Appendix VII

United Grand Lodge Of England

Freemasons’ Hall

Great Queen Street

London Wc2b 5az

June 1986

Dear Sir and Brother,

PENALTIES IN THE OBLIGATIONS

On 11 June, Grand Lodge approved by a large majority the Resolution to omit all references to physical penalties from the Obligation in the three Degrees and in the Installation, but to retain them elsewhere in the ceremonies.

The recommended alterations to the ritual, which were also approved by Grand Lodge in June, were set out in the Appendix to the Report of the Board of General Purposes to Grand Lodge.

I enclose a copy of the recommended alterations, which have been expanded to avoid any ambiguity.

The Board sees it as important that the Resolution is put into effect as soon as possible, particularly in so far as it affects Initiations. In any event, the changes should be implemented not later than June 1987.

Yours faithfully and fraternally,

M.B.S. HIGHAM

Enc: Recommended alterations

Provincial Grand Masters

District Grand Masters

Grand Inspectors

Secretaries of Lodges directly administered from Freemasons’ Hall

Grand Officers

THE PENALTIES - RECOMMENDED

ALTERATIONS

OBLIGATION — Physical penalty omitted, moral penalty left in, giving wording as:

· . . these several points I solemnly swear to observe, without evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation of any kind, in the certain knowledge that on the violation of any of them I shall be branded as a wilfully perjured

etc.

THE THREE GREAT DANGERS — This passage has to be re-worded and an addition made as:

Bro..., by your meek and candid behaviour this evening, you have, symbolically, escaped two great dangers, but there was a third which, traditionally, would have awaited you until the latest period of your existence. The dangers you have escaped are those of s and s, for on your entrance into the

Lodge this p was presented to your n I b to imply that, had you rashly attempted to rush forward, you would have been accessory to your own death by s, whilst the brother who held it would have remained firm and done his duty; there was likewise this c t with a running n about your n which would have rendered any attempt at retreat equally fatal. But the danger which, traditionally, would have awaited you until your latest hour was the physical penalty at one time associated with the Obligation of a mason had you improperly disclosed the secrets of masonry, that of having t t c a, t t to b t r and b its o t s at 1w m or a c’s 1 ft s, where t t r e a f t i 24 hrs. The inclusion of such a penalty is unnecessary, for the Obligation you have taken this evening is binding upon you for so long as you shall live.

ENTRUSTMENT — WM illustrates sn., Can. copies. WM explains that it alludes:

· . .to the symbolic penalty of the degree, which implied that, as a man of honour, a mason would rather have had his t c a than improperly disclose

etc.

EXCHANGE WITH SENIOR WARDEN - When SW asks, to what does it allude? answer:

the symbolic penalty of the degree, which implied that, as a man of honour, a mason would rather have had his t c a than improperly disclose ... etc.

SECOND DEGREE

PLEDGE AFTER QUESTIONS AND BEFORE ENTRUSTMENT WITH PW — change to:

Do you likewise pledge yourself that you will conceal what I shall now impart to you with the same strict caution as the other secrets in masonry?

OBLIGATION — Penalty omitted, giving wording as:

... I solemnly swear to observe, without evasion, equivocation or mental reservation of any kind. So help me ... etc.

ENTRUSTMENT — WM illustrates p sn., Can. copies. WM explains that it alludes:

· . to the symbolic penalty at one time included in the Obligation in this degree had he improperly disclosed the secrets entrusted to him, which implied that, as a man of honour, a FCFM would rather have had the l b l o, t h t t and g t t r bs of t a or d bts o t f a p.

EXCHANGE WITH SENIOR WARDEN - When SW asks, to what does it allude? answer:

The symbolic penalty of this degree, which implied that, as a man of honour, a FCFM would rather have had his h t f h b than improperly disclose.. .etc.

THIRD DEGREE

PLEDGE AFTER QUESTIONS AND BEFORE ENTRUSTMENT

WITH PW — change to:

Do you likewise pledge yourself that you will conceal what I shall now impart to you with the same strict caution as the other secrets in masonry?

OBLIGATION — Penalty omitted, giving wording as:

· . .1 solemnly swear to observe, without evasion, equivocation or mental reservation of any kind. So help me.. .etc.

ENTRUSTMENT — WM explains p sn., Can. copies. WM explains that it alludes:

... to the symbolic penalty at one time included in the Obligation in this degree had he improperly disclosed the secrets entrusted to him, which implied that, as a man of honour, a MM would rather have been s i t, the b b t a and t a s over t f o e and w b t f e w o h, that no trace or remembrance of so vile a wretch may longer be found among men, particularly MMs.

INSTALLATION

OBLIGATION — Penalty omitted, giving wording as:

... I solemnly swear to observe, without evasion, equivocation or mental reservation of any kind. So help me.. .etc.

AFTER SEALING OF OBLIGATION — with ME still in the same position IM says to ME:

The symbolic penalty which a Master-elect was formerly called on to repeat in his Obligation was that of... etc.

and IM continues with reference to the three Great Lights.

(If it is felt that the ME’s hands should be removed from the VSL while the explanation of the penalty is given, this may be done.)