THE MASTER MASON DEGREE

  WM: *. Brethren; Brother _______ is in waiting for

the Third Degree of Freemasonry, he having

made suitable proficiency in the preceding

degree. If there is no objection, I shall confer

this degree upon him.

WM: Brethren, there being none, I will proceed.

WM: *. Brother Stewards.

SS: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: How should a Brother be prepared for the Third

Degree of Freemasonry?

SS: By being divested of all metallic substances,

neither naked nor clothed, barefoot, both knees

and breasts bare, hood-winked, and with a cable-tow

three times around his body, clothed as a

Fellow Craft.

WM: Repair to the preparation room where Brother

_______ is in waiting.   When thus prepared,

cause him to make the usual alarm at the inner

door.

Cand: * * *.

SD: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Brother Senior Deacon.

SD: There is an alarm at the inner door.

WM: Attend to the alarm and ascertain the cause.

SD: * * *. Who comes here?

SS: Brother _______, who has been duly initiated an

Entered Apprentice, passed to the Degree of

Fellow Craft, and now wishes further Light in

Masonry by being raised to the Sublime Degree

of Master Mason.

SD: Brother _______, is this an act of your own free

will and accord?

Cand: It is.

SD: Brother Stewards, is he worthy and well qualified?

SS: He is.

SD: Duly and truly prepared?

SS: He is.

SD: Has he made suitable proficiency in the preceding

degree?

SS: He has.

SD: By what further right or benefit does he expect to

obtain this important privilege?

SS: By the benefit of the pass-word.

SD: Has he the pass-word?

SS: He has not, I have it for him

SD: Advance and give it.

SS: Tubalcain. (Said softly so as no to be overheard

by the candidate.)

SD: The pass-word is right. Since the Brother is in

possession of all these necessary qualifications,

let him wait until the Worshipful Master can be

informed of his request, and his answer returned.

SD: * * *. Worshipful Master.

WM: Brother Senior Deacon.

SD: There is without, Brother _______, who has been

duly initiated an Entered Apprentice, passed to

the Degree of Fellow Craft, and now wishes

further Light in Masonry by being raised to the

Sublime Degree of Master Mason.

WM: Is this an act of his own free will and accord?

SD: It is.

WM: Is he worthy and well qualified?

SD: He is.

WM: Duly and truly prepared?

SD: He is.

WM: Has he made suitable proficiency in the preceding

degree?

SD: He has.

WM: By what further right or benefit does he expect to

obtain this important privilege?

SD: By the benefit of the pass-word.

WM: Has he the pass-word?

SD: He has not, I have it for him.

WM: Give it for the benefit of the Craft.

SD: Tubalcain.

WM: The pass-word is right. Since the Brother is in

possession of all these necessary qualifications,

let him enter this Worshipful Lodge of Master

Masons, and be received in due and ancient form.

SD: * * *. Let him enter this Worshipful Lodge of

Master Masons, and be received in due and

ancient form.

SD: Brother _______, when first you entered a Lodge

of Free and Accepted Masons, you were received

on the point of a sharp instrument piercing your

naked left breast; on your second entrance, you

were received on the angle of a square applied

to your naked right breast, the morals of which

were at those times explained to you. I am now

commanded to receive you on the extreme points

of the Compasses, extending from your naked

right to your naked left breast, which is to teach

you that as within the breast are contained the

most vital parts of man, so between the extreme

points of the Compasses are contained the most

valuable tenets of Freemasonry, which are

Friendship, Morality, and Brotherly Love.

JW: *.

Chap: Remember now Thy Creator in the days of thy

youth, while the evil days come not;

SW: *.

Chap: 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.

WM: *.

Chap: In the days when the keepers of the house shall

tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves:

JW: * *.

Chap: 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:

SW: * *.

Chap: 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:

WM: * *.

Chap: Also when they shall be afraid of that which is

high, and fears shall be in the way:

JW: * * *.

Chap: And the almond tree shall flourish, and the

grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall

fail:

SW: * * *.

Chap: 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 cistern:

WM: * * *.

Chap: Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was;

and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

SD: * * *.

JW: *. Who comes here?

SD: Brother ______, who has been duly initiated an

Entered Apprentice, passed to the Degree of

Fellow Craft, and now wishes further Light in

Masonry by being raised to the Sublime Degree

of Master Mason.

JW: Brother ______, is this an act of your own free

will and accord?

Cand: It is.

JW: Brother Senior Deacon, is he worthy and well

qualified?

SD: He is.

JW: Duly and truly prepared?

SD: He is.

JW: Has he made suitable proficiency in the preceding

degree?

SD: He has.

JW: By what further right or benefit does he expect to

obtain this important privilege?

SD: By the benefit of the pass-word.

JW: Has he the pass-word?

SD: He has not, I have it for him.

JW: Advance and give it.

SD: Tubalcain (whispered in ear of JW)

JW: The pass-word is right. Since the Brother is in

possession of all these necessary qualifications,

conduct him to the Senior Warden in the West

for his examination.

SD: * * *.

SW: *. Who comes here?

SD: Brother ______, who has been duly initiated an

Entered Apprentice, passed to the Degree of

Fellow Craft, and now wishes further Light in

Masonry by being raised to the Sublime Degree

of Master Mason.

SW: Brother ______, is this an act of your own free

will and accord?

Cand: It is.

SW: Brother Senior Deacon, is he worthy and well

qualified?

SD: He is.

SW: Duly and truly prepared?

SD: He is.

SW: Has he made suitable proficiency in the preceding

degree?

SD: He has.

SW: By what further right or benefit does he expect to

obtain this important privilege?

SD: By the benefit of the pass-word.

SW: Has he the pass-word.

SD: He has not, I have it for him.

SW: Advance and give it.

SD: Tubalcain (whispered)

SW: The pass-word is right. Since the Brother is in

possession of all these necessary qualifications,

conduct him to the Worshipful Master in the East

for his examination.

SD: * * *.

WM: *. Who comes here?

SD: Brother ______, who has been duly initiated an

Entered Apprentice, passed to the Degree of

Fellow Craft, and now wishes further Light in

Masonry by being raised to the Sublime Degree

of Master Mason.

WM: Brother ______, is this an act of your own free

will and accord?

Cand: It is.

WM: Brother Senior Deacon, is he worthy and well

qualified?

SD: He is.

WM: Duly and truly prepared?

SD: He is.

WM: Has he made suitable proficiency in the preceding

degree?

SD: He has.

WM: By what further right or benefit does he expect to

obtain this important privilege?

SD: By benefit of the pass-word.

WM: Has he the pass-word?

SD: He has not, I have it for him.

WM: Advance and give it.

SD: Tubalcain (whispered)

WM: The pass-word is right. Whence came you and

whither are you traveling?

SD: From the West, traveling East.

WM: Why did you leave the West and travel East?

SD: In search of further Light in Masonry.

WM: Since the Brother is in possession of all these

necessary qualifications, and in search of further

Light in Masonry, re-conduct him to the Senior

Warden in the West, who will teach him how to

approach the East in due and ancient form.

SD: Brother Senior Warden.

SW: Brother Senior Deacon.

SD: It is the order of the Worshipful Master that you

teach this Brother how to approach the East in

due and ancient form.

SW: Cause the Brother to face the East.

SW: Brother ______, advance on your left foot as an

Entered Apprentice; and on your right as a Fellow

Craft. Take an additional step on your left foot,

bringing the heel of your right to the heel of your

left, thereby forming the angle of a square.

SW: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Brother Senior Warden.

SW: The Brother is in order.

WM: Brother ______, before you can proceed further

in Freemasonry, it will be necessary for you to

take an Obligation appertaining to this degree. It

becomes my duty as well as pleasure to inform

you that there is nothing contained in the

Obligation that conflicts with the duties you owe

to God, your country, your neighbor, your family,

or yourself. With this assurance on my part, are

you willing to take the Obligation.

Cand: (answers in the affirmative).

WM: Then advance to the Sacred Altar of

Freemasonry. There kneel on your naked knees,

both hands resting on the Holy Bible, Square and

Compasses.

SD: (S) Worshipful Master, the Brother is in due

form.

WM: * * *.

WM: Brother ______, if you are still willing to take the

Obligation, say “I”, repeat your name in full, and

repeat after me.

Cand: I, _____ ______, of my own free will and accord,

in the presence of Almighty God and this

Worshipful Lodge of Master Masons, erected to

Him and dedicated to the memory of the Holy

Saints John, do hereby and hereon solemnly and

sincerely promise and swear that I will keep and

conceal and never reveal any of the secrets

belonging to the Degree of Master Mason, which

I have received, am about to receive, or may be

hereafter instructed in, to any person unless it

shall be to a worthy Brother Master Mason, or

within the body of a just and duly constituted Lodge

of such, and not unto him or them until by due

trial, strict examination, or lawful Masonic

information, I shall have found him or them justly

entitled to receive the same.

Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will

support the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of

the State of ______, also all the laws, rules, and

edicts of the same, or of any other Grand Lodge

from whose jurisdiction I may hereafter hail;

together with the by-laws, rules, and regulations

of this or any other Lodge of which I may become

a member, so far as the same shall come to my

knowledge.

Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will

answer and obey all due signs and regular

summons sent me from the body of a just and

duly constituted Lodge of Master Masons, or

handed me by a worthy Brother of this degree, if

within the length of my cable-tow.

Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will

help, aid, and assist all poor and distressed

Master Masons, their widows and orphans, they

applying to me as such, I finding them worthy,

and can do so without material injury to myself or

family.

Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will

keep the secrets of a worthy Brother Master

Mason, when communicated to me as such, as

secure and inviolate in my breast as they were

in his before communication.

Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will

not give the Grand Hailing Sign of Distress of a

Master Mason, except for the benefit of the Craft

while at work or for the instruction of a Brother,

unless I am in real distress; and should I see the

sign given, or hear the word spoken, I will hasten

to the relief of the person so giving it.

Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will

not give the substitute for the Master’s Word in

any other way or manner than that in which I

receive it, which will be on the Five Points of

Fellowship, and at low breath.

Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will

not wrong, cheat, nor defraud a Master Masons

Lodge, or a worthy Brother of this degree to the

value of anything, knowingly, nor suffer it to be

done by another, if in my power to prevent.

Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will

not knowingly strike a Brother Master Mason, nor

otherwise do him personal violence in anger,

except in the necessary defense of myself, family

or property.

Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will

not have illicit carnal intercourse with a Master

Mason’s wife, widow, mother, sister or daughter,

nor suffer it to be done by another if in my power

to prevent.

Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will

not be present at the initiating, passing, or raising

of an old man in dotage, a young man under

age, an irreligious libertine, an atheist, a person

of unsound mind, or a woman, knowing them to

be such.

Furthermore: I do promise and swear that I will

not be present at the initiating, passing, or raising

of a candidate clandestinely, nor hold Masonic

intercourse with a clandestine Mason, or with one

who has been suspended or expelled, knowing

him to be such, until duly restored.

To all of which I do solemnly and sincerely

promise and swear, without any hesitation, mental

reservation, or secret evasion of mind in me

whatsoever; binding myself under no less a

penalty than that of having my body severed in

twain, my bowels taken thence, and with my body

burned to ashes, and the ashes thereof scattered

to the four winds of Heaven, that there might

remain neither track, trace nor remembrance

among man or Masons of so vile and perjured a

wretch as I should be, should I ever knowingly or

willfully violate this, my solemn Obligation of a

Master Mason. So help me God and make me

steadfast to keep and perform the same.

WM: In token of your sincerity, kiss the Holy Bible on

which your hands rest.

WM: Senior Deacon, remove the cable-tow; we now

hold this Brother by a stronger tie.

WM: Brother ______, in your present situation, what

do you most desire?

Cand: Further Light in Masonry (prompted).

WM: Let the Brother be brought to Light.

WM: My Brother, on being brought to Light in this

degree, you behold the Three Great Lights in

Masonry as in the preceding degree, with this

difference; both points of the Compasses are

above the Square, which is to teach you that you

have received, and are entitled to receive all the

Light that can be conferred upon or

communicated to you in a Master Masons Lodge.

WM: *. You now behold me as Worshipful Master of

this Lodge, approaching you from the East, upon

the step, under the due-guard and sign of an

Entered Apprentice; upon the step, under the due-guard

and sign of a Fellow Craft; upon the step,

under the due-guard and sign of a Master Mason.

My Brother, a Master Mason advances on his

left foot, bringing the heel of his right to the heel

of his left, thereby forming the angle of a square.

This is the due-guard, and alludes to the position

of your hands while taking the Obligation; this is

the sign, and alludes to the penalty of the

Obligation. This due-guard and sign are always

to be given as a salutation to the Worshipful

Master, also on entering or retiring from a Master

Masons Lodge.

On entering your own or any other Lodge in this

jurisdiction, you will advance immediately in front

of the Altar and observe the points of the

Compasses. Should both points be below the

Square, it will be a sure indication that the Lodge

is open on the First Degree, wherein you will salute

the Worshipful Master with the due-guard and sign

of an Entered Apprentice. Should one point be

above the Square, it will be an equally sure

indication that the Lodge is open on the Second

Degree, wherein you will salute the Worshipful

Master with the due-guard and sign of a Fellow

Craft. Should both points be above the Square, it

will also be an equally sure indication that the

Lodge is open on the Third Degree, wherein you

will salute the Worshipful Master with the due-guard

and sign of a Master Mason.

I now present my right hand in token of the

continuance of friendship and brotherly love, and

will invest you with the pass-grip and pass-word

of a Master Mason. As you are uninstructed, he

who has hitherto answered for you, will do so at

this time. Give me the real grip of a Fellow Craft.

WM: Brother Senior Deacon.

SD: Worshipful Master.

WM: Will you be off or from?

SD: From.

WM: From what and to what?

SD: From the real grip of a Fellow Craft to the pass-grip

of a Master Mason.

WM: Pass. What is that?

SD: The pass-grip of a Master Mason.

WM: Has it a name?

SD: It has.

WM: Will you give it to me?

SD: I did not so receive it; neither will I so impart it.

WM: How will you dispose of it?

SD: Letter or syllable it.

WM: Syllable it and begin.

SD: You begin.

WM: Begin you.

SD: Tu.

WM: bal.

SD: cain.

WM: Tubalcain, my Brother, is the name of this grip.

You should always remember it, for should you

be present at the opening of a Master Masons

Lodge, this pass-word will be demanded of you

by one of the Deacons, and should you be unable

to give it, it would cause confusion in the Craft.

Rise, salute the Junior and Senior Wardens and

satisfy them that you are a duly obligated Master

Mason, and in possession of the step, due-guard,

sign, pass-grip and pass-word.

SD: * * *.

JW: *. Who comes here?

SD: A duly obligated Master Mason.

JW: How may I know him to be such?

SD: By certain signs and a token.

JW: What are signs?

SD: Right angles, horizontals, and perpendiculars.

JW: Advance a sign. Has that an allusion?

SD: It has; to the position of my hands while taking

the Obligation.

JW: Have you a further sign?

SD: I have.

JW: Has that an allusion?

SD: It has; to the penalty of the Obligation.

JW: What is a token?

SD: A certain friendly or brotherly grip whereby one

Mason may know another in the dark as in the

light.

JW: Advance and give me a token. What is that?

SD: The pass-grip of a Master Mason.

JW: Has it a name?

SD: It has.

JW: Will you give it to me?

SD: I did not so receive it; neither will I so impart it.

JW: How will you dispose of it?

SD: Letter or syllable it.

JW: Syllable it and begin.

SD: You begin.

JW: Begin you.

Cand: Tu; (Prompted as necessary)

JW: bal;

Cand: cain.

Cand: Tubalcain.

JW: The word is right. I am satisfied.

SD: * * *.

SW: *. Who comes here?

SD: A duly obligated Master Mason.

SW: How may I know him to be such?

SD: By certain signs and a token.

SW: What are signs?

SD: Right angles, horizontals, and perpendiculars.

SW: Advance a sign. Has that an allusion?

SD: It has; to the position of my hands while taking

the Obligation.

SW: Have you a further sign?

SD: I have.

SW: Has that an allusion?

SD: It has; to the penalty of the Obligation.

SW: What is a token?

SD: A certainly friendly or brotherly grip, whereby

one Mason may know another in the dark as in

the light.

SW: Advance and give me a token. What is that?

SD: The pass-grip of a Master Mason.

SW: Has it a name?

SD: It has.

SW: Will you give it to me?

SD: I did not so receive it; neither will I so impart it.

SW: How will you dispose of it?

SD: Letter or syllable it.

SW: Syllable it and begin.

SD: You begin.

SW: Begin you.

Cand: Tu; (prompted as necessary)

SW: bal;

Cand: cain.

Cand: Tubalcain.

SW: The word is right; I am satisfied. Conduct the

Brother to the Worshipful Master in the East.

WM: *. Brother Senior Deacon, re-conduct the Brother

to the Senior Warden in the West, who will teach

him how to wear his apron as a Master Mason.

SD: Brother Senior Warden.

SW: Brother Senior Deacon.

SD: It is the order of the Worshipful Master that you

teach this Brother how to wear his apron as a

Master Mason.

SW: Cause the Brother to face the East. My Brother,

you have already been informed that at the

building of King Solomon’s Temple, the different

bands of workmen were distinguished by the

manner in which they wore their aprons. Master

Masons wore theirs turned down in the form of a

square to designate them as Master Masons or

overseers of the work. As a speculative Master

Mason you will therefore wear yours in this

manner, to admonish you that your acts toward

all mankind should possess the qualities of that

perfect figure; to symbolize the integrity of your

service to God, and to remind you of your four-

fold duty, to your country, your neighbor, your

family, and yourself.

SD: Worshipful Master, your orders have been obeyed.

WM: My Brother, as you are now clothed as a Master

Mason, I present you emblematically the working

tools, which are all the tools in Masonry, especially

the Trowel. The Trowel is an instrument used by

operative masons to spread the cement which

unites the building into one common mass; but

we, as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to

use 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,

save that noble contention, or rather emulation,

of who best can work and best agree.

WM: Brother Senior Deacon, re-conduct the Brother

to the place whence he came, invest him with

that of which he has been divested, and return

him to the Lodge for further instruction.

WM: My Brother, salute as you have been instructed.

WM: *. Brother Junior Warden.

JW: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Call the Craft from labor to refreshment, to resume

labor at the sound of the gavel in the East.

JW: * * *. Brethren; it is the order of the Worshipful

Master that you be now called from labor to

refreshment, to resume labor at the sound of the

gavel in the East. *.

Master Mason Degree - Second Section

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