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

Chapter 7 - Rituals 443
candidates in single file under the "living arch." The candidates have been
prepared thus: they are hoodwinked, their coats are removed, they wear a Master
Mason's apron, they are shod with slippers, and a cabletow is put seven times
about the body of each and connected one to the other. The Principal Sojourner
who acts as their guide gives an alarm, whereupon the Royal Arch Captain
reports to the Captain of the Host that there is an alarm at the door of the
preparation room. He is ordered to let the strangers enter if they are duly
qualified. The Royal Arch Captain inquires who comes there, and the Principal
Sojourner answers: "Three Most Excellent Masters, who now seek further
promotion in Masonry by being exalted to the august degree of Royal Arch
Masonry." 1367 This phrase has a parallel in all Masonic degrees and defines the
characters the candidates are going to assume, as well as their aims (i.e.
searching further light in Masonry). The Principal Sojourner provides the pass,
and they are allowed to enter through the "living arch." The stage directions of
the ritual hint at the fact that the hands of the companions forming the ark should
be sufficiently low and firmly braced to make the candidates stoop low when
passing under. 1368 This is accompanied by the Biblical words pronounced by the
Principal Sojourner that they should remember that "whosoever humbleth
himself shall be exalted."
Parallel to Craft Masonry, where the candidates for the first degree are
received into the lodge "on one point of the compasses," the candidates for the
second degree "upon the angle of the square," the candidates for the third degree
"on both points of the compasses," and the candidates for the Mark Master
degree "on the chisel and the mallet," the candidates for the Royal Arch Degree
are received under the living arch. Before commencing their journey, the
candidates have to kneel down at the altar, and the blessing of the Deity is
invoked. Hereafter, the candidates have to take the solemn obligation of the
degree, placing both hands upon the Bible, the square, and the compass. If there
are more than three candidates, the rest stand behind those at the altar, with their
right hands over their hearts and their left hands on the right shoulder of the
candidate in front. The obligation contains the promise to keep the secrets, to
obey the Royal Arch authorities and by-laws, to help distressed companions,
their widows, and orphans, not to partake in unlawful congregations of Royal
Arch Masons, not to shed the blood of a companion Royal Arch Mason
unlawfully, and not to impart the "Great and Sacred Name." The symbolic
penalty attached to this oath appears in cipher, but Duncan gives it in full in his
Ritual and Monitor: "[...] binding myself under no less penalty, than to have my
skull smote off, and my brains exposed to the scorching rays of the meridian sun,
should I knowingly or wilfully violate or transgress any part of this my solemn
oath or obligation of a Royal Arch Mason." 1369 In token of their sincerity, all
candidates have to kiss the Bible seven times. 1370
1367 P. 126.
1368 P. 127.
1369 Duncan, p. 229.
1370 Ibid.