Fellow Craft Degree

I am, try me.

By the Square.

Because it is an emblem a virtue and one of the working tools of this degree

An angle of 90° or the fourth part of a circle

My obligation

In a room adjoining a regular lodge of Fellow craft masons

By being divested of all minerals and metals; neither naked nor clothed; barefoot nor shod; hoodwinked, a cable-toe twice around my right arm; right foot, knee and breast bare; clothed as an Entered Apprentice; in which condition I was conducted to a door and caused to give three distinct knocks.

Who comes here

Br _______ who has been regularly initiated an Entered Apprentice, served a proper time as such and now seeks more light in masonry by being passed to the degree of fellow craft

If it was still an act of my own free will and accord; if I was still worthy and well qualified; duly and truly prepared and properly avouched for; and if I had made suitable proficiency in the preceding Degree to entitle me to this; all of which being answered in the affirmative, I was then asked, by what further rights or benefits I expected to obtain this important privilege

By benefit of the pass

I had it not, my conductor had it for me

To wait until the Worshipful Master was informed of my request and his answer returned

Let him enter and be received in due form

Upon the angle of a square applied to my naked right breast, which was to teach me that the square of virtue should be a rule and guide in all my future transactions with mankind, especially a brother mason.

Twice regularly about the lodge, then pausing at several stations, where the same questions were asked and like answers returned as at the door, with the additional question from the Worshipful Master, wench come you, wether traveling?

From the west, traveling east

In search of more light in masonry

That i be reconducted to the senior warden in the west, who instructed me how to approach the east for the second time in a proper manner

By advancing on the step of an Entered Apprentice, saluting the Worshipful Master with the due guard and sign; advancing an additional step with my right foot, bringing the heel of the left to the hollow of the right. Feet forming the angle of a square, body erect, facing east.

• That is was now standing before the consecrated alter of Freemasonry for the second time, where
• It would be necessary for me to take upon myself a solemn and binding obligation belonging to this degree; but as in the preceding degree, he gave me the assurance that there was nothing therein contained which would conflict with any of my civil moral or religious duties or privileges, be they what they may. With that assurance from him. I was still willing to proceed.

He made me a fellow craft mason.

In due form

By kneeling at the alter on my naked right knee, left extended, forming the angle of a square; right hand resting upon the Holy Bible, Square and Compasses; left elevated, arm forming the angle of a square; body erect, facing the Worshipful Master; in which due form I took upon myself the solemn and binding obligation of a fellow craft mason.

I _________ of my own free will and accord; in the presence of almighty God and this Worshipful lodge of fellow craft masons, erected to Him and dedicated to the Holy Saints John, do hereby and hereon solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will forever keep and conceal all the secrets belonging to this degree; that I will not communicate them to any person or persons whosoever, except it be to a true and lawful brother fellow craft or within a regular lodge of fellow craft masons, and not unto him or them until after due trail, strict examination or lawful information, I shall have found him or them justly entitled to receive the same. I furthermore promise and swear that I will answer and obey all due signs and regular summons sent me from a regular lodge of fellow craft masons or handed me by a brother of this degree, if within the length of my cable-toe. I furthermore promise and swear that I will stand to and abide by all the laws, rules and regulations of any lodge of fellow craft masons of which I may be a member, so far as they shall come to my knowledges. I furthermore promise and swear the I will help aid and assist all poor or distressed brother fellow crafts, they applying to me as such and I finding them worthy, so far as I may be able without material injury to myself. I further promise and swear that I will not wrong, cheat or defraud a lodge of fellow craft masons or a brother of this degree out of the value of anything, knowingly myself, nor allow it to be done by another, if within my power to prevent. To all of which I do most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear with a firm and steadfast resolution to keep and perform the same without any equivocation, mental reservation or secret evasion of mind in me whatever; binding myself under no less penalty that that of having my left breast torn open; my heart taken out and given to the beasts of the field and the fouls of the air as a prey, should I ever knowingly, willfully or unlawfully violate or transgress this my solemn fellow craft obligation, so help me God and keep me steadfast.

In token of my sincerity, and that I have voluntarily taken upon myself this solemn and binding obligation, to kiss the Holy Bible open before me.

That I be released from the cable-toe as I was now bound by the strong cord of a moral obligation.

In my present condition, what I most desired?

More light

I did, by order of the Worshipful Master.

To the three great lights in masonry, as in the preceding Degree, with this difference; now one point of the compasses was elevated above the square, which was to teach me that while I had advance an additional point in masonry there were other and important secrets still hidden from my view

The Worshipful Master approaching me from the east with the step, due guard and sign of a fellowcraft mason, who having confidence in my integrity presented me his right hand in token of continued friendship and brotherly love and preceded to invest me with the pass-grip, password real grip and word of a fellow craft mason. I was then ordered to arise and under the direction of the senior deacon go and salute the junior and senior wardens as a fellow craft Mason

With the flap turned down and the left hand corner tucked up

The working tools of a fellow craft Mason, which are the plum, square, and level. The plum is an instrument made use of by operative masons to try perpendiculars, the square to square their work, and the level to prove horizontals but we as free and accepted Masons are taught to use them for more noble and glorious purposes. The plum admonishes us to walk uprightly in our several stations before God and man, square our actions by the square a virtue, ever remembering that we are traveling upon that level of time to that undiscovered country from whose born no traveler returns

The attentive ear, the instructive tongue, and the faithful breast. The attentive ear receives the sound from the instructive tongue and the mysteries of masonry are safely lodged in the repository of the faithful breasts

That I be reconducted to the place whence I came, and there be reinvested with that which I had been divested and returned to a place representing the middle chamber of King Solomon's temple; the approach to which was through a porch, between two beautiful brazen pillars; up a flight of winding stairs consisting of three, five and seven steps; through an outer and inner door strongly guarded

From

From the grip of an entered apprentice Mason to the pass grip of a Fellowcraft

The past grip of a Fellowcraft mason

It has

I did not so receive it, neither will I so impart it

I will syllable it with a brother

You begin

Bo

Leth

Bo

Shiboleth

Plenty

By a sheaf of wheat suspended near a waterfall

From

From the pass grip of a fellowcraft mason to the real grip of the same

The grip of a fellowcraft mason

It has

I did not so receive it neither will I so inpart it.

I will letter it with a brother

You begin

A

C

I

Ja

Jachim

Establishment

By the right hand pillar in the porch of King Solomon's temple