Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests
The Degree of Master of the Blue
(Also known as the Knight of Solomon.)

 
1994, 2015

Compiler's Note : This ceremony has also been called the Knight or Knights of the Blue. The regalia worn consists only of an apron of blue on which there is embroidered a white lily. The Officers are the Worshipful Master, the Senior and Junior Wardens, an Inner Guard and a Conductor. A Tyler, who may be a Serving Brother, attends the outer entrance to the Lodge. The WM sits in the East the SW in the NW and the JW in the SW. A board upon which is represented a Bee Hive and swarming bees, should be placed in a prominent position.
 

Opening

WM: Brethren, be upstanding.
Brother SW, it is my will and pleasure that this Lodge of Masters of the Blue be duly opened. You will make that proclamation accordingly.
SW: Brother JW, you have heard the will and pleasure of the Worshipful Master and it is also my will and pleasure to open the Lodge of Masters of the Blue. You will make that proclamation accordingly.
JW: Brethren, you have heard the will and pleasure of the WM and SW, and it is also my will and pleasure that this Lodge of Masters of the Blue be duly opened, therefore Brother IG, you will instruct the Tyler to tyle accordingly. IG gives * **** which is answered by the Tyler.
WM: I now deciare this Lodge to be open and l do so by * **** . Which knocks are repeated by the S & JWs, JG and Tyler and this will be our Sign Gives S. of the Degree, which is given by all, after which all resume their seats.
WM: Brethren, is there ought which any Brother wishes to bring before the Brethren and this Lodge?
COND., rises and gives the S.: WM, Outside the door of this Lodge stand(s) a Brother MM (or Brother MMs.) who seek(s) to be admitted as a Master(s) of the Blue.
WM: Brethren, is it your wish and pleasure that this Brother (these Brethren) be admitted to our number?
All present indicate their agreement by standing with the S. Should there be any objection this should be raised at this time, with the Brother stating his reasons for the same. If approval is general, they again sit and the WM continues: Brother Conductor you have seen that the Brethren agree to this admission (these admissions), you will now retire and introduce the applicant(s) accordingly.
Hereafter the working will be for a sole applicant, if more are present, alter the wording as required.
The Cond. gives the S and retires from the Lodge. Outside he ensures that the Applicant is properly clothed as a MM and instructs him to give * **** on the door of the Lodge.
IG, without reference to the WM, opens the door and says: Who comes?
COND.: A Master Mason who wishes further advancement as a Master of the Blue.
IG: By what right or privilege does he expect so to do?
COND.: By possession of the Pass Word.
IG: Does he have that word?
COND.: I have got it for him.
IG: Then give it for him. Cond. Gives the PW. The word is correct. Wait there until I make a report to the WM.
IG closes the door and proceeds to the centre of the Lodge where he gives the S. and reports the same as given at the door.
WM: Brother Inner Guard, you will admit the applicant and our Brother Conductor who will cause him to be led to the Altar, there to take the Pledge of this Degree.
Conductor escorts the Applicant to the West side of the Altar. The Applicant does not kneel. The WM then advances to the Altar and says:
WM: Brother …, are you willing to take a Pledge in this as in former Degrees?
Appl.: I am. All stand without command.
WM: Then you will take the VSL in your right hand and hold it against your heart. Applicant does so. Do you pledge your Honour as a Mason to keep inviolate the Secrets of this Degree and confer the same on no one unless under due authority, under a penalty of having both your arms broken at the elbow, in case of a violation of this Pledge?
Appl.: I do.
WM: Then you will seal your Pledge by saluting the VSL once and returning it to the Altar. Appl. does so. You will now attend carefully while our Brother the Senior Warden relates the Traditional History of this Degree.
All sit except SW who faces Appl.
SW: Masonic legend informs us that the Queen of Sheba, having heard of the wisdom of King Solomon, determined to see proof of that wisdom with her own eyes, travelled from the uttermost parts of the Earth to test King Solomon's powers of discretion, and among other quests, adopted the following. One evening as Solomon and Sheba were walking in the garden of the King's Palace, Sheba stopped and gathered into her arms two bunches of lilies that had lain hidden. Sheba, who was well skilled in making artificial flowers, then twisted one bundle of artificial lilies with one of real flowers into a wreath and threw it onto the ground before the King. She turned to Solomon and said to him, "Without touch which of these lilies are real and which are not?" So skillful was the work of the Queen that for a while Solomon could not determine the real from the artificial, but at length he advanced to one of the bee hives kept in the garden, and overturned it. The bees, after swarming for a time, then settled on the wreath of lilies lying on the ground, but they only settled upon the real blossoms and avoided the artificial, thus enabling the King to determine the true from the false. SW resumes his seat.
WM, rises and approaches Applicant: Brother …, since you have given us your pledge, I can now communicate to you the Secrets of a Master of the Blue. The sign is given by sweeping the right hand from right to left, this alludes to the manner in which king Solomon toppled the bee-hive, to release the bees. The Grand Word is Justice & Judgment and the Pass Word is Wisdom. As King Solomon was honoured for the Justice of his court and his Judgements therein, so grew his reputation for Wisdom. The Pass Word is also used in a response to the Grand Word for, when one Brother wishes to determine if another is a member of this Degree, the first will ask, ‘Who is honoured for his Justice and Judgement?’ and the other should respond, King Solomon who was famed for his Wisdom. The token of a Master of the Blue is given by linking the arms at the elbow, thus reminding you of the Penalty that will follow you should you ever violate your Pledge, that of having both arms broken at the elbow. In this Degree of Masonry no Tracing Board is used but the symbol of this Degree is the Bee Hive which you can see represented before you at the Master’s Chair.
The new Master is then conducted to his place in the Lodge.
WM: Brethren, as our labours in this Degree are thus concluded, it is my will and pleasure that this Lodge of Masters of the Blue be duly closed and this I now do.
Gives * **** which is repeated by the Wardens, IG and Tyler.