S. D.–I conceal.

W. M.–What do you conceal?

S. D.–All the secrets of Masons, in Masons, to which this

p. 37

[paragraph continues] (here presses his thumb-nail on the joint) token alludes.

W. M.–What is that?

S. D.–A grip.

W. M.–Of what?

S. D.–Of an Entered Apprentice Mason.

W. M.–Has it a name?

S. D.–It has.

W. M.–Will you give it me?

S. D.–I did not so receive it; neither can I so impart it.

W. M.–How will you dispose of it?

S. D.–I will letter it, or halve it.

W. M.–Letter it, and begin.

S. D.–No, you begin.

W. M.–Begin you.

S. D.–A.

W. M.–B.

S. D.–O.

W. M.–Z.

S. D.–Bo.

W. M.–Az.

S. D. (pronouncing)–Boaz. (The old way of spelling this word, as represented by Morgan, Craft, Allyn, Richardson, and Barnard, was by syllabling it. See those books.)

W. M. (helping candidate to rise from the altar, by the right hand.)–Rise, my brother, and salute the Junior and Senior Wardens as an obligated Entered Apprentice.

Here Lodges differ; some only pass candidate once around the room, and, as he passes the officers’ stations, he gives the duegard and sign of an Entered Apprentice; while other Lodges require him to halt at the Wardens’ stations, and pass through with the following ceremony, viz.: The Deacon takes candidate by the right arm, and passes around the altar to the Junior Warden’s station in the south, stops, gives one rap with his rod on the floor, which is responded to by the Junior Warden with his gavel, once.

J. W.–Who comes here?

S. D.–An obligated Entered Apprentice.

J. W.–How shall I know him to be such?

S. D.–By signs and tokens.

J. W–What are signs?

S. D.–Right angles, horizontals, and perpendiculars (,,).

J. W.–What are tokens?

S. D.–Certain friendly or brotherly grips, by which one Mason may know another, in the dark as well as in the light,

p. 38

J. W.–Give me a sign.

Senior Deacon gives the duegard, and directs the candidate to do likewise. (See duegard, Fig. 1, p. 16.)

J. W.–What is that?

S. D.–A duegard.

J. W.–Has it an allusion?

S. D.–It has; it alludes to the manner in which my hands were placed when I took upon myself the obligation of an Entered Apprentice Mason.

J. W.–Have you any further sign?

S. D.–I have. (Makes the sign of an Entered Apprentice. See Fig. 2, p. 17.)

J W.–What is that?

S. D.–Sign of an Entered Apprentice Mason.

J. W.–Has it an allusion?

S. D.–It has, to the penalty of my obligation.1

J. W.–Have you any further sign?

S. D.–I have not; but I have a token.

J. W.–Advance your token.

Senior Deacon makes candidate take the Junior Warden by the right hand.

J. W.–I hail.

S. D.–I conceal.

J. W.–What do you conceal?

S. D.–All the secrets of Masons, in Masons, to which this (here presses his thumb-nail on the joint) token alludes.

J. W.–What is that?

S. D.–A grip.

J. W–Of what?

S. D.- Of an Entered Apprentice Mason.

J. W.–Has it a name?

S. D.–It has.

J. W.–Will you give it me?

S. D.–I did not so receive it, neither will I so impart it.

J. W.–How will you dispose of it?

S. D.–I will letter it, or halve it,

J. W.–Letter it, and begin.

S. D.–No, you begin.

J. W.–Begin you.

p. 39

S. D.–A.

J. W.–B.

S. D–O.

J. W.–Z.

S. D.–Bo.

J. W–Az.

S. D. (pronounces)–Boaz. In spelling this word–Boaz–always begin with the letter “A.” This is one way that Masons detect impostors, i.e., Morgan or book Masons.–See Note E, Appendix.)

J. W.–I am satisfied, and will suffer you to pass on to the Senior Warden in the west for his examination.

The conductor and candidate pass on to the Senior Warden’s station, where the same ceremony is gone through with, and suffers them to pass on to the Worshipful Master in the east. As they leave the west, and are nearly to the Master’s station in the east, he gives one rap with his gavel, when they halt. The Master takes a white linen apron (sometimes a lambskin, which is kept for such purposes), approaches the candidate, hands it to him rolled up, and says:

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