The Gods of the Lodge

by Reginald Haupt Jr

  Now the Master addresses the candidate, “Brother ________, agreeably to an ancient custom, adopted among Masons, it is necessary that you should be requested to deposit something of a metallic kind of nature, not for its intrinsic value, but that it may be laid up among the relics in the archives of this Lodge, as a memento that you were herein made a Mason. Anything, brother, that you may have about you will be thankfully received—a coin, a pin, anything.”

  Since the candidate was stripped of all his metallic possessions in the anteroom prior to entering the lodge, he has nothing to contribute. His offer to get something from his coat or trousers is refused and he is usually somewhat embarrassed.

  “Brother ________, you are indeed an object of charity—almost naked, not one cent, not even a button or pin to bestow on this Lodge. Let this ever have, my brother, a lasting effect on your mind and conscience; and remember, should you ever see a friend, but more especially a brother, in a like destitute condition, you will contribute as liberally to his support and relief as his necessities may seem to demand and your ability permit, without any material injury of yourself or family.”

  Now the candidate is allowed to return to the preparation room and get dressed. He puts on his apron and returns to the room, where the Master may take the occasion to deliver a sermon on the glories of the Craft and the meaning of the working tools of the Entered Apprentice degree: the twenty&ndahs;four-inch gauge and the common gavel. The candidate is assigned to an older Mason who will instruct him in the lecture of the degrees, a sort of catechism which the candidate must memorize prior to receiving the next degree and repeat at a later meeting to a committee designated to test his proficiency. It recapitulates the details of the ritual.

  Finally the Master delivers the Charge:

  “As you are now introduced into the first principles of Masonry, I congratulate you on being accepted into this ancient and honorable order; ancient, as having existed from time immemorial; and honorable, as tending in every particular so to render all men who will conform to its precepts. No human institution was ever raised on a better principle, or more solid foundation; nor were ever more excellent rules and useful maxims laid down than are inculcated in the several Masonic lectures. The greatest and best of men in all ages have been encouragers and promoters of the art, and have never deemed it derogatory to their dignity to level themselves with the fraternity, extend their privileges, and patronize their assemblies.

  “There are three great duties, which, as a Mason, you are strictly to observe and inculcate—to God, your neighbor, and yourself. To God, in never mentioning His name but with the reverential awe which is due from a creature to his Creator: to implore His aid in all your laudable undertakings, and to esteem Him as your chief good. To your neighbor, in acting upon the square, and doing unto him as you would he should do unto you; and to yourself, in avoiding all irregularity and intemperance, which may impair your faculties or debase the dignity of your profession. A zealous attachment to these duties will insure public and private esteem.

  “In the State you are to be a quiet and peaceable citizen, true to your government, and just to your country; you are not to countenance disloyalty or rebellion, but patiently submit to legal authority, and conform with cheerfulness to the government of the country in which you live.

  “In your outward demeanor be particularly careful to avoid censure or reproach. Let not interest, favor, or prejudice bias your integrity, or influence you to be guilty of a dishonorable action. And although your frequent appearance at our regular meetings is earnestly solicited, yet it is not meant that Masonry would interfere with your necessary avocations, for these are on no account to be neglected; neither are you to suffer your zeal for the institution to lead you into arguments with those who, through ignorance, may ridicule it. But, at your leisure hours, that you may improve in Masonic knowledge, you are to converse with well informed brethren who will be always as ready to give as you will be ready to receive instruction.

  “Finally, keep sacred and inviolable the mysteries of the Order, as these are to distinguish you from the rest of the community, and mark your consequence among Masons. If, in the circle of your acquaintance, you find a person desirous of being initiated into Masonry, be particularly careful not to recommend him, unless you are convinced he will conform to our rules; that the honor, glory, and reputation of the institution may be firmly established, and the world at large convinced of its good effects.”

  The lodge is now closed and the candidate will return on a later evening to take the second degree, that of Fellow Craft.

  Many lodges find that few members bother to turn out for the working of this second degree. The curiosity about the new member is satisfied, and the substance of this degree is dull and commonplace.

  The candidate is stripped of his clothing as in the preparation for the Entered Apprentice degree, but this time he slips his right arm out of his shirtsleeve exposing his right arm and breast. The cable tow is wound twice around his arm and the right foot and knee are bared. He is blindfolded, and a slipper is placed on his left foot. The Junior Deacon knocks on the lodge-room door and answers the Senior Deacon’s inquiry with “Brother ________, who has been regularly initiated as Entered Apprentice, and now wishes to receive more light in Masonry by being passed to the degree of Fellow Craft.” He answers a short series of questions regarding the candidate’s proficiency in the first degree. The Junior Deacon whispers the password “Shibboleth” to the Senior Deacon, who closes the door, reports to the Master, and repeats the interrogations.

  This time the Senior Deacon takes the square rather than the compass from the altar, and opening the door, says, “Let him enter and be received in due form.” He places the angle of the square against the candidate’s bare breast and declares, “Brother ________, on entering this Lodge the first time you were received on the points of a compass; I now receive you on the angle of the square, which is to teach you that the square of virtue should be the rule and guide of your conscience in all future transactions with mankind.”

  As the candidate is led twice around the lodge room, the Master reads a passage from the Old Testament: Amos 8:7-8. He is questioned by the Junior and Senior Wardens and the Master regarding his proficiency in the previous degree, and he tells the Master that he is in search of more light. Again the Master instructs the Senior Warden to teach the candidate the proper way to approach the east, this time by “two upright regular steps, his feet forming an angle of a square.” He then places the candidate in position for taking his second oath. He kneels on his naked right knee before the altar, making his left knee form a square. His left arm from the shoulder to the elbow is held in a horizontal position with his forearm in a vertical position, forming a square. His right hand rests on an open Bible. The Master once more assures the candidate that nothing in the oath will interfere with any obligation to God, family, country, neighbor, or self. The oath follows:

  “I, ________, of my own free will and accord, in the presence of Almighty God, and this Worshipful Lodge, erected to Him and dedicated to the holy Sts. John, do hereby and hereon most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will always hail, and ever conceal, and never reveal any of the secret arts, parts, or points of the Fellow Craft Degree to any person whomsoever, except it be to a true and lawful brother of this degree, or in a regularly constituted Lodge of Fellow Crafts; nor unto him or them until, by strict trial, due examination, or lawful information, I shall find him, or them, as lawfully entitled to the same as I am myself.

  “I furthermore promise and swear that I will stand to, and abide by, all the laws, rules, and regulations of the Fellow Craft Degree, as far as the same shall come to my knowledge.

  “Further, I will acknowledge and obey all due signs and summons sent to me from a Lodge of Fellow Crafts, or given me by a brother of that degree, if within the length of my cable-tow.

  “Further, that I will aid and assist all poor, distressed, worthy Fellow Crafts, kn
owing them to be such, as far as their necessities may require, and my ability permit, without any injury to myself.

  “Further, that I will not cheat, wrong, nor defraud a brother of this degree, knowingly, nor supplant him in any of his laudable undertakings.

  “All this I most solemnly promise and swear with a firm and steadfast resolution to perform the same, without any hesitation, mental reservation, or self-evasion of mind whatever, binding myself under no less penalty than of having my breast torn open, my heart plucked out, and placed on the highest pinnacle of the temple there to be devoured by the vultures of the air, should I ever knowingly violate the Fellow Craft obligation. So help me God, and keep me steadfast in the due performance of the same.”

  The ritual closely follows that of the first degree: the candidate asks for more light, the hoodwink is removed, the Master instructs him in the grip and password. The pass grip of a Fellow Craft is “Shibboleth” while the name of the real grip is “Jachin,” which is given letter by letter. The candidate, speaking through the conductor, now relays this information on pass and grips to the Junior and Senior Wardens. The latter tucks a corner of the Masonic apron under the string, which is the manner in which Fellow Crafts must wear the emblem. The Master then explains the working tools of the degree: the plumb, square, and level.

  Now the candidate is escorted out of the lodge room back to the anteroom and the lodge room is rearranged for his second entry. Two large pillars about seven feet high are placed five feet apart near the door. Fifteen painted boards are arranged to represent three, five, and seven steps. The conductor addresses the candidate: “Brother ________, we are now about to make an ascent through a porch, by a flight of winding stairs, consisting of three, five, and seven steps, to a place representing the Middle Chamber of King Solomon’s Temple, there to receive instructions relative to the wages due, and jewels of a Fellow Craft.”

  The conductor delivers a short commentary on Operative and Speculative Masonry. He reveals that the name of the left hand pillar is Boaz and that on the right, Jachin. They are supposed to represent the two pillars erected at the outer porch of King Solomon’s Temple.

  The first three steps have at least three meanings: the three principal stages of human life, namely, youth, manhood, and old age; also the “three principal supports in Masonry,” Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty; and finally the three principal lodge officers, Master and Senior and Junior Wardens.

  The five steps have two meanings: five orders of architecture (Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite) and five senses. The seven refer to all sorts of combinations: seven Sabbatical years, seven years building the temple, seven wonders of the world, seven planets, seven liberal arts and sciences.

  Completing these fifteen steps, the Junior Warden asks the Senior Deacon to explain the pass “Shibboleth.” He elaborates: “In consequence of a quarrel which long existed between Jephthah, judge of Israel, and the Ephraimites: the latter had been a stubborn rebellious people, whom Jephthah had endeavored to subdue by lenient measures, but to no effect. The Ephraimites, being highly incensed 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 Gilead, and gave them battle, and put them to flight; and, to make his victory more complete, he ordered guards to be placed on the different passes on the banks of the river Jordan, and commanded, if the Ephraimites passed that way, Say ye Shibboleth; but they, being of a different tribe, could not frame to pronounce it aright, and pronounced it Sibboleth; which trifling defect proved them to be spies, and cost them their lives; and there fell at that time, 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 password, to be given before entering every regulated and well-governed Lodge of Fellow Crafts.”

  Then the Senior Deacon asks for the real pass, “Jachin,” and they pass to the Master, who delivers the following homily:

  “The first thing that particularly attracted your attention on your passage here was a representation of two brazen pillars, one on the left hand and the other on the right, which was explained to you by your conductor; after passing the pillars you passed a flight of winding stairs, consisting of three, five, and seven steps, which was likewise explained to you; after passing the stairs, you arrived at the outer door of the Middle Chamber, which you found closely guarded by the Junior Warden, who demanded of you the pass and token of the pass of a Fellow Craft; you next arrived at the inner door of the Middle Chamber, which you found guarded by the Senior Warden, who demanded of you the grip and word of a Fellow Craft. You have now arrived at the Middle Chamber, where you are received and recorded a Fellow Craft. You are now entitled to wages, as such; which are, the Corn of nourishment, the Wine of refreshment, and the Oil of joy, which denote peace, harmony, and strength. You are also entitled to the jewels of Fellow Craft; which are, an attentive ear, an instructive tongue, and faithful breast. The attentive ear receives the sound from the instructive tongue, and the mysteries of Masonry are safely lodged in the repository of faithful breasts.”

  He concludes with the charge, and the candidate is left to memorize the lecture which rehashes the degree work.

  At last the Masonic candidate is ready for the concluding degree, the third. As many as three candidates for the third degree will be inducted in one evening. All will go through the first section of the work together, but then each candidate must complete the degree in a separate ceremony which lasts from an hour to an hour and a half. A medium-sized lodge which enrolls perhaps 30 new members a year will thus have to schedule at least ten Master Mason initiations.

  This degree, built around the legend of the assassination of Hiram Abif, the builder of King Solomon’s Temple, sometimes takes up to two hours for its full performance. Nowhere in the Bible do we read anything about Hiram’s tragic death; only Masonic myth fills in the details of his demise. During the conferring of this degree the lodge is known as the “Sanctum Sanctorum of King Solomon’s Temple.”

  This time the candidate rolls up his trousers on both legs and takes both arms out of his shirt, leaving legs and breast bare. The silk cable tow is wrapped around his waist three times and he is blindfolded. He gains entry into the lodge room by answering the usual questions through his spokesman, the Junior Deacon, and gives the password, “Tubal Cain.”

  The Senior Deacon stops him at the door: “Brother ________, on entering this Lodge the first time, you were received on the point of the compass, pressing your naked left breast, the moral of which was explained to you. On entering the second time, you were received on the angle of the square, which was also explained to you. I now receive you on both points of the compass, extending from your naked left to your naked right breast, which is to teach you that as the vital parts of man are contained within the breast, so the most excellent tenets of our institution are contained between the points of the compass—which are Friendship, Morality, and Brotherly Love.”

  The Senior Deacon escorts the third-degree candidate around the lodge room three times while the Master recites a passage from the Bible. Sometimes in larger lodges a musical paraphrase will be sung and accompanied on the organ. He is instructed by the Senior Warden to place his feet, heels touching and toes pointed outward. The Master than asks that the candidate kneel at the altar with both hands on the Volume of the Sacred Law, square, and compass. The Master Mason’s oath follows:

  “I, ________, of my own free will and accord, in the presence of Almighty God, and this Worshipful Lodge, erected to Him and dedicated to the holy Sts. John, do hereby and hereon most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, that I will always hail, ever conceal, and never reveal any of the secrets, arts, parts, point or points, of the Master Masons’ Degree, to any person or persons whomsoever, except that it be to a true a
nd lawful brother of this Degree, or in a regularly constituted Lodge of Master Masons, nor unto him, or them, until by strict trial, due examination, or lawful information, I shall have found him, or them, as lawfully entitled to the same as I am myself.

  “I furthermore promise and swear, that I will stand to and abide by all laws, rules, and regulations of the Master Masons’ Degree, and of the Lodge of which I may hereafter become a member, as far as the same shall come to my knowledge; and that I will ever maintain and support the constitution, laws, and edicts of the Grand Lodge under which the same shall be holden.

  “Further, that I will acknowledge and obey all due signs and summons sent to me from a Master Mason’s Lodge, or given me by a brother of that Degree, if within the length of my cable tow.

  “Further, that I will always aid and assist all poor, distressed, worthy Master Masons, their widows and orphans, knowing them to be such, as far as their necessities may require, and my ability permit, without material injury to myself and family.

  “Further, that I will keep a worthy brother Master Mason’s secrets inviolable, when communicated to and received by me as such, murder and treason excepted.