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Golden Book of Masonic Information THE COUNSELOR’S GOLDEN BOOK OF MASONIC INFORMATION GRAND LODGE A.F. & A.M. OF SOUTH DAKOTA 2016-2020 Edition Revised by Brothers of Resurgam Lodge #31 LENNIE TUCKER, WM, 2018-2019 DOUGLAS N. PAPENDICK, PM PAUL KAUS, PM JAMES D. TAYLOR, PM JAMES C. VAN OORT, PM First Revised by the Commission on Masonic Education, 1987 JAMES L. COPE, Ch. EUGENE C. LEAO CLAIR E. WOODARD, PGM BILL JOHNSON First printed by the Commission on Masonic Education, 1967 ROBERT H. BENTON, PGM Ch. LEONEL M. JENSEN, PGM WALTER RECKLING, PGM DR. HOMER ROBINSON, PM DR. DANIEL E. KERR DR. JACK J. EARLY COPYRIGHT © 1967, 1987 COMMISSION ON MASONIC EDUCATION OF THE GRAND LODGE OF SOUTH DAKOTA, A.F. & A.M. COPYRIGHT © 2020 GRAND LODGE OF SOUTH DAKOTA, A.F. & A.M. 520 South First Avenue Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104-6902 605-332-2051 All rights reserved Created in the United States of America Revisors’ Note The title The Golden Book derives from the days preceding word processors, email, file uploading, and 21st Century communication. The original compilation of information, now greatly expanded, was offset printed and bound into gold colored, three-ring binders. Hence the name The Golden Book. Though some of the information became dated the book, because of limited printing and the then significant costs of reproduction, took on a value similar to the precious metal of its title. Those fortunate Brothers who possessed a copy guarded it dearly and tended to take it with them to the grave. Consequently, and ironically considering the title, the book took on a mystery akin to the Lost Dutchman Mine. It was much praised for the richness of its content; its loss was sadly mourned; its past existence took on a near mystic quality. The Revisors make no claim to superior knowledge or deeper insight. We are building on the work of our predecessors. We have made changes consistent with amendments to the Constitution & Bylaws of the Grand Lodge of South Dakota and as necessitated by accumulated modifications to the Work, the continual evolution of tradition, and the realities of 21st Century technology, communication, and social practice. It is the Revisors’ fervent wish that this 2020 edition of The Golden Book provide the basis for ongoing, regular revisions, additions, and corrections – and a broad and widespread distribution of Masonic knowledge. We hope The Golden Book does not again disappear, but remains an ongoing, living and evolving source of information for all South Dakota Freemasons. INTRODUCTION Masonry is a 600 year old fraternity with a 3,000 year old tradition. It is the oldest, the largest and the most widely known fraternal organization in the world. It is the prototype of most modern fraternal societies and service organizations. Masonic education has many facets to serve many purposes and no one book can cover them all. This book is oriented to South Dakota and is intended to perform several functions. A review of the Table of Contents on the immediately following page will clarify that intent. The first sections contain general information including history and organization of the Craft. A subsequent section of questions and answers is intended for the education of Lodge Officers and Brothers to enable all of us to better understand from whence we came, our customs, and our usages. Therafter a section deals with questions which might be asked before, or when, a man requests a petition. The paper A Preparatory Message is intended to be given to a candidate who has petitioned for the degrees of Masonry but has not yet been initiated. Separate sections for The Entered Apprentice, The Fellowcraft, and The Master Mason follow in sequence. Each includes a paper to be reproduced and given to the candidate, an outline of significant points related to the degree, and a series of questions and answers to assist the newly made Brother’s mentor and instructor. The papers A Preparatory Message, The Entered Apprentice, The Fellowcraft, and The Master Mason are also separately set forth in Appendix II, all without footers and with separate numbered pages, for ready duplication and distribution to candidates, and newly intiated, passed, and raised Brothers, for their individual study. Of course, all this material is suitable for use by Lodge Education Officers in developing their programs. Every Mason can benefit from his own study of The Golden Book. Grand Lodge of South Dakota The Golden Book Page 1 CONTENTS Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1 Contents ...........................................................................................................................................2 A Masonic Overview .......................................................................................................................3 The Relationship of Masonic Organizations ....................................................................................7 Chronology of Masonry ...................................................................................................................8 History of South Dakota Masonry ...................................................................................................9 Questions & Answers for Lodge Officers & Members .................................................................14 Prospective Candidates Booklet - Masonry, An Introduction, A Preparatory Message ..........................................26 Questions & Answers for the Prospects & Investigating Committees ............................. 35 Entered Apprentice Booklet - Entered Apprentice .............................................................................................39 Degree Outline ...................................................................................................................48 Questions & Answers .........................................................................................................50 Fellowcraft Booklet - Fellowcraft .........................................................................................................60 Degree Outline ...................................................................................................................69 Questions & Answers .........................................................................................................71 Master Mason Booklet - Master Mason ....................................................................................................79 Degree Outline ...................................................................................................................87 Questions & Answers .........................................................................................................90 Landmarks of Freemasonry .........................................................................................................104 Declaration of Principles.............................................................................................................. 110 Appendix I with Hyperlinks to the Items Indicated ..................................................................... 112 The Constitution, Bylaws & Masonic Code of the Grand Lodge of South Dakota Guidelines for Candidate Investigation Committees Guide for the Mentoring the New Mason Six Steps to Initiation Appendix II - Booklets for Reproduction .................................................................................... 113 Masonry, An Introduction, A Preparatory Message Entered Apprentice Fellowcraft Master Mason Grand Lodge of South Dakota The Golden Book Page 2 A Masonic Overview by Trevor W. McKeown, Curator, Vancouver Masonic Library and Archives [With South Dakota Adaptations for Consistency] What is a Freemason? A man who has taken an obligation to make of himself the best he can, for himself, his family, and his community. What is Freemasonry? A fraternity designed to teach morality and ethics, and train good men to make themselves of service to themselves, their families and their communities. Freemasonry is not a religion, but it teaches its members to be active in their chosen faith. Freemasonry subscribes to no partisan politics, but it teaches its members to be active in civic concerns. Freemasonry is not a charity; although it promotes charity in its members — in North America, Freemasons contribute some two and a half million dollars a day to operate children’s hospitals, cancer clinics, burn wards, senior’s homes and other such facilities. Membership, in North America, is restricted to men who have reached a specified age, usually 18 or 21 depending upon the jurisdiction, who are prepared to profess a belief in God. The expression in some rituals is “freeborn, of mature age and under the tongue of good report”. Some rituals include references to physical wholeness or fitness but few if any jurisdictions enforce this exclusion in their Constitutions. Some jurisdictions also have a language or literacy requirement. Of a candidate’s beliefs, only three questions are allowed: Do you believe in the existence of a Supreme Being? Do you believe that the Supreme Being will punish vice and reward virtue? Do you believe that Supreme Being has revealed His will to man? Of these three, only the first must be answered in the affirmative, and in many jurisdictions it is the only one asked. First, a bit of history. Records strongly suggest a lineage to operative stonemasons’ lodges or guilds of fourteenth century Scotland and
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