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Morals & Dogma of Freemasonry - 1. APPRENTICE - Unlocking Secrets of Freemasonry - Albert Pike (1871) - HQ Full Book
Albert Pike - Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry: Unlocking the Secrets of Freemasonry - HQ Full Book.
Chapter 1. APPRENTICE:
Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (1871) is one of the most significant and widely studied texts in Masonic philosophy. This work, written by one of the most influential figures in the history of Freemasonry, serves as a guidebook for members of the Scottish Rite and a deep philosophical exploration of the moral, ethical, and esoteric teachings of the fraternity.
Albert Pike (1809–1891) was a prominent American attorney, soldier, writer, and Freemason, best known for his profound influence on Masonic philosophy and literature. A towering intellectual figure of his time, Pike served as the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite's Southern Jurisdiction in the United States for over three decades. "Morals and Dogma" emerged from his desire to provide a comprehensive guide for Masonic brethren, offering a deeper understanding of the principles, ethics, and spiritual dimensions embedded in the rituals. He drew inspiration from ancient civilizations, including Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Indian cultures, and synthesized their wisdom with the core principles of Freemasonry, which is built around enlightenment, moral uprightness, and the pursuit of truth.
In Chapter 1 of Morals and Dogma, titled "Apprentice," Albert Pike lays the intellectual and spiritual foundation for the journey of a Freemason. This chapter corresponds to the First Degree of Freemasonry: the Entered Apprentice. Pike, as both philosopher and Masonic scholar, uses this chapter to introduce the candidate to the moral and symbolic worldview of Freemasonry, emphasizing the role of personal transformation, self-discipline, and philosophical inquiry.
The chapter opens with a reverent reflection on the role of symbolism in Freemasonry. Pike asserts that Freemasonry is fundamentally a system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. Symbols, he explains, are the tools by which deeper truths are communicated to the initiate. In the Entered Apprentice degree, the initiate is introduced to a symbolic language through which the order imparts its teachings—language that includes the working tools of operative masons, such as the 24-inch gauge and the common gavel, as well as architectural and cosmological imagery.
Pike then explores the essential nature of the apprentice stage. It is the beginning of the Masonic path, representing the soul’s first awakening to the quest for wisdom and virtue. The apprentice is likened to an unpolished stone—full of potential but in need of refinement. The work of the apprentice is to begin the labor of moral and spiritual self-cultivation. The tools given to him are not literal instruments, but symbols of habits and disciplines that must be practiced—measuring time wisely, smoothing the rough edges of character, and aligning one’s will with moral law.
A recurring theme in this chapter is the cultivation of moral character. Pike emphasizes that morality, in the Masonic sense, is not merely about obeying laws or social norms, but about the internal discipline that comes from the pursuit of truth and justice. The true Mason is one who strives for moral excellence, and who practices virtue for its own sake. The Entered Apprentice degree thus begins with a call to self-improvement through labor, patience, and the study of wisdom.
One of the central symbolic references Pike explores in this chapter is that of Light. In Masonic ritual, the initiate "receives light" upon entering the Lodge, symbolizing the awakening of the soul to higher truths. Pike elaborates that this light is intellectual and spiritual—it represents knowledge, reason, moral clarity, and divine truth
Published on 2 years, 4 months ago