Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 38

Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 38

There is no difference, as has been already re-

marked between a lodge of Apprentices, Fellow Crafts

or Master Masons, except in the manner of placing the

"altar lights" — the Holy Bible, Square and Compass;

and new members, heedless of this distinction, are very

apt to make the due-guard and sign of a Master

Mason as a salute to the Worshipful Master when

entering a lodge of an inferior degree ; indeed, I have

often seen the Master's sign made in a lodge of Ap-

prentices. The jewels worn by the different officers

are also the same in each of the three degrees, and

for the information of the general reader, shall be here

enumerated in their order: The Worshipful Master

wears a square ; a Past Master wears a compass opened

on a quarter circle, sun in the center ; Senior Warden,

a level ; Junior Warden, a plumb ; Treasurer, cross

keys ; Secretary, cross pens ; Senior Deacon, square

and compass, sun in the center ; Junior Deacon, square

and compass, quarter moon m the center; Stewards,

a cornucopia; Tyler, a sword, saber shape.

 

In addition to the jewels worn by the Wardens

there is also placed on the pedestal in front of each a

small column about eighteen inches high, the Senior

Warden's being marked with a level, and the Junior

Warden's with a plumb. When a lodge is opened in

any of the degrees the Senior Warden "erects his col-

umn/' or, in other words, places it standing on his

pedestal in front of his chair, and lays it down when

the lodge is closed or "called off," while the Junior

Warden's column is always down, except when the

lodge is "called from labor to refreshment." (See page

3-1.) It will be only necessary to remark further that

none but Masters, Past Masters or Wardens are per-

mitted to confer the degrees of Masonry ; and although

 

 

 

WORK ON THIRD DEGREE.

 

 

 

157

 

 

 

a brother may have received the honorary degree of

Past Master in a chapter, yet if elected as Worshipful

Master of a Blue Lodge, he must, before installation,

be again invested with "the secrets of the chair."

With these introductory remarks I shall now proceed

to give in detail the exemplification of the work of the

Master Mason's degree.

 

We will suppose that the lodge is opened on the

second degree, and that our candidate, the "Rev. James

Hunt/' has been examined as to his proficiency in "the

lecture" of that degree as detailed in the last chapter.

The lodge is then raised to the Master's degree, as

follows :

 

Worshipful Master (one rap) : "Brother Senior

Warden, are you satisfied that aW present are Master

Masons ? "

 

Senior Warden (rising) : "All present are not

Master Masons, Worshipful."

 

Worshipful Master (addressing any Fellow Craft

present) : "Those below the degree of Master Ma-

son will please retire."

 

Any brother present who has attained only to the

degree of Fellow Craft will now step in front of the

altar, make the customary salute (the due-guard and

sign of a Fellow Craft), and retire to the ante-room;

and as no one but Master Masons are allowed to

remain in and around the lodge room during "work"

on the third degree, Fellow Crafts must at this stage

of the proceedings entirely leave the building, unless

those who are waiting to receive the degree. The

Master's order being obeyed as above, the Senior War-

den says:

 

Senior Warden (still standing) : "All present are

Master Masons, Worshipful." *

 

 

 

I58 HAND BOOK OF FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Senior Warden, it

is my order that we now dispense with labor on the

second degree and resume on the third for "work?'

this you will communicate to your Brother Junior

Warden in the South, and he to the brethren present,

that all having due notice thereof may govern them-

selves accordingly/'

 

Senior Warden (one rap) : "Brother Junior

Warden, it is the order of the Worshipful Master that

we now dispense with labor on the second degree and

resume on the third for work. This you will communi-

cate to the brethren present for their government."

 

Junior Warden (three raps) : "Brethren, it is

the order of the Worshipful Master, communicated

to me by way of the West, that we now dispense with

labor on the second degree and resume on the third for

zvork. Take due notice thereof and govern yourselves

accordingly."

 

Worshipful Master: "Together, brethren."

 

All the members now looking to the East, in

unison with the Master, make the due-guard and sign

of a Master Mason. (See page 33.)

 

Worshipful Master: "Accordingly I declare Key-

stone Lodge, No. 639, duly at labor on the third de-

gree of Masonry. Brother Junior Deacon, so inform

the Tyler. Brother Senior Deacon, arrange the

altar."*

 

The Junior Deacon informs the Tyler, as in the

two preceding degrees ; the Senior Deacon proceeds to

the altar, elevates both points of the compass above

the square, and retires to his seat.

 

Junior Deacon (facing the East): "The Tyler

is informed, Worshipful."

 

 

 

• As to how a Master Mason's Lodge is regularly opened.

See pp. 28 to 31.

 

 

 

WORK ON THIRD DEGREE. 1 59.

 

The Worshipful Master gives one rap, seating the:

lodge.

 

 

 

 

WORK.

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Junior Deacon,

you will ascertain if there are any candidates in wait-

 

* _ a

 

mg.

 

The Junior Deacon taking his rod proceeds to the

altar, makes the due-guard and sign (see page 33) and

retires to the ante-room, where he finds Brother James

Hunt who has been examined in open lodge (as al-

ready stated), re-enters the lodge-room, makes the

usual salute and reports: (Gives three raps.)

 

Junior Deacon: "Worshipful Master, Brother

James Hunt, a Fellow Craft is in waiting and desires

to be raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason."

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Junior Deacon,

you will take with you the Stewards, retire, prepare

and present the candidate for the third degree/'

 

The brethren here mentioned make the usual

salute, the due-guard and sign of this degree., and re-

tire to the "preparation room."

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Senior Deacon,

you will attend to all alarms and take charge of the

door."

 

 

 

/

 

 

 

l6o HAND BOOK OF FREEMASONRY.

 

 

 

* PREPARATION.

He is divested of all his clothing, his coat, vest,

boots, stockings, cravat, collar, and finally his pants

being taken off, he is given an old (and frequently)

dirty pair of drawers to put on. Both legs of the

drawers are turned up above the knees, thus making

his knees, legs and feet bare ; both arms of his shirt are

 

 

 

 

rolled up above the elbows, making both arms bare;

both breasts of the shirt are turned back so as to make

both breasts bare (if the shirt bosom be closed in front

as many are now-a-days, it must be either taken off

altogether or else turned, the back to the front; in

very many instances I have seen the shirt entirely

off). A hoodwink is carefully fastened over the eyes,

and a rope called a cable-tow is wound three times

 

* For the meaning of the preparation, see "Master's Carpet,"- pp. 251-260.