Deutsche Orden der Harugari
Ritual of the Third Degree

n.d.

Opening

All business in a degree lodge must be conducted in the third degree except the conferring of the, first and second degrees, whereby the lodge is closed in the third degree and simply opened in the first or second degree.
The O. B. gives one rap.
O.B.: I.G., please close the door. Brother Warden, examine those present and ascertain if they are brothers of the third degree, and if they have the pass word of the current term.
The warden examines the brothers present.
Warden: The brothers are all in order.
O.B.: Brother U.B., who are you?
U.B.: A brother of the third degree.
O.B.: Brother U.B., where do you keep the secrets of our order entrusted to you?
U.B.: In my heart.
O.B.: Is there a key thereto?
U.B.: Yes.
O.B.: Where do you keep it?
U.B.: In a casket of coral, which is opened and closed with keys of ivory.
O.B.: Of what metal is it made?
U.B.: Of none, it is the tongue, which obeys the understanding, and willingly speaks only good of those present as well as those absent.
O.B.: Brother U.B., I am satisfied with your knowledge and your sentiments. Notify the brothers that it is my wish and will to open the lodge in the third degree.
The O.B. gives the sign to rise.
O.B.: I hereby declare this lodge duly opened in the third degree.
I.G., please notify the O.G. that the lodge is open in the third degree.
The O. B. gives one rap.
After the business up to the conferring of the first or second degrees have been finished, the O.B. gives two raps, closes the third and opens the lodge in the degree which is to be conferred, and when the degree is conferred he opens the lodge again in the third degree, when all unfinished business is attended to.
The altar is draped in black, on the altar in front of the O.B. are the three symbols feebly illuminated.
The altar in front of the U.B. is also draped in black.
The Secretary and the Guide retire to the ante-room. The former reads the list of applicants, and the latter examines them as to the pass word and signs, of the subordinate lodge, and the pass word of the first two degrees, conducts them to the inner door, and gives two raps. After they have entered, the Guide leads them several times about the room while the three higher officers repeat the following successively:
U.B.: O Death, how bitter art thou, when he thinks of thee, whose days are happy, who has plenty and lives without care, and who prospers in all things!
O.B.: O Death, how welcome art thou to the needy one, who is now weak and old, who is oppressed by cares, and has nothing better to hope for or expect!
Ex B.: Fear not death, remember, that it is ordained of all flesh; of that which has gone before thee, and of that which shall follow thee.
The Guide goes with the candidates to the chair of the Ex B.
Ex B.: My brothers, have you considered carefully the teachings of the degrees you have already received, and are you willing to renew before the assembled brothers of the third degree the promises you have already made, and to make these stronger? If so, answer.
The candidates answer.
Ex B. to the Guide: Brother Guide, conduct the brothers to our brother U.B.
The Guide conducts them to the chair of the U.B.
U.B.: How far have you advanced in the D. O. H.?
Have you received the second degree? Answer.
U.B.: Lay your right hand over your heart, raise the left and repeat after me:
The O. B. gives the sign to rise.
I, …, hereby promise and vow, freely and unconstrainedly, in the presence of the assembled brothers, that I will keep locked in my breast as a holy secret all the signs and secrets of the Deutschen Orden der Harugari, which shall be entrusted to me to-day, or have been entrusted to me in the past, that I as long as I live will never communicate or betray to anyone not a member of the third degree D. O. H. any part thereof. Furthermore, I promise never to slander or speak malevolently of any brother of this order, either behind his back or in his presence, but I will rather warn him of any threatening danger if it be in my power to do so. At the same time I promise that I will obey all regulations of the order in this and the preceding degrees, and that I will aid and assist to the best of my ability, by word and deed, all brothers who are in want or needy circumstances, as well as their widows and orphans. To the fulfillment of all this I pledge my sacred honor.— But should I ever violate this my sacred vow, may dishonorable expulsion and the detestation of all the brothers befall me.
U.B.: Brother Guide, conduct the brothers to the altar.
The Guide conducts the brothers to the altar.
O.B.: Lay your right hand on your heart, and lay your left hand on the altar.
The O. B. gives two raps.
While this is going on, the brothers present approach and form a circle about the altar, while the O. B. says: Red as gladness, be the brothers token,
Pure as Gold, the spirit which inspires us,
And that e'en is death, we ne'er despair
Be black the 'band that hangs about our breasts.
 
Though rock and oak may split
We ne'er shall tremble.
With stormy grief a brother is onward borne,
To battle and die for a brother's weal.
The O. B. gives one rap.
The assisting officers take their places.
O.B. to the brothers in front of the altar: My brothers, you are welcome into the fraternity of the third degree. I have now the following to communicate to you:
As our never to be forgotten G.B., Wodan, long before the time of Hermann, was occupied with a plan to give to the order of the Harugari a more complete form, he invited six of the most distinguished brothers to a conference, in order to erect a structure which should defy time and for eternity operate for the good of the German people. For this purpose they separated those connected with them according to their capabilities into four classes: into the blue, the yellow, the red and the black. The order increased in numbers from year to year, Virtue and zeal for the same were the means of becoming participants of the higher degrees. Four brothers of the blue degree, who had been members from the founding of the order, through their own fault could not acquire a higher degree, and embittered thereby they swore to attack the G.B. hostilely and force from him the secret; of the higher degrees, and, if this should fail them, to kill him.
Therefore one morning early they lay in wait for the G.B., attacked him, bound him hand and foot, tortured him in the severest way to learn the secrets, and since he in spite of his pangs remained firm, they killed him, and buried his body under an oak.
In the evening after sunset the brothers of the order met; the accustomed hour at which the G.B. should appear passed. He came not. Thereupon a solemn stillness came upon the meeting, and the G.W. cried with loud voice: "Is there a brother present who can give information concerning our brother G.B.?"
No answer followed. The G. Warden continued: "Since undoubtedly some adverse fate has befallen our G.B., let us go out and see if we cannot get some information of him." All of the brothers of the third degree withdrew and with lights sought for their missing G.B.; suddenly they heard a terrible cry from a raven, which flew about an oak. They hurried to the oak, found the ground at its foot recently dug up. They removed the earth and in a short time found the body of the beloved G.B.
They wound the body of the G.B. most carefully in cloth, and betook themselves with it into the lodge to the brothers of the order. Anguish and sorrow seized all the brothers present. All with the exception of four were present. Some were sent out to call the four who were absent. They came, and, as they saw the mutilated body of the G.B., such a fear overpowered them, that they sank down and confessed to having murdered the G.B. The brothers, furious, called for vengeance, and
unanimously condemned the culprits to death. But the G.W. tried to calm the brothers, entreated them to be circumspect and lenient, and implored them not to stain their hands with blood.
Thereupon they determined unanimously to expel these four unworthy members, and to banish them beyond the border of their district. On the following day the body of the honored G.B. was solemnly consigned to earth by the brothers, and a young oak planted over his grave.
Brothers: This short story gives us an example of faithfulness and resolution, which deserves to be taken wholly to heart, and should be constantly before us as an example.
I will now inform you of the signs of the third degree.
They are as follows:
1. The sign of admission.
2. The pass word.
3. The sign of salutation.
4. The sign of recognition.
5. The sign of warning.
6. The sign of need, and the cry for help.
7. The grip.
8. Three symbols.
The O. B. explains the different signs to the brothers.
The color of this degree is black.
The three symbols, which you see here, represent the three main divisions of human life, youth, manhood, and old age, which we expound as follows:
In youth, that is, as brothers of the first degree, we should strive to enrich our minds with useful knowledge.
In manhood, as brothers of the second degree, we should utilize this knowledge in the fulfillment of our duties towards our neighbors and towards ourselves, and in old age, as brothers of the third degree, we should continue on the road without wavering and should be a light to those that are younger, in order that we may one day look back without internal reproaches on our well spent lives.
The symbol,
 
The Sword
pointed to a naked heart, represents that justice overtakes us sooner or later, and, even if our thoughts, words, and deeds can be kept hidden from man, yet that
 
All Seeing Eye
which sun, moon, and stars obey, perceives the most secret thoughts of the human heart, and will reward us according to our deeds. Youth should especially take this to heart, that it may early take the right road, sow good, and later reap blessings and benedictions.
 
The Hour Glass
is the symbol of human life. Behold how quickly the sand falls, and how quickly our life approaches its end. We cannot behold without marvel the little grain’s of sand, as they, hardly that we perceive them, fall and in the short space of an hour are spent. Thus does man also pass away; to-day there spring from him the tender leaves of hope; but on the morrow there comes a frost, which destroys the branch; or as he thinks that he is on the sure road to the greatest honor and power, he is suddenly mowed down like the grass, and falls like the leaves in winter to be mingled with mother earth.
 
Death With the Scythe
is a symbol of time which severs our thread of life and bears us into eternity. Behold, what ruin the scythe makes among mankind. If we happen to be spared the innumerable evils of life in our childhood and in our youth, and reach the years of manhood in good health, yet all too soon we are mowed down by the scythe of time and gathered into the land whither our ancestors have gone before us.
Herewith we close the explanation of the symbols.
My brothers, in virtue of the power vested in me I have accepted you as brothers of the third degree, and as a sign thereof I give you the badge of this degree.
The brothers clothe themselves with the regalia, and the O.B. continues:
O.B.: Your zeal for the D. O. H., the progress which you have made in the secrets of the same, and your determination to submit to our laws, have recommended you to us as brothers who deserve our respect and love, Duty, honor, and gratitude bind you to lock in your bosom as a holy secret, all that which was entrusted to you, to guard the worth of your character on every occasion, and by precept and example to obtain recognition for all demands of the order.
As brothers of the third degree it is your duty to correct the mistakes and errors of your less well instructed brothers, and to warn them when they are in danger of becoming faithless to their promises. To uphold the honor of the order must be your constant effort; and therefore you should recommend confidence and obedience to the brothers of lower degrees, show friendly behaviour toward those of the same degree, and courtesy and obedience to your superiors.
You should always enjoin universal charity, and by your conduct according to the principles of the order be the best example for others. May no earthly gain make you, my brothers, unfaithful to your duty; be faithful to your promises and your vows, and show by your commendable example that you were worthy of the honor we have just conferred upon you, and of the confidence we have reposed in you.
Herewith I declare you duly instructed and initiated into the secrets of the third degree.
You will now please take your places,
Any further business of the degree lodge will now be continued.
 
 
Closing

O.B.: Brother U.B., is it time to close the lodge?
U.B.: It is fully proper time.
O.B.: Brother U.B., request the brothers to assist me in closing the lodge.
U.B.: Brothers, it is the wish and will of our brother O.B., that you assist him in closing the lodge.
The O.B. gives the sign to rise.
O.B.: Brothers, may our band of brothers never be dissolved.
In the name of the high officers of our honorable order, and by virtue of the power conferred on me I declare this lodge to be closed in due form.
O.B. gives alternately with the U.B. two raps.

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