Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 24

Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 24

With this view, then, every Mason must learn

the following catechism. On the night of his initia-

tion, the Worshipful Master introduces the candidate

to some "bright" member of the Lodge, to be by him

"posted" in what is technically called the "lecture."

This lecture, or catechism, must be communicated and

learned, orally because it is pretended to the candidate

that Masonry is an azvful secret, and that a knowledge

of its profound mysteries can be acquired in no other

way. Every candidate now-a-days, however, knows

better ; and so, while the Lodge is bent on duping and

deceiving him, he is equally bent on duping and de-

ceiving the Lodge. Freemasonry is a fraud and a

cheat throughout; and in all its departments and de-

grees, satan stands behind the scenes to direct and

control in every element of its existence. Just think

of a minister of the Gospel of Christ learning the

following twaddle from a rumseller or an infidel after

initiation! And yet every minister must learn it, and

no stranger can visit a Lodge, unless he can pass a ,

satisfactory examination in all these questions and an-

swers. It is of the utmost importance, therefore,

that they be committed well to memory. Every candi-

 

 

 

WORK ON THE FIRST DEGREE.

 

 

 

99

 

 

 

date for the second or Fellow Craft degree must also

be examined in open Lodge on this ritualistic cate-

chism; and unless he can answer correctly, and in the

exact language prescribed, he cannot receive the de-

gree.

 

The following is the correct method of

 

, examinations.

Q. "Whence came you?"

 

A. "From a Lodge of the Saints John of Jeru-

salem."

 

Q. "What came you here to do?"

 

A. "To learn to subdue my passions, and im-

prove myself in Masonry."

 

Q. "You are a Mason then, I presume?"

 

A. "I am, so taken and accepted among broth-

ers and fellows."

 

Q. "What makes you a Mason?"

 

A. "My obligation."

 

Q. "How do you know yourself to be a Ma-

son?"

 

A. "By having been often tried, never denied,

and being ready to be tried again."

 

Q. "How shall I know you to be a Mason?"

 

A. "By certain signs, a token, a word, and the

points of my entrance."

 

Q. "What are signs?"

 

A. "Right angles, horizontals, and perpendicu-

lars."

 

Q. "Give me a sign?"

 

A. (Makes the penal sign by drawing his right

hand across the throat. See page 16.)

0. "Has that an allusion?"

A. "It has — to the penalty qf my obligation."

 

 

 

100 HAND BOOK OB* FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

Should he make the due-guard, the answer would

be — "It has, to the position in which my hands were

placed while taking my obligation." (See page 16.)

 

Q. "What is a token?"

 

A. "A certain friendly and brotherly grip where-

by one Mason may know another in the dark as well

as the light/'

 

Q. (taking candidate by the right hand as in

ordinary hand shaking) "Give me a token ? I hail."

 

A. "I conceal."

 

Q. "What do you conceal?"

 

A. "All the secrets of Masons in Masonry, to

which this token alludes."

 

At the word token he presses the top of his

thumb hard against the first knuckle of the examiner's

right hand. (See page 74.)

 

Q. "What is this?"

 

A. "A grip."

 

Q. "Of what?"

 

A. "Of an Entered Apprentice Mason."

Q. "Has it a name?"

A. "It has."

 

Q. "Will you give it to me?"

A. "I did not so receive it, neither will I so im-

part it."

 

Q. "How will you dispose of it?"

 

A. "I will letter and halve it with you."

 

Q. "Letter it and begin."

 

A. "No, you begin."

 

Q. "You must begin."

 

A. "A."

 

Q. "Z."

 

A. "AZ."

 

Q. "B."

 

A. "O."

 

 

 

WORK ON THE FIRST DEGREE. 10 1

 

 

 

Q. "BO."

A. "Boaz."

 

Q. "Where were you made a Mason?"

A. "In a regularly constituted Lodge of Ma-

sons."

 

Q. "Where were you first prepared to be made

a Mason?"

 

A. "In my heart."

 

Q. "Where were you secondly prepared ?"

 

A. "In a room adjacent to a regularly constituted

Lodge of Masons."

 

g< "How were you prepared?" '

 

A. "By being divested of all metals, neither

naked rror clad, barefoot or shod, hoodwinked, and

with a cable-tow once around my neck, in which con-

dition I was conducted to the door of the Lodge by a

friend, whom I afterward found to be a brother." „

 

Q. "Being hoodwinked, how did you know it

to be a door? "

 

A. "By first meeting with resistance, and after-

wards gaining admission."

 

Q. "How gained you admission ? "

 

A. "By three distinct knocks."

 

Q. "What was said to you from within?"

 

A. "Who comes here?"

 

Q. "Your answer?"

 

A. " 'I, James Hunt, who have 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/"

 

Q. "What were you then asked ?"

A. "If it was of my own free will and accord : if I was worthy and well qualified, duly and truly pre-