es here?" Cond.--"Two brother Fellow Crafts, with materials for the
Temple." S. O.--"Have you a specimen of your labor?" Cond.--"I have."
S. O.--"Present it." The conductor, as before, presents the block of
timber; the Senior Overseer applies his square to it, and finding it
agrees with the angles of his square, says, "This is good work, square
work, such work as we are authorized to receive; who is this you have
with you?" Cond.--"A brother Fellow Craft." S. O.--"Have you a
specimen of your labor?" Cand.--"I have." S. O.--"Present it." The
candidate then presents the keystone, and he applies it, but not
fitting, he says, "This is neither an oblong nor a square, neither has
it the regular mark of the craft upon it; it is a curious wrought
stone, and on account of its singular form and beauty, I am unwilling
to reject it; pass on to the Master Overseer at the East gate for
further inspection." They pass to to his station at the East gate, and
give four raps. M. O.--"Who comes here?" Cond.--"Two brethren, Fellow
Crafts, with their materials for the Temple." M. O.--"Have you a
specimen of your labor?" Cond.--"I have." M. O.--"Present it." The
conductor presents his billet of wood to him, applies his square to
it, and, like the other Overseers, says, "This is good work, square
work, such work as we are authorized to receive; who is this you have
with you?" Cond.--"A brother Fellow Craft." M. O.--"Have you a
specimen of your labor?" Cand.--"I have." M. O.--"Present it." [It
ought here to be remarked that when the candidate is presented with
the keystone, and takes it between his thumb and two fingers, it hangs
suspended by his side, and he is requested to carry his work plumb,
and the conductor taking good care to see that he does it, by the time
he arrives at the Master Overseer's station at the East gate, and when
the Master Overseer says "Present it," the candidate is extremely
willing to hand over the keystone to him for inspection; for, by this
time, it becomes very painful to hold any longer the stone which he
has in charge.] The Master Overseer having received the keystone, he
applies his square to the different angles of it, and, being found not
to be square, he, like the other Overseers, says, "This is neither an
oblong nor a square, neither has it the regular mark of the craft upon
it." He then looks sternly upon the candidate and demands, "Is this
your work?" Cand.--"It is not." M. O.--"Is this your mark?" Cand.--"I