The Obligation The Edinburgh Register House Manuscript (ERH MS) of 1696 is curious for number of ways. Not only its age and the proof of of ‘a great many ceremonies to frighten him,’ it gives an obligation that would surprise many today. Here it is in full (slightly modernised):
throat cut, my tongue taken from the roof of my mouth, my Heart plucked from under my left Breast, them to be buried in the sands of the sea, the length of a cable-rope from shore, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in 24 Hours, my Body to be burnt to ashes, my Ashes to be scatter'd upon the Face of the Earth, so that there shall be no By god himself and you shall answer to god when more Remembrance of me among Masons. you shall stand naked before him, at the great day, you shall not reveal any part of what you shall So in a short period of 34 years, we begin to see a hear or see at this time whither by word nor write more lengthy obligation with penalties of a physinor put it in write at any time nor draw it with the cal nature rather than just swearing on a Bible point of a sword, or any other instrument upon the before God. From this point on, obligations besnow or sand, nor shall you speak of it but with an came longer and no doubt brethren in those days entered mason, so help you god. found them the least interesting part of a degree. It is short, but was deemed sufficient to ensure Some points to think about: the mason’s fidelity. Today, our obligations can be very lengthy and clearly do not follow tradition. Do we need lengthy obligations? Many inSomewhere they changed. Here is another from clude phrases such as ‘engrave, enamel, . .’ 1730—Pritchard’s Masonry Dissected: which adds antiquity, but in all likelihood is a more modern inclusion. I Hereby solemnly Vow and Swear in the Presense We talk about maintaining tradition so perof Almighty God and this Right Worshipful assemhaps returning to an obligation similar to bly, that I will Hail and Conceal, and never Reveal the one in the ERH MS would be in line with the Secrets or Secrecy of Masons or Masonry, that operative masonry? shall be Revealed unto me; unless to a True and Does every degree need an obligation? I Lawful Brother, after due Examination, or in a Just can hear the gasps of horror, but do we? and Worshipful Lodge of Brothers and Fellows well Surely if a candidate promises not to reveal met. the secret as of an EA that could be generalised as Craft secrets? Or at least, they could I furthermore Promise and Vow, that I will not be drastically reduced. This could be exWrite them, Print them, Mark them, Carve them or tended to Orders with more than degree or Engrave them, or cause them to be Written, Printgrade. ed, Marked, Carved or Engraved on Wood or Stone, so as the Visible Character or Impression of a Let- Obviously this is a matter for lodges, but in a 21st ter may appear, whereby it may be unlawfully ob- century, it’s worthy of discussion. There are tained. plenty of ‘traditional’ sections within the ritual that shorter obligation will not detract from the All this under no less penalty than to have my overall ceremony.
Cross Keys Dece,ber 2021
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