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

Chapter 7 - Rituals 445
Am." Thus, they are allowed to pass within the first veil and receive the words
Shem, Ham, and Japheth, as well as the sign of the Master of the 1 st Veil. The
Master of the 1 st Veil makes this sign with his sword, placing the point of the
sword on the floor, throwing its hilt forward, so that it lies flat on the floor with
its point turned towards him. This sign alludes to the rod cast on the ground by
Moses on the order of God, which turned into a serpent. The candidates are
admonished that in the future, their alarm will be "seven distinct knocks." 1375
Then, they approach the second veil, receive the words Moses, Aholiab, and
Bazaleel, and the sign of the Master of the 2 nd Veil, which is made by taking the
sword in the left hand at the center of the blade, and putting the hand in the
bosom. It is in imitation of the sign given by the Lord unto Moses, when He
commanded him to put his hand into his bosom, and when Moses took his hand
out, it was leprous, but when he repeated this act, his flesh turned normal
again. 1376
The three Sojourners are allowed to pass and approach the third veil, where
they are given the words Jeshua, Zerubbabel, and Haggai. The Master of the 3 rd
Veil shows them his sign, which me makes by grasping the blade of his sword
with his left hand, kneeling on his right knee, and with his right hand making the
motion of dipping water from a river and pouring it on the land. This sign alludes
to the sign given by the Lord unto Moses when He commanded him to take of
the water of the river and pour it on the dry land. Then, one of the candidate
receives a ring which is called the "signet of truth" or "Zerubbabel's signet." 1377
Having permission to pass, the Principal Sojourner and the candidates
approach the fourth veil of the tabernacle, where they are stopped by the Royal
Arch Captain. They present to him the signet, give him the passwords of the
third veil and the corresponding sign, and wait until he has informed the Captain
of the Host of their request to help in the rebuilding of the temple. The Captain
of the Host sees the signet, of which he says that it is "the signet of truth, or
Zerubbabel's signet, of which it is written, 'In that day will I take thee, O
Zerubbabel, my servant,' saith the Lord, 'and will make thee as a signet, for I
have chosen thee.' " 1378 The three candidates are admitted, since the Grand
Council is satisfied that they are Most Excellent Masters, offering their
assistance without demanding a reward. They are ordered to remove rubbish
from the easternmost part of the ruins. (Here, we are reminded that the East is
always the holiest and most important part in Freemasonry; therefore, it is the
"easternmost" part where they are going to find the hidden secrets.) For this task,
the candidates receive the working tools of the Royal Arch Degree, which are the
crow, the pickaxe, and the spade:
1375 This is a parallel to the "three distinct knocks" of the Entered Apprentice.
1376 Cf. Bible, Moses, fourth chapter of Exodus.
1377 P. 150.
1378 P. 152.