Mastering the Secrets of Freemasonry

Where were you first prepared to be made a Freemason?

Where next?

Describe the mode of your preparation.

On what were you received on your entrance into the lodge?

Where were you made a free mason?

What makes a Lodge just perfect and regular?

When were you made a Free Mason?

Lodges in this country are usually held in the evening, how do you account for this, which at the first view appears to be a paradox?

What is Freemasonry?

Name the grand principles upon which it is founded?

Who are fit and proper persons to be made Freemasons?

How do you know yourself to be a Freemason?

How do you demonstrate to others the proof of your being a Freemason?

What are the signs?

What purpose do they serve?

What are the tokens?

What are the Perfect points of entrance?

Explain them.

I, _____ , in the presence of the great architect of the universe, And this worthy worshipful and warranted Lodge of ancient free and accepted Masons regularly held assembled and properly dedicated of my own free will and accord, do hereby and here on most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will always hele, ever conceal and never reveal, any part or parts of the secrets and mysteries of or belonging to ancient Freemasonry, which have been, shall now or may hereafter be communicated to me, unless it be to a true and lawful brother or brethren; and not even onto him or unto them, until I shall have found by due trial, strict examination or sure information, that he or they are worthy of that confidence, or in the body of the Lodge, just, perfect and regular.

I further solemnly promise and swear, that I will not write those secrets, indict, mark, print, carve, engrave, or otherwise them delineate, or cause or suffer them to be done so by others, if in my power to prevent it, on anything, movable or immovable under the canopy of heaven, whereby or whereon any letter, character, mark, or figure, may become legible or intelligible to myself or any one in the world, so that our secrets and hidden mysteries may improperly become known through my unworthiness.

These several points , I solemnly swear to observe, without evasion, equivocation or mental reservation of any kind; while bearing in mind the ancient symbolic penalty of having my throat cut from ear to ear, my tongue torn out by its roots and with my body buried in the rough sands of the sea, a cable toe lent from shore where the tide ebbs and flows twice in 24 hours.

Binding myself under the real penalty, on the violation any of them, of being branded a willfully perjured individual, void of all moral worth and totally unfit to be received into this or any other worthy and warranted Lodge, or any society of men who prize honor and virtue above the external advantages of rank and fortune. So help me God, and keep me steadfast in this my great and solemn obligation of an entered apprentice Freemason.