Copy

Congratulations New Fellowcraft!

Congratulations on being passed to the second degree of Freemasonry! You are now a fellow craft mason, and you’re well on your way to becoming a full member of our fraternity. Where the entered apprentice degree symbolizes youth and the “newness” of life, the fellow craft degree symbolizes the stage of adulthood and responsibility during a man's life on earth. In this stage, his task is to acquire knowledge and apply it to the building of his character and improving the society in which he lives. A tall order indeed!  

 

At the beginning of the degree, much of it may have seemed familiar to your entered apprentice degree. However, it is very different. There was a lot of material covered in the degree relating to the orders of architecture and the seven liberal arts and sciences in your degree. This is the “academic degree” and it’s understandable that it may have been overwhelming for you. At its core, the fellow craft degree teaches masonic conduct and that we should be “renaissance men” or general lovers of the arts and sciences. You’re encouraged to search out and study these. There are many resources for this and your lodge or district masonic educator can help guide you towards where they can be found.  

You were told that you would be receiving your wages as a fellow craft consisting of corn, wine, and oil. These are symbolic wages earned by the fellow craft mason who arrives at the Middle Chamber. These symbols represent wealth in mental and spiritual worlds.  

 

Corn represents nourishment and the sustenance of life. It is also a symbol of plenty, and refers to the opportunity for doing good, to work for the community, and to the performance of service to mankind. It’s important to note that this is not maize, but refers to an older English word for cereal grains such as barley, oats, or wheat. Maize is a New World crop and would not have been available to our ancient brethren. Wine is symbolic of refreshment, health, spirituality, and peace. Oil represents joy, gladness and happiness. When taken together, they represent the temporal rewards of living a good life. The actual "wages" are the intangible but no less real rewards of a deeper understanding of brotherhood, a clearer conception of ethical living, a broader toleration of your fellow man, and a more resolute will to think justly, independently, and honestly. 

 

During your fellow craft degree, the Worshipful Master of your lodge instructed you on the use of additional working tools. As you also saw in your entered apprentice degree, Freemasonry takes the tools of architecture and uses them as metaphors on how a man should act. This is revealed gradually over time to new members and forms the basics of our philosophy. Understanding and applying this to one’s life can take a lifetime to master. 

 

The working tools of the fellow craft degree are proofing tools. They give us standards by which to measure our lives and give us targets to aim for in our conduct as masons. 

 

  • The Square reminds us to act with morality, truthfulness and honesty. The direction of the two sides of the square forms an angle of 90°, or a right angle, so-called because this is the angle which stones must have if they are to be used to build a stable and upright wall. As masons, we should seek to live an upright life practicing honest dealings with all mankind. 

  • The Level is a symbol of equality. We do not mean equality in wealth, social distinction, civic office, or service to mankind; but, rather, we refer to the internal, and not the external, qualifications. Every man is endowed with a worth and dignity which is spiritual, and should not be subject to man-made distinctions. Freemasonry recognizes that one man may have greater potential in life, service, or reward, than another; but we also believe that we are created equal by our creator and that any man can aspire to any height, no matter how great. 

  • The Plumb is a symbol of uprightness of conduct, in much the same way as the Square. In Freemasonry, the plumb is associated with the plumb line which the Grand Architect of the Universe promised Amos he would set in the midst of His people, Israel, symbolizing the Grand Architect of the Universe’s standard of divine righteousness. 

 

Again, congratulations on your progress! Continue to work with your mentor and participate in your lodge’s events as much as you can. Your master mason degree will be here before you know it! 

 

Fraternally,
The Grand Lodge of Indiana Education Committee

Facebook
Twitter
Link
Website
Copyright © 2022 Grand Lodge of Indiana, Free and Accepted Masons, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp