How do the working tools of the First Degree differ from those of the Second Degree?
In Freemasonry, the working tools of the First Degree, known as the Entered Apprentice, include the Twenty-four Inch Gauge and the Common Gavel. The Twenty-four Inch Gauge is used to symbolize the division of time into three equal parts: eight hours for the service of God and a distressed worthy brother, eight for our usual vocations, and eight for refreshment and sleep. The Common Gavel represents the duty to divest our hearts and consciences of vices and superfluities, thereby preparing ourselves as living stones for the spiritual building of the fraternity.
In contrast, the working tools of the Second Degree, or Fellow Craft, are the Plumb, Square, and Level. The Plumb teaches us to walk uprightly in our various stations, the Square emphasizes squaring our actions by the square of virtue, and the Level signifies that all Masons are equal, reminding us of our shared journey through life.
Thus, while the tools of the First Degree focus on personal moral development and the management of time, those of the Second Degree emphasize integrity, equality, and the ethical conduct of our actions.