The Second Degree in Freemasonry - The Fellowcraft

The Second Degree in Freemasonry - The Fellowcraft

Welcome, Craftsman, to the second step in your Masonic journey. You have passed from the state of an Entered Apprentice, a stage symbolic of youth and beginnings, and have now entered the degree of Fellowcraft, emblematic of manhood, intellect, and the period of constructive labor in life.

This degree is a bridge between the foundational moral lessons of the first degree and the profound spiritual truths of the third. It is a call to the mind, urging you to study, to learn, and to apply knowledge to the building of your character and society.

Here is a journey through the symbolism and lessons of the Fellowcraft degree.

The Threshold: Passing from Youth to Maturity

Your admission into the Fellowcraft Lodge signifies a progression. You are no longer a beginner content with basic instruction; you are now a journeyman, expected to take an active role in your own development. The changes in your manner of dress and preparation reflect this new status, symbolizing a move from a state of darkness and ignorance towards a fuller illumination of the mind.

The Working Tools of a Fellowcraft

As an Entered Apprentice, you were given tools to shape the rough ashlar of your imperfect self. Now, as a Fellowcraft, you are presented with the tools of a skilled workman, used to test and prove the quality of your work. These are not tools of action, but of judgment and measurement.

• The Square: The symbol of morality and virtue. It teaches you to "square your actions by the square of virtue" towards all mankind, ensuring your conduct is honest and upright.
• The Level: The symbol of equality. It reminds you that we are all descended from the same stock, partake of the same nature, and share the same hope. No worldly distinction should make you forget that every person is your brother or sister.
• The Plumb: The symbol of rectitude and uprightness. It teaches you to walk uprightly in your several stations before God and man, straying neither to the right nor to the left from the path of duty.

Together, these tools form a moral compass, guiding you to build a life that is true, balanced, and just.

The Journey Up the Winding Staircase

The central and most powerful symbol of this degree is the Winding Staircase that leads to the Middle Chamber of King Solomon's Temple. This is an allegory for the journey of life itself—an ascent from a lower to a higher state of consciousness, from ignorance to knowledge.

Unlike a straight flight of stairs where the end is visible, a winding staircase conceals what lies ahead. This teaches you that the journey of self-improvement requires courage and faith. You must take each step without knowing fully what the next will bring, trusting that the path leads upward to light and truth.

As you ascend, you pass through distinct sections of steps, each rich with symbolic meaning:

• The Three Steps: These represent the three principal stages of human life—youth, manhood, and age. They also remind us of the three great supports of Masonry: Wisdom to contrive, Strength to support, and Beauty to adorn.
• The Five Steps: These symbolize the five orders of architecture (Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite) and, more personally, the five human senses: hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, and tasting. You are taught that through these senses, you perceive the world around you, and by disciplining them, you gain the experiential knowledge necessary for wisdom.
• The Seven Steps: These bring you to the core intellectual charge of the degree: the study of the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences.
  • The Trivium (Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic): These are the tools of the mind, teaching you to understand language, communicate persuasively, and reason clearly and correctly.
  • The Quadrivium (Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, Astronomy): These are the sciences that reveal the laws of the universe. Geometry, in particular, is revered by Masons as the basis of our art, revealing the divine order and symmetry inherent in all creation.

By ascending these seven steps, you are instructed that a true Mason is a lover of the arts and sciences, ever striving to polish and adorn the mind.

The Middle Chamber and its Wages

Having successfully navigated the winding stairs, you arrive at the Middle Chamber. In ancient times, this was the place where craftsmen received their wages. For you, the speculative Mason, the wages are not material but spiritual and intellectual. They are symbolized by Corn, Wine, and Oil:

• Corn (grain) represents nourishment and plenty.
• Wine is a symbol of refreshment and joy.
• Oil denotes consecration and peace.

These act as a reward for your faithful labor in the quarries of life and study. In the Middle Chamber, your attention is also drawn to the letter "G" suspended in the East. It is a dual symbol, representing both Geometry, the science that reveals the glories of nature, and God, the Great Geometrician of the Universe, to whom we all owe reverence.

The Lesson of the Fellowcraft

The Fellowcraft degree is a period of labor, study, and intellectual growth. You are no longer just learning the rules; you are understanding the "why" behind them. You are called to be a thinking, reasoning individual who applies knowledge to become a better man and perform your duties to God, your neighbor, and yourself.

You now stand midway. You have left the ground floor of the apprentice but have not yet reached the sanctum sanctorum of the Master. Your task now is to work diligently, to study deeply, and to prepare yourself for the greater mysteries that lie ahead.