From the booklet – “PENETRATING THE VEIL”– by David C. Bradley–Grand Master–1989-1990
This month’s issue is titled –
“Three Degrees”
(As the presentations in this website are available to all readers, items involving the Second and Third Degrees will be excluded.The following does not include the “Secrets” in the Degrees.)
Three Degrees
The three degrees are the method by which candidates attain the rank of Master Mason and, although each is a discrete ceremony, together they form a unity of teaching. Each degree is necessary for the completeness of the whole. Not withstanding the reference to the three degrees, the system is actually one initiation unfolded to the candidate in three parts. The aim of the ritual is to be a total and profound experience, in which an understanding of the threads that have run unbroken for several centuries are seen as a strength in a member’s life. Starting at a low level the ritual works upward to create the impression that is leading the candidate to greater matters. In essence the candidate is transformed into a new man with a range of thought, possessing a new feeling of mankind, a strengthened confidence in God. 21
The first section attempts to clear the mind of all worldly influences to enable the candidate to seek the principles of moral truths without interference from the outside world of emotion and instinct. This section also concerns itself with setting the stage by explaining the physical aspects of the lodge room and its contents. Masonry is a progressive science. It refers to a continuing process, and gives a hint of the future. The candidate is told that he represents a foundation stone upon which he may build a personal and satisfying character.
The second section leads the candidate to use his intellectual faculties to find the path to his God and to discover Truth. The Mason is urged to steer a medium course through life and not to be swayed by passion or prejudice in his dealings. He is encouraged to follow a middle course within the extent of the compasses, the exactness of the square and the correctness of the plumb rule. This section tells the story of the candidate who, entering between two great pillars and ascending a winding stair, reaches a middle chamber where he receives the wages of a fellowcraft and prepares himself for the advancement to the third degree. A stage of enlightenment about a man’s journey through life has been reached. The candidate is told it is a tortuous journey, symbolized by the winding stair, full of unknown twists and turns, so that success will only be obtained from his own exertions. Finally, it is suggested that he may now extended his researches into the hidden mysteries of nature and science. Nature is the knowledge of one’s self and the fraternal relationship that exists between man and man. Science is the study of the world wherein one can enjoy the benefits of being part of a good community in order to join in the beauty of an intellectual, spiritual and moral life.
The final section brings the candidate to an awareness of his ultimate destiny. He is searching for some lost knowledge and this emphasizes the fact that Masonry is an unfinished story, the end of which is discovered when the inner character is completed. The secret of this section is that it is without an end, because that story has not been told. It is hoped that the candidate begins to realize that Masonry is a lifetime study of the meeting and purpose of a true existence. The aim is to seek perfection. As he progresses through the degrees he realizes that a system of morality is being illustrated by which he is taught proper conduct towards God and his fellow man through the use of social moral virtue.
Knowledge of the degrees will unlock the inherent power of the mind to form a gradual comprehension of the moral, ethical and intellectual absolutes that have guided mankind for centuries. Elements of the ethical and moral system of Masonry can be traced to classical days and even to ancient Egypt. This is simply because the traditions and values of Masonry teachings have been fundamental to most societies from the dawn of time. Man has continually been aspiring to attain greater heights in order to transform his humdrum life into a more glorious world free of passion. Evidence to support an actual descent from those ancient times, however, is totally lacking. Historical matters mentioned in the ritual are not accurate and do not show the origin of Masonry, but are only the background of which to hang a story that tells a moral lesson.
The member is told to nourish life and find the sacred in the ordinary. Members must find time for this song of the heart. Simple admiration of the ritual is not sufficient. A Mason is not made simply by taking the degrees, that process only makes him a member. The system is not the end of a journey, but the beginning. A fourth part to the system is essential: learning and teaching. The ritual, therefore, is a learning experience in the moral and intellectual areas of human life. If members are not aware of this, they can not give the necessary excitement, dignity and importance to the ritual.
21 An address by R.W. Bro. George Hinchliff at his official visit to St. George’s Lodge, No. 367 November 4, 1986.
R.W. Bro. Robert South