Every visitor, who offers himself to the appointed committee of the lodge for examination, is expected, as a preliminary step, to submit to the Tiler’s Obligation; so called, because it is administered in the Tiler’s room.  As this obligation forms no part of the secret ritual of the Order, but is administered to every person before any lawful knowledge of his being a Mason has been received, there can be nothing objectionable in inserting it here, and in fact, it will be advantageous to have the precise words of so important a declaration placed beyond the possibility of change or omission by inexperienced Brethren.

The oath, then, which is administered to the visitor, and which he may, if he chooses, require every one present to take with him, is in the following words

“I, A. B., do hereby and hereon solemnly and sincerely swear, that I have been regularly initiated, passed, and raised, to the sublime degree of a Master Mason, in a just and legally constituted lodge of such, that I do not now stand suspended or expelled, and know of no reason why I should not hold masonic communication with my Brethren.

This declaration having been given in the most solemn manner, the examination must then be conducted with the necessary forms.  The good old rule of “commencing at the beginning” should be observed.  Every question is to be asked and every answer demanded which is necessary to convince the examiner that the party examined is acquainted with what he ought to know, to entitle him to the appellation of a Brother.  Nothing is to be taken for granted—­categorical answers must be required to all that it is deemed important to be asked.  No forgetfulness is to be excused, nor is the want of memory to be accepted as a valid excuse for the want of knowledge.  The Mason, who is so unmindful of his duties as to have forgotten the instructions he has received, must pay the penalty of his carelessness, and be deprived of his contemplated visit to that society whose secret modes of recognition he has so little valued as not to have treasured them in his memory.  While there are some things which may be safely passed over in the examination of one who confesses himself to be “rusty,” or but recently initiated, because they are details which require much study to acquire, and constant practice to retain, there are still other things of great importance which must be rigidly demanded, and with the knowledge of which the examiner cannot, under any circumstances, dispense.

Should suspicions of imposture arise, let no expression of these suspicions be made until the final decree for rejection is pronounced.  And let that decree be uttered in general terms, such as:  “I am not satisfied,” or, “I do not recognize you,” and not in more specific terms, such as, “You did not answer this inquiry,” or, “You are ignorant on that point.”  The visitor is only entitled to know, generally, that he has not complied with the requisitions of his examiner.  To descend to particulars is always improper and often dangerous.