Lectures of the Three Degrees in Craft Masonry1874

The Lectures of the Three Degrees in Craft Masonry is a series of manuals on

Freemasonry Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

that are arranged in the form of

catechism A catechism (; from , "to teach orally") is a summary or exposition of Catholic theology, doctrine and serves as a learning introduction to the Sacraments traditionally used in catechesis, or Christian religious teaching of children and adult co ...

s to be memorized. They cover rituals and symbolism associated with the three

degrees Degree may refer to: As a unit of measurement * Degree (angle), a unit of angle measurement ** Degree of geographical latitude ** Degree of geographical longitude * Degree symbol (°), a notation used in science, engineering, and mathematics ...

of Craft Freemasonry in question and answer form. During the second half of the 19th century, the Lectures gradually ceased to be used regularly in English Lodges.

Purpose

The question and answer procedure was the traditional way in which Freemasons were instructed in

Masonic ritual and symbolism Masonic ritual is the scripted words and actions that are spoken or performed during the degree work in a Masonic lodge. Masonic symbolism is that which is used to illustrate the principles which Freemasonry espouses. Masonic ritual has appeared ...

before printed ritual books became more widely available.Peterborough booklet 'After the First Degree', Q.C.C.C. Limited, 1990 Usually, the members of a

Masonic Lodge A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new l ...

would sit around a table and the

Worshipful Master In Craft Freemasonry, sometimes known as Blue Lodge Freemasonry, every Masonic lodge elects or appoints Masonic lodge officers to execute the necessary functions of the lodge's life and work. The precise list of such offices may vary between the j ...

would ask set questions of each member in turn to test their knowledge of the Masonic ritual and moral teachings. Replies and questions were stylized and a Freemason would have to demonstrate proficiency in answering the questions about his

Masonic Degree Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

before he would be allowed to proceed to the next degree. These catechisms became known as "Lectures of the Craft" and were gradually developed into a comprehensive instructional system that covered not only the ritual and symbolism, but also the spirit and morals of Freemasonry.Lectures of the Three Degrees in Craft Masonry, Kessinger Publishing, 2010 () Like the actual Lodge rituals, also the Lectures were revised from time to time as Freemasonry developed.

History

Origins of the Lectures

From the 18th century onwards, there were different systems of Masonic Lectures in circulation. William Preston's system of Lectures, developed from 1772 onwards, and John Browne's ''Master Key'', first published in full in 1801, were the first to reach a broader audience. By the time the

United Grand Lodge of England The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) is the governing Masonic lodge for the majority of freemasons in England, Wales, and the Commonwealth of Nations. Claiming descent from the Masonic Grand Lodge formed 24 June 1717 at the Goose & Gridiron ...

(UGLE) was formed in 1813 there were at least three systems of Masonic Lectures current in the London area.

Union of 1813

At the formation of the

(UGLE) in 1813, the various Masonic rituals then in use in

England and Wales England and Wales () is one of the Law of the United Kingdom#Legal jurisdictions, three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. Th ...

were standardized under the supervision of the

Duke of Sussex Duke of Sussex is a substantive title, one of several Royal dukedoms in the United Kingdom, royal dukedoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It is a hereditary title of a specific rank of nobility in the British royal family. It has been c ...

.After the Second Degree: Notes for a Fellowcraft, Q.C.C.C. Limited, 1990 A new Masonic ritual for use by UGLE was worked out by the "Lodge of Reconciliation" and it was soon realized that the system of Lectures would also have to be adapted, for the purpose of instruction in the new UGLE procedures and to suit the Masonic symbolism to the new UGLE practice. When the Duke of Sussex was asked what should be done about the Lectures, he replied to the effect that the

s of the various

s should adapt their existing Lectures to the new standardized UGLE ceremonies and give them in their own words. Accordingly, none of the different systems of Masonic Lectures then in circulation ever received formal approval from UGLE in the same way as approval was accorded in 1816 to the new Masonic ritual worked out by the "Lodge of Reconciliation". The result was that the Lectures were not revised and they gradually ceased to be given as part of regular Lodge meetings. Only a few Lodges continued using the Lectures regularly.

Grand Stewards' Lodge

Over time, the version of the Lectures developed for the Grand Stewards' Lodge in London became the most widely accepted. The system of questions and answers demonstrated regularly by the Grand Stewards' Lodge was based closely on the catechism contained in John Browne's ''Master Key'', which itself represented the standard usage of the Lectures by the former

Premier Grand Lodge of England The organisation now known as the Premier Grand Lodge of England was founded on 24 June 1717 as the Grand Lodge of London and Westminster. Originally concerned with the practice of Freemasonry in London and Westminster, it soon became known as ...

. By 1817, this had been adapted to conform to the new UGLE ritual put forward by the "Lodge of Reconciliation", and arranged into 15 individual sections that were grouped into three Lectures, one for each degree of Craft Freemasonry.

Emulation Lodge

When the regular demonstrations of the Lectures by the Grand Stewards' Lodge ceased in the 1860s, the

Emulation Lodge of Improvement Emulation Lodge of Improvement is a Masonic Lodge, Lodge of Instruction which first met on 2 October 1823, and is held under the sanction of Lodge of Unions No. 256 in the English Constitution. It restricts admission to Master Masons in good stan ...

, formed in 1823, became the leading body regularly working them. The Emulation Lodge of Improvement has demonstrated the Grand Steward's Lodge system of Lectures continuously since 1823, although rehearsal of the Emulation Ritual has always been its main work. These lectures are still published by Lewis Masonic to this day. While some light alterations have been made since the 1860s to the version of the Lectures that was originally developed for the Grand Stewards' Lodge (indeed the Grand Stewards' Lodge made some revisions in the early 1860s), the Lectures still demonstrated by the Emulation Lodge of Improvement are largely those which were worked in 1817 and, except for the necessary corrections to fit them to the new UGLE procedures after 1813, they have very much the same content as the Lectures worked in English Freemasonry in the late 18th century.