United
Religious, Military and Masonic Order of the Temple, and of St. John of
Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta of England and Wales and its Provinces
Overseas
Ritual for the Installation of a Knight of Malta
1994
The two standards of the Order are the Standard of St. John and the
Standard of Malta. These are placed on either side of the Chapter House
in the East, that of St. John being on the North side.
At the Eastern or upper end of the Chapter House is placed a Pentagonal
Table with a red cover, in the centre of which is worked or painted in
white the upper limb of a cross (head towards East) with lines drawn on
it meeting a spot within. A Bible is placed at the Western apex, and a
kneeling stool to the West of the Table.
When the Priory is opened the following five officers are seated
at this table:
The Eminent Prior
The Captain-General
The Lieutenant-General
The First Lieutenant
The Second Lieutenant
The Chaplain is seated in the East of the Chapter House. As there is
no Altar in this Order, when offering prayer, Chaplain stands in his place
facing West, and does not remove his head-dress. He is provided with a
small copy of the New Testament for use in the Degree of Knight of St.
Paul.
At the West of the Chapter House there is an Octagonal Table with
a red cover, in the centre of which is worked or painted a white eight-pointed
star (Maltese Cross) having a centre circle, or Orle, divided into four
equal portions in which are depicted: an ancient galley; a ladder of five
rounds, with letters on each round corresponding to those on the five banners,
and a speaking trumpet; a skull with a spear and a sword; a hand with a
viper. At the eight corners of this table the following officers are placed:
Inside the Priory in the West, on the North side, are placed five
Banners in rests, as follows:
1st. - White - PALESTINE - 1099 - B
2nd. - Red - CYPRUS - 1921 - L
3rd. - Black - RHODES - 1310 - D
4th. - Purple - CANDIA - 1523 - R
5th. Golden - MALTA - 1530 - A
The Banners are guarded by five Knights during the installation
of a Knight.
The Great Officers and Past Priors are seated in the East, the former
on the North and the latter on the South of the Pentagonal Table. The rest
of the Knights are seated on the North and South sides of the Priory.
The Guard Room
This apartment must contain a Table covered with a black cloth.
In this Chamber the Degree of Knight of St. Paul is given.
Form of Opening a Priory
Mar.: Bro. Knights. To order.
The E.P. enters the Chapter House attended
by the officers of the Pentagonal and Octagonal Tables and accompanied
by the Chaplain and the Great Officers.
Order of Procession: Dep.Mar.; Great Officers
(juniors leading); Treasurer; Vice-Chancellor and Turcopollier; Baillie
and Conservator; Admiral and Hospitaller; Chaplain; 2nd Lieut. And 1st
Lieut.; Lieut.-Gen and Capt.-Gen.; Eminent Prior, Mareschal.
The Procession halts and faces inwards
when Dep.Mar. reaches the space between the two tables.
E.P., followed by the Officers of the Pentagonal
Table from the West pass to their places. Chaplain passes to his, followed
by the Great Officers from the West. Officers of the Octagonal Table take
their places when Chaplain has passed.
Mar.: Bro. Knights. Be seated.
E.P.: Worthy Captain-General,
what is the first and most essential care of a Knight of Malta?
Capt.-Gen.: To see that our
Companions-in Arms are properly protected from all opposers of the Gospel
of the Saviour of fallen man.
E.P.: Worthy Lieutenant-General,
do your duty and see that the Priory is properly guarded.
Lieut.-Gen. draws sword, goes to door and
knocks (1-12); Guard replies. Lieut.-Gen. returns and reports, no sign:
Eminent Prior, all is properly guarded without. Returns sword and resumes
his seat.
E.P.: Worthy Captain-General,
what is our next duty?
Capt.-Gen.: To see that every
Warrior present proves himself a true companion of our Order.
E.P.: See that they be so.
Mar.: Bro. Knights. To order. All stands
to Order, including Officers at tables.
The Capt.-Gen. and Lieut.-Gen. prove the
Knights on the North and South respectively: each Gen. engages the R..n
sign with the Knight he is proving. Gen. then gives words King of Kings;
Knight being proved replies with words Lord of Lords. The Generals go back
to their places and report.
Lieut.-Gen. to Capt.-Gen.: The
warriors have proved themselves true Companions of our Order.
Capt.-Gen.: E.P., the warriors
present have proved themselves true Companions of our Order.
E.P.: Let us implore a blessing
upon our present meeting.
Chaplain, standing in his place, facing
West: Let us pray. Knights adopt position
of prayer: Officers at the Tables rest the blades of their swords on the
Tables. O God of Infinite Goodness look down upon this priory
with an eye of tender compassion, and incline our hearts to Thy Holy Will
in all our actions, Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Knights carry swords.
E.P.: In the name of the Holy
Trinity, I declare this a duly opened and constituted Priory of Knights
of Malta.
33 knocks are given in form. Each of the
five Officers at the Pentagonal Table, in order of seniority, gives five
knocks on the Table with the pommel of his sword, followed by the eight
Officers at the Octagonal Table, who each give one knock on the Table in
turn in a clockwise direction, starting with the Mareschal.
The five Officers at the Pentagonal Table
then place their swords along the lines marked on the table; the eight
Officers at the Octagonal Table place their swords along the radial edges
of the Maltese Cross on the table.
Dep.Mar. advances and opens Bible on Pentagonal
Table at the Holy Gospels, then returns to his place.
Mar.: Bro. Knights. Be seated.
Degree of Knight of St. Paul
The Chapter House
The Candidate is clothed in the full Regalia
of a Knight Templar: he does not wear his gloves.
The Priory being opened, when the Candidate
is ready the Guard knocks (***** **); the Captain of Outposts goes to the
door and receives from the Cand. The sign and word of a Crus. He then requests
him to wait while he makes a report.
C. of O.: Eminent Prior, the
Knight …, a Knight of the Religious, Military and Masonic Order of the
Temple, stands without, humbly soliciting to be admitted to the Secrets
and Privileges of the Degree of Knight of St. Paul and, if found worthy,
he hopes to be elected a Member of the Ancient and Masonic Order of St.
John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta.
E.P.: Worthy Captain of Outposts,
far be it from us to interpose any obstacle of his desire. Can you vouch
that he is in possession of the Sign and Word of a Crusader?
C. of O.: I can, Eminent Prior.
E.P.: Brother Knights, it is
your pleasure that the Knight … be elected a Member of our Order?
The Knights signify their assent by show
of hands.
E.P.: I declare the Knight …
duly elected a Member of our Order; and you our Worthy Chaplain, and you
our Worthy Mareschal, will accompany me to the Guard Room; and do you our
Worthy Captain-General be pleased to assume my seat during my temporary
absence and take charge of this Priory.
Dep.Mar. rises: Bro. Knights.
To order.
All Knights rise and draw swords; Officers
at tables rise, leaving their swords on the Tables
E.P. and Mar. Take up their swords and
return them. Chap. Takes up New Testament; they leave the Chapter House
and proceed to the Guard Room. Capt.-Gen. moves to place of E.P.
Dep.Mar.: Bro. Knights. Be seated.
The Guard Room
E.P. and Chaplain enter. E.P. draws his
sword and places it on the front of the Table, hilt to the South, and takes
his place on the North side of the Table. Chaplain places New Testament
on the Table behind the sword; he opens it at Acts, Chap. 27 and takes
his place on the South side of the Table.
E.P.: By virtue of the power
vested in me, I declare this Chapter of Knights of St. Paul duly opened.
Mar. Conducts Cand. Into the Guard Room
and places him in front of E.P. He instructs him to salute E.P. with S.
of Crus. With his hand.
Mar. Salutes and presents Cand:
E.P., I present this Knight of the Religious, Military and Masonic Order
of the Temple, who humbly solicits to be admitted to the secrets and privileges
of the Degree of Knight of St. Paul.
E.P.: Knight …, before I place
you in the possession of our secrets, are you willing to pledge yourself
to keep inviolate the secrets and mysteries of the Degree of Knights of
St. Paul?
Cand.: I am.
E.P.: You will assume the Sign
of Fidelity.
Do you solemnly promise on your knightly honour that you will never
improperly reveal the secrets which we are now about to impart on you?
Cand. Prompted by Mar.: I solemnly
promise. Cand. Drops Sn.
E.P.: You will now attend while
the Chaplain reads a portion of Holy Scripture.
Chaplain reads Acts 27 and 28 to v. 6:
And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered
Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of
Augustinus' band. And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched,
meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of
Thessalonica, being with us. (…) Now when much time was spent, and when
sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul
admonished them, and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage
will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but
also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the
owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. And
because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised
to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and
there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south-west
and north-west. And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they
had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
But not long after they arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let
her drive. (…) And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and
so small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken
away. But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them,
and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from
Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now exhort you to be
of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you,
but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose
I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be through before
Caesar; and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore,
sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe in God that it shall be even as it
was told me. Howbeit we must cast upon a certain island. (…) And falling
into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart
stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with
the violence of waves. (…) And when they escaped, then they knew that the
island was called Melita. And the barbarous people shewed us no little
kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of
the present rain, and because of the cold. And when Paul had gathered a
bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of
the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous
beast hand on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is
a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth
not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly;
but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they
changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
E.P.: I will now entrust you
with the Sign, Token and Word of this Degree.
The Sign is given by shaking the hand, as if shaking of a viper,
as St. Paul did.
The Grip or Token is given by taking hold of the little fingers
and turning up the hands, and then, with the fore-finger and the thumb,
alternately laying hold of the skin on the back of the hand
The Mediterranean Pass is Melita
The Pass Words are Fear not Paul.
By virtue of the powers vested in me, I declare this Chapter of
Knights of St. Paul duly closed.
E.P. takes up his sword and returns it.
Chaplain closes New Testament and takes it up. Both then leave the Guard
Room and return to the Chapter House.
Ceremony of Installation
The Chapter House
Before the Ceremony starts, Dep.Mar. will
have placed Malta Jewel of Cand. On a small cushion ready to present to
E.P.
Guard gives report on door (1-12)
C. of O. reports: Worthy Captain-General,
there is a report.
Capt.-Gen.: Bro. Captain of
Outpost, ascertain the cause thereof.
C. of O. opens door: Who comes?
Guard: The Eminent Prior and
the Chaplain seek admittance.
C. of O. closes door: Worthy
Captain-General, the Eminent Prior and the Chaplain seek admittance.
Capt.-Gen.: admit them.
Dep.Mar.: Bro. Knights. To order.
All Knights rise and draw swords. Officers
at the Tables rise, leaving their swords on the Tables. E.P. and Chap.
Enter and proceed to their places. Capt.-Gen. returns to his own place.
E.P. draws his sword, places it on Table and sits.
Dep.Mar.: Brother Knights. Be
seated. Banner Guards. To order. Take post.
The five Knights detailed to act as Guards
to the Banners rise, draw their swords and take post opposite their respective
Banners, facing North. The line of Banners forms the way of approach for
the Candidate from West to East. Mareschal, with the sword at carry, and
Cand. Approach the door of the Chapter House.
Guard gives knocks (5-2).
C. of O.: Eminent Prior, there
is an alarm.
E.P.: Ascertain the cause thereof.
C. of O. opens door: Who comes?
Mar.: A worthy Knight and Soldier
of the Cross seeks admittance
C. of O.: To what Order does
he belong?
Mar.: The Religious, Military
and Masonic Order of the Temple.
C. of O.: Has he the necessary
qualifications?
Mar.: He has.
C. of O.: Halt while I report
to the E.P. and Knights in Council. C. of O. closes
door and reports: E.P., a worthy Knight and Soldier of the Cross
seeks admittance.
E.P.: Admit him.
C. of O. opens the door: I have
received orders to admit you. Give me the Pass Word.
Cand.: Fear not Paul.
The procedure for challenging the Cand.
at each Banner will be as follows: as the Cand. approaches, the Guard will
turn to the West, point his sword at the breast of the Cand. And make the
challenge. When he receives the Cand.'s reply, Guard will return to carry,
turn to North, extend the Banner with the point of his sword so as to exhibit
it to the Cand. And tell him the name of the Banner and the Word. Guard
will then lower the Banner and return to the carry.
The Mar. And the Cand. Enter and advance
towards the Banners. During the advance Mar. Will ensure that Cand. Is
so positioned for each Banner that Guard can make the challenge effectively.
1st Guard challenges: Give me
the Mediterranean Pass.
Cand.: Melita
1st Guard: This is the Banner
of Palestine and the Word is Birth.
2nd Guard challenges: Give me
the word of the Banner of Palestine.
Cand.: Birth.
2nd Guard: This is the Banner
of Cyprus and the Word is Life.
3rd Guard challenges: Give me
the word of the Banner of Cyprus
Cand.: Life.
3rd Guard: This is the Banner
of Rhodes and the Word is Death.
4th Guard challenges: Give me
the word of the Banner of Rhodes.
Cand.: Death.
4th Guard: This is the Banner
of Candia and the Word is Resurrection.
5th Guard challenges: Give me
the word of the Banner of Candia.
Cand.: Resurrection.
5th Guard: This is the Banner
of Malta and the Word is Ascension.
After passing the Banner of Malta, Mar.
Conducts Cand. To the West end of the Octagonal Table, facing East: thereafter
he prompts his replies. Guards take post alongside and to the East of their
respective Banners and stand at ease.
E.P.: Brother Knight, is it
your wish to join our Order and fight under our Holy Banner against all
opposers of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour?
Cand.: It is.
E.P.: Have you any proof thereof?
Cand. Instructed by Mar., points to the
Star on his breast: I have this.
E.P.: Give me the word of the
Banner of Malta.
Cand.: Ascension
E.P.: Are you prepared to conform
yourself to our rules and regulations and to walk in strict accordance therewith?
Cand.: I am.
E.P.: Will you swear?
Cand.: I will.
E.P.: Then you will advance
to this table, kneel and enter into the obligation of a Knight of Malta.
Mar.: Bro. Knights. To order.
Mar. conducts Cand. Via South to kneeling
stool at West of Pentagonal Table: he instructs him to draw his sword and
to place it across the open Bible, hilt to the South, to kneel on both
knees and to place his right hand on both the sword and the Bible.
Chap. standing in his place, facing West:
You will state your Christian Names and Surname and say after me:
I, …, do hereby and hereon promise and vow, on the honour of a Knight
Templar, never improperly to divulge the secrets about to be entrusted
to me; and in all respects to conform to the rules and regulations of this
Ancient and Masonic Order, as contained in the Statutes of the Great Priory
of England and Wales and its Provinces overseas. So help me God.
E.P.: You will real this Obligation
three times on the Holy Gospels. Cand. complies.
Mar. instructs Cand. to rise, to pick up
his sword and to return it.
Dep.Mar. advances and moves the kneeling
stool to a point in the East mid-way between the Pentagonal Table and the
East end of the Chapter House. Mar. conducts
Cand. via South to kneeling stool; he instructs him to kneel on both knees
and to remove his cap. E.P. leaves his place at the Pentagonal Table and
stands on the Eastern side of the Kneeling Stool, facing West. Mar. presents
his sword to E.P. E.P. gives accolade to Cand and invests him with the
honour of Knighthood of Malta.
E.P.: By virtue and power and
authority vested in me by the Great Priory of England, Wales and its Provinces
Overseas, and in the name of St. John the Baptist, the Patron Saint of
the Order, I make thee a Knight of the Ancient and Masonic Order of St.
John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta.
E.P. lays sword once on the right shoulder
of Cand.: Be Valiant, Bold and True.
E.P. transfers his sword to his left hand;
he takes Cand by his right hand and raises him, saying: Arise Bro.
Knight..
E.P. transfers sword to his right hand
and hands it back to Mar; Dep. Mar. removes kneeling stool; Mar. instructs
Cand. to replace his cap; Dep. Mar. presents to E.P. cushion on which is
Jewel of Malta for Cand.
E.P.: I now invest you with
the Jewel of our Order.
Mar.: Bro. Knights. Be seated.
Mar. instructs Cand. to draw his sword:
he then presents his own sword to E.P.
E.P.: I will entrust you with
the Grip, Words and Signs of the Order.
The Grip is given with the Sword in the Right Hand at the carry.
Then interlace the fingers of the left hands and move the joined hands
backwards and forwards as if rowing.
The Words are King of Kings, answered by Lord of Lords.
When a Knight of the Order is being proved, the Grip is given; the
one then says King of Kings, to which the other replies Lord of Lords.
Bro. Knights, return your sword. E.P. hands the
sword back to Mar.
The Grand Word is Jesus Emmanuel
The Sign of the Order is given thus with the right hand: Draw the
thumb down the face from crown to chine. This Sign is always to be given
with the hand and never with the sword.
The Sign of Ascension is given by pointing upward with the index
finger of the right hand.
E.P. resumes his seat. Cand. is placed
by Mar. on South side of Pentagonal Table; Dep.Mar. takes charge of Cand.
Mar. returns to his place at the Octagonal Table, places his sword thereon
and sits; Dep.Mar. calls Guards to Banners to attention: they stand by
their Banners.
When E.P. refers to a particular Banner
Guard will extend Banner with his left hand so that Cand. can see it; when
E.P. has completed his reference to it Guard will lower Banner.
E.P.: Worthy Bro. Knight, it
is now my duty to direct your attention to a brief résumé
of the history of the Order of the Knights of St. John and its bearing
on our present ceremonies.
That Order was originally founded in Jerusalem, during the first
Crusade, about the year of our Lord 1099, by the association of many pious
Knights with the Fratres of St. John's Hospital; an establishment previously
founded in 1048 for the relief of Pilgrims proceeding to worship at the
Holy Sepulchre. The name Palestine and the date on the Banner of Birth
(Banner of Palestine extended) commemorate
the country of our Lord's Nativity, and have reference to this, the earliest
period of the Order, and also to the place where the Order was founded.
After a troubled existence of nearly 200 years in the Holy Land,
and in consequence of being deprived, by the wars raging in Europe, of
their looked-for assistance, The Order was compelled to evacuate Palestine
(Banner of Palestine lowered), and,
the year 1291, established itself on the Island of Cyprus (Banner
of Cyprus extended). The name and date on the Banner of Life
are in Memory of this refuge of the Knights of St. John (Banner
of Cyprus lowered).
In 1310, the Island of Rhodes (Banner of
Rhodes extended) became the property of the Forces of the Order,
which had, a few years before, in 1307, been strengthened in numbers and
enriched by the possessions of the Templars, who were at that time suppressed
by the cruelty and avarice of Pope Clement V and Philip le Bel, King of
France. The remains of the fortifications erected in Rhodes by the Knights
still bear testimony to their architectural talent and their engineering
ability. The Banner of Death has reference to this period of our history.
In 1522, the Island of Rhodes was besieged by the Turks, under the
Emperor Suleyman the First, and, after a memorable defence, fell into the
hands of the Infidels; the garrison, however, was permitted to depart with
all the honours of war (Banner of Rhodes lowered).
From 1523 the Order found refuge in the Island of Candia (Banner
of Candia extended) and elsewhere and in 1530 , the Emperor
Charles V ceded the Island of Malta (Banner of
Malta extended) to the Order, on condition of using all their
abilities to repress the ravages of the Moorish rovers, who at that time
infested the southern part of the mediterranean. These periods of our history
are designated by the Banners of Resurrection and the Banner of Ascension
(Banner of Candia and Banner of Malta lowered.
Dep.Mar. orders Guards to Banners to be seated. The legend of
the approach of the Knights to this their final resting-place has given
rise to the distinguishing wonders of the Order. The story runs that, on
coming to take possession of the island, they approached the shore, rowing
their galleys, two men to an oar, the oars in their left hand and their
swords in their right hands, singing a psalm in the words 'King of Kings
and Lord of Lords'.
The natives of the island, seeing their approach in a warlike guise,
hailed them through a speaking-trumpet, saying in Arabic tongue: "Es Salaam
Aleikum", which means: Do you come in peace? To this the Knights replied:
"Aleikum Es Salaam", which means: We do come in peace, to which the natives
rejoined: "Wa'ha Aleikum Es Salaam", which means: Then come in peace.
It is worthy of remark that these are, to this day, the common forms
of salutation between an Arab and a stranger. The Mediterranean Pass, which
you have received in the introductory degree of Knight of St. Paul, was
instituted at an early period of the Order, so that the pilgrims might
distinguish one another from the Moorish rovers who tried to bar their
passage to the Holy Land.
Five officers of the Priory, namely the E.P. and his bodyguard,
are seated in the East of the Council Chamber at the Pentagonal Table on
which is represented the upper limb of a Cross. Their swords are still
pointing to one spot, that where the Heart of our Saviour was supposed
to have rested, figuratively in a degree of the holy character of the Order.
The number 5 has also an allusion to the five wounds of Christ and it is
repeated in the number of rounds of the ladder depicted on one of the divisions
within the orle forming part of the Jewel represented on the second table.
These five officers formed the personal staff in attendance on the Grand
Master of the Order.
Dep.Mar. conducts Cand. to the South side
of the Octagonal Table.
The eight other officers are placed at an octagonal table in the
West. This table has on it the eightpointed star or cross which is well
known as the emblem of the Order.
Hospitaller points with his sword to each
object as it is mentioned by E.P., replacing his sword on the table when
the explanation is finished.
In the centre is an Orle with four divisions, with representations
of a ship, or ancient galley; a ladder of five rounds, with the letters
B.L.D.R.A. on the rounds, and a speaking trumpet; a cloven skull, a double-handed
sword, and a spear; and a hand and viper. The ancient galley is a representation
of the vessels formerly used in carrying corn from Egypt to Rome. The ladder
has letters on the rounds corresponding with those on the five banners;
the speaking-trumpet recalls to us the legend of the approach of the Knights
to the Island of Malta. The skull is typical of the penalty of death to
traitors to the Order; the double-handed sword was in use by the Knights
in the earlier period of the Order; the spear reminds us of the weapon
which pierced the side of our Lord; the hand and the viper refer to the
history of St. Paul in connection with the Island of Malta.
The eight officers sitting there represent the heads of the eight
Langues or Tongues into which the Order was divided. These were: Provence,
Auvergne, France, Italy, Aragon, England, Germany and Castile. These eight
priors also held the several offices in the Order of Mareschal, Hospitaller,
Admiral, Conservator, Baillie, Turcopollier, Chancellor and Treasurer..
The 33 knocks given at the opening and closing of the priory refer
to the 33 years of the life of our Lord on earth.
The practical lessons to be drawn by us from the study and contemplation
of the B., L., D., R. and A. of our blessed Lord and Saviour will be brought
more particularly to your notice during the Ceremony of closing the Priory,
to which presently your attention will be directed.
My Brother, be seated.
Dep.Mar. conducts Cand. to a seat in the
North West; he then resumes his own place.
Form of closing a Priory
E.P.: Worthy Captain-General,
what is the last duty of our Companions-in-Arms?
Capt.-Gen.: To close the Priory
in peace and good-will with all our Companions-in-Arms, and in Christian
charity with all mankind.
E.P.: How can we best effect
this noble and God-like purpose?
Capt.-Gen.: By proving to friends
and foes the B., L., D., R. and A. of Christ, the Saviour of Mankind.
E.P.: Pray, Worthy Captain-General
what do we learn from His Birth?
Capt.-Gen.: That the great Captain
of our Salvation was born to redeem fallen mankind.
E.P.: Worthy Lieutenant-General,
what do we learn from His Life?
Lieut.-Gen.: All requisite for
us as follows: He being the Way, the Truth and the Life.
E.P.: Worthy 1st Lieutenant,
what do we learn from His Death?
1st. Lieut.: That our debt of
nature is fully paid, and the rigour of the law is satisfied.
E.P.: Worthy 2nd Lieutenant,
what do we learn from His Resurrection?
2nd. Lieut.: He, being the Day
Star of Mercy, has risen to conduct our feet into paths of truth and peace.
E.P.: Thus, my Companions-in-Arms,
by the B., L., D. and R. of our Blessed Lord and Saviour, we are taught
to live and die as Christians; and it is now my province to close this
Priory, previously declaring that by His glorious A. He is gone before
to open the Door of Everlasting Life; for He hath said: "In My Father's
house are many mansions, but I go to prepare the way, and open the gates
of Paradise, that where I am My servants may be also."
Mar.: Bro. Knights. To order.
All Knights rise: the Officers at the tables
take up their swords. Dep.Mar. does not his sword; he advances to the Western
end of the Pentagonal Table and turns the pages of the Holy Bible to open
the Book at the Old Testament. Chap. moves down to Eastern end of Octagonal
Table, where he faces East. Dep.Mar. hands Bible to Chap., then steps back
to North and waits. Chap. holds Bible in front of him with both hands.
On a cue from E.P. the Officers at the
Pentagonal Table leave their places with swords at the carry and form up
in an arc at the West end of that Table, facing West, in the order from
North to South: 1st. Lieut.; Capt.-Gen.; E.P.; Lieut.-Gen.; 2nd. Lieut.
They remain standing.
Chap. presents Bible, by holding it forward.
Taking the time from E.P., the five Officers come to recover, , then pace
the points of their swords lightly on the Old Testament. After a short
pause, again taking the time from E.P., they come back to the recover and
return to the carry. Chap. offers Bible to each Officer in turn, who salutes
it once with his lips in the order: E.P.; Capt.-Gen.; 1st. Lieut.; Lieut.-Gen.;
2nd. Lieut.
On completion, on a cue from E.P., the
Officers return to their places at the Pentagonal Table and remain standing
at the carry. Chap. moves to Western end of the Pentagonal Table and faces
West; Dep.Mar. steps forward, turns the pages to open Bible at the New
Testament, and steps back again to the North.
On a cue from Mar., the Officers at the
Octagonal Table leave their places with swords at the carry, and form up
in an arc at the East end of that table, facing East. Hospitaller and Mar.
are in the middle, Treasurer and Vice-Chancellor at the North and South
extremities respectively; they remain standing.
Chap. presents Bible; taking the time from
Mar. the eight Officers come to the recover, then place the points of their
swords lightly on the New Testament. After a short pause, again taking
time from Mar., they come back to recover and return to the carry. Chap.
offers Bible to each Officer in turn from North to South, who salutes in
once with his lips. Chap. then returns to the centre.
On a cue from Mar., the Officers return
to their places at the Octagonal Table and remain standing at the carry.
Dep.Mar. steps forward and takes Bible
from Chap., who returns to his place in the East. Dep.Mar. then replaces
Bible on Pentagonal Table and closes it; he returns to his place in the
West and draws his sword.
Chap. standing in his place facing West:
Let us pray.
Knights adopt position of prayer; Officers
at the Tables rest the blades of their swords on the Tables.
Most merciful God, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may ever show
forth in ourselves the lessons taught by the B., L., D., R. and A. of Thy
Son Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, at the last, we may be found acceptable
in Thy sight and worthy to be numbered with Thine elect. Amen.
Knights carry swords.
E.P.: In the name of the Holy
Trinity I declare this Priory of Knights of Malta duly closed, to remain
so until it is my will and pleasure, or the will and pleasure of some other
duly authorized person, to open the same again.
33 knocks are given in form by the Officers
in the same manner as at the Opening.
Mar.: Officers at the Pentagonal
and Octagonal Tables, Return Swords. Brother Knights, you will remain standing
while the E.P., attended by the Chaplain, the Officers of the Pentagonal
and Octagonal Tables and accompanied by the Great Officers leaves the Chapter
House.
Dep.Mar. takes post in the South by the
space between the two tables, facing West.
Order of Retirement Procession: Dep.Mar.;
Eminent Prior; Lieut.-Gen and Capt.-Gen.; 2nd Lieut. And 1st. Lieut.; Chaplain;
Admiral and Hospitaller; Baillie and Conservator; Vice-Chancellor and Turcopollier;
Treasurer; Great Officers (senior leading). Knights not taking part in
the Retirement Procession remain standing to order; subsequently they return
swords under the direction of the Mar. and disperse.