This Ritual was formerly known as 'Jordan Pass'. 
This ritual is preceded by the rituals for the degrees Knight of the Sword and Knight of the East.
1981

The officers and clothing are the same as in Council of Knight Masons.
The Candidate represents Zerubbabel is clothed as a Royal Arch Mason and wears blue sash and a sword.
The following is read before the opening
The date is B.C. 520 synchronizing with the return of Zerubbabel to Jerusalem, from his visit to King Darius and with the latters confirmation of the decree of Cyrus.
The Scene is laid in Jerusalem
This is a Masonic Council
 

Opening

EC: Brother Knights and Ancients arise. Knocks once. I am about to open a Council of Knight of the East and the West
Junior Warden: Sir Knights. Draw Swords.
EC knocks three times, followed by two knocks with trowel, Senior Knight. Junior Knight, Captain of Guards and Sentinel repeat these knocks with hilt of Sword or left hand.
EC: Brother Junior Knight, in opening a Council of Knight of the East and the West, what is the first duty to be discharged?
Junior Knight: To see that the Captain of Guards is at his post and that the Council may meet in seclusion, Excellent Chief.
EC: Brother Junior Knight. See that the Captain of Guards is so placed.
Junior Knight, having seen door tyled and returned to station: Excellent Chief, the Captain of Guards is at his post and the seclusion of the Council is assured.
EC: Brother Senior Knight. What next demands our attention?
Senior Knight: To prove that all present are true Knights of the East and the West, Excellent Chief.
EC: Brother Senior Knight, direct the wardens to prove that all present are true Knights of the East and the West.
Senior Knight: Brother Wardens, it is the command of the Excellent Chief that you prove all present are true Knights of the East and the West.
Wardens receive word from Senior Knight and Junior Knight and return to stations. Junior gives Word to Senior.
Junior Warden: Sir Knights. Draw Swords.
Senior Warden: Brother Senior Knight. All present are true Knights of the East and the West.
Senior Knight: Excellent Chief, all present are true Knights of the East and the West.
EC: Brother Senior Knight, what is the hour?
Senior Knight: The hour of rebuilding the Temple, Excellent Chief.
EC: Let the Sentinel and Junior Knights proclaim to the Knights. and Ancients of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin that this Council of Knight of the East and the West is now open for the fulfillment of our labors.
Senior Knight: Brother Knights and Ancients, this Council of Knight of East and the West is now open for the fulfillment of our labors.
Junior Knight: Brother Knights and Ancients, this Council of Knight of the East and the West is now open for the fulfillment of our labors.
EC knocks three times, followed by two knocks with trowel, Senior Knight. Junior Knight, Captain of Guards and Sentinel repeat these knocks with hilt of Sword or left hand.
Junior Warden: Sir Knights. Return Swords.
EC: Be seated Sir Knights.
 

Degree of Knight of the East and the West

Conductor at curtain with Candidate, knocks *** **.
Capt. of Gds.: Excellent Chief, there is an alarm.
EC: Ascertain the cause.
Capt. of Gds.: What is the cause of the alarm?
Conductor: A Brother who had received liberty from Cyrus to rebuild the Temple and afterward obtained a confirmation of the same from Darius now comes to reside with his brethren in Judea.
Capt. of Gds.: Excellent Chief, a Brother who had received liberty from Cyrus to rebuild the Temple and afterward obtained a confirmation of the same from Darius now comes to reside with his brethren in Judea.
EC: His name?
Conductor: Zerubbabel.
Capt. of Gds.: Zerubbabel.
EC: Brother Knights and Ancients. Zerubbabel is the Prince of the favored Tribe. He it is who is to finish the rebuilding of the Temple. Let Zerubbabel enter the Council.
Zerubbabel enters and is conducted west of Altar.
EC: Let us be made acquainted with your claims.
Conductor: Excellent Chief, when the years of our captivity had expired I appeared before the Throne of Cyrus. who admitting the Justice of my claims granted me liberty, and arming me with this Sword, admitted me a Brother of his Order, the insignia of which I lost in a contest with our enemies at the Bridge. and had it not been for my good Sword. I should not have been able to force a passage. The strength and opposition of our enemies continuing to increase, I presented myself before King Darius, who, having honored me with the rank of Knight of the East, of which the sash I now wear is the Emblem, has given orders for our protection during the progress of our Work.
I now claim your gracious permission to be received into your Order
EC: Brother Zerubbabel, the zeal and perseverance you have shown in the great cause, merits a participation in the highest honors we can bestow, but you must first convince us that the long and painful captivity you, in common with our Brothers have suffered, has not obliterated from your memory the knowledge of the mysteries you have already received. therefore advance to the Altar, and exhibit the signs of the Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, Master mason, Mark Master Mason and Royal Arch.
Conductor and Candidate advance to Altar and give signs.
EC: We are convinced that zeal and perseverance can overcome all difficulties and dangers. You have been despoiled of the insignia granted you by Cyrus, and yet retained those principles of Masonry implanted in your mind by the gradations of our Order. This will convince you (if anything should be lacking) that no honors are so permanent as those of Masonry.
Draw your Sword. Lay it on the cushion on which I now ask you to kneel on both knees.
EC rises: All Sir Knights and the Candidates will rise.
After assurances the following Obligation is given by EC.
I. …, of my own free will and accord, in the presence of Almighty God and of this August Council of Knights of the East and West, do hereby solemnly promise, vow and declare that I will ever hail, conceal and never will reveal any of the secrets of or belonging to Knight Masonry which have heretofore, shall now or may hereafter become known to me in any manner whatever and that I will not communicate the same to anyone but a worthy Brother Knight of the East and West, or in a lawful Council of the same.
I will hold myself bound in as close a tie to a Brother of this Degree as to a Brother of any of my former Degrees.
All these points I solemnly promise, vow and declare to observe without either equivocation or mental reservation whatsoever and bind myself under the penalty of being degraded from Knighthood.
I hereby invoke the aid of the Great Chief of Heaven and Earth to keep me steadfast in the due observance of the same.
EC picks up trowel from Altar.
EC: Cyrus created you a Knight and invested you with a sword. I present you with this trowel, that in future you may use either one or the other during the rebuilding of the Temple.
Replaces trowel on Altar.
Priest reads Neh. IV : 17-18:
They that builded on the wall and they that bare burdens with them that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
For the builders, everyone had his sword girded by his side and so builded, and he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
EC: As a token of my esteem I create you a Knight of the East and the West. Arise Sir Knight …, Knight of the East and the West.
He is then invested with red sash, having green rosette at the crossing, and an apron with three green rosettes.
EC: This sash and apron are the Emblems of the Rank or Degree to which you have attained and in commemoration of the green sash with which Cyrus presented you we have added rosettes of the same color.
Priest reads Ezra 1 : 5:
Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.
EC: Be seated Sir Knights.
Further instruction will be given by your Conductor
Under direction of Conductor, the Wardens demonstrate the Pass Word and Grip and Sacred Word and Grip and Grand Sign. EC responds with Counter Sign.
EC: Three of the most outstanding events in the religious history of the Jews were the building of the First Temple by King Solomon. the restoration of that Temple by King Josiah and the building of the Second Temple by Zerubbabel. a prince of the House of Judah.
The first of these represents the traditions and teachings of Ancient Craft Masonry. the second forms the subject of Royal Arch Masonry in Ireland. whilst the return of the Jews from Babylon and the building of the second Temple form the theme of Knight Masonry.
You have now attained to the rank and dignity of a Knight Mason.
As a Knight of the Sword you were invested with a Sword the emblem of ,Justice, to remind you to deal justly by all men.
As a Knight of the East and West you were presented with a Trowel, a symbol of labor, to remind you that it should he your constant care to labor with us in our efforts to achieve that ideal of Masonry: The Brotherhood of Man.
We dramatize the return of the Judeans from their captivity in Babylon and the building of the second Temple by Zerubbabel under hostile attacks by enemies and in doing so adhere closely to the records of Holy Writ. In your symbolic journey through these degrees you have represented a great prototype who has left us outstanding examples of Fidelity, Faith and Courage and in enacting these scenes you have demonstrated the great lesson that Truth beareth away the Victory.
Sir Knights, arise and salute our new Knights of the East and the West.
New Knights of the East and the West are saluted with knocks *** **.
 

Closing

EC: Brother Knights and Ancients arise. Knocks once. I am about to close this Council of Knight of the East and the West.
Junior Warden: Brother Knights. Draw Swords.
EC: Brother Senior Knight. What is the hour?
Senior Knight: Excellent Chief, the hour when captivity has ceased and the building of the Temple is to be completed.
EC: Let the Sentinel and Junior Knights proclaim to the Knights and Ancients of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin that this Council of Knight of the East and the West is now closed.
Senior Knight: Brother Knights and Ancients, this Council of Knight of the East and the West is now closed.
Junior Knight: Brother Knights and Ancients, this Council of Knight of the East and the West is now closed.
EC: Brother Knights and Ancients. Accordingly I declare this Council of Knight of the East and the West to be now closed.
EC knocks three times, followed by two knocks with trowel, Senior Knight. Junior Knight, Captain of Guards and Sentinel repeat these knocks with hilt of Sword or left hand.
Junior Warden: Sir Knights. Return Swords.
EC: Be seated Sir Knights.
On resumption of labor, EC directs Wardens to demonstrate Knight Mason Pass Word and Sign. Then EC invests new members with jewel.
EC: The Jewel of the Order is a Star with crossed swords upon it, suspended from a
green ribbon. Sir Knights, arise and salute our new member(s).
New member(s) is saluted by all: ***** **.

Home