The ENTERED APPRENTICE is a bearer of burdens, the FELLOW CRAFT a skilled workman, and the MASTER MASON a director of the work.

The ENTERED APPRENTICE is taught symbolically to labor upon the building of his character Temple, to subdue his passions, and to improve himself in Masonry. He must obey the rules and regulations and learn to practice them.

The FELLOW CRAFT is carefully instructed in the principles of Geometry. The different orders of Architecture are explained to him, together with the Five Senses of human nature, and the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences, and he is instructed in the kind of wages he is to receive.

MARK MASTER.- - The work on the Temple is continued as in the preceeding degrees of the Lodge. The candidate represents one of the workmen whose custom it was to have their work inspected at the end of each week. An important lesson is taught - that he should never claim the work of another. The degree lays still greater stress upon the dignity of labor; that we must all work, and receive wages according to our deserts.

PAST MASTER. - - This degree begins the preparation for the Royal Arch. In former times no one was eligible for the Royal Arch except actual or Past Masters of Lodges, but the degree of Past Master was instituted whereby one might become a "virtual Master" and thus be eligible for exaltation to the Royal Arch. The candidate is taught that he must first learn to obey before he can learn to rule, and that he must learn to govern himself before he can govern others.

MOST EXCELLENT MASTER, - - represents King Solomon's Temple completed and dedicated. King Solomon offers a sublime invocation and his offerings are burned with fire. The brethren rejoicing that their long labor is ended, are greeted as Most Excellent Masters, and receive their reward. This ends the cycle of degrees having to do with the erection of King Solomon's Temple, and brings us to the sublime story, spanning centuries of time as set forth in the Royal Arch Degree.

It is a peculiarity of the York Rite, whether intended or not by it's authors, that the movement of the degrees is often inverse, and the historical connection reversed; so that as we apparently go forward in regular progression, the knowledge and light gained always reflect backward upon the path we have traveled before, and the degrees that seemed complete when we took them are found to require the explanation of the subsequent degrees before they can be understood. This is what makes the infinite interest in the work, and causes the reflective Mason to continually study the sublime precepts and ceremonies of the order. This is especially true of the Cryptic Degrees, two of which historically precede the Royal Arch, but which hold in reserve their valuable teachings until the candidate is ready to receive them.

ROYAL MASTER. - - In this degree HIRAM is alive again, and imparts to the candidate the teachings of useful labor on earth and a worthy end of life. The tragedy of his untimely death is again brought forward, with the great loss suffered by the craft. This is especially illustrative of the third and seventh degrees.

SELECT MASTER. - - In this degree we have dramatized one of the incidents that occurred during the building of the Temple. It is closely connected with the Royal Arch degree, and in fact it affords the explanation needed for it's perfect understanding. Our three ancient Grand Masters appear in charge of a very important work connected with the Temple. Certain secrets are imparted to the candidate which make clear to him the preceeding degrees. It is highly dramatic and of the greatest interest.

ORDER OF THE RED CROSS - - Our story goes back to the period of the Royal Arch, in the reign of King Darius. A grand council was convened to deliberate upon the unhappy condition of the country and devise means to secure the favor of the King and his consent to their proceeding with the rebuilding of the city and Temple.

ZERRUBBABEL, represented by the candidate, offered his services to travel to the Persian court and remind the King of his promise to aid the Jews in the work.

The King was so pleased that he told ZERRUBBABEL to ask what he would and it should be granted. ZERRUBBABEL then reminds him of his vow to rebuild Jerusalem and restore the Holy Vessels and to rebuild the house of the Lord. The King then makes a decree permitting the Jews to return and restore the city and Temple.

Here we bid farewell to the degrees having to do with King Solomon's Temple, and go forward to the period of the Crusades when the Orders of Knighthood were formed to recover the Holy Sepulcher and to protect the pilgrims who went to visit it's sacred shrines.

KNIGHT OF MALTA. - - The candidate humbly solicits to be admitted to the privileges of the Mediterranean Pass to enable him in safety to undertake a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulcher. The ceremonies of the Pass degree refer to the shipwreck of Saint Paul upon the island of Malta, and the viper that came out of the fire and clung to his hand.

ORDER OF THE TEMPLE.- - We now approach the grandest and most impressive degree, the true capstone of Masonry. The candidate represents a knight of the period that succeeded the Crusades, who had made a vow to visit the Holy Sepulcher. As a trial of his worthiness there is enjoined upon him seven years of pilgrimage in the direction of the Holy Shrine. After having served six years of this preparation he is commanded to devote the remaining year of preparation to penance. Beautiful lessons of the death and ascension of our Savior are inculcated, and the candidate is at last received into full fellowship, in the most solemn manner.