Part 6 (2/2)
”You are bound by duty, honor, and grat.i.tude to be faithful to your trust; to support the dignity of your character on every occasion; and to enforce, by precept and example, obedience to the tenets of the Order.
”In the character of a Master Mason you are authorized to correct the errors and irregularities of your uninformed brethren, and to guard them against a breach of fidelity.
”To preserve the reputation of the fraternity unsullied, must be your constant care, and for this purpose, it is your province to recommend to your inferiors, obedience and submission; to your equals, courtesy and affability; to your superiors, kindness and condescension. Universal benevolence you are always to inculcate; and, by the regularity of your own behavior, afford the best example for the conduct of others less informed. The ancient landmarks of the Order, entrusted to your care, you are carefully to preserve; and never suffer them to be infringed, or countenance a deviation from the established usages and customs of the fraternity.
”Your virtue, honor, and reputation are concerned in supporting, with dignity, the character you now bear. Let no motive, therefore, make you swerve from your duty, violate your vow, or betray your trust: but be true and faithful, and imitate the example of that celebrated artist whom you this evening represent: thus you will render yourself deserving the honor which we have conferred, and merit the confidence that we have reposed.”
Here follows the Lecture on this degree, which is divided into three sections.
FIRST SECTION.
Question--Are you a Master Mason? Answer--I am; try me; disprove me if you can.
Q. Where were you prepared to be made a Master Mason? A. In a room adjacent to the body of a just and lawfully const.i.tuted Lodge of such, duly a.s.sembled in a room, representing the SANCTUM SANCTORUM, or HOLY OF HOLIES, of King Solomon's Temple.
Q. How were you prepared? A. By being divested of all metals; neither naked nor clothed; barefooted nor shod; with a cable-tow three times about my naked body; in which posture I was conducted to the door of the Lodge, where I gave three distinct knocks.
Q. What did those three distinct knocks allude to? A. To the third 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? Who comes there?
Q. Your answer? A. A worthy brother, who has been regularly initiated as an Entered Apprentice Mason, pa.s.sed 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.
Q. What further was 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 that benefit.
Q. Your answer? A. By the benefit of a pa.s.s-word.
Q. What was that pa.s.s-word? A. TUBAL CAIN.
Q. What was next said to you? A. I was bid to wait till the Wors.h.i.+pful 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 on the two extreme points of the Compa.s.s pressing my right and left b.r.e.a.s.t.s, in the name of the Lord.
Q. How were you then disposed of? A. I was conducted three times 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 Wors.h.i.+pful 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 light.
Q. How did the Wors.h.i.+pful Master 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 three upright regular steps to the third step, my feet forming a square, and my body erect at the altar before the Wors.h.i.+pful Master.
Q. What did the Wors.h.i.+pful Master do with you? A. He made an obligated Master Mason of me.
Q. How? A. In due form.
Q. What was that due form? A. Both my knees bare bent, they forming a square; both hands on the Holy Bible, Square, and Compa.s.s; in which posture I took upon me the solemn oath or obligation of a true Master Mason.
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