Grand Elect, Perfect, and Sublime Mason
Opening.—Most Perfect knocks three (Grand Marshal rises), “Are we all,” etc. Most Perfect knocks five, and Junior Warden rises. Most Perfect says, “Brother Junior Warden, what is the hour?” Ans. “High twelve.”
Q. What do you understand by high twelve? A. That the sun has gained its meridian height, and darts its rays with greatest force on this Lodge. Most Perfect says, “It is then time that we should profit by its light.” Most Perfect knocks seven, and Senior Warden rises, and Most Perfect says, “Venerable Brother Senior Warden, what brings you here?” A. My love of Masonry, my obligation, and a desire for perfection.
Q. What are the proper qualities for acquiring it? A. Frequent innocence and benevolence.
Q. How are you to conduct in this place? A. With the most profound respect.
Q. Why is it that men of all conditions assembled in this place are called brethren, and are all equal? A. Because the ineffable name puts us in mind that there is one being superior to us all.
Q. Why is respect paid to the triangle? A. Because it contains the name of the Grand Architect of the universe. Most Perfect knocks nine, and brethren all rise. Most Perfect says, “Brother Senior Warden, give notice that I am going to open a Lodge of Perfect Grand Elect and Sublime Masons, by the mysterious number 3, 5, 7 and 9. Senior Warden obeys. Signs of former degrees given, then the Most Perfect knocks three, and all the brethren give the first sign of this degree. Most Perfect knocks three, and then third sign. Most Perfect knocks three, five, seven and nine, Senior Warden the same, Junior Warden the same, and then all the brethren with their hands, & Most Perfect declares Lodge open.
Note.—Behind the Master is the burning bush, in which is a transparent triangle, with five Hebrew letters signifying “God” placed therein. In the west is the pillar of beauty. The pedestal appearing to be broken is a part of the pillar of Enoch, the pieces of which were found among the ruins, and carefully put together. The Lodge is adorned with vases of gold and silver, urns, etc., which were found among the ruins. The lights are thus arranged: three in the west, behind the Junior Warden; five in the East, behind the Senior Warden; seven in the south, and nine behind the Master. The brethren are seated in a triangular form around the altar.
Lecture.—Question—What are you? Ans. I am three times three, the Perfect’s number of eighty-one, according to our mysterious numbers.
Q. Explain that? A. I am a Perfect Grand Elect and Sublime Mason; my trials are finished, and it is now time I should reap the fruits of my labor.
Q. Where were you made a Grand Elect Mason? A. In a place not enlightened by the sun nor moon.
Q. Where was that place situated? A. Under the Sanctum Sanctorum.
Q. How did you gain admission? A. By the nine pass-words of Knights of the Ninth Arch, which brought me to the door of the ante-chamber leading to the sacred vaults, where I gave three distinct knocks.
Q. How were they answered? A. By three from within.
Q. What was said to you? A. Who comes there?
Q. Your answer? A. A Knight of the Ninth Arch, who wishes to be admitted into the sacred vault.
Q. What was then said to you? A. I was directed to give the pass; when I did I was permitted to pass to the second door of the ante-chamber, where I gave three and five knocks, which were answered by three and five and seven from within, and the pass-word demanded as before, which I gave, and was permitted to pass to the door of the sacred vault, where I gave three, five and seven and nine distinct knocks. (Note.—These knocks are answered from within by the Junior and Senior Wardens, and Most Perfect; and Most Perfect says, “Brother Junior Warden, see who knocks there in the manner of a Perfect Grand Elect and Sublime Mason.”)
Q. To what do these knocks allude? A. The three knocks signify the age of the Entered Apprentice, and the number of the Grand Marshal Architects who penetrated the bowels of the earth. The five allude to the age of the Fellow Craft and the number of the Grand Elect Perfect and Sublime Masters who placed the sacred treasure upon the pedestal of beauty.
Q. What are their names? A. Solomon, Hiram, King of Tyre, Gibulum, Joabert, and Stokin. The seven allude to the age of the Master Mason, and to Enoch who was the seventh from Adam. The nine represent the age of the Perfect Grand Elect and Sublime Mason, and the nine guards of the arches.
Q. How were these knocks answered? A. By three, five, seven and nine from within.
Q. What followed? A. I was asked, “Who comes there?”
Q. Your answer? A. A Knight of the Ninth Arch, who is desirous of being admitted into the sacred vault and arriving at perfection.
Q. What followed? A. The pass was demanded, which I gave and was ordered to wait until the Most Perfect in the East had been informed of my request and his answer returned.
Q. What was his answer? A. Let him be introduced in ancient form.
Q. What was that form? A. I was conducted to the west and placed between the Wardens, and having made the sign of admiration, was thus interrogated by the Most Perfect: “My Brother, what is your desire? A. To be made a Perfect Grand Elect and Sublime Mason.”
Q. What followed? A. The Most Perfect said, “Before I can initiate you, you must satisfy us that you are well skilled in Masonry, otherwise you must be sent back until you are better qualified,” whereupon I was thus examined:
Q. Are you a Mason? A. My brethren all know me as such.
Q. Give me the sign, token and word? A. (Given.)
Q. Are you a Fellow Craft? A. I have seen the letter G and know the pass.
Q. Give me the sign, token and word? A. (Given.)
Q. Are you a Master Mason? A. I have seen the sprig of cassia, and know what it means.
Q. Give me the sign, token and words? A. (Given.)
Q. Are you a Secret Master? A. I have passed from the square to the compass opened to seven degrees.
Q. Give me the sign, token and words? A. (Given.)
Q. Are you a Perfect Master? A. I have seen the tomb of our respectable Master, Hiram Abiff, and have, in company with my brethren, shed tears at the same.
Q. Give me the sign, token and words? A. (Given.)
Q. Are you an Intimate Secretary? A. My curiosity is satisfied, but it nearly cost me my life.
Q. Give me the sign, token and words? A. (Given.)
Q. Are you a Provost and Judge? A. I am, and render justice to all men, without distinction.
Q. Give me the sign, token and words? A. (Given.)
Q. Are you an Intendant of the Buildings? A. I have made the five steps of exactness, I penetrated the inmost part of the temple, and have seen the great light in which were three mysterious characters, J. J. J.
Q. Give me the sign, token and words? A. (Given.)
Q. Are you an Elected Knight? A. One cavern received me, one lamp gave me light, and one fountain refreshed me.
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 Illustrious 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 God 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 pronounce 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 pass-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 attitude 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 pronunciation of his name should be revealed to their posterity, and the perfection attained when this promise was fulfilled.
Q. Give me the second token? [Pass 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 pass-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. God be praised, we have finished it.
Q. What followed? A. The Most Perfect caused me to pronounce the mysterious word of this degree.
Q. Pronounce it? A. I cannot but once in my life.
Q. How will you then give it? A. * * * * [A Hebrew pronunciation of God.]
Q. What followed? A. The Most Perfect thus addressed me: “You are already acquainted with the fact, that the true pronunciation of the name of God 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 pronunciations. Hence, though the method of writing this word remained uniform, its pronunciation underwent many changes. These changes constitute 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 pronounced by
| 3 | { | Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah, | } | Juha (Yu-haw.) | ||
| 7 | { { | Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abraham, Isaac, Judah, | } | Jova (Yo-waw). | { | 7 ages. |
| 5 | { { | Shem, Arphaxed, Salah, Eber, and Peleg, | } | Jeva (Ye-waw). | { { | 5 ages. |
| 9 | { { | Hezron, Ram, | } | (Yay-wo) Jevo. | { { { | 9 ages. |
| Aminadab, Nasshou, | } | Jevah (Ye-way). | ||||
| Salmon, Boaz, Obed, | } | Johe (Yo-hay). | ||||
| Jesse, David, | } | Jehovah (Ye-ho-waw). |
The true pronunciation 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 God) which was engraved on the triangle of Enoch. In this engraving the vowel points are so arranged as to give the pronunciation which you have just received (Yow-ho). This word, when thus pronounced, 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 God.”
Q. What then followed? A. The Most Perfect gave me the secret characters of this degree, and then invested me with the jewels, apron, 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.