Ancient Illustrious Order Knights of Malta
Tenth Degree – Gold
Ceremony of Initiation
The previous order of business having been disposed of, should there be a
candidate or candidates to receive the Gold Degree, the Sir Knight
Commander will say:
Sir Knight
Warder, what is the particular cause of out assembling here?
Warder:
Sir Knight Commander, knightly association, the propagation of our Order, and
the advancement of such worthy Companions as are desirous thereof.
Sir Knight Commander:
Sir Knight Warder, ascertain if there be any such in the preparation room, by
raising the wicket and inquiring of the Sentinel.
Warder, having done so:
Sir Knight Commander, there are giving number.
If there be any, the Sir Knight Commander will
proceed.
Sir Knight Commander:
Sir Knights Captain General, Senior and Junior Wardens, retire to the
preparation room, prepare and introduce the candidates.
The council chamber is then prepared as follows: The Sir Knight
Commander is designated as King during the degree ceremonies, and is seated
upon an elevation representing a throne. Ten Knights Princes take position,
five on either side of the King, each clad in a long black robe edged with
white, wearing a gold crown, sword and belt, and at his right foot a lighted
taper. When the council chamber has been duly prepared, the Captain General,
Senior and Junior Wardens will retire to the preparation room and prepare the
candidate as follows: He is divested of his coat and vest; his shirt sleeves
are rolled up so that his arms are bare to the elbows, and he is given a
pickaxe which he will carry on his right shoulder. He is then blindfolded and
led to the door of the council chamber. The Captain General then leaves the
candidate in charge of the Senior and Junior Wardens, re-enters the council
chamber, and announces as follows:
Captain General:
Sir Knight Commander, the candidate is duly prepared and ready to be received.
The Warder will then rap the number of the degree ****
**** ** on the door of the preparation room, to signify that all is in
readiness in the council chamber. The Senior Warden then gives **** ****
** loud raps upon the door of the council chamber, and the Warder says:
Sir Knight Commander, there is an alarm from the Sentinel.
Sir Knight Commander:
Ascertain the cause.
Warder:
Who comes here to disturb the peace and harmony of this duly convoked
Commandery of the Gold Degree?
Senior Warden:
A true and worthy Knight of the Green, who, having worked in the quarries and
assisted at the dedication of the Holy Temple, is now desirous of being
further advanced in our sublime mysteries.
Warder:
How does he
expect to gain admission?
Senior Warden:
By the
benefit of a password.
Warder:
Has he that
password?
Senior Warden:
No, but I have it for him.
Warder:
Advance and give it.
Senior Warden gives the entrance password to the Warder.
Warder:
The pass is right. I will acquaint the King With his request.
The Warder will then close the door and say:
Most Gracious
King, there is without, in waiting, a Knight of the Green, who has worked in
the quarries and assisted in the dedication of the Holy Temple. He prays that
you will advance him still further in our sublime mysteries.
King:
Why does he expect so great a privilege?
Warder:
Because he is in possession of the sublime keyword, and his valor has been
tested on a trying occasion.
King:
Admit him.
The Warder then opens the door and says:
It is the
order of our Most Gracious King that the candidate be admitted.
The companion is then conducted inside the council chamber,
and, while low music is being played, he is left to wander about the room
without a guide, care being taken that he does not injure himself. The Prelate
reads:
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half
tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of
Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to
the land of their possession, whereof they we re possessed, according to the
word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
And
when they came unto the borders of Jordan that are in the land of Canaan, the
children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh
built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.
Captain General:
Sir Knights Princes, Attention! Draw swords! Carry, swords! Forward, march!
At this command the ten Knights Princes at the right and left
of the King march around the room, and when in front of the Generalissimo’s
chair the Captain General will command:
Sir Knights,
Halt!
The companion is then conducted slowly around the room to the
Generalissimo’s chair, the Prelate at the same time reading as follows:
And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the
children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead,
Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest.
And
with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes
of Israel; and each one was a head of the house of their fathers among the
thousands of Israel.
And
they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the
half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them,
saying:
Thus
saith the Whole congregation of the Lord, What trespass is this that ye have
committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the
Lord, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day
against the Lord?
As the Prelate concludes reading, the Generalissimo steps
forward and says to the companion:
Where are you
from?
Candidate, prompted:
The plains.
Generalissimo:
Whither are you going?
Candidate, prompted:
To Mount
Gilead.
Generalissimo:
How do you expect to get there?
Candidate, prompted:
By the benefit of a password.
Generalissimo:
Advance and give it.
The Senior Warden then gives the entrance password to the
Generalissimo and the Prelate reads as follows:
And the thing
pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and
did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein
the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.
And
the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed; for it
shall be a witness between us that the Lord is God.
Captain General:
Sir Knights Princes, Attention! Forward March!
At this command the ten princes march around the room to their
positions at the right and left of the King, when the Captain General
commands:
Sir Knights, Halt! Return swords!
The companion then continues to wander around the room, until
he reaches a representation of a cave, when he is directed to strike three
times with his pickaxe, enter the cave, and bring out the treasure therein
contained. The Prelate then reads:
Now these are
the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of
God. The Length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and
the breadth twenty cubits.
And
the porch that was in front of the house, the length of it was according to
the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the height was a hundred and
twenty: and he overlaid it within with pure gold.
And
the greater house he ceiled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold,
and set thereon palm trees and chains.
And he
garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of
Parvaim.
He
overlaid also the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, and the
doors thereof, with gold; and graved cherubims on the walls.
And he
made the most holy house, the length whereof was according to the breadth of
the house, twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits: and he
overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.
And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of
gold.
And he
overlaid the upper chambers with gold.
And in
the most holy house he made two cherubim of image work, and overlaid them with
gold.
And
Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar
also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set.
Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the
manner before the oracle, of pure gold.
And
the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect
gold.
And
the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold:
and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place,
and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.
The treasures are taken from the cave and then placed upon the
arms and shoulders of the companion, and he is literally bowed down with gifts
and presents, and conducted before the King, who says:
Sir Knight
Senior Warden, who have we here?
Senior Warden:
Most Gracious King, one who has traveled through the wilderness, is vouched
for by a Royal Marksman, and has the sublime keyword of a Blueman Master
Builder. Moreover, he brings with him certain tokens of his handiwork, of
which he asks your gracious acceptance. He is desirous of being enlisted among
the chosen few who surround thy throne.
King:
The boon he craves is a great one, and none but those of tried valor and
strict integrity are admitted into our number. Let him advance.
The companion then advances and, assisted hy the Senior Warden,
unloads himself of the treasures, and deposits them in front of the station of
the King. After inspecting them the King says:
Your
credentials are satisfactory; let the ceremony proceed.
The companion is then invested with a black robe trimmed with
white and he is directed to kneel on both knees, when the Prelate places a
crown upon his head and says:
By order of
our Most Gracious Sovereign, I hereby crown you as a Prince of the Gold
Degree, and welcome you to share in all its rights and privileges.
King:
Sir Knights Princes, Attention! * * *
Be witnesses with me of the obligation of this Christian Knight.
The ten princes rise and stand in front of the King’s station
with lighted tapers at their feet. The Captain General will then command:
Sir Knights Princes, Attention! Draw, swords! Cross, swords!
Form arches of steel.
At this command, the ten Knights Princes cross swords, forming
five arches of steel in front of the King. The candidate then places his left
hand flat upon an open Bible and a sword is placed in his right hand, which he
raises over his head as high as possible. The Prelate will then administer the
following
Obligation
I,
..., Knight, bind myself, by my honor and good name, without any hesitation,
mental reservation, or secret evasion, never to reveal, by hint, word,
writing, or in any manner whatever, to any person not justly entitled to
receive the same, any of the secrets of the Gold Degree. I do further solemnly
promise that 1 will not make any intelligible extract from the rituals or
lectures which may come into my possession whereby any of the secrets
belonging to this or any other degree of the Ancient and Illustrious Order of
Knights of Malta may be unlawfully obtained.
To all
this I swear, as I am, and hope to continue to be, a man of honor.
You
will now kiss the holy Bible.
Captain General:
Sir Knights Princes, Present, swords!
King:
Sir Knight, what do you most desire?
Candidate, prompted:
Light.
The blindfold is then removed and the candidate will see the
King with five Princes on each side of him, each with a lighted taper at his
right foot. The King then steps forward to the candidate, and, taking him
by
the right hand, raises him to his feet, saying:
Sir Knight, I
greet you as a Companion of the Gold Degree.
Captain General:
Sir Knights Princes, Carry, swords!
King, *:
Sir Knight Senior Warden, place the companion in proper position.
Captain General:
Sir Knights Princes, Return, swords!
The King will then address the companion as follows:
Sir Knight, you now represent the point within the circle. It is the boundary
line beyond which you are never to suffer your passion to betray you.
Familiarize yourself with the holy scriptures, which teach us that while we
are guided by its precepts it will be impossible for us to materially err. By
the exercise of brotherly love we are taught to regard the whole human species
as one family: the high, the low, the rich, the poor: who, as created by one
Almighty Parent, are to aid, support, and protect one another. To relieve the
distressed is a duty incumbent upon us, who are linked together by an
indissoluble chain of sincere affection. Regulating our conduct by the divine
attributes of truth, sincerity and plain dealing distinguish us, and the heart
and the tongue join in promoting one another’s welfare, and rejoicing in one
another’s prosperity.
The King then instructs the companion in the grip, hailing
sign, raps and passwords of the Gold Degree, and the Senior and Junior wardens
will repeat the
Lecture
S.W.:
Why do you wear that Crown?
J.W.:
What Crown?
S.W.:
That Golden Crown.
J.W.:
As a token of the Gold Order.
S.W.:
From this I perceive you are a Companion of the Gold Degree?
J.W.:
I am taken and accepted as such by all Gold men.
S.W.:
What color do you choose?
J.W.:
Gold.
S.W.:
Why do you take gold for your color?
J.W.:
Because as gold is the purest of all metals when when freed from dross, so
should Gold men be pure when tried in the furnace of affliction.
S.W.: Where are you from?
J.W.: The plains.
S.W.: And whither are you going?
J.W.: To Mount Gilead.
S.W.: How do you expect to get there?
J.W.: By the benefit of a password.
S.W.: Have you that password?
J.W.: I have.
S.W.: Will you give it to me?
J.W.: I Will if you begin.
S.W.: E...
J.W.: D...
S.W.: Why do you take E... for your
password?
J.W.: Because it is the name of the
pillar that was raised on the banks of the Jordan to distinguish the nine
tribes and a half from the two tribes and a half: the tribe of Reuben, the
tribe of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh.
S.W.: Have you a number?
J.W.: I have.
S.W.: What is your number?
J.W.: Ten.
S.W.: What ten?
J.W.: The ten Princes who wore ten
crowns of beaten gold. Moreover, they wore robes of black edged with white.
S.W.: Have you the central password of
a Gold man?
J.W.: P...
S.W.: V... Why do you as a Gold man
take P... as your central password?
J.W.:
Because it was from P... that King Solomon obtained the gold to make the
vessels for the Lord’s house, which shows that the gold from P...
was the purest of all gold.
