Pinalesic Order of the Sacred Cedars
Ceremony of Erection

2008

NB All movements by Comrade Sap and the Candidate are zig-zag. Officers, Comrades and Candidate must tread on the Tracing Board.

Glossary
Conventicle – a secret unauthorised meeting for religious worship.
Corypheus - a chief or leader of a party or interest.
Fane – a sanctuary, temple.
Pansophia – all-wisdom, omniscience.
Penetralia – the most private or secret parts, the inner sanctuary of a temple.
Pinalesic – from Pinales the botanical Order to which Cedars belong
 
 
Opening the Conventicle
 
CC, * ** * * *: Arboreal Brethren, assist me to open this Conventicle.
Arboreal Brother Bark, what is the primary concern of all Sacred Cedars?
Brk, with Sign of the Stump: Contemptible Corypheus, to open the portals of this Conventicle so that all who wish may enter.
CC: See that it be done.
The Bark goes to the door and leaves it ajar.
Brk, with Sign of the Stump: Contemptible Corypheus, the Conventicle is open.
CC: The Conventicle being open, I now declare all present bound to remain until business is complete and the Grand Dispersal announced.
Corypheus gavels * ** * * *
Blossom Senior gavels * ** * * *
Blossom Junior gavels * ** * * *
The Sap knocks * ** * * *
The Bark knocks * ** * * *
 
 
Ceremony of Erection
 
The Bark signals to the Candidate to push open the door and stand just inside the portal.
Brk, with Sign of the Stump: Contemptible Corypheus, I spy a stranger.
BJ, with Sign of the Stump: Contemptible Corypheus, I too spy a stranger.
BS, with Sign of the Stump: Contemptible Corypheus, I also spy a stranger.
CC: The stranger is welcome.
Arboreal Brother Sap, take care of the stranger immediately and erect him according to our ancient form.
The Sap goes to the door and stands in front of the Can
Sap to Candidate: I am The Sap who will lead you through the black night of ignorance to the enlightened dawn of knowledge, guided by the lightning-flash of inspiration and intuition.
Are you in possession of our password?
Can, prompted by The Sap: I am not.
The Sap turns Candidate towards The Bark.
Sap: Arboreal Brother Bark, here is a stranger who has penetrated our Conventicle and wishes to satisfy his curiosity by being inducted into the Fane of Omniscience.
Brk: Is he in possession of the password?
Sap: He is not.
Brk: Then that shall be our first gift.
The password is ‘Root’, please repeat.
Can repeats: ‘Root’.
Brk: Pass on forwards, up the lightning-flash to Arboreal Brother Blossom Junior.
The Sap leads Candidate forwards by two slanting paths across the Tracing Board, first to the Corypheus, then to Blossom Junior.
Sap: Arboreal Brother Blossom Junior, here is a stranger who has stumbled within our Fane and wishes to enter the Penetralia of Pansophia.
BJ: I welcome the stranger whose courage and tenacity in the face of trials and tribulations, thus far endured, have marked him as a man worthy of our esteem, approbation, and praise.
But is he in possession of our password?
Can, prompted: ‘Root’.
BJ: The password is changed with every phase of the moon, and we are now in the second quarter.
The new password is ‘Branch’, please repeat.
Can repeats: ‘Branch’.
BJ: Pass on backwards, up the lightning-flash to Arboreal Brother Blossom Senior.
The Sap leads Candidate backwards by two slanting paths across the Tracing Board first to the Secretary’s desk, then to Blossom Senior.
Sap: Arboreal Brother Blossom Senior, I introduce to you this stranger who has ventured thus far into our Conventicle, having endured every pain and dolorous stroke which cruel fate can hurl against him.
He is a man worthy of reverence, honour, and worship, and now claims the right of admittance into the Temple of Time Immemorial.
BS: Such a claim is not easily rejected. Far be it for me to question the nobility and virtue of such a paragon of chivalry, innocence, and heroic abstention from sin.
But is he in possession of our password?
Can, prompted: ‘Root’ and ‘Branch’.
BS: Two is worth no more than one, nor one more than two.
At each lightning-flash the password changes, for we are all mutable and subject to the whirligig of time.
No man steps twice into the same river.
Man is but a mask and in the comedy of creation we are no more than players.
The password is ‘Leaf’, please repeat.
Can repeats: ‘Leaf’.
BS: Pass on sideways, up the lightning-flash, seek out the truth.
The Sap leads the Candidate sideways by two slanting paths across the Tracing Board to the Secretary’s desk, and then to the Corypheus.
Sap: Contemptible Corypheus, this man is of such virtue, that I fear to describe it, of such courage, that I tremble to contemplate it, of such wisdom, that I dare not make the attempt to comprehend it.
CC: Such a one is ripe to be erected a Sacred Cedar.
Stranger, is such your wish?
Can prompted: It is.
CC: Have you the password?
Can prompted: It is ‘Root’ or ‘Branch’ or ‘Leaf’.
CC: It is none of those.
The password is ‘Foliage of the Crown Canopy’, please repeat
Can: ‘Foliage of the Crown Canopy’.
CC: Henceforth use no other.
Can prompted: I promise and swear so to do.
CC: Before you can be made a Sacred Cedar you must take the Obligation of a Sacred Cedar.
Are you willing to take it?
Can prompted: I am.
CC: To order Arboreal Brethren with the Sign of the Stump.
All rise and give the Sign of the Stump.
CC: Brother Surname, state your full names at length, and repeat after me …
I, … Forename Surname, in this Conventicle of the Pinalesic Order of the Sacred Cedars, and in the presence of the Arboreal Brethren of the Order, do promise and swear to revere the Cedar as a most noble tree, and, forsaking preference for all others, cleave to it alone.
I also promise and swear all this, under no less a penalty than that, of being struck by lightning and stunted, my sap turned to vapour, my knots swelled to extremes, my seed cones singed and seared to charcoal, my foliage ignited until scorched to a frazzle, and my trunk burned at the roots and deprived of all nutriments contained in the humus of the forest.
All this accompanied by evasion. equivocation, and mental reservation of every kind. Pause.
Now I have much pleasure in declaring you a Sacred Cedar.
Arboreal Brothers discharge the Sign and be seated.
Done.
CC: I shall proceed at once to entrust you with the Signs and Words of the Order.
But first, hearken to Arboreal Brother Blossom Senior who will read to you part of the sacred legend.
 
 
The Sacred Legend or Traditional History
 
BS: Ittobaal the high-priest of Astarte and Baal, assassinated Phelles the king of Phoenicia in 887 BC, ending the dynasty of Hiram. He set up his own dynasty and ruled Phoenicia until his death in 856 BC. He had a vision of the future for the country and his own greatness. This vision included the building of many temples and shrines to Baal and Astarte their supreme deities.
When the ancient Phoenicians were employed in building temples to their gods, they used many slave labourers, all of whom were sacrificed to the deity whenever they became too tired, too old, too weak, or too useless to proceed with the work.
Cedars of Lebanon were the most highly prized building materials of the ancient world and only these were used for their erections.
The source of the timber was the Forest of the Cedars of God located in the long deep Qadisha Valley at the foot of Mount al-Makmal in the northern part of the country.
BS: The felled trees were floated down the holy river, Nahr Qadisha to the sea, and then taken to the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon to be used in their erections, and many were the fanes and shrines they built of this sacred wood.
One day, however, the principal architect of the newest, largest and grandest temple to Baal, came to Ittobaal and revealed that there was no more cedar to be had, for the supply had failed demand.
The priest king, outraged at this revelation, flew into a terrible fury and slew the architect on the spot with fourteen frenzied thrusts of his silver handled jambiya.
Whereupon all the free workmen on the site withdrew their labour and caused the work to stop.
Ittobaal was much angered and swore to seek revenge, this he did by fathering Jezebel.
CC: Such, my newly erected Arboreal Brother, is the traditional history of this degree. Rises.
The signs are fourteen in number, one for each blow delivered by the frantic king to the body of the unfortunate messenger.
But as we are men of peace and not of violence, we use a single substituted sign to represent all these.
The sign is fourfold and given thus, please copy me.
First clench the fingers of the left hand into a fist, leaving a hole in the centre as though supporting an enormous nail.
Secondly, with the right hand, grasp an imaginary hammer, raise it high in the air, and then let it descend forcibly upon the left hand.
Thirdly, release the fingers of the left hand and shake them violently three times.
Finally, whilst grimacing, put both hands in the groin, bend and straighten the body twice.
This is demonstrated and the Candidate copies.
CC: That is the Sign of Distress or Extreme Discomfort, and is always accompanied by a Word.
This word you must be careful to guard and keep only for circumstances in which you find yourself in the extremes of digital discomfort.
The word is a monosyllable and consists of four letters.
‘O-U-C-H, Ouch’ with feeling, please repeat.
Can: ‘O-U-C-H, Ouch’.
CC, sits: You may now pass on sideways, down the lightning flash to Arboreal Brother Blossom Senior and prove yourself a Sacred Cedar.
Arboreal Brother Sap leads Candidate sideways by two slanting paths across the Tracing Board first to the Secretary’s desk, then to Arboreal Brother Blossom Senior.
Sap: Arboreal Brother Blossom Senior, I present to you a sapling newly transplanted from profane to sacred earth.
BS: Give me the sign and word of a Sacred Cedar
The fingers of the left hand are clenched into a fist, leaving a hole in the centre as though supporting an enormous nail.
With the right hand, grasp an imaginary hammer, raise it high in the air, and then let it descend forcibly upon the left hand.
Next release the fingers of the left hand and shake them violently three times.
Finally, whilst grimacing, put both hands in the groin, bend and straighten the body twice.
Can: The word is ‘O-U-C-H, Ouch’.
BS: That is good.
I shall now teach you another. Rises.
Clasp your hands thus, raise them above your head, and bring them down violently as if striking a blow with an axe.
Please copy me.
Blossom Senior demonstrates, Candidate copies.
BS: That is the Sign of the Chopper, it is always accompanied by the words ‘Take that’ with feeling, please repeat.
Can repeats: ‘Take that’.
BS, sits: Welcome to the Copse.
You may now pass on backwards, down the lightningflash to Arboreal Brother Blossom Junior.
Arboreal Brother Sap leads Candidate backwards by two slanting paths across the Tracing Board first to the Secretary’s desk, then to Arboreal Brother Blossom Junior.
Sap: Arboreal Brother Blossom Junior, I present to you a tree blossoming into leafage for some expression of admiration.
BJ: I admire you exceedingly and have the fullest confidence that in due time you will provide wood of the finest quality.
But first give me the signs and words you received from the Contemptible Arboreal Brother Corypheus and Arboreal Brother Blossom Senior.
The fingers of the left hand are clenched into a fist, leaving a hole in the centre as though supporting an enormous nail.
With the right hand, grasp an imaginary hammer, raise it high in the air, and then let it descend forcibly upon the left hand.
Next release the fingers of the left hand and shake them violently three times.
Finally, whilst grimacing, put both hands in the groin, bend and straighten the body twice.
Can: The word is ‘O-U-C-H, Ouch’.
The Candidate clasps his hands, raises them above his head, and brings them down violently as if striking a blow with an axe.
Can: The word is ‘Take that’.
BJ: That is good, but not enough, I will now teach you another. Rises.
Raise your arms to a horizontal position, bend your knees, and incline the body to the left or right. Please copy me.
Blossom Junior demonstrates, Candidate copies.
BJ: Thus the Sacred Cedar tumbles beneath the blows of the axe-man, ready for stripping and cutting that it may be passed on to the hands of the expert carpenter.
That is the Sign of the Hewer, and is accompanied by the word ‘Timber’ like a lumberjack, please repeat.
Can repeats: ‘Timber’.
BJ, sits: Welcome to the Forest.
You may now pass on forwards, down the lightningflash to the Arboreal Brother Bark.
The Sap leads Candidate forwards by two slanting paths across the Tracing Board first to the Corypheus then to The Bark.
Sap: Arboreal Brother Bark, I present to you a Sacred Cedar ready for felling.
Brk, seated: Give me the signs and words you received from the Contemptible Corypheus, Arboreal Brother Blossom Senior, and Arboreal Brother Blossom Junior.
The fingers of the left hand are clenched into a fist, leaving a hole in the centre as though supporting an enormous nail. With the right hand, grasp an imaginary hammer, raise it high in the air, and then let it descend forcibly upon the left hand. Next release the fingers of the left hand and shake them violently three times. Finally, whilst grimacing, put both hands in the groin, bend and straighten the body twice.
Can: The word is ‘O-U-C-H, Ouch’.
The Candidate clasps his hand, raises them above his head, and brings them down violently as if striking a blow with an axe.
Can: The word is ‘Take that’.
The Candidate raises his arms to a horizontal position, bends his knees, and inclines the body to the left or right.
Can: The word is ‘Timber’.
Brk, rises: That is almost good enough.
But first I must teach you the Sign of the Stump, please copy me.
The Bark demonstrates and the Candidate copies.
Brk: Stretch out you right arm, palm uppermost, clench the fingers of your right hand into a fist, slap your left hand on to your right upper arm, at the same time raise your right forearm.
The sign is sometimes accompanied by a word, the word although rarely used nowadays, is ‘Up Yours’.
Can repeats: ‘Up Yours’.
Brk: You must salute the Contemptible Corypheus with this sign when entering or leaving a Conventicle, it is also to be given when addressing a senior officer.
You are now about to pass from this sacred soil into the material world outside.
Remember that you have traversed the lightning-flash of illumination upwards, downwards, forwards, backwards and sideways.
Brk: Henceforth keep nothing secret.
All that you have learned here you must report to others, so that their curiosity aroused, and the spirit of inquisitiveness stimulated, they may crowd in at our doors and join the ranks of our trees.
From little acorns mighty oaks do grow.
Go forth, seed of the cedar, and propagate. Sits.
The Sap instructs Candidate to turn and face the Corypheus.
CC: Congratulations Arboreal Brother on being erected a Sacred Cedar, and welcome to our Conventicle. Rises and descends to the floor.
You may now take a seat amongst your fellow Sacred Cedars.
But first I must demonstrate the Challenge which must only be done within the Conventicle and before it is opened.
Please watch while I demonstrate with the Sap and afterwards you will copy.
 
 
The Challenge
 
CC to the Sap: Hey you!
SAP: Who me?
CC: Yes you. Are you a Sacred Cedar Arboreal Brother?
SAP: I am, try me and prove me.
CC: By what in the Forest will you be proven?
SAP: By the Sign of the Flaccid Foliage and the Word of the Sacred Cedar Challenge.
The Sap gives the Sign, as he does so the Corypheus comments on each part.
He puts his left hand, palm facing outward against his left hip, he inclines his head slightly to the left, he extends his right arm forward from his body with a bend at the elbow, and lets his right hand hang limply like a withered leaf.
CC: The Sign is correct, now give me the Word of the Sacred Cedar Challenge.
SAP: Are you one of us? Pause. Now give me the reply.
CC, with the Sign of the Flaccid Foliage: I am one of us. Pause. I am satisfied that you are a regularly erected Scared Cedar Arboreal Brother.
Both discharge the Sign.
The Challenge is repeated with the newly erected Sacred Cedar The Sap leads Candidate to a vacant seat and both sit.
 
 
Closing the Conventicle
 
CC: Arboreal Brothers, assist me to close this Conventicle and effect the Grand Dispersal.
Brk closes door, and with Sign of the Stump: It is closed.
Discharges Sign and knocks * ** * * *
Sap, with Sign of the Stump: It is closed.
Discharges Sign and knocks * ** * * *
BJ, with Sign of the Stump: It is closed.
Discharges Sign and gavels * ** * * *
BS, with Sign of the Stump: It is closed.
Discharges Sign and gavels * ** * * *
CC, with Sign of the Stump: I agree, and now this is the Grand Dispersal, let’s go home.
Discharges Sign and gavels * ** * * *.

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