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NM Freemason · Skills & Drills · Chapter 13

The Trowel

Drawn from published Masonic monitor content. See site Credits for source citations.

Vocabulary (6)

Trowel
A flat hand-tool with a pointed blade, used by the operative builder to spread the mortar that unites stone to stone. The published working tool of the Master Mason.
Cement of brotherly love
The published metaphor: in speculative use the trowel spreads the cement of brotherly love and affection which unites the Fraternity into one sacred band of friends and brothers, among whom no contention should ever exist.
One sacred band
The published image: the Fraternity bound together by the Master Mason's labor. The full phrase: "that sacred band, or society of friends and brothers, among whom no contention should ever exist but that noble contention, or rather emulation, of who best can work and best agree."
Builder's tool, builder's duty
The published lecture identifies the trowel with active building. The Entered Apprentice prepares himself; the Fellowcraft applies his lessons; the Master Mason builds, not stones, but the Fraternity itself.
Emblematic mortar
What the speculative trowel spreads is not lime and sand but brotherly love. The metaphor is fully formed in Webb's Monitor and unchanged across mainstream American Craft monitorial works since.
All other working tools
The Master Mason has at his command all the working tools of the prior degrees (gauge, gavel, plumb, level, square), but it is the trowel that is appointed to him specifically.

Multiple-choice (4)

1. Which working tool is specifically appointed to the Master Mason?
  1. Plumb
  2. Trowel ✓
  3. Level
  4. Chisel
2. What does the speculative trowel spread?
  1. The mortar of the workman's labor
  2. The cement of brotherly love and affection ✓
  3. The dust of the quarry
  4. The shadow of the temple
3. What does the published lecture call the society united by the Master Mason's labor?
  1. A great company
  2. A noble assembly
  3. A sacred band ✓
  4. A worthy guild
4. Beyond the trowel, what tools does the Master Mason have at his command?
  1. Only the trowel; the prior tools are set aside
  2. All the working tools of the prior degrees, in addition to the trowel ✓
  3. Only the working tools of the third degree
  4. Any tool he requests from the Master