It is claimed by Freemasonry that from time immemorial the forms for opening and closing the Lodge, and the Rites and Ceremonies of the degrees have been unaltered, that they are uniformly identical today throughout Masonry, and any alterations or changes would be a violation of the solemn oaths of the Order. The Entered Apprentice is solemnly charged that he is never to "suffer an infringement of our Rites, or a deviation from established usages and customs." The requirement for committing to memory, and the oral tests for advancement, of all the fundamentals of Freemasonry, particularly of the distinctive Rites, Ceremonies, and symbols, reasonably guarantees this uniformity and its perpetuation from one generation to another. This distinctive element of Freemasonry appears to have many advantages over the usual monitorial system commonly practiced in Fraternal institutions.
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This page is adapted from the Glossary at Phoenixmasonry — Used with permission.
