ENTERED APPRENTICE CLOSING
WM: * Brother Senior Warden.
SW: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Have you anything to bring before the Lodge before
I proceed to close?
SW: Nothing in the West.
WM: Anything in the South, Brother Junior Warden?
JW: (S) Nothing in the South
WM: Has any Brother anything to bring before the Lodge
before I proceed to close?
WM: *. Brother Junior Deacon.
JD: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: The last as well as the first great care of Masons
when convened?
JD: To see that they are duly tyled.
WM: Attend to that duty and inform the Tyler that I am
about to close this Lodge of Entered Apprentices,
and direct him to tyle accordingly.
JD: * * *. Brother Tyler, I am directed to inform you
that the Worshipful Master is about to close this
Lodge of Entered Apprentices. Take due notice
thereof and govern yourself accordingly.
JD: * * * Tyl: * * *
JD: (S) Worshipful Master, we are duly tyled.
WM: How are we tyled?
JD: By a Brother Mason without, armed with the proper
implement of his office.
WM: His duty there?
JD: To observe the approach of cowans and
eavesdroppers, and suffer none to pass or re-pass
except such as are duly qualified and have
permission from the Worshipful Master.
WM: *. Brother Senior Warden.
SW: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Whence came you?
SW: From a Lodge of the Holy Saints John of
Jerusalem.
WM: What came you here to do?
SW: To learn to subdue my passions and improve
myself in Masonry.
WM: Then you are a Mason, I presume?
SW: I am so taken and accepted among Brethren and
Fellows.
WM: What makes you a Mason?
SW: My Obligation.
WM: Where were you made a Mason?
SW: Within the body of a just and duly constituted
Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, assembled
in a place representing the ground floor of King
Solomon’s Temple.
WM: How many compose an Entered Apprentices
Lodge?
SW: Seven or more.
WM: When composed of seven, of whom does it
consist?
SW: The Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior
Wardens, Treasurer, Secretary, Senior and Junior
Deacons.
WM: Brother Senior Warden, the Junior Deacon’s place
in the Lodge?
SW: At my right.
WM: * *. Brother Junior Deacon.
JD: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Your duty?
JD: To carry messages from the Senior Warden in
the West to the Junior Warden in the South, and
elsewhere about the Lodge as he may direct;
attend to alarms at the outer door and report the
same to the Worshipful Master; and to see that
we are duly tyled.
WM: The Senior Deacon’s place?
JD: At the right of the Worshipful Master in the East.
WM: Brother Senior Deacon.
SD: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Your duty?
SD: To carry orders from the Worshipful Master in the
East to the Senior Warden in the West, and
elsewhere about the Lodge as he may direct;
welcome and clothe visiting Brethren, attend to
alarms at the inner door, and to receive and
conduct candidates.
WM: The Treasurer’s place?
SD: At the right of the Worshipful Master in the East.
WM: Brother Treasurer.
Tr: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Your duty?
Tr: To receive all moneys from the Secretary, keeping
a just and accurate account of the same, and
pay it out on orders of the Lodge, signed by the
Worshipful Master; and to perform such other
duties as are prescribed by the Constitution of
the Grand Lodge.
WM: The Secretary’s place?
Tr: At the left of the Worshipful Master in the East.
WM: Brother Secretary.
Sec: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Your duty?
Sec: To observe the proceedings of the Lodge, making
a fair record of all that is proper to be written; to
receive all moneys due the Lodge and present it
to the Treasurer, take his receipt thereof; and to
perform such other duties as are prescribed by
the Constitution of the Grand Lodge.
WM: The Junior Warden’s Station?
Sec: In the South.
WM: Brother Junior Warden.
JW: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Your duty in the South?
JW: To observe the sun at meridian, which is the glory
and beauty of the day; call the Craft from labor to
refreshment, superintend them during the hours
thereof, carefully to observe that the means of
refreshment are not perverted to intemperance or
excess, and see that they return to labor in due
season, that the Worshipful Master may receive
honor, and they pleasure and profit thereby.
WM: The Senior Warden’s Station?
JW: In the West.
WM: Brother Senior Warden.
SW: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Why in the West?
SW: As the sun is in the West at close of day, so
stands the Senior Warden in the West, to assist
the Worshipful Master in opening and closing the
Lodge; paying the Craft their wages, if any be
due, that none may go away dissatisfied; harmony
being the support of all institutions, especially this
of ours.
WM: The Master’s station?
SW: In the East.
WM: Why in the East?
SW: As the sun rises in the East to rule and govern
the day, (WM: ***) so rises the Worshipful Master
in the East to rule and govern the Lodge; setting
the Craft at work, giving them proper instruction
for their labor.
WM: Brother Senior Warden, it is my order that _____
_____ Lodge No. ___ be now closed on the First
Degree of Freemasonry, and stand closed until
opened by proper authority, of which due and
timely notice will be given. This communicate to
the Junior Warden in the South, and he to the
Brethren present, that having due notice thereof,
they may govern themselves accordingly.
SW: Brother Junior Warden.
JW: Brother Senior Warden.
SW: It is the order of the Worshipful Master that ____
____ Lodge No. ___ be now closed on the First
Degree of Freemasonry, and stay closed until
opened by proper authority, of which due and
timely notice will be given. This communicate to
the Brethren present, that having due notice
thereof, they may govern themselves accordingly.
JW: Brethren; it is the order of the Worshipful Master,
communicated to me through the Senior Warden
in the West, that ____ ____ Lodge No. ___ be
now closed on the First Degree of Freemasonry,
and stay closed until opened by proper authority.
Of which due and timely notice will be given. I
communicate the same to you, that having due
notice thereof, you may govern yourselves
accordingly.
WM: Brethren; attend to giving the signs; observe the
East.
WM: *.
SW: *.
JW: *.
WM: Brethren, give your attention to the Chaplain.
Chap: And now, Almighty Father, we ask Thy blessing
upon the proceedings of this communication, and
as we are about to separate, we ask Thee to keep
us under Thy protecting care until again we are
called together. Teach us, O God, to realize the
beauties of the principles of our time-honored
institution, not only while in the Lodge, but when
abroad in the world. Subdue every discordant
passion within us. May we love one another in
the bonds of union and friendship.
AMEN.
(ALL) So mote it be.
WM: Brother Senior Warden
SW: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: How should Masons meet?
SW: On the Level.
WM: And how act, Brother Junior Warden?
JW: By the Plumb.
WM: And part upon the Square. So should we, my
Brethren, ever meet, act, and part. May the
blessing of Heaven rest upon us and all regular
Masons. May brotherly love prevail, and every
moral and social virtue cement us. AMEN.
(ALL) So mote it be.
WM: Brother Senior Deacon.
SD: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Attend at the Altar and close the Three Great Lights
in Masonry.
WM: I now declare ____ ____ Lodge No. ___ duly
closed.
WM: Brother Junior Deacon.
JD: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Inform the Tyler.
WM: *.
