Q. What followed?

A. King Solomon ordered strict search to be made in and about the several apartments of the Temple, and among the rubbish, to see if it could be found.

Q. What followed?

A. Search was accordingly made, the stone found, and after-wards applied to its intended use.

Q. Have you a grip to this degree?

A. I have several.

Q. Communicate it to me. (Give grip.)

Q. Has that a name?

A. It has.

Q. Give it? (Mark Well.)

Q. On what is this degree founded?

A. The key-stone to a certain arch in King Solomon’s Temple.

Q. By whom was it wrought?

A. Our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff; but before he had given orders to have it carried up, he was slain, as we have had an account of it in the preceding degree.

Q. What was its color?

A. White; and to it alludes a certain passage of Scripture, which says: “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and in that stone a new name written, which no man knoweth save him that receiveth (or receives it).

Q. What is that new name?

A. It is composed of the words of which the letters on the “key-stone” are the initials.

Q. What are they?

A. “Hiram, Tyrian, Widow’s, Son, Sendeth, To, King, Solomon.”

Q. Of what use is this circle of letters?

A. It was the mark of our G. M., H. A.; it is now a general mark of this degree, in the centre of which each brother places his own private mark, to which the tie in the obligation particularly alludes.

Q. What is the price of a brother’s mark?

A. A Jewish half shekel of silver, equal in value to one-quarter of a dollar.

Q. Were you, at any time during your advancement to this degree, called upon with this portion of your obligation? A. I was.

Q. At what time?

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A. While on my bended knees at the altar.

Q. Why at that particular time?

A. To impress upon my mind in the most solemn manner that I should never hastily reject the application of a worthy brother, especially when accompanied by so sacred a pledge as his mark, but grant him his request if in my power; if not, return him his mark with the price thereof, which will enable him to procure the common necessaries of life.

Q. By whom was this degree founded?

A. Our three Grand Masters–Solomon King of Israel, Hiram King of Tyre, and Hiram Abiff.

Q. For what purpose was it founded?

A. To be conferred upon all those who should be found worthy and well qualified, not only as an honorary reward for their zeal, fidelity and attachment to Masonry, but to render it impossible that any brother who should be found worthy of being advanced to this degree should ever be reduced to such extreme indigence as to suffer for the common necessities of life, when the price of his mark would procure the same.

Q. Who does a brother represent, presenting a mark and receiving assistance?

A. Our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, who was a poor man, but for his regular and upright deportment, his great skill in architecture and the sciences, became eminently distinguished among the craftsmen.

Q. Who does a brother represent, receiving a mark and granting assistance?

A. Our Grand Master, Solomon, King of Israel, who was a rich man and eminently distinguished for his great liberality.

Q. What are the working tools of a Mark Master Mason?

A. The chisel and mallet.

Q. What is the use of the chisel?

A. It is used by operative Masons to cut, carve, mark and engrave their work.

Q. What does it Masonically teach?

A. The chisel morally demonstrates the advantage of discipline and education. (See Monitors, it is Monitorial.)

Q. What is the use of the mallet?

A. It is used by operative Masons to knock off excrescences and smooth surfaces.

Q. What does it Masonically teach?

A. The mallet morally teaches to correct irregularities and to reduce man to a proper level, so that by quiet deportment he may, in the school of discipline, learn to be content. (See Monitor, it is Monitorial.)

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