Blanchard J (anti-masonic) - Scotch Rite Masonry Illustrated Part I

318 GRAND ELECT, PERFECT AND S~ELIME MASON.Thrice Puissant—My brother, salute the Bible threetimes. (Candidate obeys.)Thrice Puissant—Rise, my brother, and receive thesame consecration which every successive Champion ofthe Secret Vault has received since its discovery.Thrice Puissant—Brother Master of Ceremonies, conductthe candidate to the Altar of Perfumes (obeys andcauses him to kneel).Thrice Puissant—By the power transmitted to meand which I have acquired by my assiduity, labor andintegrity I make sacred your heart, lips and eyes withthe Holy oil that apointed the pious Aaron, the penitentDavid and the Wise Solomon.May your heart ever throb with a hope of immortality,may your lips ever invoke the true name of the GrandArchitect of the Universe, and may your eyes beholdhim face to face and not fail when they awake in thedazzling glory of his presence. I now stamp you withthe seal of the Grand Architect of the Universe (stampshim), to the end that you may always live in his adorablepresence and that he may always be in your heart andmind and that an ardent zeal and constancy may alwaysbe the rulc of all your actions.Brother Master of Ceremonies, you will conduct thecandidate round the lodge to the table of Shew-bread.Thrice Puissant—(Rehearses.) Behold how good andhow pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together inunity. It is like the precious ointment upon the headwhich ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard,that went down to the skirts of his garments. Ointmentand perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the sweetness ofa man’s friend by hearty counsel. ff he reprove me itphAll be an excellent oil. If thy brother be waxen oldINITIATION. 319and poor and fallen into decay thou shalt relieve him.dive of thy bread to feed the hungry and of thy wine tocheer the sorrowful, and forget not to pour the oil ofconsolation into the wounds which sickness and afflictionmay have rent in the bosom of thy fellow traveler.By kindness and commiseration fail not to pour thebalm of oil and wine into the bleeding heart.Our labors of duty and love will soon be over.As the lightning writes its fiery path upon the darkcloud and disappears, so the race of men walking amidthe surrounding shades glitter for a moment through thegloom and vanish frcni our sight forever.Thrice Puissant— (Now presents him with first thebread and then the wine.) Eat with me of this breadand drink of this wine out of the same cup with me thatwe may learn- thereby to succor each other in time ofneed by a mutual love and participation of what wepossess. (Both eat and drink.)Thrice Puissant—(Presents to him a gold ring, saying:)“Receive this ring and let it be remembered byyou as a symbol of the alliance you have now contractedwith virtue and the virtuous.” You are never, my dearbrother, to part with it while you live, nor to bequeathit at your death except to your wife, your eldest son oryour nearest friend.Candidate—I promise.(All now partake of bread and wine awl makE ~libation according to ancient custom, a~ practiced at theSacrifices.)(Thrice Puissant now returns to the thronehiram, King of Tyre—Thrice Pui~sant 6rand Master,shall we now communicate the true Pronunciationof the ineffable name to the candidate?