Entered Apprentice Degree

I am

From a lodge of the Holy St.'s John.

To learn to subdue my passions and improve myself in Masonry

I am so taken and accepted by all brothers and fellows who know me.

By certain signs, a token, a word, and the perfect points of my entrance.

Right angles, horizontals, and perpendiculars.

• What is a token?
• A certain friendly grip of the hand, where by one Mason may know another in the dark, as well as in the light.

The name of a token.

• What are the perfect points of your entrance?
• Pectoral, manual, guttural and pedal.

• What makes you an entered apprentice Mason?
• My obligation.

• Where were you first prepared to be a Mason?
• At heart.

• Where next?
• In a room adjacent to a legally constituted lodge of entered apprentice Masons, duly assembled, in a place representing the ground floor or checkered pavement of King Solomon's temple.

• How were you prepared?
• I was divested of all metallic substances, neither naked or clad, barefoot or shod, hoodwinked, a cable tow around my neck, in which condition I was conducted to a door.

• Being hoodwinked how did you know it to be a door?
• By first meeting with an obstruction and afterwards gaining admission.

• How did you gain admission?
• By three distinct knocks from without answered by three from within, and where by a voice saying, who comes here.

• The answer?
• Mr. Chris Turner who has wondering in darkness desires to be brought to light by receiving a part of the rights, light, and benefits of this honorable and ancient institution

• What was then asked you?
• Was it of my own free will and accord that I make this request? If I was duly and truly prepared, worthy, well qualified, and properly vouched for. All answered in the affirmative. I was then asked by what further right I expected to gain admission.

By being a man, free born, of lawful age, sound in mind and body, and well recommended.

• Then what was said?
• To wait a time in patience until the request be made known to the worshipful master and his order returned.

• What was his order?
• That I be permitted to enter and received in ancient form. But by the lord, beware upon what I enter.

Upon the point of a sharp instrument pressing my naked left breast as that this might be made an instrument of torture to my flesh and the remembrance of if I attempt to reveal the secrets of free masonry unlawfully.

• how were you then disposed of?
• I was conducted near the center of the lodge and caused to kneel for the benefit of prayer.

• After prayer what was asked you?
• In whom I put my trust?

In God.

• What did he then say?
• Your trust being in God, your faith is well founded. Arise, follow your conductor, and fear no evil.

• How were disposed of?
• I was conducted once regularly about the lodge and caused to halt before the junior warden in the south, The senior warden in the west and worshipful master in the east where the same questions were asked and like answers returned as at the door, with the additional interrogatory from the worshipful master asking whence came the candidate and whether traveling?

From the west traveling to the east.

• What did he next ask?
• Why leave the west and travel to the east?

In search of light.

• What did he then say?
• Light being my object it is my order he be conducted to the west whence he came. There placed in charge of the senior warden who will teach him how to approach the east, the source of light masonically by advancing upon one regular upright step, the first step in masonry.

• What report did the senior deacon make?
• Brother senior warden, it is the order of the worshipful master in the east that the candidate be conducted to the west, placed in your charge, and that you teach him how to approach the east, the source of light masonically by advancing upon one regular upright step, the first step in masonry.

• What did the senior warden say?
• Brother senior deacon, you will cause the candidate to face the east and conduct him within one step of the alter.

• What did the senior warden say to you?
• Mr. Turner you will take one full step forward with your left foot bringing the heel of your right to the hollow of your left, your feet forming the angle of a square, your body erect.

• What report did the senior warden make?
• Worshipful master, the candidate is before the alter upon the first step in free masonry.

• What did the worshipful master say to you?
• Mr.Turner thus far have you come on your own free will and accord. Further you cannot go until you take a binding obligation which I assure you will not conflict with the exalted duties you owe to God, your country, your family, your neighbor, or yourself, nor interfere with any religious or political sentiments you may entertain. With this assurance are you willing to take such an obligation?

I am.

• What order did the worshipful master give the senior deacon?
• Brother senior deacon you will place the candidate in position before the alter to take the binding obligation of an EA mason, by causing him to kneel on his naked left knee, his right leg extended forming the angle of a square, his left hand supporting the Holy Bible, square, and compass, his right hand resting there on.

• What report did the senior deacon make?
• Worshipful master the candidate is in position before the Holy Alter in due and ancient form.

• What did the worshipful master say?
• Brethren, you will assemble and witness the obligation.

• What did he say to you?
• "I" XXXX on my own free will and accord in the presence of Almighty God and this worshipful lodge of EA masons erected to God and the Holy St's John do hereby and hereon promise and swear that I will always hail, ever conceal, and never reveal the secrets of free masonry that have been, may now, or shall be communicated to me or in any other manner come to my knowledge unless it be in a regular lodge of free and accepted masons. Or to a brother mason and not then until after strict trial, due examination, or lawful Masonic information I shall have found them or him as justly entitled to receive the same as I am now about to be.

• 2nd Tie?
• I furthermore promise and swear that I will not write, indicate, cut, carve, print, paint, stamp, stain, or engrave on anything moveable or immovable; That I will not make any letter, figure, cypher, character, or the resemblance of the same whereby the secrets of freemasonry may be unlawfully obtained thru my unworthiness.

• 3rd Tie?
• All of which I promise and swear without equivocation, secret evasion, or mental reservation binding myself under the penalty of having my throat cut from ear to ear, my tongue torn out by the root, buried in the sand of the sea a cables length from shore where the tide ebbs and flows regularly, Should I ever willfully violate any part of this the binding obligation of an entered apprentice mason, so help me God, and keep me steadfast in due performance of the same.

• After the obligation what did the worshipful master say to you?
• Holy Bible and kiss it.

• What order did the worshipful master give the senior deacon?
• Brother senior deacon you will release the brother from the cable tow as he is now bound to the fraternity by a stronger tie.

• What did the worshipful master ask you?
• Brother Turner, in your present condition what do you most desire?

Light

Worshipful master may the brother approach the secretary's desk?

He may.

• What lesson was there taught you?
• The lesson of caution.

• Where did you receive the charge?
• West of the alter.