This degree is usually called "passing." The ceremonies of opening and
closing the Lodge are precisely the same as in the first degree;
except two knocks are used in this degree, and the door is entered by
the benefit of a pass-word. It is SHIBBOLETH, and explained in the
Lecture. The candidate, as before, is taken into the preparation room
and prepared in the manner following: All his clothing taken off,
except his shirt; furnished with a pair of drawers; his right breast
bare; his left foot in a slipper; the right bare; a cable-tow twice
'round his neck; semi-hoodwinked; in which situation he is conducted
to the door of the Lodge, where he gives two knocks, when the Senior
Warden rises and says, "Worshipful, while we are peaceably at work on
the second degree of Masonry, under the influence of faith, hope, and
charity, the door of our Lodge is alarmed." Master to Junior Deacon,
"Brother Junior, inquire the cause of that alarm." [In many Lodges
they come to the door, knock, are answered by the Junior Deacon, and
come in without being noticed by the Senior Warden or Master.] The
Junior Deacon gives two raps on the inside of the door. The candidate
gives one without. It is answered by the Junior Deacon with one; when
the door is partly opened by the Junior Deacon, who inquires, "Who
comes here? Who comes here?" The Senior Deacon, who is, or ought to
be, the conductor, answers, "A worthy brother, who has been regularly
initiated as an Entered Apprentice Mason, served a proper time as
such, and now wishes for further light in Masonry, by being passed to
the degree of Fellow Craft." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Is it of
his own free will and accord he makes this request?" Senior Deacon
replies, "It is." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Is he duly and
truly prepared?" ANS. "He is." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Is he
worthy and well qualified?" ANS. "He is." Junior Deacon to Senior
Deacon, "Has he made suitable proficiency in the preceding degree?"
ANS. "He has." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "By what further rights
does he expect to obtain this benefit?" ANS. "By the benefit of a
pass-word." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Has he a pass-word?" ANS.
"He has not, but I have it for him." Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon,
"Give it to me." The Senior Deacon whispers in the Junior Deacon's
ear, "SHIBBOLETH." The Junior Deacon says, "The pass is right; since
this is the case, you will wait until the Worshipful Master in the
East is made acquainted with his request, and his answer returned."
The Junior Deacon then repairs to the Master and gives two knocks, as
at the door, which are answered by two by the Master; when the same
questions are asked, and answers returned, as at the door. After
which, 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." He enters; the
angle of the Square is pressed hard against his naked right breast, at
which time the Junior Deacon says, "Brother, when you entered this
Lodge the first time, you entered on the point of the Compass pressing
your naked left breast, which was then explained to you. You now enter
it on the angle of the Square, pressing your naked right breast; which
is to teach you to act upon the square with all mankind, but more
especially with the brethren." The candidate is then conducted twice
regularly 'round the Lodge and halted at the Junior Warden in the
South, where he gives two raps, and is answered by two, when the same
questions are asked, and answers returned as at the door; from thence
he is conducted to the Senior Warden, where the same questions are
asked, and answers returned as before; he is then conducted to the
Master in the East, where the same questions are asked, and answers
returned as before; the Master likewise demands of him from whence he
came, and whither he was traveling; he answers, "From the West, and
traveling to the East." The Master says, "Why do you leave the West,
and travel to the East?" The candidate answers, "In search of more
light." The Master then says to the Senior Deacon, "Since this is the
case, you will please conduct the candidate back to the West, from
whence he came, and put him in the care of the Senior Warden, who will
teach him how to approach the East, 'the place of light,' by advancing
upon two upright regular steps to the second step (his heel is in the
hollow of the right foot in this degree), his feet forming the right
angle of an oblong square, and his body erect at the altar before the
Worshipful Master, and place him in a proper position to take the
solemn oath or obligation of a Fellow Craft Mason." The Master then
leaves his seat and approaches the kneeling candidate (the candidate
kneels on the right knee, the left forming a square; his left arm, as
far as the elbow, in a horizontal position, and the rest of the arm in
a vertical position, so as to form a square; his arm supported by the
Square held under his elbow), and says, "Brother, you are now placed
in a proper position to take on you the solemn oath or obligation of a
Fellow Craft 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 Fellow Craft Masons,
dedicated to God, and held forth to the Holy Order of St. John, do
hereby and hereon most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear,
in addition to my former obligation, that I will not give the
degree of a Fellow Craft Mason to any one of an inferior degree,
nor to any one being in the known world, except it be to a true
and lawful brother, or brethren Fellow Craft 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. Furthermore, do I promise
and swear, that I will not wrong this Lodge, nor a brother of this
degree, to the value of two cents, 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 support the
Constitution of the Grand Lodge of the United States, and of the
Grand Lodge of this State, 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,
as far as in my power. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I
will obey all regular signs and summons given, handed, sent, or
thrown to me by the hand of a brother Fellow Craft Mason, or from
the body of a just and lawfully constituted Lodge of such;
provided it be within the length of my cable-tow, or a square and
angle of my work. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will
be aiding and assisting all poor and penniless brethren Fellow
Crafts, their widows and orphans, wheresoever disposed 'round the
globe, they applying to me as such, as far as in my power, without
injuring myself or family. To all which I do most solemnly and
sincerely promise and swear, without the least hesitation, mental
reservation, or self-evasion of mind in me whatever; binding
myself under no less penalty than to have my left breast torn
open, and my heart and vitals taken from thence and thrown over my
left shoulder, and carried into the valley of Jehosaphat, there to
become a prey to the wild beasts of the fields, and vultures of
the air, if ever I should prove wilfully guilty of violating any
part of this my solemn oath or obligation of a Fellow Craft Mason;
so keep me God, and keep me steadfast in the due performance of
the same."
The Master then says, "Detach your hands and kiss the book, which is
the Holy Bible, twice." The bandage is now (by one of the brethren)
dropped over the other eye, and the Master says, "Brother (at the same
time laying his hand on the top of the candidate's head), what do you
most desire?" The candidate answers, after his prompter, "More light."
The Master says, "Brethren, form on the square, and assist in bringing
our new-made brother from darkness to light; 'And God said, Let there
be light, and there was light.'" At this instant all the brethren clap
their hands, and stamp on the floor, as in the preceding degree. The
Master says to the candidate, "Brother, what do you discover different
from before?" The Master says, after a short pause, "You now discover
one point of the Compass elevated above the Square, which denotes
light in this degree; but as one is yet in obscurity, it is to remind
you that you are yet one material point in the dark respecting
Masonry." The Master steps off from the candidate three or four steps,
and says, "Brother, you now discover me as a Master of this Lodge,
approaching you from the East, under the sign and due-guard of a
Fellow Craft Mason; do as I do, as near as you can, keeping your
position." The sign is given by drawing your right hand flat, with the
palm of it next to your breast, across your breast, from the left to
the right side, with some quickness, and dropping it down by your
side; the due-guard is given by raising the left arm until that part
of it between the elbow and shoulder is perfectly horizontal, and
raising the rest of the arm in a vertical position, so that that part
of the arm below the elbow, and that part above it, forms a square;
this is called the due-guard of a Fellow Craft Mason. The two given
together are called the sign and due-guard of a Fellow Craft Mason,
and they are never given separate; they would not be recognized by a
Mason if given separately. The Master, by the time he gives his steps,
sign, and due-guard, arrives at the candidate, and says, "Brother, I
now present you with my right hand, in token of brotherly love and
confidence, and with it the pass-grip and word of a Fellow Craft
Mason." The pass, or more properly the pass-grip, is given by taking
each other by the right hand, as though going to shake hands, and each
putting his thumb between the fore and second finger, where they join
the hands, and pressing the thumb between the joints. This is the
pass-grip of a Fellow Craft Mason; the name of it is SHIBBOLETH. Its
origin will be explained in the Lecture; the pass-grip some give
without lettering or syllabling, and others give it in the same way
they do the real grip. The real grip of a Fellow Craft Mason is given
by putting the thumb on the joint of the second finger, where it joins
the hand, and crooking your thumb so that each can stick the nail of
his thumb into the joint of the other. This is the real grip of a
Fellow Craft Mason; the name of it is JACHIN; it is given in the
following manner: If you wish to examine a person, after having taken
each other by the grip, ask him, "What is this?" A. "A grip." Q. "A
grip of what?" A. "The grip of a Fellow Craft Mason." Q. "Has it a
name?" A. "It has." Q. "Will you give it to me?" A. "I did not so
receive it, neither can I so impart it." Q. "What will you do with
it?" A. "I'll letter it or halve it." Q. "Halve it, and you begin." A.
"No; begin you." Q. "You begin." A. "JA." Q. "CHIN." A. "JACHIN." Q.
"Right, Brother JACHIN, I greet you."
After the Master gives the candidate the pass-grip and grip, and their
names, he says, "Brother, you will rise and salute the Junior and
Senior Wardens as such, and convince them that you have been regularly
passed to the degree of a Fellow Craft Mason, and have got the sign
and pass-grip, real grip, and their names." [I do not here express it
as expressed in Lodges generally; the Master usually says you will
rise and salute the Wardens, &c., and convince them, &c., that you
have got the sign, pass-grip, and word. It is obviously wrong, because
the first thing he gives is the sign, then the due-guard, then the
pass-grip, and their names.] While the Wardens are examining the
candidate, the Master gets an apron, and returns to the candidate, and
says, "Brother, I now have the honor of presenting you with a
lamb-skin, or white apron, as before, which I hope you will continue
to wear, with honor to yourself, and satisfaction 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 Fellow Craft Mason." The Senior Warden ties on
his apron, and turns up one corner of the lower end of the apron, and
tucks it under the apron string. The Senior Deacon then conducts his
pupil to the Master, who has by this time resumed his seat in the
East, where he has, or ought to have, the floor carpet to assist him
in his explanations. Master to the candidate, "Brother, as you are
dressed, it is necessary you should have tools to work with; I will,
therefore, present you with the tools of a Fellow Craft Mason. They
are the Plumb, Square, and Level. The Plumb is an instrument made use
of by operative masons to raise perpendiculars; the Square, to square
their work; and the Level, to lay horizontals; but we, as Free and
Accepted Masons, are taught to use them for more noble and glorious
purposes; the Plumb teaches us to walk uprightly, in our several
stations, before God and man; squaring our actions by the square of
virtue; and remembering that we are traveling on the level of time to
that 'undiscovered country, from whose bourne no traveler has
returned.' I further present you with three precious jewels; their
names are Faith, Hope, and Charity; they teach us to have faith in
God, hope in immortality, and charity to all mankind." The Master to
the Senior Deacon, "You will now conduct the candidate out of this
Lodge, and invest him with what he has been divested." After he is
clothed, and the necessary arrangements made for his reception, such
as placing the columns and floor carpet, if they have any, and the
candidate is reconducted back to the Lodge; as he enters the door, the
Senior Deacon observes, "We are now about to return to the middle
chamber of King Solomon's Temple." When within the door, the Senior
Deacon proceeds, "Brother, we have worked in speculative Masonry, but
our forefathers wrought both in speculative and operative Masonry.
They worked at the building of King Solomon's Temple, and many other
Masonic edifices; they wrought six days; they did not work on the
seventh, because in six days God created the heavens and the earth,
and rested on the seventh day. The seventh, therefore, our ancient
brethren consecrated as a day of rest; thereby enjoying more frequent
opportunities to contemplate the glorious works of creation, and to
adore their great Creator." Moving a step or two, the Senior Deacon
proceeds, "Brother, the first thing that attracts our attention are
two large columns, or pillars, one on the left hand, and the other on
the right; the name of the one on the left hand is BOAZ, and denotes
strength; the name of the one on the right hand is JACHIN, and denotes
establishment; they collectively allude to a passage in Scripture,
wherein God has declared in his word, 'In strength shall this house be
established.' These columns are eighteen cubits high, twelve in
circumference, and four in diameter; they are adorned with two large
chapiters, one on each, and these chapiters are ornamented with net
work, lily work, and pomegranates; they denote unity, peace, and
plenty. The net work, from its connection, denotes union; the lily
work, from its whiteness, purity and peace; and the pomegranate, from
the exuberance of its seed, denotes plenty. They also have two large
globes, or balls, one on each; these globes or balls contain, on their
convex surfaces, all the maps and charts of the celestial and
terrestrial bodies; they are said to be thus extensive to denote the
universality of Masonry, and that a Mason's charity ought to be
equally extensive. Their composition is molten, or cast brass; they
were cast on the banks of the river Jordan, in the clay-ground between
Succoth and Zaradatha, where King Solomon ordered these and all other
holy vessels to be cast; they were cast hollow; and were four inches,
or a hand's breadth thick; they were cast hollow, the better to
withstand inundations and conflagrations; they were the archives of
Masonry, and contained the constitution, rolls, and records." The
Senior Deacon having explained the columns, he passes between them,
advances a step or two, observing as he advances, "Brother, we will
pursue our travels; the next thing that we come to is a long, winding
staircase, with three, five, seven steps, or more. The three first
allude to the three principal supports in Masonry, viz., wisdom,
strength, and beauty; the five steps allude to the five orders in
architecture, and the five human senses; the five orders in
architecture are the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite;
the five human senses are Hearing, Seeing, Feeling, Smelling, and
Tasting; the three first of which have ever been highly essential
among Masons: Hearing, to hear the word; Seeing, to see the sign; and
Feeling, to feel the grip, whereby one Mason may know another in the
dark as well as in the light. The seven steps allude to 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 this, and many other reasons, the number seven has ever
been held in high estimation among Masons." Advancing a few steps,
the Senior Deacon proceeds, "Brother, the next thing we come to is the
outer door of the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple, which is
partly open, but closely tyled by the Junior Warden" [It is the Junior
Warden in the South who represents the Tyler at the outer door of the
middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple], who, on the approach of the
Senior Deacon and candidate, inquires, "Who comes here? Who comes
here?" The Senior Deacon answers, "A Fellow Craft Mason." Junior
Warden to Senior Deacon, "How do you expect to gain admission?" A. "By
a pass, and token of a pass." Junior Warden to Senior Deacon, "Will
you give them to me?" [The Senior Deacon, or the candidate (prompted
by him), gives them; this and many other tokens, or grips, are
frequently given by strangers when first introduced to each other. If
given to a Mason, he will immediately return it; they can be given in
any company unobserved, even by Masons, when shaking hands. A PASS,
AND TOKEN OF A PASS; the pass is the word SHIBBOLETH; the token, alias
the pass-grip, is given, as before described, by taking each other by
the right hand, as if shaking hands, and placing the thumb between the
forefinger and second finger, at the third joint, or where they join
the hand, and pressing it hard enough to attract attention. In the
Lecture it is called a token, but generally called the pass-grip. It
is an undeniable fact that Masons express themselves so differently,
when they mean the same thing, that they frequently wholly
misunderstand each other.]
After the Junior Warden has received the pass SHIBBOLETH, he inquires,
"What does it denote?" A. "Plenty." Junior Warden to Senior Deacon,
"Why so?" A. "From an ear of corn being placed at the water-ford."
Junior Warden to Senior Deacon, "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." Since this
is the case, you will pass on to the Senior Warden in the West for
further examination. As they approach the Senior Warden in the West,
the Senior Deacon says to the candidate, "Brother, the next thing we
come to is the inner door of the middle chamber of King Solomon's
Temple, which we find partly open, but more closely tyled by the
Senior Warden;" when the Senior Warden inquires, "Who comes here? Who
comes here?" The Senior Deacon answers, "A Fellow Craft Mason." Senior
Warden to Senior Deacon, "How do you expect to gain admission?" A. "By
the grip and word." The Senior Warden to the Senior Deacon, "Will you
give them to me?" They are then given as hereinbefore described. The
word is JACHIN. After they are given, the Senior Warden says, "They
are right; you can pass on to the Worshipful Master in the East." As
they approach the Master, he inquires, "Who comes here? Who comes
here?" Senior Deacon answers, "A Fellow Craft Mason." The Master then
says to the candidate, "Brother you have been admitted into the middle
chamber of King Solomon's Temple for the sake of the letter G. It
denotes Deity, before whom we all ought to bow with reverence,
worship, and adoration. It also denotes Geometry, the fifth science:
it being that on which this degree was principally founded. By
Geometry we may curiously trace nature through her various windings to
her most concealed recesses; by it we may discover the power, the
wisdom, and the goodness of the Grand Artificer of the Universe, and
view with delight the proportions which connect this vast machine; by
it we may discover how the planets move in their different orbits, and
demonstrate their various revolutions; by it we account for the return
of a season, and the variety of scenes which each season displays to
the discerning eye. Numberless worlds surround us, all formed by the
same Divine Architect, which roll through this vast expanse, and all
conducted by the same unerring law of nature. A survey of nature, and
the observations of her beautiful proportions, first determined man to
imitate the divine plan, and study symmetry and order. The architect
began to design; and the plans which he laid down, being improved by
experience and time, have produced works which are the admiration of
every age. The lapse of time, the ruthless hand of ignorance, and the
devastations of war, have laid waste and destroyed many valuable
monuments of antiquity, on which the utmost exertions of human genius
have been employed. Even the Temple of Solomon, so spacious and
magnificent, and constructed by so many celebrated artists, escaped
not the unsparing ravages of barbarous force. The ATTENTIVE EAR
received the sound from the INSTRUCTIVE TONGUE; and the mysteries of
Freemasonry are safely lodged in the repository of FAITHFUL BREASTS.
Tools and implements of architecture, and symbolic emblems, most
expressive, are selected by the fraternity to imprint on the mind wise
and serious truths; and thus, through a succession of ages, are
transmitted, unimpaired, the most excellent tenets of our
institution."
Here the labor ends of the Fellow Craft's degree. It will be observed
that the candidate has received, in this place, the second section of
the Lecture on this degree. This course is not generally pursued, but
it is much the most instructive method; and when it is omitted, I
generally conclude that it is for want of a knowledge of the Lecture.
Monitorial writers (who are by no means coeval with Masonry) all
write, or copy, very much after each other, and they have all inserted
in their books all those clauses of the several Lectures which are
not considered by the wise ones as tending to develop the secrets of
Masonry. In some instances, they change the phraseology a little; in
others, they are literal extracts from the Lectures. This, it is said,
is done to facilitate the progress of learners, or young Masons; when,
in fact, it has the contrary effect.
The following charge is, or ought to be, delivered to the candidate
after he has got through the ceremonies; but he is generally told, "It
is in the Monitor, and you can learn it at your leisure." "Brother,
being advanced to the second degree of Masonry, we congratulate you on
your preferment. The internal, and not the external, qualifications of
a man are what Masonry regards. As you increase in knowledge, you will
improve in social intercourse. It is unnecessary to recapitulate the
duties which, as a Mason, you are bound to discharge; or enlarge on
the necessity of a strict adherence to them, as your own experience
must have established their value. Our laws and regulations you are
strenuously to support; and be always ready to assist in seeing them
duly executed. You are not to palliate or aggravate the offences of
your brethren; but in the decision of every trespass against our
rules, you are to judge with candor, admonish with friendship, and
reprehend with justice. The study of the liberal arts, that valuable
branch of education, which tends so effectually to polish and adorn
the mind, is earnestly recommended to your consideration; especially
the science of Geometry, which is established as the basis of our art.
Geometry, or Masonry, originally synonymous terms, being of a divine
moral nature, is enriched with the most useful knowledge; while it
proves the wonderful properties of nature, it demonstrates the more
important truths of morality. Your past behavior and regular
deportment have merited the honor which we have now conferred, and, in
your new character, it is expected that you will conform to the
principles of the Order, by steadily persevering in the practice of
every commendable virtue. Such is the nature of your engagements as a
Fellow Craft, and to these duties you are bound by the most sacred
ties."
I will now proceed with the Lecture on this degree; it is divided into
two sections.
* * * * *