The Three Degrees of Freemasonry Explained
What are the three degrees of Freemasonry? Learn about the Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason degrees of the Blue Lodge.
At the heart of Freemasonry lies a system of three degrees, offered in what is called the Blue Lodge or Craft Lodge. These three steps form the foundation of every Mason’s journey, no matter what other Masonic organizations he may later join.
A Journey, Not a Ranking
It is important to understand that the three degrees are stages of learning and personal growth, not a ladder of authority. A Master Mason is not a “higher” person than an Entered Apprentice — he has simply completed more of the educational journey. Each degree builds on the lessons of the one before.
The First Degree: Entered Apprentice
The first degree welcomes a new member into the fraternity. The Entered Apprentice degree symbolizes birth and beginnings — the start of a journey toward moral and intellectual improvement. Its lessons focus on the importance of learning, humility, charity, and the first steps of self-discovery. Symbolically, it represents youth and the dawning of understanding.
The Second Degree: Fellowcraft
The Fellowcraft degree represents adulthood and the pursuit of knowledge. Its teachings encourage the member to study the liberal arts and sciences, to develop his mind, and to grow in wisdom. The imagery of this degree emphasizes education, industry, and the responsibilities that come with maturity. It is the middle stage — the working years of learning and building.
The Third Degree: Master Mason
The Master Mason degree is the culmination of the Blue Lodge journey and confers full membership in the fraternity. Rich in symbolism about integrity, fidelity, and the certainty of death, it teaches the member to live a life of honor so that he may face mortality with a clear conscience. The dramatic legend at the center of this degree conveys lessons about loyalty and moral courage. Becoming a Master Mason grants full rights within the lodge.
What Comes After
Once a member becomes a Master Mason, he may choose to join additional Masonic bodies such as the Scottish Rite or York Rite, which expand upon the lessons of the Blue Lodge through further degrees. But all of these build upon — and never replace — the essential foundation of the first three degrees.
Quick Answers
- Freemasonry’s core consists of three degrees in the Blue Lodge.
- The degrees are Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason.
- They represent stages of moral and intellectual growth, not rank.
- Master Mason is full membership; further bodies build upon it.
