THE BUILDER MAY 1918

THE FIRST DEGREE

The first degree is essentially a degree or condition of
purification. It is the first step the candidate must take if he
would climb the mystic ladder that Jacob saw in his dream.

If we believe in evolution, and most of us do, we must recognize
that the path of our evolution is along the lines of our inner
unfoldment, the evolution of our latent goodness. There is a germ
of goodness, of pure gold, in the breast of every human being,
which by cultivation and education can be developed into light and
power.

Just as the oak is in the acorn, so is the masterman in the average
man of today. And as culture is necessary to develop the acorn into
the oak, so is education and cultivation necessary to unfold the
goodness that is latent in every man.

The three degrees in Blue Lodge Masonry exemplify the ascent of man
from the unregenerate and materialistic being to a regenerate
master-man--the master-builder of character and manhood. It is
Jacob's ladder or the evolutionary path of man.

But for man to rise into a higher and nobler manhood, he must needs
make the first step, or take the First Degree, which is that of
purification. It is through purification only that man can come or
grow into mastership.

To become a master-man, master over our thoughts, emotions and
acts, we must cultivate the latent faculties within ourselves and
overcome the base, the mean and evil within us.

That is why we are taught, first of all, to "divest ourselves of
all metallic substances." The metallic substances" or base metals
are the base passions, vices and degrading habits that have become
part of us. If man is to be refined, to become better, he must give
up, get rid of, and divest himself of his baser self, which is not
his real self, but the accumulated rubbish within his temple.

Just as much as it is necessary to remove the dross in order to
uncover the gold, so is it absolutely essential for man to rid
himself of his dross to uncover the gold or goodness within
himself.

We are also taught "not to daub with untempered mortar." Masonry
abounds in symbolic emblems of the builders art to "imprint on the
mind wise and serious truths" and illustrate moral and practical
lessons. Just as in the construction of a temporal building the use
of "untempered mortar" would endanger its stability, so are we
admonished that, in the building of our temple of manhood and
character leading to a successful life, we "do not daub with
untempered mortar," or base and degrading thoughts and acts. Every
thought and deed enters into the construction of our manhood, like
so many bricks in the construction of a structure. Then how careful
we as builders or Masons should be in the construction of our
manhood. Shall we choose well tempered mortar of love, kindness,
forgiveness, or shall it be the selection of "untempered mortar" of
hate, anger, and would pull our structure down ?

The common gavel teaches us to "divest our hearts and consciences
of all the vices and superfluities of life, thereby fitting our
minds as living stones, for that spiritual building, that house not
made with hands, eternal in the heavens." The "gavel" is our
will-power, directed by our minds. It is through our will-power
directed by our enlightened minds that we can free ourselves from
undesirable conditions.

Man is dual, being both good and bad. There is constant struggle
between the good and the bad in man. The evil in him does not give
up without a struggle. If he is a slave to some passion, it takes
strength of will-power and the repeated exercise of it for that man
to free himself of his vice. In proportion that we exercise our
will-power, our "common gavel," for good, for our upbuilding, do we
further increase this will-power, obtain strength of mind and
develop manhood and character. This will enable us to be successful
in our chosen walk of life. Remember, therefore, that the "gavel"
is your free-will, and it is a "common gavel," for it is "common"
to all. Every man is endowed with this inestimable gift by God.

How careful we must be in our living, if we are to prove worthy to
wear the lamb-skin or white leathern apron, as an emblem of our
innocence ! "The lamb has in all ages been deemed an emblem of
innocence; he, therefore, who wears the lambskin is constantly
reminded of that purity of life and conduct which is so essentially
necessary to his gaining admission into the Celestial Lodge above
where the Supreme Architect of the universe presides." Let the
white leathern apron always remind us that our lives must be
blameless, spotless and free from sin and wrong-doing.

Power or force is in itself unmoral; but it becomes moral or
immoral depending on the direction of its application. Our thoughts
and acts are moral or immoral depending upon what uses we put them
to.

Thus we see that the First Degree abounds in symbolic language
which is positive in its instruction. It teaches a positive
philosophy, a positive living of a life. The symbolic language in
its literal sense has no meaning, and it never was intended for the
craft to stop short at its literal application. Those who
originated the institution of Freemasonry used this symbolic
language to hide from the profane and yet reveal to the initiated
profound truths and practical instruction for our rule and guide in
our daily living. The lessons in this degree are eminently
practical. It is practical to be good, to be free from vices and
passion; for it lead to power, to health, to a long and successful
life. And it is impractical to be a slave to vices, to degrading
habits; for they sap our strength, our manhood, leading to disease,
failure and untimely death.

Therefore we see that the First Degree is the first step a
candidate should take, and that is Purification. Have you taken
this first step? If not, why not?

--Bro. A. W. Witt, in the Kansas City Freemason
