Master_Mason

MASTER MASON DEGREE

OPENING THE LODGE

WM: *. Officers, take your respective stations and

places; Brethren, be clothed.

WM: *. Brother Senior Warden.

SW: Worshipful Master.

WM: Are all present Master Masons?

SW: I will ascertain through the proper officer and

report.

SW: Brother Junior Deacon.

JD: Brother Senior Warden.

SW: Are all present Master Masons?

JD: Brother Senior Warden, all present are Master

Masons.

SW: Worshipful Master.

WM: Brother Senior Warden.

SW: All present are Master Masons.

WM: As further evidence that all present are Master

Masons, receive the pass-word from the Senior

and Junior Deacons, who will obtain it from the

Brethren on the right and left, and communicate

it in the East.

SW: *. Deacons, attend the West.

SW: Give me the pass-word of a Master Mason. Now

obtain it from the Brethren on the right and left

and communicate it to the Worshipful Master

in the East.

WM: Brother Senior Warden.

SW: Worshipful Master.

WM: The pass-word is right and duly received in the

East.

WM: *. Brother Junior Deacon.

JD: Worshipful Master.

WM: The first great care of Masons when convened?

JD: To see that they are duly tyled.

WM: Attend to that duty and inform the Tyler that I am

about to open a Lodge of Master Masons, and

direct him to tyle accordingly.

JD: Brother Tyler, I am directed to inform you that

the Worshipful Master is about to open a Lodge

of Master Masons. Take due notice thereof and

govern yourself accordingly.

JD: *.

Tyl: *.

JD: (S) Worshipful Master, we are duly tyled.

WM: How are we tyled?

JD: By a Brother Master Mason without, armed with

the proper implement of his office.

WM: His duty there?

JD: To observe the approach of cowans and

eavesdroppers, and suffer none to pass or re-pass

except such as are duly qualified and have

permission from the Worshipful Master.

WM: *. Brother Senior Warden.

SW: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Are you a Master Mason?

SW: I am.

WM: What induced you to become a Master Mason?

SW: That I might obtain the Master’s Word, travel in

foreign countries, work and receive Master’s

wages, and be thereby better enabled to support

myself and family, and contribute to the relief of

distressed worthy Master Masons, their widows

and orphans.

WM: What makes you a Master Mason?

SW: My Obligation.

WM: Where were you made a Master Mason?

SW: Within the body of a just and duly constituted

Lodge of Master Masons, assembled in a place

representing the Sanctum Sanctorum of King

Solomon’s Temple.

WM: How many compose a Master Masons Lodge?

SW: Three or more.

WM: When composed of five, of whom does it consist?

SW: The Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior

Wardens, Senior and Junior Deacons.

WM: Brother Senior Warden, the Junior Deacon’s

place in the Lodge?

SW: At my right.

WM: * *. Brother Junior Deacon.

JD: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Your duty?

JD: To carry messages from the Senior Warden in

the West to the Junior Warden in the south, and

elsewhere about the Lodge as he may direct.

Attend the alarms at the outer door and report

the same to the Worshipful Master; also to see

that we are duly tyled.

WM: The Senior Deacon’s place?

JD: At the right of the Worshipful Master in the East.

WM: Brother Senior Deacon.

SD: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Your duty?

SD: To carry orders from the Worshipful Master in

the East to the Senior Warden in the West, and

elsewhere about the Lodge as he may direct;

welcome and clothe visiting Brethren, attend the

alarms at the inner door; also to receive and

conduct candidates.

WM: The Junior Warden’s station?

SD: In the South.

WM: Brother Junior Warden.

JW: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Your duty in the South?

JW: To observe the sun at meridian, which is the glory

and beauty of the day; call the Craft from labor

to refreshment, superintend them during the hours

thereof, carefully to observe that their means of

refreshment are not perverted to intemperance

or excess, and see that they return to their labor

in due season, that the Worshipful Master may

receive honor, and they pleasure and profit

thereby.

WM: The Senior Warden’s station?

JW: In the West.

WM: Brother Senior Warden.

SW: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Why in the West?

SW: As the sun is in the West at close of day, so

stands the Senior Warden in the West to assist

the Worshipful Master in opening and closing

the Lodge; paying the Craft their wages, if any

be due, that none may go away dissatisfied;

harmony being the support of all institutions,

especially this of ours.

WM: The Master’s Station.

SW: In the East.

WM: Why in the East?

SW: As the sun rises in the East to open and govern

the day (WM:***) so rises the Worshipful Master

in the East to open and govern the Lodge, setting

the Craft at work, giving them proper instruction

for their labor.

WM: Brother Senior Warden, it is my order that

___________Lodge No. ___ be now opened on

the Third Degree of Freemasonry for work and

instruction. This communicate to the Junior

Warden in the South, and he to the Brethren

present, that having due notice thereof, they may

govern themselves accordingly.

SW: Brother Junior Warden.

JW: Brother Senior Warden.

SW: It is the order of the Worshipful Master that

____________ Lodge No ___ be now opened

on the Third Degree of Freemasonry for work

and instruction. This communicate to the

Brethren present, that having due notice thereof,

they may govern themselves accordingly.

JW: Brethren, it is the order of the Worshipful Master,

communicated to me through the Senior Warden

in the West, that ______ _______ Lodge No.

___ be now opened on the Third Degree of

Freemasonry for work and instruction. I

communicate the same to you that having due

notice thereof, you may govern yourselves

accordingly.

WM: Brother Senior Warden.

SW: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Have you ever traveled as a Master Mason?

SW: I have, from West to East, and from East to West

again.

WM: Of what were you in search?

SW: Of that which was lost.

WM: To what do you allude?

SW: The secret word of a Master Mason.

WM: Did you find it?

SW: I did not, but found a substitute.

WM: Brother Senior Warden, it is my order that the

substitute be sent to the East, accompanied with

the steps, due-guards and signs, through the

Junior Deacon.

SW: Brother Junior Deacon, attend.

(At this time, the steps, due-guards and signs of the 3

degrees, as well as the substitute word, are

communicated from the Senior Warden to the Junior

Deacon. The Junior Deacon then carries them to the

East and communicates them to the Worshipful Master.)

WM: Brother Senior Warden, the substitute has come

to the East correctly.

WM: Brethren; attend to giving the signs; observe the

East.

WM: *.

SW: *.

JW: *.

WM: *.

SW: *.

JW: *.

WM: *.

SW: *.

JW: *.

WM: Brethren, give your attention to the Chaplain.

Chap: Most Holy and Glorious Lord God, the Great

Architect of the Universe, the Giver of all good

gifts and graces. Thou hast promised that where

two or three are gathered together in Thy name,

Thou wilt be in their midst and bless them. In

Thy name we have assembled, and in Thy name

we desire to proceed in all our doings.

Grant that the sublime principles of Freemasonry

may so subdue every discordant passion within

us - so harmonize and enrich our hearts with

Thine own love and goodness - that the Lodge at

this time may humbly reflect that order and beauty

which reign forever before Thy throne. AMEN.

(ALL): So mote it be.

WM: Brother Senior Deacon.

SD: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Attend at the Altar and display the Three Great

Lights in Masonry.

WM: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for

Brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the

precious ointment upon the head, that ran down

upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard; that went

down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of

Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon

the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord

commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

WM: In the name of God and the Holy Saints John, I

now declare _______ Lodge No. ___ duly opened

and in order for business; at the same time strictly

forbidding any un-Masonic conduct whereby the

harmony of the same might be disturbed.

WM: Brother Junior Deacon.

JD: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Inform the Tyler.

JD: * * *. Brother Tyler, I am directed to inform you

that the Lodge is now opened on the Master

Masons Degree. Take due notice thereof and

tyle accordingly.

JD: * * *.

Tyl: * * *.

WM: Brother Senior Deacon.

SD: (S) Worshipful Master.

WM: Present the flag of our country at the Altar.

WM: Brethren; you will join with me in the Pledge of

Allegiance to the Flag of our Country.

(ALL) (Recite the Pledge of Allegiance.)

WM:*. If there are present any Present or Past Grand

Officers, Present or Past Masters, they are

cordially and fraternally invited to a seat in our

East.

Master Mason Degree - The Degree

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