Order of Allied Masonic Degrees
Installation of Master in the Degree of St. Lawrence the Martyr
A Lodge of the Degree of St. Lawrence the Martyr must have been opened.
2004
The Installing Master will invite a Past Master to act as Inner Guard. He
should also invite Past Masters, if available, to take the two Wardens’
Chairs.
He then invites Chaplain (if available) and Director of Ceremonies to
Continue in Office.
Director of Ceremonies, from the middle of Lodge. salutes the Installing
Master and presents the Master Elect: Worshipful Master, I present
Brother …, who has been elected by the Brethren to rule over this the …
Council of the Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees, to receive at your hands the
benefit of installation as Master of this Lodge of St. Lawrence the Martyr, and
thereby Master of this Council, the better to qualify him for his high Office.
We know him to be of great skill, true and trusty, and held in high esteem by
his Brethren and Fellows.
Installing Master: I will attend to your presentation with
pleasure, but will first ask our Brother certain questions, to which I trust
that he will give unequivocal replies.
Director of Ceremonies resumes his seat.
Installing Master: Bro. have you been regularly elected to rule
over this Council, having served for a full year as one of the Wardens of a
regular Council?
Master Elect: I have.
If a dispensation has been granted by the Grand Master, it must be read now.
Installing Master: Do you agree to hold yourself in submission to
the Grand Master and his Deputy, cheerfully to uphold the Constitutions and
Regulations of the Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees, and to conform with the
awards and resolutions of the Grand Council.
Master Elect: I do.
Installing Master: Do you agree to promote the good of the Order
in general, and of this Council in particular, in so far as lies in your power
and to the best of your ability?
Master Elect: I do
Installing Master: Do you admit that a new Council of this Order
cannot be formed without a Warrant from the Grand Master?
Master Elect: I do
Director of Ceremonies conducts Master Elect to a seat.
Installing Master: I must now ask the Brethren below the rank of
Installed Master in the Degree of St Lawrence the Martyr to retire from the
Lodge.
The Brethren do not salute on withdrawal. Director of Ceremonies places
kneeling stool in middle of Lodge.
Installing Master: By virtue of the power in me vested, I declare
this to be a duly opened Board of Installed Masters in the Degree of St.
Lawrence the Martyr.
One knock, not repeated.
Director of Ceremonies conducts Master Elect to kneeling stool
Installing Master: The Brethren will rise, turn to the East and
assume an attitude of prayer.
All rise and turn to the East. Master Elect kneels.
Chaplain: Almighty Father and Great Disposer of All, vouchsafe Thy
blessing on this our solemn rite, and grant that this Brother, who is about to
be numbered among the Rulers of the Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees, may be
endued with wisdom to comprehend, judgment to define and ability to enforce
obedience to Thy most holy law Sanctify him with Thy grace, strengthen him with
Thy mighty power, and enrich his mind with genuine knowledge, that he may the
better be enabled to enlighten the minds of his Brethren and to promote the
honour and glory of Thy most holy Name.
All: So mote it be.
Installing Master: You will now rise and advance to the pedestal
Director of Ceremonies removes kneeling stool.
Director of Ceremonies: Brethren you will face inwards.
Master Elect advances to pedestal.
Installing Master: Stand erect, place your right hand on the
Volume of the Sacred Law, state your names at length and repeat after me the
solemn Obligation of an Installed Master in the Degree of St. Lawrence the
Martyr.
I, …, in the presence of the Great Disposer of All, do hereby agree to
accept the Office of Master of this Lodge of St. Lawrence the Martyr, and
thereby Master of this the ... Council of the Order of the Allied Masonic
Degrees, and do engage myself to a faithful performance of the duties thereof to
the best of my skill and ability.
I further promise never to divulge the secrets restricted to this Chair to
anyone who is not duly qualified to receive them, either as an Installed Master
of a Lodge of St. Lawrence the Martyr, or as a candidate duly elected to rule
over a Council of the Order and obligated in a Board of Installed Masters in the
Degree of St. Lawrence the Martyr. To all these points I pledge my honour as a
man and a Mason.
Installing Master: As a pledge of your fidelity you will salute
the Volume of the Sacred Law once
Master Elect does so.
Director of Ceremonies places two chairs in middle of Lodge, facing each
other East and West. Installing Master leaves his chair takes Master Elect by
both hands, conducts him via South and seats him in chair facing East.
Installing Master sits opposite him facing West.
Installing Master: When it became necessary for our predecessors
of old to change their place of abode in search of work, a knowledge of this
Degree was of great importance to them, as it enabled them to claim the needful
amount of hospitality to prosecute their journey from place to place. As the
means of travel in those days were much restricted, they were obliged to go on
foot, or, as they called it, "on tramp". At the close of day, when
they were in need of rest after their exertions, they were accustomed to enter a
roadside hostelry Anxious to discover if any of their Brethren were present,
they clasping the right hand and struck the right knee with the right elbow. The
reply to this was given by clenching the left hand and striking the left knee
with the left elbow.
Both rise, Installing Master conducts Master Elect via North with both hands
to a position in front of the pedestal, Installing Master facing South. Master
Elect facing North
Installing Master: The Grip is given in this manner: place your
clenched right hand (back of hand upwards) on my open right hand; I cover this
with my open left hand; each then gives the Sign of Fidelity, and says:
"hand and hear," signifying that your hand and heart are alike open to
the relief of the wants of your Brethren.
The Salutation of an Installed Master is given in this manner: extend the
right hand clenched (back of hand upwards), then strike the left breast with the
open right hand, and then, slightly bending the right knee, strike the front of
the right thigh with the right hand.
Installing Master takes off Muster’s Collar.
I now invest you with the Collar and Jewel of your Office, the highest honour
which the Lodge can bestow on any of its Brethren.
Installing Master walking backwards with Grip leads Master Elect to Chair.
With the Grip and the Words "hand and heart", I now place you in
the Chair of this Lodge of St. Lawrence the Martyr.
Installing Master adopts Sign of Reverence.
May the Great Disposer of All have you in His holy keeping now and for ever.
Installing Master discharges Sign of Reverence.
I salute you as an Installed Master.
Installed Master gives Salute, hand heart and thigh, once.
I present to you this gavel, the symbol of authority.
You will now be pleased to invest the Immediate Past Master.
Worshipful Master does so extempore.
Installing Master: Brethren, W. Bro. … has been installed into
the Chair of this Lodge of St Lawrence the Martyr, and has thereby become the
Master of this the Council of the Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees, and I
call upon you to salute him as Installed Masters with five, taking the time with
me.
The salute is hand, heart and thigh, five times.
Installing Master: Worshipful Master, will you now be pleased to
declare this Board of Installed Masters closed?
Master: I declare this Board of Installed Masters closed.
One knock, not repeated.
Director of Ceremonies: Brethren, be seated.
All sit.
Director of Ceremonies removes chairs from middle of Lodge.
Installing Master: Bro. Inner Guard, admit the Brethren.
Inner Guard rises and salutes, opens door and admits the Brethren, who do not
salute. Visitors enter first and are seated. Members of the Lodge line up in the
North under the direction of the Director of Ceremonies.
Installing Master: Brethren, during your temporary absence W. Bro.
… has been regularly installed as Master of this Lodge of St Lawrence the
Martyr, and I call upon you to pass round the Lodge and salute him as Brothers
of St. Lawrence.
Perambulation is led by Director of Ceremonies.
Installing Master: I now proclaim that W. Bro. … has been
regularly installed as Master of this Lodge of St. Lawrence the Martyr, and
thereby Master of this the … Council, No. … on the Register of the Grand
Council of the Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees of England and
Wales and Districts and Councils Overseas, for the ensuing twelve months, and
until a successor shall have been regularly elected and installed in his stead,
and I call upon you to greet him three times as Brothers of St. Lawrence, taking
the time with the Director of Ceremonies.
Director of Ceremonies conducts greeting, which is the knocks of the Degree
three times.
Director of Ceremonies: Brethren, be seated.
Worshipful Master stands.
Installing Master: I present to you the Warrant of the Council. Worshipful
Master sits. I also present copies of the Constitutions and
Regulations of the Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees and the By-Laws of this
Council.
Installing Master: Worshipful Master, you will now appoint and
invest your Officers.
This is carried out in the usual manner.