Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

SUBLIME DECWREE OF MASTER MASON. 91
the Master's word? (I speak to the initiated;) and if they
had the Master's word, why did the ruffians assault the
Orand Master, to obtain what they would more likely, and
with less hazard, wring from any of the 3,600, than from
the widow's son.
This is an important argument to show the falsity of
the tradition. All the Manuals of Free Masonry, in illustrating
the mark master's degree, say, " that men of this
degree at the erection of Solomon's temple, were enabled,
without difficulty, to ascertain who was the faulty workman,
in case any defect appeared in the work."
Masons are never mark masters until after being made
masters. And if there were masters and mark masters at
the building of the temple, and superintending the work,
what was their sign, token, grip and word ? And what becomes
of the reiterated declaration, that Solomon and the
Hirams were at that time the only Masters in the world ?
We have 3,600 masters, and an unknown number of mark
masters;—and none but the three possessed of the master's
word, &c.! As the Inspector General declares:
" Nil fuit unquam
" Sic impar ribi."
Never was any thing so contradictory.
Suppose there were 3,600 ancient masters besides mark
masters, as masonic tradition informs; and that the ruffians
passed by them to assault the Grand Master; the first
rufiian struck him with the working tool of an entered apprentice,
on the sign of the apprentice's obligation ;> the second,
with the working tool of a fellow craft, gave his blow
on the sign of the fellow craft's obligation; and the third
gave his blow with the master's mall, and neither struck *
twice, though death ensued. Add to this, that masonic
tradition informs us, that these transactions happened at the
East door, the South, and the West door of the temple;
and that there was no door at the North, for a given reason.
With respect to the doors, " The Sovereign Grand In-