The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

436
Chapter 7 - Rituals
Jerusalem were taken by thousands as captives to Babylon. There, they remained
for seventy years, until they were liberated by Cyrus, King of Persia. The three
candidates now play the role of three returning descendants of these captives (if
there are more candidates, they march with them as spectators), who are Most
Excellent Masters (the previous American degree). They come back to Jerusalem
to help rebuild the temple under the direction of Zerubbabel. After travelling
over rugged roads, they arrive at the outer veil (1 st veil) of the tabernacle, which
was erected near the ruins of King Solomon's temple. This tabernacle, an oblong
square, is enclosed by four veils and divided into separate apartments by four
cross veils, which are parted in the center and guarded by four guards with drawn
swords. At the east end of the tabernacle, Haggai, Joshua, and Zerubbabel sit in
grand council, to examine all who wish to be employed in the work of rebuilding
the temple.
In the past, King David had instructed his son Solomon to build a secret
apartment in the temple as an invulnerable protection to the Ark of the Covenant
and the tablets of Moses (called the Book of Law) which were in King David's
possession by heritage. The three candidates (i.e. workmen) are employed to
clear the rubbish of the ruins and hereby find a secret vault containing these
items. As in Craft Masonry, before attaining this aim the candidates have to
undertake perilous travels which symbolize - as in many Masonic and quasi-
Masonic rituals, for example the Job's Daughters - the journey of life:
The destruction of the temple reminds us that, in the destruction of an
ambition or most cherished possession, we should with courage replace
the loss and thus share the reward of an equal achievement. The route
taken by the return of the captives signifies the journey of life. The
desert places representing periods of depression when even the giving of
a drink shows that kindness comes in unexpected times and places. The
rich valleys of plenty refers [sic] to prosperous times when we should
ourselves extend kindnesses to the less fortunate. In life's journey, we
have bridges to cross and we sometimes lose our way into abandoned
paths, but the God of our Fathers - the Eternal God, that is - the Great I
Am - will guide us to our greatest objective - the long lost 'Master's
Word.' 1345
The meeting room of the Royal Arch Degree is called "Chapter," not lodge.
The previous sections have shown that a lodge of Entered Apprentices has to be
made up by at least seven (1 Master Mason and 6 Entered Apprentices), a Fellow
Craft lodge of five (2 Master Masons and 3 Fellow Crafts), and a Master Mason's
lodge of three (3 Master Masons) 1346 . In the Royal Arch Degree, the
constitutional number that has to be present to open the Chapter is "three times
three," i.e. nine. 1347 As in the first three degrees, in the Royal Arch Degree the
1345 P. 124.
1346 Cf. Duncan, p. 126.
1347 Cf. p. 113.