Robert obeyed and, in chorus with the other initiates, repeated the words of the oath:
“I, in the presence of God and man, most solemnly pledge, promise and swear”—and so forth to the end. It was an oath of obedience to the sublime authority of the Tribe and to the head of the Tribe, Joseph Andrew Lister.
Then the oath of secrecy, in which the candidates swore that they would rather die than divulge any of the secrets.
Next an oath to work for the good of the Tribe in spite of personal or other conflicting motives.
Last of all an oath of fealty to the Tribe, of protection of members.
“I swear that I will keep secure to myself a secret of a Tribesman when same is committed to me in the sacred bond of Tribal fealty—the crime of violating THIS solemn oath, treason against the United States of America, rape and malicious murder alone excepted.” Malicious murder? What could that mean? Why the qualification of murder? For a fleeting moment Robert was puzzled. But he went on mechanically with the oath.
“I most solemnly assert and affirm that to the government of the United States of America and any state thereof of which I may become a resident I sacredly swear an unqualified allegiance above any other and every kind of government in the whole world. I here and now pledge my life, my property, my vote and my sacred honor to uphold its flag, its Constitution and its constitutional laws and will protect, defend and enforce same unto death.
“I swear that I will most zealously and valiantly shield and preserve by any and all justifiable means and methods (justifiable? Again a question came into Robert’s mind. But he dismissed it.) the sacred constitutional rights and privileges of free public schools, free speech, free press, separation of church and state, liberty, white supremacy, just laws and the pursuit of happiness against any encroachment of any nature by any person, persons, political party or parties, religious sect or people, native, naturalized or foreign, of any race, color, creed, lineage or tongue whatsoever.”
The head of the Tribe, himself, who had previously impressed on the candidates the sacredness of the oath now took from the altar a water bottle. Robert noticed, for the first time, that, beside the bottle, the altar held also an American flag, a Bible and a dagger.
“With this transparent, life-giving, powerful, God-given fluid,” he began, his voice rising and falling in even cadences, “more precious and far more significant than all the sacred oils of the ancients, I set you apart from the men of your daily association to the great and honorable task you have voluntarily allotted yourselves as citizens of the Fourth Dimension, Hunters of the Trick Track Tribe. You will kneel upon your right knee.”