# Where does Your VOTSL open?



## iainmason (Aug 4, 2009)

VSL Pages


Norm McEvoy Victoria Columbia No 1. GL of BC&Y wrote:

a. What passages of the VOSL are open during your three degrees, and,
b. Why?

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Under the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia

First Degree - Psalms 133

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

3 as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Second Degree - Amos 8, Verse 7 - 8

7 Thus he showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

Third Degree - Ecclesiastes 12

1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 while the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

4 and the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

5 also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

In the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia when the candidate perambulates the Lodge the verses for each degree above is spoken, EA once around, FC twice around and MM three times.

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Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario

First Degree - Ruth 4, Verse 7

7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel.

8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself," he drew off his sandal.

Second Degree - Judges 11, Verse 6

Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

Third Degree - Ecclesiastes 12

1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 while the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

4 and the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

5 also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

First Degree the passage in Ruth depicts a person with out shoes and it shows charity and Brotherly love to "pluck of your shoe and give it to your neighbour"

Second Degree - the word meaning plenty - indicated by a sheaf of corn by a water ford.

Third Degree - these words are used in a portion of the MM degree.

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Brother Harry Carr in his book The Freemason at Work (ISBN 0 86318 128 8) states:

Customs vary considerable in different parts of the country (UK) and the following notes are designed to show some of the best known procedures.

The earliest French exposure of the ceremonies , Reception d'un Frey-Macon, states that the EA took his Obligation with his right hand on the Gospel of St. John and this is confirmed by the next oldest French version, Le Secret des Francs-Macon, of 1742. Several later documents of this period indicate that the VSL was usually opened at St. John i, V, 1 .. "In the beginning was the word...."

Three Distinct Knocks, an English exposure of 1760, gave different pages for all three degrees:

1st - The Second Epistle of Peter (reference to kindness and charity)

2nd - The story from Judges 12 of the test of the Ephraimites

3rd - 1 Kings Chapter Vii The final details of Solomon's Pillars

Cartwright in his Commentary on the Freemasonic Ritual cites the procedure in old Yorkshire Lodges where the following is customary:

1st - Psalm 133 - "Behold how good...."

2nd - Amos 7 - "...the Lord stood upon a wall..."

3rd - Ecclesiastes 12 - "then the dust shall...."

The Bristol working is unusual in that the Master actually quotes during the three Opening Ceremonies the text from the pages on which the VSL has to be opened:

1st - Ruth 2 Verse 19 - The story of Ruth and Boaz

2nd - Judges 12, Verses 5 & 6 - The test of the Ephraimites

3rd - Genesis 4 V 22 - The birth of Jabal and Jubal, who are mentioned in the Old Charges from 1400 onward

Of course, there is no official Grand Lodge (UGLE) ruling on this question, and a few of the 'named' rituals prescribe any particular page-openings for the three degrees.

Cartwright states that the Perfect Ceremonies, in their editions from 1918 onwards, specify II Chronicles Chapter 6, as a standard 'opening' for all degrees, it deals with Solomon's prayer at the consecration of the Temple.

Generally, Cartwright agrees with the widespread practice in English Lodges, where a haphazard opening of the VSL suffices, but if a particular page is to stay open through all degrees, he favours II Chronicles Chapter 2, which is prescribed in the English Ritual. That passage deals with the preliminaries to the building of the Temple, and of Solomon's first 
embassage to Hiram, King of Tyre, asking for timber etc, and a "man cunning to work in gold, and in silver and in brass'...etc.

A German correspondent writes to say that many Lodge in his country use the following:

1st - John 1, 1 - "In the beginning was the Word...."

2nd - Mathew 22, Verse 39 - "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself..."

3rd - II Chronicles 6 - Solomon's dedication of the Temple

My own favourite passage is in 1 Kings 7, Verse 13-21 which deals with the design, casting, erection and naming of the pillars.

- Harry Carr â€œThe Freemason at Workâ€, pages 134, 135 and 136

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GARY STEEDS S.W. Ionic-Kent #19 GLBC&Y 

The VOSL is opened to Psalm 133 in the EA degree.

The first paragraph of Psalm 133 speaks to the goodness and pleasantness of brethren dwelling together in unity - which is why one joins freemasonry in the first place. As EAs we learn how good and pleasant it is to dwell with brethren together in unity.

In the FC degree, the VOSL is opened to Amos, Ch 7, Vs 7-8.

The two verses make reference to the plumbline and its use. The plumb being one of the working tools of the FC.

The MM degree opens the VOSL to Ecclesiastes, Ch 12, Vs 1-7. These verses describe the death of a man. And the effect that death has upon all that surrounded his life.

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Terry Spalding-Martin, Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario (GLCIPOO)

The VOSL is opened at the following texts in the following degrees: -

Entered Apprentice

Ruth 4:7

Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour; and this was a testimony in Israel. The removal of a shoe represented the symbolic confirmation of a contract. A dozen meanings can be taken from this text, all relevant to the EA degree. Also, it was by engaging in such a contract that Boaz married Ruth and thus became the great grandfather of David.

Fellow craft

Judges 12:6

Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of the Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand. The traditional origin of a word that, although it actually means 'plenty', has come to mean, in the English language, a test or a custom distinguishing one group from others.

Master Mason

Ecclesiastes 1:1-7

Remember now they Creator in the days of they youth, while the evil days come not, ...

A description of the process of death, in a degree that reflects on this subject.


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## LRG (Aug 5, 2009)

Calling Sanctum area


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## Bill Lins (Aug 5, 2009)

Not esoteric- it's all in the Monitor. GLoT is the same as Nova Scotia.


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## Taurus27 (Aug 5, 2009)

LRG said:


> Calling Sanctum area



Agreed.
This day and age of the Internet is revealing more than ever the "rituals" we have practiced for so long.

This excuse..."it's in the Monitor"....doesn't wash with me.

I'll ask...just where does one draw the line.???


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## LRG (Aug 5, 2009)

Agreed


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## js4253 (Aug 5, 2009)

Bill_Lins77488 said:


> Not esoteric- it's all in the Monitor. GLoT is the same as Nova Scotia.



I agree with you Bill.  Most of this is just quoting scripture from the King James version of the Holy Bible.  No secret there.


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## Bill Lins (Aug 5, 2009)

Taurus27 said:


> This excuse..."it's in the Monitor"....doesn't wash with me.
> 
> I'll ask...just where does one draw the line.???



Real simple- whether you like it or not, if it is in the Monitor, especially in plain English, it's considered to be in the public domain and not esoteric. We neither guard nor do we especially care who has access to our Monitors. If you don't wish to believe it, check with the Committee on Work.


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## Taurus27 (Aug 6, 2009)

Bill_Lins77488 said:


> Real simple- whether you like it or not, if it is in the Monitor, especially in plain English, it's considered to be in the public domain and not esoteric. We neither guard nor do we especially care who has access to our Monitors. If you don't wish to believe it, check with the Committee on Work.






YOU HAVEN'T ANSWERED MY QUESTION......WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE???????
I've seen a post which I consider "Esoteric" and if you can't work out which post is......then I do feel sorry for you.
I ask you to remember the Obligations of the 1st degree......then apply them.

I'm currently a "Moderator" on another forum........and WE would deal with these matters very quickly.
I can see my time here is going to be a VERY short one.


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## Wingnut (Aug 6, 2009)

normally this would have been sent in PM but everyone needs a reminder now and then...


The board operates under the guidelines set forth by the Grand Lodge of Texas (because the owner and all the moderators are GLoT Masons).  We can only draw the line based on what we know to be esoteric in our jurisdiction.  As Bill said, if its written by the GL it is NOT esoteric.

If you see something that is considered esoteric in your jurisdiction, let a moderator know in a PM and it will be discussed and dealt with.  I say in a PM for 2 reasons (1) if its admin related thats how it should be handled and (2) if it IS esoteric do you really want to tell everyone that doesnt know that it's esoteric exactly what it is???


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## JTM (Aug 6, 2009)

Taurus27 said:


> YOU HAVEN'T ANSWERED MY QUESTION......WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE???????
> I've seen a post which I consider "Esoteric" and if you can't work out which post is......then I do feel sorry for you.
> I ask you to remember the Obligations of the 1st degree......then apply them.
> 
> ...



it would seem the line he drew would be anything that the GLOT doesn't publish and make for available sale to the public.


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## Blake Bowden (Aug 6, 2009)

Closed.


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