What are the principles taught in the Entered Apprentice degree?

The Entered Apprentice degree teaches fundamental moral, spiritual, and philosophical duties, centered on three core beliefs: the Fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of man, and the immortality of the soul 2. Its ethical instruction rests upon the classic principles of morality, charity, and truth, traditionally summarized in the Old Charges by the command to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before God 3.

Charity is a primary lesson, introduced through symbolic rites and the imagery of Jacob’s ladder 2. In this context, charity is defined not merely as monetary alms, but as spiritual relief, sympathy, brotherly counsel, and the giving of oneself 2.

The degree introduces the Three Grand Pillars—Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty—as symbolic supports 1. Within this degree, wisdom is defined not as mere factual knowledge, but as the practical ability to apply understanding in the service of brotherhood, while strength refers to the enduring, passive power of moral principles 1.

From a philosophical perspective, Wilmshurst interprets the initial degree as the awakening of the soul's dormant higher faculties, marking a candidate's dedication to divine service and the beginning of a lifelong pursuit of self-knowledge 4.