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

Chapter 7 - Rituals 543
The Hand Maids one after the other advise the travelers to return whence they
came, because the star is but an "idle dream [...], heavens are full of these
sparkling gems" (p. 118), and Herod is the real king of the Jews. Then, the Hand
Maids fill their jugs at the well and sit down at their places again. The three wise
men do not return, but instead approach the Khan in reverent manner, kneel
down, and leave with bowed heads to march into their tent.
Now the lights are turned on. The candidates are led by the Worthy
Shepherdess in front of the tent of the three wise men, in order to hear their
story. But instead of a monologue, the story is enacted again; the Worthy Herald
opens the door for a Courier to enter, who announces the approach of the King.
When the King is seated, the Courier runs to him with a written message. The
King, having thus obtained the information that three princes from foreign lands
have pitched their tent within his kingdom in the search of a new-born king,
invites them to tell their story. At that moment, the Queen marches in with her
flower girls, matrons and maids of honor, etc. The Worthy High Priestess escorts
the Queen to her station. At last, the wise men tell their story, and it becomes
evident that each of them was persecuted by his fellow countrymen because he
had found the true belief in God, when he heard a voice say that he has been
elected to see the Redeemer, whereupon a star led him the way. These elaborate
reports are not taken from the Bible, but have been invented as a moral lecture
for this ritual. After the monologues, the King proclaims that he has made up his
mind to sentence the wise men for treason, but the Queen speaks in behalf of
them ("Our most noble Queen has cleared the mist from mine eyes, and I see no
harm in these men," p. 134), so that they can proceed with their journey. The
three wise men march into their tent, and the Worthy Shepherdess announces to
the candidates that they are now to hear the tidings of the shepherds.
They meet the Watchman of Shepherds, who at first halts them ("Who comes
to Bethlehem's plains on which we guard our flocks?", p. 135), and then tells
them in a long monologue how the shepherds have had an apparition of the angel
Gabriel who advised them where to find the new-born king. After this incident,
the Worthy Shepherdess conducts the candidates to the Noble Prophetess and
describes their advancement in knowledge thus: "[...] these sojourners have
passed through the tent of the Wise Men, crossed the plains, and now seek
further knowledge of the King.", p. 139). The Noble Prophetess reflects on life
and death of Christ, and orders the Worthy Shepherdess to lead the candidates to
the East for final instruction.
Here, the Worthy High Priestess informs them of the secret work; thus, the
candidates obtain the "Hebrew pass" and are invested with the signs and emblem
of the order. The colors of the White Shrine of Jerusalem are white and yellow.
While they receive the badges, the Worthy High Priestess exemplifies their
symbolic meaning:
A Shepherd's staff in the hands of a humble peasant made kings
tremble, conquered the hosts of Pharaoh, and directed the children of
Israel in safety in their journey through the wilderness. We trust, my