Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests The Degree of the Order of the Scarlet Cord or Knight of Rahab or Jericho

Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests
The Degree of the Order of the Scarlet Cord or Knight of Rahab or Jericho

1985/2015

Compiler's Note: This degree, in addition to others, in its earliest form was not a chivalric ceremony involving any form of Knighthood. However, several of the ceremonies given under the superintendence of the Allied Degrees in 1896 and subsequently transferred to Grand College of the Order of H.R.A.K.T.P. in 1923, have undergone a conversion to a chivalric style and it is likely that this occurred while they were under the control of the Knights Grand Cross at Newcastle. In its earlier farms the degree was worked in a lodge with only four officers, the Master, Chaplain or High Priest and Inner and Outer Guards. Since the chivalric style of ceremony is the form taken over by Grand College, that it the ritual detailed below.
Knights of Rahab meet in a Conclave and wear a Scarlet Sash from the right shoulder to fall upon the left hip. The sash is made such that a sword can be supported and when worn the sword should have a length of scarlet card tied about the grip. In a Conclave the officers are, General of Knights, Prelate, Captain of the Guard, Lieutenant of the Guard, Warden and two Guards.
The Conclave has no formal Opening or Closing.
GofK: Sir Knights, it is my will and pleasure to open a Conclave of the Knights of Rahab. Sir Knight Li of the Guard, you will ensure that our Conclave is secure from the eyes and ears of the profane and also from those who do not hold our illustrious rank. Lt. of the Guard advances to the door and gives ** ** ** ** with hilt of his sword, which is answered by the Kt. Warden. Lt. of the Guard returns to his station, salutes the GofK, and says:
LotG: Sir Knight & General, our Conclave is secure against all but those of our Rank.
GofK: Then Sir Knights, I declare this Conclave of Knights of Rahab duly and lawfully opened and this I do by ** ** ** **. Repeated by LotG and Kt.W., LotG sheathes his sword and returns to his station. The Prelate stands and goes to the altar, opens the Holy Bible at JOSHUA II and places across the open Book a sword around which is wound a scarlet card and then all resume their seats.
GofK: Sir Knight Captain of the Guard, do you have a report?
CotG: Sir Knight & General, at our portal stands Bro. …, who being a Master Mason of good standing and report, I have to recommend to you as a Candidate for this Order of Knighthood, also known as the Order of the Scarlet Cord.
GofK: Has this good Brother been tested in his proficiency?
CotG: By my honour as a Knight, I can vouch for him as a proficient Mason.
GofK: How will he gain legal entrance to our Conclave?
CotG: By means of the Word of a Knight of this Degree.
GofK: How comes he to possess this word?
CotG: He does not, but I wilt communicate it to you on his behalf.
GofK: Then advance to me and give me the same.
GoK stands and moves to the E. of the altar, the CotG moves to the W. side. The GofK extends his right hand over the altar with the fist clenched. The CotG places his clenched right fist on top of the other's and says the Word - Rahab.
GofK: The Word being correct, you may admit that good Brother. GoK resumes his seat. the CotG does an about turn and says:
CotG: Sir Knight Lt. of the Guard, summon your escort and admit our good Brother.
LotG: Guards, attend the portal.
The two Guards arrange themselves on either side of the portal and then turn around to face the East. The LotG passes between them and admits the Cand. He is placed between the two Guards and with the LotG leading, the party passes around the Conclave to halt at the West side of the altar, the CotG stands at the North side.
CotG: Good Brother …, you will listen attentively while the Sir Knight Prelate reads to you certain passages from the Holy Writ, being a portion of the Book of Joshua. Prelate reads Joshua Ch.11.
GofK approaches the altar at the South side: Good Brother .., it is now necessary that you take a Pledge before you can be admitted into our Order. Will you make such a Pledge?
Cand.: I will.
GofK: Then you will remain standing, wrap this scarlet cord once around your right hand and place your clenched hand on the Holy Writ.
Cand. does so. CotG takes the card and ho Ids it in his clenched fist and places his fist upon the back of the Cand.'s hand. The GofK does the same and places his fist on that of the CotG. All present then stand without command.
GofK: You will now repeat after me. I …, in the presence of these worthy Knights, do solemnly Swear and Attest, that I will admit no one as a Knight of Rahab unless under due authority of a Conclave of that Degree and that I will speak to no person of the Secrets of the Order unless I know him to be a Knight of Rahab, truly admitted in a legal Conclave of the Order, as I. All this I Pledge under the penalty of meeting the fate from which the spies were saved by Rahab. I so Pledge.
LotG, Guards and Knights resume their seats without command.
GofK: I congratulate you on having advanced yet another step on your journey and will now confer upon you the Secrets of this Order. The Sign is given by holding out your right hand clenched into a fist. You will instantly observe the application and appropriateness of this Sign, since it copies the mode used when giving your Pledge. The hand is held thus as if grasping the Scarlet Cord. The same import may be seen in the Grip which is given by one reaching out with bis right fist and the other placing bis clenched right fist of top of the first. The Pass Word RAHAB is given with the Grip. The word is SIHON.
An Interrogation is employed to prove another outside of the Conclave. You may say to a one you think to be a Brother Knight, "Our Life for yours", if the other be a true Knight he will respond, "if you utter not our business" (Joshua ll v. xiv.). The Captain of the Guard will now escort you to the Guards who will interrogate you in this manner and I trust that you will remember that in which you have been instructed.
The Guards take up positions at the NW and SW corners. The CotG takes the Cand. to the Guard at the SW, who proves the Cand. with the Grip and PW. The Guard at the NW proves him by interrogation. The CotG then places the Cand. in the North East between the GofK and the altar.
GofK: Good Brother …, having proved yourself conscientious and true, you are deserving of further honour, kneel before me on your right knee. Cand. does so and all stand and GofK dubs him on bath shoulders as a Knight of the Order. Rise now, under your title of Sir Knigbt and hear of the history of this Order. GofK resumes his seat as do all except the CotG and the Cand.
CotG: Sir Knight …, this Order bas been known under different names and forms. It is known as the Order of Knights of Rahab and also as the Order of the Scarlet Cord, for obvious reasons, and bas been worked under both titles for many years. In Lancashire and other places, it is worked under the name of Knights of Jericho, although the ritual is all but identical to ours. Originally it was conferred by our Ancient Brethren as what was then called a Side Step but in order to govern the Ceremony we now confer it as an Order of Knighthood. The Order, as you will have observed, if founded upon incidents pertaining to the siege and capture of Jericho by Joshua and the assistance given by Rahab, who had a house of entertainment on the walls of the city. The treatment of Rahab and those of her house by Joshua, teaches us the striking lesson of the reward reaped by those who place implicit confidence in the Power of God to always prevail against the powers of this world; that we might say, as was said by the Holy Prophets of old, "No matter amongst who our lot is cast, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Sir Knight, let that ever be your sentiment and you will reap great measures of light in your life.
GofK: Sir Knight …, this completes your admission as a Knight of Rahab and nothing further remains except that I shall now invest you with this Sash which is the badge of the Order. After this, the new Knight is escorted to a Seat and all resume their usual stations.
GofK: Sir Knights, since all that has come before is now dispensed with in accordance with our rules, and nothing further remains that requires our application, it is my will and pleasure that this Conclave of the Order be closed. *, All stand. 1 deciare this Conclave of Knights of Rahab duly closed. ** ** **, repeated by LotG and the Kt. Warden.

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