Brethren, the ‘Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch’, commonly referred to as ‘Royal Arch’ or ‘Chapter Masonry’ is formally acknowledged as ‘the completion of pure Antient Masonry’ for it is the only additional Masonic Order under the English Constitution which is directly, historically and indissolubly linked to the Craft. For this reason it is important that you are all fully aware of its existence and significance. At your Initiation, you were presented with a copy of the Book of Constitutions. You will see from the printed cover title and black-edged section within, that this book also contains Supreme Grand Chapter Regulations. Furthermore, page 1 begins with a Preliminary Declaration which states that “pure Antient Masonry consists of the three degrees and no more, viz., those of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch”. This is an important statement because it makes clear that the journey you started as an Entered Apprentice will not be complete until you have been ‘exalted’ into Royal Arch Masonry. The Royal Arch degree was originally worked in Craft Lodges and was considered by the Antients to be the fourth degree in Freemasonry. It is now worked separately in Chapters, Chartered by the authority of Supreme Grand Chapter. Each Chapter is ruled by three Principals and its members are called ‘Companions’. The Supreme Grand Chapter of England is administered along-side United Grand Lodge and is also based at Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London. Under the combined Grand Lodge Constitutions and Royal Arch Regulations, Leaders and Principal Acting Officers of United Grand Lodge usually hold equivalent Office in Supreme Grand Chapter.
The Grand Master of United Grand Lodge is therefore also First Grand Principal of Supreme Grand Chapter. Similarly, for the Province of Cheshire, the Provincial Grand Master is also Grand Superintendent.
The Royal Arch has been variously described as ‘the most sacred part of Masonry’; the ‘climax of the Craft system’; ‘the root, heart, and marrow of Masonry’; and ‘the foundation and keystone of the whole masonic structure’. In June 2009, Grand Lodge made the following declaration. “The Board believes that it is a matter of common ground that the teachings of the Royal Arch en-rich those of the Craft and vice versa. Properly considered, therefore, each is inextricably interwoven with the other, with the result that no Brother’s Ma-sonic experience can be considered truly complete, unless he has been exalt-ed into the Order of the Holy Royal Arch”.
How the Craft ritual connects with that of the Royal Arch.
Brethren, you will recall that in the Opening and ‘full’ Closing of the Third De-gree, the WM and Wardens exchange rhetoric informing us of a journey from East to West in search of the genuine secrets of a Master Mason; which were lost due to the untimely death of our Master HA. With the genuine secrets lost, only substituted secrets can be imparted, and this concludes with the WM declaring “that they shall designate you, and all MM’s throughout the Universe, until time or circumstances shall restore the genuine”. The dialogue also in-forms us that we hope to find the genuine secrets with the ‘centre’, ‘a point within a circle, from which every part of the circumference is equidistant’, and, why with the centre … ‘that being a point from which a MM cannot err’. The WM also states ‘may Heaven aid our United Endeavours’. All of this stimulates us to look within ourselves and our relationship with God for the genuine secrets of a Master Mason. However, it doesn’t proffer a ‘hope’ of recovering the genuine secrets, but a ‘promise’ “that time or circumstances SHALL restore the genuine”.
Biblical references to the Children of Israel and King Solomon’s Temple reveal that Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians, whereon the Temple was destroyed, the kingdom of Judea divided and the tribes taken into captivity in Babylon, where they remained for 70 years. Babylon then fell to Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, who liberated the Jewish captives and invited them to re-turn to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple.
The Royal Arch ritual describes this sojourn of returning to Jerusalem from Bab-ylon (a journey from East to West) and dramatically reveals how workmen sent to rebuild the Temple make a momentous discovery in recovering the genuine secrets of a Master Mason, and from this a most interesting and illuminating explanation of the nature of God is conveyed. There are also Royal Arch Lectures which fully expand upon the historical, symbolical and mystical knowledge of the Order.
In knowing that members of the Royal Arch are referred to as ‘Companions’ and that when admitted you are ‘exalted’ into the Order, further references in the Third Degree ritual bear significance. For example; you may recall that when raising the Candidate on the F.P.of F. the WM explains “It is thus all MM’s are raised from a figurative grave to a reunion with the former companions of their toils”. In the Traditional History, Solomon King of Israel ordered 15 trusty Fellow Crafts to “make diligent search after the person of our Master, to ascertain if he were yet alive, or had suffered death in the attempt to extort from him the secrets of his exalted Degree”. He further ordered them “to return and raise our Master to such a sepulture as became his rank and exalted talents”.
How engagement in Royal Arch Masonry can ‘complete’ our knowledge.
To many of us, the Third Degree proves somewhat of an anti-climax. Much of the ceremony is conducted in darkness; we are figuratively raised from a symbolic grave, and informed that the light of a MM is darkness visible, serving only
to express that gloom that rests on the prospect of futurity. We are then led to contemplate our inevitable destiny and to guide our reflections to that most interesting of all human studies, the knowledge of ourselves. The Third Degree Charge also tells us that ‘it is that mysterious veil which the eye of human rea-son cannot penetrate, unless assisted by that Light which is from above” and encourages us to “lift our eyes to that bright Morning Star, whose rising brings peace and salvation to the faithful and obedient of the human race”. The three degrees of Craft Masonry primarily focus on physical and material matters, and each Brother’s relationship with his fellow men. They symbolically trace the odyssey of self-discovery from a Brother’s birth in the First Degree, through the intricate windings of his mortal existence in the Second, to a consideration of his death in the Third.
The journey from the third degree in the Craft into the Royal Arch brings a colourful, glorious and happy conclusion to what is otherwise a tragic and incomplete story as it contemplates the whole, not simply within the lifespan of man, but in the context of eternity. It is a very thought provoking experience which leads us to a greater understanding of self-knowledge through consideration of our ‘physical’ and ‘spiritual’ nature, as well as our relationship with the Most High, but without transgressing the bounds of religion. No wonder the Royal Arch is seen as the very essence and joy of Freemasonry – the foundation and keystone of the whole Masonic structure. The ceremony of exaltation into the Royal Arch emphasises the Glory of the Most High, underlines man’s dependence on His mighty Will and Power, and teaches the important duties that he owes to his Creator. Hence the Royal Arch is the natural and essential progression after the Craft and can now be offered ‘as a mark of our entire approbation’ to all mature MM’s, as their final step in completing their knowledge of pure and Antient Freemasonry.
Freemasonry, as we know it today, developed towards the end of the Renaissance, during a period that we now appropriately describe as the ‘enlightenment’. Philosophers at that time believed that each Human Being had the potential, by means of self-analysis, to use his Soul or Psyche to perceive the essence of God within himself; and that Psyche was seen as a bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds. Much has been lost over the past 300 years, as Masonry has concentrated on Brotherly Love and Relief, but placed less emphasis on the ancient mysteries codified as Truth. However, the Royal Arch ritual contains a great spiritual message that will enable each Mason to complete his Masonic journey of personal enlightenment and truly be able to fulfil the instruction inscribed over the entrance to the Oracle at Delphi – “Man know Yourself”.
Brethren, in order to complement the knowledge you have already gained in Lodge, I urge those of you who have not already done so, to crown your person-al Masonic edifice, the perfect ashlar of the material man, by seeking exaltation into the Holy Royal Arch and adding that of ‘spiritual perfection’.
Eligibility for joining, identifying Royal Arch Masons and discovering more
All Master Masons are eligible to join the Royal Arch after four weeks, but the best time is dependent upon your own personal circumstances. However, like Craft, Royal Arch Masonry can only be fully appreciated through regular attendance and involvement. It is therefore advisable that you should consider joining only when you have become comfortable with your Craft masonry and feel ready to make further progress and commitment. As most Chapters only meet four times per year, subscriptions are usually considerably lower than in Lodge. However, dining fees and collections for charitable causes are usual and when you first join there may be additional costs for Exaltation and regalia. Any Companion or intended Chapter will be able to advise further.
There are numerous Royal Arch Chapters throughout the Province of Cheshire. You may wish to join a Chapter closely associated with your Lodge, or perhaps, a different Chapter, maybe meeting at a different Masonic venue in order to widen your Masonic circle of friends. In making your choice, be especially careful to consider the compatibility of their meeting and rehearsal nights so as to avoid clashes with your Craft and personal commitments. A full list of Chapters, together with their meeting dates and contact details are provided via the Provincial web site and year book. If you require any further guidance/assistance, please contact your Lodge Royal Arch Contact Officer (details on your Lodge summons) or any of the Provincial Leaders (see website / year book) or any Royal Arch Mason. In Cheshire, around half of all Freemasons are members of the Royal Arch and you can easily identify them in Lodge as they will be wearing their ‘Companions Breast Jewel’, (comprising two interlocking triangles within a circular border). This is the only jewel of another Order which is encouraged to be worn in Craft –once again illustrating the indissoluble link which exists.
