The Higher Degrees Handbook by WBro JSM Ward.pdf

T H E

H I G H E R D E G R E E S ’ ’

H A N D B O O K

W . . B r o . . J . . S . . M . . W A R D

PREFACE

In attempting to give an outline sketch of the various degrees in

Freemasonry in a book of this description, I am faced by many

difficulties, not the least of which is how to write in an interesting

way about degrees, which many of my readers have not taken,

without giving away more than is permissible.

One of my reasons for writing this book is to encourage Brethren to

take these "Advanced Degrees." We still meet Brethren who say that

there is nothing beyond the Craft worth taking. As one who has

taken all the degrees for which he is qualified, I can state from

personal experience that, with one or two small exceptions,

practically all the degrees are of the greatest value.

Of course, my readers must bear in mind that a Brother gets out of

Masonry in proportion to what he brings into it. If he approaches it

with a keen intellectual mind, based on a reasonable amount of

study of the meaning of symbolism, he naturally will learn far more

than if he approaches it merely from the point of view of a man

who knows a good dinner when he eats one, and cares nothing

about the meaning of the ceremonies which take place in the Lodge

Room.

In conclusion I must express my indebtedness to Messrs. Toye & Co.

for the loan of the blocks which illustrate this book.

CHAPTER I.

HISTORICAL SURVEY.

The early history of the so-called "Higher Degrees" is even more

obscure than that of the Craft, and in consequence a tendency has

grown up to regard them as "Manufactured" during the 18th

century.

In my opinion this is too hasty a conclusion, for some of these

degrees at any rate bear every evidence of antiquity, and contain

that wisdom which has been handed down from generation to

generation.

The third degree clearly foreshadows a subsequent degree, wherein

the lost s...s will be finally recovered, in fact without such a degree

the whole of the Craft ceremonies would be meaningless. Moreover,

as we shall show later, the most important Higher Degrees use Sns.

of great antiquity, which have been clearly handed down from

ancient days in precisely the same way as have our Craft Sns., of

which full evidence has been given in the History Handbook. There

is also documentary evidence to show that the legends of some of

these degrees were well known by our medieval ancestors, and

actually incorporated in the Ancient Charges. As, for example, the

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