Methodist Order of Knights
Ritual of the Fourth or Officer’s Degree
Opening
1936
N.B.—In this degree all are addressed as Lord.
Let the room he prepared as for the first degree. The retiring Lord Commander
shall preside. If any Officers are absent, it shall be his duty to see their
places temporarily filled. All but the retiring Officers and such temporary
substitutes retire.
Knock.
L.C.: Lord of the entrance, what are your duties?
L.E.: To see that the door is properly guarded, my Lord.
L.C.: Chief Lord, are all present Members in this honourable
degree?
C.L.: Yes, my Lord.
L.C.: The Lord of the Entrance will then admit smugly the Lords
who wait without, but he will be careful to admit none but those in possession
of the grip and password, which he will demand, nor will he open the door
without hearing for each one the knock. Does
so, requiring grip and word. The Lord P.M. takes them
to the side of his chair, where they give the signs required, and then are
escorted to a seat. All signs first to fourth degree.
L.E.: My Lord, all are admitted.
L.C.: Lord P.M., you will please collect the jewels and place them
on this table. The Officers’
monogram jewel is the property of the Court, and is worn by Officers for the
time being only. It is transferred to their successors.
L.C.: Chief Lord, will you please proclaim the names of the new
Officers. As you do so let the Lord of the Entrance admit them and form them
into a line facing me. This is
done. Door securely closed.
In installations, anyone from the rank of Bishop upwards may be invited to
perform the ceremony. When visitors can be present, it is well to give up the
offices at the opening to them, as a courtesy. We are supposing the Bp. is asked
to install.
L.C.: My Lord Bishop, you will now proceed with the installation. Bp.
adds to hue of new Officers, all who are re-elected, in order of precedence.
Bp., taking Commander’s chair: My Lords, you will place your
hand over your heart thus uses right hand in
token of your fidelity and honour, and repeat after me the following solemn
pledge knocks; all stand with hand over heart:—I
pledge my word of honour before God and this assembly that I will diligently
perform the duties of my office, act with justice, and show unfailing courtesy
to all under me. I will keep the secrets of this degree with the strictest
caution, and will abide by the Constitution and obey all Orders from the Round
Table Council or governor.
Bp. to all but those in line, as Officers elect, he says: Be
seated, my Lords.
Bp.: My Lord … surname has
been elected Lord Commander of this Order, and I now call upon him to assume
command. New K.O. stands at his chair. I now
entrust you with the sceptre (or sword), and with it the fortunes of this Court
of the Order, for under your guidance now come all its interests. You will now
sit in the chair of King Arthur as his successor sits,
in which it will be your privilege always to remain seated, in all degrees even
when others are required to stand, excepting always when prayer is offered,
Scripture is read or pledges are given to God. For you, even in your exalted
station, owe the same reverence to God as we do ourselves. I have the honour now
to invest yon with the regalia of the Lord Commander. An
O.K. monogram, in silver gilt, suspended by a red
ribbon. You will wear this at all meetings at which you preside, as
the badge of your office, and you will use the sceptre as the insignia of your
authority. You will now invest your Officers.
L.C.: My Lord Bp., you will now present to me the Bp.-elect. Does.
I have pleasure in appointing you Bp. for the ensuing term, and present you with
the jewel of office. You will wear this at all meetings of the Order. This
is repeated right through to the office of Lord of the Entrance.
L.C.: My Lord Bp., you will now seek help for us by prayer. Knocks.
All stand, hand over heart.
Bp.: Heavenly Father, we offer our knightly service to Thee for
another term of usefulness May we continue the art of true chivalry, in the
spirit of Christly service, through Jesus Christ, our Eternal King.
All say: Amen.
The Installing Officer then delivers the lecture and gives the secrets.
Lecture
You will remember that Sir Galahad in his quest of the Grail, came near the
coast to the cave of a hermit. On one of these visits he met a beautiful and
holy maiden, whom he afterwards learned was the sister of Sir Perceval. She had
come from a ship near by in search of Galahad, and took him aboard, where he was
delighted to find Sir Perceval and Sir Bohort. The wind drove them out to sea,
and at the end of two days they found themselves between two great rocks, but
were unable to land, owing to there being a whirlpool all around them. But there
was another ship, and on it they might go without danger. Arriving on board,
they found a silver table and the Holy Grail, covered with red samite silk, and
anon, the wind drove them over the sea again till they came to the city of
Sarras, where they landed. On carrying their precious find into the city, a
cripple, whose assistance they requested, was miraculously healed on touching
the silver table. Arriving at the city, they found that the King had just died,
and left no heir to the throne A Voice from heaven cried: "Make the
youngest of these visiting Knights King." That was Galahad. Being made
King, he at once had a chest of gold and precious stones made to hold the Holy
Vessel, which had thus been restored to England by the holy and noble services
of the Knights. And every day the three Companions, now exalted to be Lords of
the City and Kingdom of Sarras, came before the Holy Grail and made their
prayers. On the first anniversary of his appointment as King, Galahad rose
early, and went into the room where the sacred vessel was to pray. He was
astonished to see another Knight kneeling there with a great company of angels.
This Knight called to Galahad and explained that he was Joseph of Arimathea, who
had originally brought the Holy Vessel to England, and had been sent to grant
Galahad his heart’s desire. So constant had been Galahad’s contact with the
cup which held the clear symbols of Christ’s dying love on the eve of His
death for us, and so much had he thought of Christ’s words, "This is My
blood, which was shed for thee," as he had held that very cup, that his
kingship and palace was as nothing to him, and he said his heart’s desire was
to go and be with his dear Lord. May death be as free from terrors and as sweet
to you when your end comes as it was to Galahad. Bidding an affectionate
farewell to his fellow-knights and his sister, he softly passed away. Then there
came out of heaven, before their astonished eyes, a hand—but no body was seen—and
it took up the Holy Grail and bore it away to the skies, so that from that day
the Grail has never been seen on earth any more. A Knight of old saw a similar
vision, which makes Galahad’s pale into insignificance, and we, too, may see
it Of it he wrote
"Ere since by faith I saw the stream thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die."
I now entrust you, my Lords, with the secrets of this degree, which are:
1. The Knock: You will add one short knock to that of the Knight’s degree,
making ―.―.―. That is,
three loud and three soft, alternating.
2. The Grip consists of a distinct movement of the thumb, by once drawing the
fleshy part (of the first joint) across the back of the other’s hand towards
his little finger.
3. The Sign is to hold the two closed hands against the middle of the chest,
the nails lying against the body. It refers to the two rocks where the ship of
the Holy Grail was found
4. The Countersign is to reach in front with a flexed hand as if going to
grasp a cup. It refers to the hand reaching out of heaven and taking the Grail
to the skies.
5. The Passwords are "G... and F…" These were the names of the
rocks that guarded the ship of the Grail. Let your two hands which represent
these rocks in giving the sign, be so named. And may these qualities be the
chief feature of your term of office You will give the latter when challenged.
and expect to receive the former in reply.
6. The Cypher is made by using the first letter only in each word, using a
comma to denote the end of a word. Thus, if you were obtaining secret
information and got this: ‘‘Young, Everything, Song,’’ that would be
"yes."
7. The Mark of Officers is …. It represents the two rocks and the two ships
and the whirlpool.
Signature.—Under name, the sign of Officers’ knock may be placed thus:—J.
Smith ―.―.―.
L.C.: Lord of the Entrance, you will admit all who can give the
password of a Knight and the Knight’s grip. Admits.
They enter, and sit without any sign. Bp. knocks.
Bp. or Installing Officer: Sir Knights, during your wait outside
Sir Knight Commander … name has been
regularly installed into the chair of King Arthur, and I call on you all to
salute him thrice as Knights, taking your time from me. Done.
L.C. gives countersign and says: Be seated, Brethren.
K.C.: Sir Knight of the Entrance must
use this title now, admit all who can give
the password and grip of an Esquire. Does same as last
lot.
Bp., knocks: Comrades, during your wait outside, Sir K.C. … name
has been regularly
installed into the chair of King Arthur, and I call on you all to be
upstanding and salute him twice as an Esquire. K.C.
gives counter and says: Be seated, Comrades.
K.C.: Sir K.E., you will admit all who can give the grip and word
of a Page. Does.
Bp., knock: Companions, during your wait outside, Sir K.C. … name
has been regularly
installed into the chair of King Arthur, and I call upon you to be upstanding
and salute him once as a Page. K.C. gives counter and
says: Be seated, Companions.
In these salutes, all present take part except the K.C.
Bp.: Let us now give our K.C. the highest honours in the Order.
K.C., may acknowledge in a brief speech, then: Companions, assist
me to close this assembly.
Closed the same as in the first degree, omitting the business question.
It is customary to have a simple feast at the close of an installation, and
if so, a timely word of invitation is necessary before the assembly closes, in
case visitors are present. Visitors from other Courts should be greatly
encouraged to attend installations.