“THE MASONIC RITUAL” - Freemasonry Watch

1 THEMASONICRITUAL forusebyTheMostWorshipfulPrinceHallGrand Lodge,Free&AcceptedMasonsPublishedbyMASO NICSUPPLYCOMPANY175 FIFTHAVENUENewYork, ;fl1rnuybe,now,~WVjnedarnembtr1~, H.,o~ h~dp-me~t0,dI>IINDEX Copyright1951,1980,byAnthonyNizzardini 175 FifthAvenue,NewYork,NY10010 Repr~nted1987,1988, (ShorSForm).. (LongForm)..ApronPresentationSecondSecti onLecturePartI(QuesUons&Answers).Lecture PartII(Whys&Wherefore:) (ShortForm).. (LongForm) (Questions&Answers) (H4storicalLecture)..SymbolismChargeLect ure1 tsr~.(OFThIs1ovelInoShieldS~J,an~fe,oble c~ndmu~fbe4wwn~nrIequrt-edItisevidence~h QttIwtindersignedisamemberingoodandIeqr, Iorstandingunfriihedc~iend~cotedonrevers esideof~hr~a~dPACU5121623262646505060657 5767879808110012313113213313413315617318 1190194signyo,~rwmeb&lowasacknowIed~jeme nto~d~den+,fca+ ( , , ,beclothed.( ) (Risesunderdueguard) onthethirddegreeofMasonry;directhimtotak eduenoticethereofandgovernhimselfac-cord ingly.))

2 (Speakingthruopendoor) LodgeNo.,onthethirddegreeofMasonry:taked uenoticethereofandgovernyourselfaccordin gly.(Doorisclosed, ,givenbytyler) , a~iOfTisiIsanninnaShinidisnof1~iarnti- iua;eandmustbe~hownwp,IinquiredItisevide ncethatth~unilnisigned,amnnsheiingauaand iequlaistandingunfilSuedateindeasedanrev eisesideatin,raPleavesianyawnameOClawasa cknawledqemensandto~ ~audeavesdroppers, (Riseswiderdueguard) ( ) ( ,hewillpauseandreport) (Tothestranger.) (Ifvouchedfor)Thevouchisaccept-ed.(Ifnot ,turnstothestranger.)Pleaseretirefora ( ) , s,whowillobtainItfromthebrethrenontherig htaridleft,andcommunicateit (DeaconsmeetWestoftheAltarandapproachtog ether.) (Deaconsgivepassword)NowobtainIifromthel rethrenontherightandleft, (Procede, ) (orJ) (Tothebrother) (Ifvouchedfor.)Thevouchisaccepted.(Tothe deaconIIn-vesthimwiththepasswordandre-ce iveitfromhim(Ifnotvouchedfor, ) , , aIs-~ ,ste,aa~eandrisustbeUsa-mnmis, ImightobtaintheMastersword,travelinforei gncountries,workandreceivemasters s, s, ,Square&Compasses, ,of whomdoesitconsist?)

3 , , (Givestworapswithhisgavel.) ,andelsewhereabouttheLodgeashemaydirect; attendtoalarmsattheouterdoor, (Risesunderdueguard) ,andelsewhereabouttheLodgeashemaydirect; welcomeandclothevisitingbrethren, ,whichisthegloryandbeautyoftheday;callth ecraftfromlabortore-fresjrut,yn~superint endthemduringthe hourstlfereof,carefullytoobservethatthem eansofrefreshmentarenotpervertedtointemp erenceorex-cess,seethattheyreturntotheir laborindueseason, , ssT.~-.~iaThis1iaveliisgSninldisnatIassl eiableandmussbe~eawi-mtiiiequiiedItisevi dencethattueanoessignedisamembeiaandegul astandinguntiltuedateindicatedaninveises ideofsniraidPleasetiqnyawnamebelaeeasacl inawledgemen,andto cc,uionOPENING1110 OPENING andclosingtheLodge;paythecrafttheirwages ,if anybedue,thatnonemaygoawaydissatisfied, station? , ,setthecraftatwork, ( ) , ,intheSouth,andbetotilebreth-renpresent, ~ ,andstandopenforthetransactionofsuchbusi nessasmayregularlyandconstitutionallybeb roughtbeforeitThiscommunicatetothebrethr enpresent,thathavingduenoticethere-of, ,that ,andstandopenforthetransactionofmuchbusi nessasmayregularlyandcon- ~titutionallybebroughtbeforeit-Icommunic atethesametoyouthathavingduenoticethereo f, ,attendtogivingthesigns;observetheEast-( Thesignsofthethreedegreesaregivenbyallpr e-sent,takingtimefromtheW-M.)

4 (Threerapswithhisgavel.)(Threeraps)(Thre eraps)Brethren, :PRAYERM ostholyandgloriousLordGod,theGreatArchit ectoftheUniverse,sheGiver~allgoodgiftsan dgraces,Thouhastpromisedthat WheretwoorthreearegatheredtogetherInThyn ameThouwiltbeintheirmidst,andblessthem. InThynamewehaveassembled, , , ssThis1civelingSnieldisnottii,iisteiable ariamusthevowinquiredItisevidencethattue anaeisignedisamemberngoadandiegalarstand inguntilthe ~lateindicatedanieveisesideatthiPleasera eyawnameOCtane05aclinowledgemen~and a dcii0tic( (GoestotheWestoftheAltar,givessignofthed egree; ) nowdeclaretheLodgedulyopenandinorderforb usiness,atthesametimestrictlyforbiddinga llidle,immoralorotherunmasonicconduct,wh erebytheharmonyofthesamemaybedisturbed,u ndernolessapenaltythantheby-lawsprescrib eora (Givesthreeknocksontheouterdoorwhicharea nsweredbythreefromthetyler.) ,presentorpastMasters,theyarecordiallyan dfraternallyinvitedtoaseatintheEast.)

5 (Givesonerap,lodgeisseated)BUSINESSSec.( Secretarycallsrollofofficers,an~ ) (Risesunderdueguard) ,pleasereadtheminutesolourlaststatedcomm unication,(TheminutesarereadbytheSecreta ry) ,thesearetheminutesofourlaststatedcommun ication;theywerethenreadandapproved,anda renowreadfor3~ (Risesunderdueguard) (orreportsifany) ,anythingintheSouth?I. W.(Risesunderdueguard)NothingintheSouth( orreports) (Reports,ifany,given) ,have~reportsonpetitionsformom~ unfavorable) ( ,whatisyourpleasureinreferencetothisrepo rt? , ,it issoorder-ad.(Onerap) , ( islii .~aiThis1icivelingShieldisnotI,aissfeiab learidmustheessneri~ti,iequiiedItisevide ncethattueundeisignedisamembeiingoadandi ngalarstandinguntilthedciteindicatedanse nnisesideofthiPlease55 Wyawnamebelowasochnawledgemensand5o identification14W, ,WestandEast.(Done)( )Brethxen, ,onwhomourcommitteehasreportedfavorably: a whiteballelects,ablacksquareorcubereject s.)

6 ( ) ;ballotyourselfandplaceit ontheAltarfortheballotsofthebrethren.(Do ne)Brethren,proceedtoballotindueform, s,infrontoftheAltar.( ) (Risesunderdueguard) (Risesunderdueguard) (OneRap)( ) ,WestandEastforinspection.(Done)( , ) (cloudyif blackballsareseen) (orcloudy) (orcloudy) , memberofthisLodge.(Ideclarehisapplicatio nrejected;(ifcloudy). ,youwillsoin-formhim, (Readspetition) ,thepetitionwilltaketheusualcourse(orBre th-ren,whatisyourpleasurewiththispetitio n.) mason.(Done)Allopposed, (1rap)Iwillappointacommitteelateron,(or) , ( ~ ).1 ~hc iequiiedItisevidencetuatsueanoessignedis amembeiinandsegularstandinguntilthedatei ndicatedanseveisesideottnt-Please55 Wyawnamebetawasochnawledgementand Osdentif, (fuses) (Rises) (Pauses) ,giveyourattentiontothereadingoftheminut esofourpresentcommunication.(Readsminute s) ,Ideclare themapproved.(1rap) ,andInformthekCLOSING17 TylerthatIamabouttocloseLodgeNo.)

7 , (3 Raps)Tyler(3 Raps)(Opensdoor) abouttocloseLodgeNo. ,takeduenoticethereofandgovernyourselfac cordingly.(Closesdoor) , , sword,travelinforeigncountries,workandre ceiveMaster swages,andbetherebybetterenabledtosuppor tmyselfandfamily,andcontributetotherelie fofdistressedworthyMasterMasons, aIi~~ii-,,- I mi-shandingShieldisnotTiansfe,ublerindni usthesno~n~esinquisedItisevidencethatthe uncleisgnedisamembeiinande~ularstandingu ntilthedaleindicatedasseversesideotth~ca rdPleasesianyournamebelonnasachnowledgem entandto ~, , , ,SquareandCompasses,togetherwithaCharter orDispensationfromsomeGrandBodyofcompete ntjurisdict-ionempoweringit ,ofwhomdoesit consists? , , sThe~. (2 Raps) (InShortForm,omitduties) ,andelsewhereabouttheLodgeashemaydirect, attendtoalarmsattheouterdoor, , ;welcomeandcrothevisitLngbrethren,attend toalarmsatthein-nerdoor, ,whichisthegloryandbeautyoftheday;callth ecraftfromlabortorefresh-ment;superinten dantthemduringthehoursthereof,carefullyt oobservethatthemeansofrefreshmentarenotp ervertedtointemperanceorcx-cess;saethatt heyreturntotheirlaborindueseason, thecloseofday, ;paythecrafttheirwages,if anybedue,thatnonemaygoawaydisatisfied,ha rmonybeingthesupportofallinstitutions,es pec-tallythisofours-TheMastersstation?

8 IntheEastWhyintheEast?Asthesunrisesinthe Easttoopenandgoverntheday; aThisliavelingShieldisnotlic,nsteiablean tmustbe,ttaWr5whi,ec1uiiedItisevidenceth attheonavisignedisamembeiagoodandegalars tandinguntilthedateindicatedonsevessesid eofthicardP/easeti~gsyounamebsrtawasochn awledgementandto den ification1 tSIi, ~asttoopenandgovernther,odge,setthecraft atwork, (3 Raps,Lodgerises) , benowclosed,andstanduntilitsnextregularc om-munication,unlessspeciallyconven-ed, ,andhetothebrethrenpresent, LodgeNo.,benowclosed,andstandcloseduntil itsnextregularcommunication,unlessspecia llycon-vened, , (Brethrencometoorder.) , ,that ,andstanduntilitsnextregularcom-municati on,unlessspeciallyconvened, *, !.Brethren,attendtogivingtheslgne~CLOSIN G observetheEast-(Thedueguardsandsignsofea chdegreearenowgivenbyallpresent, rapseach) ,howshouldMasonsmeet? ,mybrethren,evermeet, ,weaskThyblessingupontheproceedingsofthi scommunicatiewi,andasweareabouttoseparat e, ,0 Godtorealizethebeautyoftheprin-ciplesofo urtime honoredinstitution,notonlywhileintheLodg e, ~ , ~shrtWrtwn, !

9 ~XRSTDEGREEA ttendattheAltarandclosethegreatlightinMa sonry.(GoesWestofAltar,givessignofdegree ,closesLightandreturnstohisplace) (3 Raps)(3 Raps,opensdoor) (Closesdow) (OneRap)I ~ (Risesunderdneguard) , (ObtainsnamesfromtheTyler) , ,if thereisnoobjection,Ishallconferthedegree uponhim.(Hesitatesforamoment)Therebeingn oobjection,Iwillpro-ceed.(Rapsgavelonce) (Bothriseunderhiegnard) ,neithernakednorclothed,barefootnorshod, leftkneeandbreastbare,hoodwinked, :whenthusprepared, ,accompanythem-( , ,facerightandmarchtothepreparationroom.) ( ,SrequiredItisevidencethatth~unaersgnedi samemberin90)555andeguilarstandinguntilt hedareindicatedaninversesideatth5 PleaseSii,riyaiuinarriebelawasachnawleds remenrarrd~ ,M, ~ , (Rapsthreetimes)Brethren.( ) , ,isthisyoursignatureandpetition?(Beingsa tisfied,continues)Somewhatofyourmotives, inapplyingforad-missionintoourancientand honor-ableFraternity,wehavelearnedfromth edeclaration,overyourstg-nature,containe dinyourpetition;but,inorderthatyoumaynot bemisledastothecharacterorthepurposeofth eceremoniesinwhichyouareahouttoengage,th eLodgeaddressestoyouthesepreliminaryword sofadvice.

10 Freemasonryisfarremovedfromallthatistriv al,selfish, , ,yetitinsiststhatallmenshallstanduponane xactequalityandreceiveitsinstructionsina spiritofduehumility,emphasizing,indemean or,inconduct,inceremony, JsFIRSTDEGREE25andinlanguage,thehelpless ,gropingnature)fmanathisbirth, ,andtheLodgeintowhichyouarenowtobeadmttt edexpectsyoutodivestyour-selfofallthosed istinctionsandequipmentswhicharenotinkee p-ingwiththehumble,reverent,andchildltke attitudeit isnowyourdutytoassume, :Doyoudeclare,uponyourhonor,that,unbiase dbythetmpropersolicitationoffriends,andu ninfluencedbymercenarymo-tives,youfreely andvoluntarilyofferyourselfacandidatefor themyster-tesofFreemasonry? ,uponyourhonor,thatyouarepromptedtosolic ittheprivi legesofFreemasonrybya favorableopinionconceivedoftheInstitutio n,adesireforknowledgeandasincerewishofbe ingserviceabletoyourfellowcreatures? ,declare,uponyourhonor,thatyouwillcheerf ullyconformtoalltheancientusagesandestab lishedcustomsofthePraternity?