Grand United Order of True Reformers
Ritual of the Second, or Hope Degree
W. G. M.: W. Con., You will examine all present in the Second, or
Degree of Hope, and report.
1875
W. G. M.: The members will rise while the D. G. M. opens the Lodge
in the Second, or Degree of Hope.
Three raps.
All give the countersign.
D. G. M.: By the desire of the W. G. M., I declare this Lodge
opened in the Second, or Degree of Hope, for the purpose of conferring its
honors.
W. G. M.: I declare it so opened. One rap.
W. Con. retires to prepare the candidates, when ready gives two loud knocks
upon the door.
D. G. M.: Who comes there?
W. Con.: Brothers, or Sisters, of the Faith Degree desire to
become more fully acquainted with the mysteries of the Degree of Hope.
D. G. M.: Admit them.
As the W. Con. enters with the candidates, he proceeds with them around the
Lodge Room, reading the following: A good name is rather to be chosen
than great riches and loving favor rather than gold and silver. The rich and
poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all. A man that hath friends
must show himself friendly.
Second time going around the members will sing the following verses: Three
raps.
Come let us use the grace divine,
And all, with one accord,
In a perpetual covenant join,
Ourselves to Christ the Lord.
The covenant we this moment make
Be ever kept in mind;
We will no more our God forsake,
Or cast his words behind.
One rap.
W. G. M.: The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the
evil and the good. The poor is hated even of his neighbors, but the rich hath
many friends.
D. G. M.: A soft word turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir
up anger. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and
hatred therewith. Whoso mooketh the poor, reproacheth his maker; and he that is
glad at calamities, shall not be unpunished.
The candidates are now brought before the chair of the W. G. M.
W. G. M.: My friends, your attention has been directed to lessons
of great importance, and they come to you with no ordinary authority; they are
words of wisdom written by Divine inspiration, and designed for our improvement.
We should be careful to treasure up the principles they inculcate, that our
days may be many and our lives useful.
You will now give your attention to the instructions of my assistants.
Question: What important information do you find in those lessons
referred to by our Worthy Grand Master?
Answer: They are intended in part, to show us the fallacy of trusting for
happiness in the riches and honors of this world, rather than a life of virtue
and integrity.
Question: What further information do they communicate?
Answer: They bring to our view some of the most important duties we owe to
each other.
Question: Will you please state some of them?
Answer: We are required by them to reader kindly distance to a brother or
sister, and not those only, but also to our neighbor.
Question: Very true; but is that all?
Answer: No; we are not to wait to inquire whether he is our friend or
brother; but if our enemy hunger, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him
drink.
Question: Are not those duties inculcated in many portions of the Scriptures?
Answer: Yes; we have a bright example in the story as found in the Bible.
Luke 10th Chap., 25th to the 38th verse.
Question: Have you been made acquainted with it?
W. Con.: We have.
D. G. M.: Go thou and do likewise.
D. G. M.: You will now be conducted to the W. G. M. who will
confer on you the obligation of this Degree. Three
raps.
Obligation
In the presence of the members of the Degree of Hope here assembled, I do
solemnly promise, declare and say, that I will keep sacred and inviolable, all
the secrets of this Degree. That I will not write, indite, or cause to be
written or indited, in part or whole, any of the secrets, signs, tokens, grips,
or words, belonging to this or any other Degree of the Order, upon anything
movable or immovable, so that the same may be by any means obtained. All this I
pledge myself to perform with a full determination to keep my pledge unbroken.
W. G. M.: Brothers (or Sisters,) in the Obligation of the First
Degree, you have promised faithfully not to write, indite or cause to be written
on anything movable, the signs, secrets, words, &c. And in the Second
Degree, you have re-obligated yourselves not to write in part or whole, any of
the tokens, grips, or words belonging to this or any other Degree of the Order;
and in violation of the same, you are to be dealt with according to the Laws,
Rules and Regulations of the Grand Lodge. so in sincerity to the obligation you
have taken, you will please kiss this Book.
One rap.
W. G. M.: Brothers (or Sisters,) before making you acquainted with
the mysteries of this Degree, it is proper that I should impress upon your minds
the objects of this fraternal association, and I cannot do so in a more direct
way than by calling your attention to the almost universal curse occasioned by
the use of intoxicating beverages.
The victims of this horrid traffic cannot be numbered. The high as well as
the low, the rich as well as the poor, have alike fallen by this cruel enemy.
Children weep for parents, and parents for their children; husbands over their
disgraced companions, and wives over the destiny of their inebriate husbands,
and penury and want follow in its footsteps. The world, my friends, looks coldly
upon the miseries it occasions; but few among the vast multitude are found
willing to put forth the helping hand.
But the Order of True Reformers were instituted for the express object of
uniting their efforts with kindred institutions, to put an end to this dreadful
evil. Yes, it will be your duty, as well as ours, to go to that desolate wife,
and those famishing children and tell them you have come to comfort them; that
you have come to pour in the oil of consolation into their disconsolate bosoms;
that they must hope for better things; that the husband and father may yet be
restored to his family, and that with his return former years of pleasure will
also return. Go also to the poor inebriate, and whisper in his ear that for him
there yet is hope; that though his prospects are cheerless and gloomy, he may
live to Mess his wife and children, and cause joy and gladness to spring up in
their hearts. A glorious work of love is this; a work in which Angels take
delight, and with which God is well pleased; a work which brings with its own
reward, a consciousness of having done our duty, and the blessings of the wise
and good of all ages will rest upon us.
Brothers (or Sisters,) there is to this Degree a countersign, a grip and a
word.
The countersign is giving thus, by clinching both hands together and placing
both thumbs perpendicular over the mouth and let them fall to your side.
The grip is a grasp of the two last fingers and the thumb.
The pass is the word Charity and is to be used as the pass to the Second
Degree.
Brothers (or Sisters,) in the name of the Grand Lodge, I declare you fully
initiated into the mysteries of the Degree of Hope.
You will salute the chairs and retire to the ante-room.
W. G. M.: The members will rise while the D. G. M. closes the
Lodge in the Degree of Hope. Three raps.
D. G. M.: By the desire of the W. G. M. I declare this Lodge
closed.
W. G. M.: I do declare it closed. One
rap.