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

532
Chapter 7 - Rituals
third degree. The Senior Matron is asked to communicate this to the Junior
Matron, and the latter communicates it to the Sisters and Brethren. Then, the
Most Ancient Matron, again in the exact terminology of the Craft ritual 1488 ,
orders all "Sisters and Brethren, together on the signs" (p. 17), and they give all
signs from the first to the third degree, including the latter. Hereafter, again in
total imitation of the Craft ritual 1489 , the Most Ancient Matron uses a slightly
changed variation of Psalm 133 to express in metaphorical language how nice it
is to have come together:
Beloved Sisters and Brethren, how good and how pleasant it is for
sisters and brothers to dwell together in Unity, Peace, Harmony and
Love! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon
the beard, even Aaron's beard; that went down to the skirts of his
garment; As [sic] the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended
upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the blessing,
even life forevermore. Amen. (p. 17; bold print added)
It is astonishing how closely the creator of the ritual of the Heroines of
Jericho has copied parts of the text from the Craft ritual as published by Malcolm
Duncan. Here, the Sisters have just added their tenets of Peace, Harmony, and
Love.
When the Court is declared open on the Third Degree in "Friendship and
Harmony" (p. 17), the regular business is proceeded with. Afterwards, the Court
is ready for closing. The Most Ancient Matron asks the Junior Attendant to
inform the Outer Gate Keeper about it, and the Junior Attendant repairs to the
Outer Gate Keeper, takes from her the scarlet cord, which she has previously
given to her, and returns to her own station, informing the Most Ancient Matron
that the Court is properly guarded. Then, the Most Ancient Matron asks how
Heroines "meet," to which is replied, "in love," and how Heroines "part," to
which is replied "in Friendship and Honor" (cf. p. 18) - this is a parallelism to the
Craft's saying: "We meet upon the level, and part upon the square." The Most
Ancient Matron admonishes the Sisters and Brethren ever to meet and part in the
name of the Lord (p. 18), gives one rap with the gavel, and the Court is closed.
The initiation ceremony begins with the Most Ancient Matron asking the
Sister Junior Attendant to ascertain whether there are candidates in waiting. The
latter retires to the anteroom and returns with the names of the candidates.
Hereafter, the Sister Secretary is sent into the anteroom for interrogation of the
candidates. After they have confirmed that they came uninfluenced and of their
own free will, and are going to conform to "all the Ancient established usages"
of the order (p. 20), the secretary reports this to the Most Ancient Matron, upon
which the Junior Attendant is ordered to prepare the candidates. They have to put
on a white gown above their clothing, with a white cord tied around the waist,
1488 Cf. ibid, p. 16.
1489 Cf. ibid, p. 19.