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conferring the Third Degree, which contains a constellation of unalterable Landmarks; and he performed the office fluently and without hesitation, when, at a certain part of the ceremony, the candidate, who was a barrister, inquired-" My dear

sir,

you have told me that so and so occurred under such and such circumstances; will you be kind enough to favour me with your authorities?" The Master was taken by surprise; he hesitated-he stammered he tried to go on; but the mal-apropos interruption had driven the subsequent part of the legend from his recollection, and he found it impossible to proceed. He looked round for aid with such a pitiable countenance, that to relieve him from his dilemma, I stepped forward and assured the candidate that all his doubts should be resolved before he left the Lodge, but that at present the ceremony must be allowed to proceed; which I briefly concluded, and dismissed him for reinvestment. This afforded the W. Master an opportunity of recollecting himself, and of receiving the candidate in form as a Master Mason.

PART III.

APPROACHES TO THE FIRST

DEGREE.

TRIAD CHARACTERISTIC.

CONDITIONS.-QUALIFICATIONS.-RECEPTION.

"WHAT was there required of you? My assent to three judicious propositions. The first was, a declaration that I had not been prevailed on by any person, against my inclination, to be made a Mason; secondly, that I offered myself freely, and of my own accord, to be initiated; and, thirdly, that I was ready and willing to enter into engagements for preserving its privileges to worthy men who should acquire them by a legitimate process.”—An old Ritual.

95

LECTURE XV.

FREEDOM.

"Was für ein mann muss ein maurer sein? Ein mann von einem freien weibe geboren. Wo wurder lhr zuerst vorbereitet um zum maurer gemacht zu werden? In meinem herzen."GERMAN RITUAL.

"To all freeborn sons of the ancient and honourable Craft." -SECTIONAL CHARGE.

THE fourth article in the Constitutions of Athelstan provides that "no Master shall admit the son of a bondman as an Apprentice, lest his introduction should create dissatisfaction amongst the Brethren." This ordinance is corroborated by the Ancient Gothic Charges, which ordain that "the men who are to be made Masons must be freeborn, and no bondmen." And the same conditions were subsequently embodied in the authorized Lectures, where it was expressly stated that "Freemasons should be freeborn, of mature age, sound judgment, and strict morality. Freeborn, that the vicious habits of slavery might not contaminate the pure principles of freedom, on which Masonry is founded," &c. In another part of the same Ritual it is asserted that every candidate must be a free man, born of a free woman; " and the position is illustrated by a reference to the respective conditions of Isaac and Ishmael, in the following words: "When Sarah, the wife of

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