In the Middle Ages operative apprentices were required to labor seven years before they were thought to know enough to attempt to become Fellows of the Craft. At the end of the seven-year period an apprentice who had earned the approbation of those over him might make his Master’s Piece and submit it to the judgment of the Master and Wardens of his lodge.
The Master’s Piece was some difficult task of stone cutting or setting. Whether he was admitted as a Fellow or turned back for further instruction depended on its perfection.
The Master’s Piece survives in Speculative Masonry only as a small task and the seven years have shrunk to a minimum of one month. Before knocking at the door of the West Gate for his Fellowcraft’s Degree an Entered Apprentice must learn “by heart” a part of the ritual and ceremonies through which he has passed.
Easy for some, difficult for others, this is an essential task. It must be done, and well done. It is no kindness to an Entered Apprentice to permit him to proceed if his Master’s piece is badly made.
As the initiate converses with well-informed brethren, he will learn that there are millions of Masons in the world. He does not know them; they do not know him. Unless he can prove that he is a Mason, he can not visit in a lodge where he is not known, neither can he apply for Masonic aid, nor receive Masonic welcome and friendship.
Hence the requirement that the Entered Apprentice learn his work well is in his own interest.
But it is also of interest to all brethren, wheresoever dispersed, that the initiate know his work. They may find it as necessary to prove themselves to him as he may need to prove himself to them. If he does not know his work, he cannot receive proof any more than he can give it.
It is of interest to the lodge that the initiate know his work well. Well-informed Masons may be very useful in lodge; the sloppy, careless workman can never be depended upon for good work.
Appalled at the apparently great feat of memory asked, some initiates study with an instructor for an hour or two, find it difficult, and lose courage. But what millions of other men have done, any initiate can do. Any man who can learn to know by heart any two words can also learn three; having learned three he may add a fourth, and so on, until he can stand before the lodge and pass a creditable examination, or satisfy a committee that he has learned enough to entitle him to ask for further progress.
The initiate should be not only willing but enthusiastically eager to learn what is required because of its effect upon his future Masonic career. The Entered Apprentice who wins the honor of being passed to the degree of Fellowcraft by having performed the only task set him goes forward feeling that he is worthy. As Speculative Freemasonry builds only character, a feeling of unworthiness is as much a handicap in lodge life as a piece of faulty stone is in building a wall.
But this important reason for learning the work thoroughly goes farther. It applies more and more as the Fellowcraft’s degree is reached and passed and is most vital after the initiate has the proud right to say, “I am a Master Mason.”
Claudy, Carl H., Introduction to Freemasonry – I – Entered Apprentice, 1931, Carl H. Claudy.
1 comment:
Hello, brother! I think this post is very interesting. Most of the EAs in my lodge do move forward, but there some who stop at the EA and never return. Sometimes I think this is due to the way some of the elders treat them. For example, one EA in particular went to the lodge on a Saturday and cut the grass for us. He got around to the side of the lodge with his weed eater (his personal equipment was used) where a mower can't be used and he ran out of plastic string (whatever its called) so he called it quits for the day. On meeting night (Tuesday) he walked in and a couple of the brothers said hello to him, but one of the older PMs said "I see where you missed a spot on the side of the building!" After a short awkward silence, I told the newly initiated brother "What he means to say is 'Thank you for cutting the grass, brother.'" That's only one example. There are MANY others. I never knew the movie "Grumpy Old Men" was actually a true depiction of many elder men. On another note, I have a question for you. Please forgive my ignorance. I am a member of the GLofGA F&AM and unfortunately we don't have the opportunity to sit in lodge with PHA brother masons. I've met several Prince Hall brothers and a couple that I've met seem to have been masons for quite a while, but are only apprentices. Is this common in Prince Hall lodges? Do EAs remain EAs for extensive periods of time? If so, do you open on the EA degree?
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