Ritual of the Order of White Knights in the First Degree

Order of the White Knights
Ritual in the First Degree

1916

Opening Exercises

President of the Council raps three times to call all to standing position.
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL: This Council is now open for work in the first degree. Fellow pilgrims on the rough journey of life, let us constantly bear in mind the fact that the business of this Council is of the most serious nature. This is no time for light laughter or passing jest. Our laws provide for proper diversions on certain occasions, but tonight our business has to do with living souls, who, with fear and trembling seek our aid in their anxious search for guidance on their way upward towards God and Truth.
(Upraised Hand). May the Divine Master give us wisdom in our deliberations this night!
MENTOR walks to alter, where Bible is kept open at Hebrews II. Reads pare of chapter or other Scripture—then offers prayer as follows:
Our Father, we pray Thee through Christ our Saviour, that we may enjoy the favor of Thy Presence during our Council session tonight. We know that we have no power in ourselves except it proceed from Thee. If left to our own conceits we drift with the changing currents of nature’s forces and strand at last on the rocks of failure and despair; but guided by our Faith In Thee, as a beacon light, we proceed safely, growing in Grace and in the knowledge of ThyTruth unto the stature of the perfect man.
We humble ourselves before Thee, O God, as pupils before our Divine Teacher. We are eager to learn of Thee. Therefore, kindly grant to us a keener vision of the verities of Thy Word in order that we may know by Faith what neither our senses, nor mental faculties may grasp, of themselves.
We bow our souls in Thy presence. We praise Thee. We adore Thee. We magnify thy Holy Name. Give us Faith this night we implore Thee in Christ’s name. Amen!
SINGING: “Faith of Our Fathers.”
PRESIDENT: Now, fellow knights, with our Faith quickened by the Divine blessing, let us proceed to the business for which we are called together.

Degree of Faith

Candidate accompanied by Sponsor knocks at outer door.
OUTER GUARD: Who goes there?
SPONSOR: A weary traveler, who journeys up from the Valley of Despair through our fair Land of Faith, seeking to reach at last a Kingdom in a far country, where a goodly heritage has been promised him.
OUTER GUARD: Do you, then, vouch for his need of shelter in our pleasant Land, and for his honesty in seeking admission at our portals?
SPONSOR: I do, honorable sir.
OUTER GUARD: Then I admit him to our outer court that he may be further questioned by those whom our royal Governor has set apart for that task. But you should remind your guest that awful consequences—pains of both body and soul—fall upon those who lightly, curiously and ungratefully accept our hospitality.
Lead him in at this open gate, which should be to him an emblem of the passing of his soul from the darkness of despair into the first dawn of a new morning.
Candidate is led to inner door.
Outer Guard raps.
INNER GUARD: Ho! Without! Cease your harsh pounding. Know you not that the Governor sleeps and the Court is dispersed?
OUTER GUARD: But worthy fellow guard, there is a weary traveler here who is in need of our hospitality.
INNER GUARD: Ah, that matters not. There are multitudes of weary ones whose fate is to be forever weary. We cannot suspend the laws our great Land of Faith at the mere sight of a weary one. Bid him begone.
OUTER GUARD: But, sir guard, there is a great difference between this traveler and the others who have lately applied at our outer gate.
INNER GUARD: Well, tell me quickly what is this difference you speak of.
OUTER GUARD: This worthy man comes not carelessly nor without recommend. He comes with a worthy Sponsor and knocks gently, and with manly voice asks kindly for shelter. Thus has he fulfilled the first law of our Land, which reads: “Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.”
INNER GUARD: Yes, yes, that has a different sound truly than the cringing beggar, or the defiant braggart, who so oft come to us. I am eager to hear more about this traveler. Canst thou tell me some of his words to you?
OUTER GUARD: Indeed I remember many of his pleasant words. I spoke to him thus: “Ho, thou seeker at the portals of the Land of Faith, comest thou to beg alms?” And he replied: “Nay worthy sir, I come only with a heart full of desire for a shelter within the shadow of thy mighty towers. I have been told at my mother’s knee and by other travelers that I must enter in at the straight gate of the Land of Faith and learn at the feet of your great Teachers, or my soul must forever drift in darkness. So I read the sealed Book, called ‘The Book of Books’ and there learned the way to your gates. And here I am. Do with me as you desire; only do not turn me away empty to wander alone in the Valley of Despair without a spark of Faith to guide me.
Thus, you will understand, fellow guard, that my heart would not allow me to turn him away.”

INNER GUARD: Ah, I perceive that he is a sincere seeker and travels to grow wise. I am moved therefore to do that which none but such as he need expect in this life. I will at once repair to the courtyards of our Royal Governor and arouse the Court, in order that they may all hear his case. Stand there till I return.
Sponsor retires.
Outer Guard and candidate sit at table waiting the return of Inner Guard. Inner Guard returns accompanied by the Courier of the Court, who carries a book.
INNER GUARD: Hail traveler, I have done much for thee this night. I have even dared awaken the royal scribe, who sends his courier to take your written testimony and to examine you to determine if you are fitted to appear before our royal Governor and to listen to the sage wisdom of our wise men.
Courier Opens Book and hands pen to Candidate.
COURIER: It is very essential, sir traveler, that you sign in your own hand writing these Articles of Purpose, which you find inscribed in this book. Let us read them together in order that you may understand them in your heart, and understandingly declare your purpose.
Courier and Candidate read. Candidate repeats paragraph at a time after courier.

Articles of Purpose
1.—It is my desire to flee from the Valley of Despair, for I find there only evil upon men’s lips and in their hearts.
2. —I am not satisfied with only earning my daily bread and following the regular routine of existence upon earth.
3.—My great ambition, which I have told to few, is that I may be of some vital aid in the developement of myself and my fellow men up to greater Light, Liberty and Love.
4.—I can never die in peace until I have become conscious of having been a blessing to the world in some small degree; a credit to God who made me, to Christ who died for me and to my friends who help and sustain me,
5.—Because of these desires of my heart I sincerely and humbly beg that the Governor of the Land of Faith may condescend to allow me to sit among the wise men of his Court and learn from them the foundation principles of the mighty Faith which has been like a granite foundation to the lives of all great and good men.
To these Desires and purposes I herewith subscribe
my signature this … day of … 191…
Signature of Candidate.

Witness—Inner Guard

Witness—Courier

Candidate, Inner Guard and Outer Guard Sign Articles of Purpose. Outer Guard Retires.
COURIER: Weary traveler, you have done well to sign these Articles, for, while we did not tell thee before, your refusal to sign would have caused your expulsion from this glorious Land of Faith forever. Now that you have proved yourself faithful in your anxiety to penetrate into the mysteries of our Land, let me lead you into the presence of our learned scribe, who must be satisfied as to your fitness before admitting you into further wisdom. Follow me alone.

Courier leads Candidate to Royal Scribe, On the way he bows before the altar with candidate, repeating the Lord’s Prayer together.
COURIER: Learned Scribe, I bring before you a weary traveler who has come up from the Valley of Despair and accompanied by a worthy Sponsor has secured admission at our portals. He has thus far passed our examinations and has signed our Articles of Purpose. He is very anxious to sit at the feet of the wise men of our Land of Faith in order that he may learn of them. We trust it will please you to examine him further, and if he seems to you to be a fit person, perhaps the royal Governor, at your advice, will grant him the request he makes.
SCRIBE: I believe I understand your anxiety, worthy Courier, in behalf of this weary traveler. Such solicitude is in keeping with your well-known generous character; but REMEMBER loud and drawn out the Land of Faith must immediately lose its cherished name, character and integrity the minute there is admitted to its charmed and secret circle of believers even ONE person who has not a sincere desire to learn wisdom, or has not a soul with the burning anxiety and capacity to believe what neither the eye can see; the hands touch; the ears hear; or the mind understand. The person who is not willing to believe aught except what can be proved by the physical senses, or by scientific demonstration becomes very poison to our breath. Therefore, if this traveler can be shown to be such a person, he must be cast out into darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Members of this Order, in the name of our Governor, I bid you rise to your feet and by your vote tell me if you are determined to allow this man—a stranger to our Land of Faith—to be admitted to our secret circle of believers. If your voice says “YES” he shall be admitted to our Governor’s presence for his benediction. If your voice says “NO,” then he shall be rudely cast from our presence.
Stand upon your feet and vote. SHALL THIS MAN BE ADMITTED?
Every voice shall respond in unison. They are expected to vote “YES.” Governor, with guards, enters and takes his station.
COURIER: O, weary traveler, you have just heard the responses ‘of these worthy inhabitants of the Land of Faith. They are all willing that you should take your final, solemn and binding obligations from our worthy Governor, who must himself hear your plea, before you can be entitled to the rights and privileges of a Beginner in our Land.
Do you still affirm it to be your purpose to follow into the presence of our royal Governor, and not to take any backward step?
CANDIDATE: I do.
SCRIBE PRESENTS CANDIDATE TO GOVERNOR.
SCRIBE: Oh, Royal Governor, permit me to win thy favor in presenting to you this weary traveler who flees from the darkness and desolation of the Valley of Despair, and seeks the hospitality of our Land of Faith. Thus far he has done well in answering all our examinations and seems to your servants to be fitted to take the final obligations from you.
Scribe retires to his station.
GOVERNOR: Stand up, all my people, and let this weary traveler stand close by and accept my hand as a token of my great pleasure in learning that he has had the courage to flee from yon dark Valley. Dear traveler, you were hut one of many who inhabit that Valley, but your heart was of a different character than the others. They are content to eat, drink and be merry or sad, believing that all efforts to improve their condition would be in vain.
They fulfill the end and necessity of their existence as human animals must; but you have discovered within you something higher than animal existence. You have discovered that you are a human SOUL, and that you may be developed and expanded until you transcend all things physical and human. Thus you may become divine in essence, even as your Lord who once trod lowly earth.
In recognition of your courage and spiritual insight it is fitting that I ask you a few questions, the satisfactory reply to which will be as a key to unlock one of God’s treasure houses; that of the Land of Faith, of which we here are all inhabitants.
The answer to these questions must be, either, “I do” or “I Do Not.”
1.—Do you believe in the Bible as the original book of inspiration and the revelation of God?
2.—Do you believe in our modern democratic institutions, which have been made possible by the Protestant reformation; such as the freedom of religious worship, the public schools, the freedom of speech, etc.?
3.—Do you solemnly swear never to reveal to any soul the secrets, signs, passwords, grips, or any of the teachings of this Order?
Now, dear beginner, after introducing you to the ante room of our secret work, and hearing your satisfactory replies to all our examinations, we sincerely trust you will not fall short of our expectations and fail us at the last step we will ask you to take.
I will ask you to proceed before me into our secret obligation chamber; there to undergo the final test of your faith and good purposes.
CANDIDATE IS BLINDFOLDED AND LED BY GUARD TO INNER CHAMBER FOLLOWED BY GOVERNOR AND MENTOR—MEMBERS REMAIN OUTSIDE.
CANDIDATE IS PLACED IN CENTER OF ROOM—THREE GUARDS ON EACH SIDE—MENTOR FIVE STEPS BEHIND HIM—GOVERNOR IN FRONT FACING CANDIDATE.
MENTOR READS THE FOLLOWING SELECTIONS IN FUNEREAL TONES TO ACCOMPANIMENT OF TOLLING OF GONG AND SLIGHT RATTLE OF CHAINS.
2 Cor. 10. “For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven; if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life.”
“Now he that wrought us for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the spirit. Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord (for we walk by faith, not by sight); we are always of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing unto Him. For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each on may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men.
I Cor. 15. “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death where is thy victory? O death where is thy sting? The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

WHEN READING IS OVER, PRESIDENT ADDRESSES CANDIDATE.
GOVERNOR: After hearing the solemn words of the sacred writer, our spirits are downcast. The nearness of death to every one of us—the very short step from the radiance of health and happiness to the gloom of the grave stirs deeply our tender sensibilities.
But things of this life force us to cast aside the shadows that gather about the scenes of death and step out into the light of life. We must labor by the sweat of our brows in preparation for the day of our entrance into eternal rest.
We MUST not leave this world surrounded by those who believe that our passing takes away a weak worthless member of society.
We MUST make our lives felt for good in our humble spheres of activity.
We MUST be noble men, and good, and true.
The teachings of the Order of the White Knights is calculated to build beneath our activities, as individuals and as an organization, a solid foundation of faith, which as a beacon light will show us the direction in which each of us should travel through life. The FAITH which dominates our actions will also act as a shield from which is reflected the temptations and evils which would pierce and destroy our virtue and good purposes.
The shield, therefore, is the basis for our emblem, used on our banner and our pin and elsewhere to indicate the presence of a White Knight. The apostle Paul says that every Christian gentleman should carry always the shield of Faith in his fight against sin and plainly shows us that this shield of Faith is a spiritual gift which, though invisible, yet is extremely effective as a means of offense and defense.
Let me now, in the privacy of this secret chamber point out to you a few of the true objects of faith, to be revered as such by all good and true White Knights,
You must center your FAITH in:
1. Our Creator
2. Our Saviour, Jesus Christ
3. The honesty of men
4. The virtue of women
5, The eventual happiness of the soul, through Christ
6. The eventual righting of all wrongs.
At this point Guard removes Blind from Candidate.
If you have faith in these things you will be successful in life—and you will be honored as a true man everywhere you go. Such a faith will shine through your eyes and will be a badge indicating your fellowship with Christ in His labors and sufferings, and with men in their march upwards to eternal salvation.
But if you live without this faith—If you act always under the assumption that God does not reign supreme in the Universe—that Christ cannot save men from sin—that men are essentially dishonest—that women are without virtue—that the soul, after death, will only sleep, or will remain eternally dead—that might is forever right—that only the most fit will eternally survive. If you believe these things you are doomed to disappointment and your life will be an utter failure. If such unbelief characterizes your life, you must, then, resemble more the brute than the man who is made in the image of God.
GOVERNOR: Guards, bind this man.
GUARDS GRASP THE CANDIDATE ON BOTH SIDES AND HOLD HIM AS IF IN READINESS TO PUT HIM IN IRONS.
GOVERNOR: Hold, guards, let me first ask him a question.
TO CANDIDATE Do you, beginner, have faith as I have indicated, or have you not?
CANDIDATE: I have.

GOVERNOR: Then, guards, I bid you release him and let me present him to the assembled Council for he is now one of us. No man can be one of us ‘who has NOT this faith, and he has stood fast and proven his sterling qualities. He is a fit man to be a White Knight,
GOVERNOR TAKES CANDIDATE BY ARM AND FACES HIM TO THE ASSEMBLED KNIGHTS.
GOVERNOR, ADDRESSING ENTIRE COUNCIL: Sir Knights, in assembled Council, I present to you for recognition, this man who has fulfilled all the requirements of our examinations and is about to be made a Knight of our Order in the First Degree. Stand up, and do honor to the occasion.
GOVERNOR RAPS TWICE WITH GAVEL FOR ALL KNIGHTS TO STAND IN THEIR PLACES.
GOVERNOR: Beginner, I bid you kneel before me, while I pronounce my blessing upon you.
GOVERNOR DRAWS SWORD AND PUTS IT ON LEFT SHOULDER OF CANDIDATE.
GOVERNOR: By this token; by this sword of the Spirit I now pronounce you a true White Knight of the Order of the White Knights, in the 1st degree. Stand up, Sir Knight, and let me welcome you’ to the Land of Faith as a tried and acceptable inhabitant thereof.
GOVERNOR EXTENDS RIGHT HAND OF FELLOWSHIP.
Step closer now, Sir Knight of the 1st Degree, and let me whisper to you our password, and let me show you how to advance the counter-sign.
Also I must give you the grip of this Degree of Faith, Thus is it made.
Now, Beginner, let the courier lead you outside our portals and show you how, by this countersign and password you may work your way into this Council Chamber.
WHILE CANDIDATE IS WORKING HIS WAY IN, THE DEGREE TEAM RETIRES AND PREPARES THE WORK OF THE DEGREE.
ENTER: SPIRIT OF JOHN HUS
My dear Beginner, the spirits of these here tonight have striven with my spirit and have prevailed in bringing me to this room upon an errand which I am proud to undertake-to teach you, who are anxious to learn, somewhat of the meaning of the mighty FAITH, which has sustained the martyrs, such as I am, during the hours of our deepest pains. When other men, with no faith in our God would have cursed their Maker in despair, we sang His praises and rejoiced that He gave us the privilege to die for Him, who died for us. Perhaps a few facts concerning my life while on earth would interest you:— I was born in Bohemia and spent my life and died
there. My father died when I was a small boy and left my mother and I in poverty. While I might have gone to work at a very small wage, I had the great desire in my heart to secure an education and I prevailed upon my mother to allow me to work my way through the University of Prague. My mother and I walked alone many weary miles to the city of Prague and for my tuition my mother gave the Rector of the University only a goose and a few cakes, which she had baked. I worked hard at my studies and became Dean of the Theological faculty and finally Rector of the University. I was known as a great scholar, but my real power lay in my preaching. Several wealthy men erected for me a Chapel separate from the University, which was known as Bethlehem Chapel—the House of Bread.
About that time there came a division in the Roman Catholic Church because two men at the same time claimed to be the rightful Pope. I came to the belief that Christ was the real head of the Church of God and not any Pope, and I preached that belief. Then, another—a third man—was elected Pope by the council of Pisa and he became the reigning Pope. I saw the vices of the Priesthood and preached against them for which the reigning Pope and the Priests called me an incarnate Devil and a heretic. I was then placed under the ban of Pope John XXIII, and everyone in the kingdom was ordered to refuse me shelter and bread. Even the King and Queen of Bohemia were persuaded to deliver me up to the mercies of the Pope, so that I was compelled to flee and preach in the wilderness. I preached that Christ was the only Confessor and Him only—not the Cross or the Saints—was to be worshipped and adored.
At this time the great church Council of Constance was called into session and the Pope promised me my personal safety and freedom, if I would deliver myself to be tried by this Council of churchmen for my heretic utterances. I trusted the Pope and gave myself up, desiring to acquit myself before the council. But no sooner had I presented myself than the Pope immediately had me seized and thrown into a dungeon. The Pope gave this as his excuse: “It would be a shame to keep faith with an heretic.”
The Council gave me an unfair trial, giving me no opportunity to present my views. After demanding four times that I recant they ordered me to be stripped of my priestly robes and condemned me to die by fire at the stake.
I died in the flames with these last words upon my lips: “Glory to God on high and on earth peace and good-will toward men. We praise Thee; We worship Thee; We glorify Thee; We give thanks for Thy great Glory.”
And now, my dear Beginner, I trust you will live to spread abroad the wonderful Christ and the Faith that I preached. May your Faith be as a lamp to your feet and a Light to your path. God Bless You!

The Drama of Job

1st SCENE
SATAN: Ha! Ha! Ha! “How are the mighty fallen! Even the exalted shall be brought low. Shall a man’s faith save him? But where is this faith—the boast of divinity, the hope of humanity? Surely Job has it not in his heart—Job’s faith is but an empty dream. I, the arch fiend, will expose the nakedness of his soul and the emptyness of his heart. I said to the Lord: ‘Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast Thou not made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side. Thou hast blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.’ Then the Lord said to me: ‘Behold all that he hath is in thy power, only on himself, put not forth thy hand.’
We shall see how false is man’s faith in God. Ha! Ha! There is no true faith. What men call faith is nothing but carnal desire and selfish content, Watch Job’s faith crumble and fade in the presence of trouble and sorrow; when destruction comes, the great and wealthy one will turn and curse God. Hal Ha! Then will I leap for joy—my triumph will be complete, Then I can laugh in the Lord’s face and mock him. I will say to him: ‘Now, where is Job’s faith—it is gone. It was never in his heart. Man is nothing but a whitened sepulchre full of dead men’s bones. Their souls are filled with impurity and they neither fear nor trust in God.’
Pause. Listen! Here comes the great man, I must hasten to my caverns and caves. I must call the darkest powers of Night to bring down this Job from his seat of honor. I and my evil spirits will hold high carnival over the death of this great man’s faith.” Ha! Ha! Ha! laughing loudly.
JOB enters, in robes, with servant. Sits on divan.
JOB: I have been told there is a traveller passing through our goodly land of faith, who wishes to converse with me. If so, lead him in. Servant retires.
While waiting for traveller, Job walks up and down saying in prayer: I thank Thee, Oh God, for the favors of thy love and for Thy continued presence in my heart. I fear thee, I adore Thee, I worship Thee.
Servant enters leading traveller.
Servant salaams before Job.
SERVANT: This, O, Master is the weary traveller, who, passing by, wished to pay you his respects and make himself known as a friend.
JOB: Welcome, traveler! I am sure you come in good faith. Your appearance shows you to be an earnest person. You are, no doubt, travelling through this pleasant land of ours and are anxious to learn all you can of our ways and customs and perhaps more particularly of our great Jehovah, whom we all worship and in whom we cherish undying faith. Before dismissing you to my servants who will see that your every need is satisfied, let me admonish you on one point touching your soul’s welfare. Never fail to trust in the Lord. He alone will keep and sustain you.
He giveth rain upon the earth and water upon the field. He bindeth up the broken-hearted. He shall deliver thee in six troubles and in the seventh, there shall no evil touch thee, but if I advise thee to have faith in God, I ask thee only to follow my own example.
I am rich and increased with goods, but my soul is not puffed up, for I know that all that I have comes from God. In him, I live and move, and have my being.
Farewell, traveller! May God bless you and make you rich in faith and in all of Heaven’s blessing.
Servant leads traveller away.
Job is left alone standing. 1st messenger enters. Satan peeks out with leering face.
1st Messenger: Oh, Master, I am come to bring evil tidings. While thy oxen were plowing and thy asses feeding, the Sabeans came and slew thy oxen and thy asses, and put thy servants to death and only I am left to tell Thee. Retires.
Job covers face with hands and bows head in submission. 2nd messenger enters and Satan peeks out again with leering face.
2nd Messenger: Oh, Master, I am come to bring evil tidings. A great fire has come from Heaven and has burned all thy sheep and thy servants and only I am left to tell thee. Retires.
Job sits down heavily and bows head with a groan. 3rd messenger enters. While Satan peeks out once more with leering face.
3rd Messenger: Oh, Master, I am come to bring evil tidings. The Caldeans have swept down upon us and have carried away thy camels and slain thy servants, and only I am left to tell Thee. Retires.
Job again bows head with a groan. 4th messenger appears. Satan peeks out leering.
4th Messenger: Oh, Master, I am come to bring evil tidings. Thy sons and daughters were eating and drinking in their elder brother’s house when a great wind smote the four corners of the house and it fell upon them and killed them and only I am left to tell Thee.
Job rises with groan and falls upon his knees bowing head almost to the floor covering face with hands. Stays thus for a few moments groaning then rises and lifts hands to Heaven in prayer: Naked, I came into this world. Naked, will I go out of it. The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

CURTAIN FALLS
2nd SCENE

Satan walks back and forth shaking his head with disappointment.
SATAN: I never thought Job would still worship God in the presence of sorrow and destruction. With all his wealth gone and his children dead, he yet shows a vestige of faith. Surely it is a mighty faith. But now will I destroy it for the Lord has allowed me to touch the very body of Job with pains and anguish. Ha! Ha! Ha! Now will I conquer Job and show his faith to be but a shadow with no substance. Then will I laugh at him in his calamity and mock him in his distress. He shall be as a worm and I will crush him with my heel. “Ha! Ha! Ha!” Walks out laughing loudly.

CURTAIN FALLS
3rd SCENE

Job in sack cloth sitting alone in a desolate place on the ground. Three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar in mourning sitting on the ground. nearby.
JOB: Oh, May the Lord take me hence from this terrible torture. These boils, this pain; it is worse than death. Oh, that God had stricken me at birth, then would I be where: ‘The wicked cease from troubling and the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. The small and the great are there; the servant is free from his master.’
I long for death, hut it cometh not. I dig for it more than for hidden treasure. Even my wife mocks me and bids me ‘Curse God and die.’ And these my friends would argue with me that I am suffering the just deserts of my sins. But I know that God is just and that man is horn unto trouble as the sparks flyward and that He allows not his servants to hear more than they are able. I trust in Him! In Him! I know that the Lord looks upon every one that is proud and brings him low. How are the mighty fallen and they exalted of low degree. God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty prevent judgment. He will not lay upon man more than is right. My skin is black upon me and my bones are burned up—but my God is just and binds me down in my body in order to strengthen me in my soul. Yea, though he slay me, yet will I trust him.
Sinking down in his misery on the ground crying again: Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.

CURTAIN FALLS
4th SCENE

Satan walks back and forth with bowed head.
SATAN: Surely Job’s faith is beyond all my power to destroy. Again is the Lord honored and I am cast down. My power is shaken; my throne is tottering because of this man’s mighty faith, I must away back to the caverns of earth to look for weaker mortals who have no faith in God. Farewell, my great and mighty Job. Even yet, I will have revenge upon the weaker ones of your flock. Ha! Ha! Ha! Satan Retires.
Job enters in rich robes as in 1st scene. Servant accompanies Job.

At this juncture a transformation scene may be accomplished by various means to cause Job in his dejection and rags to suddenly change into his former self as he was before adversity came upon him. This may be accomplished by showing Job in adversity at the very front of the stage with a black curtain immediately behind him and in front of the regular scenic background. Then, while Job is giving his final exclamation “Though He slay me yet will I trust Him,” the lights may be suddenly extinguished and Job removed hurriedly; while at the same time the black curtain may be removed and the lights switched on showing up Job at the back of the stage in his robes of prosperity. (This being another person dressed as Job in prosperity.) This person may then carry on the final scene, The disguise of Job in robe, wig and beard should be complete enough to make the audience believe that the two Jobs are the same person.
Another method could be used whereby Job in adversity may first be shown as above and while the lights are suddenly switched out the same person may dress hurriedly in the prosperity costume with the help of others. This would be the better way, providing it can be done quickly enough. Such a transformation should not consume more than 5 seconds. Perhaps some optical illusion with stereoptican lantern might also be used to advantage.
SERVANT: Oh, Master, the same weary traveller that came to us once before would see you again.
JOB: Lead him in.
Traveller enters with servant.
JOB: Ho, weary traveller, you came this way again? You are welcome to my hospitality. Since you were here, I have passed through many sorrows and suffering worse than death, hut God has raised me up again and has given me twice the wealth I possessed before. Let me counsel you, my friend, Never forsake God, even in the midst of adversity and sorrow. Your faith in God will surmount every obstacle and wrest triumph out of defeat. Go forth with the faith in your soul that laughs at opposition and oppression; that sees beyond the darkness; that conquers the grave. Then can you say in your heart: ‘Oh, Grave where is thy Victory, Oh, Death, where is thy sting.’
Job places his hand on traveller’s shoulder: My friend, trust in God—have faith in his Divine Wisdom that orders all things for your greatest good. God bless you!
Servant leads traveller away.
SINGING: My Faith Looks Up to Thee. Softly by all in darkened room.
FINIS

LECTURE AT CLOSE OF FIRST DEGREE

To be delivered by the President, any Past-President or any Grand Officer: Dear Friends and Fellow Members of the Order of the White Knights, we have considered it necessary for the instruction of this Candidate for admission to our Order, and also for the good of our entire membership that the lessons covered by the work of this Degree he reviewed and emphasized at this time by myself as your appointed Lecturer.
In view of the fact that great truths are always conveyed to individuals first and through him to others, it seems appropriate that I address this Lecture to the individual before us who seeks admission to our Order, trusting that he may put these principles into practice and thereby become a blessing to the world.
My dear friend, allow me to refer to you as a beginner, which is only a convenient term indicating the fact that you are beginning at the portals of this Order to learn the occult teachings of our ritual and intend to persevere until you have become one of us in understanding and wisdom.
While many of the truths we teach have no doubt been suggested to your mind before you came to us, yet it is safe to say that the lessons we emphasize tonight were never before presented to you in the same manner or in such completeness. It is not, therefore, too much to expect that these lessons should influence you upward as a new convert into a larger and fuller soul life, which will be yours in proportion as you assimilate these truths into your inner thought and make them your own.
When you first knocked at our outer door you came from the Valley of Despair, which is a title we give to the great world of evil surrounding us upon every side. In the body we all live in this great Valley, but in the spirit, we of the Land of Faith have been emancipated from the bonds that once held us fast to the retribution of sin and from the clutches of that Nemesis, who never allows an offense to pass unavenged.
You sought the liberty we enjoy and proclaimed yourself tired of a merely selfish animal existence. You were eager to adopt any new principle of life which might aid you to realize the cravings of your heart. You yearned for you knew not what. You only knew you were not satisfied. The angels had whispered in your heart of beautiful things beyond your grasp. The music of some invisible choir had caught up your heart in an ecstacy of desire for divine beauty and love; and your sober judgment, ruled by the dictates of your heart, urged you to the forward step which you took when you knocked at our portals.
When you were admitted by the guardians of our gates, you were reminded that the only reason which would justify our receiving you to the hospitality of our land was your evident desire to flee from the Valley of Despair and to learn the profound secrets of our Land of Faith. Then, at the invitation of our Courier you signed the Articles of Purpose which constitute an expression of desire to learn wisdom and understanding.
Thus far, dear beginner, you have done well. You have obeyed one of the fundamental laws governing all material and spiritual progress. YOU HAVE DESIRED WISDOM. This desire is the mother of all blessings. It is a positive force, involving the exercise of the intellect, feelings and will and is an expression of a great soul energy which lies dormant in many men and women, who are content with their present moral state and make no effort to climb upward.
Without this desire no one ever attained to true greatness. It is the DESIRE for a higher good that inspires all the world’s great sacrifices. All the really great and good men of history have paid the price of their greatness, because of a consuming DESIRE to reach the goal of their holy ambitions. Martyrs were led to the stake inspired by their DESIRE to defeat evil and win the crown of righteousness which the Lord has prepared for them. No good thing ever comes to anyone unless it is preceded by an intense DESIRE for it. In His sermon on the Mount Christ himself declared the rewards of holy desire when He said: “For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
Thus, dear beginner, your DESIRE to learn wisdom and your search for it at the gates of our Order inspires our admiration and leaves within us a determination to unfold to you the innermost significance of the lessons we teach.
The foundation principle upon which we build up the teachings of the Order of White Knights is expressed in one word of five letters—”F A I T H”, or in the Greek “Pistis.”
As a means of exposing the inner meaning of Faith, we have summoned the spirits of Job, the patriarch, who lived by faith; and John Hus, the immortal martyr, who both lived and died by faith. Thus we desire to show the marvelous potency of Faith both in life and death.
In prosperity, Job was a devout man, fearing God and acting charitably towards all men. He was not puffed up in pride because of his immense wealth. He did not boast of his riches. He did not consider himself superior to those poorer than he; nor did he oppress those who were dependent upon him, In all things essential he is a type of the manly man, whom every one respects and loves.
In Job’s exceedingly prosperous state it would not have been unusual if he had felt self sufficient and carried himself with a haughty spirit towards both God and man. Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed his self sufficiency and was robbed of his reason and forced to herd with the cattle upon the hills. Herod made himself equal with God and above his fellowmen with the result that he died a loathsome mass of corruption. Uzziah staggered from the temple stricken with leprosy, because he assumed himself superior to other men, and chosen of God.
On the contrary Job recognized the source from which his help came. He knew his exalted position among his fellow men and yet looked up in faith to God, knowing that man at his best is hut a worm, and is only the trustee of the wealth he holds; that its final ownership is with God who gave all and may take all away without a moment’s notice.
But Satan looks with jealousy upon Job and believes this righteous man is consumed by a pride of reserve and has no real faith in God. Confident in this opinion, Satan confers with the Most High God and secures from Him a temporary right to rob Job of all that he possesses in order to prove the spirit of the patriarch.
Now, after all his possessions are gone, Job is cast down in spirit but still clings to his faith in God and still worships his Creator, who gave all and took all away.
At this point, while the battle is on for the possession of Job’s immortal soul, let us step aside and note the important part that Satan plays in the lives of us all. If the righteous Job is a type of all good men, so is Satan the emblem of all the world’s evil, which everywhere attacks and seeks to destroy the good. Satan is the world’s negative energy as opposed to the positive. This energy is destructive, as opposed to the constructive. It is might as opposed to right. It is night as opposed to day. It is sin as opposed to virtue. It is failure as opposed to success. It is sorrow as opposed to joy. It is suffering as opposed to happiness. It is death as opposed to life.
Satan drives with his legions of failure, sorrow, suffering, ruin and death at the pearly gates of every man’s heart and seeks to break down the walls of his. faith and overwhelm his soul.
Dear beginner, there is a mortal enemy upon YOUR trail. Night and day he presses in pursuit. He seeks from God the power to rob you of the fruits of your labor. He saps your moral strength and darkens the vista of your spiritual visions. He builds up walls of doubt and fear before you, which seem insurmountable. He opens graves at your feet into which he hopes you may stumble.
No, this is not all a parable, or an allegory. It is a statement of actual facts which you meet every day of your life. Yesterday, perhaps, you failed in some effort you made and some voice advised you to cast aside your faith as useless; to cease all future efforts and curse God for the failure. Or some sorrow, either old or new, came gnawing at your heart strings and you sank back in terror at the horrible vision which flashed, like a mirage, across your mind. Some invisible hand tightened upon your sensitive faith and you felt it sinking away. Again, as you sat in thought, perhaps your mind was strangely led to think again of the many dark days of your life. You looked at the seeming failure of the past; at the terrific struggle of the present; at the dark unseen future and you felt your courage failing. Your faith, which had always been the strong foundation of your life seemed to he undermined and on the verge of collapse. It was at that moment that your enemy crept up behind you and tried to topple your soul over into the pit of crime; of blasphemy; of despair.

So fierce have been the attacks of your enemy that your escape has been brought about, it would seem, by the merest chance, the clutch of a baby’s hand, the whisper of a mother’s voice in prayer, or the smarting blow of conscience may have aroused you to a stern defense of your faith. But the victory was bought, and upon your faith—the rock of your salvation—you laughed at your past failures and cried like Job, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”
To return to the stern tragedy of Job’s struggle; you should remember that Satan was unable to shake Job’s faith in the first test; and Satan persists by securing from God the right to torture the very body of the good man in addition to robbing him of his possessions. Thus Satan brings boils and sores upon the body of Job who cries out in pain and anguish. But Job is still unyielding in his faith and through his groans of pain may he heard his faint voice “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”
Now Satan is thoroughly and finally convinced that Job is a man of faith and will trust in God to the day of his death; dealing always in charity and justice with all. Thus Satan retires completely defeated and overwhelmed by the mighty faith of the righteous man, Job.
In order to further understand the invincible power of faith, we next called upon the spirit of the martyr, John Hus, who told you the story of his life; which is a beautiful narrative of faith overcoming all adverse conditions and triumphing at last in the death of this great reformer.
We might linger indefinitely, dear beginner, upon the lessons taught by both Job and John Hus, hut time permits us only to draw your attention to the lessons which pertain to your life, as well as to the lives of all of us.
Faith is the principle we teach. It is the foundation of a successful life. This degree work will have performed a miraculous mission in your life if it. only inspires you to a faith in God which will enable you to sit at ease and trust Him in all the conditions of your existence upon earth. In prosperity, remember that God only lends you the possessions which you hold.
He gives you the keen intellect, the wise judgment; the strength of courage, the foresight, and the skill of brain and hand; all of which in combination enable you to direct your efforts successfully in the working out of your temporal successes. In a minute’s time God might break the happy combination of your trained faculties and bring you to ruin.
My brother—beginner in wisdom—for the sake of God, humanity, your family, your friends and yourself, place your trust—your undying faith in God from whence cometh your help. Let no worldly success turn your brain, or dull your conscience to a repudiation of your faith in Him.
Remember, that in the end Job became richer than he had ever been before the days of his trial; that success and joy and happiness returned in a double measure. That leads us to the happy conclusion that God brings success and complete happiness to those who place their implicit faith in Him. God loves you, dear beginner, and He will allow absolutely nothing to happen to a man of faith that is not for his welfare in the final analysis.
Life is yours, dear beginner,—even the larger life. And success is yours. And Happiness is yours. And Heaven is yours. These treasures are hid in the field of life. God has written their secret hiding place. It remains for YOU to search in faith,
Dear beginner, it is the mission of the Order of White Knights to aid you in this search. God bless you! This is the prayer of every White Knight.
PRESIDENT, ADDRESSING ENTIRE COUNCIL:
Sir Knights in assembled Council, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you Sir Knight ... who is now a member in the first degree of our honored … Council, No. … of the Order of the White Knights. Let us show him all the courtesies due him as a brother Knight.
I declare a recess of minutes in order that we may congratulate our new brother Knight on his union with us.