September 19, 2012September 19, 2012

InvocationInvocation

Pledge of Pledge of AllegianceAllegiance

Honor the Texas flag; Honor the Texas flag;

I pledge allegiance to thee, I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas,Texas,

one state under God, one state under God,

one and indivisible.one and indivisible.

Entered ApprenticeEntered Apprentice

FundamentalFundamentalssHistoryHistorySecrecySecrecy

FellowcraftFellowcraft

Begin the Begin the QuestQuest

Now I'm A Master Now I'm A Master Mason...Mason...

What Does That What Does That Mean?Mean?

What My Friends Think...What My Friends Think...

What My Mother Thinks...What My Mother Thinks...

What Society Thinks...What Society Thinks...

What Conspiracy Nuts What Conspiracy Nuts Think...Think...

What I Think...What I Think...

What It Really Means...What It Really Means...

Master MasonMaster Mason

TheTheSublimeSublimeDegreeDegree

Remember now thy creatorRemember now thy creator

in the days of thy youth,in the days of thy youth,

while the evil days come not;while the evil days come not;

Nor the years draw nigh,Nor the years draw nigh,

when though shalt saywhen though shalt say

I have no pleasure in them;I have no pleasure in them;

While the sun or the light,While the sun or the light,or the moon, or the stars,or the moon, or the stars,

be not darkened;be not darkened;Nor the clouds returnNor the clouds return

after the rain.after the rain.

In the day when the keepersIn the day when the keepersof the house shall tremble;of the house shall tremble;

And the strong menAnd the strong menshall bow themselves;shall bow themselves;

And the grinders cease,And the grinders cease,because they are few;because they are few;

And those that lookAnd those that lookout of the windows be darkened;out of the windows be darkened;

And the doors shall be shutAnd the doors shall be shutin the streets, when the soundin the streets, when the sound

of the grinding is low;of the grinding is low;

And he shall rise upAnd he shall rise upat the voice of the bird;at the voice of the bird;

And all the daughters of musicAnd all the daughters of musicshall be brought low.shall be brought low.

Also, when they shall be afraidAlso, when they shall be afraid

of that which is high;of that which is high;

And fearsAnd fears

shall be in the way;shall be in the way;

And the almond treeAnd the almond treeshall flourish;shall flourish;

And the grasshopperAnd the grasshoppershall be a burden;shall be a burden;

And desire shall fail.And desire shall fail.

Because man goethBecause man goethto his long home;to his long home;And the mournersAnd the mourners

go about the streets;go about the streets;

Or ever the silver cord be loosed;Or ever the silver cord be loosed;Or the golden bowl be broken;Or the golden bowl be broken;

Or the pitcher be brokenOr the pitcher be brokenat the fountain;at the fountain;

Or the wheel broken at the cistern.Or the wheel broken at the cistern.

Then shall the dust returnThen shall the dust returnto the earth as it was,to the earth as it was,

And the spirit shall returnAnd the spirit shall returnunto God who gave it.unto God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XII(Verses 1-7)(Verses 1-7)

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XII

Sounds FamiliarSounds FamiliarNon-denominationalNon-denominationalWritten by King Solomon?Written by King Solomon?Bible opening in Master's LodgeBible opening in Master's LodgeUltimate SymbolismUltimate Symbolism

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XII

What do the words mean?What do the words mean?

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIIRemember now thy Remember now thy

creator in the days creator in the days of thy youth,of thy youth,

while the evil days while the evil days come not;come not;

Take Take advantage advantage of youthof youth

Do not waitDo not waitThings won't Things won't always workalways work

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIINor the years draw Nor the years draw

nigh, when though nigh, when though shalt say,shalt say,

I have no pleasure I have no pleasure in them;in them;

Don'tDon'tput itput itoff!off!

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIIWhile the sun or the light, While the sun or the light,

or the moon, or the moon, or the stars, or the stars, be not darkened;be not darkened;

Nor the clouds Nor the clouds return after the rain.return after the rain.

Eyesight Eyesight weakens as weakens as we agewe age

With age, we With age, we don't recover don't recover as easilyas easily

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIIIn the day when the In the day when the

keepers of the keepers of the house shall tremble;house shall tremble;

And the strong men And the strong men shall bow shall bow themselves;themselves;

House = BodyHouse = BodyKeepers Keepers TrembleTremble Hands Hands Arms Arms LegsLegsBecome stoopedBecome stoopedCan't stand Can't stand erecterect

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIIAnd the grinders And the grinders

cease, because they cease, because they are few;are few;

And those that look And those that look out of the windows out of the windows be darkened;be darkened;

Grinders are Grinders are teethteeth

Age causes Age causes vision to vision to darkendarken

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIIAnd the doors shall And the doors shall

be shut in be shut in the streets, the streets,

when the sound of when the sound of the grinding the grinding is low;is low;

Doors are lipsDoors are lipsStreet is mouthStreet is mouth

Few teethFew teeth Low grindingLow grinding Small appetiteSmall appetite

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIIAnd he shall rise up And he shall rise up

at the voice of at the voice of the bird;the bird;

And all the And all the daughters of music daughters of music shall be shall be brought low.brought low.

SleeplessnessSleeplessnessEarly risingEarly risingCrowing Crowing roosterrooster

Tonal range is Tonal range is lostlost HearingHearing SpeakingSpeaking

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIIAlso, when they shall Also, when they shall

be afraid of that be afraid of that which is high;which is high;

And fears shall be in And fears shall be in the way;the way;

Fear of Fear of heightsheights PhysicalPhysical VocationalVocational

Afraid at any Afraid at any sign of dangersign of danger

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIIAnd the almond tree And the almond tree

shall flourish;shall flourish;

And the grasshopper And the grasshopper shall be a burden;shall be a burden;

And desire shall fail.And desire shall fail.

Graying hairGraying hair

Small things Small things become become burdensomeburdensome

Desire is lostDesire is lost

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XII

Because man goeth Because man goeth to his long home;to his long home;

And the mourners And the mourners go about the streets;go about the streets;

Coffin & Coffin & GraveGraveUndiscovered Undiscovered countrycountry

Paid mournersPaid mourners

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIIOr ever the silver Or ever the silver

cord be loosed;cord be loosed;

Or the golden bowl Or the golden bowl be broken;be broken;

Umbillical Umbillical cordcord God to manGod to man Rejection is Rejection is

the same as the same as deathdeath

The SkullThe Skull

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIIOr the pitcher Or the pitcher

be broken be broken at the fountain;at the fountain;

Or the wheel broken Or the wheel broken at the cistern.at the cistern.

Big VeinBig Vein The heartThe heart

Big ArterieBig Arterie The heartThe heart

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XIIThen shall the dust Then shall the dust

return to the earth return to the earth as it was,as it was,

and the spirit shall and the spirit shall return unto God return unto God who gave it.who gave it.

Body goneBody gone Ashes to Ashes to

ashesashes Dust to dustDust to dust

Spirit lives onSpirit lives on

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XII(Verses 1-7)(Verses 1-7)

Ecclesiastes XIIEcclesiastes XII

Listen to the words!Listen to the words!