ENTERED APPRENTICE DEGREE
OPENING THE LODGE
WM: *. Officers, take your respective stations and
places; Brethren, be clothed.
WM: *. Brother Senior Warden.
SW: Worshipful Master.
WM: Are all present Masons?
SW: *Brothers Senior and Junior Deacons; are all
present Masons?
(Deacons rise, and in a prescribed fashion proceed
throughout the lodge room, observing those in attendance,
ascertaining that they are all Masons.
JD: Brother Senior Deacon, all are Masons in the
South.
SD: Brother Senior Warden, we are all Masons.
SW: We are all Masons, Worshipful Master.
(The Deacons return to their places)
WM: *. Brother Junior Deacon.
JD: Worshipful Master.
WM: 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 open a 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 open a 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; also 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; also 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 order of the Lodge, signed by the
Worshipful Master; also 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, make a
full record of all that is proper to be written; to
receive all moneys due the Lodge and pay it to
the Treasurer, taking his receipt therefore; 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 in temperance or
excess, and see that they return to their 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 by
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 open and govern
the day,(WM:* * *)so rises the Worshipful Master
in the East to open 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 opened on
the First Degree of Freemasonry for work and
instruction. 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 opened on the
First Degree of Freemasonry for work and
instruction. 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 opened on the First Degree of Freemasonry
for work and instruction. 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: Most Holy and Glorious Lord God, the Great
Architect of the Universe, the Giver of all good
gifts and graces! Thou hast promised that "where
two or three are gathered together in Thy name,
Thou will be in their midst and bless them." In
Thy name we have assembled, and in Thy name
we desire to proceed in all our doings. Grant
that the sublime principles of Freemasonry may
so subdue every discordant passion within us -so
harmonize and enrich or hearts, with Thine
own love and goodness - that the Lodge at this
time may humbly reflect that order and beauty
which reign forever before Thy throne. Amen.
(ALL) So mote it be.
WM: Brother Senior Deacon.
SD: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Attend at the Altar and display the Three Great
Lights in Masonry.
WM: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for
Brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the
precious ointment upon the head, that ran down
upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went
down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of
Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon
the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord
commanded the blessing, even life for evermore."
WM: In the name of God and the Holy Saints John, I
now declare _______ Lodge No. ___ duly opened
and in order for business; at the same time strictly
forbidding any un-Masonic conduct whereby the
harmony of the same might be disturbed.
WM: Brother Junior Deacon.
JD: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Inform the Tyler.
JD: * * * Brother Tyler, I am directed to inform you
that the Lodge is now opened on the Entered
Apprentice Degree. Take due notice thereof and
tyle accordingly.
JD: * * *
Tyl: * * *
WM: Brother Senior Deacon.
SD: (S) Worshipful Master.
WM: Present the flag of our country at the Altar.
WM Brethren, you will join with me in the pledge of
allegiance to the Flag of our Country.
(All join with the Pledge of Allegiance)
WM: *
WM: If there are present any Present or Past Grand
Officers, Present or Past Masters, they are
cordially and fraternally invited to a seat in the
East.
