Part 12 (1/2)
The members now balance six times as before; in opening, rise and balance six times more, disengage themselves from each other and take their seats; the Most Excellent Master then delivers the following charge to the candidate:
”Brother, your admittance to this degree of Masonry, is a proof of the good opinion the brethren of this Lodge entertain of your Masonic abilities. Let this consideration induce you to be careful of forfeiting by misconduct and inattention to our rules, that esteem which has raised you to the rank you now possess.
”It is one of your great duties, as a Most Excellent Master, to dispense light and truth to the uninformed Mason; and I need not remind you of the impossibility of complying with this obligation without possessing an accurate acquaintance with the Lectures of each degree.
”If you are not already completely conversant in all the degrees heretofore conferred on you, remember, that an indulgence, prompted by a belief that you will apply yourself with double diligence to make yourself so, has induced the brethren to accept you.
”Let it, therefore, be your unremitting study to acquire such a degree of knowledge and information as shall enable you to discharge with propriety the various duties inc.u.mbent on you, and to preserve unsullied the t.i.tle now conferred upon you of a Most Excellent Master.”
After this a motion is made by some of the members to close the Lodge.
This motion being accepted and received, the Most Excellent says, ”Brother Junior Warden, you will please a.s.semble the brethren around the altar for the purpose of closing this Lodge of Most Excellent Masters.” The brethren immediately a.s.semble around the altar in a circle, and kneel on the right knee, put their left arms over and join hands, as before; while kneeling in this position, the Most Excellent reads the following Psalm: Psalm cx.x.xiv. ”Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.” The Most Excellent then closes the circle as in opening, when they balance six times, rise and balance six times more, disengaging their hands, and give all the signs downwards, and declares the Lodge closed.
ROYAL ARCH DEGREE.
All legally const.i.tuted bodies of Royal Arch Masons are called Chapters, as regular bodies of Masons of the preceding degrees are called Lodges. All the degrees from Mark Master to Royal Arch are given under the sanction of Royal Arch Chapters. A person making application to a Chapter for admission, is understood as applying for all the degrees, unless he states in his application the particular degree or degrees he wishes to receive. If you ask a Mark Master if he belongs to a Chapter, he will answer yes, but has only been marked. If a person make application for all the degrees, and wishes to receive them all at one time, he is frequently balloted for only on the Mark degree, it being understood that if accepted on that, he is to receive the whole. The members of Chapters who have received all the degrees, style each other companions; if they have not received the Royal Arch degree, brothers. It is a point of the Royal Arch degree ”not to a.s.sist, or be present at the conferring of this degree upon more or less than three candidates at one time.” If there are not three candidates present, one or two companions, as the case may be, volunteer to represent candidates, so as to make the requisite number, or a TEAM, as it is technically styled, and accompany the candidate or candidates through all the stages of exaltation. Every Chapter must consist of a High Priest, King, Scribe, Captain of the Host, Princ.i.p.al Sojourner, Royal Arch Captain, three Grand Masters of the Veils, Treasurer, Secretary, and as many members as may be found convenient for working to advantage. In the Lodges for conferring the preparatory degrees, the High Priest presides as Master, the King as Senior Warden, the Scribe as Junior Warden, the Captain of the Host as Marshal, or Master of Ceremonies, the Princ.i.p.al Sojourner as Senior Deacon, the Royal Arch Captain as Junior Deacon, the Master of the First, Second, and Third Veils as Junior, Senior, and Master Overseers; the Treasurer, Secretary and Tyler as officers of corresponding rank. The Chapter is authorized to confer the degrees by a charter, or warrant from some Grand Chapter.
The members being a.s.sembled, the High Priest calls to order, and demands of the Royal Arch Captain if all present are Royal Arch Masons. The Royal Arch Captain ascertains and answers in the affirmative. The High Priest then directs him to cause the Tyler to be stationed, which, being done, the High Priest says, ”Companions, Royal Arch Masons, you will please to clothe, and arrange yourselves for the purpose of opening the Chapter.” The furniture of the Chapter is then arranged, the companions clothed with scarlet sashes and ap.r.o.ns, and the officers invested with the proper insignia of their respective offices, and repair to their proper stations. The High Priest then demands whether the Chapter is tyled, and is answered the same as in the Lodge. The stations and duties of the officers are then recited (see Lecture, First Section). After the duties of the officers are recited, the High Priest directs the Captain of the Host to a.s.semble the companions of the altar. The companions form a circle about the altar, all kneeling on the right knee, with their arms crossed, right arm uppermost and hands joined, leaving a s.p.a.ce for the High Priest, who reads the following pa.s.sage of Scripture:
2 Thess. iii. 6-18. ”Now, we command you, brethren, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition that ye have received of us, for yourselves know how ye ought to follow us, for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you, neither did we eat any man's bread for nought, but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you; not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any man would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some, which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such, we command and exhort, that with quietness they work and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word, note that man and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Now the Lord of peace Himself, give you peace always. The salutation of Paul, with mine own hand, which is the token, so I write.”
[The reader is requested to compare this with Scripture--he will observe that the name of the Savior is intentionally left out.] The High Priest then takes his place in the circle. The whole circle then balance with their arms three times three, that is, they raise their arms and let them fall upon their knees three times in concert, after a short pause three times more, and after another pause three times more. Then all break into squads of three and raise the living arch.
This is done by each companion taking his left wrist in his right hand, and with their left hands the three grasp each other's right wrists, and raise them above their heads. This const.i.tutes the living arch, under which the Grand Omnific Royal Arch word must be given, but it must also be given by three times three. In opening the Chapter, this is done in the following manner: After the three have joined hands they repeat these lines in concert, and at the close of each line raise them above their heads and say, ”As we three did agree, the sacred word to keep, and as we three did agree, the sacred word to search, so we three do agree to raise this Royal Arch.” At the close of the last line they keep their hands raised, while they incline their heads under them, and the first whispers in the ear of the second the syllable, J A H; the second to the third, B U H, and the third to the first, L U N. The second then commences, and it goes around again in the same manner, then the third, so that each companion p.r.o.nounces each syllable of the word.[12] They then separate, each repairing to his station, and the High Priest declares the Chapter opened.
The Lecture of the Royal Arch degree is divided into two sections. The first section designates the appellation, number and station of the several officers, and points out the purpose and duties of their respective stations.
Question--Are you a Royal Arch Mason? Answer--I AM THAT, I AM.
Q. How shall I know you to be a Royal Arch Mason? A. By three times three.
Q. Where was you made a Royal Arch Mason? A. In a just and lawfully const.i.tuted Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, consisting of Most Excellent, High Priest, King and Scribe, Captain of the Host, Princ.i.p.al Sojourner, Royal Arch Captain, and the three Grand Masters of the Veils, a.s.sembled in a room or place representing the tabernacle erected by our ancient brethren near the ruins of King Solomon's Temple.
Q. Where is the High Priest stationed, and what are his duties? A. He is stationed in the sanctum sanctorum. His duty, with the King and Scribe, to sit in the Grand Council, to form plans and give directions to the workmen.
Q. The King's station and duty? A. At the right hand of the High Priest, to aid him by his advice and council, and in his absence to preside.
Q. The Scribe's station and duty? A. At the left hand of the High Priest, to a.s.sist him and the King in the discharge of their duties, and to preside in their absence.
Q. The Captain of the Host's station and duty? A. At the right hand of the Grand Council, and to receive their orders and see them duly executed.
Q. The Princ.i.p.al Sojourner's station and duty? A. At the left hand of the Grand Council, to bring the blind by a way that they know not, to lead them in paths they have not known, to make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.
Q. The Royal Arch Captain's station and duty? A. At the inner veil, or entrance of the sanctum sanctorium, to guard the same, and see that none pa.s.s but such as are duly qualified, and have the proper pa.s.s-words and signets of truth.
Q. What is the color of his banner? A. White, and is emblematical of that purity of heart and rect.i.tude of conduct, which is essential to obtain admission into the divine sanctum sanctorum above.
Q. The stations and duties of the three Grand Masters of the Veils? A.
At the entrance of their respective Veils: to guard the same, and see that none pa.s.s but such as are duly qualified and in possession of the proper pa.s.s-words and tokens.
Q. What are the colors of their banners? A. That of the third, scarlet, which is emblematical of fervency and zeal, and the appropriate color of the Royal Arch degree. It admonishes us to be fervent in the exercise of our devotions to G.o.d, and zealous in our endeavors to promote the happiness of men. Of the second, purple, which being produced by a due mixture of blue and scarlet, the former of which is the characteristic color of the symbolic, or three first degrees, and the latter, that of the Royal Arch degree, is an emblem of union, and is the characteristic color of the intermediate degrees.