The word "Giblim" and the sign
described in the last chapter, left arm perpendicular and right
arm horizontal, are the pass word and pass sign leading from the
second to the third degree; and the perfect Ashlar stone the candidate
has himself made is the proof for advancement to the Super Fellows
or third degree.
The Operative third degree and the first part of the modern Mark
degree corresponding to the old Mark Mason of the Speculatives
are so very similar that a Speculative Mark Mason would find himself
quite at home in the Operative work. The word and sign of the
Operative and Super Fellow or third degree is the same as the
Speculative Mark degree.
It is obvious that this precludes a Speculative Mark Mason from
describing the ceremony fully in print. The Super Fellow is alloted
his Mark, and as a Super Fellow he is charged to produce "fare
work and square." In this degree the candidate is led around
the Lodge three times and he takes his obligation on the polished
Ashlar stone with both knees bare.
"Application to the Superintendent of the Works of the Worshipful
Society of Freemasons, Rough Masons, Wallers, Slaters, Paviors,
Plaisterers and Bricklayers.
"I . . . . . having well and truly served as a Super Fellow
of the Craft of Freemasons for one year, and being of the age
of twenty three, humbly crave to be further advanced to the honorable
degree of Super Fellow Erector of the Craft of Freemasons.
"I further promise and swear that if once advanced to the
fourth degree of fellowship, I will forever conform to all the
ancient charges, usages, and established customs of the Fraternity,
as Super Fellow Erectors have done in all ages." The next
degree for the Operative Free Mason is that of an Erector, still
Super Fellow, but one who is qualified and entitled to erect and
put in position on the site the stones prepared in the first,
second and third yards and marked in the third stone yard. This
is the Operative's fourth degree. The Super Fellow Erector ascertains
from the marks the exact position in which each stone is intended
to be placed.
This is very similar to the second part of the modern Speculative
[581] Mark Mason's degree, corresponding to the old Speculative
Mark Master's degree; which again precludes a Mark Mason from
describing the ceremony fully in print.
In the square division it is the chief N. E. corner headstone
that is missing, and in the arch division it is the keystone of
the arch that has been lost. The moral is the same in both cases.
"The stone which the builders refused is become the headstone
of the corner." The Arch Masons reject the corner stone,
and the Square Masons reject the keystone.
In the Operative account it is the negligent mark man who neglected
to mark well who are "hove over" with a thirty cubit
drop, and form the completion sacrifice; which is certainly in
accordance with the spirit of the times of the building of King
Solomon's temple.
In this fourth degree the candidate takes his obligation on a
perfect polished Ashlar stone, both knees bare as before, and
he is led around the Lodge four times. The work and sign are the
same as in the Speculative Mark degree.
All Operative Freemasons have these two Mark degrees, although
the Mark was struck out by those who formulated Modern Speculative
Freemasonry in
1717.
'The majority of Operative Freemasons do not proceed beyond this,
the fourth degree; as to take the fifth degree, that of Superintendent,
requires considerable technical knowledge.
"Application to the Superintendent of the Works of the Worshipful
Society of Freemasons, Rough Masons, Wallers, Slaters, Paviors,
Plaisterers and Bricklayers.
"I . . . . having well and truly served as a Super Fellow
Erector of the Craft of Freemasons for one year, and being of
the age of twenty four years, humbly crave to be raised to the
honorable degree of Intendant of the Craft of Freemasons.
"I further promise and swear that if once raised to the fifth
degree of fellowship, I will forever conform to all the ancient
charges, usages, and established customs of the Fraternity, as
Intendants have done in all ages."
Back to Masonry Defined Previous Next
