This book contains the complete work of the Entered Apprentice, Fellow-craft, and Master-mason's Degrees, along with their ceremonies, lectures, etc. It has doubtless been a matter of comment and surprise among the Members of the Fraternity that all the books which are avowedly intended to serve as guides to the Work of a Lodge invariably contain more or less than their professed object demands. They are usually deficient in the very points that may be most needed, rendering the use of a separate Monitor unavoidable; while, on the other hand, they include a great deal of information on matters with which every Mason is necessarily perfectly familiar, and which it is neither needful nor desirable to be communicated to the uninitiated. It has been the aim of the compiler of this little volume to avoid both these defects: first, by omitting all passwords, grips, and other esoteric subjects; and second, by giving the work of the first three degrees monitorially as well as ritually complete, in plain language for ready reference, and entirely free from the tedious perplexities of cypher or other arbitrary and unintelligible contractions.
