Knights of Jerusalem
Ritual of the Master’s Degree

n.d.

Opening Ceremonies of the Master’s Place or Second Degree

In order to work, conduct and confer the degree in the Master’s Place, there must be present, besides the worker, nine officers, consisting of: W.P., PW.C., W.C., S.C., T.C., Ins.K., Outs.K., T., Secty., and S.B.
The W.C. gives one rap.
W.C.: Worthy Priest, officers and brethren; I am about to open a Place or the Master’s Degree. All brethren who have not had this degree conferred upon them will please retire.
The S.C. and T.C. will please take up the Password and report.
W.C. to the Outside Keeper: Your station and duty?
Outs.K.: To guard well the outer gate and suffer no one to pass without the Password.
W.C.: Take your instrument and retire to your station.
W.C. to the Inside Keeper: Your station and duty?
Ins.K.: To guard well the inside gate and suffer no one to pass without the Password or permission from the W.C., to receive the name and number of the Lodge to which the Brother seeking admission belongs.
W.C.: Take your instrument and retire to your stations.
W.C. to S.C. and T.C.: You will please to take your station.
W.P., S.C., T. and S. take your stations.
The W.C. gives three raps, calls op the Lodge.
Brethren you will please be clothed with your aprons and jewels. W.P., we are prepared to open.
The following hymn is then sung:
Brethren, we have come again,
Let us join in pray and sing;
Joseph died and Jesus reigns,
Praise him in the highest strain.
W.P.: Let us all pray.
W.C. to W.P.: You will please lay off the work.
W.C.: Brethren, you will please give the first Lodge sign, the Apprentice sign.
It is given.
W.C.: Brethren, you will please give the Master’s grip and sign.
W.C.: I now declare this Master’s Place open in ancient form, by the powers of this warrant.
All respond: So may it be.
The W.C. gives one rap and calls the Brethren to be seated.
 
 
Initiation Ceremonies

W.C.: Brethren, have you anything for the good and welfare of all Masters.
T.C.: There is a candidate without.
W.C.: You will please attend to that duty and when ready give an alarm at the gate.
While at work for the good or the Order and the members are as peace with all men, the outer post is alarmed.
W.C.: Worthy S.C., you will please ascertain the cause of this alarm.
The S.C. advances to the Ins. Keeper and asks the cause of alarm. The Ins. Keeper answers: Brother C. is at the gate.
The S.C. reports to the W.C. and states that it is Brother C. at the gate who caused the alarm, and that he has someone with him.
W.C. to the Ins. Keeper: Who has Brother C. got with him?
Ins. Keeper: He has Brother ... with him.
W.C.: Are they both ready to offer up sacrifices?
Ins. Keeper: They are.
W.C.: W.P., officers and brethren, Brothers C. and ... are about to enter this place to O. U. S. to glorify to God and the welfare of all men, and for the good of the earth, to be blessed. May they enter in peace.
Three raps call up the Lodge. The Brethren sing the following Ode:
Several months, you know, have passed
Since we met together last,
Many of our friends are gone.
To their long eternal home.
They are then lead to the altar to receive the oath and obligation of the Master’s Degree.
W.C. to Brother ...: Are you willing to take the oath of a Master? please answer.
... answers: I am willing to take the Master’s oath.
W.C.: Brother, do you promise and swear, that you will always hail, conceal and never reveal any parts that you have received in the former degree, or that you are about to receive in this?
... answers: I will never reveal any of them.
W.C.: Brother, do you promise and swear, that you will run the risk of losing your life to relieve a worthy distressed Brother, if in your power?
…. answers: I do promise and swear, that if I should willfully falter or fail in any parts or paints in this oath, when called on by a worthy distressed Brother, may God witness and keep me in due performance of the same, so help me God.
W.C.: Brother ..., you will kiss the Bible. I will now give you the Password and grip of this degree. Brethren, I introduce you to your new-made Master, he has the Master’s word and grip.
Great consternation and disorder. The alarm is so great that the W.C. repeatedly calls for order by sounding the gavel.
The Brethren call aloud: Take him to the Priest!
W.P.: Brother, you know that it is mentioned in the Bible, "he that cometh any other way but through the straight gate comes as a thief and a robber, and he that knoweth his master’s will and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes." Brother, you will have to return from hence to the place you came from, and there be prepared to be a Master, for God will receive nothing but what is pure and holy prepared to enter.
Ins.Keeper: W.C., Brother C. is at the gate.
W.C.: Who has he got with him?
I.K.: Brother ...
W.C.: Is he prepared for this degree?
I.K.: He is.
W.C.: Let them enter in the name of the Lord.
The W.C. calls up the Lodge and they are again led to the altar, for obligation.
W.C. to C.: Do you promise and swear, that you will not write or indite or cause to be written, or print or cause to be printed, any of the secrets that you have received or may hereafter receive?
C. answers: I will not.
W.C.: I will place you in the hands of the W.P.
W.P.: Brother, are you willing to go the way, which all Brothers have gone before you?
Answer: I am.
W.P.: You know it is written that all men must die and cannot live. It is well that you will kneel and pray to God to take you safely through the valley of the shadow of death, that you may fear no evil. When done praying hold up your hand.
W.P.: You will follow your Brother C. Brethren, if it pleases God to take one of our brethren from us, do not murmur, for he doeth all things well. Brother, you are going the road whence no traveler has ever been known to return, and if we see you no more in this life, we will meet you on the other side of Jordan. You say you are prepared to go, so farewell, farewell.
He is taken away, and the following ode is sung:
Fade, fade each earthly joy,
Jesus is mine!
Break ever tender tie,
Jesus is mine
Dark is the wilderness,
Earth has no resting place,
Jesus alone can bless,
Jesus is mine!
Farewell, mortality.
Jesus is mine!
Welcome eternity.
Jesus is mine!
Welcome, O loved and blessed,
Welcome, sweet scenes or rest,
Welcome, my Saviour’s breast,
Jesus is mine!
W.C. to T.C.: Brother C., where is your Brother …?
T.C.: I know not. Am I my Brother’s keeper?
W.C.: What hast thou done? The voice of thy Brother crieth unto me from the ground and thou art cursed from the earth which has opened her mouth to receive thy Brother’s blood from thy hand.
T.C.: Lord, my punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me from the face of the earth and from thy face shall I be hid.
W.C.: Go then to the land of Nod, on the east side of Eden, and tarry there until I send for thee. Let thy Brother’s blood be for the building up of the present generation, from hence to the generation to come and build cities and houses for the Lord. Seek about for the body and see if you can find it. When you have found it bring me word.
S.C.: Lord, I have found him!
W.C.: How did you find him?
S.C.: Lying due East and West.
W.C.: As you have found him due East and West let him be buried the same. Behold, he lies, but let me see if I can find a mark about him.. Yes it is here. Let me see if I can raise him from a D. L. to A. L. P. P. D. R. by the Master’s grip on T. P. L. L. S. P. I will give you the Password which is never to be given only when in distress, or working in the Master’s Degree.
Here the W.C. explains the Apprentice sign, the sign of Recognition, the Countersign and the Password.
You will listen to the instructions from the W.P.
W.C. seats the Lodge. Here the book is given to the W.P.
W.P.: Brethren, you will listen to the words of the Scripture; Cain and Abel were two brothers; one was the keeper of a flock, the other was a tiller of the soil. A certain day of the year it was the custom to offer sacrifices unto the Lord and in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord, and Abel also brought the firstling of his flock and the fat thereof. The Lord had respect for Abel and his offering but for Cain and his offering he had no respect, and Cain was very wrath and his countenance fell and the Lord said unto Cain: Why art thou wrath and why is thy countenance fallen; if thou doest not well sin lieth at thy door and, unto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel, his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and slew him; and the Lord said unto Cain: When thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield her strength unto thee; a fugitive and vagabond shalt thou be on earth. Cain said, and I shall be a fugitive and vagabond on the earth; and it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the Lord said unto him: Therefor, whosoever slay eth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold, and the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest any one on finding him, should kill him. And Cain went from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod.
The W.P. lectures the Brethren.
All these things have a meaning, to remind you of what has passed; that you should avoid evil and sin, and be kind and true to your Brothers, and do not be jealous of the good things which your Brothers have of this world; for this world is full of sin and trouble; be you contented with your lot before God. Do everything for good; be content and murmur not, for God hath blessings for them that are patient, and be fruthful and have no evil in your heart against your Brother. Look and behold from whence you came and what you have been and that feeling no man on this earth knows lest the brethren that have gone before you. Remember Friendship, Harmony and Truth when you come down to the river of Jordan and you will be prepared to cross and go up on a ladder that is not made with hands, but by the eternal heavens; then you will see the three Commanders; and who told the first lie; the Father, Son and holy Ghost. Amen!
W.C: To this degree the Entering Sign is two raps, and the Password is Abel. The Working Sign is to stand erect, and raise the right hand and bring it to the left hip, then bring the right heel to the hollow of the left foot, and bend the knees, thus; then shade the eyes with the right hand; also bend back a little. This sign represents the power of God driving Cain to the land of Nod; and Cain shaded his eyes to see, and hence came the power. Now, remember the first step; and this second step, you stood erect, thus. This is for you to understand that Adam was made erect, upright, a man, and remember the words: Raise from dead level to a living man. By the Master’s grip ad two parallel steps; remember Adam was dead in the dust. The Recognition Sign is to step forward with the left foot and make a whift sign; this represents Cain when he struck Abel. The answer is, shading the eyes; this represents Cain shading his eyes from the sight of his dead brothers body.
You will advance sad say: "Brother, you look dusty;" will answer by saying: I have been traveling. Then pass the Master’s grip. The grip is made with the thumb on the third joint of the middle finger. Remember, the Distress Sign is only made in answering a Brother when he makes the whift sign. The Distress Sign is made by covering the eyes with the left hand, and the dark distress word is Nod, used in place of the sign when when working in the Master’s Place. Use the First Degree apron, with a red bib, representing Abel’s blood. Three fig leaves, staff, club, and two trees. The jewel to this degree is a small triangle 1¼ inch, whit an eye, spray, coffin, with the letters F.M.D.C.K. Explain in the C.K. Degree. The Garden of Eden Lodge is represented by all green and two trees, a snake and apple. Question: Why were not Cain and Abel’s offerings up both received at the same time? Question: Where is the first city in the world at?
 

Closing Ceremony in the Master’s Degree

The W.C. gives one rap and says: W.P., officers and brethren, I am about to close this Place, to be with the outside world, but remember your duty, to live in Friendship, Harmony and Truth with all men until we meet again.
Three raps call up the Lodge.
W.C. to W.P.: We are prepared to close.
W.P. gives the Benediction and doses the works.
W.C.: I now declare this Place closed in ancient form, by the authority of this charter warrant. Please to inform the O.K.
All respond: So might it be forevermore. Amen!

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