Jachin and Boaz, or, The Free Mason's Catechism/The Master's Degree
THE MASTER'S DEGREE.
Q. Are you a Mason?
A. I am: Try me, prove me, disapprove me, if you can.
Q. Where was you passed Master?
A. In a perfect Lodge of Masters.
Q. What makes a perfect Lodge of Masters?
A. Three.
Q. I low came you to be passed Master?
A. By the help of the square, and my own industry.
Q. How was you passed a Master?
A. From the square to the compass.
Ex. An Entered Prentice, I presume, you have been.
Resp. Jachin and Boaz I have seen,
A Master-mason I was made most rare.
With Diamond, Ashler, and the Square.
Ex. If a Master-mason you would he.
You must understand the Rule of Three:
And M. B. (M. Benach) shall make you free,
And what you want in Masonry,
Shall in this Lodge be shewn to thee.
Resp. Good Masonry, I understand,
Keys of all lodges are at my command.
Ex. You are a heroic fellow, from whence came you?
Resp. From the East.
Ex. Where are you going?
Resp. To the West.
Ex. What are you going to do there?
Resp. To seek that which was lost, and is now found.
Ex. What is that which was lost, and is now found.
Resp. The Master-mason's Word.
Ex. How was it lost?
Resp. By three great knocks, or the death of our Master Hiram.
Ex. In the building of Solomon's temple, ho was Master-mason; and at high twelve at noon, when the men were gone to refresh themselves, as was the usual custom, he camo to survey the works; and when he was entered into the Temple, there were three ruffians (supposed to be three Fellowcrafts,) who planted themselves at the three en-trances of the Temple; and when he came out, one demanded the Mason's Word of him, and he replied, he did not receive it in such a manner; but time and patience would bring him to it. He not being satisfied with this answer, gave him a blow, which made him reel: He went to the other gate, where being accosted in the same manner, and making the same reply, he received a greater blow; the third gave him his quietus.
Ez. What did the ruffians kill him with?
Resp. A Setting-Maul, Setting Tool, and a Beacle.
Ex. How did they dispose of him?
Resp. They carried him out at the West door of the Temple, and hid him under some rubbish till high twelve.
Ex. What time was that?
Resp. High twelve at night, whilst the men were at rest.
Ex. How did they dispose of him afterwards?
Resp. They carried him up to the brow of a hill, where they made a decent grave, and buried him.
Ex. When was he missed?
Resp. The same day.
Ex. When was he found?
Resp. Fifteen days afterwards.
Ex. Who found him?
Fifteen loving brothers, by order of King Solomon, went out of the door of the Temple, and divided themselves from right to left, within call of each other; and they agreed, that if they did not find the Word in him, or about him, the first word should be the Master's word. One of the brothers being more weary than the rest, sat down to rest himself, and taking hold of a shrub, which came easily up, and perceiving the ground to have been broke, he hailed his brethren, and pursuing their search, found him decently buried in a handsome grave, six feet east, and six feet west, and six feet perpendicular, and his covering was green moss and turf, which surprised them; whereupon they replied, Majueus Domus Dei Gratia; which, according to Masonry, is, "Thanks be given, our Master has got a mossy house." So they covered him closely, and as a further ornament, placed a sprig of Cassia at the head of his grave, and went and acquainted King Solomon.
Ex. What did King Solomon say of all this?
Resp. He ordered him to be taken up and decently buried; and that fifteen Fellow-crafts, with bite gloves and aprons, should attend the funeral; which among Masons ought to be performed to this day.
Ex. How was Hiram raised?
Resp. As all other Masons are, when they receive the Master's Word.
Ex. How is that?
Resp. By the Five Points of Fellowship.
Ex. What are they?
Resp. First, hand to hand; second, foot to foot; third, eheeck to eheeck; fourth, knee to knee; and fifth, back to back.
N.B.—When Hiram was taken up, they took him by the fore-fingers, and the skin came off which is called the Slip: The spreading of the right hand, placing the middle-finger to the wrist, clasping the fore-finger and fourth to the sides of Idle wrist, is called the Grip; and the Slip is placing the thumb of the right hand to the left breast, extending the fingers.
Ex. What is the Master-mason named?
Resp. Cassia is my name, and from a just and perfect Lodge I came.
Ex. Where was Hiram entertained?
Resp. In the Sanctum Sanctorum.
Ex. How was he brought in?
Resp. At the West door of the Temple.
Ex. What are the Master's Jewels?
Resp. The Porch, Dormer, and square pavement.
Ex. Explain them?
Resp. The Porch, the entering into the Sanctum Sanctorum; the Dormer of the windows, or lights within; the square pavement, the ground-flooring.
Ex. Give me the Master's Word?
Resp. Whispers in the ear, and supported by the five points of fellowship, before mentioned, says Mackhenach, which signifies 'The builder is smitten.'
N.B.—If any working Masons are at work, and you have a desire to distinguish Accepted Masons from the rest, take a piece of stone, and ask him what it smells of? He will immediately reply, Neither of brass, iron, nor steel, but of a Mason. Then ask him how old he is? And ho will reply, about seven; which denotes that he has passed Master.
The end of the Master's Part.
P.S.—I was induced to publish this mighty Secret, at the request of several Masons, in order to prevent credulous persons from imposition.