Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 4
Deficiency in money rec'd by Sec'y
and what was paid over by
him to Treasurer 177-5°
$1,144.25 $1,144.25
Expense of W. Bros. M. Shields to
Springfield and back to obtain
charter, &c. $428.00
The expense to Springfield and
back for two trips should be. $35*oo
Dispensation 9.00
Charter 25.00
6 days board, @ $4.00 per day. . . . 24.00
Over charges to Springfield 335*oo
$428.00 $428.00
Wm. Sanderson. ]
J. H. Dixon. ^committee
C. H. Didiriksen. J
With regard, to this official document, it will be
sufficient to remark that it indelibly stamps every sin-
gle transaction in the organization of Keystone Lodge,
No. 639, as a wilful and deliberate steal, from begin-
ning to end. First, every candidate was defrauded in
the sum of $64.25, by being charged $65, in all, for
his three degrees, when the officers and members of
6 HAND BOOK OF FREEMASONRY.
that Lodge knew, just as well as they did their own
names, that those very same degrees, — word for word,
and in better form, — could be purchased of any regu-
lar book-seller in the country for 75 cents at most.
Secondly, the money thus fraudulently obtained
from "the poor, blind candidate," was in its turn
stolen by Moses Shields, their Worshipful Master, and
by others, thus very forcibly proving the truth of
that old adage — "111 got, ill gone."
Thirdly, the Grand Lodge of Illinois, for the sum
of $75, gave them permission to open their Masonic
confidence shop and to sell Masonic so-called secrets
to any white man of mature age, who might be fool-
ish enough to buy them, thus encouraging and per-
petuating the 1 fraud by .issuing its charter or warrant,
empowering them to work.
In this manner, Freemason Lodges are organized
and the money filched from the poor, selfish, deluded
dupes who join them, is disposed of. Every Masonic
Lodge in the world is a fraud; the sale of its sham
degrees is but obtaining money under false pretenses ;
and what is still worse, the Masons themselves know
it. This being the case, then, and desiring to do what
I can towards exposing the swindle and the outrage-
ous humbug of these dark gangs of conspiracy, I would
earnestly call the reader's attention to the following
pages, as containing the literally correct ritual and
work of Freemasonry.
CHAPTER I.
1 U)DGE OF ENTERED APPRENTICES.
OPENING CEREMONIES.
As has been already intimated, the presiding offi-
cer of a Lodge of Masons, and in fact its supreme
head, for the time being, is the Worshipful Master.
Next to him in official rank is the Senior Warden;
and next to him, the Junior Warden. These officers
always occupy stations in the East, West, and South,
respectively, — the Lodge-room being situated due East
and West, — and in the religious symbolism of Free-
masonry, they represent the sun at his rising, his me-
ridian, and his setting. The other officers of the
Lodge are the Treasurer, Secretary, Senior Deacon,
Junior Deacon and Tyler, and take rank after the
Wardens in the order in which they are here enu-
merated, and occupy positions as represented on page
20. A Senior and Junior Steward are also generally
appointed, and sometimes a Chaplain and Organist,
though in most Lodges, these latter are usually dis-
pensed with. The Stewards sit at the right and left,
and a little to the front, of the Junior Warden.
On entering a Masonic Lodge, the first object that
will particularly attract one's attention is the altar,
situated in the center of the room, midway between
the East and West, and hence directly opposite the
South, a6 seen on page 20. Near the altar it will be
noticed that there are three burning tapers, — either
candles or gas jets or electric lights, — which are also
situated so as to point towards the East t West, and
7
1
8 HAND BOOK OF FREEMASONRY.
South, as seen in the accompanying figure, and must
be always lighted before the Lodge is opened. On the
altar there is also a copy of the Holy Bible, — closed,
as yet,- — and on the Bible we find invariably the Square
and Compass.* The hour prescribed in the by-laws
for opening the Lodge having arrived, and a sufficient
number of the members being present, — eight at least,
— they all clothe themselves in their proper regalia,
which, for simple members, is only a white linen
apron, and for the Worshipful Master and other offi-
cers, in addition to the apron is a jewel pertaining to
each particular office, as explained hereafter. AIL
things being thus in readiness, the Master taps the
gavel, when both officers and members at once repair
to their respective places and take their seats, as seen
on page 20. Before the Worshipful Master himself
takes his seat, however, he issues the following com-'
mand :
Worshipful Master; 1 rap. "Brother Junior
Deacon, you will see that the Tyler is at his post, and
close the door."
Junior Deacon (looking into the ante- room to see
if the Tyler is there, closes the door and replies) "The
Tyler is at his post, Worshipful"
The Lodge is now ready' to be opened in . due
form, which must be always according to the order
here laid down — the three following ceremonies being
invariably performed : —
• For the position of God's Word in the Masonic Lodge set
the "Master's Carpet," pp. 123-126.
OPENING ON THE FIRST DEGREE.
9
PURGING THE LODGE.
Worshipful Master (giving one rap) : "Brother
Senior Warden, are all present Masons?"
Senior Warden: i rap. "I will inquire by my
proper officer and report." I rap. "Brother Junior
Deacon, you will proceed to satisfy yourself that all
present are Masons."
The Junior Deacon then taking his rod, proceeds
around the Lodge-room, stopping in front of every
brother whom he does not personally know, and raps
on the floor with his rod; and that brother thus chal-
lenged, if not vouched for by some one present, must
retire into the ante-room to await, if he sees fit, the
action of an examining committee sent out by the
W. M. The Junior Deacon, in this manner having
made the entire circuit of the Lodge-room, returns
in front of the Senior Warden's station, and reports
to that officer : "I am so satisfied Bro, S.. W.," and
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