Most Excellent Master, or Sixth Degree | Chapter 6

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart: who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. Lift up your heads, O ye gates (here the kneeling brethren alternately raise and bow their heads as the reading proceeds); and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts; he is the King of glory. Selah.”

While reading these verses, the Right Worshipful Master advances

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toward the circle of kneeling brethren, taking his steps only when reading those passages relative to the King of glory.

The reading being ended the Right Worshipful Master then kneels, joins hands with the others, which closes the circle, and they all lift their hands, as joined together, up and down, six times, keeping time with the words as the Right Worshipful Master repeats them: “One, two, three; one, two, three.” This is Masonically called balancing. They then rise, disengage their hands, and lift them up above their heads, with a moderate and somewhat graceful motion, and cast up their eyes; turning at the same time to the right, they extend their arms, and then suffer them to fall loose and somewhat nerveless by their sides. This sign is said by Masons, to represent the sign of astonishment made by the Queen of Sheba, on first viewing Solomon’s Temple. (See Fig. 30.)

The Right Worshipful Master resumes his seat and says: “Brethren, attend to the signs.” He himself then gives all the signs, from an Entered Apprentice up to this Degree, and the brethren join and imitate him.

Master (to the Senior Warden.)–Brother Senior, it is my will and pleasure that this Lodge of Most Excellent Masters be now opened for dispatch of business, strictly forbidding all private committees, or profane language, whereby the harmony of the same may be interrupted, while engaged in their lawful pursuits, under no less penalty than the by-laws enjoin, or a majority of the brethren may see cause to inflict.

The Senior Warden repeats this to his Junior, and the Junior announces it to the Lodge, as follows:

J. W.–Brethren, you have heard our Right Worshipful Master’s will and pleasure, as just communicated to me–so let it be done.

The Lodge being opened, the ordinary business of the evening in gone through with, as in the former Degrees. If a candidate is to be initiated, the Junior Deacon goes to the preparation-room, where he is in waiting, and prepares him. He takes off the candidate’s coat, puts a cable-tow six times round his body, and conducts him to the door of the Lodge, where he gives six distinct knocks (which are answered by the Senior Deacon from within), and then one knock, which is answered in the same manner.

S. D. (partly opening the door.)–Who comes there?

J. D.–A worthy brother, who has been regularly initiated as an Entered Apprentice Mason; passed to the Degree of Fellow Craft; raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason; advanced to the honorary Degree of a Mark Master Mason; presided in

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the chair as Past Master; and now wishes for further light in Masonry, by being received and acknowledged as a most Excellent Master.

S. D.–Is it of his own free-will and accord he makes this request?

J. D.–It is.

S. D.–Is he duly and truly prepared?

J. D.–He is.

S. D.–Is he worthy and well qualified?