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pass, by the means of which you will be enabled to make yourself known to the friends of our cause wherever you may find them, and which will insure you their friendship and protection.'

Master of infantry gives him the Jewish pass. [See plate 20, fig. 1.]

Most excellent prelate then presents the candidate with a green sash, and says, 'Companion, I now invest you with this sash, as a mark of our peculiar friendship and esteem; you will wear it as a constant memorial to stimulate you to the performance of every duty. Its color is green, and will remind you that the memory of him who falls in a just and virtuous cause is blessed, and will flourish like the green bay tree. Fare you well, companion; may success attend your enterprise.'

Master of infantry says to candidate, 'Follow me.'

In some councils, where the hall is fitted up for the purpose, the candidate is conducted into different apartments.

As the master of infantry passes through the first door, the 1st guard says, ' Who comes there?'

M. I. A friend.

G. Advance and give the pass.

Master of infantry gives the Jewish pass, as before described. The candidate comes up, passes the same examination, and follows the master of infantry to the second door, where a second guard makes the sarne demand and receives the same answers from them as the first; they then arrive at the third door, which is open, and before it is placed a little frame about four feet long, and one high in the middle, in imitation of an arch bridge.

The master of infantry then says, 'Companion, we have now arrived in sight of the Persian dominions; I can accompany you no further; this bridge you see here, over which you have to pass alone, separates the Jewish from the Persian dominions -fare you well; may success attend your enterprise.'

The candidate walks over the bridge, and is immediately accosted by a guard, 'Who comes there?'

Candidate. A friend.

Guard. Advance, and give the pass.

Candidate gives three cuts, and advances to give the pass, the guard throws up the candidate's sword, the candidate whispers Judah, the guard (being a Persian,) does not understand the word, says, 'What!' Candidate says, 'Judah.' The guard pretends not to understand, and demands, still more sternly, "What!! Candidate by this time begins to feel a little irritated, says, 'Judah!!!' with spirit.

Guard exclaims, An enemy! an enemy! guards, seize him! [the guards lay hold of the candidate, disarm him, divest him of his green sash, hand-cuffs and fetters are put on his hands and feet; these are made of chains of four parts of about 18 inches long each, fastened in the middle; at the ends are rings like hand-cuffs, which are fastened around the ankles and wrists with bolts.]

Master of infantry comes up at this time and addresses the guard in behalf of the candidate, as follows:

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Why do you use this violence? Why treat me thus? I am no enemy, I am a prince of the house of Judah, and demand an audience with your sovereign.'

Master of cavalry, (who acts as captain of the Persian guards) replies sarcastically, 'A prince of the house of Judah! you are my slave, and you can only appear in the presence of the sovereign as such. Do you consent to this?'

M. I. (For candidate after a short pause, says,) I consent; take me to him immediately. A sackcloth is now put over the candidate's head, and he is taken to the door of the council chamber, and an alarm of four times two is given.

The warder, who at this time is in the council chamber, draws the curtains apart in the centre, and demands,' Who comes there?'

Master of Cavalry. A detachment of his majesty's guards, having made prisoner of one, who says he is a prince of the house of Judah.

Warder. Where is he from?

Master of Infantry. From Jerusalem.
Warder. What is his name?

Master of Infantry. Zerubbabel, the first among his equals, a mason, free by rank, but a captive and slave by misfortune. Warder. What does he desire?

M. I. An audience with his majesty, if possible.

Warder. Wait with patience, and the sovereign master will soon return his orders.

Warder returns and reports to the sovereign master the same that passes at the door.

Sovereign Master. Having ascertained that he is armed with no hostile weapon, you may let him enter.

Warder, returns and inquires' Is he armed with any hostile weapon?'

Master of Cavalry. He is not.

Warder. He has the sovereign's permission to enter the council chamber. [The veil or curtain is now parted in the middle, and the candidate is conducted before the sovereign

master, with his arms and legs chained, and a sackcloth over his head, guarded on his right by master of cavalry, with drawn sword, and on his left by master of infantry.]

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The sovereign master observes to the council 'This is no enemy; this is the friend and companion of my youth. (Then addressing candidate, says,) Zerubbabel, having now gained admittance into our presence, we demand that you immediately declare the particular motives which induced you, without our permission, and with force and arms, to pass the lines of our dominions.'

Master of Infantry (for candidate.) Sovereign master, the tears and complaints of my companions of Jerusalem, who have been so long and so often impeded in the noble and glorious undertaking of rebuilding the house of the Lord, in which they were permitted to engage by our late sovereign Lord Cyrus the king; but our enemies having caused that great work to cease by force and power, I have now come up to implore your majesty's clemency, that you would be pleased to restore me to favor, and grant me employment among the servants of your household.

S. M. Zerubbabel, I have often reflected with much pleasure, upon our early intimacy and friendship, and I have frequently heard, with great satisfaction, of your fame as a wise and accomplished Mason, and having myself a profound veneration for that ancient and honorable institution, and having a sincere desire to become a member of the same, I will this moment grant your request, on condition that you will reveal to me the secrets of Masonry, which distinguish the architects of the Jews from those of all other nations.

M. I. (for candidate.) Sovereign master, when our grand master, Solomon, king of Israel, first instituted the fraternity of free and accepted Masons, he taught us that truth was a divine attribute, and the foundation of every virtue; to be good men and true, is the first lesson we are taught in Masonry. My engagements are sacred, and inviolable; if I can obtain your majesty's favor only at the expense of my integrity, I humbly beg leave to decline your royal protection, and will cheerfully submit to an honorable exile, or a glorious death.

S. M. Zerubbabel, your virtue and integrity are truly commendable, and your fidelity to your engagements is worthy of imitation; from this moment you are free; my guards will divest you of these chains and that garb of slavery, and clothe you in suitable habiliments to attend me at the banquet hall. Zerubbabel, you are free; guards, strike off these chains; and

may those emblems of slavery never again disgrace the hands of a Mason, more particularly a prince of the house of Judah. 'Zerubbabel, we assign you a seat of rank and honor among the princes and rulers of our assembly.'

While the candidate is passing this examination in the council chamber, some of the sir knights prepare the 'banquet table,' in the royal arch council; the table is furnished with wine, crackers, dried beef, &c.

The warder announces to the sovereign master, that the avenue is formed to escort him and his friend Zerubbabel to the banquet hall.

The sovereign master sits at the head of the table, chance! lor on his right, master of palace on his left; on the right of the chancellor sits Zerubbabel and his conductor. The knights being all seated at the table, commence eating and drinking. After having participated in the refreshments for ten or fifteen minutes, the sir knights begin to withdraw, one by one, until they have all left but the officers and candidate.

The sovereign master then says, 'It has been the custom, from time immemorial, among the kings and sovereigns of this realm, on occasions like this, to propose certain questions; and he who should be found to give the most satisfactory answer, should be clothed in purple, drink in a golden cup, wear a silken tiara, and a golden chain about his neck. There has a question occurred to my mind, which I will propose for discussion, viz: Which is the greatest, the strength of wine, of the king, or of women.'

The chancellor rises and says, 'Sovereign master, I think wine is the strongest.'

The master of palace says, 'Sovereign master, I think the king is the strongest.'

The master of infantry [for candidate] says, 'Sovereign master, I think women are stronger; but above all things, truth beareth the victory.'

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The sovereign master observes, Companion Zerubbabel, you have made a very important addition to the question, which needs further consideration: it being late at night, we will retire. To-morrow you will assemble in the council chamber to hear the question debated.'

The master of cavalry says, 'Attention, sir knights; you will form an avenue to escort the sovereign master and his companion Zerubbabel to the council chamber.' They all repair to the council chamber.

The sovereign master is seated on his throne, surrounded by

his princes and nobles.* He then calls upon the parties to make public defence of their opinions.

The chancellor rises, and speaks upon the strength of wine, as follows:

"O ye princes and rulers, how exceeding strong is wine! It causeth all men to err that drink it: it maketh the mind of the king and the beggar to be all one; of the bondman and the freeman, of the poor man and of the rich; it turneth, also, every thought into jollity and mirth, so that a man remembereth neither sorrow nor debt; it changeth and elevateth the spirits, and enliveneth the heavy hearts of the miserable. It maketh a man forget his brethren, and draw his sword against his best friends. O ye princes and rulers, is not wine the strongest, that forceth us to do these things?'

The master of the palace spoke upon the power of kings, as

follows:

'It is beyond dispute, O princes and rulers, that God has made man master of all things under the sun; to command them, to make use of them, and apply them to his service as he pleases: but whereas men have only dominion over other sublunary creatures, kings have an authority even over men themselves, and a right of ruling them by will and pleasure. Now, he that is master of those who are masters of all things else, hath no earthly thing above him.'

The master of infantry [for candidate] spoke upon the power of women, as follows:

'O princes and rulers, the force of wine is not to be denied ; neither is that of kings, that unites so many men in one common allegiance; but the supereminency of women is yet above all this; for kings are but the gifts of women, and they are also the mothers of those that cultivate our vineyards.

'Women have the power to make us abandon our very country and relations, and many times to forget the best friends we have in the world, and forsake all other comforts, to live and die with them. But when all is said, neither they, nor wine, nor kings, are comparable to the almighty force of truth. As for all other things, they are mortal and transient; but truth alone is unchangeable and everlasting; the benefits we receive from it are subject to no variations or vicissitudes of time and fortune. In her, judgment is no unrighteousness, and she is he wisdom, strength, beauty, power, and majesty of all ages. Blessed be the God of Truth.'

As soon as Zerubbabel gets through speaking, the sovereign

* See Cross's Templar's Chart, page 19.

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