Q. What was then said to you? A. I was directed to give the pass; when I did I was permitted to pass to the second door of the ante-chamber, where I gave three and five knocks, which were answered by three and five and seven from within, and the pass-word demanded as before, which I gave, and was permitted to pass to the door of the sacred vault, where I gave three, five and seven and nine distinct knocks. (Note.—These knocks are answered from within by the Junior and Senior Wardens, and Most Perfect; and Most Perfect says, "Brother Junior Warden, see who knocks there in the manner of a Perfect Grand Elect and Sublime Mason.")
Q. To what do these knocks allude? A. The three knocks signify the age of the Entered Apprentice, and the number of the Grand Marshal Architects who penetrated the bowels of the earth. The five allude to the age of the Fellow Craft and the number of the Grand Elect Perfect and Sublime Masters who placed the sacred treasure upon the pedestal of beauty.
Q. What are their names? A. Solomon, Hiram, King of Tyre, Gibulum, Joabert, and Stokin. The seven allude to the age of the Master Mason, and to Enoch who was the seventh from Adam. The nine represent the age of the Perfect Grand Elect and Sublime Mason, and the nine guards of the arches.
Q. How were these knocks answered? A. By three, five, seven and nine from within.
Q. What followed? A. I was asked, "Who comes there?"
Q. Your answer? A. A Knight of the Ninth Arch, who is desirous of being admitted into the sacred vault and arriving at perfection.
Q. What followed? A. The pass was demanded, which I gave and was ordered to wait until the Most Perfect in the East had been informed of my request and his answer returned.
Q. What was his answer? A. Let him be introduced in ancient form.
Q. What was that form? A. I was conducted to the west and placed between the Wardens, and having made the sign of admiration, was thus interrogated by the Most Perfect: "My Brother, what is your desire? A. To be made a Perfect Grand Elect and Sublime Mason."
Q. What followed? A. The Most Perfect said, "Before I can initiate you, you must satisfy us that you are well skilled in Masonry, otherwise you must be sent back until you are better qualified," whereupon I was thus examined: