The solution of these questions would materially assist us in the study of the royal arch ritual and particularly in regard to the lectures. Royal arch information booklet for master masons pdf yumpu. Without the royal archthe masters degree is like a song half sunga tale partly toldor a promise unfulfilled. The royal arch is present in all main masonic systems, though in some it is worked as part of craft mainstream freemasonry, and in others in an appendant additional order.
A master mason must join a chapter of royal arch masons and receive the four degrees of that organization. After which he may seek further knowledge in freemasonry and join a council. Take notice thereof and govern yourselves accordingly. The royal arch degree is the complement of the masters degree, the unfolding into a second volume of the history of that which was lost to its final recovery. This course explores the source of the degrees, their symbolism and their esoteric meaning. There are two main schools of thought in connection with the origin of the degree. Without the royal arch, the masters degree is like a song half sung, a tale partly told, or a promise unfulfilled. Force, unregulated or illregulated, is not only wasted in the void, like that of.
The royal arch degree seems not to have been known to what are called modern masons as late as about 1750. Apprentice the twelveinch rule and the common gavel. Members of the craft who wish to dig deeper into the study of symbolism of the mark master and royal arch degrees will find this book of great appeal. The royal arch is the continuation of craft freemasonry.
Yet many of us are unsure of the teachings that the masters of the veils guard in their stations. Figure 6 depicts the celestial sphere or globe that is placed on one of the two pillars found on either side of the senior warden in the masonic lodge. The york rite, or more correctly, the american rite, is based on the early remnants of craft masonry that were practiced in the early 1700s. No business is done in a lodge of mark master masons, except to initiate a candidate in the fourth degree of masonry. This is aimed at those who have been royal arch masons for 6 months or more, and who wish to deepen their understanding of the degrees through formal education. Educational bureau 2018 brochure revised january 1, 2018. Pdf the royal arch degree and the gnostic ascensio animae. The royal arch degree is the completion of the whole system of freemasonry. Morals and dogma of the ancient and accepted scottish rite of freemasonry, prepared for the supreme council of the thirty third degree for the southern jurisdiction of the united states. As texas royal arch masons, one of our highest privileges is participating in or observing our beautiful, rich, and symbolic chapter opening ceremonies, and the conferral of the royal arch degree. The degree of past master is the vestigial remnant of the former custom that the degree of the royal arch could only be conferred on a past master of a symbolic blue lodge. The royal arch degree the royal arch degree is the climax of ancient craft masonry and masonic symbolism. The introduction of the degree into capitular masonry rests on the fact that, originally, the royal arch was conferred only on those who had been elected and presided over a lodge as master, but it was manifestly unjust to a large portion of the brethren to have such a restriction placed upon them and the royal arch. After the english lodges founding, men of religious persuasions other than christianity began to be accepted into masonry.
Royal arch officers,principal banners, and implements page 1. Its members, called companions, meet in chapters under a grand chapter. This commentary on the officers, banners and implements that are connected with the royal arch ceremony is offered as a practical alternative to the rehearsal of an exaltation. Duncan explained and interpreted by copious notes and numerous engravings third edition with additions and corrections new york. The royal arch degrees was considered most important in the early years of freemasonry and so dogmatic was the mother grand lodge from which all speculative masonry derives that in 18, when the two grand lodges in england united, a firm and solemn landmark was adopted and placed in the articles of union to guide masons throughout the. The royal arch of enoch also documents the symbolic restoration of the sun as the premier icon in all of freemasonry and as the supreme emblem of imperial administration and religiosity lifted from the ancient mysteries, incorporated into the abrahamic faiths, and carried on in both blue lodge and high degree masonry.
Pdf the royal arch degree of the york rite, also known as the. Jerusalem and the holy temple are destroyed, the people are being held captive as slaves in babylon. The elevator speech is intended to help you give a good account of royal arch masonry. Although an investigation of the origins of the degree is beyond the scope of this work, it should be noted that all forms of the rituals likely derive from a common ancestor. The candidate must wear the apron of a mark master mason during the ceremony of elevation.
Morals and dogma by albert pike lucifer, the lightbearer. Arch degree is referred to in the articles of union at the formation of the united grand lodge of ancient. There will be papers which vary from the sensible and thoughtful to. The greatest obstacle in the path of the writer seeking to explain the early history of royal arch masonry is his. Let us look a little deeper than the obvious meaning seen by the majority of royal arch masons. These veils allude to the four principal tribes of israel, whose emblems were the lion, the ox, the man, and the eagle. It will also appeal to nonmembers of the fraternity who are interested in the study of subjects dealing with masonry and the interpretation of ancient. Chapters are ruled over by three principals, who rule conjointly, and the grand chapter is ruled over by three grand principals, with a pro first grand principal when the first grand principal is a royal prince.
Having begun regular advancement through the symbolic lodge, it is the duty of each. Vaughan 4 was calling the royal arch degree the very root, heart and marrow of freemasonry. That portion of the old freemasons who met at the famous appletree tavern, in 1717, and formed the society upon somewhat new principles, that is, so far as to admit into fellowship, indiscriminately, respectable individuals of all professions, were denominated, by the nonadherents to. The masons who attain this degree can go straight to knights templar or continue to the cryptic masonry.
Encyclopedia of freemasonry and its kindred sciences by. This suggests that the royal arch must have been popular enough at least among the antients to have developed into an independent ritual quite rapidly. In the united states, these degrees are considered as proprietary to the royal arch, while in england there is no past master degree as found here, and the mark master. This is the th or royal arch, aka master of the ninth arch, royal arch of solomon, and royal arch of enoch degree of the ancient and accepted scottish. Figure 5 is the trestleboard of the third degree, or master mason degree. Freemason collection is ranked in the most visited websites top 10 in the major masonic online magazine pietrestone. Freemason collection is one of the rare websites rated three stars maximum on. A version of the royal arch degree likely arose between 1737 and 1740. The antients viewed the royal arch as a fourth degree of craft freemasonry and worked it as part of the craft ceremonies, while the moderns held that craft freemasonry consisted of three degrees only and that the royal arch was at the most an extension of the third master masons degree which was to be administered separately. Its ceremonies were similar to those of the order of high priesthood, which caused the grand royal arch chapter of the state to take offence, and the small gathering dispersed in 1825.
Freemasons book of the royal arch the masonic trowel. On initiation, each member is given an alias that they will be known by within the lodge. While the royal arch captain is informing the guard, the principal sojourner goes to the altar, salutes with the dueguard and sign, separates square and compasses and returns to his. It is described as the root and marrow of freemasonry. The formation of the first grand lodge of england in 1717 specified that the lodges were to confer only the degrees of entered apprentice, fellowcraft, and master mason, all other degrees being considered spurious. Having begun regular advancement through the symbolic lodge, it is the duty of each master mason to complete the degree series.
The symbolism of the veils york rite of california. Royal arch, or seventh degree chapter 7 gnostic warrior. The same four creatures are present throughout the. The first royal arch degree lecturer then explains, these three mysterious words, in a triangle form, is the longlost sacred word of the master mason, and is too incomprehensible for individual expression. A council of royal and select masters forms the center body of the york rite of freemasonry. Although each body of the organization operates with relative autonomy, they are referred to as one rite. Things to know about york rite freemasonry masonicfind. The royal arch degree is considered the most beautiful degree in the freemasonry. That portion of the old freemasons who met at the famous appletree tavern, in 1717, and formed the society upon somewhat new principles, that is, so far as to admit into fellowship, indiscriminately, respectable individuals of all professions, were.
The papers below are available to read and download free. Order of mark master masons royal ark mariner degree. The title of this paper does not imply that mysticism is confined in masonry to the royal arch alone, and that there is none in the craft degrees. It is the complete story of jewish history during some of its darkest hours. Such is the case with the symbolism of the four veils of the royal arch degree. Masons, do hereby, hereat, and hereon, most solemnly promise. Many students have thought that the royal arch was torn from the hiramic degree and that the 18 act of union between the antients and the moderns 1 did scant justice in pronouncing that pure ancient masonry consists of three degrees and no more, namely those of the entered apprentice, the fellow craft and the master mason including. The key symbolic figure in this board for this paper is the royal arch, which is discussed in figure. Ceremony of installation for a chapter of royal arch masons.
On the contrary, as the first principal informs the newly exalted royal arch candidate, the degree he has just taken is but a completion of the third degree in craft masonry, thus inferring that the. Sep 27, 2016 in 18 it added a fourth degree, that of holy royal arch. The royal arch degree i the complement of the masters degreethe unfolding into a second volumethe history of that which was lost to its final recovery. These events are symbolically detailed in the royal arch, and in allusion to them, the passage of the book of chronicles which records them, is appropriately read during the ceremonies of this part of the degree. The royal arch ritual is a powerful reminder of mans folly, and it would be natural for the cycle to continue, with a fifth degree revealing the story of the building of herods temple, again reflecting the theme of the search for lost knowledge and its rediscovery leading to a rebuilding of the temple and a reminder of the importance of. The jewel in the crown of our education is the new capitular development course cdc. A degree instituted in 1824, in new york city, mainly for social purposes, and conferred in an independent body.