FELLOWCRAFT SECOND SECTION SD - My Brother, in pursuance of the order of the Worshipful Master, I will now proceed to conduct you to the place representing the Middle Chamber of King Solomon's Temple.

The origins of Masonry began milleniums ago because of the need to create shelter from inclement weather.

There are two kinds of Masonry, Operative and Speculative.

Operative Masons physically build structures. Many modern buildings have brick veneer laid by masons, but the operative Masons in our ritual created structures from blocks of natural stone.

As Speculative Masons we promote moral and intellectual development, and most especialy, we promote brotherhood. Wearing a square and compass will often garner a handshake turning into a grip anywhere in the country.

As you learned earlier there were eighty thousand Fellows of the Craft at the building of King Solomon's Temple. On the evening of the sixth day their work was inspected, and all who had proved themselves worthy were invested with signs, grips, and words. These signs, grips and words enabled them to gain admission into the Middle Chamber of King Solomon's Temple, which is our destnation.

While being conducted to the place representing the middle chamber of King Solomon's Temple, you will discover various objects. First are the two bronze columns which tower above the east entrance. The one on the left, called Boaz, denotes strength. The other on the right, called Jachin, denotes establishment. Together they allude to the promise of God to David to establish his kingdom.

The book of Ruth also tells of a great landowner named Boaz and a widow who was gleaning his fields. Boaz and Ruth were the great-great grandparents of Solomon, so one can presume that the column was named Boaz out of respect for his great-great grandfather.

The huge bronze pillars were cast by the River Jordan about sixty miles north and east of Jerusalem between Succoth and Zar-e-da-tha. The area was chosen because of the special clay found in that area which worked well to serve as forms for casting metal.

The casting was done by craftsmen, or fellows of the craft, under the direction of Hiram of Tyre. Tyre was a region in Lebanon about eighty miles north of Jappa if you travel by boat, or floating cedar logs, on the Mediterranean Sea.

The pillars were each eighteen cubits high and topped with chapiters of five cubits, making them in all twenty-three cubits in height. A cubit is the length between your elbow and finger tips, about a foot and a half, which made them about 35 feet tall.

They were four fingers in thickness, and about six feet in diameter.

The hollow columns could also served as repositories for the archives.

Biblical scholars estimate that each pillar weighed between sixteen and twenty tons.

Chapiters are the ornamentation on top of the pillar which distinguishes them from the other styles. The chapiters were adorned with lilywork, network and pomegranates.

The lily, by its white purity denotes peace; the network denotes unity; the pomegranate denotes plenty because of its abundance of seed.

The columns were topped with globes representing the terrestrial and celestial spheres.

In first Chronicles we learn that the bronze used to make the twin pillars had been attained by King David as part of the spoils of war. King David was, of course, Solomon's father, and is the same David who preceeded his career as soldier and king with his victory over Goliath.

TELL OF BEING IN ISRAEL Succoth 90' Temple mount 2438' Creston 1312' each foot of the column weighing 1000 pounds--chaptiers weighing 5000 pounds

After passing the pillars, we discover a flight of winding stairs consisting of three, five and seven steps.

The number three alludes to the first three degrees of Masonry and, also, to the three principal officers of the Lodge.

The junior warden is represented by the plumb, and represents the beauty of Masonry.
The senior warden is represented by the level, and represents strength.
The worthipful master is represented by the square, and represents wisdom.

The three steps also allude to the three principal points of the sun referred to in our opening ritual.

The sun rises in the east to open the day; it reaches meridian height at noon, and sets in the west to close the day.

The three steps are also comparable to the life of man; in the eastern part of man, we rise from infancy to young men with limited skills; in manhood enhance our meridian skills every day with experience, and in the western part of life we serve as mentors and advisors.

Let us take those three steps

The number five alludes to the five orders in architecture.

Architecture is the science of moving the ideas of a creative mind into a visible set of patterns which allow the operative craftsmen to form a beautiful and complete building.

The five orders of ancient masonry are the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite, and can be identified by the chapiters on the tops of columns.

The three original orders of architecture most revered by Masons are: the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian.

The Corinthian, being the most elaborate and graceful, represents Beauty;
the Doric, being the simplest and most massive, represents Strength;

the Ionic combines the grace of the Corinthian with the strength of the Doric, and it represents Wisdom. xxxxx

The number five also alludes to the five senses of human nature: Hearing, Seeing, Feeling, Smelling and Tasting.

Before passing to the middle chamber, the wardens must hear, see and feel the pass, token of the pass, grip and word.

Let us take these five steps.

The number seven alludes to the seven liberal arts and sciences. Grammer, Rhetoric, Logic, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music and Astronomy. Of these, Geometry is most revered by Masons.

Grammar is the science which teaches us how to express our ideas in words and adorn those words with Rhetoric; while Logic instructs us how to think and reason, and use language to express the those thoughts.

Arithmetic is the science which aids the pursuit of our daily vocations.

Geometry enables the architect to create plans, and aids the operative to execute the plans;

With music we hear the voice which soothes the infant in a mother's arms, or we hear the fife and drum, aiding soldiers marching into battle, or maybe we hear the stirring strains of a national anthems, or we may be singing hymns of gratitude to the great architect of the universe.

Astronomy is the science that inspired curious ancients to read the wisdom of stars, thereby allowing us to plan for the beauty and severity of the seasons.

Let us take those seven steps.

(Stair Lecture)

SD - This brings us to the outer door of the Middle Chamber, which we find guarded by the Junior Warden, where it is necessary that we knock to gain admission.
(Knock) (Knock) (Knock)

JW - (JW rises) Who comes here?

SD - A Fellowcraft on his way to the Middle Chamber.

JW - How does he expect to gain admission?

SD - By the pass and token of the pass of a Fellowcraft.

JW - Give me the pass.

SW - Shib-xxx.

JW - What does that denote?

SW - Plenty.

JW - How is it represented?

SD - By a sheaf of corn hanging near a water-ford.

JW - Whence originated this word?

SD - In consequence of a quarrel between Jephthah, Judge of Israel and the Ephraimites, the Ephramites having long been a turbulent and rebellious people, whom Jephthah had sought to subdue by lenient measures, but without effect.

They being highly incensed at not being called to fight and share in the rich spoils of the Ammonitish War and fraught with vengeance gathered together a mighty army.

Jephthah also gathered together the men of Gilead, gave them battle and put them to flight. And in order to make his victory more complete, he placed guards at the several passes of Jordan and commanded that if any should attempt to pass that way, to demand of them, say now Shib-xxx, but they being of a different tribe could not frame to pronounce it right and said Sib-xxx.

This trifling defect proved them enemies and cost them their lives and there fell at that time of the Ephramites forty and two thousand, since which time this word has been used as a pass whereby to gain admission into all regular and well governed Lodges of Fellowcrafts.

JW - Give me the token (Given) The pass and token are right, pass the outer door

SD - This brings us to the inner door of the Middle Chamber, which we find guarded by the Senior Warden where it is necessary that we again knock for admission. (Knock) (Knock) (Knock)

SW - (SW rises) Who comes here?

SD - A Fellowcraft on his way to the Middle Chamber.

SW - How does he expect to gain admission?

SD - By the grip and word of a Fellowcraft.

SW - Give me the grip. (Given) What is this?

SD - The grip of a Fellowcraft.

SW - Has it a name?

SD - It has.

SW - Give it me.

SD - I did not so receive it, neither can I so impart it.

SW - How will you dispose of it?

SD - Letter and halve it.

SW - Letter it and begin.

SD - Begin you.

SW - Nay, you begin.

SD - x   SW - x   SD - x   SW - x   SD - x   SW - x   SD - x   SW - x

SD - xxxxxx

SW - The word is right, pass the inner door.

SD - We next arrive within the place representing the Middle Chamber of King Solomon's Temple, where you discover the Worshipful Master who will explain to you the wages of a Fellowcraft. (Knock) (Knock) (Knock)

WM - - (WM rises) Who comes here?

SD - A Fellowcraft desiring to receive his wages.

WM - - My Brother, you have been admitted to the Middle Chamber that you might receive your wages.

At the building of King Solomon's Temple, Fellowcrafts were paid in wages consisting of corn, wine and oil. We, as Speculative Masons only, receive as wages the emblematical corn of nourishment, wine of refreshment and the oil of joy.

Brother Secretary, record the name of Brother ____ ___ as a Fellowcraft, entitling him to wages.

My Brother, I now direct your attention to an emblem , the letter G, which is universally displayed over the Masters chair as you here discover. It is the initial of Geometry, the first and noblest of sciences. It is the basis on which the super structure of Masonry is erected.

(GEOMETRY LECTURE HERE)

The letter G also alludes to the sacred name of Deity, (Knock) (Knock) (Knock) before whom we should all, from the youngest Entered Apprentice in the northeast corner of the Lodge, to the Worshipful Master who presides in the East, with reverence, most humbly bow.

This my Brother, concludes the ceremony of your being passed to the second degree.
Before advancing to a higher degree, it will be necessary for you to be declared proficient as before, and as I have heretofore informed you, you will find Brethren as ready to impart instruction, as you will be to receive it.