Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

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64 EMBLEMS OF ROYAL ARCH MASONRY.
the taper Was extinguished, and claiming to have a name
known only to those to whom it is masonically given;
and that name, too, the only true name of Heaven's Supreme,*
visible in the temple in St Jerome's time, written
in the ancient Samaritan characters; that triangle, innocent
enough in itself, is a very monster in its pretensions. I do
not make the. Royal Arch welcome to any thing but the
triangle. I prot'est with my might against its having the
ineffable name," handed down through successive ages by
tradition/ 9 [p. 19, of this vol.]
u On it may be found what exalts high our fame,
" If rightly deciphered, a mystical name.' 9
Here I take my leave of the emblems, and open the volume
at the first step of Masonry, or " Entered Apprentice's
Degree."
What first would catch the attention of a common reader,
is: " A prayer used at the initiation of a candidate. 11
44 Vouchsafe thine aid, Almighty Father of the universe,
to this our present convention, and grant that this candidate
for Masonry rjiay dedicate and devote his life to thy
service, and become a true and faithful brother among us \
Endue him with a competency of thy divine wisdom,t that
by the secrets of our art, he may be better enabled to display
the beauties of holiness, to the honour of thy holy
name! So mote it be. Amen. 11 —Cross's Chart, sec. 1.
Then follows a passage of scripture, to be rehearsed in
the ears of the still hoodwinked candidate.
I believe prayer is a solemn reality, and God a living Spi-
* See p. 18, of this volume.
1 Hardie's Monitor, p. 218, gives it thus: " Endue him with a competency
of thy divine wisdom, that he may with the secrets of Free Masonry,
be able to unfold the mysteries of Godliness." The book of Constitutions
of Massachusetts, gives^the same prayer, p. 149, in the following words:
u Endue him with a competency of thy divine wisdom, that he may, with
the secrets of Free Masonry, be able to unfold the mysteries of Godliness."
The same prayer is found in Preston, p. 50, in Animan Rezon, p. 45, Free
Mason's Library, p. 139, F. M. M. p. 37, Part 1st, chap. 8.