First or Entered Apprentice Degree

First Aaronic

Token or handgrip

Identical

Name

Different

Sign or Due Guard

Different

Penalty

"...I will...never reveal any part or parts, art or arts, point or points of the secret arts and mysteries of Freemasonry...binding myself under no less penalty than to have my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by the roots..."

1920s ceremony:  We, and each of us, covenant and promise that we will not reveal any of the secrets of this...Should we do so, we agree that our  throats be cut from ear to ear and our tongues torn out by their roots.  Pre 1990:  I will never reveal ...with its accompanying name, sign, and penalty.  Rather than do so, I would suffer my life to be taken.  Post 1990: the penalty was eliminated.

Execution of the penalty

Identical prior to 1990

Second or Fellow Craft Degree

Second Aaronic

Token or handgrip

Identical

Name

Different

Sign or Due Guard

Near identical

Penalty

"....I...most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear...that I will not give the degree of a Fellow Craft Mason to any one of an inferior degree,...binding myself under no less penalty than to have my left breast torn open and my heart and vitals taken from thence...to become a prey to the wild beasts of the field, and vulture of the air..."

1920s ceremony:  We and each of us do covenant and promise that we will not reveal the secrets of this...Should we do so, we agree to have our breasts cut open and our hearts and vitals torn from our bodies and given to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.  Pre and post 1990:  same as stated before in first Aaronic.

Execution of the penalty

Identical prior to 1990

Third or Master Mason Degree

First Melchizedek

Token or hand grip

Different, however there is an identical token in a higher degree

Name

Different

Sign or Due Guard

Near identical prior to 1990, but slightly revised after

Penalty

"...I... most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, in addition to my former obligations, that I will not give the degree of a Master Mason to any inferior degree, nor to any other being in the known world...binding myself under no less penalty than to have my body severed in two in the midst, and divided to the north and south, my bowels burnt to ashes..."

1920s ceremony:  We and each of us do covenant and promise that we will not reveal any of the secrets of this...Should we do so, we agree that our bodies be cut asunder in the midst and all our bowels gush out.  Pre and post 1990 same as stated before in first Aaronic.

Execution of the penalty

Identical prior to 1990

Third or Master Mason Degree

Second Melchizedek

Token or hand grip

Different, called the Masters grip

Name

One element is the same, it is called the Grand Keyword.

Sign

Identical, but only repeated once. Some similar verbiage.

Penalty

No penalty given

Five points of fellowship

"He (the candidate) is raised on what is called the five points of fellowship...this is done by putting the inside of your right foot to the inside of the right foot of the person to whom you are going to give the word, the inside of your knee to his, laying your right breast against his, your left hands on the back of each other, and your mouths to each other's right ear (in which position alone you are permitted to give the word), and whisper the word Mahhah-bone...He is also told that Mahhah-bone signifies marrow in the bone."

Pre 1990:  The five points of fellowship are "inside of right foot by the side of right foot, knee to knee, breast to breast, hand to back, and mouth to ear."  The Lord then gives the name of this token.

Conversation at the veil

In Masonry this does not take place at a veil, but when the candidate receives his name.  "The Master and the candidate holding each other by the grip, as before described", the Master says,  "What is this?"

Ans.  "A grip"

"A grip of what?"

Ans.  "The grip of an Entered Apprentice Mason."

"Has it a name?"

Ans. "It has."

"Will you give it to me?"

Ans.  "I did not so receive it, neither can I so impart it."

 Similar verbiage

Square

As he enters, the angle of the square is pressed hard against his naked right breast...The square, to square our actions...

Identical in Garments-over the right breast, suggesting exactness and honor in keeping covenants.

Compass

The candidate then enters, the Senior Deacon at the same time pressing his naked left breast with the point of the compass...The compass to keep us in due bounds with all mankind.

Identical in Garments-over the left breast, a reminder that desires, appetites and passions are to be kept within bounds.

Oath of Vengeance

"We promise and swear, by the living God, always supreme, to revenge the death of our ancestor..."

1920s ceremony:  "You and each of you solemnly promise and vow that you will pray, and never cease to pray, and never cease to importune high heaven to avenge the blood of the prophets on this nation, and that you will teach this to your children and your children's children unto the third and fourth generation."  The oath of Vengeance was eventually removed from the ceremony due to the public exposure that the oath received from the Reed Smoot congressional hearings.

The Apron

The apron is white or made of lambs skin.  It is an emblem of innocence.

Early aprons were identical, different now.  Symbolizing coats of skin to cover nakedness.