FELLOW CRAFT MASON

I AM --TRY ME

BY THE SQUARE

BECAUSE IT IS AN EMBLEM OF VIRTUE

AN ANGLE EXTENDING TO NINETY DEGREES, OR THE FOURTH PART OF A CIRCLE

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 SOLOMONS TEMPLE

BY BEING DIVESTED OF ALL METALS, NEITHER NAKED OR CLOTHED, BAREFOOT NOR SHOD, HOODWINKED WITH A CABLE TOW AROUND MY NECK. I WAS CONDUCTED TO THE DOOR OF THE LODGE WHERE I GAVE TWO DISTINCT KNOCKS.

THE SECOND DEGREE IN MASONRY, IT BEING THAT ON WHICH I WAS ABOUT TO ENTER

WHO COME HERE? WHO COME HERE?

A WORTHY BROTHER WHO HAD 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 FELLOW CRAFT

I WAS ASKED WAS IT OF MY OWN FREE WILL AND ACCORD THAT I MAKE THIS REQUEST, IF I WAS DULY AND TRULY PREPARED, WORTHY AND WELL QUALIFIED, AND HAD MADE SUITABLE PROFICIENCY IN THE PRECEDING DEGREE. I WAS ASKED BY WHAT FURTHER RIGHT DID I EXPECT TO OBTAIN SO GREAT A BENEFIT

BY THE BENEFIT OF A PASSWORD

SHIBBOLETH

I WAS TOLD TO WAIT UNTIL THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER IN THE EAST WAS ACQUAINTED WITH MY REQUEST AND HIS ANSWER RETURNED

I WAS CAUSED TO ENTER THE LODGE

ON THE ANGLE OF A SQUARE PRESENTED TO MY NAKED LEFT BREAST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD

I WAS CONDUCTED TWICE AROUND THE LODGE AND HALTED AT THE JUNIOR WARDEN IN THE SOUTH WHERE THE SAME QUESTIONS WERE ASKED AND ANSWERS RETURNED AS BEFORE

HE ORDERED ME TO BE CONDUCTED TO THE SENIOR WARDEN IN THE WEST WHERE THE SAME QUESTIONS WERE ASKED AND ANSWERS RETURNED AS BEFORE

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 WHENCE I CAME AND WHITHER I WAS TRAVELING

FROM THE WEST TRAVELING TO THE EAST

IN SEARCH OF MORE LIGHT

HE ORDERED ME TO BE CONDUCTED BACK TO THE WEST FROM WHENCE I CAME AND PUT BACK IN THE CARE OF THE SENIOR WARDEN WHO TAUGHT ME HOW TO APPROCAH THE EAST

HE MADE A FELLOW CRAFT MASON OF ME

IN DUE FORM

MY RIGHT KNEE BARE, BENT, MY LEFT KNEE FORMING A SQUARE , MY RIGHT HAND HOLDING THE HOLY BIBLE, SQUARE AND COMPASS, MY LEFT ARM FORMING AN ANGLE SUPPORTED BY A SQUARE AND MY HAND IN A VERTICAL POSITION

I WAS ASKED WHAT I MOST DESIRED

MORE LIGHT

ONE POINT OF THE COMPASS ELEVATED ABOVE THE SQUARE, WHICH DENOTES 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 DARKNESS OF MASONRY

THE PLUMB, SQUARE AND THE LEVEL

THE PLUMBIS AN INSTRUMENT MADE USE OF BY OPERATIVE MASONS, TO RAISE PERPINDICULARS, THE SQUARE, TO SQUARE THEIR WORK AND THE LEVEL TO LAY HORIZONTALS. BUT WE AS FREE AND ACCEPTED ANCIENT YORK RITE MASONS USE THEM FOR MORE GLORIOUS AND NOBLE PURPOSES. THE PLUMB ADMONISHES US TO WALK UPRIGHT, IN OUR SEVERAL STATIONS, BEFORE GOD AND MAN; SQUARING OUR ACTIONS BY THE SQUARE OF VIRTUE; AND REMEMBERING THAT WE ARE TRAVELING UPON THE LEVEL OF TIME TO "THAT UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY FROM WHOSE BORNE NO TRAVELER RETURNS"

THREE PRECIOUS JEWELS

FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY

FAITH IN GOD, HOPE IN IMMORTALITY, AND CHARITY TO ALL MANKIND

I WAS CONDUCTED OUT OF THE LODGE AND INVESTED WITH WHAT I HAD BEEN DIVESTED