ROYAL ARCH DEGREE:
Royal Arch Captain-Three l\Iost Excellent l\lasters you must have been, or thus f3.r you could not have come, r will present)"'ou to the Grn.nd Council. [Stamps hi~ foot nine times.) High Priest-\Vhocomeshere 1 Principal Sojourner-Three weary sojourner;; from Babylon, who have come ttl) thu:; far ta aid. and assist in rebuilding the house of the Lord, without the hope offs3 or reward. High Priest-Have you the signet of Zerl1bbabel? Principal Sojourner-We have. [Pres'mts the signet given him by Master of rrbird Veil.} High Priest takes it, and reads from the second chapter of Haggai: In that day will I ta.ke thee, 0 Zerub路 babe'l, my servant, the sou of' Shealticl, sa.ith the Lord, and will make thee a signot: for I have chosen thee. High Priest to King (showing him the sigllet)-Companion, arc you satisfied th:.:tt thh; L, the signet of Zerubbabel? King(taking the signet, and scrutinizing it)-I am satisfied, l\1ost Excellent, that it i:;.
High Priest (showing signet to Scribe) -0::nU;)311iol1 Scribe, think yOll thi~ hl
the tl'lW 8ign~t of Zerubbabel? Scribo (looking shrewdly at it)-I am satisfieu that it is, :Most Excollent. High Priest (drawing signet across his forehead ill imitation of the penalty, or duc~g'ual'd)-Signet of Truth, and Holille:;~ to thl~ Lord! Til3 King and the Seribc each in turn pnts his htl.udto hi::; forehead, repeating-Holiness to the Lord. High Priest to candidates-It is the opinion of the Grand Council, that yOll h~wc pres':l1tcd the true signet of Zornbb:lrbel. B:'lt owing to difficulties ha.ving arlsl~n from the introduction of strang(~rs among tho workmen, 110no arc allowed to u:.ldertaka in the noble and glorious work, but the trtle descendants of the t.vclve tribes. It is nece8sary you shoultl b.e ve,:y pa.rticular in t.racing your g:.mealogy. 'Vho are you, and what are your intentions? Pducipal Sojourner-\Vc are your O\~'n kindl'ed, the tb~cendants of tho~e noble families of Gil>lernites, who "Wrought so lard at the bnild:ng of the first 'rcmple. 'Va have been reglliarly initiated as Enbr.;Hl Apprcntic3 Masons, passL'd to the d2gr~e of li'ellow Ct'aft, raised to the sub路 lime degree of :1\1a8ter 1\fa80n, ad v'ance<1 to tho honorary degree of :Mark .Master, presided .0.$ Master in the chair, and at
the completion and
dedic~tioI1.
of the
THE INITIATION.
75
Temple, were acknowledged as Most Excelleut 1rlasters. 'Ve were present at its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, and by him were c.arried away captives to BabyIon; ",.here we remained servants to him and his successor::;, until the reign of Cyrus, King of Persia, by whose proclamation we 'Were libel'ate-d, and have come up thus far to aid and assist in tlle noble and glol'ioUlol work of rebuilding the house of the Lord, without the hope of fee or reward. High Priest-Let the captives be un路 bound, and broqght to light Comi>anion King, r think we had bl~tte' employ theae sojourners. They look like good hardy men: just such men as we "'taut about the building. . 'Vhat say you? King-It is my opinion, l\JostExcellent, they are very expert work.men. I wish they might bl"! examined. High Priest-'Vhat is your opinion. companion Scribe? Scribo-If they can satisfy us they are Free Masons, I ~hal1 be ill favor of employing them immediately. High Priest-You say you are Entered Apprentic:J Masons? Satisfy the Gra.nd Council. 'rhe three candidates give the sigrll of Entered Apprentice, as on page 7. High Prkst to King and Scribo-Com. panious, .are you sath;tied? rrhe King bo'ws gl':l.<:cfttll;y.and the Scribe allswers-'\Vc nrl.,;\ satisfied, 1\loit Excellent. High Priest to candidates-The Grand Council arc satisfied that YOU are Entered Apprentice l\1a~ous. {lave you been advanced to the Pc llow Craft's degree ~ Candidates giyc the lj'leltow Craft signs as on page 2'2, when the High Priest a:;k.s hi:, (路ompa.uiollS of the Grand Council if they are satisfied, as before. and then informs tho caudid:.ttes that the Grand Cauncil appl'oves them as tl'ue;Fellow Crafts, &c. 'rho same qucstions and answers are given ill like lUauner :'l.l:) to ea.ch d.egree up to, and including' that of lUost Excellent Master, and the candidates give all the ~igns of th080 degrees to the Grand Council ill detail. High Priest (aftcr consultation ,vith the Klllg and SCl'ibe)-Com.panions, 'we are s!tth;tled that you are thr~e worthy Most Excellent Masters. As such, .we will employ you on the Templp. YV'hatpa.rt of the work will yOll llndertal~e ? Principal Sojourner-'V~ ,vill takeaur service, however servile or dangerou,s, for the sake of f'ol'wal'dillg so grea.t and n.oble an undertaking.