Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests
The Degree of Knight of Bethany

1991/2015

Compiler's Notes: A meeting of Knights of Bethany is held in a Sanctuary of the Order. The Officers are Perfect Prince and Knight Master, Prince and Knight SW, Prince and Knight JW, the remaining Officers, the Prelate, the Inner and Outer Guard, and Members are known as Knight. The Sash of a Knight of Bethany is yellow on which is the representation of a dove with a red B in its beak.


Opening

PPKM: Princes and Knights, being about to open a Sanctuary of Knights of Bethany, I will require your attention and assistance.
Gives *, all rise.
PPKM: Prince and Knight JW, what is the time when Knights of Bethany assemble?
PKJW: At the first hour of the first day of the week, Perfect Prince and Knight Master.
PPKM: Why at this hour, P&KJW?
PKJW: Because at this hour, leaving captivity captive to itself, Christ arose from the dead. PPKM: And has he indeed risen, Prince and Knight SW?
PKSW: Yea, He is risen indeed.
All: All hail, He is risen.
PPKM: Christ is risen.
All: Christ is risen
PPKM: Princes and Knights, to your labours, Officers to your stations, Knights to your benches and let Order prevail in this Sanctuary of Knights of Bethany
PKJW approaches the altar and opens the Holy Bible at Matthew Ch. XXVIII, and lays it on top of an unsheathed sword. The Inner Guard informs the Outer Guard, and all take up their seats.
 

Reception

One of the Knights who has been appointed to conduct the Candidate now retires and brings him to the door, wearing the Sash of a Kt. of the Black Cross, and he is made to give * on the door. The Inner Guard opens the door slightly and asks:
IG: Who comes here, who approaches the entrance to our Sanctuary?
Cond. for Cand.: A Knight of the Black Cross who bas mourned the loss of the Word and wishes to visit the S4pulchre where He was laid.
IG: All hail! Enter, my friend, Brother and Knight.
Cand. is led around the Sanctuary while the Prelate reads Matthew Ch. XXVIII vs i to ix and Luke Ch. XXIV vs I and ii. The perambulations should be timed so that the Cand. arrives at the West side of the altar facing the PPKM as the Prelate ends the reading.
PPKM: Knight, who are you? What is your desire in thus intruding into this Sanctuary?
Cand., prompted by Cond.: A Knight of the Black Cross, wishing to visit the Sepulchre in which the Word is laid.
PPKM: Why do seek the living amongst the dead. He is not here. He is risen. Remember the words He spoke at Galilee saying, "The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, to be crucified, and on the third day rise again". Through the eye of Faith only, can the Word be seen, until, by obedience to the Divine precepts which He taught, we shall meet Him in the Sanctuary above. Are you willing, as far as it within your power lies, to obey these precepts?
Cand.: I am.
PPKM: Then, a s such, you may be enrolled amongst the Knights of Bethany. Advance to the Altar and assume the Vow of this Order. You will remain standing, place both hands on the Holy Book which lies before you and repeat after me: I, Sir …, a Knight of the Order of the Black Cross, do hereby vow, as a believer in the Risen Christ, that I will ever remain true, so far as humanly possible, to the precepts of Jesus Christ and will forever look to Him for strength and aid. I further vow that I will strive diligently to keep sacred and inviolable, all of the Vows and Obligations heretofore taken. In Faith, I do subscribe to this Vow and seal it with my lips. Does so once. After the Cand. has sealed, the painting or transparency of the Resurrection is revealed.
PPKM: Sir Knight, I welcome you into this Sanctuary of Christian men and will now instruct you in the Secrets appertaining hereto. The Pass Word is All Hail, the Great Word is He is Risen and the Sign is given by clasping your two hands as if in prayer as the two Marys did, when they knelt at the feet of Jesus. The grip is given by clasping the two forearms of the other, as if lifting a fallen Knight, even as Christ lifted fallen men. Cand. is seated.
 

Closing

PPKM: Since Christ is risen and we are here alone, let us so perfect our lives on earth that we may some day be admitted with Him in Glory; to this end, let us be Christians indeed.
All: All Hail and Amen
PPKM: I now declare this Sanctuary adjourned. Gives *.

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