DUTIES:

Judge yourself in the same light as you judge others -

- consider both actions and motives.

FOR REFLECTION:

Is the man a thief who steals a loaf of bread for his

hungry children?

IMPORTANT SYMBOLS:

Balance, heart, columns, sages, Tetractys.

The Thirty -First Degree

"Inspector Inquisitor"

~ Summary~

The central teaching of this degree is justice.

To be free, a Mason must begin by passing judgment

on himself. He presents himself for examination. By

acting honestly in first giving judgment on himself

within the principles of justice and equity, it should

not be doubted when he shall do the same to his

brothers. The brother who finds mercy in himself,

who has not been too lenient towards himself, or

punish himself too severely, can also judge his

brothers. In so doing, he can be certain that he has

not acted contrary to his former obligations. He has

freed himself.

Though no apron is worn in the Tribunal,  there

was an apron that was to be worn when the

Inspector Inquisitor visited an inferior body. That

custom has been dispensed with but the apron is

still a part of the history and symbolism of the

degree; so it is displayed here. It is of pure white

lambskin with a Teutonic Cross embroidered  in

black and silver upon the flap.

The collar is white and at the point upon the breast

is a gold triangle emitting rays with the letters 'XXXI'

in the center.

The jewel of the degree is a Teutonic Cross of silver

worn with a white watered ribbon around the neck.