From A Masonic Site. This is the original document that was used in interpreting the symbolism of 2012.

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Notes from...
THE BOOK OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY:
CONTAINING INSTRUCTIONS IN ALL THE DEGREES,
FROM THE THIRD TO THE
THIRTY-THIRD, AND LAST DEGREE OF THE RITE
by Charles T. McClenachan, 33' (Revised
and Enlarged Edition, Macoy
Publishing and Masonic Supply Company, 45-49 John St., New York, 1914).
[ University of Delaware Library, HS 770 .M3 1914 ]
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FIRST SERIES: SYMBOLIC OR BLUE LODGE -- SYMBOLIC DEGREES (Ancient Craft)
01. Entered Apprentice
02. Fellow Craft, or Companion
03. Master Mason
In the Reception of the 32nd Degree (see
below), the following description
of the three Craft Degrees is given:
"The 1st degree shows you man, such
as nature has made him, with no other
resources than his physical strength. The 2nd degree teaches the necessity
and holiness of labor, and consequently of knowledge. The 3rd degree
teaches us that our unavoidable destiny is death; but at the same time,
in the ceremony and in the very name of Hiram, it shadows forth the great
doctrine of another life, and the immortality of the soul."
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SECOND SERIES: LODGE OF PERFECTION -- INEFFABLE DEGREES (4th - 14th)
Officers: (1) Thrice Potent Grand Master,
(2) Deputy Grand Master,
(3) Senior Grand Warden, (4) Junior Grand Warden, (5) Orator,
(6) Treasurer, (7) Secretary, (8) Master of Ceremonies,
(9) Hospitaller, (10) Captain of the Guard, (11) Tiler.
Festivals: Besides the two Sts. John days
(June 24, December 27), Lodges
of Perfection commemorate the building of the first temple by
the Grand Architect of the Universe (Tishri 15), and remember
the destruction of the temple (Ab 9).
04. SECRET MASTER
Immediately after the death of Hiram
the Builder, King Solomon selected
seven of the most worthy and expert Master Masons to guard the Sanctum
Sanctorum, and its "sacred furniture." Although only one guard was
on
duty at a time, their number was always seven -- alluding to the seven
cardinal virtues, the seven stages of life, the sabbath (7th day), etc.
The Lodge is hung in black, strewn with
white tears. The seven-branched
candlestick is burning in the East, and over the East is a large circle
composed of a serpent with its tail in its mouth. In the circle, three
triangles are interlaced to form a white nine-pointed star. In the
center of the star is a Hebrew YOD, and in the nine outer triangles are
the letters E, A, J, J, Y, A, O, A, H, which are the initials of the nine
sacred words. The Thrice Potent represents King Solomon, and the Senior
Grand Warden represents Adoniram, son of Abda, Solomon's Grand Inspector.
Battery: [7]. In the Opening, "The
morning star has driven away the
shades of night, and the great light begins to gladden our Lodge."
Secret Masters are taught the duty of SECRECY and SILENCE, and pray:
"Set a watch, O Jehovah! before my mouth, and keep thou the door of
my lips." Our own heart is truly the "innermost sanctuary," in
which
we may "prepare to receive the impress of thy Holy Name, which shall
be a seal of eternal life." The apron is white and black, with a letter
"Z" and an all-seeing eye. The jewel is an ivory key with the letter
"Z"
on the wards.
05. PERFECT MASTER
This degree, in which Lodges of Sorrow
are usually held, recalls the
requiem for the departed worthy brother, Hiram Abiff. King Solomon
commanded Adoniram to supervise the building of Hiram's tomb or obelisk
(in the west-southwest of the Temple), made of white marble, to denote
his purity, and black marble, to denote his untimely death.
The Lodge is hung with green cloth from
eight white columns, and a
black altar is in the East, with the coffin of Hiram. The nine-pointed
star is now blood-red, and the blood which was spilled in the Temple
still is in the northeast.
Battery: [4], denoting life, death, virtue,
and immortality. The moral
of this degree is to pay due respect to the memories of deceased worthy
bretheren. The apron is white and green, with a cubic stone and a
Hebrew YOD. The jewel is a compass open on a segment of a circle, to
an angle of sixty degrees.
06. INTIMATE SECRETARY
This degree is not chronologically related
to those preceding or following,
but relates to an incident which illustrates the mercy and wisdom of
King Solomon. The candidate is Joabert, Lieutenant of Solomon's guards,
whose execution is demanded by King Hiram of Tyre (Deputy Grand Master),
because of a misunderstanding. The King of Tyre had visited the Temple
unannounced and full of anger concerning a treaty, and Joabert zealously
defended his Master from this supposed threat. King Solomon interceded
and forgave Joabert's indiscretion, and made him the Witness (Confidential
Secretary) to the final treaty agreement with the King of Tyre, in the
stead of the slain Hiram Abiff.
The Lodge is hung in black, strewed with
silver tears. Twenty-seven
lights (divided equally between East, West, and South) are distributed.
Battery: [8-1-8-1-8-1]. The apron is
white and red, with Hebrew letters
YOD HEH in the center, and a small triangle containing the Hebrew letters
(clockwise from top) BETH, NUN, and SHIN. The jewel is a gold triangle
with the same three letters inscribed. A "sword of defence" is presented
to the candidate, with which he can defend his integrity and honor as a
Mason.
07. PROVOST AND JUDGE
Upon the death of Grand Master Hiram,
King Solomon appointed seven Judges
to mete justice among the workmen of the Temple. Tito, Prince of Herodim,
was their Chief Provost and Judge, and their tribunal was held in the
Middle Chamber of the Temple. This degree implores the Mason to "render
justice to all, to hear patiently, remember accurately, and weigh care-
fully the facts and the arguments offered."
The Lodge is draped in red, and in the
East is a blue, star-studded canopy.
The ebony record-box of the Judges sits under the canopy, and a triangle
with the Hebrew letters YOD HEH hangs with a balance in the center of the
chamber. The seven Judges should be in white robes.
Battery: [4-1]. The three great requisites
of a Judge: Justice, Equity,
and Impartiality, are symbolized by the triangle and balance. Divine
justice is stressed, and the "earth, air, and ocean are the eternal wit-
nesses of the acts that we have done." The Almighty reads from the "vast
library" of the air, and metes out the right and just consequences of
our actions. The apron is white, edged with red, with a key and five
rosettes. The jewel is a golden key.
08. INTENDANT OF THE BUILDINGS, or MASTER IN ISRAEL
After the period of mourning following
Hiram's death, the building of
the Temple had to continue. In this degree, King Solomon appoints and
installs five Superintendants to oversee the continuation of the work.
Upon the recommendation of the High Priest, Sadoc, and the Governor of
the House, Ahishar, the five were chosen to be: (1) Adoniram, President
of the Board of Architects [Master], (2) Joabert the Phoenician, Chief
Artificer in Brass [S. Warden], (3) Stolkin, Chief Carpenter [J. Warden],
(4) Selec the Giblemite, Chief Stonemason [Master of Ceremonies], and
(5) Gareb, Chief Worker in Silver and Gold, and Engraver [Captain of
the Guard].
The Lodge is hung in red and blue as
in the previous degree, with twenty-
seven lights -- in three groups of nine forming a triple triangle. Over
the Master is a five-pointed star, with three Hebrew YODs inside.
Battery: [5]. The number five (in addition
to a five-fold circumambula-
tion), represents the five points of fellowship which are primary tenets
of Freemasonry. The charity of love -- the love of life and of God --
is emphasized as "participation of the divine nature." The apron is
white, with red and green, with a balance, a five-pointed star as above,
and a triangle with the Hebrew letters BETH (for Ben-khurim), YOD (for
Jakinah), and ALEPH (for Achar). The jewel is a gold triangle with the
same three letters.
09. MASTER ELECT OF NINE
The three degrees called "Elect"
or "Elu" are 09, 10, and 11, and they
are concerned with the apprehension of the assassins of Hiram Abiff.
Informed by a herdsman that the traitors were hiding in a cave near the
coast of Joppa, King Solomon appointed nine Masters to go and find them.
One of the elected Masters, Solomon's favorite, went ahead of the rest
and discovered one of the assassins asleep. Inflamed at the sight, he
stabbed him in the head and heart, and severed the assassin's head, who
only had time to say "Necum" ("vengeance is taken") before
he died.
Although Solomon ordered the execution of his favorite for taking justice
into his own hands, the other eight interceded, and he was pardoned.
The Lodge is hung in black, strewed with
flames (representing a cavern)
suspended from eight columns. Eight lights in an octagonal pattern
surround the triangular altar in the center, and one other light is half-
way between the altar and the East. The lodge is styled a Chapter, and
the Master of Ceremonies represents Pharos, the herdsman.
Battery: [8-1]. Master Elects of Nine
are taught to be careful in their
zeal, lest they exercise vengeance "for the violation of divine and
human laws." This degree also teaches the "overthrow of ignorance
by
freedom." The apron is white, lined in black, and sprinkled with blood,
with an arm holding a dagger, and a severed head held by the hair. The
jewel is a dagger, hilt of gold and blade of silver.
10. MASTER ELECT OF FIFTEEN
About six months after the incidents
in the previous degree, on the 15th
day of Tammuz, it was learned that the remaining two assassins had fled
to Gath, and had begun to work in the quarry of Ben-Dekar. King Solomon,
upon hearing this, selected fifteen Masters (the original nine included)
to apprehend them. After five days searching, they found and seized the
traitors, who were brought back to Jerusalem, imprisoned in the tower of
Achizar, and executed the following morning.
The Lodge is hung in black, sprinkled
with red and white tears. Fifteen
yellow candles are present: five in the East and five before each Warden,
with four forming a square and one in the center.
Battery: [5-5-5]. The Illustrious Elu
of the Fifteen are devoted to the
cause of the oppressed, and to toleration against intolerance. The fif-
teen lights are lit in the Opening of this degree, after a prayer to which
the Elu devote themselves "To the cause of Free Thought, Free Speech,
Free Conscience!" The apron is white, with a black flap, and with three
arch-shaped gates -- over each a head on a spike. The jewel is a dagger
as in the previous degree.
11. SUBLIME MASTER ELECTED
This degree, also called "Sublime
Elu of the Twelve," illustrates the
reward conferred by King Solomon upon twelve of the fifteen Masters who
brought Hiram's assassins to justice. These twelve, chosen by random
ballot, are constituted the Governors over the twelve tribes of Israel,
and are given the symbolic name "Emeth," meaning "a true man
-- just,
fair, sincere, faithful, fearing God."
The Lodge, also called a Chapter, is
decorated as in the previous degree,
except that there are twelve lights -- making four equilateral triangles
of three lights, in the East, West, North, and South.
Battery: [12]. This degree symbolizes
the transformation from mourning
for the dead into a new zeal for life, as the ideals of the name "Emeth"
signify. The apron is white, lined with black, with a flaming heart in
the center. The jewel is a dagger suspended from a black cordon inscribed
with the words "Vincere aut Mori," the pledge "that you will
rather die
than betray the cause of the people, or be overcome through your own fear
or fault."
12. GRAND MASTER ARCHITECT
In this degree, Adoniram, son of Abda,
is appointed by King Solomon to
be the chief Architect of the Temple, and sole successor and representative
of the deceased master Hiram Abiff (Khuram Abai). This position was
created to "assure uniformity in work, vigor in its prosecution, and to
reward those more eminent in science and skill." The virtues of Wisdom
are also exalted: "By means of her we shall have immortality."
The Lodge, which represents Hiram's Chamber
of Designs, is hung in white,
strewed with crimson flames. In the North is the North Star and the seven
stars of the Great Bear. In the East, Jupiter rises as the morning star
over a triangle containing the Hebrew word ADNI, and over five columns of
the five architectural orders: Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and
Composite. The Lodge is styled a Chapter.
Battery: [5-2]. In the Opening, the six
instruments of a Grand Master
Architect are described, and their "lessons" are:
* The 'different compasses' teach us
"that life and time constitute but
a point in the centre of eternity; while the circle of God's attributes
is infinity."
* The 'parallel ruler' teaches us "that we should be consistent, firm,
unwavering, and of that equanimity of mind and temper which befits a
Mason."
* The 'protractor' teaches us "that we should be upright and secure, frank
in all our dealings, moderate in our professions, and exact and punctual
in performance."
* The 'plain scale' teaches us "that we live not only for ourselves, but
for others, so as in just and proper measure to serve ourselves, our
families, our friends, our neighbors, and our country."
* The 'sector' teaches us "that we should multiply our good deeds, divide
that which we can spare of our substance among those who need it more
than we, and extract the good that is to benefit and bless us from the
reverses and calamities of life."
* The 'slide-rule' teaches us "that we should strive to grasp and solve
the great problem presented by the Universe and involved in our exist-
ence; to know and understand the lofty truths of Philosophy, and to
communicate freely of our knowledge unto others."
The apron is white, lined with blue and
gold (symbolizing the Craft
degrees), with a protractor, plain scale, sector, and compasses. The
jewel is a gold triangle, with a Hebrew ALEPH on the obverse and the five
types of columns on the reverse.
13. ROYAL ARCH OF ENOCH, or MASTER OF THE NINTH ARCH
"This degree, in fact, forms the
climax of Ineffable Masonry; it is the
keystone of the arch, and discovers that which is revealed in the succeed-
ing degree of Perfection." The history begins with Enoch, sixth in de-
scent from Adam, who was given the True Name of God in a vision. With the
help of his son Methuselah, he excavated and built nine "apartments"
in
Canaan, "one above the other, and each roofed with an arch." Over
the
upper one he built a Temple, in which he hid a cube of agate, with a tri-
angular plate of gold with the Ineffable Name engraved on it and sunk into
one face of the cube.
Enoch also knew of the upcoming Deluge,
and he covered his Temple with
stone, closing it with a great ring of iron. He also placed two columns
on a high hill: a granite one engraved with a description of the subterr-
anean vaults, and a brass one engraved with the "rudiments of the arts
and sciences." The brass column was found by Noah, but the granite column
was washed away by the Flood, thus concealing the Name until God told it
to Moses (who again engraved it in gold and placed it in the Ark of the
Covenant).
Later, the Ark was lost in a battle with
the Syrians, but the men of
Israel were led to it by the roar of a lion, which had guarded it with
the golden key in its mouth. The Treasurer's Key thus has the words
"in arc leonis verbum inveni" ("in the lion's mouth I found the
word").
Still later, Solomon planned to build his Temple on Mount Moriah. Under
it's Holy of Holies, a secret vault was built which could only be accessed
via eight other underground vaults. The Ark was placed in this vault,
under the "ninth arch," and upon a twisted "Pillar of Beauty"
made from
white marble. Solomon also began to build a "Temple of Justice," and
he
selected the site of Enoch's original Temple. Gibulum, Joabert, and
Stolkin were chosen to survey and clear the ground, but they made an
interesting discovery.... [continued in next degree]
The Lodge (styled a Chapter) is hung
in red and white. There are nine
lights: three in the East, West, and South. All officers are in black,
except Solomon (in yellow) and the King of Tyre (in purple). A separate
apartment should be prepared, covered with a trap-door with an iron ring.
Battery: [3-3-3]. The Opening contains
lengthy prayers to the Lord, the
"Sovereign Inspector and Mighty Architect of the wonders of Creation."
The apron is purple, bordered with white, and with the "Enochian delta"
(hexagram with inscribed Tetragrammaton) in the center. The jewel is a
gold triangle with the Enochian delta on the reverse, and a scene showing
two men lowering a third into the newly-discovered subterranean vault, on
the obserse.
14. GRAND, ELECT, PERFECT, AND SUBLIME MASON
The ninth arch, or Sacred Vault, was
used by Solomon, King Hiram, and
Hiram Abiff, in which they held private conferences. After the death
of Hiram Abiff, the two kings resolved not to visit the Vault, nor
communicate the ineffable Name, until they found a successor. But
Adoniram, Joabert, and Stolkin had discovered Enoch's cube of agate, so
these three Masters were initiated into this sublime degree in the
Sacred Vault, and taught the true pronunciation of the Word. Soon after
the Temple was completed (in the year Anno Mundi 3000), the Babylonian
captivity began, and the Temple was destroyed, but the secret Vault
was not found. During the Crusades, however, a select few of the Princes
of Jerusalem were initiated by some "good and virtuous Masons," allowing
the secrets to be handed down until the present day.
The Lodge, cubical in shape, is hung
in crimson. Three lights, in a
triangle, are in the North; five lights, in a pentagon, are in the South;
seven lights, in a heptagon, are in the West; and nine lights, in three
triangles, are in the East. The Pillar of Beauty is in the Northeast,
with the Table of Shewbread and Seven-Branched Candlestick. A "Pillar
of Enoch" (rough-hewn marble pieces put together, with Enochian char-
acters on it) is in the Southeast, with the Altar of Incense and Tablets
of the Law. To the West of the main chamber is the Sacred Vault, ap-
proached by a long passage of nine arches.
Battery: [3-5-7-9]. The Ten Commandments
are recited in the Reception,
and are followed by lengthy prayers to the "Almighty and Sovereign
Grand Architect of the Universe, thou who ridest in the heavens by
the name Jah." Unity and Charity are stressed, as in the Entered Ap-
prentice degree, and the Word is presented, the "Shem Hamphorosh"
(read right-to-left) :
I 10
H I 15
V H I 21
H V H I 26
which sums to 72, the number of the holy
angels called "Elect," and the
number of steps in Jacob's ladder. Also, the following Hebrew letters
are presented:
IHV - BAL - A
IHV - BAL - V
IHV - BAL - VM
AVM
The apron is white silk, bordered in
gold, with the Ineffable Delta in
the center. The jewel is a quadrant (compass open to ninety degrees)
topped by a crown, and with a nine-pointed star on the obverse, and a
five-pointed blazing star (with the Tetragrammaton) on the reverse.
The compass is opened on a segment of a circle, inscribed with the num-
bers 3, 5, 7, 9. The ring contains the inscription "Virtue unites,
death cannot separate." The girdle has nine colors: blue (friendship),
red (zeal), and yellow (wisdom); green (hope) and purple (dignity);
white (purity) and black (seriousness and modesty); stone (firmness and
fidelity) and flame (ardent affection and charity). These are all
interwoven with olive green (peace and brotherhood).
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THIRD SERIES: COUNCIL OF PRINCES OF JERUSALEM
-- HISTORICAL DEGREES
(15th - 16th)
Festivals: Annual meetings of Councils
are held on the 20th day of Tebet
(commemorating the return to Jerusalem from Babylon), followed
by the Grand Feast day on the 23rd day of Adar (commemorating
the reconstruction of the Temple). Also, the Spring and
Autumn Equinoxes are celebrated, "in memory of the Temple
having been built twice." Princes of Jerusalem, when visit-
ing inferior Councils or Lodges, are received under the "arch
of steel."
15. KNIGHT OF THE EAST OR SWORD
After the seventy years of the Babylonian
captivity, King Cyrus of
Persia (after a prophetic dream) allowed the release of the 42,360
captives, and their return to Jerusalem. He also permitted the Second
Temple to be built, under the direction of Zerubbabel, the Governor
of Judea. Upon their journey back, however, the release of the captives
was contested at the bridge over the Euphrates. Just barely making it
to Jerusalem, Zerubbabel ordered that the Masons laying the Temple found-
ations should work "with the sword in one hand and a trowel in the other,"
for safety. This degree, and that succeeding it, are thus Chivalric,
with the initiate serving both as a Craftsman and a Warrior, constantly
on the alert in both capacities.
There are three "apartments."
The first represents a Grand Lodge of
Perfection, but it is demolished and desecrated, representing the sorry
state found upon the return to Jerusalem. The officers here are the
standard Lodge of Perfection officers, all in black robes. The second
apartment represents King Cyrus' palace, and is hung in green and decor-
ated in the "Oriental" style. The officers represent Cyrus and his
knights, and wear water-green sashes, or "orders." In the third apart-
ment, a "bridge is represented extended over a river, and a rude altar
at the end" has been erected. The letters "L D P" are displayed,
in
the cipher called "Passing the River."
Battery: [5-2]. The virtues of Chivalry
are stressed, and the initiate,
now a "Knight Mason," is given a water-green sash with a green rosette
at the bottom (in memory of the liberator Cyrus). The apron is of
crimson velvet, edged with green, with a bleeding head above two crossed
swords, and a triangle (top point to the left) with three interlaced
triangles inside it. The jewel is three concentric gold triangles, with
two crossed swords inside them.
16. PRINCE OF JERUSALEM
While the foundation of the Second Temple
was still incomplete, King Cyrus
died, and the Israelites were subjected to the hatred of many tribes of
Samaritans and Syrians. Eventually, Darius siezed the throne of Persia,
via cunning and conspiracy, but he took the side of the Jews. He commanded
that the Masons should not be harassed, and he made Zerubbabel "Sovereign
Prince of Jerusalem." The Temple was 46 years in construction, and Darius
allowed the return of the same "precious vessels" that were taken
from
the First Temple.
There are four apartments. The first
represents the Council of the pre-
vious degree, and symbolized the labors endeavoring to rebuild the Temple.
There are nine officers here: (1) Most Equitable Sovereign Prince Grand
Master (a Just Ruler), (2) Grand High Priest Deputy Grand Master (the
Eternity of Duty), (3) Most Enlightened Senior Grand Warden (the Lion of
Judah), (4) Most Enlightened Junior Grand Warden (the Measure of Peace),
(5) Valiant Keeper of Seals (the Law), (6) Valiant Grand Treasurer
(Unbounded Treasure for the Temple), (7) Grand Master of Ceremonies
(Conductor of the Works), (8) Grand Master of Entrances (Guardian of
Secrecy), and (9) Grand Tyler (Vengeance).
The second apartment represents the road
from Jerusalem to Babylon,
which Zerubbabel traveled in the second year of Darius' reign, to petition
for protection. The third apartment is Darius' throne room, and is
decorated similarly to that of Cyrus. The fourth apartment is Darius'
banquet hall.
Battery: [1-4]. Darius poses the question
"What is that which holds the
most powerful sway over mortals?" The Satrap of Assyria answers "King
Darius," the Satrap of Media answers "Beauty," but Zerubbabel
answers
"Truth." The apron is crimson, edged in gold and aurora-color, and
with a square, shield, Delta (with three YOD's), balance, and a hand of
justice. The jewel is a mother-of-pearl lozenge, with a hand holding a
balance in equipoise; under it a sword with five stars surrounding the
point. On the left is a Hebrew D, on the right is a Hebrew Z.
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FOURTH SERIES: SOVEREIGN CHAPTER OF ROSE-CROIX
-- PHILOSOPHICAL DEGREES
(17th - 18th)
Officers: The standard officers, but prefixed
by "Faithful Brother" in
the 17th, and by "Most Perfect Knight" in the 18th. The
Wardens are prefixed by "Zealous Brother" in the 17th, and by
"Most Excellent and Perfect Knight" in the 18th. The Master
is "Venerable" in the 17th (representing John the Baptist), and
"Most Wise and Perfect" in the 18th (representing Tirshatha).
Festivals: Chapters must meet five times
a year; Ash Wednesday, the
Thursday before Easter, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Ascension
Day, and Christmas. The principal festival is Holy (or Maundy)
Thursday, when the officers are elected. A Knight Rose-Croix
writes his name in consonants only, and affixes a triangle
topped by a cross [the G.D. 0=0 altar symbol] in red ink.
17. KNIGHTS OF THE EAST AND WEST
This degree is the first of the Modern
or "Accepted" degrees, as opposed
to the "Ancient" degrees preceding. "The Word is again lost,
and, fig-
uratively, the Third Temple -- in the heart of man -- is to be built and
dedicated to the God of Truth." The Christian era brought the growing
syncretism among the Jews and Egyptians to a head, and it was said that
the writings of the Apostles were only an incomplete fraction of the full
philosophical and religious teachings and mysteries to be handed down.
In the year 1127, Pope Honorius II joined with Stephen, Patriarch of
Jerusalem, to ordain Knights to be clothed in the white of purity, and
to work to pass down these mysteries under the aegis of Masonry. There
were eleven "Knights of the East and West" (commemorating both their
home countries and the place of their original initiation), ordained by
Armelfo Guavi Mundos, Prince and Patriarch of Jerusalem, in 1118.
The Lodge is heptagonal in shape, hung
with crimson and sprinkled with
stars of gold. Seven "square columns" are in each angle, with the
init-
ials of the words: Beauty, Divinity, Wisdom, Power, Honor, Glory, Force;
on their capitals, and the initials of the words: Friendship, Union,
Resignation, Discretion, Fidelity, Prudence, Temperance; on their bases.
In the East is an altar atop seven steps, with a vacant throne, the sun
and moon, and an hour-glass (clepsydra). On the altar is a silver basin
with perfumed water, a chafingdish with live coals, and a large book
sealed with sevel seals of green wax. All twenty-four members (called a
Preceptory) are clothed in white robes, with a red cross on the breast.
Battery: [6-1]. This degree is opened
with prayers and hymns, and the
candidate is subjected to a strict examination of his knowledge of the
previous degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry. The candidate is purified
and sanctified, and is received under Luther's hymn "From East to West,"
and Ecclesiastes XII. The seven divine virtues and seven human virtues
(on the columns) are stressed, and the seven vices (Hatred, Discord,
Pride, Indiscretion, Perfidy, Rashness, and Calumny) are to be avoided.
The Seven Seals (from the Revelation of St. John) are broken and
explained, and the candidate is symbolically represented as coming from
Patmos, as a "very ancient" man. The apron is of yellow satin, with
crimson and gold, and with a sword and Tetractys (of the Tetragrammaton)
on it. The jewel is a heptagon of silver and gold, with crossed swords
on a balance on the obverse, and a lamb on the Book of Seven Seals on the
reverse. The jewel is hung from a double order -- one black (left-to-
right) and one white (right-to-left), representing good versus evil.
A gold coronet is also presented.
18. KNIGHT OF ROSE-CROIX, PERFECT PRINCE
DE H-R-D-M, KNIGHT OF THE
EAGLE AND PELICAN
"The stars have disappeared, the
light of the sun and moon is obscured,
and darkness has fallen upon the face of the earth."
With these words the candidate is received
into the final philosophical
degree. The three virtues - faith, hope, and charity - guide him through
the "place of horror and gloom" to the Truth, and to the Lost Word.
This Truth is not that of any one religion, because the spirit of Masonry
is universal and inclusive. The "Ceremony of the Table" commemorates
this
in a Feast of Bread and Wine, and the Chapter usually remains at refresh-
ment indefinitely, never closing.
The Lodge is divided into four apartments.
The first is hung in black,
with white tears, and is lighted by the taper of the Most Wise and the
two lights on the throne. This apartment is in ruins, and the throne is
surmounted by three crosses, the center one with a white rose at its
center. The second apartment is labyrinthian (to the Norteast of the
first) and contains descending and ascending stairs curving around. The
third apartment (to the Southeast of the first) is the "Chamber of
Reflection," and contains images of death: skeletons and a skull with
wings. The fourth apartment is the first, rearranged, with 33 lights
(on three candelabra of 11 branches, and yellow wax candles), red hang-
ings, and a six-pointed blazing star in the East. A gold crux ansata is
also in the East.
Battery: [6-1]. The Most Wise and Perfect
Master represents Wisdom,
the Senior Warden represents Strength, and the Junior Warden represents
Beauty. The apron is of white leather or satin, bordered in red, with
a skull and cross-bones, a red passion cross, and three red rosettes.
The grand jewel is a gold compass open on a quarter circle. A rose-cross
is between the legs of the compass, and under it is a pelican, tearing
its breast to feed its seven young, on the obverse, and an eagle with
wings extended, on the reverse. On the circle are the letters I.N.R.I.
The Banner of the Rose-Croix is hung in the East, and it is a square of
white, edged with gold, with the obverse of the jewel on it, and the
words "Lux E Tenebris" above it, and "Faith, Hope, Charity"
below it.
The Holy Thursday ceremony involves the
"Mystic Banquet" of a white lamb,
and also commemorates Passover. After the feast, the "Ceremony of
Extinguishing the Lights" commences, and the seven officers in reverse
order put out yellow candles on a seven-branched candlestick. The East
of the Lodge contains images of darkness and decay, with a crimson rose
surmounting a mountain at the center.
The Easter Sunday ceremony involves a
general feast, and the seven lights
are re-lit, finishing with: "The doors of the Infinite are opened to
you." The East of the Lodge is now clear and bright, with a cross and
white rose surrounded by a glory, and a Hebrew YOD at its center. A
seven-pointed blazing star, also with a YOD, is now atop the mountain.
______________________________________________________________________________
To be continued...
-- Steve Cranmer
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From: CRANMER@brivs2.bartol.udel.edu (Steven Cranmer)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Notes on the A.A.S.R. Rituals (2/2)
Date: 11 Jul 1994 13:03:38 GMT
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Hello,
Here's part two:
______________________________________________________________________________
FIFTH SERIES: AREOPAGUS, CHAPTER OF KNIGHTS
KADOSCH --
HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL DEGREES (19th - 29th)
"The Eleven degrees of the Areopagus
... most beautifully unfold the
errors and frailties of humanity, and most thoroughly instruct us how
to overcome them and advance toward that most perfect state hoped for
by mortality."
19. GRAND PONTIFF, or SUBLIME SCOTCH MASON
Mysteries of time are taught in this
degree, under the symbolism of the
Apocalypse and the New Jerusalem. The Temple was built not by one man,
but my successive generations, and destroyed swiftly. Patience is stressed,
along with the three virtues of the previous degrees, and that the greatest
accomplishment is the creation of something which will "outlast their own
day and generation." Those that exhibit this patience, equity, and purity
will surely be one of the chosen 144,000 whose name is inscribed in the
apocalyptic Book of Life.
The Lodge is divided intow two apartments.
The first, the Chapter Room,
is lit from the East by the triple interlaced triangle, with a sun in the
center. Behind a curtain in the East is an image of the New Jerusalem,
and an empty salver is in the center of the room. The second apartment
is a plain dark room, with only a single chair. The officers wear long
white robes, and fillets of sky-blue satin, with twelve gold stars, around
their foreheads. There is only one Warden.
Battery: [3-3-3-3]. The Chapter Room
is first hung in black, and the sun
is turned to blood. After the Reception and Prayer, the Room is hung in
blue, with stars of gold, and the sun is made bright. There is no apron,
but the jewel is a gold "parallelogram" (rectangle) with a Greek Alpha
on one side and an Omega on the other.
20. GRAND MASTER OF ALL SYMBOLIC LODGES,
or MASTER AD VITAM
("GEORGE WASHINGTON DEGREE")
"The duties, powers and privileges
of a Master in opening and closing
a Lodge and conducting the work are herein defined." The Master Ad
Vitam (for life) must keep in mind the three requisites of a Master,
Toleration, Justice, and Truth, and as Master of a Lodge, he must
"dispense light and knowledge to the brethren." The proliferation
of
degrees and religious sectarianism is to be avoided, and Masonry must be
restored to its "primitive purity." The existing degrees are, in actuality,
constant lessons, and titles such as "Knight," "Prince,"
and "Pontiff"
represent the lofty goals of morality and justice, of which the holders
of such titles should be reminded.
The Lodge is hung in blue and gold, and
a throne is in the East, ascended
by nine steps. Over the East are the words "Fiat Lux" in a glory surround-
ing a triangle. A triangular altar is in the center, and the Lodge is
lit by nine yellow candles (in three concentric triangles), positioned
between the altar and the South.
Battery: [2-1]. The apron is yellow,
bordered in blue, with three
concentric point-down triangles, with the Tetragrammaton (horizontal)
and "Fiat Lux" (vertical) at the center, forming a cross. Its triangular
shape relates to the "fourth great light, which reminds us of the Deity
and his attributes." The jewel is gold, with the same three concentric
triangles.
21. [PATRIARCH] NOACHITE, or PRUSSIAN KNIGHT
This degree is based on the Order of
Knights, known in Germany as the
Holy Vehme, who exacted justice fiercely and morally. They inculcated
humility, and constantly remembered the price of pride, exacted upon the
descendants of Noah who erected the Tower of Babel. Today, this Order
only claims jurisdiction among its own members, and their rule and duty
is to judge others by the same rules by which they live. They meet on
nights of the full moon, from the ancient custom of the worship of Isis
and Ceres, and also from the original knights, who desired secrecy.
The Lodge, styled a Grand Chapter, meets
in a "retired place," on the
night of the full moon, which is the only light allowed. The presiding
officer, the "Lieutenant Commander," faces the moonlight. The brethren
are styled "Prussian Knight-Masons," and all are dressed in black.
No
Table Lodges are to be held in this degree.
Battery: [3]. "In the heavenly host
[light of the moon] they admire the
work of the Supreme Creator, and the universal laws of harmony and motion
-- the first two laws that emanated from God." The apron is yellow, and
contains an arm holding a sword, and a winged figure holding a key in the
left hand, and the right forefinger on the lips (the "Egyptian figure of
Silence"). The jewel is an point-up triangle, with an arrow, point
downward, an arm holding a sword, and the motto "Fiat Justitia, Ruat
Coelum."
22. KNIGHT OF THE ROYAL AXE, or PRINCE OF LIBANUS
This degree teaches that all labor is
honorable, and the "toiling
millions" should be respected and assisted. The Phoenicians,
especially those of the city of Tsidun, are remembered as those who
cut cedars on Mount Libanus (Lebanon) for Noah's ark, as well as the
Ark of the Covenant and the Temples of Jerusalem. The peoples of
Phoenicia, Hiram of Tyre and Hiram Abiff included, were tied to the
Israelites by the fact that they shared the mysteries, and it is even
said that the Etrurian and Roman Colleges of Artificers descended from
them via the Hyksos.
The Lodge, styled a College, has two
apartments. The first is a plain
room which represents a workshop on Mount Libanus. Here, the Senior
Warden, or "Master Carpenter," presides. The second apartment is hung
in red, lighted by 36 lights, and is called the Council-room of the
Round Table. The brethren sit at a round wooden table, and the altar
in the East holds the three great lights and an axe.
Battery: [2-2-2]. The apron is white,
bordered in purple, and
contains a three-headed serpent and a table with instruments and plans
on it. The jewel is an axe and handle of gold. On the top of the
handle are the initials of Noah and Solomon. In the middle of the
handle are the initials of Libanus and Tsidun. On the blade are
the initials of Adoniram, Cyrus, Darius, Zerubbabel, Nehemiah,
Ezra (on one side), and Shem, Kham, Yapheth, Moses, Ahaliab, Betselal
(on the other).
23. CHIEF OF THE TABERNACLE (THE FOUR CHAPLAINS)
This degree, connected with the one succeeding
it, is based on the
perfection and purity of the Hebrew Tabernacle, or Sanctuary. "Unholy
sacrilege and presumptuous interference with sacred ceremonies are
forbidden and punished; and only those with hearts divested of all
impurity, are commended in the performance of holy rites."
The Lodge, styled a Court, has two apartments.
The first, for the
Reception, is a small dark room with an altar at the center, upon
which is a dim light and three skulls. In front of the altar is a
skeleton. The second apartment represents an encampment of the Twelve
Tribes of Israel, near Sinai. The Tribes are arranged, with standards
(of specified color and device) clockwise from the East, as the
following:
1 Judah crimson stripes Lion, couchant
2 Zebulon light green Ship
3 Simeon yellow Sword
4 Reuben brilliant crimson Man
5 Gad bluish green Starry field
6 Manasseh agate Vine
7 Ephraim opal Bull
8 Benjamin violet Wolf
9 Asher blue Tree
10 Dan gold-stone Eagle holding serpent
11 Naphtali bluish green Running doe
12 Issachar greenish yellow Ass, couchant
In the center of the Court is a representation
of the Tabernacle of
Moses, described in Exodus 26 and 36. The Master, the "Most Excellent
High Priest," represents Aaron, and the two Wardens, in the West,
represent Eleazar and Ithamar. The three wear white turbans, with a
blue ribbon with the Hebrew inscription, QDSh L-IHVH, "Holy to the
Lord!" All others are styled "Worthy Levites."
Battery: [2-2-2-1]. The apron is white,
bordered with red, blue, and
purple ribbons. These colors, from the curtains of the Tabernacle,
represent earth, fire, air, and sea, respectively, as well as the
Lord's benificence, glory, wisdom, and power. On the apron is the
golden seven-branched candlestick, representing the seven planets
and virtues: Sun, faith ("aspiration toward the infinite"); Moon,
hope; Venus, charity; Mars, fortitude ("victory over rage and
anger"); Mercury, prudence; Saturn, temperance; Jupiter (conquer-
er of the Titans), justice. The jewel is a small silver censer, or
ornamented cup, held by a handle in the shape of an open hand.
24. PRINCE OF THE TABERNACLE
This degree illustrates the sacerdotal
duties of the High Priest, of
which there are two: incessant labor for the glory of God, honor of
country, and happiness of brethren; and offering up thanks and
prayers to God, in lieu of actual sacrifices. The initiate must
possess the lamp (reason), the cloak (liberty), and the staff (forces
of nature), and each of these is threefold, making the holy number
nine -- the number Hermes allotted to initiation. These correspond
also with the three great lights. The four powers of the Sphynx are
also inculcated, and the cube (as the symbol of nature's immutable
law) is presented with the Tetragrammaton. The law of equilibrium is
applied to ritual, and the initiate is urged to interpret the symbols
he receives for himself. The "inner" (solar) mysteries of Osiris
(Thammuz, Bel, Atys, Dionusos, Cama, Mithras) are then rehearsed.
The Lodge, styled a Court, has two apartments.
The first, the
Vestibule, is furnished as a Master Mason's Lodge, except that the
Volume of Sacred Law is a rolled parchment of Law, and the "G" in
the
East is replaced by a Hebrew YOD. The second apartment is the Taber-
nacle of the previous degree, but with a vermillion "Blazing Star"
(pentagram) in the East, with an Alpha and Omega on it.
Battery: [2-2-2-1]. The apron is of white
lambskin, with scarlet,
green, and blue. On it is a violet myrtle tree, and a gold represen-
tation of an Arabian tent. The jewel is the Hebrew letter ALEPH,
suspended from a violet ribbon.
25. KNIGHT OF THE BRAZEN SERPENT
After the death of Aaron, when the new
moon occurred at the vernal equ-
inox of the 40th year of the Wandering of Israel, the people became
discouraged, and began to pray to Amun and Astarte, Osiris and Isis.
But Adonai sent fiery serpents among them, and Moses was asked to pray
for the people. Moses was told to build a brazen serpent, and put it on
a pole, and all who looked upon it were cured of the serpents' venom.
This story is seen as an allegory for
the transformation from winter to
spring (and Passover), when the celestial serpent and scorpion flee
"before the glittering stars of Orion." The seeming contradiction
between
winter and spring, death and life, evil and good, should be seen as two
parts of the "universal equilibrium." The symbol of the cross, "that
*one* composed of *two*," represents this principle.
The Lodge, styled a Council, is the Tabernacle
of the preceding degrees,
but with a cross (with a serpent coiled round it) in the East. Columns
topped by serpents are next to the Master (the "Most Puissant Leader,"
Moses), the Senior Warden (the "Most Valiant Captain of the Host,"
Joshua),
and the Junior Warden (the "Illustrious Chief Prince of the Tribes,"
Caleb). Brethren are styled "Brother Knight."
Battery: [5-3-1]. The Knight's duties
are: "To purify the soul of its
alloy of earthliness, that through the gate of Capricorn and the seven
spheres it may at length ascend to its eternal home beyond the stars; and
also to perpetuate the great truths enveloped in the symbols and allegories
of ancient mysteries." The apron is white, lined in black, and with gold
stars on the white side (Pleiades, Hyades, Orion, Capella) and with silver
stars on the black side (Perseus, Scorpio, Bootes). Also on it is a
serpent, ouroboros, surrounding a scarab, a triangle in a glory with the
Tetragrammaton in its center, and the four initials of the stars Regulus,
Aldebaran, Antares, and Fomalhaut. The jewel is a gold tau cross (crux
ansata) with a serpent entwined around it, and the Hebrew words HLThI
("he has suffered or been wounded") and NChShThN ("the Brazen
Serpent")
on it. The order has two ribbons: one crimson, with the words "Osiris,
Ormuzd, Osar siph, Moses," a bull and crescent, and the Hebrew word GBVRH
("Valor"); and one white, with the words "Isis, Ceres,"
a dog's head and
crescent, and the word AVN ("Virtue") -- contrasting active/generative
energy and passive/"capacity-to-produce" energy.
26. PRINCE OF MERCY, or SCOTTISH TRINITARIAN ("ABRAHAM LINCOLN DEGREE")
To avoid persecution, early Christian
Masons (under the rule of Domitian)
met in the Catacombs under Rome, and performed the mysteries under cover
of darkness. The "Triple Covenant" is represented by those of Noah
and
Abraham, as well as "that made with all the earth, that the day should
come when light, truth, and happiness should be victorious over darkness,
error, and misery." The candidate is named "Constans" (firm,
intrepid,
and persevering) and is symbolically receiving the third and last degree
of the Essenian Mysteries -- that of "theogenesis" (divine generation).
The Lodge, styled a Chapter, is hung
in green (representing infinite wis-
dom) with nine columns of red (representing supreme energy or power) and
white (representing harmony). The throne in the East is covered by a
canopy of reen, red, and white, and above it is the triple-interlaced
triangle, with two white and one black triangles, and a YOD at its center.
By the triangular altar, in the center, is a white marble statue of a vir-
gin, covered by thin white gauze.
Battery: [3-3-2-3-3-1]. The candidate
is presented with the "ancient
dogmas and teachings" of the Hindus, Buddhists, Mithraists, "Druids"
(Norse?), Egyptians, Hebrews, and Christians, and that "in all ages the
golden threads of truth have gleamed in the woof of error. Fortunate is
the Mason who, by the light of wisdom, the true Masonic light, second
emanation from the Deity, can discern the golden threads, God's hiero-
glyphs, written when time began; and read them aright, as they were read
by our ancient brethren in the early ages!" The mystery of life, death,
and rebirth is presented using the metaphor of seeds and plants. The
apron is scarlet, bordered in white, with a green triangle (point-down)
in the center. In the triangle are the initials of Force, Wisdom, and
Harmony, and a flaming heart of gold with the initials I.H.S. (Jesus
Hominum Salvator; or Imperium, Harmonia, Sapientia). The jewel is gold,
and is the same triangle, suspended by a purple ribbon. A "tessera,"
or
mark, is given to the candidate, and is a small fish of ivory or mother-
of-pearl, with the Tetragrammaton on one side, and mystic symbols (right
angles, parallel lines, etc.) on the other.
27. KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE TEMPLE, or
TEUTONIC KNIGHT OF THE HOUSE OF
ST. MARY OF JERUSALEM
This degree, the first strictly chivalric
degree, commemorates the siege
of St. Jean d'Acre, the ancient Ptolemais, by Christian forces. The
Crusaders, afflicted with harsh famine and intense heat, had to fight
the infidel Saladin by day, and nurse their wounded and sick at night,
under a makeshift tent made from the sails of their ships. In 1192, Pope
Celestin III approved a new Hospitaller and Military Order comprised of
the primarily German "Teutonic Knights," combining the statutes of
the
Augustinians, the Hospitallers of St. John, and the Templars. They dis-
tinguished themselves by the wearing of black crosses and white mantles,
but gave up the latter to avoid conflict with the Templars. They re-
located to Prussia in 1226.
The Lodge, styled a Chapter, is hung
in scarlet, sprinkled with black tears.
Black columns surround the Chapter in a circle, and three circles of lights
above each other (comprised of six, nine, and twelve, from top to bottom)
are in the East. In the center is a round table, with five olive-oil lamps
in a cross, and the Commanders of the Order sit at this table. In the
West are the sentences: "In many words thou shalt not avoid sin,"
and
"Life and death are dispensed by the tongue."
Battery: [4-3-2]. A dirge is sung in
the Reception, and five trophies are
presented to the initiate: (1) a garland of laurel, (2) the apron, gloves,
collar, sash, and jewel of the Order - the colors of which are white, red,
and black, (3) the sword of a Knight, (4) the spurs of a Knight, and (5)
the pallium or mantle of the Order, with the black cross. These five tro-
phies, and the five lamps, correspond to the five excellent qualities:
Humility, Temperance, Chastity, Generosity, and Honor. The apron is of
scarlet lambskin, lined in black, with a Teutonic Cross (cross potent sa-
ble, charged with a smaller cross double potent or, surcharged with the
escutcheon of the Empire - the two-headed black eagle) and a black key
surrounded by a laurel wreath. The jewel is a gold triangle, on which
the word I.R.N.I. is enamelled.
28. KNIGHT OF THE SUN, or PRINCE ADEPT (MAGUS)
This degree, which is the last philosophical
degree of the A.A.S.R., der-
ives its doctrine from Hermeticism, the Kabala, and Magism. The Absolute,
i.e. that which exists through itself, is taught to be Reason, and that
evil and misery are necessary discords "that unite with the concords of
the universe to make one great harmony forever." The symbolism of the
Temples of Thebes and Memphis, the Temple of the Sun at Nineveh, and the
white dove (Zoroaster, good, Chesed) and black raven (Manes, evil, Gevur-
ah) are all presented, and interpreted in the light of "uncreated reason,"
of which the primary symbol is the Sun.
The Lodge, styled a Council, is hung
in natural colors, representative of
the open countryside, and is illuminated by a great globe suspended in the
South. In the East is the seal of the Macrocosm (the hexagram of Solomon),
with the up-pointing triangle in black and the down-pointing triangle in
white, and under the words "Lux e Tenebris." In the West is the seal
of
the Microcosm (Pentagram) in white and vermillion. In the South is a rep-
resentation of the Temple of Solomon, with a man holding a lamb between
the columns of Jachin and Boaz. In the North is a symbol from the Zohar,
with two men's heads and arms forming a hexagram. In each corner is a
triangle, white, black, and red, with the Hebrew letters YOD, HEH, and
VAV on it. The altar, in the center, is "Soli Sanctissimo Sacrum,"
sac-
red to the most holy sun, and contains a pentagram along with the book of
constitutions, and a censer.
The Master is styled "Father Adam,"
and wears a saffron robe. One Warden,
styled "Brother Truth," is in the West, and wears a rose robe. Seven
other
officers, styled MLAKVTh (kings, envoys, angels), are stationed about the
Temple, and wear flame-colored robes:
Name Planet Banner Bracelets Station
Gabriel Jupiter Crimson & silver,
Eagle tin N.E.
Michael Saturn Black & silver, Lion lead S.E.
Auriel Mars Flame & silver, Bull steel S.W.
Raphael Mercury Green & gold, Man glass & quicksilver N.W.
Zarakhiel Sun Purple & gold gold E.
Tsaphiel Moon White & gold silver W.
Hamaliel Venus Blue & silver copper S.
The other members of the Council, of
which there must be ten in all, are
styled Aralim (Lion of God, or hero), and wear no robe. Of these, there
must be a Herald, Expert, and Tiler.
Battery: [3-4]. The apron is white lambskin,
with a vermillion pentagram.
The jewel is a golden sun on the obverse, and a hemisphere, showing the
northern half of the ecliptic (Taurus to Libra) and zodiac. Of the large
amount of instruction in this degree, seven main points are outlined:
(1) "Science is preserved by silence, and perpetuated by initiation."
(2) "Make gold potable, and you will have the universal medicine,"
which
evidences that one should appropriate truth to ones own use, and that the
changes known as death are a part of life. (3) "The permanent revelation,
one and universal, is written in visible nature, is explained by reason,
and completed by the wise analogies of faith." (4) "There is no invis-
ible world. There are only different degrees of perfection in the organs,"
and "There is no void in nature; all is peopled." (5) "Thoughts,
once
uttered, are immortal .... How could the thoughts exist, if the soul from
which they emanated were to cease to be?" (6) "Nature is the primary,
consistent, and certain revelation or unveiling of God. It is his utter-
ance, word, and speech." (7) "Analogy is the last word of science,
and
the first of faith. Harmony is an equilibrium; and equilibrium subsists
by the analogy of contraries. The absolute unity is the supreme and last
reason of things."
29. KNIGHT OF ST. ANDREW, or PATRIARCH OF THE CRUSADES
This degree, also known as the Order
of Knights Ecossais, teaches equality
and toleration in matters of class and religion. Hugh of Tiberias, Lord
of Galilee, visits the court of Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria,
and they instruct each other in their concepts of chivalry and religion.
The cross of St. Andrew (cross saltire) is an emblem of suffering and
humility, and the crucifiction of St. Andrew on November 30th is to be
commemorated.
The Lodge, styled a Chapter, has two
apartments. The first, the Chapter-
room, represents Saladin's court, and is hung in green and gold. In each
corner is a St. Andrew's cross. The second apartment contains a basin
for washing, a table, and a sword, and the candidate must be baptised by
the washing of the hands and face before entering into the Order of Knight-
hood. The Master of Ceremonies represents Saladin, while the Venerable
Grand Master represents Hugh. The Senior Warden is Malek Adhel (just
king), the Junior Warden is Malek Modaffer (victorious king), the Senior
Deacon is Malek Daher (triumphant king), and the Junior Deacon is Malek
Afdel (excellent king). Behind the throne is a white banner, in the
shape of a shroud, with the words "Salah-eddin, king of kings -- Salah-
eddin, victor of victors -- Salah-eddin must die."
Battery: [2-3-4]. Religious tolerance
is the main lesson, and "Masonry
is the handmaid of religion." There is no apron. The jewel has two
parts: on top is a gold hexagram, made of concave-outward triangles,
with a compass open to 25 degrees inside it. On the bottom is suspended
a gold St. Andrew's cross ("X"), with a knight's helmet, winged serpent
ouroboros, key, and a point-down triangle. In the center of the cross
is a Hebrew YOD, and on its points, clockwise from bottom, the Hebrew
letters N M I N.
______________________________________________________________________________
SIXTH SERIES: CONSISTORY OF SUBLIME PRINCES
OF THE ROYAL SECRET --
CHIVALRIC DEGREES (30th - 32nd)
SUPREME COUNCIL -- OFFICIAL AND EXECUTIVE (33rd)
The Chivalric degrees bring to an end
the instruction of Masonry, and
rehearse the virtues, vows, and tenets of the Order. These form the
Templar degrees of the A.A.S.R..
"The accomplishment of these degrees
brings us to the completion of the
Third Temple; and the Royal Secret is solved, as to whether we have
made this world a Temple fit for the abiding-place of the Grand Arch-
itect of the universe."
30. KNIGHT KADOSH, or GRAND ELECT KNIGHT
This "practical trial degree of
the Knight Templar," also denoted as a
Knight and Soldier of the Cross, contains some of the historical drama of
the Templars. Incidents on the road to the Holy Land, as well as the
execution of Jacques de Molay, are presented. Knights Kadosh ("holy,"
"consecrated," or "separated") are true defenders of the
Temple: out-
wardly armed with steel, but inwardly armed with Faith in God and Love
of his fellow-man.
The Lodge, styled a Chapter, is decorated
with black and red columns.
There are five chambers. The first, the Judges' Hall, is sombre and lit
by a singular suspended triangular lamp. Five masked judges, robed in
black and girded with swords, receive the candidate. Second, the Cave,
or Chamber of Reflection, is "strewed with emblems of mortality,"
and is
connected to the first by a descending flight of stairs. This chamber
represents the tomb of Jacques de Molay, and contains a simple altar,
cup of wine, and a gong. The remaining chambers are the Forum, the Senate
Chamber, and the Road to the Holy Land. Overall, in the East is a Throne
surmounted by a double-headed eagle, crowned, with a Teutonic cross and
a point-down triangle containing a blazing Hebrew ADNI, and the words
"Nec proditor, Nec proditor, Innocens feret." Behind the throne are
two
banners: one white with a green Teutonic cross, and the words "Deus Vult;"
and the other with a red cross and a double-headed eagle, and the words
"Aut vincere, Aut mori." The Master is styled the Grand Commander,
and
is flanked by the Grand Chancellor and the Grand Architect.
Battery: [6-1]. Aside of the Templar
legend, much of the instruction of
this degree is codified in the symbol of the "Mysterious Ladder,"
which
has two supports and seven steps, and is kept veiled until the candidate
is obligated. The supports are called O.E. ("Oheb Eloah," love of
God)
and O.K. ("Oheb Karobo," love of our Neighbor), and the seven steps
contain
the names of the sciences: astronomy, music, geometry, arithmetic, logic,
rhetoric, and grammar (from the bottom up), as well as seven sets of
[illegible] Hebrew words. There is no apron, but the jewel is a gold
Teutonic cross, enamelled in red, with the letters J.'.B.'.M.'. on the
obverse, and a skull transpierced by a poinard on the reverse.
31. GRAND INSPECTOR INQUISITOR COMMANDER
"The practical test of the neophyte
in the degree of Knight Kadosh, is
in this degree of Inquisitor Commander changed to a thorough examination
under charges against Masonic law and duty before the Order of the Five
Brethren." The candidate is on trial, primarily by the "one infallible,
unerring Judge" of Deity, but also by the accumulated history of human
lawgivers -- handed down from King Alfred the Saxon, Socrates, Confucius,
Minos, Zoroaster, and Moses. If found worthy, the virtues of repentance
and forgiveness are proclaimed, and the candidate is advanced.
The Lodge, styled a Supreme Tribunal,
is hung in white. There are ten
gilded columns, and the words "Justitia" and "Equitas" in
the East, as
well as the Tetractys of Pythagoras. In the West, over the Counsellors
(i.e. Wardens), are the words "Lenitas" and "Misericordia,"
as well as
the sacred word of the 18th degree in gold. The Master is styled the Most
Perfect President, and is flanked by a Defender on his right and an Ad-
vocate on his left.
Battery: [?]. No apron is worn in the
Supreme Tribunal, but in inferior
bodies, a white sheep-skin apron with a silver Teutonic cross may be worn.
The jewel is a silver Teutonic cross. The jewel may be suspended from a
white collar, with a gold triangle with a "31" inside it. But in inferior
bodies it may be suspended from a golden chain, the links of which form
the eight fundamental degrees of Masonry: The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 14th,
16th, 18th, and 30th.
32. SUBLIME PRINCE OF THE ROYAL SECRET
This degree, originally a Christian degree
of Knighthood, "consummates
the Templarism of Masonry." Only "a lover of wisdom and an apostle
of
Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity" is eligible to partake of this exalted
degree, which is military in character (as the previous degree was ju-
dicial). The Chivalric nature of Masonry is explained by the Knightly
Armor of the Templar, which is buckled upon the novitiate piece by piece.
The Lodge, styled a Consistory, is hung
in black, strewed with silver tears,
skulls and cross-bones, and skeletons. In the East is a throne, ascended
by seven steps, and draped in black satin with flame tears. An altar
before the throne is also draped in black satin, with a skull and cross-
bones, and the letter J above it, and the letter M below it. In front of
each Warden in the West is a table, covered in crimson, with crossed swords
and the letters "N-K .'. M-K .'." .
Also in the West is the "Camp of
the Princes:" a nonagon, which encloses
a heptagon, which encloses a pentagon, which encloses a triange, which
encloses a circle with a cross inside it. On the sides of the nonagon
are nine Tents, each denoted by a letter, a flag and pennon, a Commanding
Officer, and assigned to certain degrees of the A.A.S.R.:
Flag and Pennon Camp of... Commanding Officer
1. S White & crimson 18th, 17th Malachi
2. A Green 16th, 15th Zerubbabel
3. L Red 14th Nehemiah
4. I Black & red 13th, 12th Joabert
5. X Black 11th, 10th, 9th Paleg
6. N Red & black 8th Jehoiada
7. O Red & green 7th, 6th Aholiab
8. N Green 5th, 4th Joshua
9. I Blue 3rd, 2nd, 1st Ezra
On each of the external sides of the
pentagon are five Standards, each with
colored fields, devices, mottos, bearers, and assigned to certain degrees
of the A.A.S.R.:
Color & Device Degrees Borne by
1. T Purple, Ark of Covenant 30th, 29th
Bezaleel
2. E Blue, Gold lion with key 28th, 27th, 26th Aholiab
3. N White, Flaming heart with Black wings 25th, 24th, 23rd Mah-Shim
4. G Green, Black two-headed eagle 22nd, 21st Garimont
5. U Gold, Black ox 20th, 19th Amariah
Mottos: 1. "Laus Deo"
2. "Custos Arcani," "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam"
3. "Ardens Gloria Surgit"
4. "Corde Gladio Potens"
5. "Omnia Tempus Alit"
Inside the triangle are encamped the
Princes of the Royal Secret and
Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commanders, "with such Knights of Malta as,
having proved themselves true and faithful, may have been received among
us." Inside the circle are the five Grand Inspectors General who serve
as Lieutenant Commanders under the Most Puissant Sovereign Grand Commander.
Battery: [1-4]. The apron is white, lined
in black, with a double-headed
eagle and a plan of the Camp of the Princes. The jewel is a golden Teu-
tonic cross, with a double-headed white and black eagle in the center.
33. SOVEREIGN GRAND INSPECTOR-GENERAL
This degree, mainly executive in character,
"is conferred as an honorarium
on those who for great merit and long and arduous services have deserved
well of the Order." The mottos of this degree are "Deus Meumque Jus,"
"Unio. Toleratio. Robur.," "Ordo ab Chao," "S.A.P.I.E.N.T.I.A.,"
and
"Ad Universi Terrarum Orbis Summi Architecti Gloriam."
The Lodge, styled a Supreme Council,
is hung in purple, with skeletons
and skulls and cross-bones. A magnificent throne with a purple and gold
canopy is in the East, and a delta with the "ineffable characters"
is
beneath it. In the North is a skeleton holding the white banner of the
Order (with a black double-headed eagle, and gilded in gold), and in the
South is the flag of the country. The Lodge is lit by eleven lights (five
in the East, three in the West, one in the North, and two in the South).
______________________________________________________________________________
Note: The Commanding Colors of Various Series of AASR Degrees:
1st Series: Symbolic. . . . . . . . .
. . Blue
2nd Series: Ineffable . . . . . . . . . . Crimson
3rd Series: Historic. . . . . . . . . . . Light Green on Orange
4th Series: Philosophic . . . . . . . . . White sprinked with Crimson
5th Series: Historic and Philosophic. . . Purple
6th Series: Chivalric . . . . . . . . . . White and Black
Inspector General . . . . . . White
______________________________________________________________________________
Further Notes from...
A MANUAL FOR OFFICERS OF SUBORDINATE
BODIES
ANCIENT ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY
by Supreme Council, 33' (Northern Masonic
Jurisdiction, USA, 1955).
[ University of Delaware Library, HS 774 .A5 1955 ]
______________________________________________________________________________
* Batteries for "Grand Honors" :
Lodge of Perfection [3,5,7,3-3-3]
Council of Princes of Jerusalem [4-1]
Chapter of Rose-Croix [6-1]
Consistory of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret [1-4]
* Motto of the 33rd Degree: "Deus Meumque Jus"
From the French, "Dieu et mon Droit"
("God and my Right"), which was
Richard I's battle-cry at Gisors in 1198.
* Masonic Calendar:
Blue Lodge - Symbolic: Anno Lucis 4000
+ AD
Royal Arch - Capitular: Anno Inventionis 530 + AD
Anno Benefacio 1913 + AD
Royal & Secret Masters - Cryptic: Anno Depositionis 1000 + AD
Knights Templar - Chivalric: Anno Ordinis AD - 1118
A.A.S.R. Anno Mundi 3760 + AD
Anno Lucis is the "Year of Light."
Anno Inventionis is the "Year of
Discovery," or the building of the 2nd Temple. Anno Benefacio is the
"Year of Blessing" of Abraham by Melchizedek. Anno Depositionis is
the
"Year of Deposit," or the completion of Solomon's Temple. Anno Mundi,
or the "Year of the World," is analogous to the Jewish calendar (with
an extra year to be added after September).