The Master Mason degree is the crown of the Ancient Craft lodge. It is the culmination of all that has been taught and revealed to the candidate in the two preceding degrees. As he began his Masonic journey, the candidate was initiated into a new philosophical life in the Entered Apprentice degree. After working to subdue his passions and learning silence and obedience, the candidate was passed to the degree of Fellow Craft. After having symbolically mastered the intellectual and philosophical arts and sciences and crossed the threshold from the outer to the inner, from the material to the spiritual, he became ready to be raised to the Sublime degree of Master Mason.