FELLOWCRAFT OPENING
WM: *. Officers, take your respective stations and
places; Brethren be clothed.
WM: *. Brother Senior Warden.
SW: Worshipful Master.
WM: Are all present Fellow Crafts?
SW: I will ascertain through the proper officer and
report.
SW: Brother Junior Deacon.
JD: Brother Senior Warden.
SW: Are all present Fellow Crafts?
JD: Brother Senior Warden, all present are Fellow
Crafts.
SW: Worshipful Master.
WM: Brother Senior Warden.
SW: All present are Fellow Crafts.
WM: As further evidence that all present are Fellow
Crafts, receive the pass-word from the Senior
and Junior Deacons, who will obtain it from the
Brethren on the right and left, and communicate
it in the East.
SW: *. Deacons, attend the West.
SW: Give me the pass-word of a Fellow Craft. Now
obtain it from the Brethren on the right and left
and communicate it to the Worshipful Master in
the East.
WM: Brother Senior Warden.
SW: Worshipful Master.
WM: The pass-word is right and duly received in the
East.
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 Fellow Crafts, 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 Fellow Crafts. 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 of this degree 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: Are you a Fellow Craft?
SW: I am, try me.
WM: By what will you be tried?
SW: By the square.
WM: Why by the Square?
SW: Because it is an emblem of morality and one of
the working tools of a Fellow Craft.
WM: What is a Square?
SW: An angle of ninety degrees, or the fourth part of
a circle.
WM: What makes you a Fellow Craft?
SW: My Obligation.
WM: Where were you made a Fellow Craft?
SW: Within the body of a just and duly constituted
Lodge of Fellow Crafts, assembled in a place
representing the Middle Chamber of King
Solomon’s Temple.
WM: How many compose a Fellow Crafts Lodge?
SW: Five or more.
WM: When composed of five, of whom does it consist?
SW: The Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior
Wardens, 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 Junior Warden’s station?
SD: 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 their
means of refreshment are not perverted to
intemperance or excess, and see that they return
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 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
Second 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
Second 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 Second 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: *.
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 wilt 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 our 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 the descended upon
the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord
commanded the blessing, even life for evermore."
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 open on the Fellow Craft
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 me in the Pledge of
Allegiance to the Flag of our Country.
(ALL) (Recite the Pledge of Allegiance)
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.
