Sovereign Princes, Masters Advitiam, or Venerable Grand Masters of All Symbolic Lodges
Decorations, etc.—This Lodge must be decorated with blue and yellow. The Grand Master sits on a throne elevated by nine steps, under a canopy before it is an altar, on which is a sword, bible, compass, square, mallet, etc., as in the Symbolic Lodges. Between the altar and the south is a candlestick with nine branches, which is always lighted in this Lodge. There are two Wardens in the west. The Grand Master represents Cyrus Artaxerxes (the Masonic name of Cambyses), wearing his royal ornaments, and a large blue and yellow ribbon crossing each other.
To Open.—Grand Master: “I desire to open the Lodge.” He then descends to the lowest step of the throne, and when he is assured that the Lodge is tyled, he knocks one and two with his mallet. Each Warden repeats the same, which makes nine. G. M.—“Where is your Master placed?” Warden: “In the East.” G. M.—“Why in the East?” W. “Because the glorious sun rises in the East to illumine the world.” G. M. “As I sit in the East, I open this Lodge,” which is repeated by the Wardens. Then all the brethren clap their hands one and two.
Reception.—The candidate represents Zerubbabel, who enters the Lodge by himself, without being introduced, decorated with the jewels and badges of the highest degrees he has taken. The Wardens take him by the hand, and place him in a blue elbow chair, opposite to the Grand Master, who demands from him all the words, from an Entered Apprentice upwards; and after he has satisfied the Grand Master, and is found worthy to hold a sceptre, they make him travel nine times ’round the Lodge, beginning in the South, and then by nine square steps he advances to the throne, and walks over two drawn swords, laid across. There must be a pot with burning charcoal close by the throne, that the candidate may feel the heat of the fire while taking the obligation; in doing which, he lays his right hand on the Bible, which is covered by the Grand Master’s right hand, and then takes the following obligation:
Obligation.—I, A. B., do solemnly and sincerely swear and promise, under the penalties of all my former obligations, to protect the craft and my brethren with all my might, and not to acknowledge any one for a true Mason who was not made in a regularly constituted and lawful Lodge. I furthermore do swear, that I will strictly observe and obey all the statutes and regulations of the Lodge; and that I never will disclose or discover the secrets of this degree, either directly or indirectly, except by virtue of a full power in writing, given me for that purpose by the Grand Inspector or his deputy, and then to such only as have been Masters of a regular Lodge. All this I swear under the penalties of being forever despised and dishonored by the Craft in general. He then kisses the Bible.
Here follow the signs, token, and word, viz.:—First Sign.—Form four squares, thus: with the fingers joined, and the thumb elevated, place your right hand on your heart (this forms two squares). Place the left hand on the lips, the thumb elevated so as to form a third square; place the heels so as to form a square with the feet. Second Sign.—Place yourself on your knees, elbows on the ground, the head inclined towards the left. Third Sign.—Cross the hands on the breast, the right over the left, fingers extended, thumbs elevated, and the feet forming a square. Token.—Take reciprocally the right elbow with the right hand, the thumb on the outside, the fingers joined, and on the inside; press the elbow thus four times, slip the hands down to the wrists, raising the three last fingers, and press the index on the wrist. Sacred Word.—“Razabassi,” or “Razahaz Betzi-Yah.” Pass-Words.—“Jechson,” “Jubellum,” “Zanabosan.” Some, however, give Jehovah as the sacred word, and “Belshazzar” as the pass-word.
Lecture.—Question—Are you a Grand Master of all Symbolic Lodges? Answer.—They know me at Jerusalem to be such.
Q. How shall I know that you are a Grand Master of all Symbolic Lodges? A. By observing my zeal in rebuilding the temple.
Q. Which way did you travel? A. From the South to the East.
Q. How often? A. Nine.
Q. Why so many? A. In memory of the Grand Masters who traveled to Jerusalem.
Q. Can you give me their names? A. Their names are Esdras, Zerubbabel, Phachi, Joshua, Elial, Toyada, Homen, Nehemias, and Malchias.
Q. What are the pass-words? A. “Jechson,” “Jubellum,” and “Zanabosan.”
Q. What object engaged your attention most, when you first entered the Lodge of Grand Masters? A. The candlestick with nine branches.
Q. Why are the nine candles therein always kept burning in this Lodge? A. To remind us that there cannot be less than nine Masters to form a Grand Master’s Lodge.
Q. What were your reasons for wishing to be admitted and received in this Lodge of Grand Masters? A. That I might receive the benefit of the two lights I was unacquainted with.
Q. Have you received those lights, and in what manner? A. In receiving first the small light.
Q. Explain this? A. When I was received by steel and fire.
Q. What signifies the steel? A. To remind us of the steel by which our Most Respectable Chief, Hiram Abiff, lost his life, and which I am sworn to make use of whenever I can revenge that horrible murder of the traitors of Masonry.
Q. What means the fire? A. To put us in mind that our forefathers were purified by fire.
Q. By whom were you received? A. By Cyrus.
Q. Why by Cyrus? A. Because it was he who ordered Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple.
Q. What did you promise and swear to perform when you received this degree? A. I swore that I would see the laws, statutes, and regulations strictly observed in our Lodge.
Q. What was your name before you received this degree? A. Zerubbabel.
Q. What is your name now? A. Cyrus.
Q. What means the word Animani? A. “I am that, I am;” and it is also the name of him who found the lion’s den.
Q. Why is the Lodge decorated with blue and yellow? A. To remind us that the Eternal appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai, in clouds of gold and azure, when he gave to his people the laws of infinite wisdom.
Q. Where do you find the records of our order? A. In the archives of Kilwinning, in the north of Scotland.
Q. Why did you travel from the South ’round to the East? A. In allusion to the power of the Grand Architect of the universe, which extends throughout all the world.
Q. Why did you wash your hands in the taking of one or the previous degrees? A. To show my innocence.
Q. Why is the history of Hiram Abiff so much spoken of? A. To put us always in mind that he chose rather to sacrifice his life than reveal the secrets of Masonry.
Q. Why is the triangle, with the word secret on it, considered as the most precious jewel in Masonry? A. Because by its justness, equality, and proportion, it represents our redemption.
Q. By what mark was the place discovered where Hiram Abiff was buried by his assassins? A. By a sprig of cassia (say granate).
Q. For what reason do the Master Masons in the Symbolic Lodges speak of a sprig of cassia? A. Because the Sublime Grand Elected descendants of the ancient Patriarchs did not think proper to give the real name or truth of Masonry; therefore, they agreed to say that it was a sprig of cassia, because it had a strong smell.
Q. What are the reasons for the different knocks at the door to gain admittance? A. To know and be assured that they have passed the different degrees, which number we must understand.
Q. For what reasons do we keep our mysteries with such circumspection and secrecy? A. For fear there might be found amongst us some traitorous villains similar to the three Fellow Crafts who murdered our chief, Hiram Abiff.
Q. What is the reason that the Grand Masters of all Lodges are received with so much honor in the Symbolic Lodges? A. Those homages are due to their virtues as Princes of Masons, whose firmness has been shown on so many occasions, by spilling their blood in support of Masonry and the fraternity.
Q. Why do we applaud with our hands? A. In that manner we express our happiness and satisfaction at having done a good action, and rendered justice.
Q. What reflections occur, when contemplating the conduct of Solomon? A. That a wise man may err, and when he is sensible of his fault, correct himself by acknowledging that fault, whereby he claims the indulgence of his brethren.
Q. Why do the Symbolic Lodges take the name of St. John of Jerusalem? A. Because in the time of the Crusades, the Perfect Masons, Knights, and Princes, communicated their mysteries to the Knights of that order; whereupon it was determined to celebrate their festival annually, on St. John’s day, being under the same law.
Q. Who was the first architect that conducted the works of Solomon’s temple? A. Hiram Abiff; which signifies the inspired man.
Q. Who laid the first stone? A. Solomon cut and laid the first stone, which afterwards supported the temple.
Q. Was there anything enclosed in that stone? A. Yes; some characters, which were, like the name of the Grand Architect of the Universe, only known to Solomon.
Q. What stone was it? A. An agate of a foot square.
Q. What was the form of it? A. Cubical.
Q. At what time of the day was the stone laid? A. Before sunrise.
Q. For what reason? A. To show that we must begin early and work with vigilance and assiduity.
Q. What cement did he make use of? A. A cement which was composed of the finest and purest flour, milk, oil, and wine.
Q. Is there any meaning in this composition? A. Yes; when the Grand Architect of the Universe determined to create the world, he employed his sweetness, bounty, wisdom and power.
Q. What is the reason why the number eighty-one is held in such esteem among Princes of Masons? A. Because that number explains the triple alliance which the Eternal operates by the triple triangle, which was seen at the time Solomon consecrated the temple to God; and also that Hiram Abiff was eighty-one years of age when he was murdered.
Q. Was anything else perceived at the consecration? A. A perfume which not only filled the temple, but all Jerusalem.
Q. Who destroyed the temple? A. Nebuchadnezzar.
Q. How many years after it was built? A. Four hundred and seventy years, six months, and ten days, after its foundation.
Q. Who built the second temple? A. Zerubbabel, by the grant and aid of Cyrus, King of Persia. It was finished in the reign of Darius, when he was known to be a Prince of Jerusalem. Cyrus not only gave Zerubbabel and the captive Masons their liberty, but ordered all the treasures of the old temple to be restored to them, that they might embellish the second temple, which he had ordered Zerubbabel to build.
Q. What signifies the jewel of the Right Worshipful Grand Master of all Lodges being a triangle? A. He wears it in remembrance of the presents given by monarchs and the protectors of the order, in recompense for their zeal, fervor, and constancy.
Q. What way have you traveled to become a Right Worshipful Grand Master of all Lodges, and Grand Patriarch? A. By the four elements.
Q. Why by the four elements? A. To put us in mind of this world, and the troubles in which we live; to cleanse ourselves from all impurities, and thereby render ourselves worthy of perfect virtue.
Q. Where was the Lodge of Grand Masters first held? A. In the sacred vault, east of the temple.
Q. Where is that lodge held at present? A. All over the world, agreeably to the orders of Solomon, when he told us to travel and to spread over the universe, to teach Masonry to those whom we should find worthy of it, but especially to those who should receive us kindly, and who were virtuous men.
Q. What did Solomon give you to remember him at your departure? A. He rewarded the merits of all the workmen, and showed to the Chief Master the cubic stone of agate, on which was engraved, on a gold plate, the sacred name of God.
Q. How was the agate stone supported? A. On a pedestal of a triangular form, surrounded with three cross pillars, which were also surrounded by a circle of brass.
Q. What signifies the three pillars? A. Strength, wisdom and beauty.
Q. What was in the middle of the circle? A. The point of exactness, which teaches us the point of perfection.
Q. What else did Solomon give you? A. The great sign of admiration and consternation, by which I am known by a brother. He also put a ring on my finger, in remembrance of my alliance with virtue, and loaded us with kindness.
Q. Why have you a sun on the jewel of perfection? A. To show that we have received the full light, and know Masonry in its perfection.
Q. Who destroyed the second temple which was finished by the Princes of Jerusalem? A. Pompey began its destruction, and King Herodes the Great finished it.
Q. Who rebuilt it again? A. King Herodes repenting the action he had unjustly done, recalled all the Masons to Jerusalem who had fled, and directed them to rebuild the temple.
Q. Who destroyed the third temple? A. Tito, the son of the Emperor Vespasian. The Masons, who with sorrow saw the temple again destroyed, departed from Rome, after having embraced the Catholic religion, and determined never to assist in constructing another.
Q. What became of those Masons afterwards? A. They divided themselves into several companies, and went into different parts of Europe, but the greatest part of them went to Scotland, and built a town which they called Kilwinning; at this time there is a Lodge there, bearing the same name.
Q. What happened to them afterwards? A. Twenty-seven thousand of the Masons in Scotland determined to assist the Christian Princes and Knights, who were at that time at Jerusalem, in a crusade for the purpose of taking the Holy Land and city from the infidels, who were then in possession of it; and they accordingly obtained leave of the Scottish monarch.
Q. What happened most remarkable to them? A. Their bravery and good conduct gained them the esteem and respect of all the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. The general of that order, and the principal officers, took the resolution of being admitted into the secrets of Masonry, which they accordingly received; and in return they admitted them into their order.
Q. What became of those Masons afterwards? A. After the crusade they returned and spread Masonry throughout all Europe, which flourished for a long time in France and England; but the Scotch, to their great praise be it spoken, were the only people who kept up the practice of it.
Q. How came it again in vogue in France? A. A Scotch nobleman went to France and became a resident at Bordeaux, where he establishes a Lodge of Perfection, from the members of the Lodge in 1744; in which he was assisted by a French gentleman, who took great pleasure in all the Masonic degrees. This still exists in a most splendid manner.
Q. What means the fire in our Lodge? A. Submission, purification of morals, and equality among brethren.
Q. What signifies the air? A. The purity, virtue, and truth of this degree.
Q. What does the sign of the sun mean? A. It signifies that some of us are more enlightened than others in the Mysteries of Masonry; and for that reason we are often called Knights of the Sun.
Q. How many signs have you in this degree of Grand Pontiff, which is Grand Master of all Lodges? A. 1st, The sign of the earth, or Apprentice; 2d, of water—Fellow Craft; 3d, of terror—the Master; 4th, of fire; 5th, of air; 6th, of the point in view; 7th, of the sun; 8th, of astonishment; 9th, of honor; 10th, of stench, or strong smell; 11th, of admiration; 12th, of consternation. End of the Lecture.
To Close.—The Grand Master says, “My brother, enter into the cave of Silol—work with Grand Rofadam—measure your steps to the sun, and then the great black eagle will cover you with his wings, to the end of what you desire, by the help of the Most Sublime Princes Grand Commanders.” He then strikes four and two, makes the sign of four squares, which is repeated by the Wardens, and the Lodge is closed.
The examination of a brother in the foregoing degree is as follows:
Q. From whence came you? A. From the sacred vault at Jerusalem.
Q. What are you come to do here? A. I am come to see and visit your works and show you mine, that we may work together and rectify our morals, and, if possible, sanctify the profane—but only by permission of a Prince Adept, or Prince of the Royal Secret (if one is present).
Q. What have you brought? A. Glory, grandeur and beauty.
Q. Why do you give the name of St. John to our Lodge? A. Formerly all the Lodges were under the name of Solomon’s Lodge, as the founder of Masonry; but since the crusades we have agreed with the Knights Templars, or Hospitallers, to dedicate them to St. John, as he was the support of the Christians and the new laws.
Q. What do you ask more? A. Your will and pleasure as you may find me worthy, obedient, and virtuous.