Ans. “From the west, and traveling to the east”

“Why do you leave the west, and travel to the east?”

Ans. “In search of more light.”

The Master then says to the Senior Deacon, “You will please conduct him back to the west, from whence he came and put him in care of the Senior Warden, and request him to teach the candidate how to approach the east, by advancing upon three upright, regular steps to the third step, his feet forming a square, his body erect at the altar, before the Worshipful Master, and place him in a proper position to take upon him the solemn oath or obligation of a Master Mason.”

The Master then comes to the candidate and says, “Brother, you are now placed in a proper position [the lecture explains it] to take upon you the solemn oath or obligation of a Master Mason, which I assure you, as before, is neither to affect your religion or 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

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of Almighty God, and this worshipful lodge of Master Masons, dedicated to God, and held forth to the holy order of St. John, do hereby and hereon most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, in addition to my former obligations, that I will not give the degree of a Master Mason to any of an inferior degree, nor to any other being in the known world, except it be to a true and lawful brother or brethren Master Masons, 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 received. Furthermore do I promise and swear, that I will not give the Master’s word which I shall hereafter receive, neither in the lodge nor out of it, except it be on the five points of fellowship, and then not above my breath. Furthermore do I promise and swear, that I will not give the grand hailing sign of distress except I am in real distress, or for the benefit of the Craft when at work; and should I ever see that sign given or the word accompanying it, and the person who gave it appearing to be in distress I will fly to his relief at the risk of my life, should there be a greater probability of saving his life than losing my own. Furthermore do I promise and swear that I will not wrong this lodge, nor a brother of this degree to the value of one cent, knowingly, myself, or suffer it to be done by others, if in my power to prevent it. Furthermore do I promise and swear, that I will not be at the initiating, passing and raising a candidate at one communication, without a regular dispensation from the Grand Lodge for the same.

Furthermore do I promise and swear that I will not be at the initiating, passing, or raising a candidate in a clandestine lodge, I knowing it to be such. Furthermore do I promise and swear that I will not be at the initiating of an old man in dotage, a young man in nonage, an Atheist, irreligious libertine, idiot, mad-man, hermaphrodite, or woman. Furthermore do I promise and swear that I will not speak evil of a brother Master Mason, neither behind his back nor before his face, but will apprise him of all approaching danger, if in my power. Furthermore do I promise and swear that I will not violate the chastity of a Master Mason’s wife, mother,

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sister, or daughter. I knowing them to be such, 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 state of ——, under which the 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 member.

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