FM EAM

Question 1

As an entered apprentice mason whence come ye?

Answer 1

From a lodge of the holy saints John of Jerusalem

Question 2

What come ye here to do?

Answer 2

To learn to subdue my passions and improve myself in masonry

Question 3

Then you are a mason I presume?

Answer 3

I am so taken and accepted among brothers and fellows

Question 4

How do you know yourself to be a mason?

Answer 4

I have often been tried, never denied, and am willing to be tried again

Question 5

How may I know you to be a mason?

Answer 5

By certain signs, a token, a word, and the perfect points of my entrance

Question 6

What are signs?

Answer 6

Right angles, horizontals, and perpendiculars

Question 7

What is a token?

Answer 7

A certain friendly grip where one brother may know another in the dark as well as in the light

Question 8

What is a word?

Answer 8

The name of a token

Question 9

What are the perfect points of your entrance?

Answer 9

Guttural, pectoral, manual, and pedal, which allude to the four cardinal virtues temperance, fortitude, prudence, and justice

Question 10

What makes you an entered apprentice mason?

Answer 10

My obligation

Question 11

Where did you receive this obligation?

Answer 11

Within the body of a just and regularly constituted lodge of entered apprentice masons

Question 12

Where were you first prepared to be a mason?

Answer 12

In my heart

Question 13

Where next?

Answer 13

In a room adjacent to a just and regularly constituted lodge of entered apprentice masons

Question 14

How were you prepared?

Answer 14

Divested of all metallic substances, neither naked nor clad, barefoot nor shod, my left foot knee and breast bare, hoodwinked, and a cable toe once about my neck, in which condition I was conducted to the door of a lodge and caused to give three distinct knocks which was answered by a like number from within, accompanied by a voice saying ‘who comes here?’

Question 15

The answer?

Answer 15

Matthew Ryan Erickson who is in darkness and desires light, to receive and have the rights, light, and benefits of this worshful lodge of entered apprenticed masons, erected to god, and dedicated to the holy saints John of Jerusalem, like all brothers and fellows who have gone this way before

Question 16

What was then asked?

Answer 16

Is it of your own free will that you make this request? Is he duly and truly prepared, worthy and well qualified, of lawful age, and properly vouched for. These questions were answered in the affirmative

Question 17

What was then asked?

Answer 17

By what further rights or benefit does he expect to gain admission into this lodge of entered apprenticed masons?

Question 18

The answer?

Answer 18

That of being a man, free born, under the tongue of good rapport, and coming well recommended

Question 19

What were you then told to do?

Answer 19

To wait until the worshful master was informed of my request and his answer returned

Question 20

What was his answer?

Answer 20

Let him enter and be received in form

Question 21

What is that form?

Answer 21

On the point of a sharp instrument, piercing my naked left breast, which was to teach me that as this was an instrument of torture to my flesh so should the recollection to be to my mind and conscious should I ever presume to reveal any of the secrets of freemasonry unlawfully

Question 22

Where were you then conducted?

Answer 22

Near the center of the lodge and caused to kneel for the benefit of lodge prayer, after which a hand was laid upon my head and I was asked in whom I put my trust. I answered in god. I was then told that my trust being in god, my faith was well founded. To arise, follow my conductor, and fear no danger.

Question 23

Where were you next conducted?

Answer 23

Once regularly about the lodge, that the worshful master wardens and brothers might see that I was duly and truly prepared, after which I was caused to halt at the south, west, and east stations where like questions were asked and answers returned, as at the door

Question 24

Where were you then conducted?

Answer 24

To the senior warden who taught me how to approach the east as an entered apprenticed mason, advancing by one regular step, bringing the heel of the right foot to the hollow of the left, forming the angle of a square, my body erect. The worshful master then said that before proceeding further it would be necessary for me to take a solemn obligation which he assured me contained nothing conflicting with my duties to god, my neighbor, or myself. With this assurance on his part, as master of the lodge, he asked me if I was willing to take this obligation as all entered apprenticed masons have done before. I answered I am.

Question 25

How were you then disposed?

Answer 25

At the alter, in form, kneeling on my left knee, my right extended, forming the angle of a square, my body erect within a square, my left hand supporting my right up on the holy bible, square, and compasses.

Question 26

Repeat the obligation

Answer 26

I Matthew Ryan Erickson of my own free will and in the presence of all mighty god and this worshipful lodge of entered apprenticed masons erected to him and dedicated to the holy st John, do hereby and hereon most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will always hail, forever conceal, and never reveal any of the secrets, arts, parts, or points or the mysteries of ancient freemasonry appertaining to this degree to anyone in the world except it be to a brother entered apprenticed mason or within the body of a just and regularly constituted lodge of entered apprenticed masons and not unto him or them until after strict trial, due examination, or lawful information I shall have found him or them as justly entitled to receive them as I am.

I Furthermore promise and swear that I will not write, indite, print, cut, etch, mark, letter, or engrave them upon anything moveable or immovable whereon the least letter, character, or figure may become legible or intelligible to myself or any other person and the secrets of freemasonry be thereby unlawfully obtained

All this I most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear with a fixed and firm resolution to keep and perform the same without the least equivocation, mental reservation, or secret evasion binding myself under no less a penalty than that of having my throat cut from ear to ear, my tongue torn out by its roots and buried in the rough sands of the sea at low water mark where the tide ebs and flows twice in 24 hours should I in the least knowingly violate this my solemn obligation so help me god and keep me steadfast.

Question 27

What were you then told to do?

Answer 27

To detach my hands and in token of my sincerity in this solemn obligation kiss the holy bible open before me

Question 28

From what were you released?

Answer 28

From the cable toe being bound to the fraternity by a stronger tie that of my obligation

Question 29

In your condition of darkness, what did you most desire?

Answer 29

Light, which I received by order of the worshipful master, aided by the brethren

Question 30

Upon being brought to light what did you behold?

Answer 30

The three great lights of masonry, by the aid of the representative of the three lesser lights. The three great lights of masonry are the holy bible, square, and compass and are thus explained: the holy bible is gods inevitable gift to man and the rule and guide of his faith. The square symbolically teaches us to square our actions, the compasses to circumscribe our desires and keep our passions within due bands toward all mankind. The three lesser lights are the sun, moon , and worshipful master represented by the three lights placed in triangular form about the alter and are thus explained: as the sun rules day and the moon governs the night, so should the worshipful master with equal regularity open and govern the lodge over which he is called to preside.

Question 31

What did you next observe?

Answer 31

The worshipful master approaching me from the east, by the step, under the dew guard and penal sign of entered apprenticed mason, who extended to me his right hand in token of friendship and brotherly love, invested me with the grip and word of an entered apprenticed mason, ordered me to a salute to the junior and senior warden and return to the east.

Question 32

Upon your return to the east, with what were you presented?

Answer 32

With the lamb skin apron, and ordered to carry it to the senior warden, who taught me how to wear it as an entered apprenticed mason.

Question 33

How do entered apprenticed masons wear their aprons?

Answer 33

With the flap turned up.

Question 34

Where were you then conducted?

Answer 34

To the worshipful master who presented me with the working tools of an entered apprenticed mason. The twenty four inch gauge, the common gavel, taught me a lesson in Masonic charity, ordered me conducted to that place whence I came, revested with those things of which I was divested and returned to the lodge.

Question 35

Upon your second admission, where were you placed?

Answer 35

In the Northeast corner of the lodge on the first step in masonry. The worshipful master then said: as the youngest entered apprenticed mason you are placed in the northeast corner of the lodge where you stand a just and upright man and mason and I strictly charge you ever to live, walk, and act as one.

Question 36

EAM grip

Answer 36

I hail

I conceal

What do you conceal?

All the secrets of masons in masonry to which this token alludes

What is this?

The grip of an entered apprenticed mason

Has it a name?

It has

Will you give it to me?

I did not so receive it, neither will I so impart it

How will you dispose of it?

I will letter or syllable it with you

Letter or syllable and begin.

Neh, you begin

The word is yours, you must begin

I say A, he says B, I say O, he says the, I say Bo, he says az, I say BOAZ.