The Mysteries of Free Masonry

Q. What does the seven steps allude to? A. The seven sabbatical years; seven years of famine; seven years In building the temple; seven golden candlesticks; seven wonders of the world; seven planets; but more especially the seven liberal arts and sciences, which are Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy; for these, and many other reasons, the number seven has ever been held in high estimation among Masons.

Q. What did you next come to? A. The outer door of the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple, which I found partly open, but closely tyled by the Junior Warden.

Q. How did you gain admission? A. By a pass, and token of a pass.

Q. What was the name of the pass? A. Shibboleth.

Q. What does it denote? A. Plenty.

Q. Why so? A. From an ear of corn being placed at the water-ford.

Q. Why was this pass instituted? A. In consequence of a quarrel which had long existed between Jephthah, Judge of Israel, and the Ephraimites, the latter of whom had long been a stubborn, rebellious people, whom Jephthah had endeavored to subdue by lenient measures, but to no effect. The Ephraimites being highly incensed against Jephthah, for not being called to fight and share in the rich spoils of the Ammonitish war, assembled a mighty army, and passed over the river Jordan to give Jephthah battle; but he, being apprised of their approach, called together the men of Israel, and gave them battle, and put them to flight; and to make his victory more complete, he ordered guards to be placed at the different passes on the banks of the river Jordan, and commanded, if the Ephraimites passed that way, that they should pronounce the word Shibboleth; but they, being of a different tribe, pronounced it Sibboleth, which trifling defect proved them spies, and cost them their lives; and there fell that day, at the different passes on the banks of the river Jordan, forty and two thousand. This word was also used by our ancient brethren to distinguish a friend from a foe, and has since been adopted as a proper pass-word, to be given before entering any well-regulated and governed Lodge of Fellow Craft Masons.

Q. What did you next discover? A. The inner door of the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple, which I found partly open, but closely tyled by the Senior Warden.

Q. How did you gain admission? A. By the grip and word.

Q. How did the Senior Warden dispose of you? A. He ordered me to be conducted to the Worshipful Master in the East, who informed me that I had been admitted into the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple for the sake of the letter G.

Q. Does it denote anything? A. It does; Deity—before whom we should all bow with reverence, worship, and adoration. It also denotes Geometry, the fifth science; it being that on which this degree was principally founded.

Thus ends the second degree of Masonry.

THE THIRD, OR MASTER MASON'S DEGREE

The traditional account of the death, several burials, and resurrection of Hiram Abiff, the widow's son (as hereafter narrated), admitted as facts, this degree is certainly very interesting. The Bible informs us that there was a person of that name employed at the building of King Solomon's Temple; but neither the Bible, the writings of Josephus, nor any other writings, however ancient, of which I have any knowledge, furnish any information respecting his death. It is very singular that a man so celebrated as Hiram Abiff was, and arbiter between Solomon, King of Israel, and Hiram, King of Tyre, universally acknowledged as the third most distinguished man then living, and in many respects, the greatest man in the world, should pass off the stage of action, in the presence of King Solomon, three thousand, three hundred grand overseers, and one hundred and fifty thousand workmen, with whom he had spent a number of years, and neither King Solomon, his bosom friend, nor any other among his numerous friends, even recorded his death, or anything about him.

A person who has received the two preceding degrees, and wishes to be raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason, is (the Lodge being opened as in the preceding degrees) conducted from the preparation room to the door (the manner of preparing him is particularly explained in the Lecture), where he gives three distinct knocks, when the Senior Warden rises and says, "Worshipful, while we are peaceably at work on the third degree of Masonry, under the influence of humanity, brotherly love, and affection, the door of our Lodge appears to be alarmed." The Master to the Junior Deacon, "Brother Junior, inquire the cause of that alarm." The Junior Deacon then steps to the door and answers the three knocks that have been given by three more (the knocks are much louder than those given on any occasion, other than that of the admission of candidates in the several degrees); one knock is then given without, and answered by one from within, when the door is partly opened, and the Junior Deacon asks, "Who comes there? Who comes there? Who comes there?" The Senior Deacon answers, "A worthy brother, who has been regularly initiated as an Entered Apprentice Mason, passed to the degree of a Fellow Craft, and now wishes for further light in Masonry, by being raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Is it of his own free will and accord he makes this request?" A. "It is." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Is he worthy and well qualified?" A. "He is." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Has he made suitable proficiency in the preceding degree?" A. "He has." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "By what further rights does he expect to obtain this benefit?" A. "By the benefit of a pass-word." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Has he a pass-word?" A. "He has not, but I have it for him." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Will you give it to me?" The Senior Deacon then whispers in the ear of the Junior Deacon, "Tubal Cain." Junior Deacon says, "The pass is right; since this is the case, you will wait till the Worshipful Master be made acquainted with his request, and his answer returned." The Junior Deacon then repairs to the Master, and gives three knocks, as at the door; after answering which, the same questions are asked and answers returned, as at the door; when the Master says, "Since he comes endued with all these necessary qualifications, let him enter this Worshipful Lodge in the name of the Lord, and take heed on what he enters." The Junior Deacon returns to the door and says, "Let him enter this Worshipful Lodge in the name of the Lord, and take heed on what he enters." In entering, both points of the Compass are pressed against his naked right and left breasts, when the Junior Deacon stops the candidate and says, "Brother, when you first entered this Lodge, you was received on the point of the Compass pressing your naked left breast, which was then explained to you; when you entered it the second time, you were received on the angle of the Square, which was also explained to you; on entering it now, you are received on the two extreme points of the Compass pressing your naked right and left breasts, which are thus explained: As the most vital points of man are contained between the two breasts, so are the most valuable tenets of Masonry contained between the two extreme points of the Compass, which are 'Virtue, Morality, and Brotherly Love.'" The Senior Deacon then conducts the candidate three times regularly around the Lodge. [I wish the reader to observe, that on this, as well as every other degree, the Junior Warden is the first of the three principal officers that the candidate passes, traveling with the Sun, when he starts around the Lodge, and as he passes the Junior Warden, Senior Warden, and Master, the first time going around, they each give one rap; the second time, two raps; and the third time, three raps. The number of raps given on those occasions are the same as the number of the degree, except the first degree, on which three are given, I always thought improperly.] During the time the candidate is traveling around the room, the Master reads the following passage of Scripture, the conductor and candidate traveling, and the Master reading, so that the traveling and reading terminates at the same time:

"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 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, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper 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 at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth, as it was; and the spirit return unto God who gave it."

The conductor and candidate halt at the Junior Warden in the South, where the same questions are asked and answers returned, as at the door; he is then conducted to the Senior Warden, where the same questions are asked and answers returned as before; from thence he is conducted to the Worshipful Master in the East, who asks the same questions and receives the same answers as before; and who likewise asks the candidate from whence he came, and whither he is traveling? Ans. "From the West, and traveling to the East." Q. "Why do you leave the West and travel to the East?" A. "In search of more light." The Master then says to the Senior Deacon, "You will please conduct the candidate back to the West, from whence he came, and put him in the care of the Senior Warden, and request him to teach the candidate how to approach the East, by advancing upon three upright regular steps to the third step, his feet forming a square, his body erect at the altar before the Worshipful Master, and place him in a proper position to take upon him the solemn oath or obligation of a Master Mason." The Master then comes to the candidate and says, "Brother, you are now placed in a proper position (the Lecture explains it) to take upon you the solemn oath or obligation of a Master Mason, which I assure you, as before, is neither to affect your religion nor politics. If you are willing to take it, repeat your name, and say after me:

"I, A. B., of my own free will and accord, in the presence of Almighty God, and this Worshipful Lodge of Master Masons erected to God, and dedicated to the Holy Order of St. John, do hereby and hereon most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, in addition to my former obligations, that I will not give the degree of a Master Mason to any one of an inferior degree, nor to any other being in the known world, except it be to a true and lawful brother, or brethren Master Masons, or within the body of a just and lawfully constituted Lodge of such; and not unto him, nor unto them, whom I shall hear so to be, but unto him and them only whom I shall find so to be, after strict trial and due examination, or lawful information received. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not give the Master's word, which I shall hereafter receive, neither in the Lodge, nor out of it, except it be on the five points of fellowship, and then not above my breath. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not give the grand hailing sign of distress, except I am in real distress, or for the benefit of the craft when at work; and should I ever see that sign given, or the word accompanying it, and the person who gave it appearing to be in distress, I will fly to his relief at the risk of my life, should there be a greater probability of saving his life than of losing my own. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not wrong this Lodge, nor a brother of this degree, to the value of one cent, knowingly, myself, nor suffer it to be done by others, if in my power to prevent it. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not be at the initiating, passing, and raising a candidate at one communication, without a regular dispensation from the Grand Lodge for the same. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not be at the initiating, passing, or raising a candidate in a clandestine Lodge, I knowing it to be such. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not be at the initiating of an old man in dotage, a young man in nonage, an atheist, irreligious libertine, idiot, madman, hermaphrodite, nor woman. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not speak evil of a brother Master Mason, neither behind his back, nor before his face, but will apprise him of all approaching danger, if in my power. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not violate the chastity of a Master Mason's wife, mother, sister, or daughter, I knowing them to be such, nor suffer it to be done by others, if in my power to prevent it. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will support the constitution of the Grand Lodge of the State of –, under which this Lodge is held, and conform to all the by-laws, rules, and regulations of this, or any other Lodge, of which I may, at any time hereafter, become a member. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will obey all regular signs, summons, or tokens given, handed, sent, or thrown to me from the hand of a brother Master Mason, or from the body of a just and lawfully constituted Lodge of such: provided it be within the length of my cable-tow. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that a Master Mason's secrets, given to me in charge as such, and I knowing them to be such, shall remain as secure and inviolable in my breast as in his own, when communicated to me, murder and treason excepted; and they left to my own election. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will go on a Master Mason's errand, whenever required, even should I have to go barefoot and bareheaded, if within the length of my cable-tow.3 Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will always remember a brother Master Mason when on my knees, offering up my devotions to Almighty God. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will be aiding and assisting all poor indigent Master Masons, their wives and orphans, wheresoever disposed 'round the globe, as far as in my power, without injuring myself or family materially. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that if any part of this my solemn oath or obligation be omitted at this time, that I will hold myself amenable thereto, whenever informed. To all which I do most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, with a fixed and steady purpose of mind in me, to keep and perform the same, binding myself under no less penalty than to have my body severed in two in the midst, and divided to the North and South, my bowels burnt to ashes in the centre, and the ashes scattered before the four winds of heaven, that there might not the least tract or trace of remembrance remain among men or Masons of so vile and perjured a wretch as I should be, were I ever to prove wilfully guilty of violating any part of this my solemn oath or obligation of a Master Mason; so help me God, and keep me steadfast in the due performance of the same."

The Master then asks the candidate, "What do you most desire?" The candidate answers after his prompter, "More light." The bandage which was tied 'round his head in the preparation room is, by one of the brethren who stands behind him for that purpose, loosened and put over both eyes, and he is immediately brought to light in the same manner as in the preceding degree, except three stamps on the floor, and three claps of the hands are given in this degree. On being brought to light, the Master says to the candidate, "You first discover, as before, three great lights in Masonry, by the assistance of three lesser, with this difference, both points of the Compass are elevated above the Square, which denotes to you that you are about to receive all the light that can be conferred on you in a Mason's Lodge." The Master steps back from the candidate and says, "Brother, you now discover me as Master of this Lodge, approaching you from the East, under the sign and due-guard of a Master Mason." The sign is given by raising both hands and arms to the elbows perpendicularly, one on either side of the head, the elbows forming a square. The words accompanying this sign in case of distress are, "O Lord, my God, is there no help for the widow's son?" As the last words drop from your lips, you let your hands fall in that manner best calculated to indicate solemnity. King Solomon is said to have made this exclamation on the receipt of the information of the death of Hiram Abiff. Masons are all charged never to give the words except in the dark, when the sign cannot be seen. Here Masons differ very much; some contend that Solomon gave this sign, and made this exclamation when informed of Hiram's death, and work accordingly in their Lodges. Others say the sign was given, and the exclamation made at the grave when Solomon went there to raise Hiram, and, of course, they work accordingly; that is to say, the Master who governs a Lodge holding the latter opinion, gives the sign, &c., at the grave, when he goes to raise the body, and vice versa. The due-guard is given by putting the right hand to the left side of the bowels, the hand open, with the thumb next to the belly, and drawing it across the belly and let it fall; this is done tolerably quick. After the Master has given the sign and due-guard, which does not take more than a minute, he says, "Brother, I now present you with my right hand in token of brotherly love and affection, and with it the pass-grip and word." The pass-grip is given by pressing the thumb between the joints of the second and third fingers, where they join the hand, and the word or name is Tubal Cain. It is the pass-word to the Master's degree. The Master, after having given the candidate the pass-grip and word, bids him rise and salute the Junior and Senior Wardens, and convince them that he is an obligated Master Mason, and is in possession of the pass-grip and word. While the Wardens are examining the candidate, the Master returns to the East and gets an apron, and as he returns to the candidate, one of the Wardens (sometimes both) says to the Master, "Worshipful, we are satisfied that Brother – is an obligated Master Mason." The Master then says to the candidate, "Brother, I now have the honor to present you with a lamb-skin, or white apron, as before, which, I hope, you will continue to wear with credit to yourself, and satisfaction and advantage to the brethren; you will please carry it to the Senior Warden in the West, who will teach you how to wear it as a Master Mason."

The Senior Warden ties on his apron, and lets the flap fall down before in its natural and common situation.

The Master returns to his seat, and the candidate is conducted to him. Master to candidate, "Brother, I perceive you are dressed; it is, of course, necessary you should have tools to work with; I will now present you with the working tools of a Master Mason, and explain their uses to you. The working tools of a Master Mason are all the implements of Masonry indiscriminately, but more especially the Trowel. The Trowel is an instrument made use of by operative Masons to spread the cement which unites a building into 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, or best agree. I also present you with three precious jewels; their names are Humanity, Friendship, and Brotherly Love. Brother, you are not yet invested with all the secrets of this degree, nor do I know whether you ever will, until I know how you withstand the amazing trials and dangers that await you. You are now about to travel to give us a specimen of your fortitude, perseverance, and fidelity, in the preservation of what you have already received; fare you well, and may the Lord be with you, and support you through your trials and difficulties." [In some Lodges they make him pray before he starts.] The candidate is then conducted out of the Lodge, clothed, and returns; as he enters the door, his conductor says to him, "Brother, we are now in a place representing the SANCTUM SANCTORUM, or HOLY OF HOLIES, of King Solomon's Temple. It was the custom of our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, every day at high twelve, when the crafts were from labor to refreshment, to enter into the sanctum sanctorum and offer up his devotions to the ever living God. Let us, in imitation of him, kneel and pray." They then kneel, and the conductor says the following prayer:

"Thou, O God, knowest our downsitting and uprising, 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 destined 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 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 flood decayeth and drieth up, so man lieth down and riseth not up till the heavens shall be no more. Yet, O Lord! have compassion on the children of Thy creation; administer unto them comfort in time of trouble, and save them with an everlasting salvation. Amen. So mote it be."

They then rise, and the conductor says to the candidate, "Brother, in further imitation of our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, let us retire at the South gate." They then advance to the Junior Warden (who represents Jubela, one of the ruffians), who exclaims, "Who comes here?" [The room is dark, or the candidate hoodwinked.] The conductor answers, "Our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff." "Our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff!" exclaims the ruffian, "he is the very man I wanted to see (seizing the candidate by the throat at the same time, and jerking him about with violence); give me the Master Mason's word, or I'll take your life." The conductor replies, "I cannot give it now, but if you will wait till the Grand Lodge assembles at Jerusalem, if you are worthy, you shall then receive it, otherwise you cannot." The ruffian then gives the candidate a blow with the twenty-four-inch gauge across the throat, on which he fled to the West gate, where he was accosted by the second ruffian, Jubelo, with more violence, and on his refusing to comply with his request, he gave him a severe blow with the Square across his breast; on which he attempted to make his escape at the East gate, where he was accosted by the third ruffian, Jubelum, with still more violence, and refusing to comply with his request, the ruffian gave him a violent blow with the common gavel on the forehead, which brought him to the floor, on which one of them exclaimed, "What shall we do, we have killed our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff?" Another answers, "Let us carry him out at the East gate and bury him in the rubbish till low twelve, and then meet and carry him a westerly course and bury him." The candidate is then taken up in a blanket, on which he fell, and carried to the West end of the Lodge, and covered up and left; by this time the Master has resumed his seat (King Solomon is supposed to arrive at the Temple at this juncture), and calls to order, and asks the Senior Warden the cause of all that confusion; the Senior Warden answers, "Our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, is missing, and there are no plans or designs laid down on the Tressle-Board for the crafts to pursue their labor." The Master, alias King Solomon, replies, "Our Grand Master missing; our Grand Master has always been very punctual in his attendance; I fear he is indisposed; assemble the crafts, and search in and about the Temple, and see if he can be found." They all shuffle about the floor a while, when the Master calls them to order, and asks the Senior Warden, "What success?" He answers, "We cannot find our Grand Master, my Lord." The Master then orders the Secretary to call the roll of workmen, and see whether any of them are missing. The Secretary calls the roll, and says, "I have called the roll, my Lord, and find that there are three missing, viz.: Jubela, Jubelo and Jubelum." His Lordship then observes, "This brings to my mind a circumstance that took place this morning—twelve Fellow Crafts, clothed in white gloves and aprons, in token of their innocence, came to me and confessed that they twelve, with three others, had conspired to extort the Master Mason's word from their Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, and in case of refusal to take his life; they twelve had recanted, but feared the other three had been base enough to carry their atrocious designs into execution." Solomon then ordered twelve Fellow Crafts to be drawn from the bands of the workmen, clothed in white aprons, in token of their Innocence, and sent three East, three West, three North, and three South, in search of the ruffians, and, if found, to bring them forward. Here the members all shuffle about the floor awhile, and fall in with a reputed traveler, and inquire of him if he had seen any traveling men that way; he tells them that he had seen three that morning near the coast of Joppa, who from their dress and appearance were Jews, and were workmen from the Temple, inquiring for a passage to Ethiopia, but were unable to obtain one, in consequence of an embargo which had recently been laid on all the shipping, and had turned back into the country. The Master now calls them to order again, and asks the Senior Warden, "What success?" He answers by relating what had taken place. Solomon observes, "I had this embargo laid to prevent the ruffians from making their escape;" and adds, "you will go and search again, and search till you find them, if possible; and if they are not found, the twelve who confessed shall be considered as the reputed murderers, and suffer accordingly." The members all start again, and shuffle about awhile, until one of them, as if by accident, finds the body of Hiram Abiff, alias the candidate and hails his traveling companions, who join him, and while they are humming out something over the candidate, the three reputed ruffians, who are seated in a private corner near the candidate, are heard to exclaim in the following manner—first, Jubela, "O that my throat had been cut across, my tongue torn out, and my body buried in the rough sands of the sea at low-water mark, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours, ere I had been accessory to the death of so good a man as our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff."