, see "Master's Carpet," pp. 287-

 

292.

 

 

 

74 HAND BOOK Otf FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

 

Senior Deacon: "I conceal."

Worshipful Master: "What do you conceal?*'

Senior Deacon: "All the secrets of Masons in

Masonry, to which this token alludes. (At the word

"token" the Senior Deacon presses the top of the

candidate's thumb against the first knuckle-joint of

the Master's first finger, the Master also pressing his

thumb against the candidate's knuckle. See Fig.)

 

 

 

 

Worshipful Master: "What is this ? "

Senior Deacon: "A grip."

Worshipful Master: "Of what ? "

Senior Deacon: "Of an Entered Apprentice Ma-

son."

 

 

 

WORK ON THE FIRST DEGREE.

 

 

 

75

 

 

 

Worshipful Master: "Has it a name?"

Senior Deacon: "It has."

 

Worshipful Master: "Will you give it to me?"

 

Senior Deacon: "I did not so receive it, neither

will I so impart it."

 

Worshipful Master: "How will you dispose of

it?" J

 

Senior Deacon: "I will letter and halve it with

you."

 

Worshipful Master: "Letter and begin."

 

Senior Deacon: "No you begin."

 

Worshipful Master: "You must begin."

 

Senior Deacon: "A."

 

Worshipful Master: "Z."

 

Senior Deacon: "AZ."

 

Worshipful Master: "B."

 

Senior Deacon: "O."

 

Worshipful Master : "BO."

 

Senior Deacon: "Boaz."

 

Worshipful Master (to the candidate) : "The

grip is right, the word is right. You will now arise

and salute the Junior and Senior Wardens as an En-

tered Apprentice."

 

The candidate is here assisted to his feet, the

Master retires to his seat raps the Lodge down, the

candidate is conducted by the Senior Deacon to the

Junior and Senior Wardens, before each of whom he

makes the step, due-guard and sign, and is led towards

the East, halting on a line with the altar.

 

Worshipful Master (one rap) : "How is it in

the South, brother Junior Warden?"

 

Junior Warden (rising, and making the due-

guard) : "All right in the South, Worshipful."

 

Worshipful Master (one rap) : "How is it in the West brother Senior Warden ? "