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

46 SECRET MASTER’S DEGREE.Solomow—My Brother, are you willing to comply withthis requisition?Candidate—i am.Solomon—You will then kneel and contract yourobligation.OBLIGATION SECRET MASTER’S DEGREE.I solemnly promise that I will not reveal the mysteriesof the Secret Masters, and will not unveil the wondersof their Sanctuary to the profane, I further promise toseek to know myself, and to that end will exert mymind and search my heart to discover my duty to myself,to mankind and to God; Amen.Solomon—Together brethren. (All clap seven timesand the candidate is brought to light.)Solomon—(Points to the mystic light.) My brotherbehold the resplendent luminary which now dawns uponour rite. Heretofore the blazing star shone upon us,but its rays were scattered or dispersed; now we havegathered them into a focus—They are now the light ofthe “All Seeing Eye,” the oI~1nipresence of Jehovah,whose mystic name it behooves us to know. That namecan be learned only by him who “knows himself,” andhence the circle which encloses the triangle of duty toself, to others and to God.Adoniw’am—(Knocks) Thrice Powerful, a messengerbrings tidings of the remains of our departed MasterHiram Abiff.Solomon—What tidings?Adoniinm—Agreeable to your order his heart hasbeen embalmed and put with his ashes into an urn ofthe purest gold and the custodians of the precious treasurenow await your orders.INITIATIO)i. 47Solombn—(Seven raps, 000-000-0, all rise) Brethrenlet us go upon an holy pilgrimage; follow me, in mournfulprocession to convey the precious remains of our deceasedMaster into the’ Holy of Holies.Solomon—Brothers Expert and Master of Ceremoniesyou will now invest ‘the brethren with their aprons, andform a procession in the North, facing the East, withcandidate and Adoniram at the head.MUSIC “DIRGE.”Procession marches round the room and then to Anteroom;and forms a half circle round the urn which isguarded by two Secret Masters.Solomon—Alas! Alas!All—Alas! Alas! Alas!Solomon—Oh my brethren, well may we mourn thedeath of so great and so good a man for by the deedwhich cut him from us, we have lost the word; the truename of God, and the truth itself: In this “Urn”’ (takesthe urn) has been treasured up the Heart of him wholoved truth above all things: Let us convey it into theSanctuary as a perpetual token of our sorrow and of ourdesire to recover what we hav’e lost, (gives The urn tocandidate) Brother, on you who have come to aid us onthis memorable occasion we confer the honor of bearingthose ashes to their sepulchre.A procession is now formed, headed by Master ofCeremonies and Expert, and closed by Solomon andAdoniram, with candidate between them bearing theurn, while marehing round the lodge room and throughthe ante-rooms.Nate O.—”Oroaa burrowed. It may be auppoled. his Idea from anelder aymhol In the high degrees, where. In the deacription of the temhof Hiram AhIff. It is arnid th the heart warn enclerned In a golden urn.the aide of whIch a titangular atone wag ae.zed, Inacribed with thelottewa 5. U. U. within a wrestb of bach. and placed on the top of amobellak.”—Uacbej”a UmoylcIopadla of Freemagomay. Article Va..