Wise Men of America
Ritual of the Third Degree
ARCHON: Herald, you will repair to the ante-room and ascertain if
there be any candidates in waiting for the Third Degree; if so, report their
names.
1882
After the report of the Herald is received, the Archon says:
ARCHON: Inspector General, you wi1l proceed to the ante-room and
see that the candidate is properly prepared.
The Inspector GeneraI proceeds to the ante-room.
INSP. GEN. to the candidate: It is necessary that you be
blindfolded.
This is done. If there be more than one candidate, they all go through
together, but the officers must be careful to designate them in the plural where
the singular is used in this book. Each candidate is put under the charge of one
or more special conductors, to be selected by the Inspector General or Archon,
who accompany the candidates, under the control of the Inspector General. The
Inspector General gives the regular signal of the Degree. * * * * * * * by loud
knocks on the inner door.
WARDER: Who knocks there?
INSP. GEN.: The Inspector General with a candidate in charge.
WARDER, reporting to the Provost: Worshipful Provost, the
Inspector General, with a candidate in charge, desires admission.
PROVOST: Most Eminent Archon, the Inspector General, with a
candidate in charge, desires admission.
ARCHON: Worshipful Provost, are we in readiness for his reception?
PROVOST: All is in readiness.
ARCHON: Then let him be admitted.
WARDER: Enter within our portals.
The door is opened with a heavy sound. The candidate is conducted once around
the entire circuit of the room, and halted when he returns to the Provost's
Station; where the Inspector General gives seven blows with his staff.
INSP. GEN.: Worshipful Provost, I present to you a candidate for
the mysteries of the Third Degree.
PROVOST: Candidate, do you solemnly promise to preserve and keep,
the mysteries of the Third Degree, and not unlawfully impart them?
CANDIDATE: I do.
The Provost then says to the candidate:
PROVOST: Candidate, repeat after me, calling your own name:
I, …, do solemnly affirm in the presence of the Supreme Archon of the
Universe that I hereby renew the obligations I have heretofore taken as a member
of this Order; that I will defend and protect a brother, and aid him in his
necessities, afflictions or adversities according to my ability. I will always.
endeavor to so live and act that the great principles of charity and benevolence
may be shown forth in my life, and so conduct myself that no reproach will be
cast upon the Order through my unworthiness. I do further promise that I will
always promptly, and at all hazards, respond to the distress call. I will
endeavor by my unwavering zeal and fidelity, to promote the objects; sustain the
principles and extend the influence of this Order, and conform to all the laws
and usages. To the faithful performance of which I pledge my sacred honor. AMEN.
PROVOST: I will now put you in charge of Ormisda, who will be your
guide. You have nothing to fear so long as you listen to him, and follow his
directions.
The conductors in this Degree should be persons capable of reading and
speaking well, as one of them is to represent Ormisda, and the other Ahriman,
and these characters should be well performed.
Ormisda now takes the candidate in charge, and conducts him around the room a
number of times, delivering the following address to the candidate as he passes
slowly along:
ORMISDA: The path of life is thought dull by many when pursued
with a grave sense of the object of the journey. But there are lessons of wisdom
to be gathered, and we may sow our pathway with good deeds as we pass along. It
is the object of our Order to awaken the mind to the leading principles and
duties of life. It is strange that its greatest purposes are most frequently
lost sight of, while they should be its greatest pleasure.
I am not a favorite with those who journey this way, and can only stay with
such as find me welcome. I perceive that my discourse does not interest you and
that like most other travelers, you find me a dull companion. Henceforth Ahriman
will conduct you. His guidance you will find more congenial.
He is taken in charge by Ahriman, who conducts him on, around the room,
addressing him as follows:
AHRIMAN: Rejoice my friend, that you are now rid of the guide
Ormisda. He is an old sober-sides, always preaching. It is strange that some
people are neither content to enjoy themselves, nor let others do so. For what
is the world, if it be not for our enjoyment? What is the use of always
preaching morality, and that sort of thing? Trust to the impulses of your own
heart, and all will be right. What he has been saying is all fol-de-rol; a
little philosophy will soon teach you to set it at naught. Come, my friend, let
us grapple with the world as we find it.
The candidate pauses before the Chancellor. He either stands upon the floor,
or upon a movable platform. The latter is better, but is not absolutely
necessary. He should be placed at some distance from the Chancellor, out upon
the floor, and remain standing.
CHANCELLOR: In your progress thus far, you have doubtless thought
this to be a purely charitable Order. Well, it is charitable; that is charity
amongst ourselves; But at this period of your advancement, it is time to present
some other ideas to you, which have hitherto been withheld. They were withheld
because we first wished to know more about you. We wished to know whether you
would do to tie to. Charity, my friend, is a good thing, but charity won't
always do; charity won't buy the baby a frock. It is true that we make use of
charity and such other things, as a cloak for our designs. Nothing can be done
now-a-days, except under some cloak of that sort. Our object is, first, the
teaching of philosophy−plain, practical philosophy, that teaches you as a
first principle; to take care of number one; secondly, to help you fellow
members in all their schemes or purposes, right or wrong, against the rest of
the world. We are associated as an Order for our own individual purposes. We are
bound to assist each other in distress: that is a small matter; and we must each
one, be at all times ready to do for a brother whatsoever he may demand. We must
know nothing beyond the interests and necessities of the Order. Thus far, our
hearts must ever be open fountains, whence continually should flow aid and
comfort for our brethren. Show your appreciation of the grand objects of the
Order, and gladden us by your unquestioning acquiescence in our requests. Be
seated, and let your resolution of maintaining the good of this Order be firm as
the rock which now unyieldingly lends you its support. Here, set your name to
this scroll, in testimony of your sincerity and good fellowship.
The candidate is placed upon a rock in the center of the room; paper, pen and
ink are handed to him, and he is directed, to sign his name to the sheet,
whereon has been written, (or is afterwards written above his signature) unknown
to him, a draft for $1,000, or same onerous obligation. If he refuses to sign
while blindfolded, the bandages will be removed. If he still refuses to sign,
the members all shout aloud.
MEMBERS: He refuses−he is unworthy of fellowship in our
Order. Away with him!
If he consent, they express their gratification. The Chancellor then
continues:
CHANCELLOR: You have been fully enlightened as to the aim of our
brotherhood, and it is now necessary for you to kneel and take an obligation to
assist your fellow members in all their purposes, public or private, without
inquiring whether they be right or wrong−provided they are not against
your own interest. Kneels.
This is a plain proposition to do a wrong thing. The candidate may consent or
not. It is, of course, no intention of the Order to permit any member to take a
wrongful obligation. The Degree is a lesson against temptation.
Those candidates who consent, of course will kneel; the others will remain
standing.
The candidate or candidates will now be rushed upon by the members, whether
they consent or not; those who consent will be rushed upon for the purpose of
giving them a lesson for such a thoughtless and wrongful yielding to temptation;
those who refuse will be rushed upon at the same time, as if it were the
intention of the members to punish them for their obstinacy. If the candidates
are on a movable platform, it will be made to shake like an earthquake for a
while, before they are rushed upon. They will be hastened around the room and
demoniac noises, clashing of swords, thunder, lightning and rain. At length they
will be halted before the Archon's, chair. Those who consented will be seated on
the left; those who refused will be seated on the right. The bandages are taken
from the candidate.
ARCHON: It was never our intention that a candidate should be
permitted to take a wrongful obligation. What you have passed through was
intended as a lesson against temptation.
The Order of Wise Men teaches nothing that can conflict with the most sacred
of duties. On the contrary, it seeks to enforce those duties which, in the
hardening struggles of life, men are too prone to forget. Be ever firm and
watchful, and ever adhere to the principle. Is this your Signature?
The document is shown to the candidate and its contents read aloud.
You should never do an act without counting seven times, and know what you
are doing. See the evidence of the onerous charge which you have so
thoughtlessly assumed.
The Archon burns the paper.
Let the remembrance of this ever be bright in your memory, lest you be
brought down to bewail misery and desolation, induced by recklessness and folly.
Archon’s Address to the Candidates on the Right
This address is given only to the candidate or candidates who refused. If
none refused this address is omitted.
ARCHON: You have had the self-possession and courage to discern
the advances of false philosophy and to resist them. I congratulate you, and
have only to add, that what you have passed through is simply a lesson, showing
in the rugged path you were made to pass over, as a punishment of your
resistance of temptation, how the evil are ever seeking to throw obstacles and
difficulties in the way of virtue and integrity.
Address to the Candidates on the Left
This is omitted if there be no candidate present, who consented.
ARCHON: To you who failed to perceive the snare into which you
were being led, we have no censure to offer. Many of us have been alike
thoughtless and inconsiderate.
We are happy to know from the character you have sustained, and which has
shown you worthy of admission and advancement in our Order, that yours has been
an error of want of thought or attention, and not of principle. But let the
lesson sink deep into your heart. Error is honey-tongued, artful and persuasive.
Let us not suffer ourselves to be beguiled by it.
The Archon now addresses the Inspector General as follows:
ARCHON: Inspector General, you will now see that the candidate is
clothed in a crimson apron, and again seated before me for instructions.
Instructions in the Third Degree
ARCHON: In the ancient mystic teachings, two Beings or Principles
were represented as controlling the entire universe. These were Ormisda and
Ahriman, who represented the good and evil principle, the right and the wrong.
The choice of the right or the wrong is ever before us and within ns. It depends
upon ourselves which shall obtain the mastery. If we lend a willing ear to the
latter, we will find its words honey-tongued, artful and persuasive, and its
reasonings and arguments plausible and seductive. To err is human. It therefore
behooves us to be guarded and cautious, whenever any proposition is made to us
either from within or without, involving anything, not strictly conforming to
the moral sense. By remembering this caution, and refusing to yield to false
philosophy, however ingenious, much evil may be avoided.
I will now give you an outline of the instructions of the Third Degree of
which the distinguishing color is crimson.
Signal: At the inner door, three and four.
Password: Forever.
Sign: Bring the hands above the head, the finger ends touching, and the arms
bent out in the form of a circle−an unbroken circle meaning eternity.
You will now take your scat among the members of the Lodge, and I proclaim
you to be a Third Degree member of the Order.
After the Degree is conferred all will join in singing the Welcome Ode.