Most Excellent Master, or Sixth Degree | Chapter 6

“Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.

“Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. “The Lord, that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion.”

The Master then closes the circle as in opening, when they balance six times, rise and balance six times more, disengaging their hands, and giving the signs from this Degree downward. The Lodge is then closed as in the preceding Degrees. The following is read at closing:–

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of

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righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”–Psalm xxiii.1

LECTURE ON THE SIXTH, OR MOST EXCELLENT MASTER’S DEGREE.

Question. Are you a Most Excellent Master?

Answer. I am. Try me.

Q. How will you be tried?

A. By the cap stone.

Q. Why by the cap stone?

A. Because it completed King Solomon’s Temple, upon the ceremonies of the dedication of which this Degree is founded.

Q. Where were you received and acknowledged as a Most Excellent Master?

A. In a regular and duly constituted Lodge of Most Excellent Masters.

Q. How gained you admission?

A. By six distinct knocks. (• • • • • •)

O. To what do the six distinct knocks allude?

A. To the Sixth Degree of Masonry, it being that upon which I was about to enter.

Q. What was said to you from within?

A. Who comes here?

Q. Your answer?

A. A worthy brother who has been duly initiated, passed to the degree of Fellow Craft, raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason, advanced to the degree of Mark Master, and regularly passed the chair, now wishes for further promotion in Masonry, by being received and acknowledged as a Most Excellent Master.

Q. What were you then asked?

A. If it was an act of my own free will and accord; if I was worthy and well qualified; if I had made suitable proficiency in the preceding degree, and was properly vouched for, all of which

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being answered in the affirmative, I was asked by what right or benefit I expected to gain this important privilege.

Q. Your answer?

A. By the benefit of the pass.

Q. Give it. (Word—Mark Well.)

Q. What was then said to you?

A. I was directed to wait until the Right Worshipful Master could be informed of my request, and his answer returned.

Q. What was his answer?

A. Let the candidate enter.

Q. How were you then disposed of?

A. I was conducted six times round the Lodge, to the Worshipful Senior Warden in the West, where the same questions were asked and answers returned as at the door.

Q. How did the Worshipful Senior Warden dispose of you? A. He directed me to be conducted to the Right Worshipful Master in the East, where the same questions were asked and answers returned as before.

Q. How did the Right Worshipful Master dispose of you?

A. He ordered me to be conducted to the Worshipful Senior Warden in the West, who taught me to approach to the altar, advancing by six upright Masonic steps, my feet forming a square and my body erect, to the Right Worshipful Master.

Q. What did the Right Worshipful Master do with you? A. He made me a Most Excellent Master.

Q. How?

A. In due form.

Q. What is that due form?

A. Kneeling upon both knees, both hands covering the Holy Bible, square and compasses, my body erect, in which due form I took upon myself the solemn oath of a Most Excellent Master.