This degree was formerly known as 'Jordan Pass'. 
This ritual is preceded by the ritual for the degree of Knight of the Sword.
1981

The Officers are placed as in Knight of the Sword, except that the 2nd Captain of Guards is not required, and Captain of Guards is at door. The tower used in Knight of the Sword is not again required.
The Officers may be clothed in pale blue watered silk sashes with gold fringe tied round the waist, the ends hanging at the left side.
All others remain clothed as in Council of Knight Masons.
A Couch should be provided for the Presiding Officer.
The Candidate represents Zerubbabel, is clothed as a Royal Arch Mason and wears the Sword from the degree of Knight of the Sword.
The following is read before the opening:
The date is B.C. 520 which is sixteen years later than the visit of Zerubbabel to King Cyrus when he journeyed from Babylon. This time Zerubbabel comes from Jerusalem to visit King Darius. The scene is laid at the Court of Persia in Ecbatana. The Presiding Officer represents King Darius.

 
Opening

G & M K: Sir Knights arise. I am about to open a Council of Knight of the East.
Junior Warden: Sir Knights. Draw Swords.
All knock; G & M K with trowel or sceptre, Senior General, Junior general, Captain of Guards and Sentinel with hilt of Sword using left hand.
G & M K: Sir Knight Junior General. What is the first care of a Knight of the East?
Junior General: To see that the Council is duly guarded, Great and Mighty King.
G & M K: See that duty performed.
Junior General knocks once, opens door, looks out, returns to place and reports.
Junior General: Great and Mighty King, the Council is guarded.
G & M K: Sir Knight Senior General. What next demands our attention?
Senior General: To prove that all present are true Knights of the East, Great and Mighty King.
G & M K: Direct the Wardens to prove that all present are true Knights of the East.
Senior General: Brother Wardens, it is the command of the Great and Mighty King that you prove that all present are true Knights of the East.
Wardens divide Pass Word with Senior General and Junior General return to stations. Junior Warden divides Pass Word with Senior Warden.
Senior Warden: Sir Knight Senior General, all present are true Knights of the East.
Senior General: Great and Mighty King, all present are true Knights of the East.
G & M K: I now declare this Council of Knight of the East open, and let the Generals so proclaim it.
Senior General: Sir Knights, this Council of Knight of the East is now open.
Junior General: Sir Knights, this Council of Knight of the East is now open.
All knock; G & M K with trowel or sceptre, Senior General, Junior general, Captain of Guards and Sentinel with hilt of Sword using left hand.
Junior Warden: Sir Knights. Return Swords.
G & M K: Be seated, Sir Knights.
 

Degree Knight of the East

Conductor at curtain with Candidate, knocks once.
Capt. of Gds.: Great and Mighty King, there is an alarm.
G & M K: Ascertain the cause.
Capt. of Gds.: What is the cause of the alarm?
Conductor: One Zerubbabel, who having received liberty from Cyrus to rebuild the Temple, comes to demand Justice from the Great and Mighty King.
Capt. of Gds.: Great and Mighty King, One Zerubbabel, who having received liberty from Cyrus to rebuild the Temple, comes to demand Justice from you.
G & M K: How does he expect to be admitted?
Capt. of Gds.: How does he expect to be admitted?
Conductor: By the liberty he has received.
Capt. of Gds.: Great and Mighty King, by the liberty he has received.
G & M K: Let him be admitted.
Capt. of Gds.: It is the will of the Great and Mighty King that he be permitted to enter.
Zerubbabel is admitted and placed west of Altar.
G & M K: Worthy stranger who are you?
Conductor: Great & Mighty King, I am one Zerubbabel, who having found favor in the sight of Cyrus your predecessor, obtained from him liberty to rebuild the Temple of the Most High, but on the journey to my Country, I was attacked by the enemies of my Nation, despoiled of the Insignia with which I had been honored by Cyrus, and was enabled to force my way over the bridge which crosses the river only by means of this Sword which Cyrus bestowed upon me. I now crave your gracious permission to continue the building of the Temple at Jerusalem, and to be favored with your protection during the progress of the work.
G & M K: Generals and Councillors Generals rise let search be made amongst the records of our predecessor, to see if the Stranger’s declaration be confirmed.
Generals search and find Roll.
Senior General: Great and Mighty King, we have searched the records and have found at Achmeta which is in the Province of the Medes a Roll by which the declaration of the Stranger is confirmed.
G & M K: Let the Roll be read.
Senior General reads Ezra VI : 3 and 4.
3. In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid: the height thereof threescore cublis, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
4. With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house:
G & M K: Zerubbabel, approach. Conductor causes Candidate to draw sword, place it on the cushion at Altar and kneel on it with both knees.
Priest reads Ezra VI : 6-8, 11-13.
6. Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river be ye far from thence:
7. Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.
8. Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
11. Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up. let him be hanged thereon, and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
12. And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people. that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
13. Then Tatnai. governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
G & M K, rises: All Sir Knights and the Candidates will rise.
Conductor glues the usual assurances and administers Obligation:
I, …, of my own free will and accord, in the presence of Almighty God and of this August Council of Knights of the East, 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, the Degree of Knight of the East 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 well known Brother Knight of the East or in a lawful Council of the same.
I will hold myself bound an 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, bearing in mind the ancient penalty invoked by King Darius of having my house pulled down, the timbers taken and being set up. of being hanged thereon, and binding myself under the real penalty of being degraded from knighthood should I ever violate in letter or in spirit this my solemn, sincere and voluntary obligation, being that of a Knight of the East, and I invoke the aid of the Great King of Heaven and Earth to keep me steadfast in the due observance of the same.
G & M K goes to Altar: Zerubbabel, we admire your zeal and perseverance in endeavoring to promote the work you have undertaken. We will give orders for the future protection of your brethren in rebuilding the Temple. In the meantime as a mark of our esteem and favor we create you a Knight of the East, Rise Sir Knight …, Knight of the East.
We appoint you one of our Guards, and as a further mark of approbation invest you with this scarf of pale blue watered silk with gold fringe, tied round the waist, the ends hanging at the left side, in token of the victory you obtained over your enemies at the passage of the river.
Further instruction will now be given by your Conductor. Be seated, Sir Knights.
G & M K returns to throne.
Under the direction of the Conductor, the Wardens demonstrate the Pass Word and Grip, the Secret Word and Grip and the Sign.
At the close of the instruction the King calls his Senior General to him and holds quiet converse with him. The King then reclines in rest and Senior General returns to position and announces: Sir Knights, the Great and Mighty King makes known his pleasure through me that we three should each of us give his opinion in answer to this question: ’Which is the strongest. Wine, the King, or Women?’ And he that shall overcome, and whose sentence shall seem wiser than the others, unto him shall Darius give great gifts and great things in token of Victory.
Priest reads I. Esdras III: 4-8 and 10-12.
"Then three young men that were of the Guard that kept the King’s body spake one to another.
Let everyone of us speak a sentence; He that shall overcome and whose sentence shall seem wiser that the others, unto him shall the King Darius give gifts and great things in token of victory; as, to be clothed in purple, to drink in gold and to sleep upon gold, and a chariot with bridles of gold and an headtire of fine linen, and chain about his neck, and he shall sit next to Darius because of his wisdom, and shall be called Darius his cousin.
And then everyone wrote his sentence, sealed it, and laid it under King Darius his pillow.
The first wrote: 'Wine is the strongest.'
Priest pauses while Senior General places his billet under King’s pillow.
The second wrote: 'The King is strongest.'
Priest pauses while Junior General places his billet under Kings pillow.
The third wrote: 'Women are strongest: but above all things Truth beareth away the Victory.'
Conductor now places his billet under the King's pillow. The King rises up, draws the billets from under the pillow, and resumes his throne.
G & M K knocks once: Sir Knights, attend.
Sir Knight Senior General, deliver your judgment on the ‘Strength of Wine’.
Hands him his billet.
Senior General reads I Esdras III: 18-24:
18. O ye men, how exceeding strong is wine! It causeth all men to err that drink it.
19. It maketh the mind of the king and of the fatherless child to be all one: of the bondman and of the freeman, of the poor man and the rich.
20. It turneth also every thought into jollity and mirth, so that a man remembereth neither sorrow nor debt:
21. And it maketh every heart rich, so that a man remembereth neither king nor governor. and it maketh to speak all things by talents:
22. And when they are in their cups, they forget their love both to friends and brethren, and a little after draw out swords:
23. But when they are from the wine, they remember not what they have done.
24. O ye men, is not wine the strongest. that enforceth to do thus?
G & M K: Sir Knight Junior General, deliver your judgment on the ‘Strength of the King.'
Hands him his billet.
Junior General reads I Esdras IV:2, 3, 4, 8, 9 and 12.
2. O ye men, do not men excel in strength, that bear rule over sea and land and all things in them?
3. But yet the king is more mighty: for he is lord of all these things, and hath dominion over them; and whatsoever he commandeth them they do.
4. If he bid them make war the one against the other, they do it; if he send them out against the enemies, they go, and break down mountains, walls, and towers
8. If he command to smite, they smite; if he command to make desolate, they make desolate; if he command to build, they build.
9. If he command to cut down, they cut down: if he command to plant, they plant.
12. O ye men, how should not the king be mightiest, when in such sort he is obeyed?
G & M K: Prince Zerubbabel, deliver your judgment on the 'Strength of Women.'
Hands him his billet.
Conductor reads I Esdras IV: 14-17, 32, 34, 35, 36 and 38.
14. O ye men, it is not the great king, nor the multitude of men, neither is it wine, that excelleth: who is it then that ruleth them, or hath the lordship over them? are they not women?
15. Women have borne the King and all the people that bear rule by sea and land.
16. Even of them came they; and they nourished them up that planted the vineyards. from whence the wine cometh.
17. These also make garments for men; these bring glory unto men; and without women cannot men be.
32. O ye men, how can it be but women should be strong, seeing they do thus?
34. O ye men, are not women strong? great is the earth, high is the heaven, swift is the sun in his course, for he compasseth the heavens round about, and fetcheth his course again to his own place in one day.
35. Is he not great that maketh these things? therefore great is the truth, and stronger than all things.
36. All the earth calleth upon the truth, and heaven blesseth it: all works shake and tremble at it, and with it is no unrighteous thing.
37. Wine is wicked, the king is wicked. women are wicked, all the children of men are wicked, and such are all their wicked works; and there is no truth in them: in their unrighteousness also they shall perish.
38. As for the truth, it endureth, and is always strong: it liveth and conquereth for evermore.
G & M K and officers rise, raising their hands, exclaim: Great is Truth and mighty above all things. All are seated.
G & M K: Ask what thou wilt more than is appointed in the writing and we will give it thee because thou art found wisest and thou shalt sit next to us and be called our cousin.
Conductor: O King, remember thy vow, which thou hast vowed to build Jerusalem, in the day when thou camest to thy Kingdom.
And now, O Lord the King, this is that which I require, and which I desire of thee, and this is the princely liberality proceeding from thyself; I desire therefore that thou make good the vow, the performance whereof with thine own mouth thou hast vowed to the King of Heaven.
G & M K: We grant your request and will perform our vow.
G & M K advances and embraces Zerubbabel with the Grip, declaring: Great is Truth and mighty above all things, and imparts to him the Grip, saying: Veritas.
He then conducts Zerubbabel to a seat beside the Throne.
Priest reads I Esdras IV:47.
Then Darius the King stood up, and kissed him, and wrote letters for him unto all the treasurers and lieutenants and captains and governors, that they should safely convey on their way both him and all those that go up with him to build Jerusalem.
G & M K: Let the Senior and Junior Generals conduct Prince Zerubbabel safely on his way.
Conductor & Zerubbabel salute and retire, being conducted to door by Generals.
 

Closing

G & M K: Sir Knights, arise. Knocks once. I am about to close this Council of Knight of the East.
Junior Warden: Sir Knights. Draw Swords.
G & M K: Generals, our labors being ended, proclaim that this Council of Knight of the East is now closed.
Senior General: Sir Knights. This Council of Knight of the East is now closed.
Junior General: Sir Knights. This Council of Knight of the East is now closed.
G & M K: Accordingly I declare this Council of Knight of the East to be now closed.
All knock; G & M K with trowel or sceptre, Senior General, Junior general, Captain of Guards and Sentinel with hilt of Sword using left hand.
Junior Warden: Sir Knights. Return Swords.
G & M K: Be seated Sir Knights.

 Home