Question--Are you a Mark Master Mason? Answer--I am; try me.
Q. By what will you be tried? A. By the engraving chisel and mallet.
Q. Why by the engraving chisel and mallet? A. Because they are the
proper masonic implements of this degree.
Q. On what was the degree founded? A. On a certain keystone which
belonged to the principal arch of King Solomon's Temple.
Q. Who formed this keystone? A. Our worthy Grand Master, Hiram Abiff.
Q. What were the preparatory steps relative to your advancement to
this degree? A. I was caused to represent one of the Fellow Craft at
the building of King Solomon's Temple, whose custom it was, on the eve
of every sixth day, to carry up their work for inspection.
Q. Why was you caused to represent these Fellow Crafts? A. Because our
worthy Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, had completed this keystone
agreeable to the original plan, and before he gave orders to have it
carried up to the Temple, was slain by three ruffians, as already
represented in the preceding degrees; and it so happened that on the
eve of a certain sixth day, as the craft were carrying up work for
inspection, a young Fellow Craft discovered this stone in the quarry,
and from its singular form and beauty, supposing it to belong to some
part of the Temple, carried it up for inspection.
Q. Who inspected it? A. The Grand Overseers, placed at the East, West,
and South gates.
Q. How did they inspect it? A. On its being presented to the Junior
Overseer at the South gate, he observed that it was neither an oblong
or a square, neither had it the regular mark of the craft upon it; but
from its singular form and beauty was unwilling to reject it,
therefore ordered it to be passed to the Senior Overseer at the West
gate for further inspection; who, for similar reasons, suffered it to
pass to the Master Overseer at the East gate, who held a consultation
with his brother Overseers, and they observed, as before, that it was
neither an oblong or square, neither had it the regular mark of the
craft upon it; and neither of them being Mark Master Masons, supposed
it of no use in the building, and hove it over among the rubbish.
Q. How many Fellow Crafts were there engaged at the building of the
Temple? A. Eighty thousand.
Q. Were not the Master Overseers liable to be imposed upon by
receiving bad work from the hands of such a vast number of workmen? A.
They were not.
Q. How was this imposition prevented? A. By the wisdom of King
Solomon, who wisely ordered that the craftsman who worked should
choose him a particular mark and place it upon all his work; by which
it was known and distinguished when carried up to the building, and,
if approved, to receive wages.
Q. What was the wages of a Fellow Craft? A. A penny a day.
Q. Who paid the craftsmen? A. The Senior Grand Warden.
Q. Was not the Senior Grand Warden liable to be imposed upon by
impostors in paying off such a vast number of workmen? A. He was not.
Q. How was this imposition prevented? A. By the wisdom of King
Solomon, who also ordered that every craftsman applying to receive
wages, should present his right hand through a lattice window of the
door of the Junior Grand Warden's apartment, with a copy of his mark
in the palm thereof, at the same time giving a token.