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CHAPTER VII.

ORDER OF HIGH-PRIESTHOOD.

THE Order of High-Priesthood cannot be conferred on any Companion except him who shall have been duly elected to preside as High Priest in a regular Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. This Order should not be conferred when a less number than three duly qualified High Priests are present. Whenever the ceremony is performed with a solemnity appropriate to the degree, the assistance of at least nine High Priests, who have received it, is requisite.

Though the High Priest of every regular Royal Arch Chapter, having himself been properly qualified, can confer the Order under the preceding limitation, as to number, yet it is desirable, when circumstances will permit, that it should be conferred in a regularly organized Convention of High Priests. Such Conventions are instituted in many of the States, for the purpose of conferring the degree in a style suitable to its dignity and importance. All the proceedings of the Convention are approved and sanctioned by the Grand Chapter of the State within which it is held. And it is recommended to every candidate desirous of receiving the Order of High-Priesthood, to make application to the President of the Convention, when such exists. The President, on receiving notice, will direct the Secretary to call a meeting at such time as may suit the convenience of the applicant. When the Convention meets and is duly organized, a certificate of the due election of the candidate into the office of High Priest must be produced. This certificate is signed by his predecessor in office, attested by the Secretary of the Chapter. On examination of this certificate, the qualifications of the candidate for admission to this honorable and sublime degree of Masonry are ascertained. The solemn ceremonies of conferring the Order upon him then When ended, the presiding officer directs the Secretary of the Convention to make a record of the proceedings, and return it to the Secretary of the Grand Chapter, to be by him laid before the Grand High Priest, for the information of all

ensue.

whom it may concern. The Convention of High Priests is then

closed in due form.

The Secretary of the Grand Chapter should keep a roll of all who have been admitted to the Order of High-Priesthood.

It is the duty of every Companion, as soon after his election into the office of High Priest as is consistent with his personal convenience, to apply for admission to the Order of HighPriesthood, that he may be fully qualified properly to govern his Chapter.

The following passages of Scripture are made use of during the ceremonies appertaining to this Order:

GENESIS xiv. 12-24.

"And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, (who dwelt in Sodom,) and his goods, and departed. And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram, the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram. And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own_house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, (after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with her,) at the valley of Sheveh, which is the king's dale. And Melchisedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the Most High God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up mine hand to the Lord, the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe-latchet; and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol and Mamre; let them take their portion."

5*

NUMBERS Vi. 22 —26.

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the chil dren of Israel, saying unto them, the Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”

HEBREWS Vii. 1-6, 17, 20, 21.

"For this Melchisedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, (who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being, by interpretation, King of Righteousness, and after that, also, King of Salem, which is, King of Peace; without father, without mother, without descent; having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God,) abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, under whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily, they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people, according to the law, that is, of their Brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham."

"For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedek."

"And inasmuch as not without an oath, he was made priest." "For those priests (under the Levitical law) were made without an oath; but this with an oath, by him that said unto him, The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedek."

NOTE. -The whole of the 14th Chapter of Genesis, and the first thirty-three verses of the 16th Chapter of Numbers, are thought to be appropriate, and are sometimes used in this degree. We have not, however, considered it necessary to give them here; the foregoing passages being all that are usually required.

CHAPTER VIII.

ORDER OF CEREMONIES,

IN CONSTITUTING AND DEDICATING ROYAL ARCH CHAPTERS: WITH THE FORMS OF INSTALLATION.

CONSECRATION AND DEDICATION.

GENERAL

DIRECTIONS.

1. THE new Chapter will meet in their Hall, and be in order. 2. The Grand Chapter will meet in an adjacent room and open.

3. A committee from the new Chapter will inform the Grand Marshal that their Chapter is prepared to receive the Grand Chapter; the Grand Marshal will announce the same to the Grand Chapter.

4. The committee will conduct the Grand Chapter to their Hall, in the following

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Representatives of subordinate Chapters, according to seniority, by

threes, triangular.

Three Great Lights.

Orator, Chaplain, and other Clergy.

Grand Secretary, Grand Treasurer, and Grand Royal Arch Captain.
Grand Principal Sojourner, Grand Captain of the Host, and
Deputy Grand High Priest.

Grand Scribe, Grand King, and Grand High Priest.
[Grand Marshal on the left of the Procession.]

N. B. The Grand Principal Sojourner, Grand Capt. of the Host, and Grand Royal Arch Captain, are appointed pro tempore.

5. The officers of the new Chapter resign their seats to the Grand Chapter.

6. The Grand High Priest will direct the Grand Secretary to read the commission and report of the committee of examina- tion, and the names of the officers elect.

7. The Grand High Priest will then direct the Deputy Grand High Priest to qualify the officers.

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8. The Grand Marshal will then form a general procession in the following order:

Three Royal Arch Stewards, with Rods.

Tyler of a Blue Lodge.
Entered Apprentices.
Fellow-Crafts.

Master Masons.

Stewards of Lodges, having Jewels.

Deacons, having Jewels.

Secretaries, having Jewels.

Treasurers, having Jewels.

Wardens, having Jewels.
Masters, having Jewels.
Mark-Master Masons.
Most Excellent Masters.
Royal Arch Masons, by three.
Royal Masters, by three.
Select Masters, by three.
Orders of Knighthood.
Tyler of the new Chapter.
Members of the new Chapter, by three.
Three Masters of Veils.

Secretary, Treasurer, Royal Arch Captain, and Principal Sojourner, carrying the Ark.*

A Companion, carrying the Pot of Incense.
Two Companions, carrying Lights.
Scribe, High Priest, and King.

Grand Chapter, as before prescribed.

[The Captain of the Host on the left of the Procession.]

9. The officers and members of the new Chapter, and also of the Grand Chapter, on arriving at the place designated, are seated. The Grand Marshal then proclaims silence, and the ceremonies begin with

10. An Ode, Prayer, and Oration.

11. The Grand Marshal then directs the new Chapter to form in front of the Grand Chapter.

12. The Deputy Grand High Priest then

says:

MOST EXCELLENT GRAND HIGH PRIEST:- A number of Companions, duly instructed in the sublime mysteries, being desirous of promoting the honor and usefulness of the Order, have applied to the Grand Chapter for a warrant to constitute a new Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, which, having obtained,

* Or four of the oldest Companions may be selected for this purpose.

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