SECOND DEGREE.

«THEY THAT BE LABORING MEN, OR CRAFSTMEN, DO IT TRULY." ANTIENT CHARGES, MS.

ADDRESS to a BROTHER, on his being crafted.

WE have now endeavored, brother, to reward your diligence by conferring on you a higher rank in the scale of Masonry; making to you new and interesting discoveries; and affigning you work in an elevated apartment of the temple.

IN behalf of the brethren, I congratulate your preferment. I affure you that the step you have taken is a fafe one; and with a fingle eye you may fee that your stagings are firm, your fituation fecure, and your prof pects brightened.

You will now be inftructed in the use of tools of a more artful and ingenious con

ftruction. Be not regardless of their fym, bolic application. By them you will learn to reduce rude matter into form, and rude manners into the more polished shape of moral and religious rectitude; becoming thereby, yourself, a more fymmetical part of the ftructure of human fociety. By the Square of juftice, learn to measure your actions. To the level of humility and condefcenfion, reduce your difpofition and demeanor: And by the plumb line of rectitude regulate all your moral conduct.

THE grade to which you are now advanced has its appropriate services and duties. It demands the exercise of strength, intellectual and moral; and it calls for the extension of relief to your brethren, according to your ability and their exigence.

WHILE invincible as a Mason, and brave as a man; be fure to display the benignity of the friend, and the kindness of the brother.

You are to learn, now, to encounter trials with unyielding ftability; and to endure tribulation with fubmiffive patience. And

all

you will find that Masonry prevents the pufilanimity of dejection, and filences the murmurs of discontent, by encouragements and supports peculiar to itself. But should a lot be your's in life, as we fervently hope, exempt from the pains of affliction and the pressure of adversity, let the leffons you are now acquiring teach you to help and relieve your deftitute and diftreffed brethren to the best of your power. Be willing to diftribute to the neceffitous a portion of those bounties your profperity can spare; and ready to communicate to the afflicted fome of those precious confolations which fympathy prepares and kindness administers. And your's be all the bleffings promised the merciful by the GoD of mercy!

BROTHER,

We have feen with pleasure your improvement in our art; and are convinced that your industry and perfeverance will foon lead you to the acquirement of greater knowledge and entitle you to greater honors.

*« Maconnes teach the skylle of becommynge gude and par fyghte, withoughten the holpynges of fere and hope."

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MS. BODL,

THIRD DEGREE.

"Every one fball aunfwere these three queftions; How haft thou entered? How baft thou wrought? How haft thou lived? And if he can affoils thefe, and bath laud therein, be may be raised and honoured and rewardANTIENT MS.

ed."

ADDRESS to a BROTHER at his raifing.

BROTHER,

THE arcana of our craft are imparted gradually to its members, according to their improvement. As you have acquitted yourself well as an expert and ingenious craftfman, in reward for your diligence and ingenuity we now admit you to our most confidential communications, and exalt you to the fublime degree of MASTER MASON.

THIS, brother, is a privilege which but few obtain and must be the more grateful to you as the badges with which you are

now invested, are conferred only on the worthy and the wife.

THE affecting scene through which you, have just paffed must have deeply impreffed your mind. Let the folemn cautions with which it was accompanied, and the excellent leffons it inculcates, be always remembered and invariably observed.

SUPPORT with dignity the respectable charyou now bear.

acter

Be juft to your profeffion, and true to your engagements. Hold faft your integrity; and let no offers bribe and no threats intimidate you to betray your truft or violate your vow. Be faithful unto the death, and the acacian fragrance of a good report will embalm your memory. At the SUPREME GRAND MASTER's word your body will be raised in honor, and your reward be glorious in the region of light and life eternal!