Ritual Catechism of the Entered Apprentice Degree

Question Whence came you as an entered apprentice? What came you here to do? Are you a Mason? What makes you an entered apprentice? Where were you made an entered apprentice? How do you know yourself to be a mason? How shall I know you to be a mason? What are the signs? Give me a sign. Answer From a lodge of the holy Saints John at Jerusalem. To learn to subdue my passions and improve myself in masonry. I am an entered apprentice, so taken and accepted among brothers and fellows. My obligation. In a just and legally constituted lodge on the first degree of masonry . By having been tried, never denied, and now willing to be tried again. By certain signs, tokens, a word and the perfect points of my entrance . Right angles, horizontals, and perpendiculars. (Give due guard) It has to the position in which my hands were placed when I took upon Has it (due guard) an allusion? myself the solemn obligation of an entered apprentice. has to the penalty of my obligation wherein I swore that sooner than Give me another sign...(Throat) Has it It reveal any of the secrets of free masonry unlawfully I would have my throat an allusion? cut from ear to ear and so forth. Have you further signs? I have not but have tokens. Certain brotherly or friendly grips whereby one mason may know another What are tokens? in the dark as in the light. Give me a token, I hele. I conceal. All of the secrets of free masonry except from those to whom they rightly What do you conceal? belong. What is this? (Grip) The grip of the entered appentice. Has it a name? (Grip) It has. Will you give it to me? (Grip name) I did not receive it, nor can I so impart it. How will you dispose of it? (Name of Letter or syllable it. grip) Letter it and begin. Begin you. A. z, az B. o, bo, boaz. How many and what are the perfect Four. The gutteral, pectoral, manual and pedal. points of your entrance? To what do they allude? (Perfect The four cardinal virtues to wit: temperance, fortitude, prudence and Points of Entrance) justice. Where were you first prepared to be In my heart. made a mason? In a room adjoining the body of a just and legally constituted lodge on the Where next. first degree of masonry. By being divested of all minerals and metals, neither naked nor clothed, barefoot nor shod, hoodwinked, with a cable tow around my neck, in which How were you prepared? condition I was conducted to the door of the lodge by a friend whom afterward I found to be a brother. Being hoodwinked how did you know By first meeting with resistance, afterward gaining admittance. it to be a door? By three distinct knocks from without answered by a like number from How gained you admittance? within with the question who comes there? Mister Thad Harris a poor blind candidate who has been in darkness and now wishes to be brought to light and to have and receive a part of the Your answer? (to who comes there) rights and benefits of this right worshipful lodge of ancient free and accepted masons on the first degree of (Your answer? (Continued) (to who masonry, erected to God and dedicated to the Holy Saints John, as many comes there) brothers and fellows have done before. What were you then asked? If it was of my own free will and accord, if I was duly and truly prepared, worthy and well qualified, of lawful age and properly vouched for, all which being answered in the affirmative I was then asked by what further rights and benefits I expected to (What were you then asked) (Continued) Your answer. (by what further rights and benefits I expected to obtain this great and important privilege) What were you then told? (after answer of being a man, freeborn, of good report and well recommended) obtain this great and important privilege. By being a man, freeborn, of good report and well recommended. To await a time with patience til the worshipful master could be informed of my request and his answer returned.