To start things off a masonic lodge rep calls the lodge to order, who then calls up the junior and senior Deacons, who then call up the subordinate officers, who are all members of the lodge. After some back and forth dialogue between the officers takes place, 2 prayers are performed.
Prayer1. —Most holy and glorious God! the great Architect of the Universe: the giver of all good gifts and graces. Thou hast promised that "Where two or three are gathered together in Thy name, Thou wilt be in the midst of them, and bless 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 our advancement in knowledge and virtue. And we beseech Thee, O Lord God, to bless our present assembling; and to illumine our minds through the influence of the Son of Righteousness, that we may 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. So mote it be.
Prayer2. —Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountain of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing, evermore. Amen. So mote it be. [This prayer is likewise used on closing the Lodge.]
The Lodge being now open and ready to proceed to business, the Master directs the Secretary to read the minutes of the last meeting, which naturally brings to view the business of the present. If there are any candidates to be brought forward, that is the first business attended to. As the mason seeking advancement steps forward the ritual begins.
Q. What recommendations do you bring?
A. Recommendations from the Worshipful Master, Wardens, and brethren of that Right Worshipful Lodge, who greet you. Worshipful Sir
Q. What comest thou hither to do?
A. To learn to subdue my passions, and improve myself in the secret arts and mysteries of Ancient Freemasonry. W. Sir
Q. You are a Mason, then, I presume?
A. I am. W. Sir
Q. How do you know that you are a Mason?
A. By being often tried, never denied, and willing to be tried again. W. Sir
Q. How shall I know you to be a Mason?
A. By certain signs, and a token. W. Sir
Q. What are signs?
A. All right angles, horizontals and perpendiculars. W. Sir
Q. What is a token?
A. A certain friendly and brotherly grip, whereby one Mason may know another in the dark as well as in the light. W. Sir
Q: Where were you first prepared to be a mason?
A: In my heart W. Sir
Q: Where next?
A: In a convenient room adjoining the lodge, W. Sir
Q: Describe the mode of your preparation
A: I was deprived of all metal and hood winked; my right arm, left breast, and left knee were made bare, and right heel slip shod with a cable tow around my neck W. Sir
Q: Where were you made a Mason?
A: In the body of a lodge, just perfect, and regular, W. Sir
Q: And when?
A: When the sun was at its meridian, W. Sir
Q: As lodges in this country are usually held in the evening, how do you account for this, which at the first view appears to be a paradox?
A: The sun being the center of our system, and the earth constantly revolving on its axis, and masonry being spread over the whole of its habitable surface, it necessarily follows that the sun must be always at its meridian, with respect to Masonry, W. Sir
Q: What is Free Masonry?
A: A Beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols, W. Sir
Q: Name the grand principles upon which it is founded
A: Brotherly love, Relief and Truth, W. Sir
Q: Who are fit and proper persons to be made Masons?
A: Just and upright men, free by birth, of mature age, sound judgment and strict morals, W. Sir
Q: How do you know yourself to be a Mason?
A: By the regularity of my initiation, by repeated trials and approbation; and I am ready and willing at all times to undergo a further examination when properly called on, W. Sir
Q: How do you demonstrate to others the proof of your being a Mason?
A: By signs, a token and Perfect Points of entrance, W. Sir
Q: What are the Principal Points of Entrance?
A: Of, At, On, W. Sir
Q: Explain them
A : Of my own Free will and Accord at the door of the lodge, on my left knee, bent and bare, W.Sir
Q: Why are they called the Principal Points of Entrance
A: Because they include the whole ceremony of my initiation, W. Sir
I __________, in the presence of the Great Architect Of The Universe, and this worthy, worshipful and warranted Lodge of Ancient Free Masons regularly held, assembled, and properly dedicated, of my own Free Will and Accord, do hereby and hereon, Most Solemnly and Sincerely Promise and Swear, that I will always heel, ever conceal and never reveal, any part or parts, point or points, of the secrets or mysteries of or belonging to Ancient Free Masonry, which have been, shall now or may hereafter be communicated to me, except it be to a true and lawful brother or brethren; and not even unto him or them, until I shall have found by due trial, strict examination or sure information, that he or they are worthy of that confidence, or in the body of a lodge, just, perfect and regular.
I further solemnly promise, that I will not write those signs, indite, mark, print, carve, engrave or otherwise them delineate, or cause to suffer the same to be done so by others, if in my power to prevent it, on anything movable or immovable under the canopy of Heaven, whereby or whereon any letter, character, mark or figure, may become legible or intelligible to myself or to any other one in the world, so that our secrets and hidden mysteries may improperly become known through my unworthiness. These several points I solemnly Swear to observe, without evasion, equivocation or mental reservation of any kind; ever bearing in mind the traditional penalty, on the violation of any of them, that of having the Throat cut across, the tongue torn out by the root and buried in the sands of the sea, at low water mark, a cables length from shore, where the tide regularly ebbs and flows twice in the 24 hours; or the more effective punishment of being branded as a willfully perjured individual, void of all moral worth and totally unfit to be received into this or any other worthy and warranted lodge, or society of men who prize honour and virtue above the external advantages of rank and fortune. So Help Me Almighty God, and keep me steadfast in this my great and solemn Obligation of an Entered Apprentice Mason.
Q: What is that?
A: The first regular step in Masonry
Q: Do you bring anything with you?
A: I do-gives healing sign
Q: What is that?
A: the Healing Sign of an Entered Apprentice Mason
Q: Do you bring anything else with you?
A: I do-gives Penal Sign
Q: What is that?
A: The Penal Sign of an Entered Apprentice Mason
Q: Have you anything to communicate?
A: I have a Grip or Token-Gives Grip
Q: What is this?
A: the Grip or Token of an Entered Apprentice Mason
Q: What does it demand?
A: A word
Q: Give me that Word
A: At my Initiation, I was taught to be cautious, but with you I will either Letter it, or syllable it.
Q: Do which you please, and begin
A: Begin you.
Q: You begin
B O A Z
Q: What is that?
A: The First Regular Step in Masonry
Q: Do you bring anything with you?
A: I do-give healing sign
Q: What is that?
A: The healing Sign of an Entered Apprentice Mason
Q: To what does it allude?
A: The position in which my hands were placed when I took upon myself the Obligation of Entered Apprentice Mason
Q: Do you bring anything else with you?
A: I do-give Penal Sign
Q: What is that?
A: The Penal Sign of Entered Apprentice Mason
Q: To what does it allude?
A: To the traditional Penal referred to in my Obligation
Q: Have you anything to communicate?
A: I have Grip or Token-Get the Grip
Q: What is this?
A: The Grip or Token of an Entered Apprentice Mason
Q: What does it demand?
A: At my Initiation, I was taught to be cautious, but with you I will either Letter it or Syllable it
Q: Do which you please, and begin
A: Begin you
Q: You begin-BO
A: AZ
Q: Whence is the Word derived?
From the Left Hand Pillar which stood at the Porch Way or Entrance of King Solomon’s Temple
No comments:
Post a Comment