Scottish Rite Masonry Illustrated - The Masonic Trowel

CHAPTER XL
TwENTY-SECOND DEGREE; kMOiIT OF TIlE ROYAL Am
Oil Piti NCE OF LIHANCS.isn
INITIATION.
[Thc candidate is prepared by the Senior Deacon as a
Prwsian Knight or Ro~ e Croix, ‘it ith sword, etc., and
bi-oughit to the door of the second apartment in which
the officers anil hrethren are seated round the table, on
tthn Ii art hilan~ .ind inathematie~il instruments and
knoL bt”; Oil]
Junior J)cut tiit~—}Opvfling the door.) Who comes
hcrc?
.‘,(Iiil)r I)cwon—A \\‘orth~ Prtissi~in Knight and
Knight of the Ro~c (‘roix, ~~hiodcsires to obtain the degree
of Prince of Lihanus.
Junior Deacon—has he received all the preceding
degrees?
Scnwr Deacon—lie has.
Junior Dt’aco,i—~Ias lie proved himself a true
Knight?
Scnitir Deacon—lie hia~.
Note 260 —Knight of lbs Royal Axe, (ChaYaliar de Ia royale Kaehe
‘ihe tarily-ircond degree of ihe Ailent and Accepted Scottish Rite
called aim Priiite of Lilisisa or telianon it was instituted to record
the memorable servies ri-odered to Masonry by the ‘mighty cedars of
lebanon The legend of Cli’ degrie inloima us that the Sidonlaits
were employed in oiling cedars on Mount Lihanus or Lebanos for the
construction of Noah’s ark Their desceadatits aubseiioeiitiy cut cedars
from the same place br the ark of the covenailt, and the descendants of
these were a gal a employed in the same offices, and in the same Dlace.
in obtaining materials for boilding Solomon’s Temple. Lastly. Zerubbabel
employed them in cutting the cedars of Lebanon for the use of
the second Temple This celebrated nation formed colleges on Mount
Lebanon. and in their labors always adored the Great Architect of the
Universe. I have no doubt that this last sentence refers lo the DruseS.
that seciet ‘teet of Theists who still reside upon Mount Lebanon and in
lb ailisecit parts 01 Syria and Palestine. and whose mysterIous eere~
monies have atirseted ‘to mitch of the curiosIty of Eastern traveliers.”
Mackeys Enoyolopaedia of Yraamaaois57. hztiola Knight of the 30.1
Axe.
INITIATION. 89
Junior Deacon—What further claims has he to this
privilege?
Senior Deacon—The claim of birth and rank in MasoRry.
Junior Deacon—Let him wait a time with patience
until the College is informed of his request. (Junior
Deacon shuts the door.)
Chief Prince—Brother Junior Deacon, who seeks admission
to the College?
Junior Deacou—A Worthy Prussian Knight and
Knight of the Rose Croix, who desires to obtain the
degree of Prince of Libanus.
Chief Prince—Has he received all the preceding degrees?
Junior Deacon—He has.
Chief Prince—Has lie approved himself a true
Knight?
Junior Deacon—He has.
Chief Prince—Wllat further claims has he to this
privilege?
Junior Deacon—The claim of birth and rank in Masonry.
Chief Prince—The claim is not sufficient, but let him
be admitted. (Junior Deacon opens the door and the
Senior Deacon conducts candidate to the table.)
Chief Prince—Is it your desire my brother, to obtain
the degree of Prince of Libanus?
Candidate—It is.
Chief Prince—We know the ground on which you
claim it, but birth is not regarded here, and rank in Masonry
does not of itself suffice. We are all workmen in
~ur several vocations. You see us now engaged in preparing
plans for the laborers and studying the calculations
of astronomy, None can by our constitutions, be
admitted to the high privileges of this degree nnless he
hath first wrought one year in the workshop, and obtained
the unanimous suifrages of the workmen.
Is your desire for this degree sufficient to induce you
to lay aside your insignia, your sword and jewels for a