The Mysteries of Free Masonry Part 30

Q. Give me the sign, token and words? A. (Given.)

Q. Are you a Master Elected of Fifteen? A. My zeal and works have procured me that honor.

Q. Give me, etc.? Are you an Ill.u.s.trious Knight? A. My name will inform you.

Q. Give me, etc. Are you a Grand Master Architect? A. I know the use of the mathematical instruments.

Q. Give me, etc. Are you a Knight of the Ninth Arch? A. I have penetrated through the bowels of the earth, through nine arches, and have seen the brilliant triangle.

Q. Give me, etc. What then followed? A. The Most Perfect inquired of the brethren whether they consented that I should be exalted to the sublime and mysterious degree of Perfection, whereupon one of the brethren rose and said, "I have objections to this candidate." The Most Perfect inquired what these objections were, to which this brother answered, "I will communicate them if the candidate retires."

I was then ordered to retire, which I did.

Q. What then followed? A. Shortly after, the Master of Ceremonies conducted me again into the Lodge, and placing me in the west, I was asked the following questions, viz.:--1st, Have you never wilfully revealed any of the secrets of Masonry? 2d, Have you always been charitable towards your brethren? 3d, Have you never defrauded a brother? 4th, Are you in the habit of using the name of G.o.d profanely?

5th, Does your conscience accuse you of having committed any offence against your brethren, which ought to debar you from receiving this degree? Be sincere, and answer me. Which questions being answered, the Most Perfect said, "Brethren, do you consent that this candidate be admitted among us? If you do, raise your right hands." Which being done, I was directed to approach the altar, by three, five, seven and nine steps, which I did, and took upon me the obligation of a Perfect Grand Elect and Sublime Mason.

Q. Repeat that obligation? A. (Same as Perfect Master.) I further promise that I will aid all my worthy brethren in distress and sickness, as far, etc., with my counsel as well as my purse. I further promise, etc. that I will not be concerned in conferring this degree upon any Mason whose character and knowledge I disapprove, nor unless he has been elected and installed as an officer in some regular Lodge, Chapter, Encampment, or Council. I further promise that I will never fully p.r.o.nounce more than once in my life the mysterious word of this degree, under penalty of having my body cut in twain. So help, etc.

Amen, Amen, Amen.

Q. What followed? A. While I was still in a kneeling posture, the Most Most Perfect said, "Let us pray," which was done, and the Master of Ceremonies then presented the hod and trowel to the Most Perfect, who said, "My brother, I shall now proceed to anoint you with the holy oil wherewith Aaron, David, and the wise Solomon were anointed." And then anointing my head, lips and heart, at the same time said, "Behold how good and pleasant," etc., and then placing his hand upon me, said, "I impress you," etc.

Q. What followed? A. The Most Perfect presented me with the bread and wine, and rising, said, "Eat of this bread," etc. When this part of the ceremony was ended the brethren made a libation according to ancient usage.

Q. What followed? A. The Most Perfect raised me and said, "That which I shall now communicate to you, will make you accomplished in Masonry." He then gave me three signs, three tokens, the three pa.s.s-words, and the three grand words of this degree.

Q. Give me the signs? [First sign made like Master Mason's, with hands clenched.]

Q. To what does this sign allude? A. To the penalty of the obligation.

[Second sign: bring your right hand upright, the palm outwards to guard your left cheek, your left hand supporting your elbow, then guard your right cheek with left hand, etc.]

Q. To what does that sign allude? A. To the manner in which Moses guarded his eyes from the light of the burning bush, from which the Almighty revealed to him his true name. [Third sign is that of surprise: raise both hands as high as the shoulders, and step back with the right foot.]

Q. To what does this sign allude? A. To the att.i.tude of Solomon and Hiram, when the sacred treasure was first produced.

Q. Give me the first token? [First token same as Intimate Secretary, giving the words Berith, Neder, Shelemoth]

Q. What do those signify? A. Alliance, Promise and Protection.

Q. To what do they allude? A. To the alliance of Moses and Aaron, of Solomon and Hiram, King of Tyre. The promise made by the Almighty to the ancient patriarchs that the true p.r.o.nunciation of his name should be revealed to their posterity, and the perfection attained when this promise was fulfilled.

Q. Give me the second token? [Pa.s.s from Master's grip, and seize his right arm above the elbow, and place your left hand on his right shoulder.]

Q. Give me the third token? [With your left hand seize your brother's right elbow, and with your right hand, his right shoulder.]

Q. Give me the three pa.s.s-words? A. First, Master Mason's; second, Elhanon; third, Fellow Craft's, repeated thrice.

Q. Give me the three grand words? A. First, Gibulum; second, Eh-yeh-asher-eh-yeh.

Q. What does that word signify? A. I am what I am. Third, El-hod-dihu kaw-lu.

Q. What does that word signify? A. G.o.d be praised, we have finished it.

Q. What followed? A. The Most Perfect caused me to p.r.o.nounce the mysterious word of this degree.

Q. p.r.o.nounce it? A. I cannot but once in my life.

Q. How will you then give it? A. * * * * [A Hebrew p.r.o.nunciation of G.o.d.]

Q. What followed? A. The Most Perfect thus addressed me: "You are already acquainted with the fact, that the true p.r.o.nunciation of the name of G.o.d was revealed to Enoch, and that he engraved the letters composing that name on a triangular plate of gold. The name was represented by the four Hebrew consonants, Jod, He, Vau, and He. The vowel sounds of this language being represented by points placed above the consonants, and being frequently omitted in writing, the consonants composing the mysterious word, at different ages, received different p.r.o.nunciations. Hence, though the method of writing this word remained uniform, its p.r.o.nunciation underwent many changes. These changes const.i.tute what are termed the different ages of Masonry.

These are 3, 5, 7 and 9. These are the three ages of Masonry, and are thus estimated:

After the death of Enoch, the ineffable name was p.r.o.nounced by

{ Methuselah, } 3 { Lamech, and } Juha (Yu-haw.) { Noah, }

{ Reu, } { { Serug, } { { Nahor, } { 7 { Terah, } Jova { 7 ages.

{ Abraham, } (Yo-waw). { { Isaac, } { { Judah, } {

{ Shem, } { { Arphaxed, } { 5 { Salah, } Jeva { 5 ages.

{ Eber, and } (Ye-waw). { { Peleg, } {

{ Hezron, } (Yay-wo) } { Ram, } Jevo. } { Aminadab, } Jevah } { Na.s.shou, } (Ye-way). } 9 { Salmon, } } 9 ages.

{ Boaz, } Johe } { Obed, } (Yo-hay). }

Jesse, } Jehovah } David, } (Ye-ho-waw). }

The true p.r.o.nunciation of the name was revealed to Enoch, Jacob, and Moses, and on that account are not named in this enumeration. The perfect number is thus formed:--The number of corrupted words is 9.

The ages of Masonry, 3, 5, 7, 9--24, multiplied by 3, the number gotten who discovered Tunsune (noticed in the degree of the Knight of the Ninth Arch), gives the product 72; to this add 9, the number of corrupted words, the amount is 81. The mysterious words which you received in the preceding degrees, are all so many corruptions of the true name (of G.o.d) which was engraved on the triangle of Enoch. In this engraving the vowel points are so arranged as to give the p.r.o.nunciation which you have just received (Yow-ho). This word, when thus p.r.o.nounced, is called the ineffable word, which cannot be altered as other words are, and the degrees which you have received, are called, on this account, INEFFABLE DEGREES. This word you will recollect was not found until after the death of Hiram Abiff, consequently the word engraved by him on the ark is not the true name of G.o.d."

Q. What then followed? A. The Most Perfect gave me the secret characters of this degree, and then invested me with the jewels, ap.r.o.n, and girdle of this degree, and I was again addressed:--"I now with the greatest pleasure salute you," etc.

CLOSING.--Most Perfect knocks three (Grand Marshal rises), "The last,"

etc., etc. Most Perfect knocks five, and Junior Warden rises. "Brother Junior Warden, what is the hour?" Most Perfect knocks seven, and Senior Warden rises. Most Perfect says, "Venerable Brother Senior Warden, how should the Grand Elect, Perfect and Sublime Mason part?"

A. "They should part in peace, love, and unity." Most Perfect knocks nine, all brethren rise. Signs. Most Perfect knocks three, five, seven and nine, Junior Warden the same, Senior Warden the same, and brethren the same, with their hands, etc.

THE PHILOSOPHICAL LODGE; OR, THE KEY OF MASONRY: BEING THE DEGREE OF KNIGHTS ADEPTS OF THE EAGLE OR SUN.

This Council must be illuminated by one single light, and is enlightened by one divine light: because there is one single light that s.h.i.+nes among men, who have the happiness of going from the darkness of ignorance and of the vulgar prejudices, to follow the only light that leads to the celestial truth. The light that is in our Lodge, is composed of a gla.s.s globe filled with water, and a light placed behind it, which renders the light more clear. The gla.s.s of reflection, the globe, when it is lighted, is placed in the south.

ROBE AND SCEPTRE.--The Grand Master or Thrice Puissant, is named "Father Adam," who is placed in the East, vested in a robe of pale yellow, like the morning. He has his hat on, and in his right hand a sceptre, on the top of which is a globe of gold. The handle or extremity of the sceptre is gilt. The reason that Father Adam carries the globe above the sceptre in this Council is, because he was const.i.tuted Sovereign Master of the world, and created Sovereign Father of all men. He carries a SUN suspended by a chain of gold around his neck; and on the reverse of this jewel of gold is a globe.

When this degree is given, no jewel or ap.r.o.n is worn.

There is only one Warden, who sits opposite Father Adam in the west, and is called Brother Truth. He is ent.i.tled to the same ornaments as Father Adam; and the order that belongs to this degree is a broad white watered ribbon worn as a collar, with an eye of gold embroidered thereon, above the gold chain and jewel of the sun. The number of other officers is seven, and are called by the name of the cherubim, as follows: Zaphriel, Zabriel, Camiel, Uriel, Michael, Zaphael, and Gabriel. These ought to be decorated in the same manner as the Thrice Puissant Father Adam. If there are more than that number of the Knights of the Sun, they go by the name of Sylphs, and are the preparers of the Council, and a.s.sistants in all the ceremonies or operations of the Lodge. They are ent.i.tled to the same jewel, but have a ribbon of a fiery color tied to the third b.u.t.ton-hole of their coat.

TO OPEN THE GRAND COUNCIL.--Father Adam says:--"Brother Truth, what time is it on earth?" Brother Truth: "Mighty Father, it is midnight among the profane, or cowans, but the sun is in its meridian in this Lodge." Father Adam: "My dear children, profit by the favor of this austere luminary, at present showing its light to us, which will conduct us in the path of virtue, and to follow that law which is eternally to be engraved on our hearts, and the only law by which we cannot fail to come to the knowledge of pure truth." He then makes a sign, by putting his right hand on his left breast; on which all the brethren put up the first finger of the right hand above their heads, the other fingers clenched, showing by that, that there is but one G.o.d, who is the beginning of all truth; then Father Adam says, "This Lodge is opened."