building, that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. While such is your conduct, should misfortunes assail you, should friends forsake you, should envy traduce your good name, and malice persecute you: yet may you have confidence, that among mark master Masons, you will find friends, who will administer relief to your distresses, and comfort your afflictions; ever bearing in mind, as a consolation, under all the frowns of fortune, and as an encouragement to hope for better prospects, that the stone which the builders rejected, possessing merits to them unknown, became the chief stone of the corner.'

All the brethren shuffle about the lodge again, as before.

Right worshipful master giving one rap with his gavel, says, 'Brother senior, what is the cause of this disturbance among the workmen?"

S. W. Right worshipful, it is the sixth hour of the sixth day of the week; the craft are impatient to receive their

wages.

R. W. M. It is my order that you form the craft in procession, and that they repair to the office of the senior grand wardens, in order to receive their wages. [They form two and two, and march around the lodge, against the sun, and finish singing the Mark master's song,' commencing where they left off before, as follows:]

Hiram, the widow's son,
Sent to king Solomon

The great Key stone;

On it appears the name,
Which raises high the fame
Of all, to whom the same
Is truly known.

Now to the westward move,
Where full of peace and love,

Hiram doth stand;

But if impostors are

Mixed with the worthy there,
Caution them to beware

Of the right hand!

Now to the praise of those
Who triumphed o'er the foes
Of Mason's art;

To the praiseworthy three,
Who founded this degree;
May all their virtues be
Deep in our hearts.

The song being finished, the right worshipful takes his seat in the east; and each of the brethren thrusts his hand through

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6

the lattice window, and receives 'every man a penny.' As soon as they have received their wages, they run round the lodge, each inquiring of every one he meets, 'How much have you got? Each replies, a penny.' Among the rest, the candidate is asked how much he has got. He replies a penny.' At this information, all the brethren pretend to be in a great rage; and hurl their pennies on the floor with violence. [The candidate sometimes throws down his penny, in imitation of the rest, not being what the Masons callbright !'] The candidate. finds himself surrounded by not a 'band of brothers,' but more properly a band of mutineers, each protesting against the manner of paying the craft. In the midst of all this noise and confusion, the right worshipful master gives a rap, and says, 'Brethren, what is the cause of this confusion?'

S. D. The craft are dissatisfied in the manner in which you pay them. Here is a young craftsman, who has just past the square, and has received as much as we who have borne the burden and fatigue of the day; and we don't think it is right and just; and we will not put up with it.

R. W. M. This is the law; and it is perfectly right.

J. D. I don't know of any law that will justify any such proceeding. If there is any such law, I should be glad if you would show it.

R. W. M. If you will be patient, you shall hear the law. He then reads as follows:

MATT. xx. 1—16.* 'For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning, to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place, and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, I will give you. And they went their way. And again he went out, about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise; and about the eleventh hour, he went out and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came, that were hired about the eleventh hour, they

*It will be recollected, that Solomon availed himself of the New Testa. ment about a thousand years before the Christian era!

received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they received it, they murmured against the good man of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made thein equal unto us, which have borne the burden of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last for many be called, but few chosen.'

R. W. M. What say you now to the law?

Brethren. "We are satisfied," [all picking up their pennies, and taking up their seats as before, which finishes the degree.]

I 2

When a master Mason is elected master of a lodge, he must necessarily receive this degree, before he takes the master's chair; in which case it is conferred by individual past masters, who organize themselves into a lodge for that purpose; and confer this degree as hereafter described. But it is generally conferred in a chapter of royal arch Masons, who possess the privilege of conferring all the intermediate degrees, by a right inherent in them.*

This lodge consists of seven officers, viz: 1. Right worship. ful master; 2. Senior warden; 3. Junior warden; 4. Secretary; 5. Treasurer; 6. Senior deacon; 7. Junior deacon. All the officers and members, as many as may be present, keep their hats on, when the lodge is open and at work on this degree.

The lodge is opened and closed in the same manner that the lodges of the first three degrees are. The candidate petitions, and is balloted for in the same way, but is received into the lodge in a very different manner.

The lodge being opened for the dispatch of business, and ready for the reception of the candidate, the junior deacon conducts him into the lodge, and seats him without ceremony, and repairs to his own station.

A heavy alarm is immediately given at the outer door.

Junior deacon rises in his place, and says, 'There is an alarm at the outer door, right worshipful.'

R. W. M. Attend to the alarm, and see who comes there. Junior deacon inquires the cause of the alarm, returns and delivers a letter to right worshipful master, who opens and reads as follows:

'Dear husband:-Our dear little Hiram has accidentally turned over the tea-pot of boiling tea upon him, and scalded

* See constitution of the grand royal arch chapte

nim in a shocking manner; you must come home immediately, for his life is despaired of.

Your affectionate but affected wife,* C. D.'

R. W. M. Brethren, you must appoint some one to fill the chair. I must leave immediately, I cannot stay to confer this degree.

J. W. Right worshipful, I really hope you will stay to confer this degree; brother Dupeasy has come some distance, and expects to receive it. I believe he is in the room, he can speak for himself, and unless he is willing to put it off, you will be under the necessity of staying.

The candidate, [who all this time does not mistrust this is part of the degree,] sometimes rises and says he is willing to put it off, he is perfectly willing to accommodate, as the right worshipful's family is sick.

J. W. Right worshipful, I am very anxious you should stay to confer this degree this evening, as it is very uncertain when I shall be able to attend again. We might not get so many brethren together at another meeting; and as this is a very difficult degree to confer, I feel that you ought to stay.

R. W. M. Brethren, it is impossible for me to stay. You will therefore appoint some one to fill the chair. There is a number of brethren present who are well qualified to confer the degree; you will therefore please to nominate.

J. W. I nominate brother Senior to fill the chair.

W. M. Brethren, it is moved and seconded that brother senior warden fill the chair this evening, to confer this degree on brother Dupeasy. All those in favor of it, signify it, by saying, Ay. [One or two say ay.] All those opposed to it, so signify by saying No. [All the lodge exclaim no.] It is not a vote. Brethren, you will please to nominate a new master.

S. W. I nominate brother junior warden to fill the chair. Right worshipful master tries the question as before; but cannot get a vote; and requests the brethren to nominate.. The candidate is now nominated, and voted into the chair by an unanimous vote.

R. W. M. Brother Dupeasy, (or some other name, as the case may be,) you are elected master of this lodge. You will step this way, and take the chair. The candidate steps along, and as he is about to take the chair, the right worshipful master pulls him back, and says, 'Before you occupy the master's chair, you must take an obligation to discharge with fidelity

* The letter is generally addressed as may best apply to the master.