Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 6

Ronaynes Handbook Of Freemasonry 6

Senior Deacon: "To carry orders from the

Worshipful Master in the East, to the Senior Warden

in the West, and elsewhere around the Lodge, as re-

quired ; to introduce and accommodate visiting breth-

ren, receive and conduct candidates."

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Senior Deacon,

the Secretary's place ? "

 

Senior Deacon: "On your left, Worshipful."

 

Worshipful Master: "Your duty, brother Sec-

retary?"

 

Secretary: "To observe the will and pleasure

of the Worshipful Master; record all the proceedings

of this Lodge, proper to be written; transmit a copy

of .the same to the Grand Lodge, when required; re-

ceive all moneys paid into the Lodge, pay them over

to the Treasurer, taking his receipt therefor."

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Secretary, the

Treasurer's place ? "

 

Secretary: "On your right, Worshipful."

 

Worshipful Master: "Your duty, brother Treas-

urer ?»

 

 

 

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14 HAND BOOK OF FREEMASONRY.

 

Treasurer: "To receive all moneys paid into the

Lodge from the hands of the Secretary, keep a just

and regular account of the same, pay them out by the

order of the Worshipful Master and consent of the

Lodge."

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Treasurer, the

Junior Warden's station?"

 

Treasurer: "la the South, Worshipful."

 

Worship iul Master: "Why in the South, brother

Junior Warden ? "

 

Junior Warden: "As the sun in the South, at

meridian height, the beauty and glory of the day, so

is the Junior Warden in the South, the better to ob-

serve the time, to call the Craft from labor to re-

freshment ; superintend them during the hour thereof ;

see that none convert the means of refreshment into

intemperance or excess; call them to labor again, at

the order of the Worshipful Master, that he may

have pleasure, and the Craft profit thereby."

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Junior Warden,

the Senior Warden's station?"

 

Junior Warden: "In the West, Worshipful."

 

Worshipful Master: "Why in the West, brother

Senior Warden ? "

 

Senior Warden: "As the sun is in the West at

the close of the day, so is the Senior Warden in the

West to assist the Worshipful Master in opening and

closing his Lodge; pay the Craft their wages, if any

be due, so that none may go away dissatisfied, har-

mony being the strength and support of all institutions,

especially ours."

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Senior Warden

the Worshipful Master's station?"

 

Senior Warden: "In the East, Worshipful."

• Worshipful Master: "Why in the East?"

 

 

 

OPENING ON THE FIRST DEGREE.

 

 

 

15

 

 

 

Senior Warden: "As the sun rises in the East

to open and govern the day, so rises the Worshipful

Master in the East" (here the Worshipful Master rises

to his feet) "to open and govern his Lodge, set the

Craft to work, and give them proper instructions."

 

Worshipful Master: "Brother Senior Warden,

it is my carder that Keystone Lodge, No. 639, be now-

opened on the first degree of Masonry; this you will

communicate to the Junior Warden in the South, and

he to the brethren, that all having due notice thereof,

may govern themselves accordingly."

 

Senior Warden: "Brother Junior Warden, it is

the order of the Worshipful Master that Keystone

Lodge, No. 639, be now opened on the first degree of

Masonry, this you will communicate to the brethren,

that all having due notice thereof, may govern them-

selves accordingly."

 

Junior Warden (giving three raps, which call up

the entire Lodge) : "Brethren, it is the order of the

Worshipful Master, communicated to me by the way of

the West, that Keystone Lodge, No. 639, be now

opened on the first degree of Masonry; take due notice

thereof, and govern yourselves accordingly."

 

Worshipful Master: "Together, brethren."

 

Here the Master and all the members present, in

concert make the due-guard and sign of an Entered

Apprentice, the Master always leading off..

 

The due-guard is made by holding out the left

hand a few inches from the body, and on a line with

the lower button of the vest, with the palm open and

turned upward. Now place the open palm of the right

hand horizontally across the left, and about two or

 

 

 

l6 HAND BOOK OF FREEMASONRY.

 

three inches above it. (See fig.) This is in allusion

to the manner in which an Entered Apprentice's hands

 

 

 

 

Due-guard.

 

 

 

are placed while taking the obligation, "the left hand

supporting the Holy Bible, Square and Compass, and

the right resting thereon." ( See Entered Apprentice's

obligation, page 69.)

 

Now drop the left hand carelessly, and draw the

right edgewise across the troat (palm open), and drop

it perpendicularly to your side. (See fig.) This is

 

 

 

 

called the "penal sign," or "sign of an Entered Ap-

prentice/' and alludes to the penalty of the obligation

- — "having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out

 

 

 

•i

 

OPENING ON THE FIRST DEGREE. 17

 

!

 

by the roots/' etc. (See Entered Apprentice's Obli-

gation.)

 

The Worshipful Master immediately after mak-

ing the sign, gives one rap with his gavel, the Senior

Warden one, and the Junior Warden one; after which

he proceeds ;

 

Worshipful Master: "Brethren, before declaring

the Lodge open, let us reverently invoke the blessing

of Deity," and removing his hat, he repeats the follow-

ing sc-called prayer, as seen in the annexed figure.

Let us pray.

 

 

 

 

l8 HAND BOOK 01? FREEMASONRY.

 

erently invoke thy blessing at this time. Wilt Thou

be pleased to grant that this meeting, thus begun in

order, may be* conducted in peace, and closed in har-

mony. Amen. Response by the brethren : 'So mote

it be/ " Ordinarily used,

 

or this:

 

"Most holy and glorious Lord God, the great

Architect of the Universe, the giver of all good gifts

and graces : Thou hast promised that 'where two or

three are gathered together in Thy name, Thou wilt

be in their midst and bless them/ In Thy name we

have assembled, and in Thy name we desire to pro-

ceed in all our doings. Grant that the sublime prin-

ciples of Freemasonry may so subdue every discord-

ant passion within us, so harmonize and enrich our

hearts with Thine own love and goodness, that the

Lodge at this time may humbly reflect that order and

beauty which reign forever before Thy throne. Amen.

Response by the brethren : 'So mote it be/ "*

 

Worshipful Master: "Accordingly I declare Key-

stone Lodge, No. 639, opened on the first degree of