The Divine Master has said, "he that humbleth himself shall be exalted," (Luke xxiii. 11;) and thus after being first taught to put his trust in God as a faithful friend and guide, the recipient next learns by an impressive ceremony the necessity of humiliation and self-abasement. Humility is an essential virtue to all who are engaged in the search after truth. Plato says, that truth lies concealed in a well, which thought may perhaps be intended to teach us that we should look for it in the humblest places. Humility is a virtue carefully inculcated throughout the Sacred Scrip tures, as ever meeting its reward in subsequent exaltation. It is with diffidence and humility that the wise man should approach such mysterious subjects as the nature and attributes of Deity. The mason who seeks advancement must lay aside all pride and arrogance, and with an humble spirit, a readiness to learn, and an anxiety to be taught, must throw himself at the feet of his preceptor and receive the new light and truth for which he craves. And so the candidate for the sublime mysteries of this august degree is first to learn on its very threshold to bow his head and to stoop low, ever remembering that, he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. During the ceremony of exaltation, it is proper to recite the following SUPREME ARCHITECT of the Universe, who, by thine Almighty Word, didst speak into being the stu pendous arch of heaven, and for the instruction and pleasure of thy rational creatures, didst adorn us with greater and lesser lights, thereby magnifying thy power, and endearing thy goodness unto the sons of men: We humbly adore and worship thine unspeakable perfection. We bless thee, that when man had fallen from his innocence and happiness, thou didst leave him the powers of reasoning, and capacity of improvement and of pleasure. We thank thee that amidst the pains and calamities of our present state, so many means of refreshment and satisfaction are reserved to us, while traveling the rugged path of life; especially would we, at this time, render thee our thanksgiving and praise for the institution, as members of which we are at this time, assembled, and for all the pleasures we have derived from it. We thank thee that the few here assembled before thee, have been favored with new inducements, and been laid under new and stronger obligations of virtue and holiness. May these obligations, O blessed Father! have their full effect upon us. Teach us, we pray thee, the true reverence of thy great, mighty, and terrible name. Inspire us with a firm and unshaken resolution in our virtuous pursuits. Give us grace diligently to search thy word in the book of nature, wherein the duties of our high vocation are inculcated with divine authority. May the solemnity of the ceremonies of our institution be duly impressed on our minds, and have a happy and lasting effect on our lives! O thou, who didst aforetime appear unto thy servant Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, enkindle, we beseech thee, in each of our hearts, a flame of devotion to thee, of love to each other, and of charity to all mankind! May all thy miracles and mighty works fill us with thy dread, and thy goodness impress us with a love of thy holy name! May Holiness to the Lord, be engraven upon all our thoughts, words, and actions! May the incense of piety ascend continually unto thee, from the altar of our hearts and burn day and night, as a sacrifice of sweet smelling savor, well pleasing unto thee ! And since sin has destroyed within us the first temple of purity and innocence, may thy heavenly grace guide and assist us in rebuilding a second temple of reformation, and may the glory of this latter house, be greater than the glory of the former ! So mote it be. Amen. "The fraternity," says Bro. SCOTT,* are taught the necessity of appealing to the throne of heaven before entering upon any important undertaking. To the Father of all we must ask for strength and power to support us in every trial, duty, and emergency in life. It is not difficult for us to learn who taught us to pray, and how to pray. The * Analogy of Anc. Craft Masonry, p. 88. Holy One prompts the sinful heart to plead for forgiveness, and ask for heavenly things." 66 66 Kneeling is the appropriate attitude in which this sublime prayer should be offered up. 'Kneeling," says HORNE,* was ever considered to be the proper posture of supplication, as it expressed humility, contrition, and subjection. For as among the ancients, the forehead was consecrated to genius, the ear to memory, and the right hand to faith, so the knees were consecrated to mercy." The extended duties and obligations of this degree are next referred to by those impressive ceremonies which are peculiar to Freemasonry. The obligations imposed by exaltation to this august degree, although of the most solemn nature, are still eminently practical in their nature, for it must be remembered, to borrow the language of a distinguished brother,† that as "the order of masonry was instituted for the improvement of mankind, so it demands the performance of no duty, the practice of no principle that is extravagant or impracticable." *Intro. to Crit. Study and Krowl, of the Holy Script. v. ii., part iil., ch. v. sect. ii., p. 131. † Albert Pike. |