The Secret To The Order Of Freemasons,

THE SECRET TO THE ORDER OF FREEMASONS ,

and the Ceremonies obserYed at the Reception of Members into it . FROM A FRENCH PAPER , 1734 . FIRST of all the Person must be proposed in one of the Lodges by a Brother of the Society , as a good Subject ; and when the latter obtains his Request , the Recipiendary

is conducted by the Proposer , who becomes his Godfather , into one of the Chambers of the Lodge , where there is no Light , and there they ask him whether he has a calling to be received : He answers Yes . After which they ask him his Name , Sirname and Quality ; take from him all Metals

or Jewels which he may have about him , as Buckles , Buttons , Rings , Boxes , & c , his Right Knee is uncovered , he wears his Left Shoe as a Slipper , then they blindfold him , and keep him in that Condition about an Hour , delivered up to his Reflections ; after this , the Godfather goes and knocks

three times at the Door of the Reception-Room , in which the Venerable Grand Master of the Lodge is , who answers by three knocks from within , and orders the Door to be opened ; then the Godfather says , that a Gentleman , by Name — presents himself in order to be received . ( Note ,

That both on the Outside and within this Chamber several Brothers stand with their Swords drawn , in order to keep off profane People ) . The Grand Master , who has about his Neck a blue Ribband cut in a Triangle , says , Ask him whether he has the Calling ? The Godfather puts him the Question ,

and the Recipiendary having answered in the Affirmative , the Grand Master orders him to be brought in : Then they introduce him , and make him take three Turns in the Room , round a Sort of Ring on the Floor , in which they draw with a Pencil . upon two Columns a sort of Representation of the

Ruins of Solomon ' s Temple , on each Side of that Space they also make with the Pencil a great I and a great B , which they don't explain till after the Reception . In the Middle there are three lighted Wax-Candles laid in a Triangle , upon which they throw Gunpowder and Rosin at the Novice ' s

Arrival , in order to frighten him by the Effect of those Matters . The three turns being made , the Recipiendary is brought into the Middle of the Writing above mentioned in three Pauses over-against the Grand Master , who is at the upper end behind an Arm-Chair , on which is the Book of

St . John ' s Gospel , and asks him , Do you peel the Calling ? Upon his answering Yes , the Grand Master says , Shew him the Light , he has been long enough deprived of it . In that Instant they take off the Cloth from before his Eyes , and all the Brothers standing in a Circle draw their Swords ; they

cause the Recipiendary to advance in three Pauses up to a stool which is at the Foot of the Arm-Chair ; the Brother Orator addresses him in these terms , You are going to embrace a respectable Order , which is more serious than you imagine : There is nothing in it against the Law , against Religion ,

against the State , against the King , nor against Manners . The venerable Grand Master will tell you the rest . At the same time they make him kneel on the stool with his Right Knee , which is bare , and hold the Left Foot in the Air . Then the Grand Master says to him , You promise never to trace , write ,

or reveal the Secrets of the Free-Masons or Free-Masonry , but to a Brother in the Lodge , and in the Grand Master ' s Presence . Then they uncover his Breast to see if he is not a Woman , and put a Pair of Compasses on his Left Pap , which he holds himself ; he puts his right hand on the Gospel ,

and pronounces his oath in these Terms , I consent that my Tongue may be pulled out , my Heart torn to pieces , my Body burnt , and my Ashes scattered , that there may be no more mention of me amongst Mankind , if , & c ., after which he kisses

the Book . Then the Grand Master makes him stand by him ; they give him the Freemason ' s Apron , which is a white skin , a Pair of Men ' s Gloves for himself , and a Pair of Women ' s Gloves for the Person of that Sex for whom he

has the most Esteem . They also explain to him the I and the B traced on the Floor , which are the Type of the Sign ¦ by which the Brothers know one another . The I signifies Jahkin , and the B Boiaes . In the Signs which the Free-Masons make among one another they represent those two

Words , by putting the Right Hand to the Left Side of the Chin , from whence they draw it back upon the same Line to the Ri g ht ^ Side ; then they strike the skirt of their Coat on the Right Side and also , stretch out their Hands to each

other , laying the Right Thumb upon the great Joint of his Comrade ' s first Finger , which is accompanied with the Word Jahkin ; they strike their Breasts with the-Right Hand , and take each other by the Hand again , by reciprocally touching

The Secret To The Order Of Freemasons,

with the Right Thumb the first and great Joint of the Middle Finger , which is accompanied with the Word Boiaes . This Ceremony being performed and explained , the Recipiendary is called Brother ; after which they sit down , and , with the Grand Master's Leave , drink the new Brother's Health .

Every Body has his Bottle . When they have a Mind to drink they say , Give some Powder , viz ., fill the Glass . The Grand Master says , Lay your Hands to your Forelocks ; then they drink ye Brother ' s Health , and the Glass is carried in three different Motions to the Mouth ; before they set it down

on the Table they lay it to their Left Pap , then to the Right , and then forwards , and in three other Pauses they lay the Glass perpendicular upon the Table , clap their Hands three times , and cry three times Vivat . They observe to have three Wax Candles disposed in a Triangle on the Table . If

they perceive , or suspect that some suspicious Person has introduced himself amongst them , they declare it b y saying it rains , which signifies that they must say nothing . As Some People might have discovered the Signs which denote the Terms Jahkin and Boiaes ; a Free-Mason may be known

by taking him by the Hand as above-mentioned , and pronouncing I , to which the other answers A ; the first says K , the second replies H ; the first ends with I , and the other

with N , which makes Jahkin ; It is the same in regard to Boiaes . [ We are indebted to BRO . DR . CHAS . FORSHAW , of Bradford , for this article , which appeared in the "Gentleman ' s Magazine , '' for 1734 . —Ed . F . C . ]

Royal Highness the Prince of Wales Grand Master of England , Earl Amherst Deputy Grand Master , Viscount Cranborne , M . P ., the very Rev . the Dean of Rochester , Alderman Sir Horatio Davies , M . P ., and many other distinguished Brethren .

¦ A grand Masonic patriotic concert is to be given on Tuesday , 17 th inst ., in the new Town Hall at Chatham , in aid of the Transvaal Widow and Orphan Funds . The entertainment is to take place under the patronage of his

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