| cutiepatootie |
04-08-2004 12:53 PM |
I almost had to whip out the masonic police on you. I hold my masonic heritage very dearly and hving dad, uncles, grand dads and so on all masons i was getting kinda concerned there.....but if these are public OK!:)
Quote:
Originally posted by AlphaSigOU
Traditionally, in most U.S. Masonic lodges, you'll see the Holy Bible on the altar, though any member may choose the use of the sacred book of his own faith (the Tanakh for the Jew, the Qu'ran for the Muslim, etc.) to take the obligations of Freemasonry. Some other Grand Lodges in other countries will place the holy writings of different faiths upon the altar.
For the three degrees, the Holy Bible is opened to the following passages of Scripture:
Entered Apprentice: Psalms 133. (Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, that went down to the skirts of his garment. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore.) (Sound familiar? It's one of the most common passages of Scripture adopted by Greek letter organizations.)
Fellowcraft: Amos 7:7-8. (Thus He shewed me; and behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, a plumb line. Thus saith the Lord, Behold! I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them anymore.)
Master Mason: Ecclesiastes 12:1-7. (Remember now thy Creator, in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; while the sun and the light, or the moon, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain. In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, 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 return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.)
In the Entered Apprentice initiation, before the candidate proceeds further in the ceremony, the Worshipful Master recites the following prayer:
Vouchsafe Thine aid, Almighty Father of the Universe, to this our present convention; and grant that this candidate for Masonry may dedicate and devote his life to Thy service, and become a true and faithful brother among us. Endue him with a competency of Thy divine wisdom that by the secrets of our art he may better be enabled to display the beauties of godliness to the honor of Thy Holy Name. Amen.
In the Master Mason degree, before the candidate is raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason the Worshipful Master offers the following prayer:
Thou, O God, knowest our down-sitting and our up-rising, and understandest our thought afar off. Shield and defend us from the evil intentions of our enemies, and support us under the trials and afflictions we are destined to endure through this vale of tears. Man that is born of a woman is of but few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth as a flower and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with Thee; Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; turn from him that he may rest till he shall accomplish his day.
For if there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. But man dieth and wasteth away; yea man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and flood decayeth and drieth up, so man lieth down and riseth not up till the heavens shall be no more. Yet, O Lord, have compassion on the children of Thy creation; administer them comfort in time of trouble, and save them with an everlasting salvation! Amen.
In case you're wondering, these prayers are not considered secret in Freemasonry, so I'm not violating my Obligation as a Mason by posting them here.
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