BY CHARLES W. MOORE,

EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

STEREOTYPE EDITION

BOSTON:

PUBLISHED BY CHARLES W. MOORE,

AT THE OFFICE OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE, 21 SCHOOL STAAT.

Tuttle & Dennett, Printers.

1856.

HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY
BY EXCHANGE
Jan. 1, 1942

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1850, oy CHARLES W. MOORE,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.

STEREOTYPED BY

HOBART & ROBBINS;

NEW ENGLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDERY,

BOSTON.

PREFACE.

THIS work was originally prepared by order of the NATIONAL MASONIC CONVENTION, held at Baltimore, Md., in 1843; and was first submitted to the Fraternity in that year. It was favorably received, and has since passed through several editions. It is in very general use in the Lodges of the United States, and has met with unexpected favor in England, and other parts of Europe.

The present edition has been carefully revised; and such corrections and additions have been made as were deemed necessary for the greater perfection of the work. In the performance of this duty, the counsel of experienced and competent Brethren has been freely asked, and given. All extraneous and useless matter, and all indefensible assumptions and fabulous history, with which such works are too frequently encumbered, to the prejudice of the character of our Institution, have been carefully excluded. The work contains just what is required for practical purposes, and nothing more. Absurd and ridiculous pretensions are no more tolerable in societies than in individuals. In the belief that it is now as perfect as it can conveniently be made, the work has been handsomely

STEREOTYPED.

A SECOND PART has been prepared; containing the Illustrations,
Scriptures, Charges, and forms of Ceremonies, appropriate to CHAPTERS,
COUNCILS, and ENCAMPMENTS. This part of the work has been got up
with great care.
It is enriched with historical illustrations, and is
believed to be, in all respects, not only equally correct, but more complete
in matter and arrangement, and better adapted to the purposes for which
it is designed, than any other similar work extant. In order to meet the
wishes of Brethren, who may not need or desire the SECOND PART, the
work is published in three forms, and under slightly different titles, as
follows:-

I. "THE MASONIC TRESTLE-BOARD," exclusively designed for the use of
Lodges and Brethren who have not advanced to the higher degrees.
II. "THE MASONIC TRESTLE-BOARD-PART II," designed as a Text-
Book for Chapters, Councils, and Encampments.

III. "THE NEW MASONIC TRESTLE-BOARD," including both the pre-
ceding works, bound in one volume. This is a complete and
accurate working-book for all the degrees, from the first to that of
the Knight Templar.

In the confident belief that these works are better adapted to the purposes for which they are intended than any heretofore in use, and that their general introduction will insure greater uniformity of work, in all the various Orders of Masonry, they are respectfully submitted to the favorable consideration of the Fraternity of the United States.

BOSTON, MASS., May, 1850.

C. W. M.