Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 33

Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 33

Senior Deacon (to candidate) : "The ancient and

original orders of architecture, however, as revered

by Masons, are no more than three: the Doric, the

 

■* ' Standard Monitor," Cook, 1903, p. 33.

 

 

 

I36 HAND BOOK OF FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

Ionic and the Corinthian, which were invented by the

Greeks. To these the Romans have added two — the

Tuscan which they made plainer than the Doric, and

the Composite which was more ornamental, if not

more beautiful than the Corinthian. The first three

orders, alone, however, show invention and particular

character and are essentially different from each other ;

the two others have nothing but what is borrowed, and

differ only by accident; the Tuscan is but the Doric,

in its earliest state, and the Composite is only the

Corinthian enriched with the Ionic. To the Greeks,

therefore, and not to the Romans, are we indebted for

all that is great, judicious and distinct in architecture.*

 

"The human senses to which this number five has

a further allusion are Hearing, Seeing, Feeling, Smell-

ing and Tasting; the three first of which, namely,

hearing, seeing and feeling, have always been consid-

ered as peculiarly essential to Masons; for by hearing

we hear the word, seeing we see the sign, and feeling

we feel the grip whereby one Mason may know an-

other in the dark as well as in the light."

Appendix note L., p. 268.

 

Here, as in the case of the orders of architecture,

the Senior Deacon, wishing to "show off," repeats a

lot of trash, dilating on the five senses, which he learns

from some Monitor ^see Sickles' Ahiman Reson, pages

138-145; also Mackey and Webb).

 

Senior Deacon (to candidate) : "Let us pass on."

 

They then move on a few paces further and ar-

rive at the third piece of oil-cloth, where the candidate

is again halted by the Senior Deacon, who says :

 

Senior Deacon: "We next arrive at the repre-

sentation of the 'seven steps.' The number seven

 

 

 

* •♦Standard Monitor," Cook, 1903, p. 34.

 

 

 

WORK ON SECOND D£GR££.

 

 

 

137

 

 

 

alludes to the seven liberal arts and sciences, which

are Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Arithmetic, Geometry,

Music and Astronomy."*

 

A Senior Deacon possessed of the spirit of egotism

and vain-glory, having learned his part from Sickles,

Moore or Mackey, would, especially if prominent vis-

itors were present, rehearse here a pedantic and un-

intelligible essay on the beauty and usefulness of the

liberal arts and sciences, while at the same time he

may know no more (and indeed never does) of what

he is repeating than a North American savage does of

the transit of Venus; but, as the whole matter is

printed and accessible to every member, the silly vanity

of the Senior Deacon is very seldom tolerated, and

hence he almost always contents himself with the

following:

 

Senior Deacon: "I will, however, call your at-

tention more particularly to the fifth science or Geom-

etry, being that which is most highly esteemed among

Masons."

 

GEOMETRY

 

"Is that science which treats of the powers and

properties of magnitudes in general, where length,

breadth and thickness are considered, from a point

to a line, from a line to a superficies, and from a super-

ficies to a solid.

 

"A point is a position without dimensions.

 

"A line is a figure of one capacity, namely, length.

 

"A superficies is a figure of two dimensions,

length and breadth.

 

"A solid is a figure of three dimensions, namely,

length, breadth and thickness.

 

• "Standard Monitor," Cook. - "R.

 

 

 

I38 HAND BOOK CF FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

"By this science the architect is enabled to con-

struct his plans and execute his designs; the general,

to arrange his soldiers ; the engineer, to mark out

grounds for encampments ; the geographer, to give us

the dimensions of the world, and all things therein

contained; to delineate the extent of seas, and specify

the divisions of empires, kingdoms and provinces. By

it also, the astronomer is enabled to make his observa-

tions and to fix the duration of times and seasons,

years and cycles.

 

"In fine, geometry is the foundation of architec-

ture, and the root of the mathematics."*

 

Senior Deacon (to candidate) : "Let us pass on."

 

Having walked over the last strip of oil-cloth

representing the "seven steps" the Senior Deacon con-

tinues :

 

Senior Deacon: "We next arrive at a representa-

tion of the outer door of the middle chamber of King

Solomon's temple which we shall find strongly guarded

by the Junior Warden in the South. Let us approach

the place."

 

By this time they have arrived in front of the

Junior Warden's chair where the Senior Deacon gives

three raps with the end of his rod on the floor. The

Junior Warden rising to his feet, says:

 

Junior Warden: "Who comes here?"

 

Senior Deacon: "A Fellow Craft on his way to

the middle chamber to receive instructions relative to

wages and jewels of a Fellow Craft."

 

Junior Warden: "How does he expect to gain

admission ? "

 

Senior Deacon: "By the pass and token of the

pass."

 

 

 

* "Standard Monitor," Cook, 1903, p. 36.

 

 

 

WORK ON SECOND DEGREE.

 

 

 

139

 

 

 

Junior Warden: "Give me the pass."

 

Senior Deacon (answering for candidate) :

"Shibboleth."

 

Junior Warden: "What does it denote?"

 

Senior Deacon: "Plenty."

 

Junior Warden: "How is it represented?"

 

Senior Deacon: "By a sheaf of corn suspended

near a waterfall."

 

Junior Warden: "Whence originated this word

as a pass?"

 

Senior - Deacon: "In consequence of a quarrel

between Jephthah, judge of Israel, and the Ephraim-

ites, having long been a turbulent and rebellious people

whom Jephtlfah had sought to subdue by wise and

lenient measures, but without effect. They being

highly incensed and fraught with vengeance at not

being called upon to fight and share in the rich spoils

of the Ammonitish war, gathered together a mighty

army and crossed the river Jordan to give Jephthah

battle; but he being apprised of their intention assem-

bled the men of Gilead, gave them battle and put

them to flight ; and to make his victory more complete

he placed guards at the several passes on the banks

of the river Jordan and commanded them, that, 'If

a ay should attempt to pass that way, demand of them

say, "Say now shibboleth," ' but they being of a dif-

ferent tribe could not frame to pronounce it right and

said 'sibboleth/ which trifling difference proved them

enemies and- cost them their lives. And there fell at

that time of the Ephraimites, forty and two thousand,

since which time this word has been adopted as a pass

whereby to gain admission into every regular and

well-governed lodges of the Fellow Crafts."

 

Junior Warden (tc Senior Deacon) : "Give me the token."