A council of Select Masters
is opened.
The Master elect is presented
in the West by a Past Master.
P.M.: Thrice Illustrious
Master, I present to you Companion …, for installation as Master of this
Council; I find him well skilled in the Royal Mysteries, zealous in diffusing
the sacred sacred principles of our fathers, and his Companions repose
the highest confidence in his integrity and fidelity.
I.O.: Illustrious
Companion, your presentation shall be attended to, and I shall at once
proceed to install Companion …, in the chair.
Past Master resumes his seat.
I.O.: Companion
…, I feel great pleasure in receiving you as the Master elect of this Council.
I need hardly remind you that it is a station highly honourable to him
who diligently and faithfully performs the duties imposed upon him.
Before proceeding to install you in the chair of Master,
I must claim your attention while the Recorder reads the Charges and Regulations
relating to the chair of a Master of a Council, to all of which unqualified
assent is required, which you will signify by the sign of fidelity after
each clause, at the same time bowing the head in token of submission.
Rec.: Do you solemnly
promise:
-
That you will use your best endeavours to promote the
general good of the Order, and the peace, harmony, and prosperity of your
Council; and will be ready, on all proper occasions, to give instruction
to those who seek it?
-
That you will not suffer your Council to be opened unless
the requisite number of Companions be present?
-
That you will not suffer to pass the circle of perfection
in your Council anyone in whose integrity, fervency, and zeal, you have
not entire confidence?
-
That you will not acknowledge, nor hold intercourse with,
any Council that does not work under some regular and constitutional authority?
-
That you will not admit into your Council any visitor
who has not been regularly and lawfully invested with the Degrees conferred
therein, without his having been formally heled?
-
That you will faithfully observe and support the Constitutions
and Regulations of the Order, and such By Laws as may be made by your Council
in conformity therewith?
-
That you will pay due respect and obedience to the Grand
Master and his Officers, when duly installed, and support them in the discharge
of their lawful duties?
I.O.: Do you submit
to these requirement and promise to observe and practice the faithfully?
Master elect answers, and
is then seated in the South West.
I.O.: I must now
request all Companions below the rank of Installed Master in this Order
to withdraw.
The Companions withdraw;
no salute.
The Master elect is placed
in front of the kneeling stool in the West.
I.O. gavels once:
I declare this a duly constituted Conclave of Installed Masters.
Companion …, you will kneel while the blessing of
heaven is invoked in aid of our proceedings.
Companions, we will now assume the attitude of Prayer
turning towards the East.
Companions rise and place
right hand on heart, facing East.
Chap.: Most Holy
and Glorious Lord God, the Great and Mighty Father of all men, we Thy humble
servants desire to approach Thee with all reverence, and to implore Thy
blessing upon this our worthy Companion, who has been selected to preside
over the affairs of this Council. Fill his heart, we beseech Thee, with
Thy fear and love, and make him steadfast in Thy service, that he may be
an example to all the Brethren Grant him firmness of mind, animate his
heart, and strengthen his endeavours, that by his life and conversation
he may promote the honour and glory of Thy Holy Name.
Omnes: So mote
it be.
Master elect remains kneeling.
All Companions turn to face the center of the Council.
The Installing Officer leaves
his chair in the East and stands at the East of the pedestal, facing West.
I.O.: Companion
… you will now take the solemn obligation of an Installed Master. Place
both hands on the V.S.L., state your several names at length, and repeat
after me
D.C.: To order,
Companions.
All companions present stand
to order with right hand on heart.
I.O.: I do hereby
and hereon solemnly promise that I will faithfully and to the best of my
ability discharge the duties of Master of this Council until a successor
shall have been regularly installed in my stead. I further solemnly promise
that I will never reveal the secrets restricted to the chair, except to
an Installed Master, or to a candidate lawfully elected or designated to
that office and obligated as such in a Conclave of Installed Masters.
All this I promise on my honour as a gentleman and
a Cryptic Mason. So help me the Most High, and keep me steadfast in the
due performance of the same.
As a token of sincerity you will seal this obligation
on the V.S.L., once with your lips.
Companions discharge hand
on heart.
I.O. takes the Master elect
by both hands.
I.O.: Rise duly
obligated Thrice Illustrious Master.
Installing Officer, still
holding both hands of the Master elect leads him to a position in front
of the Master’s chair. Master elect faces North and the Installing Officer
faces South.
The Traditional History is
now given.
I.O.: It is traditionally
reported that after the Consecration and Dedication of the Holy Temple
at Jerusalem, Hiram, King of Tyre, having had his most ardent wish gratified
in seeing the completion of the secret vault, and the sacred treasures
safely deposited therein, determined on his departure for his own country
with the satisfaction of having faithfully discharged his duties to the
Craft. He accordingly went to take farewell of the Thrice Illustrious King
Solomon. His retinue had already proceeded on their way laden with rich
gifts and costly presents, and had pitched their camp outside the walls
of Jerusalem.
King Solomon, in his most retired apartment, awaited
the arrival of his Illustrious Companion, and on his approach, calling
to mind the great and sincere friendship that had existed between the three
Grand Masters for many years, and yet remembering the untimely death of
one of their number, and that they two alone remained and could not therefore
give the grip, he clasped with his right hand the 1eft wrist of King Hiram,
who did likewise. Each then gripped his own right wrist with his left hand
and raising their hands King Solomon pronounced the words Adonai El Shaddai.
The sign of an Installed Master is given by placing
the hands side by side with the first two fingers of the right hand overlapping
the first two of the left hand, thumbs under the palms of the opposite
hands, the third and fourth fingers together at an angle from the first
two, thus forming as nearly as possible a letter w, raising the hands to
the forehead, then dropping the hands to the front of the body. The whole
represents Shin the first letter of the Hebrew word Shadai which you can
observe on the East and West faces of the Ark of the Covenant.
I now invest you with the scarlet robe, also the collar
and jewel, these being the insignia of your office.
With the grip of an Installed Master and the words
Adonai El Shaddai, I place you on the throne of King Solomon.
Lastly, I present you with this Gavel, the Symbol
of Authority.
Only the installing Officer
places his right hand on heart.
May the Supreme Master of all aid you with His Grace
and have you in His Holy Keeping now evermore.
You will now invest the Immediate Past Master. Done
I.O.: Illustrious
Companions, Companion … having been installed as Thrice Illustrious
Master, we will salute him five times with the sign
of an Installed Master. The salute is given by
raising the sign to the forehead and dropping the hands to the front of
the body, five times.
Installing Officer congratulates
the newly installed Master on behalf of the Illustrious
Companions present.
I.O.: Thrice
Illustrious Master, will you please gavel once and declare this Conclave
of
Installed Masters closed. Done
Illustrious Companions be seated.
Companion Steward, admit the Companions.
Visiting Companions will
be admitted first and directed to resume their seats without saluting.
Companions of the Council
will be admitted and will form column in the North under the direction
of the Director of Ceremonies.
I.O.: Companions,
during your temporary absence Illustrious Companion … has been regularly
installed as Thrice Illustrious Master, and I call upon you to proceed
round the Council and salute him, in passing, with the Grand Hailing Sign
of a Select Master Done.
I now proclaim Illustrious Companion … Thrice Illustrious
Master of this the … Council, No … on the Register of the Grand Council
of the Order of Royal and Select Masters of England and Wales and its Districts
and Councils Overseas, during the ensuing twelve months and until a successor
shall have been duly elected and installed in his stead, and I call upon
you to greet him with three times nine, taking the time with me. Done.
Companions remain standing.
Thrice Illustrious Master, I now present to you the
warrant of your Council, and in entrusting it to your special keeping,
feel sure that you will receive it as a sacred deposit, and will transmit
it to your successor, pure and unsullied as you now receive it.
Companions be seated. Thrice Illustrious Master, I
present to you the Constitutions and Regulations of the Order which I recommend
to your careful perusal; and also the By-Laws which you are to enforce
in your Council. You will now appoint and invest the officers.
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