REMARKS ON THE FIRST DEGREE

First Section

It has been truly said, that the first step taken by a candidate on entering a Lodge of Freemasons, teaches him that the foundation on which Masonry rests, is the belief and acknowledgement of a Supreme Being; that in Him alone a sure confidence can be safely placed to protect his steps in all the dangers and difficulties he may be called on to encounter in his progress through life; and it assures him, that, if his faith is well founded in that Being, he may confidently pursue his course without fear and without danger. The first section of the degree also teaches him, that he is to take the Holy Bible as the rule and guide of his faith,--- that he is to square his actions by the precepts contained,---to circumscribe his desires and passions within the compass of virtue and morality,---and to relieve the necessities of others, with the superfluities of his own substance.

A full and perfect knowledge of this section is indispensably necessary to every Mason, who would be serviceable to this Institution, or avail himself of its privileges and its enjoyments.  It is the alphabet of Masonry, and must be learned before any progress can be made in the more important branches of the study.

It is the duty of the Master of the Lodge, as one of the precautionary measures of initiation, to explain to the candidate the nature and design of the Institution.  And while he informs him, that it is founded on the purest principles of piety and virtue, that it possesses great and invaluable privileges, and that in order to secure those privileges to worthy men, and worthy men alone, voluntary pledges of fidelity are required,---he will at the same time assure him, that nothing will be expected of him, incompatible with his civil, moral or religious duties.

Second section

This section is altogether explanatory of the preceding one.  It beautifully and comprehensively illustrates the ceremonies of initiation; and while it gratifies, it cannot fail to impress the mind of the intelligent and right-hearted candidate, with a high sense of the great moral excellencies of the degree through which he is passing.

Third section

The third and last section of this degree is, perhaps the most interesting and instructive of the three.  Nor is a perfect knowledge of it less essential to a proper understanding of the ceremonies of initiation.  Indeed, the Brother who has not made himself familiar with it, need not be at the trouble of urging his claims to any great proficiency as a Mason.

Lodge meetings, at the present day, are usually held in upper chambers,---probably for the better security which such places afford.  It may be, however, that the custom had its origin in a practice observed by the ancient Jews, of building their temples, schools and synagogues, on high hills,---a practice which seems to have met with the approbation of the Almighty, who said unto the prophet Ezekiel, while at the top of the mountain, “The whole limit thereof, round about, shall be most holy.”  Before the erection of temples, the celestial bodies were worshipped on HILLS, and the terrestrial ones in VALLEYS.  At a later period, the Christians, wherever it was practical, erected their churches on eminences.  And, it is worthy of remark, that, according to Masonic traditionary history, the oldest Lodge in England was, at one time, held in a crypt beneath the foundations of York Cathedral.  But it matters not whence the custom originated.  It is very safe and proper one.

Lodges in ancient times were Dedicated to King Solomon.  We have a tradition which informs us, that they were thus dedicated from the building of the first Temple at Jerusalem to the Babylonish captivity; from thence to the coming of the Messiah, they were dedicated to Zerubbabel, the builder of the second Temple; and from that time to the final destruction if the Temple by Titus, in the reign of the Emperor Vespatian they were dedicated to St. John the Baptist.  The tradition goes on to say, that owing to the many massacres and disasters which attended that memorable event, Freemasonry fell very much into decay.  Many of the Lodges were entirely broken up, and but a few could meet in sufficient numbers to constitute their legality.  Under these circumstances, a general meeting of the Craft was held in the city of Benjamin, when it was observed that the principal reason for the decline of Masonry, was the want of a Grand Master to direct its affairs.  They therefore deputed seven of their most eminent members to wait upon St. John the Evangelist, who was at that time Bishop of Ephesus, to request him to take the office of Grand Master.  He returned for answer, that though well stricken in years (being upwards of ninety,) yet having been in the early part of his life initiated into Masonry, he would take upon himself that office.  He did so, and thereby completed by his learning, what the other St. John had accomplished by his zeal, and thus drew what the old records term a line-parallel.  After his decease the Christian Lodges were dedicated to him and St. John the Baptist, they both being regarded as eminent Christian patrons of Freemasonry.

Such is the arrangement of the different sections in the first lecture, which with the forms adopted at the opening and closing of a  Lodge, comprehends the whole of the first degree of Masonry.  This plan has the advantage of regularity to recommend it, the support of precedent and authority, and the sanction and respect which flow from antiquity.

John Hamilton, PM

Chaplain, Vista Lodge 687, F & AM