Duncan's Masonic Ritual and Monitor - Rose Croix

W. M.--The password is right. Let him enter, and be received in due form.
The Senior Deacon steps to the altar, takes the compasses, repairs to the door, opens it,
and says:
S. D.--Let him enter, and be received in due form.
The Junior Deacon advances, followed by the Stewards, with rods, when the Senior
Deacon stops them, by placing his hand against the candidate, at the same time saying:
S. D.--Brother Gabe, on entering this Lodge the first time, you were received on the point
of the compasses, pressing your naked left breast, the moral of which was explained to
you. On entering the second time, you were received on the angle of the square, which
was also explained to you. I now receive you on both points of the compasses, extending
from your naked left to your naked right breast (he here places both points against
candidate's breasts), which is to teach you, that as the vital parts of man are contained
within the breasts, so the most excellent tenets of our institution are contained between
the points of the compasses--which are Friendship, Morality, and Brotherly Love.
The Junior Deacon now passes the candidate over to the Senior
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Deacon, and he (Junior Deacon) takes his seat near the door, at the right hand of the
Senior Warden in the west, while the Senior Deacon proceeds to conduct the candidate,
followed by the two Stewards, three times around the Lodge, during which time the
Worshipful Master reads the following passage of Scripture:
"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor
the years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them: while the sun, or the
moon, or the stars be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain; in the day when
the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the
grinders cease, because they are few; and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
and the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he
shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low.
Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the
almond-tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail;
because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets; or ever the
silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken at the fountain, or the wheel at the
cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto
God, who gave it."
In some Lodges the following paraphrase of the above is sung; and if the Lodge have an
organ, or melodeon, the singers are generally accompanied on the instrument:
"Let us remember in our youth,
Before the evil days draw nigh,