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LIGHTFOOT'S MANUAL OF THE LODGE
or
Monitorial Instructions in the Three Degrees of
Symbolic Masonry,
Revised and Amended, so as to restore much that had been changed or lost
through lapse of time, and to harmonize the language of the Manual with that
employed in the Monitorial work of many of the oldest and leading grand
jurisdictions of the world, to which is also added, Commentaries on some of
the important rites, symbols and allegories of Ancient Craft Masonry.
By
JEWEL P. LIGHTFOOT, Past Grand Master
INTRODUCTORY

"FREE
MASONRY," "CRAFT MASONRY," "ANCIENT CRAFT MASONRY," "MASONRY" and "LODGE" are
terms indiscriminately employed in designating the institution comprising the
Masonic Fraternity as it exists today. These terms, while indicating, in a
general way, the same Institution, may be said to possess individual
significations.
The word "Masonry" cannot be adequately defined within the limits
of a necessarily brief introduction to the work of the Manual of the Lodge.
Like the words city, church, democracy, craft and the like, it embraces many
elements, divisions, and subjects, each of which is separable, yet all
combining to create a coordinated whole.
The word Masonry has been applied to the art of building in stone;
also to the whole body of the society of Masons, including the entire complex
of their organizations, grand and subordinate, throughout the world. At times,
the word is used to signify the peculiar rites and ceremonies used in what we
term the Lodge. Again, it may be said to signify, not these, but a certain
body of principles and rules of morals, duties and conduct, advocated or
taught in the Lodges.
It has also been suggested that the word "Masonry," in addition to
the significations already named, and others which cannot be properly
specified here, signifies a vast and comprehensive body of Knowledge,
teachings, traditions, and principles, concerning the visible universe; the
government thereof; order; Providence; nature; man; and their necessities.
Also, the relations between natural physical causes, as well as the operations
and sublime moral principles and processes of the human mind.
These, with other related and connected subjects, are claimed to
constitute a veritable system of science, philosophy and moral enlightenment,
taught by a system of symbols and allegories, as well as by precepts and
examples inculcated and practiced from remote ages, in the ancient temples of
many nations. Such ceremonies and their correlated teachings have sometimes
been referred to as the Mysteries of Masonry, with the same signification
employed when one speaks of the "Mysteries of the Magi;" the "Mysteries of
Osiris;" the "Grecian Mysteries of Eleusis," and other kindred rites,
practiced in the temples of initiation through‑out the ancient world.
The meaning of the word Mysteries, as so used, must not be
confounded with the idea signified by the word mysterious. The word has an
entirely different meaning, and constitutes a system of some kind, designed to
be communicated in a particular manner, for the purpose of inculcating the
truths of life, of nature, of art, of science, of philosophy, and other
subjects.
It has been described by Bromwell, (Restorations of Masonic
Geometry and Symbolry," Chap. 11, 23), as "A system of sublime truths,
including those of the Natural Universe, as well as of Moral and intellectual
science and philosophy, based on the accepted fact of one Almighty, infinite
and perfect Deity, called by Masons `The Grand Architect of the Universe' -
the perfection and completeness of the order of the Universe - its
correspondence with itself throughout; that is, in all its parts and Degrees -
the coordination of these last by correspondence, from first to last - xtheir
correspondence with the Degrees found in man, in the same order - physical,
intellectual and moral - the immortality of the human spirit - a righteous
system of Divine Government - the enjoining of the practice of all moral and
social virtues and duties by means of lessons embodied in symbolic
representations of deep significance, together with apt and wisely ordered
discourse, all contained in certain ancient and simple, but sublime,
ceremonies, coordinated in Degrees according to the order of the Universe,
which is the Divine order." The presence in the modern Masonic system, of many
of the emblems, symbols and allegories of the ancient Temples of Initiation,
as well as certain rites performed therein, has persuaded the most learned
among Masonic scholars to conclude that Masonry is of very ancient origin, and
is, in some aspects, the modern successor of, and heir to, the sublime
Mysteries of the Temple of Solomon, and of the Temples of India, Chaldea,
Egypt, Greece, and Rome, as well as the basic doctrine of the Essenes,
Gnostics and other mystic Orders.
The work of Freemasonry is conducted in what is called the Lodge.
The word Lodge as used in Masonry has several different significations, as
when we speak of "A Lodge," meaning any Lodge; another when we speak of a
Lodge being opened or closed when we mean the symbolic Lodge; again when we
speak of a particular society of Masons, as when we say "Frank Sexton Lodge,
No. 206." There are also three different Lodges, the Entered Apprentice's
Lodge; the Fellow‑Craft's Lodge, and the Master‑Mason's Lodge. Yet all three
of the Lodges, though separate in their opening and closing, as well as in
their respective work, are one. The one contains the three as will be well
understood by the skillful craftsman.
In this respect the Lodge is said to conform to the Divine Order
in nature and in man. There is an external Lodge and an internal Lodge. The
external Lodge refers to the physical Lodge, its building, furnishings and
members composing it; corresponding to the physical universe of which it is
said to be a symbol, and symbolizes also the First Degree in man represented
by his physical body. The Internal Lodge is said to be divided into two parts,
the secondary and the primary.
The secondary Degree in Masonry has been compared with the second
Degree in man and in nature. In man, it refers to xi his intellectual
faculties, and powers; while in nature it alludes to the harmony of laws that
regulate and govern the Universe. The primary or third Degree of the Lodge
refers to the Moral Degree in man, and to the Divine attributes of the Supreme
Divine Intelligence.
Thus the three Degrees in man, physical, intellectual and moral,
correspond to the same Divine order in the Universe and are thought to be
reflected in the three Degrees of the Lodge, which are yet one, in the sense
that the Universe is a unit, though composed of three Grand Divisions, and man
is an entity, though possessing three distinct divisions in his being. This
correspondence will become more manifest to the initiate as he penetrates the
veils of our Mysteries.
The work of the Degrees is imparted through the medium of certain
rites, forms and ceremonies, which are designated by the terms, Initiation,
Passing, and Raising.
Every candidate for the Mysteries of Masonry, at the proper time
and in an appropriate manner, should be taught the truth that the rite of
Initiation means much more than a formal ceremonial progress through the
Degrees. In fact one may receive the entire work, conferred under the most
favorable circumstances, and by competent officers, and yet not perceive the
true Masonic light, which the symbols and allegories are designed to conceal,
as well as to reveal. Initiation is to be attained only after real labor, deep
study, profound meditation, extensive research and a constant practice of
those virtues which will open a true path to moral, intellectual, and
spiritual illumination.
Masonry does not expound the truths concealed in her emblems. It
displays the symbol and may give a hint here and there concerning some
characteristic of its several meanings, but it must remain for the Neophite to
search out for himself its more hidden significations.
It has always been the essential process by which man rises from
a state of nature, to that of civilization, from darkness to light, from
slavery to freedom, that he advances as by the steps of a ladder. This is the
method provided by the laws of nature, at times retarded and slow in its
operation, but certain to lead to glorious heights if persistently pursued,
and devoutly followed.
Manual
of the Lodge
OPENING AND CLOSING THE LODGE
THE
necessity of some preparatory ceremonies, of a more or less formal character,
before proceeding to the dispatch of the ordinary business of any association,
has always been recognized. The decorum and dignity of the meeting suggest,
even in popular assemblies called only for a temporary purpose, that a
presiding officer shall, with some formality be inducted into the chair, and
then, to use the ordinary phrase, "opens" the meeting with the appointment of
his necessary assistants, and with an announcement, in an address to the
audience, explanatory of the objects that have called them together.
If secular associations have found it expedient, by the adoption
of some preparatory forms, to avoid the appearance of an unseeming abruptness
in proceeding to business, it may well be supposed that religious societies
have been still more observant of the custom, and that, as their pursuits are
more elevated, the ceremonies of their preparation for the object of their
meeting should be still more impressive.
In the Ancient Mysteries (those sacred rites which have furnished
so many models for Masonic symbolism), the opening ceremonies were of the most
solemn character. The sacred herald, in the Ancient Mysteries, commenced the
ceremonies of opening the greater initiations by the solemn formula of "Depart
hence, ye profane!" to which was added a proclamation which forbade the use of
any language which might be deemed of unfavorable augury to the approaching
rites.
In like manner a Lodge of Masons is opened with the employment of
certain ceremonies in which, that attention may be given to their symbolic as
well as practical import, every member present is expected to take part.
These ceremonies, which slightly differ in each of the degrees -
but differ so slightly as not to affect their general character - may be
considered, in reference to the several purposes which they are designed to
effect, to be divided into eight successive steps or parts.
1. The Master having signified his intention to proceed to the
labor of the Lodge, every brother is expected to assume the necessary Masonic
clothing, and, if an officer, the insignia of his office, and silently and
decorously to repair to his appropriate station.
2. The next step in the ceremony is, with the usual precautions,
to ascertain the. right of each one to be present. It is scarcely necessary to
say that, in the performance of this duty, the officers who are charged with
it should allow no one to remain who is not either well known to themselves or
properly vouched for by some discreet and experienced brother.
3. Attention is next directed to guarding the external avenues of
the Lodge, and the officers, within and without, who are entrusted with the
performance of this important duty, are expected to execute it with care and
fidelity.
4. By a wise provision, it is no sooner intimated to the Master
that he may safely proceed, than he directs his attention to an inquiry into
the knowledge possessed by his officers of the duties that they will,
respectively, be called upon to perform.
5. Satisfied upon this point, the Master then announces, by formal
proclamation, his intention to proceed to business; and, mindful of the
peaceful character of our Institution, he strictly forbids all unceremonious
conduct whereby the harmony of the Lodge may be impeded, and after this no
brother is permitted to leave the Lodge during Lodge hours (that is, from the
time of opening to that of closing), without having first obtained the
Worshipful Master's permission.
6. Certain mystic rites, which can here only be alluded to, are
then employed, by which each brother present signifies his concurrence in the
ceremonies which have been celebrated, and his knowledge of the degree in
which the Lodge is about to be opened.
7. It is a lesson, which every Mason is taught at one of the
earliest points of his initiation, that he should commence no important
undertaking without first invoking the blessing of Deity - hence the next step
in the progress of the opening ceremonies is to address a prayer to the
Supreme Architect of the Universe. This prayer, although offered by the
Master, is to be participated in by every brother, and, at its conclusion, the
audible response of "So mote it be" should be made by all present.
8. The Lodge is then declared, in the name of God and the Holy
Saints John, duly opened.
A Lodge is said to be opened in the name of God and the Holy
Saints John as a declaration of the sacred purpose of our meeting; of our
profound reverence for that Divine Being whose name and attributes should be
the constant theme of our contemplation, and of our respect for those ancient
patrons whom the traditions of Masonry have so intimately connected with the
history of the Institution.
It is said to be duly opened, to intimate that all that is
necessary, appropriate and usual in the ceremonies, and all that the law
requires, or that ancient usage renders indispensable, has been observed.
It is said to be opened on, and not in, a certain degree (which
latter expression is often incorrectly used), in reference rather to the
speculative, than to the legal character, of the meeting; to indicate, not
that the members are to be circumscribed in the limits of a particular degree,
but that they are met together to unite in contemplation on the symbolic
teachings and divine lessons, to inculcate which is the peculiar object of
that degree.
It is improper to open either the Entered Apprentice or the Fellow
Craft Degree until a Master's Lodge has first been opened and then called off
for such purpose.
The ceremony of closing varies but very slightly from that of
opening. Of course the first and second steps, which have already been
enumerated as proper to be observed when the brethren first assemble, are to
be dispensed with when they are about to part, as being under those
circumstances entirely unnecessary, and the proclamations and prayers which
refer to opening must be varied when they are to be applied to closing, but in
other respects the ceremonies are much the same.
* *
* * * * * *
PRAYER
AT OPENING
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 or more
are gathered together in Thy name, Thou wilt be in `the midst of them. In Thy
name, we assemble, most humbly beseeching Thee to bless us in all our
undertakings, that we may know and serve Thee aright, and that all our actions
may tend to Thy glory and to our advancement in knowledge and virtue; and we
beseech Thee, 0 'Lord God, to bless this our present assembling, and to
illuminate our minds by the divine precepts of Thy Holy Word, and teach us to
walk in the light of Thy countenance; and when the trials of our probationary
state are over be admitted into THE TEMPLE "not made with hands, eternal, in
the heavens." Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
4
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
ANOTHER PRAYER
Great
Architect of the Universe: 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 own 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.
Response: So mote it be. ANOTHER Supreme Grand Master of the
Universe: We would reverently invoke Thy blessings at this time: Wilt Thou be
pleased to grant that this meeting, thus begun in order, may be conducted in
peace, and closed in harmony. Amen.
Response : So mote it be.
ORDER
OF BUSINESS
1.
Reading the Minutes of the Preceding Communication.
2. Receiving and Referring Petitions
3. Reports of Standing Committees
4. Reports of Special Committees
5. Balloting for Candidates and Members
6. Unfinished Business
7. New Business, Resolutions, Etc.
CLOSING PRAYERS 5
AT
CLOSING THE FIRST DEGREE
Master: Brethren - Before I declare the Lodge closed, let us, with all
reverence and humility, express our gratitude to the Great Architect of the
Universe, for the blessings already received.
May He continue to preserve the Order, by cementing and adorning
it with every social and moral virtue. Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
AT
CLOSING THE SECOND DEGREE
Master: Brethren - Before I declare the Lodge closed, let us humbly invoke the
continued blessing of the Grand Geometrician of the Universe on our
Fraternity.
Let us remember that wherever we are, and whatever we do, He is
with us, that His "All‑Seeing Eye" observes us. While, then, we continue to
act in conformity with the principles of the Craft, let us not fail to
discharge our duties toward Him with fervency and zeal. Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
AT
CLOSING THE THIRD DEGREE
Master: Brethren - Before I declare the Lodge closed, let us unite in humbly
acknowledging our dependence on the Most High. May His right hand be as a
shield and buckler to us against the assaults of our enemies; and, at the
final day, may each and every one of us be raised, through the merits of the
Lion of the tribe of Judah, to the celestial Lodge above, where the Supreme
Grand Master forever presides - forever reigns. Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
6 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
CHARGE
AT CLOSING
Brethren: We are now about to quit this sacred retreat of friendship and
virtue, to mix again with the world. Amidst its concerns and employments,
forget not the duties you have heard so frequently inculcated and forcibly
recommended in this Lodge. Be diligent, prudent, temperate, discreet. Remember
that around this altar you have promised to befriend and relieve every brother
who shall need your assistance. Remember that you have promised to remind him,
in the most tender manner, of his errors, and aid in his reformation.
Vindicate his character when wrongfully traduced.
These generous principles are to extend further; every human being
has a claim upon your kind offices. "Do good unto all." Remember it more
"especially to the household of the FAITHFUL." Finally, brethren, be ye all of
one mind; live in peace, and may the God of love and peace delight, to dwell
with and bless you. Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
BENEDICTION
May the blessings of heaven rest upon us and all regular Masons.
May brotherly love prevail, and every moral and social virtue cement us. Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
Entered Apprentice
PREPARATION OF THE CANDIDATE
When
the candidate for initiation shall have entered the preparation room, the
Secretary of the Lodge, or some other Officer or member, shall, by direction
of the W.'.M.'. repair thither, and may address him as follows:
Mr.
_____, somewhat of your motives, in applying for admission into our Ancient
and honorable fraternity, we have learned from the declarations contained in
your petition, over your signature. It now becomes my duty to recall to your
memory some of the more important promises and declarations you have made
therein, and each of which, we find, you have answered in the affirmative:
1. You have promised upon your honor, to strictly adhere to and be
governed by the Constitution and Laws of the Grand Lodge of _____, and the
By‑Laws of this Lodge.
2. You have sincerely declared, upon your honor, that,
unbiased by friends and uninfluenced by mercenary motives, you freely and
voluntarily offer yourself as a candidate for the Mysteries of Masonry.
3. You have seriously declared, upon your honor, that you are
prompted to solicit the privileges of Masonry by a favorable opinion conceived
of the institution, a desire for knowledge, and a sincere desire to be of
greater service to your fellowmen.
4. You have seriously declared, upon your honor, that you will
cheerfully conform to all the ancient established usages and customs of
Masonry.
5. You have seriously declared, upon your honor, that you
firmly believe in the existence of God; the immortality of the soul; and in
the Divine authenticity of the Holy Scriptures.
You are again reminded of these solemn declarations, because
they constitute important considerations upon which the Lodge acted, in
looking with favor, upon your request to be admitted a member among us.
8
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
In order that you may not be misled as to the character or the
purpose of the ceremonies in which you are about to engage, the Lodge
addresses to you these preliminary words of advice.
Freemasonry is far removed from all that is trivial, selfish
and ungodly. Its ceremonies are by no means of a light or trifling
character, but are of profound significance and deep solemnity. They have
existed without material changes from remote antiquity. Its structure rests
upon the indestructible foundation of the Father‑hood of God, the Brotherhood
of Man, and the Immortality of the Soul.
Our ancient and honorable fraternity welcomes to its doors, and
admits to its privileges, worthy men of all faiths and creeds who possess the
indispensable qualifications. Freemasonry is, in one of its major aspects, a
beautiful and profound system of morality, veiled in allegories and
illustrated by symbols. Its grand purposes are, to diffuse light; to banish
ignorance; to promote peace and happiness among mankind; to relieve distress;
to protect the widows and orphans of our brethren; to inculcate a wider
knowledge concerning the existence of the Grand Architect of the Universe, and
of the arts and sciences connected with His Divine laws. In fine, the design
is to make its members wiser, freer, better and consequently happier men.
These purposes are accomplished by means of a series of moral
instructions taught, according to ancient usage, by allegories, symbols,
types, figures and lectures.
With this brief and general explanation is it still your desire to
proceed?
If the candidate answers in the affirmative, then continue:
As a preparation for the mystic rites into which you are about
to enter, you will now be asked to divest your
ENTERED APPRENTICE 9
mind and conscience of all mental prejudices and superfluities
incident to a material or worldly life; and to re‑member that selfish aims and
vanities, if present, are not in keeping with the reverential spirit which a
true seeker of Divine Light and Wisdom must manifest when he enters upon the
path of true initiation. I will now leave you in the hands of true and trusty
brethren, who will attend to your further preparation and see that you proceed
as all others have done who have gone this way before.
SECTION 1

The
ceremonies as taught in this section not only serve as marks of distinction,
but communicate useful and interesting knowledge, when they are thoroughly
investigated and understood. It is, of course, impracticable, and inexpedient,
in a monitorial work, to give a full explanation of the various symbols and
ceremonies of our important rites; but an allusion, even in the most general
terms, to the most important ones, in the order in which they occur, will be
sufficient to lead the observant and contemplative Mason to make further
examination into their more concealed and important import.
10
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
11

THE
PRAYER USED AT THE INITIATION OF A CANDIDATE
Vouchsafe Thine aid, Almighty Father of the Universe, to this our present
convention; and grant that this candidate for Masonry may dedicate and devote
his life to Thy service, and become a true and faithful brother among us.
Endue him with a competency of Thy divine wisdom that by the secrets of our
art he may better be enabled to display the beauties of godliness* to the
honor of Thy Holy Name. Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
* * * * * *
The
word "godliness" has been reinstated in this prayer for the word "holiness'
which was substituted for it by Cross, and was therefore a modern innovation.
Preston uses the word as restored. It is said that the prayer at initiation is
one of very ancient usage and in its corrected form was used by the "Ancient"
or "York Masons," but omitted by the Moderns.
ENTERED APPRENTICE 11

CIRCUMAMBULATION:
The
following passage of Scripture will be read during the ceremony, beginning
immediately after passing the South on first circuit:
12 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
♪
"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 garment:
♪
"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."
* * * * * *

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and the
earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep,
and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and God said: `Let
there be light,' and there was light."
ENTERED APPRENTICE 13
* * * * *

* * *
* *
In the
course of this section the badge of a Mason is introduced and explained.
* * *
* *
*
* * 14 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
* * * * *

The Lambskin, or white leather apron, is an emblem of innocence
and the badge of a Mason; more ancient than the Golden Fleece or Roman Eagle;
more honorable than the Star and Garter, or any other order that could be
conferred, at this, or any future period, by king, prince or potentate, or any
person, except he be a Mason; and which, I trust, you will wear with equal
pleasure to yourself and honor to the Fraternity.
* *
* * *

NORTH‑EAST
* *
* * *
*
* * * * ENTERED APPRENTICE 15
DEMAND
* * *
*

* * *
*
CHARITY
THE WORKING TOOLS OF AN ENTERED APPRENTICE
* * * *

* *
* * * * * * *
This section closes with the moral explanation of the
Twenty‑four Inch Gauge and Common Gavel.
THE TWENTY‑FOUR INCH GAUGE Is an instrument made use of by
operative Masons to measure and lay out their work. But we, as Free and
Accepted Masons, are taught to make use of it for the more noble and glorious
purpose of dividing our time. It being divided into twenty‑four equal parts,
is emblematical of the twenty‑four hours of the day; which we are taught to
divide into three parts, whereby we find a portion for the service of God and
a distressed worthy brother; a portion for our usual vocations, and a portion
for refreshment and sleep.
16 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
THE
COMMON GAVEL
Is an instrument made use of by operative Masons, to break off the
rough and superfluous parts of stones, the better to fit them for the
builder’s use; but we, as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to make use of
it for the more noble and glorious purpose of divesting our minds and
consciences of all the vices and superfluities of life, thereby fitting
ourselves as living stones, for that spiritual building, that house not made
with hands, eternal in the heavens.
* * *
* *
_____
SECTION II


SECTION II
This
section rationally accounts for the ceremony of initiating a candidate into
our ancient institution, and fully explains the first section. No portion of
it can be written, but the following emblems will greatly aid the memory in
explaining said section.
The superstructure of the Temple, from a drawing more than 200
years old, by a distinguished Divine and Scientist of England, Arthur Bed
ford, M. A. Copied from his "Scripture Chronology."
* * *
* *
ENTERED APPRENTICE 19

ENTERED APPRENTICE
SECTION III

This section sets out with the definition of the Lodge, and
contains instructions relative to the form, supports, covering, furniture,
ornaments, lights and jewels of the Lodge, and how it should be situated and
to whom dedicated.
Every lawful assemblage of Masons, duly congregated for work, is
"A just and legally constituted Lodge." It is just, that is, regular and
orderly, when it contains the requisite number to form a quorum and when the
Bible, Square, and Compasses are present. It is legally constituted when it is
acting under the authority of a Warrant or Charter, emanating from the Grand
Lodge in whose jurisdiction the Lodge is situated, and signed by the grand
officers, which authorizes the persons therein named, and their successors to
meet as Masons and perform Masonic labor. As no assemblage of Masons is legal
without such an instrument, it is not only the privilege, but the duty, of
every Mason on his first visit to a strange Lodge, to demand a sight of its
Warrant or Charter; nor should any brother sit in a Lodge whose members are
unwilling to exhibit the authority on which they act.
Nearly the whole of the third section has been made monitorial.
The symbols and allegories of Freemasonry are susceptible of more than one
interpretation. An Illustrious Masonic Savant has well said, "He who would
become an accomplished Mason must not be content merely to hear, or even to
understand, the lectures; he must, aided by them, and they having as it were,
marked out the way for him, study, interpret, and develop these symbols for
himself."
* * *
* *

20

HIGHEST HILLS

LOWEST VALES
21

22
And *
* * *

The Lodge has three principal supports, which are Wisdom,
Strength, and Beauty; because it is necessary that there should be wisdom to
contrive, strength to support, and beauty to adorn, all great and important
under‑takings. Of these, the column Wisdom, situated in the East part of the
Lodge, is represented by the Worshipful Master, because it is presumed that he
has wisdom to devise labor for the craft, and superintend them during the
hours thereof. The column of Strength, in the West part of the Lodge, is
represented by the Senior Warden, be‑cause it is his duty to strengthen and
support the authority of the Master. The column of Beauty is situated in the
South part of the Lodge, and is represented by the Junior Warden, because from
his position in the South he is the first to observe the meridian sun, which
is the beauty and glory of the day; to call the craft from labor to
refreshment and to superintend them during the hours thereof; to see that none
convert the purposes of refreshment into those of intemperance or excess; and
to call them to labor again in due season, that the Worshipful Master may have
honor, and they pleasure and profit, 'thereby.

Jacob's Vision
23
THE
COVERING OF THE SYMBOLIC LODGE
The
covering of the Symbolic Lodge is no less than a clouded canopy, or
starry‑decked heavens, where all good Masons hope at last to arrive, by the
aid of the theological ladder which Jacob, in his vision, saw ascending from
earth to heaven; the three principal rungs of which are denominated Faith,
Hope, and Charity; and which admonish us to have faith in God, hope of
immortality, and charity to all mankind.
Of these, Charity is the greatest; for Faith may be lost in sight;
Hope end in fruition; but Charity extends beyond the grave, through the
boundless realms of eternity.
THE
FURNITURE OF THE LODGE
is the Holy Bible, Square and Compasses.
* * *
* *

* * * * * *
The Holy Bible is dedicated to God, because it is the inestimable
gift of God to man:
* * * * *
the Square to the Master, because it is the proper Masonic emblem
of his office; and the Compasses to the Craft, because, by due attention to
their use, they are taught to circumscribe their desires and keep their
passions within due bounds.
24 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
THE
ORNAMENTS OF THE LODGE
Are the Mosaic Pavement, the Indented Tessel, and the Blazing
Star.

The Mosaic Pavement is a representation of the ground‑floor of
King Solomon's Temple; and the Indented Tessel, of that beautiful tessellated
border or skirting which surrounded it. The Mosaic Pavement is emblematical of
human life checkered with good and evil; the beautiful border which surrounds
it is emblematical of those manifold blessings and comforts which surround us,
and which we hope to obtain by a faithful reliance on Divine Providence, which
is hieroglyphically represented by the Blazing Star in the center.
25

The Lodge has three symbolic lights; one of these is in the East,
one in the West, and one in the South. There is no light in the North, because
* * * * * * *
THE
JEWELS OF THE LODGE
There are six Jewels belonging to the Lodge, three immovable and
three movable. The Immovable Jewels are the Square, Level, and Plumb; the
Square teaches morality, the Level equality, and the Plumb rectitude of
conduct. They are termed immovable, because they be‑long at fixed stations in
the Lodge - the Square in the East, the Level in the West, and the Plumb in
the South, and are the jewels of the officers filling those respective
stations.
26
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
IMMOVABLE JEWELS

MOVABLE JEWELS


ENTERED APPRENTICE 27
MOVABLE JEWELS
The
movable Jewels are the Rough Ashlar, Perfect Ashlar, and the Trestle‑Board.
The Rough Ashlar is a stone as taken from the quarry, in its rude
and natural state. The Perfect Ashlar is a stone made ready by the hands of
the workmen, to be adjusted by the working‑tools of the Fellow‑Craft. The
Trestle‑Board is for the Master workman to draw his designs upon.
By the Rough Ashlar we are reminded of our rude and imperfect
state by nature; by the Perfect Ashlar, of that state of perfection at which
we hope to arrive by a virtuous education, our own endeavors, and the blessing
of God; and, by the Trestle‑Board, we are also reminded that, as the operative
workman erects his temporal building agreeably to the rules and designs laid
down by the Master on his Trestle‑Board, so should we, as Speculative Masons,
endeavor to erect our spiritual building agreeably to the rules and designs
laid down by the Supreme Architect of the Universe, in the great books of
nature and revelation, which are our spiritual, moral, and Masonic
Trestle‑Board.
28
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
THE
SITUATION OF THE LODGE

* * *
* * * *
The
Tabernacle established by Moses in the wilderness which became the model for
Solomon's Temple and which together with the Temple, furnished much of the
symbolic foundation for Ancient Craft Masonry.
ENTERED APPRENTICE 29

DEDICATION
Our
ancient brethren dedicated their Lodges to King Solomon, because he was our
first Most Excellent Grand Master; but modern Masons dedicate theirs to St.
John the Baptist, and St. John the Evangelist, who were two eminent patrons of
Masonry; and since their time, there is represented, in every regular and
well‑governed Lodge, a certain Point within a Circle, embordered by two
perpendicular parallel lines, representing St. John the Baptist, and St. John
the Evangelist; and upon the top rests the Holy Scriptures. The point
represents an individual
30
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
brother; the circle is the boundary line, beyond which he is never to suffer
his prejudices or passions to betray him.
In going round this circle, we necessarily touch upon these two
lines, as well as the Holy Scriptures; and while a Mason keeps himself
circumscribed within these due bounds, it is impossible that he should
materially err.
The principal tenets of our profession are three: Brotherly Love,
Relief and Truth, and are thus explained:
BROTHERLY LOVE

1. By the exercise of brotherly love, we are taught to regard the
whole human species as one family - the high and low, the rich and poor; who,
as created by one Almighty Parent, and inhabitants of the same planet, are to
aid, support and protect each other. On this principle, Masonry unites men of
every country, sect, and opinion, and conciliates true friendship among those
who might otherwise, have remained at a perpetual distance.
RELIEF

2. To relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent upon all men; but
particularly on Masons, who, are linked together by an indissoluble chain of
sincere affection. To soothe the un‑ happy, to sympathize with their Wi
misfortunes, to compassionate their miseries, and to restore peace to their
troubled minds, is the grand aim we have in view. On this basis we form our
friendshh' c and establish our connections.
ENTERED APPRENTICE 31
TRUTH

3. Truth is a divine attribute, and the foundation of
every virtue. To be good and true, is the first lesson we are taught in
Masonry. On this theme we contemplate, and by its dictates endeavor to
regulate our conduct.
Hence, while influenced by this principle, hypocrisy and deceit
are unknown among us, sincerity and plain dealing distinguish us, and the
heart and tongue join in promoting each other's welfare, and rejoicing in each
other's prosperity.
THE
MANNER OF SERVICE
Our
Ancient Brethren served their Masters * * *
THE
FOUR CARDINAL VIRTUES,
Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice are
* * *
* *
in
this manner:

Temperance is that due restraint upon our affections and passions
which renders the body tame and governable, and frees the mind from the
allurements of vice. This virtue should be the constant practice of every
Mason, as he is thereby taught to avoid excess, or the contracting of any
licentious or vicious habit, the indulgence of which might lead him to
disclose
32
some
of those valuable secrets which he has promised to conceal and never reveal,
and which would consequently subject him to the contempt and detestation of
all good Masons.
* * *
* *

Fortitude is that noble and steady purpose of the mind, whereby we
are enabled to undergo any pain, peril, or danger, when prudentially deemed
expedient. This virtue is equally distant from rashness and cowardice; and,
like the former, should be deeply impressed upon the mind of every Mason, as a
safeguard against any illegal attack that may be made, by force or otherwise,
to extort from him any of those valuable secrets with which he has been so
solemnly entrusted, and which were emblematically rep‑resented upon his first
admission into the Lodge.
* * *
* *

Prudence teaches us to regulate our lives and actions agreeably to
the dictate of reason, and is that habit by which we wisely judge, and
prudentially determine, on all things relative to our present, as well as our
future happiness. This virtue should be the peculiar characteristic of every
Mason, not only for the government of his conduct while in the Lodge, but
also when abroad in the world. It should be particularly attended to in all
strange and mixed companies, never to let fall the least sign, token, or word,
whereby the secrets of Masonry might be unlawfully obtained.
ENTERED APPRENTICE 33
* * * * *

Justice is that standard, or boundary of right, which enables us
to render to every man his just due, without distinction. This virtue is not
only consistent with Divine and human laws, but is the very cement and support
of civil society; and as justice in a great measure, constitutes the real good
man, so should it be the invariable practice of every Mason never to deviate
from the minutest principles thereof.
* * *
* *
This
closes the third section, and finishes the Degree, with the exception of the
charge, to which I now invite your attention. Please rise.
CHARGE
My
Brother: - As you are now introduced into the first principles of Masonry, I
congratulate you on your admission into this ancient and honorable Order;
ancient, as having existed from time immemorial; honorable, as tending to make
all men so, who are strictly obedient to its teachings and precepts. No
institution was ever raised on a better principle or more solid foundation;
nor were ever more excellent rules and useful maxims laid down, than are
inculcated in every Masonic degree.
There are three great duties which, as a Mason, you are charged to
inculcate - to God, your neighbor, and yourself. To God, in never mentioning
his name but with that reverential awe, which is due from a creature to his
Creator; to implore His aid in all your laudable under‑takings, and to esteem
Him as the chief good. To your neighbor, in acting upon the square, doing unto
him as you wish he should do unto you; and to yourself, in avoiding
34
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
all
irregularity and intemperance, which may impair your faculties, or debase the
dignity of your profession. A zealous attachment to these duties will insure
public and private esteem.
As a citizen, you are to be a quiet and peaceable subject, true to
your government, and just to your country; you are not to countenance
disloyalty or rebellion, but patiently submit to legal authority, and conform
with cheerfulness to the government of the country in which you live.
In your outward demeanor, be particularly careful to avoid censure
or reproach. Let no interest, favor or prejudice, bias your integrity, or
influence you to be guilty of a dishonorable action.
Your prompt attendance at our meetings, when at labor in the
Entered Apprentice Degree, is earnestly solicited; yet it is not meant that
Masonry should interfere with your necessary vocations, for these are, on no
account, to be neglected; neither are you to suffer your zeal for the
institution to lead you into argument with those who, through ignorance, may
ridicule it. At your leisure hours, that you may improve in Masonic knowledge,
you are to converse with well informed brethren, who will always be as ready
to give, as you will be to receive instruction.
Finally, keep sacred and inviolable the mysteries of the Order, as
these are to distinguish you from the rest of the community, and mark your
consequence among Masons. If, in the circle of your acquaintance, you find a
person desirous of being initiated into Masonry, be particularly attentive not
to recommend him unless you are convinced he will conform to the laws, customs
and usages of the Order; to the end, that the honor, glory, and reputation of
the Institution may be firmly established, and the world at large convinced of
its good effects.
FELLOW CRAFT 35
Fellow‑Craft's Degree

Masonry, like all other sciences, is progressive, and can only be
acquired by degrees and at intervals. When an Entered Apprentice has served
the proper time, and learned properly the Ritual of the first degree, he can,
and it is his duty (if he is a good and true Apprentice), to apply through a
member of the Lodge for the second, or Fellow‑Craft's Degree.
This application can be made orally, at a stated meeting, but
before the applicant can be balloted for, he must be examined in an Entered
Apprentice Lodge as to his proficiency in the first degree, and if (after
closing the E. A. Lodge, and calling to labor in the Master's Degree), said
examination is declared satisfactory, by the vote of the brethren present, the
Lodge will proceed to ballot upon said application.
This degree is divided into two sections, the first of which is
entirely ceremonial, and the Lecture pertaining to the same is a
recapitulation of the ceremonies used on the occasion, and should be well
understood by every member of the Lodge, and more especially, by the officers.
While it extends the plan of knowledge commenced in the first degree, it
comprehends a more extensive system of learning, and inculcates, in our
peculiar method, the most important truths of science.
36 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
SECTION I
The first Section accurately elucidates the mode of initiation
into this degree.
The Fellow Craft's degree, is particularly devoted to science. The
mind of the recipient is fixed, by the nature of its ritual, upon the wonders
of nature and of art.
The attention is particularly directed to the liberal arts and
sciences, with whose principles the candidate is charged to be‑come familiar,
that he may be enabled to occupy with honor to himself, and with profit to his
fellow‑creatures, his allotted place in the great structure of human society.

* * * * *
______
RECEPTION

* * * * *
FELLOW
CRAFT 37

CIRCUMAMBULATION
The
following passages of scripture will be read during the ceremony, beginning
immediately after passing the South on second circuit:
38
MANUAL OF THE LODGE

"Thus he shewed me; and behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by
a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand.

"And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, a
plumb line. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst
of my people Israel.

"I will not again pass by them any more."
* * * * *

* * * * *
FELLOW CRAFT 39
* * * * *

* * *
* *
THE WORKING TOOLS OF A FELLOW‑CRAFT
* * *
* *

This section closes with the moral explanation of the Plumb,
Square and Level.
The Plumb is an instrument made use of by operative Masons to
raise perpendiculars, the Square to square their work, and the Level to lay
horizontals; but we as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to make use of
them for more noble and glorious purposes; the Plumb admonishes us to walk
uprightly 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 bourne no traveler returns."
40
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
SECTION II
The
Terrestrial and Celestial Globes, the Orders of Architecture, the Human
Senses, and the Liberal Arts and Sciences are here introduced and explained,
and the learned and accomplished Mason may display his talents and skill in
their elucidation.
The Second Section * * * * and treats of Masonry under two
denominations, Operative and Speculative. It also details some interesting
features relative to the Temple of Solomon, and the usages of our Ancient
Brethren, in the course of which the mind is drawn to the contemplation of
themes of science and philosophy.
OPERATIVE MASONRY
We
work in Speculative Masonry, but our ancient brethren wrought in both
Operative and Speculative. They worked at the building of King Solomon's
Temple, and many other sacred and important edifices.
By Operative Masonry we allude to a proper application of the
useful rules of architecture, whence a structure will derive figure, strength
and beauty, and whence will result a due proportion, and a just correspondence
in all its parts. It furnishes us with dwellings and with convenient shelter
from the vicissitudes and inclemencies of the seasons; and while it displays
the effects of human wisdom, as well in the choice as in the arrangement of
the sundry materials of which an edifice is composed, it demonstrates that a
fund of science and industry is implanted in man, for the best, most salutary
and beneficent purposes.
FELLOW
CRAFT 41
SPECULATIVE MASONRY
By
Speculative Masonry we learn to subdue the passions, act upon the square, keep
a tongue of good report, maintain secrecy, and practice charity. It is so far
inter‑woven with religion as to lay us under obligations to pay that rational
homage to the Deity, which at once constitutes our duty and our happiness.
It leads the contemplative to view, with reverence and admiration,
the glorious works of creation, and in‑spires him with the most exalted ideas
of the perfection of his Divine Creator. In six days God created the heavens
and the earth, and rested upon the seventh day; the seventh, therefore, our
ancient brethren consecrated as a day of rest from their labors; thereby
enjoying frequent opportunities to contemplate the glorious works of the
creation, and to adore the Great Creator.
* * *
* *
_________
* * *
* *
42 MANUAL OF THE LODGE

The
symbols of Unity, Peace and Plenty are explained in connection with these
pillars.
THE
PILLARS OF THE PORCH

The
Winding Stairs
FELLOW CRAFT 43
THE
GLOBES
* * *
*
two artificial spherical bodies
* * *
*,
upon the convex surfaces of which were delineated the countries, seas, and
various portions of the earth's surface; the face of the heavens, the
planetary revolutions, fixed stars, and other particulars.
* * *
* *
THE
USE OF THE GLOBES
Their
principal use, besides serving as maps to distinguish the outward parts of the
earth, and the situation of the fixed stars, was to illustrate and explain the
phenomena arising from the annual revolution and the diurnal rotation of the
earth around its own axis. They are the noblest instruments for improving the
mind, and giving it the most distinct idea of any problem or proposition, as
well as enabling it to solve the same. Contemplating these bodies, we are
inspired with a due reverence for the Deity and his works, and are induced to
encourage the studies of Geometry, Astronomy, Geography, and Navigation, and
the arts and sciences dependent upon them, through which a more extensive
knowledge of the mysteries of nature, and of the laws which govern the
universe may be obtained; and by which, throughout many ages, the initiated
have been so greatly benefited.
The five orders of Architecture next require attention.
By order in Architecture is meant a system of all the members,
proportions and ornaments of columns and pilasters; or, it is a regular
arrangement of the projecting parts of a building, which, united with those of
a column, form a beautiful, perfect and complete whole.
From the first formation of society, order in architecture may be
traced. When the rigor of the seasons first obliged man to contrive shelter
from the inclemency of the weather, we learn that they planted trees on end,
and
44
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
then laid others across to support a covering. The bands which
connected those trees at the top and bottom are said to have given rise to the
idea of the base and capital of pillars; and from this simple hint, originally
proceeded the more improved art of architecture.
* * *
* *
THE
FIVE ORDERS OF ARCHITECTURE
Are the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite.
THE
TUSCAN

Is the most simple and solid of the five orders. It was invented
in Tuscany, whence it derives its name. Its column is seven diameters high,
and its capital, base and entablature have but few mouldings. The simplicity
of the construction of this column renders it eligible where ornament would be
superfluous.
THE
DORIC

Which is plain and natural, is the most ancient, and was invented
by the Greeks. Its column is eight diameters high, and has seldom any
ornaments on base ors capital, except mouldings; though the frieze is
distinguished by triglyphs and metopes, and triglyphs compose the ornaments of
the frieze. The solid composition of this order gives it preference in
structures where strength and noble simplicity are chiefly required.
The Doric is the best proportioned of all the orders. The several
parts of which it is composed are founded on the natural position of solid
bodies. In its first invention it was more simple than in its present state.
FELLOW
CRAFT 45
In after times, when it began to be adorned, it gained the name of
Doric; for when it was constructed in its primitive and simple form, the name
of Tuscan was conferred on it. Hence the Tuscan precedes the Doric in rank, on
account of its resemblance to that pillar in its original state.
THE
IONIC

Bears a kind of mean proportion between the more solid and
delicate orders.
Its column is nine diameters high; its capital is adorned with
volutes, and its cornices have dentils. There are both delicacy and ingenuity
displayed in this pillar, the invention of which is attributed to the Ionians,
as the famous temple of Diana, at Ephesus, was of this order. It is said to
have been formed after the model of an agreeable young woman of elegant shape,
dressed in her hair, in contrast to the Doric order, which was formed after
that of a strong, robust man.
THE
CORINTHIAN

The
richest of the five orders, is deemed a masterpiece of art. Its column is ten
diameters high, and its capital is adorned with two rows of leaves and eight
volutes, which sustain the abacus. The frieze is ornamented with curious
devices, the cornice with dentils and modillions. This order is used in
stately and superb structures. It was invented at Corinth by Callimachus, who
is said to have taken the hint of the capital of this pillar from the
following
46
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
remarkable circumstances: Accidentally passing by the tomb of a
young child of Patrician blood, he perceived a basket of toys, covered with a
tile, placed over an acanthus root, it having been left there by its nurse. As
the branches grew up, they compassed the basket, till, arriving at the tile,
they met with an obstruction and bent downward. Callimachus, struck with the
object, set about imitating the figure; the base of the capital he made to
represent the basket; the abacus the tile; and the volutes the bending leaves.
THE
COMPOSITE
Is
compounded of the other orders, and was contrived by the Romans. Its capital
has the two rows of leaves of the Corinthian and the volutes of the Ionic. Its
column has the quarter-round, as the Tuscan and Doric order; is ten diameters
high, and its cornice has denticles, or simple modillions. This pillar is
generally found in buildings where strength, elegance, and beauty are
displayed.
OF THE
INVENTION OF ORDER IN ARCHITECTURE
The ancient and original orders of Architecture, revered by
Masons, are no more than three, the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian, which were
invented by the Greeks. To these the Romans have added two; the Tuscan, which
they made plainer than the Doric; and the Composite, which was more
ornamental, if not more beautiful, than the Corinthian. The first three orders
alone, however, show invention and particular character, and essentially
differ from each other: the two others have nothing but what is borrowed, and
differ only accidentally: the Tuscan
FELLOW
CRAFT 47
is the
Doric in its earliest state; and the Composite is the Corinthian enriched with
the Ionic. To the Greeks, therefore, and not to the Romans, we are indebted
for what is great, judicious and distinct in architecture.

* * *
* *
THE
FIVE HUMAN SENSES
Are
Hearing, Seeing, Feeling, Smelling, and Tasting (and are next in order for
explanation):
HEARING

Is that sense by which we distinguish sounds, and are capable of
enjoying all the agreeable charms of music. By it, we are enabled to en‑joy
the pleasures of society, and reciprocally to communicate to each other our
thoughts and intentions, our purposes and desires; and thus our reason is
capable of exerting its
48 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
utmost power and energy. The wise and beneficent Author of Nature
intended, by the formation of this sense, that we should be social creatures,
and receive the greatest and most important part of our knowledge by
inter‑course with each other. For these purposes we are endowed with hearing,
that, by a proper exertion of our rational powers, our happiness may be
complete.
SEEING

Is
that sense by which we distinguish objects, and in an instant of time, without
change of place or situation, view armies in battle array, figures of the most
stately structures and all the agreeable variety displayed in the landscape of
Nature. By this sense, we find our way on the pathless ocean, traverse the
globe of earth, determine its figure and dimensions, and delineate any region
or quarter of it. By it we measure the planetary orbs, and make new
discoveries in the sphere of the fixed stars. Nay, more; by it we perceive the
tempers and dispositions, the passions and affections of our fellow creatures,
when they wish most to conceal them; so that, though the tongue may be taught
to lie and dissemble, the countenance would display the hypocrisy to the
discerning eye. In fine, the rays of light which minister to this sense are
the most astonishing part of the animated creation, and render the eye a
peculiar object of admiration. Of all the faculties, sight is the noblest. The
structure of the eye, and its appurtenances, evince the admirable contrivance
of Nature for performing all its various external and internal motions; while
the variety displayed in the eyes of different animals, suited to their
several ways of life, clearly demonstrates this organ to be the master‑piece
of Nature's work.
FELLOW CRAFT 49
FEELING

Is
that sense by which we distinguish the different qualities of bodies, such as
heat and cold, hardness and soft‑ ness, roughness and smoothness, figure,
solidity, motion and extension; all of which, by means of certain
corresponding sensations of touch, are presented to the mind as real external
qualities, and the conception or belief of them invariably connected with
these corresponding sensations by an original principle of human nature, which
far transcends our inquiry. All our knowledge beyond our original perception
is obtained by experience. The constancy of nature's laws connects the sign
with the signified, and we rely on the continuance of that connection which
experience hath discovered.
SMELLING

Is that sense by which we distinguish odors, the various kinds of
which convey different im‑ pressions to the mind. Animal and vegetable t,.i
_ bodies, and indeed most other bodies, while ex‑ posed to air,
continually send forth effluvia of vast subtlety, as well in the state of life
and growth, as in the state of fermentation and putrefaction. These effluvia,
being drawn into the nostrils along with the air, are the means by which all
bodies are smelled. Hence it is evident that there is a manifest appearance of
design in the great Creator's having planted the organ of smell in the inside
of that canal, through which the air continually passes in respiration.
TASTING

Enables us to make a proper distinction in the choice of our food. The organ
of this sense guards the entrance of
50
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
the
alimentary canal, as that of smell guards the entrance of the canal for
respiration. From the situation of both these organs, it is plain that they
are intended by Nature to distinguish wholesome food from that which is
nauseous. Everything that enters into the stomach must undergo the scrutiny of
tasting; and by it we are capable of discerning the changes which the same
body undergoes in the different compositions of art, cookery, chemistry,
pharmacy, etc.
Smelling and Tasting are inseparably connected, and it is by the
unnatural kind of life men commonly lead in society that these senses are
rendered less fit to perform their natural offices. Each of the senses of the
body is directly connected with the human mind, and they are the essential
instrumentalities through which the immortal spirit contacts the outer world.
By anatomical dissection and observation, we become acquainted with the body
and its functions; but it is by the anatomy of the mind alone, we discover its
powers and principles. To sum up the whole of this transcendent measure of
God's bounty to man, we shall add, that memory, imagination, reasoning, moral
perception, and all the active powers of the soul, including its senses,
present a vast and boundless field for study and investigation, and are
peculiar mysteries, known only to nature and nature's God, to Whom we are all
indebted for creation, preservation and every blessing we enjoy.
Of the five senses, three are principally revered by Masons,
namely: Hearing, Seeing, and Feeling.
* * *
* * *
FELLOW
CRAFT 51
THE
SEVEN LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES
Are
Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music and Astronomy. The fifth
of these sciences, Geometry, is deemed principally essential in Masonry. (The
seven liberal arts and sciences are illustrated in this section as follows):
GRAMMAR
Teaches the proper arrangement of words, according to the idiom or dialect of
any particular people, and that excellency of pronunciation which enables us
to speak or write a language with accuracy, agreeably to reason and correct
usage.
RHETORIC
Teaches us to speak copiously and fluently on any subject, not merely with
propriety alone, but with all the advantages of force and elegance, wisely
contriving to captivate the hearer by strength of argument and beauty of
expression, whether it be to entreat, exhort, admonish or applaud.
LOGIC
Teaches us to guide our reason discretionally in the general knowledge of
things, and directs our inquiries after truth. It consists of a regular train
of argument, whence we infer, deduce, and conclude, according to certain
premises laid down, admitted or granted; and in it are employed the faculties
of conceiving, judging, reasoning, and disposing; all of which are naturally
led on from one gradation to another, until the point in question is finally
determined.
ARITHMETIC
Teaches the powers and properties of numbers, which are variously effected, by
letters, tables, figures and instruments. By this art, reasons and
demonstrations are
52
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
given for finding out any certain number whose relation or
affinity to another is already known or discovered.
GEOMETRY
This science treats of the powers and properties of magnitudes in
general, where length, breadth, and thickness are considered, from a point to
a line, from a line to a superfices, and from a superfices to a solid.
A point is a dimensionless figure; or an indivisible part of
space.
A line is a point continued, and a figure of one capacity, namely,
length.
A superfices is a figure of two dimensions, namely, length and
breadth.
A solid is a figure of three dimensions, namely, length, breadth
and thickness.
THE MORAL ADVANTAGES OF GEOMETRY
By
this science, the architect is enabled to construct his plans, and execute his
designs; the general to arrange his soldiers; the engineer to mark out ground
for encampments; the geographer to give us the dimensions of the world, and
all things therein contained; to delineate the extent of the seas, and specify
the divisions of empires, kingdoms and provinces; by it, also, the astronomer
is enabled to make his observations, and to fix the duration of times and
seasons, years and cycles. In fine, geometry is the foundation of
architecture, and the root of mathematics.
MUSIC
Teaches us the art of forming concords, so as to compose delightful harmony,
by a mathematical and proportional arrangement of acute, grave and mixed
sounds. This
FELLOW
CRAFT 53
art by
a series of experiments, is reduced to a demonstrative science, with respect
to tones, and intervals of sound. It inquires into the nature of concords,
discords, and enables us to find out the proportion between them by numbers.
ASTRONOMY
Is
that divine art, by which we are taught to read the wisdom, strength and
beauty of the Almighty Creator in those sacred pages, the celestial
hemisphere. Assisted by astronomy, we can observe the motions, measure the
distances, comprehend the magnitudes, and calculate the periods and eclipses
of the heavenly bodies. By it we learn the use of the globes, the system of
the world, and the preliminary laws of nature. While we are employed in the
study of this science, we must perceive unparalleled instances of wisdom and
goodness, and through the whole creation, trace the glorious Author by His
works.
54
MANUAL OF THE LODGE

EMBLEM
OF PLENTY
* *
* * * * *

* *
* * * * *
55

* *
* * * * *
56
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
THE
MORAL ADVANTAGES OF GEOMETRY
From
this theme we proceed to illustrate the moral ad‑vantages of Geometry, a
subject on which the following observations may not be unacceptable.
Geometry, the first and noblest of sciences, is the basis on which the
superstructure of Freemasonry is erected. By Geometry we may curiously trace
nature, through her various windings, to her most concealed recesses. By it we
discover the power, wisdom and goodness of the Grand Artificer of the
Universe, and view with delight the proportions which connect this vast
machine. By it we discover how the planets move in their different orbits, and
demonstrate their various revolutions.
By it we account for the return of seasons, and the variety of
scenes which each season displays to the discerning eye.
Numberless worlds are around us (all framed by the same Divine
Artist), which roll through the vast expanse, and all are conducted by the
same unerring laws of nature.
A survey of nature, and the observation of her beautiful
proportions, first determined man to imitate the divine plan, and study
symmetry and order. This gave rise to Societies, and birth to every useful
art. The architect began to design, and the plans which he laid down, being
improved by experience and time, have produced works which are the admiration
of every age.
The lapse of time, the ruthless hand of ignorance, and the
devastations of war, have laid waste and destroyed many valuable monuments of
antiquity, on which the utmost exertions of human genius have been employed.
Even the Temple of Solomon, so spacious and magnificent, and. constructed by
so many celebrated artists, escaped not the unsparing ravages of barbarous
force.
FELLOW
CRAFT 57
Freemasonry, notwithstanding, has still survived. The attentive
ear receives the sound from the instructive tongue, and the sacred mysteries
are safely lodged in the repository of faithful breasts.
Tools and implements of architecture, symbols the most expressive!
are selected by the Fraternity, to imprint on the memory wise and serious
truths; and thus, through a succession of ages, are transmitted, unimpaired,
the excellent tenets of our institution.
*
* * * * *

* * * * *

______________
* *
* * * * *
CORN,
WINE AND OIL
* * *
* * *
This closes the second section, and finishes the Degree, with the
exception of the charge, to which I now invite your attention. Please rise.
CHARGE
TO THE CANDIDATE
My
Brother:
Being passed to the degree of Fellow‑Craft, permit me, in the name
of the brethren, to congratulate you on your preferment. The internal and not
the external qualifications of a man are what Masonry regards. As you increase
in knowledge you will improve in social intercourse
58
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
It is unnecessary to recapitulate the duties which, as a
Fellow‑Craft, you are bound to perform, or to enlarge on the importance of
strict adherence to them, as your own experience and examination will convince
you of their value.
Our laws and regulations you are strenuously to sup‑port, and be
always ready to assist in seeing them duly executed. You are not to palliate
or aggravate the offenses of your brethren; but, in the decision of every
trespass against our rules you are to judge with candor, admonish with
friendship and reprehend with justice.
The study of the liberal arts and sciences, that valuable branch
of education which tends so effectually to polish and adorn the mind, is
earnestly recommended to your careful consideration; especially the science of
Geometry, which is established as the basis of our art.
Geometry, or Masonry (originally synonymous terms), being of a
divine and moral nature, is enriched with the most useful knowledge; while it
proves the wonderful properties of nature, it demonstrates the more important
truths of morality.
Your past behavior, and regular deportment, have merited the honor
which we have conferred; and in your present character it is expected that you
will conform to the principles of the order, by steadily persevering in the
study and practice of every commendable virtue. Such is the nature of your
engagement as a Fellow‑Craft, and to these duties you are bound by the most
sacred and solemn ties.
MASTER
MASON 59
Master
Mason
Freemasonry, as before stated, is progressive, and a knowledge of its
philosophy and teachings can only be acquired by time, patience, perseverance
and close application.
In the first degree, we are taught the duties we owe to God, our
neighbor and ourselves.
In the second, we are more thoroughly inducted into the mysteries
of moral science and learn to trace the goodness and majesty of the Creator,
by minutely analyzing His works.
But the third degree cements the whole, and is calculated to bind
men together by mystic ties of fellowship, as in a bond of fraternal affection
and brotherly love.
It is among brethren of this degree that the Ancient Land‑marks of
the Order are preserved, and it is from them the rulers of the Craft are
selected. It is in a Master's Lodge that all business of a legislative
character is transacted and all balloting takes place.
The candidate, after serving his proper time as a Fellow‑Craft,
orally applies for the Master's degree; and, after being examined in a
Fellow‑Craft's Lodge, as to his proficiency, a Master's Lodge is then called
to labor (it being a stated meeting), and if the Lodge approves his
examination, a ballot is taken upon his application for the third degree; and
if elected, and there be no objection, he is prepared for his introduction
into the first section of the Master's Degree. The conferring of the degree
may be postponed to a subsequent called meeting, if desired.
This Degree is divided into three sections.
SECTION I

* *
* * *
60
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
RECEPTION

* *
* *

MASTER
MASON 61
CIRCUMAMBULATION
The
following passages of Scripture will be read during the ceremony beginning
immediately after passing the South on first circuit:

"Remember now thy Creator in the days
of thy youth, while the evil days come not,

"Nor the years draw nigh, when thou
shalt say I have no pleasure in them; while the sun or the light, or the moon,
or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain;

"In the day when the keepers of the
house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves,

"And the grinders cease, because they
are few; and those that look out of the windows be darkened, and the doors
shall be shut in the streets,

"When the sound of the grinding is low;
and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music
shall be brought low.

"Also, when they shall be afraid of
that which is high, and fears shall be in the way,
II
62 MANUAL OF THE LODGE

"And the almond tree shall flourish,
and the grass‑hopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail;

"Because man goeth to his long home,
and the mourners go about the streets; or ever the silver cord be loosed, or
the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the
wheel broken at the cistern.

"Then shall the dust return to the
earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it" -
Ecclesiastes 12:1‑7.
* *
* * *

MASTER
MASON 63

* * *
* *
THE
WORKING TOOLS OF A MASTER MASON
* * *
* * *

* * *
* *
This section closes with the moral explanation of the Trowel.
The trowel is an instrument made use of by operative Masons to
spread the cement which unites a building in one common mass; but we, as Free
and Accepted Masons, are taught to make use of it for the more noble and
glorious purpose of spreading the cement of brotherly love and affection; that
cement which unites us into one sacred band, or society of friends and
brothers, among whom no contention should ever exist, but that noble
contention, or rather emulation, of who can best work and best agree.
64 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
SECTION II
This section, like the first, is altogether ceremonial and recites
a legend of the utmost importance to the Order; and should be well understood
by all, and forcibly and impressively illustrated at the raising of every
Candidate. The legend of the Third Degree has been considered of so much
importance that it has been preserved in the symbolism of every Masonic rite.
It embodies the symbolic lesson of life, death and immortality.
No matter what modifications or alterations the general system may
have suffered - no matter how much the ingenuity or the imagination of the
founders of rites may have perverted or corrupted other symbols, abolishing
the old, and substituting new ones - the legend of the Temple Builder has
ever been left untouched, to present itself in all the integrity of its
ancient mythical form.
* * *
* * *

* * *
* * *
MASTER MASON 65

* * *
* * *
66

67

68
MANUAL OF THE LODGE

MASTER
MASON 69

* * *
* * *
The following prayer is offered just before the candidate is
raised:
PRAYER
Thou,
0 God, knowest our downsitting and our up‑rising, and understandest our
thoughts afar off. Shield and defend us from the evil intentions of our
enemies, and support us under the trials and afflictions we are des‑tined to
endure while traveling through this vale of tears. Man that is born of a woman
is of few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth as a flower and is cut
down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. Seeing his days are
determined, the number of his months are with Thee; Thou hast appointed his
bounds that he cannot
70
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
pass;
turn from him that he may rest till he shall accomplish his day.
For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will
sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. But man dieth
and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters
fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up, so man lieth down and
riseth not up till the heavens shall be no more. Yet, 0 Lord! have compassion
on the children of Thy creation; administer them comfort in time of trouble,
and save them with an everlasting salvation! Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
* * *
* * *

* * *
* * *
MASTER
MASON 71

SECTION III
The Third Section furnishes many details in relation to the
building of the Temple, and concludes with an explanation of the
hieroglyphical emblems of the Degree. Nearly all of this Section is
monitorial.
The third section sets out -
* * *
* * *
72

* * *
* * *

* * *
* * *

* * *
* * *
(MASTER’S CARPET)
* * *
* * *
74
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
75

The three steps usually delineated upon the Master's carpet are
emblematical of the three principal stages of human life, namely: Youth,
Manhood, and Age.
In Youth, as Entered Apprentices, we ought to occupy our minds in
the attainment of useful knowledge; in man‑hood, as Fellow‑Crafts, we should
apply our knowledge to the discharge of our duties to God, our neighbor, and
ourselves so that, in Age, as Master Masons, we may enjoy the happy reflection
consequent upon a well‑spent life, and die in the hope of a glorious
immortality.
MASTER MASON 75
THE
POT OF INCENSE

Is an
emblem of a pure heart, which is always an accept‑able sacrifice to the Deity;
and, as this glows with fervent heat, so should our hearts continually glow
with gratitude to the great beneficent Author of our existence for the
manifold blessings and comforts we enjoy.
THE
BEE HIVE

76
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
Is an emblem of industry, and recommends the practice of that
virtue to all created beings, from the highest seraph in the heavens to the
lowest reptile of the dust. It teaches us that, as we came into the world
endowed as rational and intelligent beings, so we should ever be industrious
ones; never sitting down contented while our fellow creatures around us are in
want, when it is in our power to relieve them, without inconvenience to
ourselves.
When we take a survey of nature, we view man in his infancy more
helpless and indigent than the brute creation; he lies languishing for days,
months and years, totally incapable of providing sustenance for himself, or
guarding against the attack of the wild beasts of the field, or sheltering
himself from the inclemencies of the weather.
It might have pleased the great Creator of heaven and earth to
have made man independent of all other beings; but, as dependence is one of
the strongest bonds of society, mankind were made dependent upon each other
for protection and security, as they thereby enjoy better opportunities of
fulfilling the duties of reciprocal love and friendship. Thus was man formed
for social and active life; the noblest part of the work of God; and he that
will so demean himself as not to be endeavoring to add to the common stock of
knowledge and understanding, may be deemed a drone in the hive of nature, a
useless member of society, and unworthy of our protection as Masons
MASTER
MASON 77
THE
BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS, GUARDED BY
THE
TILER'S SWORD

Reminds us that we should be ever watchful and guarded in our thoughts, words
and actions, particularly when be‑fore the enemies of Masonry; ever bearing in
remembrance those truly Masonic virtues, silence and circumspection.
THE
SWORD POINTING TO A NAKED HEART

Demonstrates that justice will sooner or later overtake us; and although our
thoughts, words and actions may be hidden from the eyes of man, yet that
78
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
ALL‑SEEING EYE

Whom the sun, moon and stars obey, and under whose watchful care
even comets perform their stupendous revolutions, pervades the inmost recesses
of the human heart, and will reward us according to our merits.
MASTER
MASON 79
THE
ANCHOR AND ARK

Are emblems of a well‑grounded hope, and a well‑spent life. They
are emblematical of that divine ark which safely wafts us over this
tempestuous sea of troubles, and that anchor which shall safely moor us in a
peaceful harbor, where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary shall
find rest.
THE
FORTY‑SEVENTH PROBLEM OF EUCLID

This was an invention of the ancient philosopher, the Great
Pythagoras, who, in his travels through Asia, Africa, and Europe, was
initiated in several orders of Priest‑hood, and is said to have been raised to
the sublime de‑
80 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
gree of Master Mason. This wise philosopher enriched his mind
abundantly in a general knowledge of things, and more especially in Geometry
or Masonry. On this subject he drew out many problems and theorems and among
the most distinguished he erected this, when, in the joy of his heart, he
exclaimed, "Eureka," in the Grecian language, signifying "I have found it:"
and upon the discovery of which he is said to have sacrificed a hecatomb. It
teaches Masons to be general lovers of the arts and sciences.
THE
HOUR GLASS

Is an emblem of human life. Behold! how swiftly and rapidly our
lives are drawing to a close. We cannot, without astonishment, behold the
little particles, which are contained in this machine, how they pass away
almost imperceptibly, and yet, to our surprise, in the short space of an hour,
they are all exhausted. Thus wastes man! today he puts forth the tender leaves
of hope; tomorrow, blossoms and bears his blushing honors thick upon him; the
next day comes a frost, which nips the shoot, and when he thinks his greatness
is still aspiring, he falls, like autumn leaves, to enrich our mother earth.
THE
SCYTHE

Is an
emblem of time, which cuts the brittle thread of life and launches us into
eternity. Behold! what havoc the scythe of Time makes among the human race;
if, by chance, we should escape the numerous evils incident to childhood and
youth, and with health and vigor arrive to the years of manhood ; yet, withal,
we must soon be cut down by the all‑devouring scythe of Time, and be gathered
into the land where our fathers have gone before us.
MASTER
MASON 81
The last class of emblems are not monitorial, and therefore their
true interpretation can only be obtained within the tiled recesses of the
Lodge. They consist of the Setting Maul, the Spade, the Coffin, and the Sprig
of Evergreen. They afford subjects of serious and solemn reflection to the
rational and contemplative mind, and thus the lecture closes with cheering
promises of a blessed immortality beyond the grave.
THE
NINTH, OR LAST CLASS OF EMBLEMS
* *
* * * *

* * *
* * *
This closes the Third Section, and finishes the Degree, with the
exception of the charge, to which I now invite your attention. Please rise.
CHARGE
My
Brother: Your zeal for the institution of Masonry, the progress you have made
in the knowledge of its mysteries and your conformity to our regulations, have
pointed you out as a proper object of our favor and esteem.
You are bound by duty, honor and gratitude, 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 irregularities
of your less informed brethren,
82
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
and
guard them against a breach of fidelity. To preserve unsullied the reputation
of the fraternity must be your constant care.
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 vows, or betray your trust; but be true
and faithful, and imitate the example of that celebrated artist you have this
evening represented. Thus you will render yourself deserving of the honor
which we have conferred, and merit the confidence we have reposed.
ADDRESS TO A BROTHER UPON THE PRESENTATION
OF A
LAMBSKIN APRON BY THE LODGE*
My
brother, in behalf of this Lodge, I now present to you this white Lambskin
Apron. It may be, that in the coming years, upon your brow shall rest the
laurel leaves of victory; it may be that, pendant from your breast, may *The
proper time to present the apron to the initiate as a gift from the Lodge is
at the end of the Master's Degree, after the lecture has been delivered.
MANUAL
OF THE LODGE 83
hang
jewels fit to grace the diadem of some Eastern potentate.
Aye! more than these, for light, added to coming light, may enable
your ambitious feet to tread round after round of the ladder that leads to
fame, in our Mystic Order; and even the purple of our fraternity may rest upon
your honored shoulders; but never again, from mortal hands; never again, until
your enfranchised spirit shall have passed upward and inward, through the
pearly gates, can a greater honor be bestowed, or one more emblematical of
purity and innocence, than that which has been conferred upon you tonight.
This Apron, the special gift of this Lodge, is yours to wear upon
all proper occasions throughout an honorable life, and at your death, is to be
placed upon the coffin that contains your lifeless remains and with them shall
be laid beneath the silent clods of the valley.
May the pure and spotless surface of this Apron be an ever‑present
reminder of that "purity of heart and uprightness of conduct so essentially
necessary," thus keeping pure your thoughts, and inspiring nobler deeds and
greater achievements! Then, when at last, your weary feet shall have come to
the end of life's toilsome journey, and from your nerve‑less grasp, shall
drop, forever, the working tools of life, may the record of your life and
actions be as pure and spotless as this Apron now is; and when your soul,
freed fr^m earth, shall stand naked and alone before the Great White Throne,
may it be your portion to hear from Him who sits thereon, the welcome plaudit:
"Well done, thou good and faithful servant! Enter thou into the joy of thv
Lord!"
84
MASONIC CALENDAR
MASONIC CALENDAR
ANCIENT CRAFT MASONS commence their era with the creation of the world,
calling it Anno Lucis (A\L\) "in the year of light."
A\A\S\RITE, same as Ancient Craft, except the Jewish Chronology is
used, Anno Mundi (A\M\) "in the year of the world."
ROYAL ARCH MASONS date from the year the second temple was
commenced by Zerubbabel, Anno Inventionis (A\L\) "in the year of the
discovery."
ROYAL AND SELECT MASTERS date from the year in which the Temple of
Solomon was completed, Anno Depositionis (A\Dep\) "in the year of the
deposit."
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR commence their era with the organization of their
Order, Anno Ordinis (A\O\) "in the year of the Order."
ORDER OF HIGH PRIESTHOOD dates from the year of the Blessing of
Abraham by the High Priest Melchizedek, Anno Benefacto (A\Beo\) "in the year
of the Blessing."
_____________
RULES
FOR COMPUTING CURRENT MASONIC DATES
1.
ANCIENT CRAFT - Add 4000 years to the common era. Thus, 1935 and
4000=A\L\5935.
2.
A\A\S\RITE - Add 3760 to the common era. Thus, 1935 and 3760=A\M\.5695. After
September add another year.
3.
ROYAL ARCH - Add 530 to the common era. Thus, 1935 and 530=A\I\2465.
4.
ROYAL AND SELECT MASTERS - Add 1000 to the common era. Thus, 1935 and 1000=A\Dep\2935.
5.
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR - From the Christian era take 1118. Thus, 1118 from
1935=A\O\817.
6.
ORDER OF HIGH PRIESTHOOD - To the Christian era add 1913, the year of the
Blessing, B. C. Thus, 1935 and 1913 = A\ Beo\.3848.
CONSTITUTING A LODGE 85
Ancient Ceremonies
CONSTITUTING A NEW LODGE
With the Ceremonies of
Consecration and Dedication
_________
When a
new Lodge, created by dispensation, is set to work, the officers shall not be
installed, but shall be placed in charge of the Lodge, in accordance with the
regulations provided in Articles 253 and 254 of the Constitution and Laws of
this Grand Lodge.
When a Lodge is constituted, and set to work under a charter for
the first time, the preliminary steps shall be as follows: A special meeting
shall be called by the designated Master, on the date fixed by the Grand
Master, or his duly authorized representative, and a Master's Lodge is opened
by the Grand Master or his proxy. He will ascertain if the Past Master's
degree has been conferred upon the master‑designate; as provided, in Article
256 of the Laws of this Grand Lodge, and Edicts thereunder.
The Master's Lodge shall be called from labor to refreshment; and
the Grand Master, or his duly authorized representative, shall open a
representation of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge.
When the representation of the Grand Lodge has been opened, the
Master‑designate will rise and address the Grand Master as follows:
Most Worshipful Grand Master: A number of brethren duly instructed
in the mysteries of Masonry, having assembled together at stated periods, for
some‑time past, by virtue of a dispensation granted them for that purpose, do
now desire to be constituted into a regular Lodge, agreeably to the ancient
usages and customs of the fraternity.
Grand Master: Brethren, the Grand Lodge has granted the brethren
of this new Lodge a charter, con‑
86
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
firming them in the rights and privileges of a regularly constituted Lodge. I
request the Grand Secretary to read it.
After the charter is read, the Grand Master then says: Grand
Master: We shall now proceed according to ancient custom and usage, to
consecrate and dedicate this Lodge, and constitute the brethren into a regular
Lodge.
As a preparation for the ceremony of Consecration and Dedication,
a small model of the building, or Lodge room, shall be prepared in advance by
a skillful carpenter, and shall be placed on a small table, or pedestal, near
the altar, and covered with a white linen cloth, and the proper vessels
containing corn (wheat), wine and oil, shall be provided.
The Grand Master, attended by the Grand Officers and the Grand
Chaplain, (after calling up the Grand Lodge) form them‑selves in order around
the altar and the model of the Lodge, which is then uncovered by the Grand
Deacons. The officers of the Grand Lodge all devoutly kneel, when the Grand
Master says: Grand Master: Right Worshipful Grand Chaplain, you will lead us
in the prayer of Consecration.
Grand Chaplain: Great Architect of the Universe, Maker and Ruler
of the world, deign from Thy Celestial Temple, from realms of light and glory,
to bless us in all the purposes of our present assembly.
We humbly invoke Thee to give us, at this and all times, wisdom in
all our doings, strength of mind in all our difficulties, and beauty of
harmony in ale our communications.
Permit us, O Thou Author of light and life, great source of love
and happiness, to erect this Lodge, and now solemnly to consecrate it to the
honor of Thy glory.
"Glory be to God on high." Response by the Brethren : "As it was
in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be! - Amen! So mote it be."
CONSECRATION OF A LODGE 87
The officers will then rise, and the Grand Master will lead three
complete circuits, from left to right, around the altar and the representation
of the Lodge; upon the completion of which, the public grand honors will be
given (without words), by all present. The Grand Master will then stretch
forth his hands over the representation of the Lodge, and says: Grand Master:
"I now solemnly consecrate this Lodge, to the honor and glory of Jehovah, the
Grand Architect of the Universe." The Deputy Grand Master then hands the
vessel containing corn, to the Grand Master, who sprinkles the corn upon the
representation of the Lodge. The Grand Wardens, in turn, present the vessels
containing wine and oil to the Grand Master, who sprinkles the elements of
consecration, likewise, upon the Lodge. The Grand Master then causes the
officers to again kneel, and says: Grand Master: Right Worshipful Grand
Chaplain, you will now lead us in the prayer 1)f Dedication.
Grand Chaplain : Grant, O Lord, our God, that those who are now
about to be invested with the government of this Lodge, may be endowed with
wisdom to instruct their brethren in all their duties. May brotherly love,
relief and truth always prevail among the members of this Lodge; and may this
bond of union continue to strengthen the Lodges throughout the world.
Bless all our brethren, wherever dispersed, and grant speedy
relief to all who are either oppressed or distressed.
We affectionately commend to Thee all the members of Thy whole
family. May they increase in the knowledge of Thee, and the love of each
other.
Finally, may we finish all our work here below with Thy
approbation, then have our transition from this earthly abode to Thy Heavenly
Temple above, there to enjoy light, glory and bliss, ineffable and eternal.
"Glory be to God on High." Response by the Brethren: "As it was
in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be! - Amen! So mote it be."
88
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
The brethren rise, and under the leadership of the Grand Master,
make three circuits around the altar and the representation of the Lodge;
after which, the Grand Master again stretches forth his hands toward the altar
and the representation of the Lodge, and says: Grand Master: "To the memory of
the Holy Saints John, I solemnly dedicate this Lodge. May every brother revere
their characters, and imitate the virtues of these two eminent patrons of
Ancient Craft Masonry." "Glory be to God on high." Response by the Brethren :
"As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end! -
Amen! So mote it be." The public grand honors are again given. An appropriate
ode may be sung at this time, if available.
The representation of the Lodge is then recovered, and under the
leadership of the Grand Master, one circuit of the altar is made; the Grand
Master then strikes the representation of the Lodge one time with his gavel,
and says: Grand Master: "In the name of Jehovah, the Grand Architect of the
Universe, to Whom be all honor and glory, I do solemnly devote the Hall of
this Lodge to Freemasonry." The private Grand Honors are then given once.
Two more circuits are made, when the Grand Master strikes the
Lodge twice with his gavel, and says: Grand Master: "In the name of the Holy
Saints John, I do solemnly devote this Hall and the members of this Lodge, to
the cause of Virtue." The private Grand Honors are then twice given.
The procession then passes around the altar three times, upon the
completion of which, the Grand Master strikes the Lodge three times with his
gavel, and says:
CONSECRATION OF A LODGE 89
Grand Master : "In the name of the whole Fraternity, I do solemnly
devote this Hall, and the members of this Lodge, to the cause of Universal
Benevolence." The private Grand Honors are then thrice given.
The Grand Master then seats the Lodge, and the officers resume
their stations.
Grand Master: Worshipful Grand Marshal, you will present the
officers of the Lodge, for the purpose of installation.
Whereupon, the several officers of the Lodge will be presented,
and installed, in accordance with the ceremony set forth on page 120 of the
Manual. After the installation of the Master, the other officers will be
seated in a row to his right, until the ceremony is completed, and the
proclamation of their installation is duly made. If music is provided, an
appropriate ode or anthem may be sung, and if desired, an oration may be heard
at this time. When concluded, the Grand Master rises and constitutes the
Lodge, as follows: Grand Master: "In the name of the Most Worshipful Grand
Lodge of _____, I now constitute and form you, my good brethren, into a Lodge
of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, to be known as Lodge, No. - , A. F.
& A. M.
"From henceforth, by virtue of the power and authority in me
vested, I empower you to act as a regular Lodge, constituted in conformity to
the rites of our Order, and the Charges of our ancient and honorable
Fraternity; and may the Grand Architect of the Universe prosper, direct and
counsel you in all your doings." The representation of the Grand Lodge shall
then be closed, and the new Lodge shall resume labor, after which, the by‑laws
of the Lodge may be adopted, if prepared, and any other business authorized by
Article 257 of the laws of the Grand Lodge, may be transacted.
The meeting for the purpose of constituting a new Lodge, is a
called meeting and no business should be transacted which the laws require to
be done at a stated meeting. At the conclusion of the business before the
Lodge, it will then be duly closed.
90
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
CEREMONY AT LAYING CORNER‑STONES
Two Tilers with drawn swords; rx Tiler of the oldest Lodge,
with a drawn sword; Two Stewards of the oldest Lodge; Master Masons; Stewards;
Junior Deacons; Senior Deacons; Secretaries; Treasurers; Past Wardens; Junior
Wardens; Senior Wardens; Mark Masters; Past Masters; Royal Arch Masons;
Knights Templars; Masters of Lodges; Music; Grand Tiler with drawn sword;
Grand Stewards, with white rods; Grand Pursuivant; Members and Delegates of
the Grand Lodge in double file; Grand Treasurer and Secretary; District Deputy
Grand Masters; A Brother with a golden vessel containing Corn; Two Brethren,
with silver vessels, one containing Wine and the other Oil; Principal
Architect, with Square, Level, and Plumb; Bible, Square, and Compasses,
carried by a Master of a Lodge, supported by two Stewards; Grand Chaplain; The
Five Orders; Past Grand Wardens; Past Deputy Grand Masters; Past Grand
Masters; Grand Orator; Grand Wardens; At the time appointed, the Grand Lodge
is convened at some suitable place, approved by the Grand Master, the brethren
appearing in the insignia of the Order, with white gloves and aprons.
The Lodge is then opened in ample form, and the rules for
regulating the procession are read by the Grand Secretary. The Lodge is then
called from labor in the Lodge room, and placed in charge of the Grand
Marshal, and sets out to perform the ceremony of laying the corner‑stone in
the following order, viz.: Entered Apprentices; Fellow‑Crafts; LAYING
CORNER‑STONES 91 Deputy Grand Master; Master of the oldest Lodge, bearing
the Book of Constitutions on a Velvet Cushion; Grand Deacons, with black rods,
on a line 7 feet apart;
GRAND
MASTER.
The procession having arrived at the proper place, it will halt
and open to the right and left, facing inward, and the Grand Master and his
officers pass through and take their proper places on the platform prepared
for the occasion. An ode is then sung. The Grand Master commands silence, and
the ceremonies proceed as follows, viz.: The Grand Master says: "Right
Worshipful Grand Senior Warden: The Grand Lodge of _____ having been invited
to lay the corner‑stone of this edifice, and having assembled for that
purpose, I now order that this, the representation of the Grand Lodge of
_____, do now assist me in the performance of this work. This my will and
pleasure you will, therefore, proclaim to the Grand Junior Warden, that the
brethren and others present may have due notice thereof." The Grand Senior
Warden says: "Right Worshipful Grand Junior Warden: It is the order of the
Most Worshipful Grand Master that the corner‑stone be now laid with Masonic
honors; this you will proclaim to all present, that the occasion may be
observed with due order and solemnity." The Grand Junior Warden then says:
"The Brethren and all persons present will take notice that the Most
Worshipful Grand Master will now proceed to lay this corner‑stone in due
Masonic form. You will, therefore, observe the order and decorum be‑coming the
important and solemn ceremonies in which we are about to engage."
92
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
The Grand Master then says: "Right Worshipful Grand Treasurer: I
now order you to deposit the corn, medals and papers in the place prepared for
their reception." The principal Architect then presents the working tools to
the Grand Master, who directs the G. Marshal to present them to the Deputy G.
Master and Grand Senior and Grand Junior Wardens.
The G. M., D. G. M., and G. Wardens then descend from the
platform; the Grand Master with the Trowel, the D. G. Master with the Square,
the G. S. Warden with the Level, and the G. J. Warden with the Plumb - the G.
M. standing at the East of the stone, his Deputy on his right, the G. S.
Warden at the West, and the G. J. Warden at the South side of the stone. The
Grand Master spreads the cement, and then directs the Grand Marshal to order
the craftsmen to lower the stone by three motions.
The Public Grand Honors are then given (without words).
The Square, Level and Plumb are then applied to the stone by the
proper officers.
G. M. - Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master: What is the proper
jewel of your office? A. - The Square.
G. M. - Have you applied the Square to those parts of the stone
that should be squared? A. - I have, Most Worshipful Grand Master, and the
Craftsmen have done their duty.
G. M. - Right Worshipful Grand Senior Warden: What is the proper
jewel of your office? A. - The Level.
G. M. - Have you applied the Level to the stone? A. - I have, Most
Worshipful Grand Master, and the Craftsmen have done their duty‑.
LAYING
CORNER‑STONES 93
G. M. - Right Worshipful Grand Junior Warden: What is the proper
Jewel of your office? A. - The Plumb.
G. M. - Have you applied the Plumb to the several edges of the
stone? A. - I have, Most Worshipful Grand Master, and the Craftsmen have done
their duty.
G. M. - Having full confidence in your skill in the Royal Art, it
remains with me to finish the work.
The Grand Master then gives three knocks upon the stone and says:
"I find this foundation‑stone well formed, true and trusty, and may this
undertaking be conducted and completed by the Craftsmen, according to the
Grand Plan, in Peace, Love, and Harmony." The D. G. M. then receives from
the Grand Marshal the vessel containing Corn, and, spreads the corn upon the
stone, saying: "May the health of the workmen employed in this undertaking be
preserved to them, and the Supreme Grand Architect bless and prosper their
labors." Response : So mote it be.
The G. S. Warden then receives from the Grand Marshal the vessel
containing wine, and, pours the wine upon the stone, saying: "May plenty be
showered down upon the people of this State, and may the blessing of the
bounteous Giver of all things attend their philanthropic undertakings."
Response: So mote it be.
94
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
The G. J. Warden then receives the vessel containing Oil, and
pours the oil upon the stone, saying: "May the Supreme Ruler of the World
preserve the people in peace, and vouchsafe to them the enjoyment of every
blessing." G. M. - "May the Corn of nourishment, the Wine of refreshment, the
Oil of joy, and all the necessaries of life abound among men throughout the
world, and may the blessing of Almighty God be upon this undertaking, and may
this structure here to be erected be preserved to the latest ages, in order
that it may promote the useful purpose for which it is designed." Response :
So mote it be.
The Grand Master then presents the implements to the Architect,
saying: "To you, Brother Architect, are confided the implements of operative
Masonry, with the fullest confidence that, by your skill and taste, a fabric
shall arise which shall add new luster to your fame as a Master Builder; may
it endure for many ages, a monument of the liberality and benevolence of its
founders." Response: So mote it be.
An oration suitable to the occasion is then delivered. An ode is
sung and a prayer concludes the ceremonies. Then the Lodge returns, in the
same order as above set out, to the place from whence it came, and is closed
in due form.
BURIAL
SERVICE 95
MASONIC BURIAL SERVICE
The custom of interring the dead with some solemnity is general
among all nations - whether savage and ignorant, or civilized and enlightened.
The proper discharge of this duty insures respect to the mortal remains of a
deceased brother, whatever may have been his failings, and affords an
opportunity for the happy recollection of his virtues, giving testimony of the
estimation in which they were held. It also serves to remind those who
participate in it of their own mortality, and of the importance of being
prepared for Death, which must come upon all. The ceremonies observed on such
occasions vary in different nations and societies. Those observed by Masons
have an ancient origin, and refer to one of the most important traditions of
the Order. They are uniform throughout the Masonic World, in some general and
essential matters; and, though they differ in details, being subject to
regulation by the legislative authority of the Order, they should be uniform
in each Grand Lodge jurisdiction, and to that end The Grand Lodge of _____ has
approved the two ceremonies set out in this section, either of which may be
used by Subordinate Lodges in _____:
RULES
1. No
Mason can be interred with the formalities of the Order, or is entitled to
join the procession on such occasions, unless he has been advanced to the
third degree of Masonry.
2. The Brethren should observe uniformity in dress: black coats,
hats and pants are most appropriate. The proper Masonic clothing is white
gloves and aprons. Each brother should also wear a sprig of evergreen on the
left lapel of his coat, and black crepe around the left arm.
3. The Holy Bible, Square and Compasses should be covered with
crepe.
4. The Deacons' and Stewards' Rods should be trimmed, with a black
silk knot, or with black ribbon, at the upper end.
5. The Officers of the Lodge wear their jewels trimmed with black
crepe or black ribbon.
6. Under no circumstances should dress aprons or sashes be worn.
96
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
7. If the Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, or either of the
Grand Wardens attends any funeral procession, he will preside over and conduct
the ceremonies, unless he desires otherwise. His place in the procession is
always after the Master of the Lodge officiating. If more than one Grand
Officer attends, their place is in the order of their rank, 8. If two or more
Lodges attend, the ceremonies will be con‑ducted by the Lodge of which the
deceased was a member. In case the deceased is a stranger or sojourner, the
Master of the senior Lodge present will preside.
9. The Brethren having assembled at the Lodge Room, a Master
Mason's Lodge is opened, and the Worshipful Master states the object of the
meeting. The Ante‑Burial Service is then read (the brethren standing) ; if the
Master should deem it more appropriate, he may have it read at the church or
residence of the deceased, in which event the Lodge should at once be called
from labor and placed in charge of the Marshal, and the burial pro‑cession
formed.
10. When the Ante‑Burial Service is read at the house of the
deceased, the Master will take his station at the head of the coffin (which
may be uncovered), the Wardens at the foot, and the brethren around it. If the
service be held in a church, the Master, Wardens and brethren will place
themselves as above directed, and the service will begin immediately after the
close of the religious services.
11. When a religious ceremony is conducted over the remains,
either at the house or church, the Lodge shall not take charge, or participate
in the ceremonies, until after the duties of the minister have been concluded.
After the Lodge takes charge of the remains of the deceased brother, it shall
have entire control of the funeral ceremonies and procession until the rites
are completed and the body is laid to rest. The active pall‑bearers shall be
Master Masons. None but Master Masons must have any part in performing the
funeral rites. This includes songs as well as prayers and the Benediction. It
is highly improper to ask a minister not a Mason to perform any of these
duties, the rites are exclusively Masonic, and no profane shall participate in
them.
12. The Lodge or Lodges must march ahead of the hearse. The Lodge
in charge of the funeral will march immediately in front of the hearse.
Societies composed solely of Masons invited to take part in the procession
shall precede the Lodge and act as an escort. Societies and civic
organizations not composed entirely of Masons shall follow the family and
relatives in the line. The family and relatives shall follow immediately
behind the hearse.
13. The Lodge, after being called from labor, should proceed to
the place where it is to take charge of the remains, whether at the house,
church, funeral home, or cemetery, and there it will wait until the conclusion
of any other ceremonies before taking charge of the remains.
BURIAL SERVICE 97
THE
ANTE‑BURIAL SERVICE
Master: What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Shall
he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Response: Man walketh in a
vain shadow; he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
Master: When he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall
not descend after him.
Response: Naked he came into the world, and naked must he return.
The Master here takes in his hand a copy of the roll, which should
be carefully prepared by the Secretary before the service begins, and says:
Master : Let us live and die like the righteous, that our end may be like
His! Response: God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even
unto death! The Master then deposits the roll in the archives of the Lodge,
or hands it to the Secretary, to deposit, and says: Master: Almighty Father!
in Thy hands we leave with humble submission the soul of our deceased brother.
The brethren then give the Public Grand Honors three times with
the following words:* "The will of God is accomplished ! Amen. So mote it
be." *(The brethren give the public grand honors at funerals three times, as
follows:) 1. Cross the arms over the breast by a graceful, easy movement, the
right arm over the left, and all repeat in unison: "The will of God is
accomplished." 2. Then strike the palms of the hands gently together over the
head, looking upward, and say: "Amen." 3. Then strike the palms of the hands
gently over the thighs, bending forward and looking down, as if into the
grave, and all repeat: "So mote it be."
98
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
When this service is read at the house of the deceased, the coffin
being closed, the following, or some other suitable psalm or hymn, may be
sung: FUNERAL DIRGE 90 PSALM, L. M.
Vtamp,'L.111 .. 1 Thro' ev' ‑ ry age, e ‑ ter ‑ nal
God, ‑merlon room ..7..^m^ ‑Qrs. n owl s'L.^.Im lime arm ^ 1
/1\I^.=1L~MM. _WNW./ ~~ - r II WI/OW ~.tiAlIlIEJ ~_, im^g Thou art our
rest, our safe a ‑bode; =4^.òr‑ ‑I ~~~i1Aòis ‑ate Aril~1 4___‑‑_‑ / High
was thy throne ere heav'n was made, ' , fit/IIIII.^/l/l.1 4 Or earth thy
hum‑ble foot‑stool laid.
i╗/^N^~~‑IMPME71111‑1
I^ l:.ar‑‑..taw.no arms Long hadst Thou reigned ere time began, Or dust was
fashioned into man; And long Thy kingdom shall endure, When earth and time
shall be no more.
BURIAL
SERVICE 99
But man, weak man, is born to die, Made up of guilt and vanity;
Thy dreadful sentence, Lord, was just, "Return, ye sinners, to your dust."
Death, like an overflowing stream, Sweeps us away; our life's a dream; An
empty tale; a morning flower, Cut down and wither'd in an hour.
The Master or Chaplain will then offer one of the following
prayers:
PRAYER
"O Almighty and Eternal God! There is no number of Thy days or of
Thy mercies. Thou hast sent us into this world to serve Thee, but we wander
far from Thee in the path of error. Our life is but a span in length, and yet
tedious, because of the calamities that enclose us on every side. The days of
our pilgrimage are few and evil, our bodies frail, our passions violent and
distempered, our understandings weak, and our wills perverse. Look Thou upon
us, our Father, in mercy and pity. We adore Thy majesty, and trust like little
children to Thine infinite mercies. Give us patience to live well, and
firmness to resist evil. Give us, O Merciful Father, faith and confidence in
Thee, and enable us so to live, that, when we come to die, we may lie down in
the grave like one who composes himself to sleep, and that we may be worthy
hereafter to be remembered in the memories of man. Bless us, 0 God! Bless our
beloved Fraternity throughout the world; may we live and emulate the example
of our beloved brother; and, finally, may we in this world attain a knowledge
of Thy truth, and in the world to come, life everlasting. Amen." Response. So
mote it be.
100 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
Or this:
PRAYER
"Most glorious God! author of all good and giver of all mercy!
pour down Thy blessings upon us, and strengthen our solemn engagements with
the ties of sincere affection! May the present instance of mortality remind us
of our approaching fate, and draw our attention toward Thee, the only refuge
in time of need! that, when the awful moment shall arrive, that we are about
to quit this transitory scene, the enlivening prospect of Thy mercy may dispel
the gloom of death; and after our departure hence in peace, and in Thy favor,
may we be received into Thine everlasting kingdom, to enjoy, in union with the
souls of our departed friends, the just reward of a pious and virtuous life.
Amen." Response: So mote it be.
Should this service have been conducted in the Lodge Room, the
Lodge is now called from labor, and placed in charge of the Marshal, to repair
in procession to the house of the deceased, or wherever his body may be, to
accompany it to the place of interment. If the service has been held at the
house or church, the proces on will be reformed for this purpose. During the
marching of tin procession the strictest silence should be observed. While the
procession is moving it is under the control of the Marshal (subject to the
direction of the Worshipful Master), and he should be promptly obeyed. The
General Rules in regard to processions prescribed by the Grand Lodge, so far
as they are applicable to burials, must be observed.
The following is the order for burial processions of a subordinate
Lodge. The procession immediately precedes the hearse:
ORDER
OF PROCESSION AT A BURIAL
Tiler with drawn sword; Stewards with white rods; Musicians, if
they are Masons (otherwise they precede the Tiler); ,.a Master Masons;
Senior and Junior Deacons; Secretary and Treasurer; Senior and Junior Wardens;
Past Masters of Chartered Lodges; The Holy Writings, on a cushion covered with
black cloth, carried by the oldest member of the Lodge; Two Deacons with black
rods, supporting the Master, slightly in advance and on each side of him; The
Master; The body, with the insignia placed upon the coffin.
BURIAL
SERVICE 101
After the procession is formed, the brethren should not leave the
ranks, but keep their proper places. When it arrives at the place of
interment, the members of the Lodge form a circle around the grave, the
officers of the Lodge taking their stations at the head, and the family and
other mourners at the foot, and the burial service proceeds as follows: BURIAL
SERVICE To be conducted by the Worshipful Master, or officer officiating as
Master: "Brethren : Here we view another instance of the uncertainty of life,
and the vanity of all human pursuits. The last offices paid to the dead are
useful as lectures to the living. From them we are to derive instruction, and
we should consider every solemnity of this kind as a summons to prepare for
our approaching dissolution.
"Notwithstanding the various mementos of mortality with which we
daily meet; notwithstanding death has established its empire over all the
works of nature; yet through some unaccountable infatuation we forget that we
are born to die; we go on from one design to another, add hope to hope, and
lay out plans for the employment of many years, till we are suddenly alarmed
at the approach of Death when we least expect it, and at an hour which we
probably conclude to be the meridian of our existence.
"What are all the externals of majesty, the pride of wealth, or
charms of beauty, when nature has paid her last, just debt? Fix your eyes on
the last scene, and view life stripped of its ornaments, and exposed in its
natural poverty; you will then be convinced of the futility of these empty
delusions. In the grave, all fallacies are detected, all ranks are leveled,
and all distinctions are done away.
"While we drop the sympathetic tear over the grave of our deceased
Brother, let charity incline us to throw a veil over his foibles, whatever
they may have been, and not withhold from his memory the praise that his
virtues
102 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
may
have claimed. Suffer the infirmities of human nature to plead in his behalf.
Perfection on earth has never been attained; the wisest, as well as the best
of men, have erred.
"Let the present example excite our most serious thoughts, and
strengthen our resolutions of amendment. As life is uncertain, and all earthly
pursuits are vain, let us no longer postpone the all‑important concern of
pre‑paring for Eternity, but embrace the happy moment, while time and
opportunity offer, to provide against the great change, when all the pleasures
of this world shall cease to delight, and the reflections of a virtuous and
holy life yield the only comfort and consolation. Thus our expectations will
not be frustrated, nor we hurried, unprepared, into the presence of an allwise
and powerful Judge, to Whom the secrets of all hearts are known.
"Let us, then, while in this state of existence, sup‑port with
propriety the character of our profession as Masons, advert to the nature of
our solemn ties, and pursue with assiduity the sacred tenets of our Order.
Then, with becoming reverence, let us supplicate the Divine Grace, to insure
the favor of that Eternal Being, Whose goodness and power know no bounds;
that, when the awful moment shall arrive, be it soon or late, we may be
enabled to prosecute our journey without dread or apprehension, to that
distant country, from whose bourne no traveler returns." The following
invocations are then made: Master: May we be true and faithful; and may we
live and die in love! Response: So mote it be.
Master: May we profess what is good, and always act agreeably to
our profession! Response: So mote it be!
BURIAL
SERVICE 103
Master: May the Lord bless and prosper us; and may all our good
intentions be crowned with success! Response: So mote it be! Master: May all
the influences of our brother for good, that do survive him, be continually
expanded and increased, to bless his fellowmen; and may our Father Who is in
heaven, in His wisdom, counteract all those that tend to evil! Response: So
mote it be! Master: Glory be to God in the highest! on earth, peace! and good
will toward men! Response: So mote it be, now, from henceforth and forever
more! The coffin is then lowered into the grave: The apron is taken from the
coffin and handed to the Master. The MASTER, holding it in his hand, says:
"This white apron (or lambskin) is an emblem of innocence and the badge of a
Mason; more ancient than the Golden Fleece or Roman Eagle; more honorable than
the Star and Garter, when worthily worn." The Master drops the apron into the
grave, and continues: "This emblem I now deposit in the grave of our deceased
brother. By it we are reminded of the universal dominion of death. The arm of
friendship cannot oppose the King of Terrors, nor the charms of innocence
elude his grasp. This grave, that coffin, this circle of mourning friends,
remind us that we, too, are mortal; soon shall our bodies moulder into dust.
Then how important for us that we should know that our `Redeemer liveth, and
that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth'." The Master, holding
the sprig of evergreen in his hand, continues: "This evergreen, that once
marked the temporary resting‑place of the illustrious dead, is an emblem of
our
4
MANUAL OF THE LODGE
.ith in the immortality of the soul! By it we are reinded that we
have an immortal part within us which call survive the grave, and which shall
never, never, !ver die. Though like our brother whose remains now before us,
we shall soon be clothed in the habiliments Death, and deposited in the silent
tomb, yet, through Le mercy of God, we may confidently hope that our souls ill
bloom in eternal Spring." The Brethren then move in procession around the
grave. The òocession moves in reverse to the usual order, the lift hand is
arest to the grave. The Master, and each of the Brethren ccessively, as he
reaches the head, will throw in a sprig of 'ergreen.
The evergreen should be thrown in at the head of the grave only.
The procession should pass three times around, but if the tmber of
Brethren present be very large, or the situation of the òave render it
inconvenient, it will suffice to pass once around. bile the procession is
formed around the grave, one of the folwing hymns may be sung, or some other
appropriate hymn, with atich the Brethren are familiar:
FUNERAL DIRGE HYMN, C. M.
. L.zoomms ~~ - ~‑‑U Hark! from the tombs a dole ‑ ful sound, -
.Q I I ~ ~ =AIM I .
wz..^= __ 1 tII\~i~a ò11E ~OE ò11111111^1U Mine
ears at ‑ tend the cry pm 1m wa.‑.rimmarm. '‑ i - a LòV.C;rf
IL‑AM BURIAL SERVICE 105 ò1 'AC wr‑‑‑ ./Jl^ rimi. ma= J Ye Iiv ‑ ing
men, come view the ground, $ ‑ ‑‑ t1_ =Al= WA. 1 ^.~ r ~~ii ~=A= I wi:^n^
Where you must short ‑ ly lie.
JJ tl~‑‑ Princes, this clay must be your bed, In spite of all your
towers; The tall, the wise, the reverend head, Must lie as low as ours.
Great God, is this our certain doom? And are we still secure?
Still walking downward to the tomb, And yet prepare no more? Grant us the
power of quick'ning grace To fit our souls to fly, That when we drop this
dying flesh, We'll rise above the sky.
HYMN 8's and 7's Brethren of the Mystic Order, Bound together by a
tie, Old, and sacred, and enduring, Come and see a Craftsman die.
Breathe no formal sigh of sorrow, O'er the ashes of the dead! Only
plant the priceless symbol, Freshly blooming at his head.
When death's gavel blow shall call us Off from Labor unto Rest:
May each Brother find refreshment In the Mansions of the Blest,
106 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
After this the Public Grand Honors are given. (Masters should be
very careful to instruct the brethren as to giving these before they leave the
Lodge. They should be given together, and with much solemnity, for correct
method of executing the movements see page 97.) The Master then takes a spade,
and, throwing a small quantity of earth into the grave, says: "The dust shall
return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God Who gave
it." He then hands the spade to the Brother next to him on his left, who
throws earth into the grave in a similar manner, repeating the same words.
This should be done by every Brother present, unless the number should be
great, when it may be done only by the Officers of the Lodge and those
Brethren nearest the grave.
The Master then continues, as follows: "From time immemorial, it
has been the custom among the Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, at the
request of a brother, to accompany his corpse to the place of interment, and
there to deposit his remains with the usual formalities.
"In conformity to this usage, and in the performance of a duty we
owe to our deceased brother, whose memory we revere, and whose loss we now
deplore, we have assembled in the character of Masons, and to offer up to his
memory, before the world, this parting tribute of our affection; thereby
demonstrating the sincerity of our past esteem, and our steady attachment to
the principles of the Order.
"The great Creator having been pleased, out of His mercy, to
remove our brother from the cares and troubles of a transitory existence, to a
state of eternal duration, and thereby to weaken the chain by which we are
united man to man; may we, who survive him, anticipate our approaching fate,
and be more strongly cemented in the ties of union and friendship; that,
during the short space allotted to our present existence, we may wisely and
usefully employ our time; and, in the reciprocal inter‑course of kind and
friendly acts, mutually promote the welfare and happiness of each other.
BURIAL
SERVICE 107
"For as much as it has pleased Almighty God, in His wise
providence, to take out of this world the soul of our deceased brother, we
therefore commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust
to dust, looking for the general resurrection at the last day and the life of
the world to come, when the earth and the sea shall give up their dead." The
Master, or other Brother will then say: "Let us pray:" when the following
prayer may be offered: PRAYER "Almighty and most merciful God, in Whom we
live, and move, and have our being, and before Whom all men must appear to
render an account for the deeds done in the body, we do most earnestly beseech
Thee, as we now surround the grave of our fallen brother, to impress deeply
upon our minds the solemnities of this day. May we ever remember that `in the
midst of life we are in death,' and so live and act our several parts as we
will desire to have done when the hour of our departure is at hand.
"And oh! Gracious Father, vouchsafe us, we pray Thee, Thy Divine
assistance, to redeem our misspent time; and in the discharge of the duties
Thou hast assigned us, in the erection of our moral edifice, may we have
wisdom from on high to direct us; strength commensurate with our task to
support us; and the beauty of holiness to adorn and render our performances
acceptable to Thy sight. And, at last, when our work on earth is done, when
the mallet of Death shall call us from our labors, may we obtain a blessing
and everlasting rest in that Spiritual House not made with hands, eternal in
the Heavens." Amen.
Response: So mote it be!
108 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
The Lord's prayer shall always be said by all the Brethren as
follows:
THE
LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father, which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass
against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: For
Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Response: So mote it be! The Master will pronounce the following:
BENEDICTION
May the blessings of Heaven rest upon us and all regular Masons.
May brotherly love prevail, and every moral and social virtue cement us. Amen.
Response: So mote it be! The Grave will be closed, and the
procession is then re‑formed and moves to the Lodge Room, where the Lodge is
closed in due form.
Masonic Burial Service by NAT M. WASHER, P, G. M.
ADOPTED BY THE M\W\GRAND LODGE OF _____ DECEMBER 3d, 1930
DEDICATION
To the memory of those faithful Craftsmen, whose earthly
pilg?image ended, have joined the ranks of the silent majority and now answer
the roll call in that everlasting Temple, that house not made with hands,
eternal in the Heavens, this Burial Service is fraternally dedicated.
NAT M.
WASHER
BURIAL
SERVICE 109
The Brethren having assembled at the Lodge Room, a Master Mason's
Lodge is opened and the object of the meeting is announced. The Ante‑Burial
Service is then read or, if deemed more appropriate, it may be read at the
Church or at the residence of the deceased. The Craft is then called from
labor and placed in charge of the Marshal to be formed in funeral procession
in the following order: Tiler, with drawn sword; Stewards, with white Rods;
Master Masons; Senior and Junior Deacons; Secretary and Treasurer; a)
Senior and Junior Wardens; Past Masters; The Holy Writings; The Master; (This
procession immediately precedes the hearse.)
ANTE‑BURIAL SERVICE
Master: 0 Lord! what is man, that Thou takest knowledge of him; or the son of
man, that Thou makest account of him? Man is like unto vanity; his days are as
a shadow that passeth away. In the morning he flourisheth and groweth up; in
the evening he is cut down and withereth. Thou turnest man to contrition and
sayest: Return, ye children of men! 0 that they were wise, that they would
consider their latter end ! For when man dieth he shall carry nothing away;
his glory shall not descend after him. Mark the perfect man, and behold the
upright; for the end of that man is peace. The Lord redeemeth the souls of his
servants; and none of them that take refuge in Him shall be desolate.
Master : What man is he that liveth and shall, not see death, that
shall deliver his soul from the power of the grave? Response: Seeing his days
ale determined; the number of his months is with Thee.
Master: Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my
days, what it is; let me know how short‑lived I am.
110 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
Response: So teach us to number our days that we may get us a
heart of wisdom.
Master: How precious is thy loving kindness, 0 God; the children
of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings.
Response: For with Thee is the fountain of life; in Thy light do
we see light.
Master and Brethren together: The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not
want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the
still, waters; He restoreth my soul; He guideth me in straight paths for His
Name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I
will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort
me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou
hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the
Lord forever.
BURIAL
SERVICE
When the funeral procession arrives at the place of interment, the
Brethren assemble around the grave, the Master at the head, and the Service
proceeds as follows:
Brethren : Once again we are standing in the presence of the great Mystery we
call Death. In awe and wonderment we submit to its inexorable decree, impotent
as we are to solve its purpose or to measure its dominion. Try as we may to
pierce it, the impenetrable veil that conceals the future refuses a glimpse of
the promised paradise, while to the plaintive cry ;or knowledge of the hidden
mysteries that lie across and beyond the fabled river, there comes no answer
save the faint echo of our own weak voices as the winds of time waft them back
across the abyss that separates us from Eternity.
BURIAL
SERVICE 111
The mute lips of the dead are alike unresponsive to our appeals,
and thus, though in sadness and sorrow we bow our heads in meek submission to
the inevitable decree, yet are we strengthened by faith, buoyed by hope in the
firm belief that death liberates but does not annihilate the spirit, that
those "we loved long since but lost awhile" have only gone before and that, in
the fullness of time as we ourselves pay nature's last just debt, we shall be
reunited with them in that Elysium of Peace, that haven of rest in the great
beyond, where there is neither pain nor parting. Imbued with these sublime
thoughts, we assemble around the grave of our deceased brother today, come as
we have in response to the call of fraternal affection, to commit his mortal
body to the earth, while to the Great Creator we commend the beautiful spirit
that once dwelt therein, but which is now gathered with the faithful in glory
everlasting.
In a common sorrow we weep with those of his own beloved household
because of the personal loss that has come to them and to us in his passing.
The link is broken alike in home circle as in our own fraternal
chain, and though we weld anew the shattered ends that remain, though we tie
them securely the one to the other, there be visible signs of a separation,
tangible scars that can never be effaced save as Time, the Great Healer, may
bring a measure of forgetfulness which, while not eradicating entirely, will
serve to dim the mark, to make lighter the burden of a sorr *hat is deep,
sincere and abiding.
Contemplating these visitations and perf, solemn ceremonies at
their places of inter by one death calls another Craftsman to of the silent
majority, it becomes us to7 vanity of human pursuits - to consider anon
112 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
the illusions that beckon us to personal achievements. No mortal
was ever satisfied with his accumulation of material wealth, his acquirement
of worldly wisdom or his rise to distinguished honor in civic life, though
their possession be only temporal and their enjoyment but vanity. Day after
day, incessantly, relentlessly, we reach out to grasp the shadow whilst the
substance of real human achievement passes us by unsolicited and there‑fore
unattained. The passion for power and for pleasure leads us into the pathway
of selfishness, in the indulgence of which we forget that we are born to die -
that delight ends with the enjoyment - that duties and obligations beckon us
to unselfish service in the cause of humanity, and almost unconsciously in the
pursuit of personal desire, we stray from the narrow lane of rectitude and
wander into the broad and beaten pathway of sin.
It is such moments as these, under the spell of a tragic touch of
nature, that we pause for serious reflection, in which and through which there
comes a realization of our own unworthiness, a desire for a closer walk with
God, a truer sense of fraternity with our brethren and with all mankind, as
with upturned faces we supplicate the Divine Throne: "So teach us to number
our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Master: 0 Lord, our
strength, be attentive to our supplication.
Response : So mote it be.
Master: May we ever walk humbly before Thee and revere Thy holy
name.
Response: So mote it be.
Master: May love for our fellow man always abide in our hearts.
Response : So mote it be.
BURIAL
SERVICE 113
Master:
May wisdom guide, strength support and beauty adorn our existence.
Response : So mote it be.
Master : May we remain true and faithful to our every obligation.
Response : So mote it be.
Master: May the good deeds of our departed brother inspire us to
emulation.
Response: So mote it be.
Master: May the faults he possessed be no more remembered.
Response: So mote it be.
Master: May the Lord redeem the soul of His servant, for none of
them that trust in Him shall be condemned.
Response: So mote it be, now, henceforth and forever.
The coffin is then lowered into the grave. The apron is then taken
from the coffin and the Master holding it in his hand, says: The white apron
is an emblem of innocence and the badge of a Mason. It is more ancient in
point of usage than the later symbols of Knighthood or the decorations
conferred by royal decree upon those who may have won the favor of Sovereigns:
and when worthily worn it is, too, more honorable than any other that has been
or can be bestowed as a mark of peculiar favor or distinction by anyone, be he
himself of exalted rank or great power in his own dominion.
The Master here drops the apron into the grave and continues: This
apron we deposit in the grave of our brother as a reminder of our unity in
service, of the common
114 MANUAL OF THE LODGE
destiny that beckons us hence, of the Masonic spirit of
universality that linked us as brothers, and, although barriers of wealth,
political power or social prestige may have kept us temporarily apart, Death,
the great leveller, brings us at last to one distinction, reduces us to a
common grade, makes us to know that, born as we are into one great
brotherhood, no circumstance of chance or achievement shall serve to separate
us in Eternity.
The Master and Brethren here deposit the sprig of evergreen in the
grave after which the Master says: We drop this sprig of evergreen into the
grave, not alone because we remember that it once marked the temporary resting
place of one illustrious in the annals of Masonry, even as it now recalls to
our minds his loyal service to our beloved Order, but because of our belief
that within us there is an immortal spirit which shall survive the tomb and
which, blooming in everlasting beauty in the garden of our Father and our God,
shall never, never. never die.
Thus we may hope that when our earthly tabernacle is vacated and
our bodies, clothed in the habiliments of death, are deposited in the tomb,
our souls, rising in majesty, like those of our departed brethren, shall
blossom in Eternal Spring.
The Public Grand Honors are then given, after which the following
or some other appropriate hymn may be sung.
HYMN b 11/i\y òV/rliIlsI. ‑ä - - ‑‑ ~I - 'I 1I 1 h n
the a r toil i done, Ime BURIAL SERVICE 115 ~~11^
1(WWI, M11riI ~ W en the race o lif a run, am, ^rn ,m ò