The second section of the Lecture on this degree states minutely the ceremonies and forms of exaltation (as the conferring of this degree is styled), but there seems to be some parts which require explanation. The Principal Sojourner conducts the candidate, and is considered as representing Moses conducting the children of Israel through the wilderness. He is usually dressed to represent an old man, bowed with age, with a mask on his face, and long beard hanging down upon his breast; is introduced to the candidate in the preparation room by the name of Moses. On entering the Chapter, the candidates are received under a "living arch;" that is, the companions arrange themselves in a line on each side of the door, and each joins hands with the one opposite to himself. The candidates entering, the conductor says, "Stoop low, brothers! we are about to enter the arches; remember that he that humbleth himself shall be exalted; stoop low, brothers, stoop low!" The candidates seldom pass the first pair of hands, or, in other words, the first arch, without being so far humbled as to be very glad to support themselves on all fours. Their progress may be imagined to be very slow; for, in addition to their humble posture, they are obliged to support on their backs the whole weight of the living arches above. The conductor, to encourage them, calls out occasionally, "Stoop low, brothers, stoop low!" If they go too slow to suit the companions, it is not unusual for some one to apply a sharp point to their bodies to urge them on; the points of the pasteboard crown answer quite well for this purpose. After they have endured this humiliating exercise as long as suits the convenience of the companions, they pass from under the living arches. The candidates next receive the obligation, travel the room, attend the prayer, travel again, and are shown a representation of the Lord appearing to Moses from the burning bush. This last is done in various ways. Sometimes an earthen pot is filled with earth, and green bushes set around the edge of it, and a candle in the centre; and sometimes a stool is provided with holes about the edge, in which bushes are placed, and a bundle of rags or tow, saturated with oil of turpentine, placed in the centre, to which fire is communicated. Sometimes a large bush is suspended from the ceiling, around the stem of which tow is wound wet with oil of turpentine. In whatever way the bush is prepared, when the words are read, "He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire," etc., the bandage is removed from the eyes of the candidates, and they see the fire in the bush,[15] and, at the words, "Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes," etc., the shoes of the candidates are taken off, and they remain in the same situation while the rest of the passage is read to the words, "And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God." The bandage is then replaced, and the candidates again travel about the room, while the next passage of Scripture is read. [See Lecture.] At the words, "And break down the walls of Jerusalem," the companions make a tremendous crashing and noise, by firing pistols, overturning chairs, benches, and whatever is at hand; rolling cannon balls across the floor, stamping, etc., etc., and in the midst of the uproar the candidates are seized, a chain thrown about them, and they are hurried away to the preparation room. This is the representation of the destruction of Jerusalem, and carrying captive the children of Israel to Babylon. After a short time the proclamation of Cyrus is read, the candidates are unbound, and start to go to Jerusalem, to assist in rebuilding the temple. The candidates, still hoodwinked, are brought into the Chapter, and commence their journey over the rugged and rough paths. They are literally rough paths, sticks of timber framed across the path the candidate must travel, some inches from the floor, make no comfortable traveling for a person blindfolded. But this is not always the way it is prepared; billets of wood singly, or in heaps, ladders, nets of cord, etc., etc., are all put in requisition to form the rough and rugged paths, which are intended as a trial of the FIDELITY of the candidates. If they escape with nothing more than bruised shins they do well. They have been known to faint away under the severity of the discipline, and occasion the WORTHY companions much alarm. After traveling the rugged paths till all are satisfied, they arrive at the first Veil of the Tabernacle, give the pass-word, and pass on to the second, give the pass-words, and present the sign. This, it will be recollected, is in imitation of the sign which Moses was directed to make to the children of Israel. He threw his rod upon the ground and it became a serpent; he put forth his hand and took it by the tail, and it became a rod in his hand. The conductor is provided with a rod, made in the form of a snake, and painted to resemble one. This he drops upon the floor, and takes it up again. They then pass on to the next Veil, give the pass-word and make the sign (put the right hand in the bosom and pluck it out again); pass on to the next, give the pass-words and make the sign (pour water upon the ground), and are ushered into the presence of the Grand Council. The Veils are four in number, and of the same color as the banners of the three Grand Masters of the Veils, and that of the Royal Arch Captain, blue, purple, scarlet and white, and have the same references and explanations. [See Lecture.] The Grand Council consists of the Most Excellent High Priest, King and Scribe. The High Priest is dressed in a white robe, with a breastplate of cut-glass, consisting of twelve pieces, to represent the twelve tribes of Israel; an apron, and a mitre. The King wears a scarlet robe, apron, and crown. The mitre and crown are generally made of pasteboard: sometimes they have them of the most splendid materials, gold and silk velvet; but these are kept for public occasions. The mitre has the words, "Holiness to the Lord" in gold letters across the forehead. The Scribe wears a purple robe, apron, and turban. After having satisfied the Grand Council that they are true brethren, and stated their object in coming to Jerusalem, the candidates are directed to commence the labor of removing the rubbish of the old temple preparatory to laying the foundation of the new. For the purpose of performing this part of the ceremony, there is in or near the Chapter a narrow kind of closet, the only entrance to which is through a scuttle at the top; there is placed over this scuttle whatever rubbish is at hand, bits of board, brick bats, etc., and among them the keystone. After the candidates are furnished with the tools (pick-axe, spade, and crow), they are directed to this place, and remove the rubbish till they discover the keystone. This they convey to the Grand Council, as stated in the Lecture. After the Grand Council have examined it, they pronounce it to be the work of the Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, and direct them to return and prosecute their researches, not doubting that they will make many important discoveries. The candidates return and let down one of their number by a rope; he finds three squares, is drawn out, and all proceed with them to the Grand Council. The Grand Council inspect them, and pronounce them to be the three ancient jewels that belonged to the three ancient Grand Masters, Solomon, Hiram and Hiram Abiff. The candidates then return to the vault and let down another of their number. Here, let it be remarked, some Chapters, for the purpose of lightening the labor of the candidates, call in the aid of machinery. A pulley is suspended over the vault, and the candidate is EXALTED from the bottom at the tail of a snatch block; the one last let down find at the bottom a small chest or box, upon which he gives the signal to be drawn out; he no sooner discovers the box than the air in the vault, in the language of the Lecture, "becomes exceedingly offensive." This is strictly true; for at the moment he takes up the box and is preparing to ascend, fire is communicated to a quantity of gunpowder at his feet, so that by the time he arrives at the top, he is so completely suffocated with the fumes of the powder, that he is almost deprived of the power of respiration or motion. The box is carried to the Grand Council and pronounced to be the ark of the covenant. It is opened, and a Bible taken out, and some passages read from it. [See Lecture.] One word respecting the representation of the ark. It ought to be a splendid box covered with gold, and some of them are really elegant; but the Chapter must have such as it can afford; if it is too poor to procure splendid furniture, cheap articles are made to answer; for an ark, if the funds are low, a plain cherry or pine box will answer, and sometimes a cigar box is made the humble representation of the splendid ark, made by divine command, of shittim wood, and overlaid with pure gold. The High Priest takes then from the ark a vessel containing something to represent manna. This vessel is of various forms and materials, from an elegant silver urn to a broken earthen mug; and the substance contained is as various as the vessels in which it is deposited; such as a bit of sugar, a piece of cracker, or a few kernels of wheat. Whichever is used, the High Priest takes it out and gravely asks the King and Scribe their opinion of it; they say they think it is manna. The High Priest then looks at it intently and says, "It looks like manna;" smells it and says, "It smells like manna;" and then tastes it and says, "It is manna." The High Priest then takes from the ark a bit of an apple tree sprout, a few inches long, with some withered buds upon it, or a stick of a similar length, with some artificial buds upon it, which, after consulting with the King and Scribe, he pronounces Aaron's rod. He then takes out the key to the ineffable characters and explains it. This key is kept in the ark on four distinct pieces of paper. The key is marked on a square piece of paper, and the paper is then divided into four equal parts, thus:
The outside lines represent the dimensions of the paper; the inside ones are the key, and the dotted ones, the section that is made of the whole for the purpose of keeping it secret, should any GRACELESS COWAN ever get possession of the sacred ark, and attempt to rummage its contents. The other part of the key x is made on the back of the same piece of paper, so that on putting them together, it shows equally plain. It is said that these characters were used by Aaron Burr, in carrying on his treasonable practices, and by that means made public; since which time they have been written and read from left to right. After the ceremonies are ended, the High Priest informs the candidates, in many or few words, according to his ability, that this degree owes its origin to Zerrubbabel and his associates, who rebuilt the temple by order of Cyrus, King of Persia. He informs them that the discovery of the secret vault and the inestimable treasures, with the long lost WORD, actually took place in the manner represented in conferring this degree, and that it is the circumstance upon which the degree is principally founded. The ceremony of closing a Chapter is precisely the same as at opening, to the raising of the living arch. The companions join hands by threes, in the same manner, and say in concert, "As we three did agree the sacred word to keep, as we three did agree the sacred word to search, so we three do agree to close this royal arch." They then break without giving the word, as the High Priest reads the following prayer:
"By the wisdom of the Supreme High Priest may we be directed, by His strength may we be enabled, and by the beauty of virtue may we be incited to perform the obligations here enjoined upon us; to keep inviolable the mysteries here unfolded to us, and invariably to practice all those duties out of the Chapter, which are inculcated in it. (Response.) So mote it be. Amen."
The High Priest then declares the Chapter closed in due form.
KNIGHTS OF THE RED CROSS.
At the sound of the trumpet the line is formed. Master of Calvary to the Sir Knight Warden, "When a Council of Knights of the Red Cross is about to be formed and opened, what is the first care?" Warden—"To see the Council chamber duly guarded." M. C.—"Please to attend to that part of your duty, see that the sentinels are at their respective posts, and inform the Captain of the Guards that we are about to open a Council of Knights of the Red Cross for the dispatch of business." W.—"The sentinels are at their respective posts, and the Council chamber duly guarded." M. C.—"Are all present Knights of the Red Cross?" W.—"They are." M. C.—"Attention, Sir Knights, count yourselves from right to left—right files handle sword—draw sword—carry sword—right files to the left double—second division forward, march, halt—right about face!" Sir Knight Master of Infantry, accompanied by the sword-bearer and Warden—"Please inform the Sovereign Master that the lines are formed waiting his pleasure." At the approach of the Council the trumpet sounds. M. C.—"Form avenue (the Council pass); the Sovereign Master passes uncovered; recover arms, poise arms!" Sovereign Master—"Attention, Sir Knights; give your attention to the several signs of Masonry; as I do, so do you." [The Sir Knights give the signs from the first to the seventh degree.] S. M.—"Draw swords, and take care to advance and give the Jewish countersign—recover arms; take care to advance and give the Persian countersign—recover arms." S.M. to Sir Knight Master of the Palace—"Advance and give me the word of a Knight of the Red Cross; the word is right—receive it on your left." The word is then passed around; when it arrives at the Chancellor he says, "Sovereign Master of the Red Cross, word has arrived." S. M.—"Pass it on to me [he gives it to the Sovereign Master]. Sir Knight, the word is right." S. M. to Sir Knight Chancellor—"Advance and give me the grand sign, grip, and word of a Knight of the Red Cross; it is right—receive it on your left." The word passes around as before, as will hereafter be explained, and when arrived at the Master of the Palace, he says, "Sovereign Master, the grand sign, grip and word have arrived." S. M.—"Pass them on to me; Sir Knight, they are right. Left face—deposit helmets—centre face—reverse arms—to your devotions [the Sir Knights all kneel and repeat the Lord's prayer]—recover arms—left face—recover helmets—centre face—right about face—to your posts—march!"