Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 25
pared ; of lawful age and properly vouched for ; all of
which being answered in the affirmative, I was asked
by what further rights and benefits I expected to gain
admission."
Q. "Your answer ? "
A. "By being a man free-bo rn, of good report
and well recommended/ '
Q. "How were you then disposed of?"
A. "I was directed to wait with patience until
the Worshipful Master was informed of my request,
and his answer returned.''
Q. "What answer did he return?"
A, " Xet him enter in the name of the Lord, and
be received in due form/ "
Q, "How were you received?"
A. "On the point of a sharp instrument pressing
my naked left breast, which was to teach me that
as that was an instrument of torture to my flesh, so
should the recollection of it be to my conscience, should
I ever presume to reveal the secrets of Freemasonry
unlawfully."
Q. "How were you then disposed of?"
A. "I was conducted to the center of the Lodge,
caused to kneel and attend prayer."
Q. "After prayer, what were you asked?"
A. "In whom I put my trust."
Q. "Your answer ? "
A. " In God/ "
Q. "What followed?"
A. "I w^s taken by the right hand and informed
that, my trust being in God, my faith was well
founded; ordered to arise, follow my conductor, and
fear no danger."
Q. "How were you then disposed of?"
A. "I was conducted once around the Lodge to
work on the; first degree. 103
the Junior Warden in the South, where the same
questions were asked and like answers returned as
at the door."
Q. "How did the Tunior Warden dispose of
you?"
A. "He directed me to the Senior Warden in
the West, and he to the Worshipful Master in the
East, where the same questions were asked, and like
answers returned, as before."
Q. "How did the Worshipful Master dispose of
you?"
A. "He ordered me to be re-conducted to the
Senior Warden in the West, who taught me how to
approach the East by one upright, regular step, my
feet forming the angle of a square, my body erect,
at the altar before the Worshipful Master."
Q. "What did the Worshipful Master then do
with you?"
A. "He made me a Mason in due form."
Q. "What is that due form?"
A. "Kneeling on my naked left knee, my right
, forming a square, my left hand supporting the Holy
Bible, Square and Compass, my right resting thereon ;
in which due form, I took upon myself the solemn
oath or obligation of an Entered Apprentice Mason
which, is as follows :
" 'I, John Hunt, of my own free will and accord
in the presence of Almighty God and this Worshipful
Lodge erected to him and dedicated to the Saints John,
do hereby and hereon most solemnly and sincerely
promise and swear that I will always hail, ever con-
ceal and never reveal any of the secrets, arts, parts, or
points of the hidden mysteries of ancient Freemasonry,
which have been heretofore, may at this time or shall
at any future period be communicated to me as such to
104 HAND BOOK OF FREEMASONRY.
any person or persons whomsoever except it be to a
true and lawful brother of this degree or within a
regularly constituted Lodge of Masons, and neither
unto him nor them until by strict trial due examina-
tion or legal information, I shall have found him or
them as lawfully entitled to the same as I am myself
I furthermore promise and swear that I will not write,
print, paint, stamp, stain, cut, carve, mark, nor engrave
them, nor cause the same to be done upon anything
movable or immovable, capable of receiving the least
impression of a word, syllable, letter or character,,
whereby the same may become legible or intelligible to
any person under the canopy of heaven. All this I
most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear with a
firm and steadfast resolution, to keep and perform the
same without any equivocation, mental reservation or
secret evation of mind whatever, binding myself under
a no less penalty than that of having my throat cut
across, my tongue torn out by its roots and buried in
the rough sands of the sea at low water mark, where
the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours,
should I ever knowingly violate this my solemn obliga-
tion of an Entered Apprentice Mason. So help me
God and keep me steadfast in the due performance of
the same.'" .
Q. "After taking the obligation, what were you
asted?"
A. "What I most desired."
Q. "Your answer?"
A. "Light."
£>. "Did you receive light?"
A, "I did, by order of the Worshipful Master
and the assistance of the brethren."
Q. "Upon being brought to light what did you
first discover?"
n.. xnc j-iuee vjicdL J_,igiui> 111 iviabumy, uy
the assistance of the three lesser."
Q. "What are the Three Great Lights in Ma-
sonry ? "
A. "The Holy Bible, Square and Compass."
Q. "What are their Masonic uses?"
A. "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."
Q. "What are the three lesser lights?"
A. "Three burning tapers placed in a triangular
form, representing the sun, moon, and Master of the
Lodge."
Q. "Why so?"
A. "As the sun rules the day and the moon gov-
ern the night, so should the Worshipful Master en-
deavor to rule and govern his Lodge with equal reg-
ularity."
Q. "What did you next discover?"
A. "The Worshipful Master approaching me
from the East, under the due-guard and sign of an
Entered Apprentice, who, in token of friendship and
brotherly love, presented me his right hand, and with
it the grip and word of an Entered Apprentice Ma-
son, ordered me to arise and salute the Junior and Senior Wardens as such."
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