It is always understood that Free-Masons have a secret which they carefully conceal; but from everything that can be collected from their own accounts of Masonry, their real secret is no other than their origin, which but few of them understand; and those who do, envelope it in mystery.
The Three Degrees of Masonry
The Society of Masons are distinguished into three classes or degrees:
1
Entered Apprentice
The Entered Apprentice knows but little more of Masonry than the use of signs and tokens, and certain steps and words by which Masons can recognize each other without being discovered by a person who is not a Mason.
2
Fellow Craft
The Fellow Craft is not much better instructed in Masonry than the Entered Apprentice. This degree represents the advancement from apprentice to craftsman, with increased knowledge and responsibility.
3
Master Mason
It is only in the Master Mason's Lodge that whatever knowledge remains of the origin of Masonry is preserved and concealed. This is the highest degree in basic Freemasonry.
Historical Origins
The original institution of Masonry consisted in the foundation of the liberal arts and sciences, but more especially in Geometry. The ancient origins trace back through history:
Tower of Babel
Euclid of Egypt
Hiram of Solomon's Temple
Modern Freemasonry
At the building of the tower of Babel, the art and mystery of Masonry was first introduced, and from thence handed down by Euclid, a worthy and excellent mathematician of the Egyptians; and he communicated it to Hiram, the Master Mason concerned in building Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.
