Lodge Burroughs Strange No. 87
Vijayawada, India

The evolution of Masonry in South India appears to date from the year 1786 A.D. In those days good and educated, top-ranking and worthy men, who could grasp the deeper symbolism of Masonry and penetrate into its allegories and were trustworthy by reputation, were alone chosen for Initiation. Even then perfection was not possible. Even now some persons out of curiosity get themselves initiated, attend a few Meetings and then stop away. Some attend the Meetings regularly, but neglect their responsibilities to the Lodge. The responsible Masons are on the whole far numerous than the former two classes and their performance is good.

The object of Masonry is to teach self knowledge to every Mason, but this self-knowledge involves a knowledge much deeper, vaster and more superfine than is generally conceived. It aims very high at a secret path of life. The sole aim of the Fraternity is to seek and knock at the door of the world within, and know the self and lead an ideal life and finally to be one with Him.

A Ceremony has different functions. Ceremony actually means a mode of showing reverence. A ceremony, whatever be its nature, requires the co-operation of several persons, and they must all work with perfect harmony and unison. This is especially so in a Masonic ceremony. In Masonry Ceremony shines with life.

Every Mason is simply a builder. He builds within himself an ideal temple of Character. From an Entered Apprentice he rises to be a Master Mason in due course. What does Initiation aim at? It aims at a transition from a merely natural state and standard life towards a requisite and supernatural standard. The ceremony of Initiation makes the candidate, who is in a state of darkness, God-fearing, and restores him to Light.

The candidate for Initiation comes to the Lodge. He is prepared by the T. He perceives a certain force or power pervading him during the preparation. The T. takes him to the door where the I G. receives him. He thinks within himself many things when he moves inside the Temple. His mind must necessarily be filled with spiritual thoughts only.

Just at this moment he is restored to light and he sees all the people : The Officers on the dais and the Brethren all round see him and bless him. Such a thing happens only once in the life of a Mason. Then he is passed through the Revelation, entrustment of s...s and w...s, testing by Wardens, investiture of clothing. Initiation and presentation or Working Tools. Finally the W. M. delivers a lecture.

In this degree the following points seem to be important. The First Degree prepares the candidate for self-discipline and purification. The working tools of the First Degree represent Intellect, Will and Feeling. The Intellect has to be trained, the Will to be controlled and the Feelings to be ordered by the practice of concentration, thereby laying the foundations of the pillars of Wisdom, Strength and Beauty in the Temple of Character. The first stage of spiritual development in mental, moral and vital strength is attained.

The candidate passes through the following stages during the First Degree Ceremony :-

1. Admission to the Lodge.
2. Prayer of Dedication.
3. Mystical Journey.
4. Declaration of freedom, motive and perseverance.
5. Advance from W. to E.
6. Obligation.
7. Restoration of Light.

1. Revelation of Greater and Lesser lights.
2. Entrustment of Secret.
3. Testing by Wardens.
4. Investiture of Clothing.
5. Initiation.
6. Working Tools.
7. Lecture.

In this Degree the candidate comes to enlightenment. He discovers the Sacred Symbol - G.G.O.T.U. The symbolic principles of the square, level, and plumb-rule improves his moral rectitude. The Mason's evolution, one after the other by degrees, shows growth. This is the peculiar characteristic of Speculative or Symbolic Masonry. The expression of inner feelings, a creative design in the art of living, a faith in G.G.O.T.U. and sincere faith in charity stimulate the mind. The candidate is incited stimulate the mind. The candidate is incited with the love of Virtue, desire to do good work and earn some reward. He aspires to ascend step by step to reach a high place.

The Second Degree is concerned with improving the mind of the Candidate than with his outward personality. It is directed more especially to stimulate his intellectual faculties, so that the purified understanding of the man of virtue may be crowned with Wisdom and attain that intellectual Light which is called Inner Illumination.

According to Wor. Bro. W. L. Wilmshurst the Fellow Craft Degree should be conferred an Upper Chamber which is reached by winding staircase. By so doing, he says, we will be true to symbolism, be moving in a fine and more subtle plane and dealing with the most abstract thoughts of mind and understanding. Now the candidate is advancing from the lower to a higher degree, from darkness to Light.

In ancient forest colonies of sages in ancient India, such religious ceremonies called apart and Para (Esoteric) were performed. Apara (Exoteric) was performed by those who had studied Vyekarna (Grammar), Niruktha (philosophy), Ghandas, (prosody) and Jyothisha (astronomy) which were lower grade subjects. After qualifying themselves they would go to Para (Esoteric) and study Vedas. At present, student study Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Rhetoric, Logic and so on, to attain expert Knowledge. Similarly, the candidates admitted to masonry should study the lessons in the sections of F. C. stage and make themselves ready receive the full fruition of human learning.

The Fellow Craft Degree makes the candidate dive deep into the abstract doctrine of symbolism. The degree teaches perfect knowledge of God. Masonry has a visible system of ceremonial behind which lie its spiritual and intellectual aspects.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is within you Straight is the gate-way, Narrow is the path and few there be that find it." The Symbolic principle of the square, level and plumb rule create moral rectitude, exactness of thought word and action.

Now we come to the Third Degree Raising ceremony. The opinions of some experiences Masons are as follows:

By the candidate's proficiency he is move from the North side to the South side in the meridian sunlight of moral illumination.

Man begins his career in his natural state and ends it by becoming through discipline a regenerated perfect man. He is taught to purify and subdue his sensual nature, then to purify by utter surrender of his old life he rises a just man made perfect. The very essence of Masonic doctrine is that all men are in search of something in their own nature which they have lost. With proper instruction and by patient industry they hope to find the lost thing.

1. Transition from darkness to light.
2. The pathway itself and the Light to be found thereon.
3. The Light attained as a result of faithfully pursuing that path to the end.

Masonry is not a religion, thought it contains many religious elements and references. Neither is Masonry a philosophy although behind it lies a philosophical background. The official description of Masonry is that it is a system of "morality". is a secret order necessary to learn morals and ethics? Elementary morals can be learnt in the outside world. The Possession of 'strict morals' as every Mason knows is a preliminary qualification for entering the Order. The Order insists on obedience to the Moral Law and emphasises closer cultivation of certain "Ethical virtues." On entering into the order it is the Freemason's duty to labour to understand its Mysticism, Allegory and Symbols. The Order - the morality system - merely guarantees its possession of truth. It does not undertake to impart it, save to those who labour for it. The onus of translating these must ever rest with the recipient as part of his life work. Masonry then is a science and an art, a theory and a practice and this was ever the way in which the schools of the Ancient Wisdom and Mysteries proceeded. Freemasonry is a higher grade school where in greater privacy the Mysteries, Science, Art Symbol and Allegory can be studied and practised.

Life involves growth. Those of us desirous of further advancement and spiritual instruction can labour and reach the perfected life.

Some members are content to be Masonically educated. Some are earnest seekers after Wisdom and Light. The duty of instructing such brethren lies on the Masters and the past-Masters. How many installed Masters are conscious in their hearts of possessing or even striving to acquire that Wisdom, that understanding of our Science, that power of raising other from Darkness to Light in any real vital sense.

Every one of us a Mason is engaged in building this spiritual part as the heart of the Cosmic Temple. The revelation of the hidden beauty and splendour of that Temple is the mission of every Mason. We do not labour for personal benefit of praise. All masons must work on behalf of humanity.

A Mason should strive for full spiritual awakening our Great Mahatma did.