bare; a cable-tow twice round his neck; semi-hood-winked; in which situation
he is conducted to the door of the Lodge, where he gives two knocks, when
the Senior Warden rises and says, "Worshipful, while we are peaceably at
work on the second degree of Masonry, under the influence of faith, hope
and charity, the door of our Lodge is alarmed."  Master to Junior Deacon,
"Brother Junior, inquire the cause of that alarm."  [In many Lodges they
come to the door, knock, are answered by the Junior Deacon, and come in
without being noticed by the Senior Warden or Master.]  The Junior Deacon
gives two raps on the inside of the door.  The candidate gives one
without.  It is answered by the Junior Deacon with one; when the door is
partly opened by the Junior Deacon, who inquires, "Who comes here? Who
comes here?"  The Senior Deacon, who is, or ought to be, the conductor,
answers, "A worthy brother, who has been regularly initiated as an Entered
Apprentice Mason, served a proper time as such, and now wishes for further
light in Masonry, by being passed to the degree of Fellow Craft."  Junior
Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Is it of his own free will and accord he makes
this request?"  Senior Deacon replies "It is."  Junior Deacon to Senior
Deacon, "Is he duly and truly prepared?  Ans."He is."  Junior Deacon to
Senior Deacon, "Is he worthy and well qualified?"  Ans.  "He is."  Junior
Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Has he made suitable proficiency in the
preceding degree?"  Ans.  "He has."  Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "By
what further rights does he expect to obtain this benefit?"  Ans.  "By the
benefit of a pass-word."  Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, "Has he a
pass-word?"  Ans.  "He has not, but I have it for him."  Junior Deacon to
Senior Deacon, "Give it to me."  The Senior Deacon whispers in the Junior
Deacon's ear, "Shibboleth."  The Junior Deacon says, "The pass is right;
since this the case, you will wait until the Worshipful Master int he East
is made acquainted with this request, and his answered returned."  The
Junior Deacon then repairs to the Master, and gives two knocks, as at the
door, which are answered by two by the Master; when the same questions are
asked, and answers returned, as at the door.  After which, the Master
says, "Since he comes endued with all these necessary qualifications, let
him enter this Worshipful Lodge in the name of the Lord, and take heed on
what he enters,"  He enters; the angle of the square is pressed hard
against his naked right breast; at which time, the Junior Deacon says,
"Brother, when you entered this Lodge the first time, you entered on the
point of the compass pressing your naked left breast, which was then
explained to you.  You now enter it on the angle of the square, pressing
your naked right breast;  which is to teach you to act upon the square
with all mankind, but more especially with the brethren."  The candidate
is then conducted twice regularly round the Lodge, and halted at the
Junior Warden in the South, where he gives two raps, and is answered by
two, when the same questions are asked, and answers returned as at the
door; from thence he is conducted to the Senior Warden, where the same
questions are asked and answers returned, as before; he is then conducted
to the Master in the East, where the same questions are asked and answers
returned, as before; the Master likewise demands of him, from whence he
came, and wither he was traveling; he answers, "From the West, and
traveling to the East."  The Master says, "Why do you leave the West, and
travel to the East?"  The candidate answers, "In search of more light."
The Master then says to the Senior Deacon, "Since this is the case, you
will please conduct the candidate back to the West, from whence he came,
and put him in the care of the Senior Warden, who will teach him how to
approach the East, 'the place of light,' by advancing upon two upright
regular steps to the second step, (his heel is in the hollow of the right
foot, on this degree;) his feet forming the right angle of an oblong
square, and his body erect at the altar before the Worshipful Master, and
place him in a proper position to take the solemn oat, or obligation of a
Fellow Craft Mason."  The Master then leaves his seat, and approaches the
kneeling candidate; (the candidate kneels on the right knee, the left
forming a square; his left arm, as far as the elbow, in a horizontal
position, and the rest of the arm in a vertical position, so as to form a
square; his arm supported by the square held under his elbow:) and says,
"Brother, you are now placed in a proper position to take on you the
solemn oath, or obligation, of a Fellow Craft Mason, which I assure you,
as before, is neither to affect your religion nor politics; if you are
willing to take it, repeat your name and say after me:"--

"I, A.B., of my own free will and accord, in the presence of Almighty God,
and this Worshipful Lodge of the Fellow Craft Masons, dedicated to God,
and held forth to the holy order of St. John, do hereby and hereon, most
solemnly and sincerly promise and sear, in addition to my former
obligation, that I will not give the degree of a Fellow Craft Mason to any
one of an inferior degree, nor to any other being in the known world,
except it be to a true and lawful brother, or brethren Fellow Craft
Masons, or within the body of a just and lawfully constituted Lodge of
such; and not unto him nor unto them whom I shall hear so to be, but unto
him and them only whom I shall find so to be, after strict trial and due
examination, or lawful information.  Furthermore, do I promise and swear,
that I will not wrong this Lodge, nor a brother of this degree, to the
value of two cents, knowlingly, myself, nor suffer it to be done by
others, if in my power to prevent it.   Furthermore, do I promise and
swear, that I will support the constitution of the Grand Lodge of the
United States, and the Grand Lodge of this State, under which this Lodge
is held and conform to all the by-laws, rules and regulations of this, or
any other Lodge, of which I may, at any time hereafter, become a mem-