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

Chapter 7 - Rituals 587
Scene four represents one of these trials; the neophyte enters a tomb which
carries the inscription "Abandon hope all ye who enter here" (p. 48). This is
taken from Dante where it appears as the inscription on the gate to hell through
which Dante and Virgil enter the underworld: "Denn vor mir ward kein einzig
Ding erschaffen als Ewiges, und ewig werd' ich dauern; ihr, die ihr herkommt,
lasset alle Hoffnung." 1534 However, even in darkness and alone (note the
resemblance to the Masonic anteroom or Chamber of Reflection), the candidate
does not err from his original quest, and he pursues his travels which now consist
in crossing the river Styx with the rower Charon.
The Storm Scene, number five, shows the fight with the elements; Charon
and the candidate in their boat are opposed by Chaos. Being triumphant, the
candidate enters scene six, the Imperial Chamber of Gehenna, where he
confronts His Majesty, Lucifer himself.
His Majesty is impressed by the daring candidate and wishes to award him
with "those rare endowments which adorn and distinguish the full-fledged Imps
of our Realm, namely, a hoof, a pair of horns, and a tail" (p. 56), however, the
uncorrupted candidate throws these rare endowments with disgust at his feet,
demanding nothing else than the Priceless Jewel of the Enchanted Realm.
Finally, the devil gives way to his wish (after he has in vain tried to tempt the
candidate with dictatorship, with wealth, and with women – an alternative scene
which is offered in the text), and hands over a soft-glowing casket to the
candidate. In a dramatic climax, His Majesty bumps into the stand which held
this Jewel, crying "Blinded! Blinded by that spark divine," (p. 61), notices that
the Jewel is gone, remembers what he has lost, being a fallen angel, and dies
with the words: "So, So, perish all whose heart ne'er learned to glow for others
good or melt at others woe. This is the end for me. Hell, the Devil and all they
stand for, have been finally conquered by that Priceless Jewel, Goodfellowship.
[...] Conquered, Conquered, at last." (p. 62)
In the last scene, the candidate returns to the Court of Mokanna and hands
over the Priceless Jewel, which is placed on the Shrine where the "Glowing
Heart" is mounted, and a circuit makes the word GOOD-FELLOWSHIP shine
out from the casket. Mokanna hails him as a Prophet, since he has ceased to be a
neophyte, having his "valor shown, on earth, in depths below, and on the heights
above" (p. 63). Thus ends the ceremonial drama, the character Goodfellow
bidding adieu and repeating how important sympathy and good-fellowship are in
life.
It is suggested that at the end of the candidate's journey, a Fez be presented to
the one candidate who has acted, combined with a like-wise optional "Fez
lecture." At the moment of placing the Fez on the candidate's head, one of the
three principal Monarchs instructs him thus: "Prophet, as the white Lambskin
Apron is the badge of the Mason, so is the Black Fez, with its Tassel of Red,
emblematic of Good-fellowship and Good Cheer" (p. 69).
1534 Dante Alighieri, p. 69.