III.

Hiram, the widow's son,
Sent unto Solomon

Our great Key-Stone;
On it appears the name
Which raises high the fame

Of all to whom the same

Is truly known.

IV.

Now to the Westward move,

Where full of strength and love;

Hiram doth stand;

But if impostors are

Mix'd with the worthy there,

Caution them to beware

Of the right hand.

ས.

Now to the praise of those
Who triumph o'er the foes

Of masons' art;

To the praiseworthy three,
Who founded this degree:
May all their virtues be
Deep in our hearts.

CHAPTER XIII.

REMARKS ON THE SIXTH OR MOST EXCELLENT MASTER'S DEGREE.

NONE but the meritorious and praiseworthy; none but those who through diligence and industry have progressed far towards perfection; none but those who have been seated in the Oriental Chair, by the suffrages of their brethren, can be admitted to this degree of masonry.

In its original establishment, when the temple of Jerusalem was finished, and the fraternity celebrated the capestone with great joy, it is demonstrable that none but those who had proved themselves to be complete masters of their profession were admitted to this honor; and indeed

the duties incumbent on every mason who is accepted and acknowledged as a most excellent master, are such as render it indispensable that he should have a perfect knowledge of all the preceding degrees.

One of the following passages of scripture are rehearsed at opening, accompanied by solemn ceremonies :

PSALM XXIV.

"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 lift 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, and be ye lift 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."

PSALM CXXII.

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek thy good." The following passages of scripture are also introduced, accompanied with solemn ceremonies:

2 CHRON. VI.

["Then said Solomon, the Lord hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling forever.

"And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel, (and all the congregation of Israel stood:) And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying, Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel: but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.

"Now, it was in the heart of David, my father, to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel. But the Lord said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart: notwithstanding, thou shalt not build the house; but thy son, which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name. The Lord, therefore, hath performed his word that he hath spoken; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the Lord

R

promised, and have built the house for the name of the Lord God of Israel: and in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord, that he hath made with the children of Israel.

"And he stood before the altar of the Lord, in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands, (for Solomon had made a brazen scaffold of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,) and said,

"O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven nor in the earth; which keepest covenant and shewest mercy unto thy servants that walk before thee with all their hearts: thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father, that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy month, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day. Now, therefore, O Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me. Now then, O Lord God of Israel, let thy word be verified which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David. (But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth! Behold, heaven, and the heaven of heavens, cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have builded?) Have respect, therefore, to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee: that thine eyes may open upon this house day and night,

upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.

"Hearken, therefore, unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling-place, even from heaven; and, when thou hearest, forgive."]

T" If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come be-. fore thine altar in this house: Then hear thou from heaven, and do and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.

And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house: Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them againunto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.

When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin when thou dost afflict them: Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy 'land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.

"If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting or mildew, locusts or caterpillars; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land;