ENTERED APPRENTICE
THE MEANING OF
THE TERM "ENTERED APPRENTICE"
You are now an Entered Apprentice.
The first step in your journey to the Sublime
Degree of a Master Mason has been taken.
Doubtless you found your initiation an experience
you will never wish to forget.
A Degree of Masonry is not an isolated experience,
but an ever-enduring privilege.
Always you may sit in your own Lodge when open on
the Entered Apprentice Degree; always you can return to observe, to participate
in, and to study its ceremonies.
Your possession of the Degree is complete.
Doubtless you have an eager curiosity to learn more
about this remarkable Degree before you receive that of Fellow Craft.
Perhaps its ceremonies seemed strange to you; its
language fell on your ears with unaccustomed accents; and at its end you may
have been somewhat bewildered.
It is our function to help you interpret it by
giving you a brief explanation of the term "Entered Apprentice."
The builders of those remarkable structures in Europe and
Great Britain, from six hundred to nine hundred years ago, we call "Operative
Masons," because they were builders in the literal sense.
It was necessary for the Operative Masons to recruit
new members to replace those lost through removal, accident, illness or death.
To do this they used the apprenticeship system,
which was in vogue in all crafts for many centuries.
The word "apprentice" means "learner", or "beginner,"
one who is taking his first steps in mastering a trade, art or profession.
The Operative apprentice was a boy, usually from
ten to fifteen years of age. He was required to be sound in body, in order to do
work requiring physical strength and endurance.
He had to be of good habits, obedient and willing
to learn, and of unquestioned reputation, and be well recommended by Masons
already members of the Craft.
When such a boy was chosen as an apprentice he was
called into the Lodge where all the members could assure themselves of his
mental, moral and physical qualifications.
If they voted to receive him, he was given much
information about the Craft, what it required of its members, something of its
early history and tradition, and what his duties would be.
He gave a solemn promise to obey his 'superiors, to
work diligently, to observe the laws and rules and to keep the secrets.
After being thus obligated, he was bound over, or
indentured, to one of the more experienced Master Masons.
As a rule he lived with this Master Mason, and from
him day by
day learned the methods and secrets of the trade.
This apprenticeship lasted usually seven years.
After this young man had "gone to school" in this manner long
enough to give assurance of his fitness to master the art and to become an
acceptable member of the society, his name was entered on the books of the Lodge
and he was given a recognized place in the Craft organization; and because of
this official entering of his name he was given the title "Entered Apprentice."
All of the same degree of advancement constituted the rank, or grade, of
Apprentice Masons.
It is difficult to exaggerate the care our Operative
Masonic forebears devoted to these learners.
The Intender, as the Master Mason to whom the
Apprentice was indentured was called, was obliged by law to teach him theory as
well as practice.
Not until the Apprentice, after many years, could prove
his proficiency by meeting the most rigid tests of skill, was he permitted to
advance to a higher rank in the Craft.
Other Master Masons with whom he was set at work at
the simpler tasks also were his teachers.
He was given moral instruction: his conduct was
carefully scrutinized; many rules were laid down to control his manner of life.
When we read the Old Charges and ancient documents
that have come down to us we are impressed by the amount of space devoted to
Apprentices.
The Operative Masons knew that the Apprentice of today
made the Master Mason of the future.
As time passed, therefore there grew up about the rank
and duties and regulations of the Apprentice an organized set of customs,
ceremonies, rules, traditions, etc.
These at last crystallized into a well-defined
unit, which we may describe as the Operative Entered Apprentice's Degree.
When, after the Reformation, Operative Masonry was
transformed into Speculative Masonry, The Entered Apprentice's Degree was
retained as one of the Degrees of-the Speculative Lodge, modified, of course, to
meet the needs of the, Speculative Fraternity.
As an Entered Apprentice you are a learner, a beginner,
in Speculative Masonry.
You have taken the first step in the mastery of our art.
And it is because you have this rank that certain
things are expected of you.
First, you must learn certain portions of the Degree,
so as to prove your proficiency in open Lodge.
But you are to learn these parts not merely to pass
this test; you should master them so thoroughly that they will remain with you
through life, because you will have need of them many times in the future.
Second, you must learn the laws, rules, and regulations by
which an Entered Apprentice is governed.
As you stood in the northeast corner of the Lodge
during your initiation you were taught a certain lesson concerning a
cornerstone.
The meaning of that lesson should now be clear to you.
You are a cornerstone of the Craft.
The day will probably come when into your hands
will fall your share of the responsibilities of the Lodge.
You are a cornerstone on which the Fraternity is
being erected.
It is our hope and expectation that you will prove a solid
foundation, true and tried, set four-square, on which our great Fraternity may
safely build.
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AN INTERPRETATION OF THE
RITUAL OF THE FIRST DEGREE
The Masonic Lodge room is represented in the Ritual as
a symbol of the world.
The particular form in which this symbol is cast harks
back to early times when men believed the earth to be square and the sky a solid
dome; but while this no longer represents our idea of the physical shape of the
world, the significance remains the same.
The world thus represented is the world of Masonry; the
Masonic career from beginning to end, including all that lies between.
The West Gate through which the candidate enters
represents birth.
In the First Degree the candidate is ushered into Masonic
life; the old life with all its accessories has dropped from him completely.
He now enters on a new life in a new world.
Masonry is systematic, well proportioned, balanced.
Duties and work are supervised and regulated,
controlled through laws written and unwritten, expressed through Landmarks,
traditions, usage’s, Constitutions and By-Laws, guided and directed through
officers vested with power and authority.
The candidate obligates himself to uphold that
lawful system; when he salutes the Master and Wardens he signifies his obedience
to the legally constituted officers; when he follows his guide and fears no
danger he expresses his trust in, and loyalty to, the Fraternity.
The new world is a lawful world in which caprice and
arbitrariness have no part.
It has a definite nature, is devoted to specified
purposes, committed to well defined aims and ideals ' Its members cannot make it
over to suit their own whims or to conform to their own purposes; they must make
themselves over to conform to its requirements.
One should not become a Master Mason in order to
become a Lodge member; he should become a member in order to become a real
Master Mason.
Among the first requirements of the Apprentice is that he
shall offer himself as a rough stone, to be shaped under Masonic laws and
influences for a place in the Temple of Masonry.
This world of Masonry is dedicated to Brotherhood.
Unless the Apprentice is willing and qualified to
lead the brotherly life he will never master the Royal Art.
Unless he is willing in all sincerity to abide by
his obligations and the laws which define, regulate, and control the brotherly
life, he will be out of harmony with the Fraternity, unable to find foothold in
the world he seeks to enter.
All of our ritual, symbols, emblems, allegories and
ceremonies, in the richness and variety to comprehend Masonic teaching.
In his first Degree an Apprentice takes his first step
into this life; leaves the darkness, destitution and helplessness of the profane
world for the light and warmth of this new existence.
This is the great meaning of the Degree; not an
idle formality, but a genuine experience, the beginning of a new career in which
duties, rights and privileges are real.
If a candidate is not to be an Apprentice in name
only, he must stand ready to do the work upon his own nature that will make him
a different man.
Members are called Craftsmen because they are workmen;
Lodges are quarries because they are scenes of toil.
Freemasonry offers no privileges or rewards except
to those who earn them; it places Working Tools, not playthings, in the hands of
its members.
To become a Mason is a solemn and serious undertaking.
Once the step is taken, it may well change the
course of a man's life.
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THE PRINCIPAL TENETS
Brotherly Love,
Relief and Truth
The principal tenets of Freemasonry are Brotherly Love,
Relief, and Truth.
It is necessary not to overlook the word "principal," for
it signifies that, while our Fraternity lays the greatest emphasis on these
three teachings, there are others which must not be overlooked.
By a "tenet" of Freemasonry is meant some teaching so
obviously true, so universally accepted, that we believe it without question.
Examples lie everywhere about US. Good health is
better than illness; a truthful man is more dependable than a liar; it is better
to save money than to waste it; an industrious man is more useful than an idle
one; education is to be preferred to ignorance -- these are but a few of the
countless examples of teachings that no intelligent man can possibly question.
Everybody takes them for granted.
They are tenets.
Freemasonry considers Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth
to be teachings of this kind, true in the sense that no man can question them;
they are obvious, self-proving, axiomatic.
It is not uncommon for men to consider brotherly
love, while highly desirable, as not practicable, and therefore but a vision, to
be dreamed of but never possessed.
It is challenging for Freemasonry to call these
"tenets", thus stating that they are plainly and obviously and necessarily true.
Unless you grasp this, and see that the teachings
of Freemasonry are self-evident realities, not visionary ideals, you will never
understand Masonic teachings.
For Freemasonry does not tell us that the principles of
Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth ought to be true, that it would be better for
us all if they were true-she tells us that they are true.
They are tremendous realities in human life, and it
is as impossible to question their validity as to question the ground under our
feet, or the sun over our heads.
Our question is not whether to believe them or not,
but what are we going to do with them?
Love places the highest possible valuation on another
person.
A man's mother or father, his wife or sweetheart, his
children, his intimate friends, he values not for advantages he may gain from
them, not for their usefulness, but each one in his own person and for his own
sake.
We work for such persons, we make sacrifices for them, we delight to be with
them; that in detail and practice, is what is meant by love.
What, then, is Brotherly Love?
Manifest, it means that we place on another man the
highest possible valuation as a friend, a companion, an associate, a neighbor.
By the exercise of Brotherly Love, we are taught to
regard the whole human species as one family.
We do not ask that from our relationship we shall
achieve any selfish gain.
Our relationship with a Brother is its own justification,
its own reward.
Brotherly Love is one of the supreme values without which
life is lonely, unhappy, ugly.
This is not a hope or a dream, but a fact.
Freemasonry builds on that fact, provides
opportunity for us to have such fellowship, encourages us to understand and to
practice it, and to make it one of the laws of our existence; one of our
Principal Tenets.
Relief is one of the forms of charity.
We often think of charity as relief from poverty.
To care for the helpless or unemployed is deemed
usually a responsibility resting on the public.
As a rule the public discharges that responsibility
through some form of organized charity, financed by general subscriptions or out
of public funds.
Our conception of relief is broader and deeper than
this.
We fully recognize the emergency demands made by physical and economic distress;
but we likewise understand that the cashing of a check is not necessarily a
complete solution of the difficulty.
There sometimes enters the problem of readjustment,
of rehabilitation, of keeping the family together, of children's education, and
various other matters vital to the welfare of those concerned; and through the
whole process there is the need for spiritual comfort, for the assurance of a
sincere and continuing interest and friendship, which is the real translation of
our first Principal Tenets: Brotherly Love.
Masonic Relief takes it for granted that any man, no
matter how industrious and frugal he may be, through sudden misfortune, or other
conditions over which he has no control, may be in temporary need of a helping
hand.
To extend it is not what is generally described as charity, but is one of the
natural and inevitable acts of Brotherhood.
Any conception of Brotherhood must include this
willingness to give necessary aid.
Therefore, Relief, Masonically understood, is a
Tenet.
By Truth, the last of the Principal Tenets, is meant
something more than the search for truths in the intellectual sense, though that
is included.
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.
In any permanent Brotherhood, members must be truthful in
character and habits, dependable, men of honor, on whom we can rely to be
faithful fellows and loyal friends.
Truth is a vital requirement if a Brotherhood is to
endure and we, therefore, accept it as such.
Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth are the Principal
Tenets of Masonry.
There are other tenets, also; Teachings so obvious that
argument is never necessary to sustain them.
With this in mind we urge you to ponder the
teachings of the Craft as you progress from Degree to Degree. You may not find
them novel, but novelty is unimportant in the light of the knowledge that the
truths upon which Freemasonry is founded are eternal.
The freshness of immortality is on them because
they never die; in them is a ceaseless inspiration and an inexhaustible appeal.
They are tenets of Freemasonry because always and
everywhere they have been tenets of successful human life.
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SYMBOLS OF THE FIRST
DEGREE
The symbols, emblems and allegorical ceremonies of the
First Degree have a meaning and comprise a large part of the teachings of the
Degree.
Our time is too brief to give you complete explanations,
but we believe it will be profitable for you to have a few suggestions,
especially as they will show that every detail of the Ritual is filled with a
definite significance.
The language of symbols is as universal as man.
In fact, language itself is an illustration of the
uses of symbols to transfer ideas from man to man.
We may divide symbols into two classes-natural and
artificial-though sometime the dividing line between them is very vague, and in
many cases the same symbol is used in both classes.
By a natural symbol we mean one in which the nature
of the thing itself conveys an idea and is independent of any other language,
either spoken or written.
An artificial symbol is one to which an arbitrary meaning
has been assigned by common agreement.
In general we may say that the letters of the alphabet and
words formed from them are artificial symbols, and the level as it conveys the
idea of equality is a natural one.
The Hoodwink represents the darkness in which the
uninitiated stand as regards Masonry.
It is removed at the moment of enlightenment,
suggesting that we do not create the great things of life, such as goodness,
truth and beauty, but find them.
They always exist regardless of the blindness of
any individual.
The ancient significance of the Cable Tow is uncertain,
and evidence of this is found in the widely divergent interpretations one may
read in the literature of Masonry.
However, without stating in detail the reasons, we
regard the assumption of the Cable Tow in advance of each of the Degrees as a
symbol of the voluntary and complete acceptance of and pledged compliance with
whatever Masonry may have in store; and his subsequent release after taking the
obligation indicates this symbol is no longer needed, since he has assumed the
definite and irrevocable pledge of
the Degree.
Concerning the penalty it suggests it may also be
regarded as a physical symbol of the spiritual penalty which naturally and
inevitably follows the violation of moral obligations.
If a man does not keep the law of his own free will
he must be compelled to keep it.
The removal of the Cable Tow signifies that when a
man becomes master of himself he will keep the law instinctively.
The Ceremony of Entrance signifies birth or initiation, and
symbolizes the fact that the candidate is entering a new world-that of Masonry.
The reception typifies the one real penalty for violation of
the Obligation: the destructive consequences to a man's nature through failure
to be true to his vows.
The Rite of Circumambulation is Masonry's name for the
ceremony in which the candidate is conducted around the Lodge room, an
allegorical act rich with many meanings.
One of these is that the Masonic life is a
progressive journey, from station to station of attainment, and that a Mason
should continually search for more light.
An equally significant ceremony is that of Approaching
the East.
The East is the source of light, that station in the
Heavens in which the sun appears to dispel the darkness.
Masons are sons of light, therefore, we face the
East.
The Altar is a symbol of the spiritual heart of Masonry.
The Obligations have a literal meaning and as such are
the foundations of our disciplinary law, but above this they signify the nature
and place of obligation in human life.
An obligation is a tie, a contract, a pledge, a
promise, a vow, a duty; in addition to the obligations we voluntarily assume,
there are many under which we stand naturally-obligations to God, to our
country, to our families, to employers or employees, to friends and fellow
citizens.
The Great Lights in Masonry are the Holy Bible, Square
and Compass.
As a Great Light the Holy Bible represents the Sacred Book
of the Law and is a symbol of man's acknowledgment of and his relation to Deity.
The Square is an emblem of virtue.
It is an instrument of architecture that has been
used throughout the ages, and our ancient brethren who wrought in Operative
Masonry could not have erected the superb temple which immortalized the name of
King Solomon without the use of this instrument.
The Compass was employed in Operative Masonry for the
accurate measurement of the architect's plans and to enable him to give just
proportions which would insure stability and beauty.
In Speculative Masonry it is an equally important
implement symbolic of that true standard of rectitude of living which alone can
insure beauty and stability in life.
The Compass signifies the duty which we owe to
ourselves-that of circumscribing our desires and keeping our passions within due
bounds.
We might also properly regard the Compass as excluding
beyond its circle that which is harmful or unworthy.
The Lesser Lights represent the Sun, Moon, and Master of the
Lodge.
The Word and Grip are our means of recognition by which among
strangers we are able to prove others or ourselves regular Masons in order to
enter into fraternal intercourse.
The Rite of Salutation, in which the candidate salutes
each station in turn, is not only a test of his ability to give the proper due
guard and sign, but it is his recognition of the authority of the principal
officers.
It is also a symbol of a Mason's respect for and obedience
to all just and duly constituted authorities.
The Old Charges state this in a single sentence: "A
Mason is a peaceable subject to the Civil Powers, wherever he resides or works."
The Worshipful Master is a symbol as well as the
executive officer of the Lodge.
As the sun rules the day, he should endeavor to
rule and govern his Lodge.
The Apron is at once an emblem of purity and the badge
of a Mason.
By purity is meant clean thinking and clean living, a
loyal obedience to the laws of the Craft and sincere good will to the brethren;
the badge of a Mason signifies that Masons are workers and builders, not drones
and destructionists.
The symbolism of the Rite of Destitution reverts to
those ancient times when men believed that the planets determined human fate and
controlled human passions, and that there was a mental by which each planet was
itself controlled.
In ancient initiations candidates were compelled to leave
all metals behind, lest they bring into the assembly disturbing planetary
influences.
While with us this symbolism no longer has an astrological
character, the old point about excluding disturbing influences remains; the
candidate is not to bring into the Lodge room his passions or prejudices lest
that harmony, which is one of the chief concerns of Masonry, be destroyed.
There is another and more obvious significance in this Rite
of Destitution: that of the obligation of every Mason to recognize and
alleviate, so far as his resources reasonably permit, the distress of his
fellowman; and we are reminded that this obligation rests with even greater
weight upon us when the one in distress is a Masonic Brother.
The Northeast Corner is traditionally the place where
the cornerstone of a building is laid.
The Apprentice is, therefore, so placed to receive
his first instruction on which to build his moral and Masonic edifice.
The Operative Mason would have been helpless without
his Working Tools.
Except for them there would have been no magnificent
cathedrals, no superb Temple of Solomon; even the Craft itself would have been
non-existent, and the world today infinitely poorer.
Nowhere in Masonry do we find the impact of symbolism
more significant than in its application to the Working Tools.
Without them, Speculative Masonry would be but an
empty shell of formalism-if, indeed, it managed to exist at all.
While they do not contain the whole philosophy of
Masonry, the various Working Tools allocated to the three Degrees by their very
presence declare there is constructive work to be done; and by their nature
indicate the direction this work is to take.
The Entered Apprentice is himself a symbol, one of the
noblest in the emblematic system of the Craft.
He represents youth, typified by the rising sun;
trained youth, youth willing to submit itself to discipline and to seek
knowledge in order to learn the great art of life represented and interpreted by
all the mysteries of Masonry.
It is by such voices and arts as all these, that our
magnificent First Degree gave its teachings to you as a man and an Entered
Apprentice.
We sincerely hope that these suggestions as to the meaning
of these symbols and emblems will lead you to seek further for more light, not
only that you may become a well-trained Mason, but also for their value to your
life outside the Lodge room.
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DUTIES, PRIVILEGES AND
LIMITATIONS OF AN ENTERED APPRENTICE
As an Entered Apprentice you have an immediate and
personal interest in our subject, but our discussion should lead you to see that
it has a permanent and important interest for every Mason, however long it may
have been since he received the First Degree.
In a sense we always remain Entered Apprentices;
the teachings of the Degree remain always in effect; its obligations and charge,
subject to additions in the succeeding Degrees, continue to be binding.
As Masons we associate with Apprentices, work with
them, perhaps are sought by them for counsel.
Therefore, it is important for us to have as clear
an understanding as possible of the duties, privileges and limitations of
Apprentices.
An Apprentice cannot be a member of a Lodge, vote or
hold office.
He is, therefore, not entitled to Masonic burial.
An Apprentice may not visit or sit in a Lodge
except when opened on the First Degree.
Since most business of a Lodge is conducted in the
Third Degree, he has neither voice not vote.
Nevertheless, he possesses certain important rights and
privileges.
He has the right to be instructed in his work and in
matters pertaining to his Degree.
If charged with violating his obligation, he is
entitled to trial.
He has the right to apply for advancement to a higher
Degree.
Also the Apprentice possesses modes of recognition by
which he can make himself known to other Apprentices, as well as to brethren who
have taken additional Degrees, and he has the privileges of using them.
Complete faithfulness to his obligation, and implied
obedience to the charge are among his important and lasting responsibilities.
'It is also the duty of the Apprentice to learn the
required portions of the Degree with thoroughness, not only because he must
prove himself proficient in order to advance, but also because it contains
Masonic teachings of fundamental importance that remain forever binding on every
Mason.
He should not be content with learning the words letter perfect, but should
study the meanings, also-and if he cannot interpret these for himself he should
seek help from others.
In a measure the Degree is complete within its own field,
and its teachings should be permanently incorporated as a part of his Masonic
life.
The Apprentice is on probation-- A Mason in the making;
he is passing through a period of trial and testing; his relation to the Craft
is like that of the medical student to the profession of medicine.
Therefore, it is his duty to be obedient, trusting
himself without question to his guides, and in a spirit of humility to respond
quickly to the instructions of the officers of the Lodge.
As yet it is not for him to question what he finds,
to discuss the Lodge, to enter into arguments, or to set himself up as a critic.
The clue to his whole position is furnished
by the word
"Apprentice", which means "learner." Since his status is that of a learner, his
chief task is to learn.
But the Entered Apprentice's Degree has a larger meaning.
It signifies the doctrine of Masonic Apprenticeship
as a whole, in which Fellow Crafts and Master Masons also are included.
Freemasonry preserves a secrecy about all its work; it
meets behind tiled doors; it throws over its principles and teachings a garment
of symbolism and ritual; its Art is a mystery; a great wall separates it from
the profane world.
Nor is its work easy to understand.
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Scriptures
Psalm 133, quoted in its
entirety, is the opening scripture for Freemasonry. The Psalm is taken from the
"Wisdom Psalms" and was one of the Psalms, or songs, that the worshippers sang
as they walked up the mountain to Jerusalem and the Temple. It was engraved upon
the memory of every loyal Jew, for its meaning was to bind all the people
tightly in the bonds of love and loyalty.
This Psalm begins with the
characteristic word of introduction, "Behold!" In other words, "Listen, take
heed, this is greatly important." The word "Behold!" had the same power as that
other very familiar phrase, "Thus saith the Lord!".
"Behold! How good and
pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity."
This Psalm was written
after the Jews had returned from their Babylonian captivity and they had
returned with foreign wives, foreign ideas, and a very loose hold upon God. They
all needed to draw close together for national strength, for closer religious
ties, for strict observance of the laws of God. Family life had deteriorated
under their captivity and many of the Jews who returned to Palestine had been
born in Babylon and had no familiar ties to their real homeland.
In the olden days brethren
dwelt in close proximity; they lived as close to their birthplace as possible;
they lived under the influence of the larger family, or clan, or tribe. They had
a closeness; they felt a closeness; they had a very high and very deep sense of
loyalty to all the brethren. These attributes had been broken down in captivity,
and the call was to remember "How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to
dwell together in unity." Therefore, it was necessary to bring a reminder of the
glory of the past and the advantage of the future if men would live and act as
brothers.
The writer of this Psalm
then brought up a reminder of a past custom. A host would anoint his guest with
the perfumed oil of anointing that would fill the house with its scent. Turning
to the historical Aaron, the writer reminds his readers of the beard of Aaron
and his beautiful priestly robes. Aaron typified the "Called of God man," .."The
man separated of God" for a special task. Aaron was anointed for his priestly
office in a beautiful ceremony before the massed people. If brothers will dwell
together in unity it is like this:
"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."
This oil of perfume, this
oil of anointing, gave forth a scent that all could be conscious of and all
would be impressed. "Brethren in unity" brings a consciousness of the perfume of
peace and strength. But there was something more.
Palestine was a harsh land
of little rainfall, many rocks, hot sun, little fertile soil, and many droughts.
The mountains were upon every hand, dry, barren, and all but hospitable. But
there was something about the mountains that appealed. When brothers dwell in
unity, it is as the freshness of the dew upon those mountains:
"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 forevermore."
Brothers in unity refresh
each other for there is strength in unity and the brotherly spirit is beautiful,
refreshing, and restoring. And when unity is established then there is the
blessing of the Lord God. Only in unity, implies the writer of the Psalm, where
the spirit of brotherhood prevails, may the Lord give His blessing forevermore.
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ENTERED APPRENTICE MASONIC GLOSSARY
| Appertaining |
belonging to, or
connected with, as a rightful part or attribute; relating to
|
| Archives |
a place in which
records and historical documents and items are preserved
|
| Bade |
told; ordered;
requested; directed
|
| Cable's Length |
a maritime unit of
length; about 100 fathoms or 600 feet
|
| Cable Tow |
a twisted rope,
usually of cotton or synthetic material, used symbolically to bind
or make fast; originally a particularly strong rope
|
| Cardinal |
of basic importance;
main; primary; essential; principal
|
| Circumscribe |
to draw a line
around; to limit in range of activity definitely and clearly
|
| Circumspection |
carefulness in
considering all circumstances and possible consequences
|
| Clad |
covered or clothed
|
| Conduce |
to lead or tend to a
particular and desirable result
|
| Corporeal |
having, consisting
or, or relating to, a physical material body; not intangible
|
| Divested |
to deprive or take
away from; to undress or remove clothing, ornaments or equipment
|
| Due |
proper; according to
accepted standards or procedures
|
| Engrave |
to cut figures or
letters into wood or metal
|
| Equivocation |
to avoid committing
oneself to what one says; uncertainty; uncertain or questioning
disposition or mind
|
| Etch |
to produce as a
pattern on a hard service by eating into the material's surface as
with acid or a laser beam
|
| Fellow |
a member of a group
having common characteristics; an associate; an equal in rank or
power or character
|
| Fortitude |
strength of mind
that enables a person to encounter danger, or bear pain or
adversity, with courage
|
| Guttural |
of, or having to do
with, or involving the throat
|
| Hail, Hele, Hale |
to hide or conceal;
to cover; to keep out of view
|
| Hoodwink |
a blindfold
|
| Hoodwinked |
blindfolded
|
| House Not Made With
Hands, Eternal in the Heavens |
that which lies
beyond death; heaven (II Corinthians 5:1)
|
| Immemorial |
extending or
existing since beyond the reach of memory, record or tradition
|
|
Impart
|
to give; to communicate knowledge of something; to make known; tell;
relate
|
| Indite |
to write down; to
put down in writing
|
| Intrinsic |
belonging to a thing
by its very nature; the essential nature or constitution of a thing;
inherent; in and of itself
|
| Invest |
to give; to furnish;
to clothe
|
| Inviolate |
not broken or
disregarded; not told to others; respected
|
| Light |
knowledge or
understanding
|
| Manual |
of, or having to do
with, or involving the hands
|
| Mystery |
the secret or
specialized practices or ritual peculiar to an occupation or a body
of people; rites or secrets known only to those initiated
|
| Passions |
great emotion; the
emotions as distinguished from reason; powerful or compelling
feelings or desires
|
| Pectoral |
in, on, or of the
chest
|
| Pedal |
of, or relating to,
the foot or feet
|
| Precepts |
a principal or
instruction intended especially as a general rule of action;
|
| Prudence |
the ability to
govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason; skill and good
judgement in the management of affairs or the use of resources;
caution or circumspection as to danger or risk
|
| Saints John |
Saint John the
Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist, the two ancient patron saints
of Freemasonry
|
| Shod |
wearing footgear,
with shoes on
|
| Steady |
constant in feeling,
principle, purpose or attachment; dependable; firm in intent showing
little variation or fluctuation; unwavering; resolute
|
| Subdue |
to bring under
control especially by an exertion of the will; to reduce the
intensity or degree of; tone down
|
| Superfluity |
excess; unnecessary;
immoderate, especially living habits or desires
|
| Superfluous |
exceeding what is
needed; excess; extra; not needed; unnecessary
|
| Temperance |
moderation in
action, thought or feeling; self-restraint; a habitual moderation in
the indulgence of the appetites or passions; moderation in, or
abstinence from, the use of intoxicating substances
|
| Tongue of Good Report |
having a good
reputation; those who know you report that you are a good man; a
credit to yourself and to society
|
| Usual your job |
the manner in which
you make Vocation your living
|
| Vouch |
assert; affirm;
attest; to verify; to supply supporting testimony; to support as
being true
|
| Vouchsafe |
to grant or furnish;
to give by way of reply
|
| Warden |
an official having
care or charge of some administrative aspect or an organization or
some special supervisory duties; a British term used in the
Episcopal Church and at various colleges and in government functions
|
| Worshipful |
notable;
distinguished; worthy of respect; a British term used as a title for
various persons or groups of rank or distinction
|
FREQUENT PHRASES
...barefoot nor shod...
...but we as Free and Accepted Masons are taught to
make use of if for the more noble and glorious purpose...
...due trial, strict examination or legal
information...
...duly and truly...
...erected to God and dedicated to the Holy Saints
John...
...just and legally constituted Lodge...
...neither naked nor clad...
...promise and swear...
...properly vouched for...
...rights and benefits...
...solemnly and sincerely...
...wait a time with patience...
...within the body...
...worthy and well qualified...
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