The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

Chapter 7 - Rituals 429
At some point, there is a transition from the pass grip to the true grip of a
Mark Master. In Duncan's ritual, the candidate, asked whether he is "off or
from," responds "from," because he is "[f]rom the pass-grip to the true grip of a
Mark Master Mason." 1319 The true grip is made by locking the little fingers of the
right hands, turning the backs of them together, and placing the ends of the
thumbs against each other. This grip is called SIROC, or MARK WELL 1320 ,
because when properly executed, it forms the initials of the words "Mark
well." 1321
In contrast to the Mark Men's sign at receiving
their wages, which, according to Duncan's ritual,
was made as can be seen in the right illustration,
the Mark Masters had another sign (cf. illustration
below), which was "made by extending in front the
right arm at full length, the thumb and two first
fingers open, about one inch apart, the third and
little fingers clinched, palm of the hand up." 1322
This sign alludes to the peculiar manner in which
Mark Masters were to receive their wages, in order
to detect impostors.
1319
Duncan, p. 168.
1320
According to Richardson, p. 162, these words allude to the passage of the Scripture, which says:
"Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary, which looketh towards the
east, and it was shut; and the Lord said unto me, son of man, mark well, and behold with thine
eyes, and hear with thine ears, all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of
the Lord, and the laws thereof, and mark well the entering in of the house, with the going forth of
the sanctuary."
1321
Duncan, p. 168.
1322
Ibid, p. 154.