Jachin and Boaz, or, The Free Mason's Catechism/Fellow-Craft's Degree
FELLOW-CRAFT'S DEGREE.
Q. Are you a fellow-craft?
A. I am.
Q. Why was you made a fellow-craft.
A. For the sake of the letter G.
Q. What does that G denote?
A. Geometry, or the fifth science.
Q. Did you ever travel?
A. Yes, East and West.
Q. Did you ever work?
A. Yes, in the building of the temple.
Q. Where did you receive wages?
A. In the middle chamber.
Q. Through the porch, what did you see .
A. Two great pillars.
Q. What are they called?
A. J.B. i. e. Jachin and Boaz.
Q. How high are they?
A. Eighteen cubits.
Q. How much in circumferance?
A. Twelve cubits.
Q. What are they adorned with?
A. Two chapiters.
Q. How high were the chapiters?
A. Five cubits. (1. Kings, vii.)
Q- What are they adorned with?
A. Net work and pomegranetes.
Q. How came you to the middle chamber?
A. By a winding pair of stairs.
Q. How many steps?
A. Seven or more.
Q. Why seven or more?
A. Because seven or more make a just and perfect Lodge.
Q. When you came to the door of the middle chamber, who did you see?
A. A Warden.
Q. What did he demand of you?
A. Three things.
Q. What were they?
A. A Sign, Token, and Word.
N.B.—The Sign is, placing the right hand the left breast; the Token is, by joining your right hand to the person that demands it, and squeezing him with the ball of the thumb of the first knuckle of the middle finger; and the word is JACHIN.
Q. How high was the door of the middle chamber, what did you see?
A. The resemblance of the letter G.
Q. What doth that G denote?
A. One that is greater than you.
Q. Who is greater than I, that am a Free and Accepted Mason, the Master of a Lodge?
A. The Grand Architect and contriver of the Universe, or he that was taken up to the pinacle of the Holy Temple.
Q. Can you repeat the letter G?
A. I will do my endeavour.
Q. What means the letter G.
Resp. In midst of Solomon's Temple there stands a G.
A letter fair to all to read and see;
But few there be who understands
What means the letter G.
Ex. My friend if you pretend to be,
Of this fraternity,
You can forthwith and rightly tell
What means the letter G.
Resp. By sciences are brought to light;
Bodies of various kinds,
Which do appear to perfect sight,
None but males shall know my mind.
Ex. The right shall.
Resp. If worshipful.
Ex. Both right and worshipful learn,
To hail you I command,
That you do forthwith let me know,
As you may understand.
Resp. By letters four, and Science five,
This G upright does stand,
In due art and proportion,
You have your answer friend.
N.B.—Four letters are BOAZ,—Fifth Science, Geometry.
Ex. My friend you answer well,
If right and free principles you discover,
I'll change your name from friend,
And henceforth call you Brother.
Resp. The Sciences are well composed;
Of noble structure's verse,—
A point, a Line, and an outside,
But a Solid is the last.
Good greeting be to this our happy meeting, and all the right worshipful Brothers and Fellows.
Ex. Of the Right Worshipful and Holy Lodge of St. John's.
Resp. From whence came?
Ex. Greet you, greet you thrice heartily well, craving your name.
Resp. Timothy Redicule.
Ex. Welcome, Brother.
N.B.—The reason why they denominated themselves of the Lodge of St. John's, is, because he was the fore-runner of our Saviour, and laid the first parallel line of the gospel. Others do assert, that our Saviour himself was accepted a Free Mason while he was in the flesh: but how ridiculous and profane it seems, I leave to the judicious readers to consider.
End of the Fellow-craft's part.