Scottish Rite Masonry Illustrated - The Masonic Trowel

“34 PRINCE OF THE TAnERNACLE.
they shall keep all the instruments of the Tabernacle of
the congregation, and the charge of the chi]dren of
Israel, to do the service of the Tabernacle. And thou
shalt give the Levites unto Aaron, and to his sons; they
are wholly given unto him, out of the chi]dr~n of Is~
rael. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons; and
they shall wait on their Priest’s office, and the stranger
that cometh nigh shall be put to death. (Candidate
baits in the South in front of Bezaleel, who pours a
small quantity of water on his head,)
Bezaleel—Thou hast reached the South, I teat thee
with water, the second test. Let it ever remind thee
that none but the pure of heart can be admitted to the
Holy Tabernacle in the heavens. (Senior Deacon conducts
him slowly three times around the room.)
Aaron—At the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation,
I will meet with the children of Israel and I
will sanctify the Tabernacle of the congregation and
the altar; I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons
to minister to me in the Priest’s office, and I will dwell
among the children of Israel and I will be their God,
and they shall know that I am the Lord their God that
brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I
might dwell among them, I the Lord their God. (Candidate
halts in the West in front of Aaron, who causes
him to kneel on some sand and gravel.)
Aaron—Thou hast reached the West, I test thee with
earth. It is the common mother, and to it, our frail
bodies return. It is well to kneel upon its bosom when
we implore the mercy and forgiveness of God, Let the
beneficence of the earth, which produceth liberally and
generously, even for the unworthy, teach thee generosity
and that the open hand is a fit companion of the
pure heart. (Senior Deacon then conducts him slowly
tllree times around the room.)
INITIATION.
135
~BezaIeel—Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment,
Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor,
nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness
shalt thou judge thy neighbor. Thou shalt not hate
thy brother in thy heart. Thou shalt not seek revenge,
nor beer ill-will against the children of thy people, but
thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (Candidate
halts in the East at the station of the Thrice Puissant.
The members with fans make a wind about him while
he is thus addressed:)
Thrice Puissant—Thou hast reached the East; I test
thee with air,” the life of all men; the free inestimable
gift of God. Like him, it is mighty, but invisible; like
him it blesses us ever. Be thou liberal and generous as
the air, for it God freely gives thee light and air, and
asks in return nothing but gratitude and whispered
thanks, thou mayest well afford to share thy plenty with
thy destitute, afflicted and unfortunate brethren.
Thrice Puissant—Brother Senior Deacon, whence
come you?
Senior Deacon—Out of darkness.
Thrice Puissant—And whither go you?
Note 3S3.—”Eiementa. It was the doctrine of tbe old philosophies,
sustained by the authority of Aristotle. that there were four principles of
matter—fire, sir, earth. and water—which they called elements. Modern
science has shown the fallacy of the theory. But it was also taught hy
the Kabbalista. and afterwards by the Rosicruclans, who, according to
the Abbe de viliars (Le Conste Se Gabalis), peopled them with loper.
miatural beings called. In the fire. fislamandera; in the air. firiphs: In the
earth. Gnomes: and in the water. Undines. From the Itosicruclans and
the Kabbalists, the doctrine passed over Into some of the high degrees
of Masonry, and is especially referred to it the Ecoassis or Scottish
Knight of St. Andrew, originally invented by the Chevalier Ramsey.
In this degree we find the four angels of the four elements described as
Ardarel. the angel of fire; casmarn, of air; Tallisad, of water; sod
I’uriac, of earth: end the signs refer to the same elements. ‘—M*obsy’a
Zmo~olopwdia of f,eemsaoaiy, Laticle Ilsuenta.