A Curious Masonic Tract.

but for myself I can say , if I had not been affronted I should not have gone from their general rule or maxim , which is not to give it gratis . They say if any man that they think is worthy to be a Mason will apply for it , he may be made if he will pay for it , as each of them have done before ; and further , should they give it gratis , how could that extensive charity , which distributes so much yearly to the relief of distressed brothers , be supported ?

[ COME NEXT TO THE MAKING PART . So soon as a man enters the lodge room , he is examined , to find if he knows anything of geometry ; if not he is immediatel y instructed therein . They teach him to draw parallel lines , to raise and let fall perpendiculars , and to make angles , right , obtuse , ancl acute ; or if he does understand this , and all lineal Geometryor if notat his first entrancethen after he has acquired it

, , , in the lodge they give him the first degree of Masonry , there being five degrees or orders of Masons , representing , or answering to , the five noble orders of architecture , viz ., tuscan , doric , ionic , corinthian , ancl composite . Originally there was but one degree amongst the Freemasons : but as soon as they began to improve in architecture , and some had clearer and greater ideas of the proportions , bigness , strength , and beauty of the work intended , as each order

became named , the Masons thought proper to confer those names by way of eminence upon such as merited it , and ever since all Freemasons are called among themselves by one or other of these orders or degrees . The Masons never were cautious to keep this part secret from the world ; for many times , before I was a Mason , I have heard them say that such a one is a Mason , another a good Mason , another a very good Mason , another an excellent Mason , and another a compleat Mason . Now this distinction arises from the degree

that each Mason has , owing to his genius ancl capacit y therein ; for a Mason of the tuscan order , or first degree , ancl the good Mason of the doric order , or second degree , provided they are conformable to the precepts before mentioned , are acknowledged and caressed by the composite or compleat Mason of the fifth degree , as worthy the regard of the whole societ y , notwithstanding their knowledge is not so extensive . But to return to the making . The principals of the lodge must understand the wholeto instruct the younger brethren .

, So they give to the brother just admitted ( being duly qualified as observed before ) the tuscan order , with problems ancl definitions suitable thereto ; upon which he is kept some time , till he has made a good progress therein ; then he is taught to measure solids , and receives the second degree or doric order , with suitable problems and definitions . Then they instruct him in the making and measuring of spheres , spheriods , prisms , pyramids , prismoids , strait , square ,

ronnd , and eliptic pyramidoids , etc ., ancl when he tolerably well comprehends this , they give him trigonometry plain ancl spheric , and the third degree or ionic order . Here he continues for a considerable time , till by dint of study ancl close application he becomes capable of erecting something in the three orders . Then they confer the fourth degree or corinthian order , upon him ; and when they find his knowledge sufficient in this , by making several corinthian capitals , etc ., they compleat him , by giving the composite order to him .

OF THE SIGNS AND WATCH-WORDS . And first , of the signs that the Masons make use of to know each other by . They be seven in number , that is , one for each day in the week ; which is the reason that no one could ever impose himself upon a Mason , in order to be taken by him as such ; for strangers , i . e ., those who are not Masons , always concluded that the sign for Monday would serve for any other day in the week ;

or else they imagined that one sign served always . But in this they greatly deceived themselves , and gave room for the Masons , when they met with a misapplied or wrong day sign , to banter and joke as they thought proper , at the cost of shame and confusion to the designing imposter . Several of them