The Working Tools of a Lodge Steward

The office of steward is the first office to which a brother is appointed, an important first step, this was done formally but without ceremony, indeed if you were not fully alert you could have missed it. 

Is there no ceremony to mark this, did our ancient brethren do it this way?

Researches have shown that there was a ceremony, not in the ritual book but handed down from time improbable, by word of mouth alone, now sadly rarely seen.

W. Master this evening with the help of W. Bro David Rayson, I would like to give a brief explanation of this archaic ceremony.

D.C:  Bro Ross where were you first prepared to be made a Steward.

Ans: In the body of a lodge by the W.M.’s Pedestal.

D.C:  Where next.

Ans: At the Festive Board adjoining the Lodge.

D.C:  Describe the mode of your preparation.

Ans:  I was deprived of the right to eat my dinner in peace, a napkin was placed over my left arm, a bottle opener placed in in my right hand and a corkscrew was hung about my neck.

D.C: When did this take place?

Ans: Immediately after I was raised to the third degree.

D.C: In this country many Master Masons usually have to wait for promotion to the Stewards bench, how do you account for that which at first view appears a paradox.

Ans: The good companions being a lodge of brewers and drinkers being universally spread through its membership, it necessary follows that the demand for Stewards must always be at its meridian with respect to good companionship.

D.C: What is Stewardship?

Ans: A peculiar system of servitude, practised by few for the benefit of many.

D.C: Name the three grand principals on which stewardship is founded.

Ans: Courtesy, prompt clearing of all empties and a willingness at all times to bring beer when properly called upon.

D.C: With what were you invested?

Ans: The working tools of a Steward, namely the napkin, the bottle opener and the corkscrew.

D.C: Explain their separate and conjoint significations.

Ans: The napkin being white denotes purity of the beverages we serve, the bottle opener is an instrument which acts on the principle of leverage and enables beer to be opened for the brethren and our visitors and the corkscrew which works in a winding motion and is meant to remind us of the staircase up which our ancient brethren went to receive their refreshment.

D.C: What refreshment did they receive?

Ans: Scruple and roasted hens.

D.C: Why in this peculiar manner?

Ans: Scruple in those days was a well known strong ale to which they felt justly entitled, and roasted hens were served frequently by the Temple Caterer’s in those days.

D.C: what were the two great crates which were placed at or near to the entrance of the festive board.

Ans: That on the left contained Bass and that on the right Worthington.

D.C: What are their separate and conjoint significations?

Ans: The former denotes strength the latter to inebriate and when conjoined instability for the W. Master said, with strong beer I will inebriate these my brethren and make them remember my year in office for ever.