Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 20

Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 20

SECOND SECTION.

 

Worshipful Master: "My brother, you have now

passed through the forms and ceremonies of your initi-

ation, many of which to you may have appeared of a

light and trifling character, such as might have been

waived or adopted at pleasure, but I will however in-

form you that they are such as have been adopted and

practiced in all Lodges from time immemorial for rea-

sons which I will now proceed to explain."

 

"You were divested of all metals when prepared

to be made a Mason for two reasons, — first, that you

might carry nothing offensive or defensive into the

Lodge; and secondly, at the building of King Solo-

mon's Temple, there was not heard the sound of

ax, hammer, or any tool of iron. The stones were

all hewn, squared, and numbered in the quaries

where they were raised ; the timber felled and pre-

pared in the forests of Lebanon, conveyed by sea in

floats to Joppa, and thence by land to Jerusalem, where

they were set up by wooden mauls prepared for that

purpose; the building, when completed (its several

parts fitting with such exactness), had more the ap-

pearance of the handy workmanship of the Supreme

Architect of the universe, than of human hands. (See

P- 54-)

 

"You were neither naked nor clad, because Ma-

sonry regards no man for his worldly wealth or hon-

ors ; this therefore was to signify that it is the internal,

and not the external qualifications of a man that should

recommend him to be made a Mason, (p. 55.)

 

"You were neither barefoot nor shod, this was in

Conformity to an ancient Israelitish custom. We read

in the book of Ruth of the manner in former times

 

 

 

WORK ON THE FIRST DKGREE. 8 1

 

concerning redeeming and concerning changing; then

to confirm all things, a man plucked off his shoe and

gave it to his neighbor; and this was a testimony in

Israel. This, therefore, was to signify the sincerety of

your intentions in the business upon which you were

about to enter, (p. 55.)

 

"You were hoodwinked and with a cable-tozv once

abound your neck, for three reasons ; first, that as you

were then in darkness, so should you keep all the world

as regards the secrets of Freemasonry, until they shall

obtain them as lawfully as you were then about to do ;

secondly, that your hearts may be taught to conceive,

before your eyes, behold the beauties of Freemasonry ;

thirdly, had you refused to submit to the forms and

ceremonies of your initiation, being found unworthy to

be taken by the hand as a brother, you might, by the

help of a cable-tow have been led out of the Lodge

without discovering even the form thereof, (p. 55.)

 

"You were caused to give three distinct knocks,

to alarm the Lodge, and inform the Worshipful Mas-

ter that you were prepared for initiation, and these

allude to a text in scripture: 'Ask, and it shall be

given unto you ; seek, and you shall find ; knock, and

; it shall be opened unto you ;' you might have applied

this to your then situation in Masonry in this man-

ner. You asked the recommendation of a friend to

be made a Mason; through his recommendation, you

sought initiation; you knocked at the door of the

Lodge, and it was opened unto you. (p. 55.)

 

"You were received on the point of a sharp in-

strument, pressing your naked left breast, to signify

that, as that was an instrument of torture to your

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

science, should you ever presume to reveal any of the

secrets of Freemasonry unlawfully, (p. 59.)

 

 

 

82 HAND BOOK OF FRE^MASONfcY.

 

 

 

"You were conducted to the center of the Lodge,

caused to kneel and attend prayer, because no man

should ever enter upon any great or important under-

taking, without first invoking the blessing of Deity,

(p. 61.)

 

"You were asked in whom you put your trust,

because, according to our Masonic Institution, no

atheist can be made a Mason. It was therefore nec-

essary that you should profess your belief in Deity,

otherwise no oath or obligation would have been con-

sidered binding upon you. (p. 62.)

 

"You were taken by the right hand, ordered to

arise, follow your conductor and fear no danger, to

signify that, at a time when you could neither foresee

nor avoid danger, you were in the hands of a true

and trusty friend, in whose fidelity you might with

safety confide, (p. 63.)

 

"You were conducted once around the Lodge, that

all the brethren might see that you were duly and

truly prepared, (p. 64.)

 

"You were caused to meet with several obstruc-

tions on your passage around the Lodge, because there

were guards placed at the South, West, and East gates

of the outer court of King Solomon's Temple, to see

that none passed or repassed, but such as were duly

qualified and had permission. It was therefore neces-

sary that you should meet with these several obstruc-

tions that you might be duly examined before you

could be made a Mason.

 

"You were caused to kneel upon your naked left

knee, because the left has ever been considered the

weaker part of man; this therefore was to signify

that it was the weaker part of Masonry upon which you

were about to enter, being that of an Entered Ap-

prentice, (p. 69.)

 

 

 

WORK ON THE FIRST DEGREE.

 

 

 

83

 

 

 

 

"You were caused to lay your right hand on the

Holy Bible, Square and Compass, because the right

hand, has in all ages been deemed the seat of fidelity;

the ancients at times worshipped a Deity under the

name of Fides, which we sometimes see / represented

by two right hands joined ; at others, by two human

figures holding each other by the right hand. (p. 69.)

The right hand therefore was made use of on this

occasion to testify in the strongest manner possible,

the sincerity of your intention in the business in which

you were then engaged.*

 

"You were presented with a lambskin, or zvhite

leather apron, because the lamb has in all ages been

deemed an emblem of innocence. He, therefore, who

wears the lambskin or white leather apron as the

- badge of a Mason, is thereby continually reminded of

that purity of life and conduct which is so essentially

necessary to his gaining admission into the celestial

Lodge above, where the Supreme Architect of the

universe presides, (p. 76.)*

 

"You were requested to deposit something of a

metalic kind to remind you of your then extremely

poor and penniless condition, and should you ever meet

 

* "Standard Monitor," Cook, 1903. p. 13.

 

 

 

84

 

 

 

HAND BOOK OF FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

a friend more especially a brother Mason, in a like

destitute situation, you should contribute as liberally

to his relief as your ability will permit without ma-

terial injury to yourself, (p. 78.)

 

"You were placed in the North-East corner of

the Lodge as the youngest Entered Apprentice, in

operative Masonry, the first stone of a building is

usually laid in the North-East corner ; you were there-

fore there placed to receive your first instruction,

whereon to build your future moral and Masonic edi-

fice, (p. 78.)

 

"And lastly, you were presented with the work-

ing tools, and taught their uses." (p. 79.)

 

THIRD SECTION.

 

"I will now proceed to explain to you what con-

stitutes a Lodge, its form, supports, covering, fur-

niture, ornaments, lights, jewels; how situated, and to

whom dedicated*

 

, "A Lodge consists of a number of Free and Ac-

cepted Masons duly assembled with the Holy Bible,

Square and Compass, and a Charter or Warrant em-

powering them to work.f

 

 

 

 

"Our ancient brethren met on high hills or low

vales, the better to guard against the approach of

cowans and eavesdroppers ascending or descending.

 

* For the origin of all thepe emblems, see "Master's Carpet."pp. 298-315.