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After the Junior Warden has received the pass Shibboleth, he inquires, "What does it denote?" A. "Plenty." Junior Warden to Senior Deacon, "Why so?" A. "From an ear of corn being placed at the water-ford." Junior Warden to Senior Deacon, "Why was this pass instituted?" A. "In consequence of a quarrel which had long existed between Jephthah, Judge of Israel, and the Ephraimites, the latter of whom had long been a stubborn, rebellious people, whom Jephthah had endeavored to subdue by lenient measures, but to no effect. The Ephraimites being highly incensed against Jephthah, for not being called to fight and share in the rich spoils of the Ammonitish war, assembled a mighty army, and passed over the river Jordan to give Jephthah battle; but he, being apprised of their approach, called together the men of Israel, and gave them battle, and put them to flight; and to make his victory more complete, he ordered guards to be placed at the different passes on the banks of the river Jordan, and commanded, if the Ephraimites passed that way, that they should pronounce the word Shibboleth; but they, being of a different tribe, pronounced it Sibboleth, which trifling defect proved them spies, and cost them their lives; and there fell that day, at the different passes on the banks of the river Jordan, forty and two thousand. This word was also used by our ancient brethren to distinguish a friend from a foe, and has since been adopted as a proper pass-word, to be given before entering any well-regulated and governed Lodge of Fellow Craft Masons." Since this is the case, you will pass on to the Senior Warden in the West for further examination. As they approach the Senior Warden in the West, the Senior Deacon says to the candidate, "Brother, the next thing we come to is the inner door of the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple, which we find partly open, but more closely tyled by the Senior Warden;" when the Senior Warden inquires, "Who comes here? Who comes here?" The Senior Deacon answers, "A Fellow Craft Mason." Senior Warden to Senior Deacon, "How do you expect to gain admission?" A. "By the grip and word." The Senior Warden to the Senior Deacon, "Will you give them to me?" They are then given as hereinbefore described. The word is Jachin. After they are given, the Senior Warden says, "They are right; you can pass on to the Worshipful Master in the East." As they approach the Master, he inquires, "Who comes here? Who comes here?" Senior Deacon answers, "A Fellow Craft Mason." The Master then says to the candidate, "Brother you have been admitted into the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple for the sake of the letter G. It denotes Deity, before whom we all ought to bow with reverence, worship, and adoration. It also denotes Geometry, the fifth science: it being that on which this degree was principally founded. By Geometry we may curiously trace nature through her various windings to her most concealed recesses; by it we may discover the power, the wisdom, and the goodness of the Grand Artificer of the Universe, and view with delight the proportions which connect this vast machine; by it we may discover how the planets move in their different orbits, and demonstrate their various revolutions; by it we account for the return of a season, and the variety of scenes which each season displays to the discerning eye. Numberless worlds surround us, all formed by the same Divine Architect, which roll through this vast expanse, and all conducted by the same unerring law of nature. A survey of nature, and the observations of her beautiful proportions, first determined man to imitate the divine plan, and study symmetry and order. The architect began to design; and the plans which he laid down, being improved by experience and time, have produced works which are the admiration of every age. The lapse of time, the ruthless hand of ignorance, and the devastations of war, have laid waste and destroyed many valuable monuments of antiquity, on which the utmost exertions of human genius have been employed. Even the Temple of Solomon, so spacious and magnificent, and constructed by so many celebrated artists, escaped not the unsparing ravages of barbarous force. The ATTENTIVE EAR received the sound from the INSTRUCTIVE TONGUE; and the mysteries of Freemasonry are safely lodged in the repository of FAITHFUL BREASTS. Tools and implements of architecture, and symbolic emblems, most expressive, are selected by the fraternity to imprint on the mind wise and serious truths; and thus, through a succession of ages, are transmitted, unimpaired, the most excellent tenets of our institution."

Here the labor ends of the Fellow Craft's degree. It will be observed that the candidate has received, in this place, the second section of the Lecture on this degree. This course is not generally pursued, but it is much the most instructive method; and when it is omitted, I generally conclude that it is for want of a knowledge of the Lecture. Monitorial writers (who are by no means coeval with Masonry) all write, or copy, very much after each other, and they have all inserted in their books all those clauses of the several Lectures which are not considered by the wise ones as tending to develop the secrets of Masonry. In some instances, they change the phraseology a little; in others, they are literal extracts from the Lectures. This, it is said, is done to facilitate the progress of learners, or young Masons; when, in fact, it has the contrary effect.

The following charge is, or ought to be, delivered to the candidate after he has got through the ceremonies; but he is generally told, "It is in the Monitor, and you can learn it at your leisure." "Brother, being advanced to the second degree of Masonry, we congratulate you on your preferment. The internal, and not the external, qualifications of a man are what Masonry regards. As you increase in knowledge, you will improve in social intercourse. It is unnecessary to recapitulate the duties which, as a Mason, you are bound to discharge; or enlarge on the necessity of a strict adherence to them, as your own experience must have established their value. Our laws and regulations you are strenuously to support; and be always ready to assist in seeing them duly executed. You are not to palliate or aggravate the offences of your brethren; but in the decision of every trespass against our rules, you are to judge with candor, admonish with friendship, and reprehend with justice. The study of the liberal arts, that valuable branch of education, which tends so effectually to polish and adorn the mind, is earnestly recommended to your consideration; especially the science of Geometry, which is established as the basis of our art. Geometry, or Masonry, originally synonymous terms, being of a divine moral nature, is enriched with the most useful knowledge; while it proves the wonderful properties of nature, it demonstrates the more important truths of morality. Your past behavior and regular deportment have merited the honor which we have now conferred, and, in your new character, it is expected that you will conform to the principles of the Order, by steadily persevering in the practice of every commendable virtue. Such is the nature of your engagements as a Fellow Craft, and to these duties you are bound by the most sacred ties."

I will now proceed with the Lecture on this degree; it is divided into two sections.

FIRST SECTION

Question—Are you a Fellow Craft Mason? A. I am; try me.

Q. By what will you be tried? A. By the Square.

Q. Why by the Square? A. Because it is an emblem of virtue.

Q. What is a Square? A. An angle extending to ninety degrees, or the fourth part of a circle.

Q. Where was you prepared to be made a Fellow Craft Mason? A. In a room adjacent to the body of a just and lawfully constituted Lodge of such, duly assembled in a room or place, representing the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple.

Q. How was you prepared? A. By being divested of all metals; neither naked nor clothed; barefooted nor shod; hoodwinked; with a cable-tow twice 'round my neck; in which situation I was conducted to the door of the Lodge, where I gave two distinct knocks.

Q. What did those two distinct knocks allude to? A. To the second degree in Masonry, it being that on which I was about to enter.

Q. What was said to you from within? A. Who comes there? Who comes there?

Q. Your answer? A. A worthy brother, who has been regularly initiated as an Entered Apprentice Mason; served a proper time as such; and now wishes for further light in Masonry, by being passed to the degree of a Fellow Craft.

Q. What was then said to you from within? A. I was asked if it was of my own free will and accord I made this request; if I was duly and truly prepared, worthy and well qualified; and had made suitable proficiency in the preceding degree; all of which being answered in the affirmative, I was asked by what further rights I expected to obtain so great a benefit.

Q. Your answer? A. By the benefit of a pass-word.

Q. What is that pass-word? A. Shibboleth.

Q. What further was said to you from within? A. I was bid to wait till the Worshipful Master in the East was made acquainted with my request and his answer returned.

Q. After his answer was returned, what followed? A. I was caused to enter the Lodge.

Q. How did you enter? A. On the angle of the Square presented to my naked right breast, in the name of the Lord.

Q. How were you then disposed of? A. I was conducted twice regularly around the Lodge, and halted at the Junior Warden in the South, where the same questions were asked, and answers returned as at the door.

Q. How did the Junior Warden dispose of you? A. He ordered me to be conducted to the Senior Warden in the West, where the same questions were asked, and answers returned as before.

Q. How did the Senior Warden dispose of you? A. He ordered me to be conducted to the Worshipful Master in the East, where the same questions were asked, and answers returned as before, who likewise demanded of me from whence I came, and whither I was traveling.

Q. Your answer? A. From the West, and traveling to the East.

Q. Why do you leave the West and travel to the East? A. In search of more light.

Q. How did the Worshipful Master then dispose of you? A. He ordered me to be conducted back to the West, from whence I came, and put in care of the Senior Warden who taught me how to approach the East, by advancing upon two upright regular steps to the second step, my feet forming the right angle of an oblong square, and my body erect; at the altar before the Worshipful Master.

Q. What did the Worshipful Master do with you? A. He made a Fallow Craft Mason of me.

Q. How? A. In due form.

Q. What was that due form? A. My right knee bare bent; my left knee forming a square; my right hand on the Holy Bible, Square, and Compass; my left arm forming an angle, supported by the Square, and my hand in a vertical position; in which posture I took upon me the solemn oath, or obligation, of a Fellow Craft Mason. [See pages 26 and 27 for obligation.]

Q. After your oath, or obligation, what was said to you? A. I was asked what I most desired.

Q. Your answer? A. More light.

Q. On being brought to light, what did you discover different from before? A. One point of the Compass elevated above the Square, which denoted light in this degree; but as one point was yet in obscurity, it was to remind me that I was yet one material point in the dark respecting Masonry.

Q. What did you next discover? A. The Worshipful Master approaching me from the East, under the sign and due-guard of a Fellow Craft Mason, who presented me with his right hand in token of brotherly love and confidence, and proceeded to give me the pass-grip and word of a Fellow Craft Mason, and bid me arise and salute the Junior and Senior Wardens, and convince them that I had been regularly passed to the degree of a Fellow Craft, and had the sign, grip, and word of a Fellow Craft Mason.

Q. What next did you discover? A. The Worshipful Master approaching me a second time from the East, who presented me a lamb-skin, or white apron, which, he said, he hoped I would continue to wear with honor to myself and satisfaction and advantage to my brethren.

Q. What was you next presented with? A. The working tools of a Fellow Craft Mason.

Q. What are they? A. The Plumb, Square, and Level.

Q. What do they teach? [I think this question ought to be, "How explained?"] A. The Plumb is an instrument made use of by operative Masons to raise perpendiculars; the Square, to square the work, and the Level, to lay horizontals; but we, as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to make use of them for more noble and glorious purposes. The Plumb admonishes us to walk uprightly, in our several stations, before God and man; squaring our actions by the square of virtue; and remembering that we are all traveling upon the level of time, to that undiscovered country, from whose bourne no traveler returns.

Q. What was you next presented with? A. Three precious jewels.

Q. What were they? A. Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Q. What do they teach? A. Faith in God, hope in immortality, and charity to all mankind.

Q. How was you then disposed of? A. I was conducted out of the Lodge, and invested of what I had been divested.

SECOND SECTION

Question—Have you ever worked as a Fellow Craft Mason? Answer—I have, in speculative; but our forefathers wrought both in speculative and operative Masonry.

Q. Where did they work? A. At the building of King Solomon's Temple, and many other Masonic edifices.

Q. How long did they work? A. Six days.

Q. Did they not work on the Seventh? A. They did not.

Q. Why so? A. Because in six days God created the heavens and the earth, and rested on the seventh day; the seventh day, therefore, our ancient brethren consecrated as a day of rest from their labors; thereby enjoying more frequent opportunities to contemplate the glorious works of creation, and adore their great Creator.

Q. Did you ever return to the sanctum sanctorum, or holy of holies, of King Solomon's Temple? A. I did.

Q. By what way? A. Through a long porch, or alley.

Q. Did anything particular strike your attention on your return? A. There did; viz.: Two large columns, or pillars, one on the left hand, and the other on the right.

Q. What was the name of the one on the left hand? A. Boaz, to denote strength.

Q. What was the name of the one on the right hand? A. Jachin, denoting establishment.

Q. What do they collectively allude to? A. A passage in Scripture, wherein God has declared in his word, "In strength shall this house be established."

Q. What were their dimensions? A. Eighteen cubits in height, twelve in circumference, and four in diameter.

Q. Were they adorned with anything? A. They were; with two large chapiters, one on each.

Q. Were they ornamented with anything? A. They were; with wreaths of net work, lily work, and pomegranates.

Q. What do they denote? A. Unity, Peace, and Plenty.

Q. Why so? A. Net work, from its connection, denotes union; lily work, from its whiteness and purity, denotes peace; and pomegranates, from the exuberance of its seed, denotes plenty.

Q. Were those columns adorned with anything further? A. They were; viz.: Two large globes, or balls, one on each.

Q. Did they contain anything? A. They did; viz.; All the maps and charts of the celestial and terrestrial bodies.

Q. Why are they said to be so extensive? A. To denote the universality of Masonry, and that a Mason's charity ought to be equally extensive.

Q. What was their composition? A. Molten, or cast brass.

Q. Who cast them? A. Our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff.

Q. Where were they cast? A. On the banks of the river Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zaradatha, where King Solomon ordered these and all other holy vessels to be cast.

Q. Were they cast solid or hollow? A. Hollow.

Q. What was their thickness? A. Four inches, or a hand's breadth.

Q. Why were they cast hollow? A. The better to withstand inundations or conflagrations; were the archives of Masonry, and contained the constitution, rolls, and records.

Q. What did you next come to? A. A long, winding staircase, with three, five, seven steps, or more.

Q. What does the three steps allude to? A. The three principal supports in Masonry, viz., Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty.

Q. What does the five steps allude to? A. The five orders in architecture, and the five human senses.

Q. What are the five orders in architecture? A. The Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite.

Q. What are the five human senses? A. Hearing, Seeing, Feeling, Smelling, and Tasting; the first three of which have ever been deemed highly essential among Masons: Hearing, to hear the word; Seeing, to see the sign; and Feeling, to feel the grip, whereby one Mason may know another in the dark as well as in the light.

Q. What does the seven steps allude to? A. The seven sabbatical years; seven years of famine; seven years In building the temple; seven golden candlesticks; seven wonders of the world; seven planets; but more especially the seven liberal arts and sciences, which are Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy; for these, and many other reasons, the number seven has ever been held in high estimation among Masons.

Q. What did you next come to? A. The outer door of the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple, which I found partly open, but closely tyled by the Junior Warden.

Q. How did you gain admission? A. By a pass, and token of a pass.

Q. What was the name of the pass? A. Shibboleth.

Q. What does it denote? A. Plenty.

Q. Why so? A. From an ear of corn being placed at the water-ford.

Q. Why was this pass instituted? A. In consequence of a quarrel which had long existed between Jephthah, Judge of Israel, and the Ephraimites, the latter of whom had long been a stubborn, rebellious people, whom Jephthah had endeavored to subdue by lenient measures, but to no effect. The Ephraimites being highly incensed against Jephthah, for not being called to fight and share in the rich spoils of the Ammonitish war, assembled a mighty army, and passed over the river Jordan to give Jephthah battle; but he, being apprised of their approach, called together the men of Israel, and gave them battle, and put them to flight; and to make his victory more complete, he ordered guards to be placed at the different passes on the banks of the river Jordan, and commanded, if the Ephraimites passed that way, that they should pronounce the word Shibboleth; but they, being of a different tribe, pronounced it Sibboleth, which trifling defect proved them spies, and cost them their lives; and there fell that day, at the different passes on the banks of the river Jordan, forty and two thousand. This word was also used by our ancient brethren to distinguish a friend from a foe, and has since been adopted as a proper pass-word, to be given before entering any well-regulated and governed Lodge of Fellow Craft Masons.

Q. What did you next discover? A. The inner door of the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple, which I found partly open, but closely tyled by the Senior Warden.

Q. How did you gain admission? A. By the grip and word.

Q. How did the Senior Warden dispose of you? A. He ordered me to be conducted to the Worshipful Master in the East, who informed me that I had been admitted into the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple for the sake of the letter G.

Q. Does it denote anything? A. It does; Deity—before whom we should all bow with reverence, worship, and adoration. It also denotes Geometry, the fifth science; it being that on which this degree was principally founded.

Thus ends the second degree of Masonry.

THE THIRD, OR MASTER MASON'S DEGREE

The traditional account of the death, several burials, and resurrection of Hiram Abiff, the widow's son (as hereafter narrated), admitted as facts, this degree is certainly very interesting. The Bible informs us that there was a person of that name employed at the building of King Solomon's Temple; but neither the Bible, the writings of Josephus, nor any other writings, however ancient, of which I have any knowledge, furnish any information respecting his death. It is very singular that a man so celebrated as Hiram Abiff was, and arbiter between Solomon, King of Israel, and Hiram, King of Tyre, universally acknowledged as the third most distinguished man then living, and in many respects, the greatest man in the world, should pass off the stage of action, in the presence of King Solomon, three thousand, three hundred grand overseers, and one hundred and fifty thousand workmen, with whom he had spent a number of years, and neither King Solomon, his bosom friend, nor any other among his numerous friends, even recorded his death, or anything about him.

A person who has received the two preceding degrees, and wishes to be raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason, is (the Lodge being opened as in the preceding degrees) conducted from the preparation room to the door (the manner of preparing him is particularly explained in the Lecture), where he gives three distinct knocks, when the Senior Warden rises and says, "Worshipful, while we are peaceably at work on the third degree of Masonry, under the influence of humanity, brotherly love, and affection, the door of our Lodge appears to be alarmed." The Master to the Junior Deacon, "Brother Junior, inquire the cause of that alarm." The Junior Deacon then steps to the door and answers the three knocks that have been given by three more (the knocks are much louder than those given on any occasion, other than that of the admission of candidates in the several degrees); one knock is then given without, and answered by one from within, when the door is partly opened, and the Junior Deacon asks, "Who comes there? Who comes there? Who comes there?" The Senior Deacon answers, "A worthy brother, who has been regularly initiated as an Entered Apprentice Mason, passed to the degree of a Fellow Craft, and now wishes for further light in Masonry, by being raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Is it of his own free will and accord he makes this request?" A. "It is." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Is he worthy and well qualified?" A. "He is." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Has he made suitable proficiency in the preceding degree?" A. "He has." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "By what further rights does he expect to obtain this benefit?" A. "By the benefit of a pass-word." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Has he a pass-word?" A. "He has not, but I have it for him." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Will you give it to me?" The Senior Deacon then whispers in the ear of the Junior Deacon, "Tubal Cain." Junior Deacon says, "The pass is right; since this is the case, you will wait till the Worshipful Master be made acquainted with his request, and his answer returned." The Junior Deacon then repairs to the Master, and gives three knocks, as at the door; after answering which, the same questions are asked and answers returned, as at the door; when the Master says, "Since he comes endued with all these necessary qualifications, let him enter this Worshipful Lodge in the name of the Lord, and take heed on what he enters." The Junior Deacon returns to the door and says, "Let him enter this Worshipful Lodge in the name of the Lord, and take heed on what he enters." In entering, both points of the Compass are pressed against his naked right and left breasts, when the Junior Deacon stops the candidate and says, "Brother, when you first entered this Lodge, you was received on the point of the Compass pressing your naked left breast, which was then explained to you; when you entered it the second time, you were received on the angle of the Square, which was also explained to you; on entering it now, you are received on the two extreme points of the Compass pressing your naked right and left breasts, which are thus explained: As the most vital points of man are contained between the two breasts, so are the most valuable tenets of Masonry contained between the two extreme points of the Compass, which are 'Virtue, Morality, and Brotherly Love.'" The Senior Deacon then conducts the candidate three times regularly around the Lodge. [I wish the reader to observe, that on this, as well as every other degree, the Junior Warden is the first of the three principal officers that the candidate passes, traveling with the Sun, when he starts around the Lodge, and as he passes the Junior Warden, Senior Warden, and Master, the first time going around, they each give one rap; the second time, two raps; and the third time, three raps. The number of raps given on those occasions are the same as the number of the degree, except the first degree, on which three are given, I always thought improperly.] During the time the candidate is traveling around the room, the Master reads the following passage of Scripture, the conductor and candidate traveling, and the Master reading, so that the traveling and reading terminates at the same time:

"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them: while the Sun, or the Moon, or the Stars be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain; in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, and the doors shall be shut in the streets; when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low. Also, when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail, because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets. Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth, as it was; and the spirit return unto God who gave it."

The conductor and candidate halt at the Junior Warden in the South, where the same questions are asked and answers returned, as at the door; he is then conducted to the Senior Warden, where the same questions are asked and answers returned as before; from thence he is conducted to the Worshipful Master in the East, who asks the same questions and receives the same answers as before; and who likewise asks the candidate from whence he came, and whither he is traveling? Ans. "From the West, and traveling to the East." Q. "Why do you leave the West and travel to the East?" A. "In search of more light." The Master then says to the Senior Deacon, "You will please conduct the candidate back to the West, from whence he came, and put him in the care of the Senior Warden, and request him to teach the candidate how to approach the East, by advancing upon three upright regular steps to the third step, his feet forming a square, his body erect at the altar before the Worshipful Master, and place him in a proper position to take upon him the solemn oath or obligation of a Master Mason." The Master then comes to the candidate and says, "Brother, you are now placed in a proper position (the Lecture explains it) to take upon you the solemn oath or obligation of a Master Mason, which I assure you, as before, is neither to affect your religion nor politics. If you are willing to take it, repeat your name, and say after me:

"I, A. B., of my own free will and accord, in the presence of Almighty God, and this Worshipful Lodge of Master Masons erected to God, and dedicated to the Holy Order of St. John, do hereby and hereon most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, in addition to my former obligations, that I will not give the degree of a Master Mason to any one of an inferior degree, nor to any other being in the known world, except it be to a true and lawful brother, or brethren Master Masons, or within the body of a just and lawfully constituted Lodge of such; and not unto him, nor unto them, whom I shall hear so to be, but unto him and them only whom I shall find so to be, after strict trial and due examination, or lawful information received. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not give the Master's word, which I shall hereafter receive, neither in the Lodge, nor out of it, except it be on the five points of fellowship, and then not above my breath. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not give the grand hailing sign of distress, except I am in real distress, or for the benefit of the craft when at work; and should I ever see that sign given, or the word accompanying it, and the person who gave it appearing to be in distress, I will fly to his relief at the risk of my life, should there be a greater probability of saving his life than of losing my own. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not wrong this Lodge, nor a brother of this degree, to the value of one cent, knowingly, myself, nor suffer it to be done by others, if in my power to prevent it. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not be at the initiating, passing, and raising a candidate at one communication, without a regular dispensation from the Grand Lodge for the same. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not be at the initiating, passing, or raising a candidate in a clandestine Lodge, I knowing it to be such. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not be at the initiating of an old man in dotage, a young man in nonage, an atheist, irreligious libertine, idiot, madman, hermaphrodite, nor woman. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not speak evil of a brother Master Mason, neither behind his back, nor before his face, but will apprise him of all approaching danger, if in my power. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not violate the chastity of a Master Mason's wife, mother, sister, or daughter, I knowing them to be such, nor suffer it to be done by others, if in my power to prevent it. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will support the constitution of the Grand Lodge of the State of –, under which this Lodge is held, and conform to all the by-laws, rules, and regulations of this, or any other Lodge, of which I may, at any time hereafter, become a member. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will obey all regular signs, summons, or tokens given, handed, sent, or thrown to me from the hand of a brother Master Mason, or from the body of a just and lawfully constituted Lodge of such: provided it be within the length of my cable-tow. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that a Master Mason's secrets, given to me in charge as such, and I knowing them to be such, shall remain as secure and inviolable in my breast as in his own, when communicated to me, murder and treason excepted; and they left to my own election. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will go on a Master Mason's errand, whenever required, even should I have to go barefoot and bareheaded, if within the length of my cable-tow.³ Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will always remember a brother Master Mason when on my knees, offering up my devotions to Almighty God. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will be aiding and assisting all poor indigent Master Masons, their wives and orphans, wheresoever disposed 'round the globe, as far as in my power, without injuring myself or family materially. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that if any part of this my solemn oath or obligation be omitted at this time, that I will hold myself amenable thereto, whenever informed. To all which I do most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, with a fixed and steady purpose of mind in me, to keep and perform the same, binding myself under no less penalty than to have my body severed in two in the midst, and divided to the North and South, my bowels burnt to ashes in the centre, and the ashes scattered before the four winds of heaven, that there might not the least tract or trace of remembrance remain among men or Masons of so vile and perjured a wretch as I should be, were I ever to prove wilfully guilty of violating any part of this my solemn oath or obligation of a Master Mason; so help me God, and keep me steadfast in the due performance of the same."

The Master then asks the candidate, "What do you most desire?" The candidate answers after his prompter, "More light." The bandage which was tied 'round his head in the preparation room is, by one of the brethren who stands behind him for that purpose, loosened and put over both eyes, and he is immediately brought to light in the same manner as in the preceding degree, except three stamps on the floor, and three claps of the hands are given in this degree. On being brought to light, the Master says to the candidate, "You first discover, as before, three great lights in Masonry, by the assistance of three lesser, with this difference, both points of the Compass are elevated above the Square, which denotes to you that you are about to receive all the light that can be conferred on you in a Mason's Lodge." The Master steps back from the candidate and says, "Brother, you now discover me as Master of this Lodge, approaching you from the East, under the sign and due-guard of a Master Mason." The sign is given by raising both hands and arms to the elbows perpendicularly, one on either side of the head, the elbows forming a square. The words accompanying this sign in case of distress are, "O Lord, my God, is there no help for the widow's son?" As the last words drop from your lips, you let your hands fall in that manner best calculated to indicate solemnity. King Solomon is said to have made this exclamation on the receipt of the information of the death of Hiram Abiff. Masons are all charged never to give the words except in the dark, when the sign cannot be seen. Here Masons differ very much; some contend that Solomon gave this sign, and made this exclamation when informed of Hiram's death, and work accordingly in their Lodges. Others say the sign was given, and the exclamation made at the grave when Solomon went there to raise Hiram, and, of course, they work accordingly; that is to say, the Master who governs a Lodge holding the latter opinion, gives the sign, &c., at the grave, when he goes to raise the body, and vice versa. The due-guard is given by putting the right hand to the left side of the bowels, the hand open, with the thumb next to the belly, and drawing it across the belly and let it fall; this is done tolerably quick. After the Master has given the sign and due-guard, which does not take more than a minute, he says, "Brother, I now present you with my right hand in token of brotherly love and affection, and with it the pass-grip and word." The pass-grip is given by pressing the thumb between the joints of the second and third fingers, where they join the hand, and the word or name is Tubal Cain. It is the pass-word to the Master's degree. The Master, after having given the candidate the pass-grip and word, bids him rise and salute the Junior and Senior Wardens, and convince them that he is an obligated Master Mason, and is in possession of the pass-grip and word. While the Wardens are examining the candidate, the Master returns to the East and gets an apron, and as he returns to the candidate, one of the Wardens (sometimes both) says to the Master, "Worshipful, we are satisfied that Brother – is an obligated Master Mason." The Master then says to the candidate, "Brother, I now have the honor to present you with a lamb-skin, or white apron, as before, which, I hope, you will continue to wear with credit to yourself, and satisfaction and advantage to the brethren; you will please carry it to the Senior Warden in the West, who will teach you how to wear it as a Master Mason."