When a Candidate for membership completes the 1st or Entered Apprentice degree, he is required to complete a course of instruction in masonic knowledge. The same holds true for the 2nd or Fellowcraft degree. The 3rd or Master Mason degree is the culmination of this process and he becomes a full member of the Fraternity. This process takes time and a lot of memorization work. To commemorate the new brother’s achievement, our Lodge presents the new brother with a diploma that bears the dates of his progression, the signatures of the principal officers of the lodge and the Lodge seal.
Click on the picture to view a larger version.
This document is a custom version specifically for Ellensburg #39. It was created from a cell phone photo of an ancient framed picture that has hung in the lodge as long as anyone can remember. That, by the way, is a long time as we have a member who is 97.
The Masonic Education mentioned above takes the form of instructions concerning duties to god, yourself, your family, civil society and the lodge, as well as moral lessons, and the history of the masonic craft. It is taught by one brother to another, but with the aid of some cryptic or ciphered code books and a coach from the lodge. It is all very interesting and framed in English as it was spoken roughly 300 years ago.
The lectures look something like this:
The lectures are very interesting, despite what this picture might seem to portray. 😉
Here are some pictures of brothers who have completed this work
and received Masonic Diplomas:
