THE THREE ‘CRAFT’ DEGREES OF FREEMASONRY

36 On initiation, the new Mason becomes an ‘Entered Apprentice’. Four weeks later, and after further instruction in the Craft, he may be ‘passed’ with further ritual into the Second Degree as ‘a Fellow Craft’. Four weeks later again, and after more instruction and with further ritual, he may be ‘raised’ to the Third Degree of ‘Master Mason. Theoretically it is possible for a man to be initiated, passed and raised within eight weeks, but in how many instances this is actually the case is not known to the Working Group.

These three degrees account for most of the membership of ‘the Craft’. It has been suggested that only one in three Freemasons takes any further degree, although there are many others, including the so-called Higher Degrees. (cf. Darkness Visible pp. 197-209).