ior
Warden to Senior Deacon, "How do you expect to gain admission?" A. "By
a pass, and token of a pass." Junior Warden to Senior Deacon, "Will
you give them to me?" [The Senior Deacon, or the candidate (prompted
by him), gives them; this and many other tokens, or grips, are
frequently given by strangers when first introduced to each other. If
given to a Mason, he will immediately return it; they can be given in
any company unobserved, even by Masons, when shaking hands. A PASS,
AND TOKEN OF A PASS; the pass is the word SHIBBOLETH; the token, alias
the pass-grip, is given, as before described, by taking each other by
the right hand, as if shaking hands, and placing the thumb between the
forefinger and second finger, at the third joint, or where they join
the hand, and pressing it hard enough to attract attention. In the
Lecture it is called a token, but generally called the pass-grip. It
is an undeniable fact that Masons express themselves so differently,
when they mean the same thing, that they frequently wholly
misunderstand each other.]

After the Junior Warden has received the pass SHIBBOLETH, he inquires,
"What does it denote?" A. "Plenty." Junior Warden to Senior Deacon,
"Why so?" A. "From an ear of corn being placed at the water-ford."
Junior Warden to Senior Deacon, "Why was this pass instituted?" A. "In
consequence of a quarrel which had long existed between Jephthah,
Judge of Israel, and the Ephraimites, the latter of whom had long been
a stubborn, rebellious people, whom Jephthah had endeavored to subdue
by lenient measures, but to no effect. The Ephraimites being highly
incensed against Jephthah, for not being called to fight and share in
the rich spoils of the Ammonitish war, assembled a mighty army, and
passed over the river Jordan to give Jephthah battle; but he, being
apprised of their approach, called together the men of Israel, and
gave them battle, and put them to flight; and to make his victory more
complete, he ordered guards to be placed at the different passes on
the banks of the river Jordan, and commanded, if the Ephraimites
passed that way, that they should pronounce the word SHIBBOLETH; but
they, being of a different tribe, pronounced it SIBBOLETH, which
trifling defect proved them spies, and cost them their lives; and
there fell that day, at the different passes on the banks of the river
Jordan, forty and two thousand. This word was also used by our ancient
brethren to distinguish a friend fr