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

Chapter 7 - Rituals 449
to Duncan, the word of the Royal Arch Degree as worked in his American ritual
is "Jah-Buh-Lun," and as worked in England, is "Jao-Bul-On." 1386
In order to receive the grip and sign, the three candidates are grouped with
the officers in groups of three for the constellation of the "three times three": the
High Priest, a candidate, and the Royal Arch Captain; the King, a candidate, and
the Captain of the Host; the Scribe, a candidate, and the Principal Sojourner. If
there are more candidates, they form groups of three at the apex of the triangle,
towards the East. The High Priest delivers the mystical saying already quoted the
opening ceremony. The candidates have to kneel in this position and balance by
three times three. The Grand Royal Arch Word is communicated to them, and
the signs are explained.
In Duncan's Ritual and Monitor, the Biblical passage is quoted "[in] the
beginning was the word (Logos), and the word was with God, and the word was
God," 1387 which is left out in the modern ritual but makes this ceremony of
revealing the Ineffable Name more comprehensible. Thus, the candidates receive
the ancient Master Mason's Word, given to Moses by God at the burning bush,
and lost at the death of Hiram Abiff, which consists of four Hebrew characters,
corresponding to J H V H, which, with vowels added, is Jehovah. These vowels
are supplied by the key words on the three sides of the triangle on the ark, an
emblem of Deity 1388 , the cryptogram having to be read from the right to the left
as the Hebrew language.
In the end, there turn out to be two secret words, the G R A W (Jah-Buh-Lun)
and J H V H, which is a bit confusing; however, their relation is explained by
Duncan as follows: "It is the name of Deity in three languages, viz., Chaldaic,
Hebrew, and Syriac, which is the long-lost Master Mason's word, or Logos, and
has now become the Grand Omnific Royal Arch word." 1389
Finally, the High Priest reminds the candidates that they have sworn in their
obligation that, should they have used the key, they were to destroy it
immediately after it has served its purpose. Therefore, he burns the piece of
paper in the pot of incense. With this, the ceremony of exaltation is finished, and
the candidates are seated and listen to the lecture. Hereafter, they are invested
with the Royal Arch apron 1390 , which is white with a red or scarlet border, and on
1386
Duncan, p. 248/249. In detail, the expressions for God in different languages are given in
Historical Landmarks, cited by Duncan on p. 249: "He was called by the Romans Jove, or Jah; by
the Chaldeans, the Phœnicians, and the Celtæ, Bel or Bul; and by the Indians, Egyptians, and
Greeks, Om or On."
1387
Duncan, p. 248, quoted from the Bible, John, i., 1-5.
1388
Cf. p. 164.
1389
Duncan, p. 248.
1390
Illustration taken from CME, p. 575.