Great Southern Fraternal Union
Ritual of the Second or Advanced Degree
The G. M. takes his or her station and announces to the Court: We
are about to open this Court, No. …, for the advanced degree to admit members
to further instructions for their journey.
1922
The Committee will prepare the daughter or son in the ante room by spreading
a veil over their eyes and tying their hands behind them. They are then led to
the door, when the G. M. A. gves two loud raps. The raps are answered by the G.
I. G., who opens the door and says: Who are thou that disturbs this
court at this watch of the night or day? Take heed to yourself.
G. M. A. (to the G. I. G.): Thy people come by adoption and they
desire to advance in this wonderful Grand Court, and are ready against the
second day.
G. I. G.: I will not let you pass today, nor tomorrow, until I
know by what authority you come thus far on your journey.
G. M. A. (to G. I. G.): We have no word except the one we received
when we passed the G. O. G.
That I will give you.
The G. M. A. whispers: I am satisfied with G. S. F. U.
G. I. G.: The words are carried and I believe thee forever and
will allow you to pass on to the G. M. Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!
The G. M. (to the candidates): Are you a daughter or son of the
Court? What message did you bring with you? What are your greetings?
Candidate: My greetings are the words that I received from our
Sons and Daughters the 1st Degree of the Grand Court. We call them, I am
satisfied with G. S. F. U.
The G. M.: The words are right. The same forever, you, my Daughter
or Son, as you advance, continue in the chain satisfied.
Candidate: I will, with gratitude, keep my obligation that binds
me as a daughter or a son to the Grand Court.
As they journey around the following hymn is sung:
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood,,
Loose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.
At the closing words of the hymn they stop in front of the G. M., who then
presents the badge and says, let us read John, the third chapter: What man of
you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety
and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he finds it;
and when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulder rejoicing; and when he
cometh home he called together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them,
rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that
likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over
ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance; either what woman having
ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece doth not light a candle and sweep
the house and seek diligently till she finds it and when she hath found it she
calleth her friends and neighbors togethers, saying, rejoice with me for I have
found the piece which I had lost.
G. M. gives one rap and all the members are seated.
Then the G. M. says: G. M. A., conduct our Sons and Daughters to
the Committee room and have their veils removed.
All join hands and form a circle, with the candidates and G, M. in the
center.
Obligation
You are now before the Grand Court for the second time and, standing
uncovered within this circle, you will please extend your right hand and lay it
upqn the Holy Bible and repeat after me this solemn obligation:
I (repeat your name), in the presence of the Supreme Ruler of the Universe,
and these Sons and Daughters of the Grand Court here assembled, do hereby
promise and swear that I will keep, and not divulge the doings and secrets of
the Grand Court to any person or persons in the world who are not a Son or
Daughter. I moreover promise and swear that I will not give the secrets of this
degree to a Son or Daughter that has not received the advanced degree, unless it
is to assist in giving this degree.
To conform to this, my solemn obligation, I pledge my word as a Son or as a
Daughter to keep sacred the trust confided in me. May God help me to perform all
parts of this obligation.
G. M.: As a token of your truthfulness and to bind to your
remembrance your sacred and solemn obligation, you will take the Bible and press
it to your heart and return it to its place.
G. M.: He or she shall be taught to make themselves, known as an
advanced Son or Daughter. Son or Daughter, you will now attend to be instructed
in the language of this degree, by which you will be recognized at all times as
an advanced Daughter or Son.
Secret Signs
Place your right hand over your heart, your left hand straight up in front of
your nose and say, God seal my lips, convert my tongue, give me a clean heart
and a clear conscience, that I may be a true Son or Daughter of the Grand Court
of the G. S. F. U. God help me to be governed by the laws.
The test grip is given in this way, and means that I will support you firmly,
and be loyal to each other. The word is given in this way. I-n G-o-d- W-e
T-r-u-s-t.
The G. C. is always opened in this degree unless it is to make members. This
word ite given as a further test of what shall be done with you in the next
degree.
Test
G. M.: I was invested with the test of advance, Will you give me
the test ?
Candidate: I will, with your assistance.
The grip is given
G. M.: In God.
Candidate: We trust.
G. M.: True Daughter or Son. Enough, Praise God! Praise God!
Praise God!