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FELLOWCRAFT MASON
THE CRAFT AND ITS SYMBOLS
Michael H. Koplitz, PM
The Fellow Craft Mason's degree is enriched with the antiquity
of Freemasonry. In the early development of Freemasonry it was the Fellow Craft
Mason's degree that a candidate needed to attend a Lodge meeting. The
"highest" degree was considered the Fellow of the Craft degree. When a
man strived to become the Worshipful Master of his Lodge, we underwent the extra
degrees of Master and Mark Masons.
During the development of the degrees the Master Mason's degree
was added and the Mark Mason became part of the Royal Arch Chapter. The Fellow
Craft degree in other jurisdictions is performed differently. After the
candidates takes his obligation he is taken on a "trip" up the winding
stairs of the temple. Solomon's temple had three sections. The Entered
Apprentices were not permitted to have access to the second and third floors and
the Fellow Crafts could not access the third floor.
The Fellow Crafts would meet at the end of the week before the
Sabbath in the middle chamber of the temple on the second floor. At that time
they would be paid for their labors in grains, wines and oils. There would be
plenty of time for them to return home before the beginning of the Sabbath (the
day of rest). The Fellow Crafts would go up to the top of the winding stairs and
be greeted by our equivalent, the Junior Warden. He would ask for the grip and
password to gain access to the middle chamber. The Fellow Craft, after giving
the proper response, would move down a short corridor to the next door. The
Senior Warden would ask him for the grip and password that would give him
admittance to the middle chamber. The Fellow Craft would give the proper grip
and password and would be admitted into the middle chamber. Each Fellow Crafts'
work was tallied and each was paid accordingly.
The Fellowcraft goes on a journey up the winding stairs to the
middle chamber of King Solomon's temple. The first three stairs are the working
tools of a Fellow Craft Mason; the plumb, level and square. These working tools
deal with how we should treat ourselves and our fellow man. The next five stairs
remind us of the five orders of architecture and the five senses. Both important
elements of our lives. The last seven stairs deal with the seven liberal arts.
The seven liberal arts are the foundation of the sciences and humanities. These
areas of learning is what gives a Mason and Freemasonry its strength. It is
through these disciplines that we grow toward that divine wisdom.
The five principle orders of architecture are important to
recognize for its beauty and geometric style; the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic,
Composite, and Corinthian. The columns around the stations of the Master and
Wardens are in there different styles of architecture. The Wardens columns are
two different styles of architecture. The Greeks invented the Tuscan, Doric and
Ionic style while the Romans added the Corinthian and the Composite.
The battle that is described in the degree can be found in the
Holy Bible. Masonic tradition informs us that this word and the true password
were used at the temple for the Fellow Crafts to gain passage into the middle
chamber. In other states before a lodge of Fellowcraft Masons is opened the
Junior and Senior Deacons will go around the Lodge getting the word from the
Brethren. The passgrip password is the word they are expecting.
The working tools of a Fellowcraft Mason, the plumb, level and
square, deal with human behavior. The plumb reminds us to be proud of who and
what we are before God and our fellow man. The level teaches that all men are
created equal in God's eye. We are all equal in the Masonic Lodge no matter what
our social standing. The square tells us to treat our neighbors as well as
we would treat ourselves.
It is a coincidence that Geometry and God both begin with the
letter "G". The letter "G" is an addon to the square and
compasses that was done within the past 100 years. Geometry can be used to
understand Gods universe.
The columns from the front of King Solomon's Temple are Boaz and
Jachin. Boaz is the left column and Jachin is the right. Boaz and Jachin were
great-grandfathers of Solomon. Each is referenced in Holy Scripture. The
splendor and beauty of these columns and the completed temple was rivaled by the
ancients as the 8th wonder of the world.
There are many other examples of symbolism and meaning to the
Fellow Craft Mason's degree. There is much material in print that relates to the
degree. This paper should be considered the beginning of your examination of the
Fellow Craft Mason's degree.
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