SECTION I.

The first section in this, as in the two preceding degrees, K initiatory; and a knowledge of it is indispensable to every brother who would malce himself useful in the ceremonial transactions of a Lodge
The Compasses are peculiarly consecrated to this degree, because within their extreme points, when properly extended, are emblematically said to be inclosed the principal tenets of our profession; and hence the moral application of the Com- passes, in the third degree, is to those precious jewels of a Master Mason — Friendship, Morality, and Brotherly Love.
The followicg passage of Scripture is introduced during the ceremonies:
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor
MASTEB MASON. 191
the years draw nigh, when thou shalt nay, 1 have no pleasure in them; while the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not dark- ened, nor the clouds return after the rain; in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow them- selves, and the grinders cease, because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, and the doors shall be shut in the streets when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of Music shall be brought low; also, when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond-tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust re- turn to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.- — Eccl. xii. 1-7.
The passage of Scripture here selected is a beautiful and aflfecting descriiition of the body of man suffering under the infirmities of old age and metaphorically compared to a worn-out house about to fall
192
GENERAL AHIMAN EEZON.
into decay. How appropriate is such an introduction to the anblimc and awful ceremonies of that degree, in which death, the resTureo- tion, and life eternal are the lessons to be taught by all its symbota and allegories! — Maoket's Manual of the Lodge.
Or the following Ode may be sung: AiE — Bonny Doon.
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Or sun, or moon, or plan - ets' light Grow
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UASTER MASON.
193
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dark, or clouds return in gloom ; Ere vi- tal spark no
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Let us in youth remember IIim 1
Who formed our frame, and spirits gave, Ere windows of the mind grow dim
Or door of speech obstructed wave; When voice of bird fresh terrors wake,
And Music's daughters charm no more, Or fear to rise, with trembling shake
Along the path we travel o'er.
In youth, to God let memory cling.
Before desire shall fail or wane, Or ere be loosed life's silver string.
Or bowl at fountain rent in twain; For man to his long home doth go,
And mourners group around his nrn; Our dust, to dust again mast flow,
And spirits unto G on return.
194 GENERAL AHIMAN EEZON.
All the implements in Masonry, indiscriminately, properlj belong to this degree, and may be illustrated in this section The TiiowEL, however, is more particularly referred to.
THE TROWEL
Is an instrument made use of by operative Masons to spread tlie cement wtich unites the several parts of a building into one common mass ; but we, as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to make use of it for the more noblo and glorious purpose of spreading the cement of brotherly love and affection ; that cement which unites us into one sacred band, or society of friends and brothers, among whom no con- tention should ever exist, but that noble con- tention, or rather emulation, of who best can work and best agree.
The three precious jewels of a Master Mason — Friendship, Morality, and Brotherly Lote.