FREEMASONRY: Simbolic degrees
There are 3 simbolic degrees in FREEMASONRY. This are: Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason. They are walked thru in sucesion, and are acumulatives: that is, the Master Mason is ALSO an Entered Apprentice. All this terms come from the ancient masons (building constructors) that also divided their people in a similar way.
ENTERED APPRENTICE:
This is the first degree of the three, and is more of a "preliminary" character. The main goal of it is to prepare the candidate for the higher and more complete instructions that will follow in the next degrees. The candidate is a volunteer that comes into the lodge by his own will and freedom, being invited by a member of the lodge, or not.
He learns that the room or place where the Lodge meets is somewhat connected to the Solomon´s temple construction. He also learns that the Lodge is based in three pillars, wich are The Wisdom, The Force and The Beauty, wich are being represented in turn by the Master, The 1st. Warden and the 2nd. Warden.
Once that the ENTERED APPRENTICE shows his capabilities in the work that competes to him, he will be ready for the next degree:
FELLOW CRAFT:
This is the designation assigned to the second degree on the walking of the mason in the Lodge. The work in this degree is similar to the Entered Apprentice, in the sense that it also prepares the person for the next degree, but it differs specially on the importance of it´s simbolism. This degree specifically cultivates the reasoning faculties and intelectual power. Once that the Fellow Craft is properly prepared, we will be able to enter the third degree:
MASTER MASON:
This is the last degree of the Simbolic masonry scale. It represents the maturity in the Mason´s Life, but anyway it has the primary target on the search of the knowledge and wisdom, just as the first day.
IT is also a period of time of big responsibility, exams and suffering, with the inevitable end of the DEATH. As a Master Mason, the person will be given to know the most important and necesary of all truths !
