No. 9, VOL. 12.] LONDON, Friday, Sept. 2, 1825. [PRICE 6d.

TO WILLIAM WILLIAMS, ESQ., M. P. PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF THE ASSOCIATION OF FREE MASONS FOR THE COUNTY OF DORSET.

LETTER VI.

(Continued from Page 249.)

A DESCRIPTION OF THE DEGREE OF INTIMATE SE CRETARY, OBTAINED BY CURIOSITY, OR ENGLISH MASTER'S DEGREE.

Form of the Lodge.

THIS lodge is lighted with twenty seven lamps, in three branches nine in each, and placed as in the third degree, east, west and south, hung with black and strewed with tears.

At a reception, there are only two brethren in this lodge, who represent Solomon King of Israel and Hiram King of Tyre. They are dressed in blue robes, lined with ermine, with crowns on their heads and sceptres in their hands. A table stands between them, on which are placed two swords, a cross, and a roll of parchment. The brethren in this lodge are called Perfect Masters, wear white aprons, lined, bordered and trimmed with fiery red, a collar of the same to hang round their necks, with a plain triangle painted on the flap of the apron, and white gloves bordered with red.

The room in which this lodge is held represents the Hall of Audience for Masons. It is opened and closed by twenty seven knocks of a hammer, nine strokes at short intervals, and an interval between the eighth and ninth.

Form of opening.

Solomon strikes his twenty seven and Hiram does the same. The brethren present bend their right knees, cross their hands and raise them so that their thumbs touch their foreheads. Then, altogether, they repeat the word Jova in a low voice. They then draw their swords and retire; Solomon having appointed them

Printed and Published by R. Carlile, 135, Fleet Street.

guards, with a captain and lieutenant, whose business it is to see that the others behave themselves with decency, to keep the lodge well tiled and to drive away Brethren who would come near it: thus there remain in the lodge only the two kings.

Form of reception.

The candidate being in the anti-chamber, the captain of the Guards orders one of the men to take away his hat, sword, gloves, apron and Jewel of Perfect Master. He is then placed at the lodge-door, which is purposely left on the jar, that he may peep in at the two kings. When he is well fixed, the Guards make a noise, which being heard by Hiram, he looks about, and seeing a man peeping, throws up his hands and cries in a rage:. O heavens! we are overheard! Solomon says, that cannot be, as my guards are at the door. Hiram, without reply, runs to the door, seizes the listener by the hand, drags him into Solomon's presence and says, here, see, then! Solomon asks what shall be done with him. Hiram says we must put him to death and puts his hand on his sword. Solomon quits his place, runs to Hiram, lays his hand upon the sword and says: stop my brother. He then strikes hard on the table, on which the Captain and his guards enter and salute the kings, by drawing their right hands from their left shoulder to their right hip. Solomon says to them: take away this guilty man and let him be forth coming when wanted, your lives must answer for him. They depart with the prisoner.

Solomon and Hiram remain alone for some time, as if in contemplation and talking very low. Solomon strikes the table loudly, when the Captain and his Guards enter, leading the candidate, and remain with with him in the west, till, by a sign given by solomon, they bring him before the throne. The brethren then take their places, and Solomon thus addresses the candidate:

By my entreaties and solicitations, I have so far prevailed on my ally, the King of Tyre, whom you, by your curiosity, had so offended, as to oblige him to pronounce a sentence of death upon you; I have so far prevailed on him, as not only to procure his pardon for your offence; but have even obtained his consent to receive you as an Intimate Secretary to the articles of new alliance. Do you think, that you can inviolably keep secret, what we are about to communicate to you, and will you bind yourself to it by an inviolable obligation?

Answer. I do and will.

The penalty of this obligation is to have the body opened, entrails plucked out, heart torn to pieces, and the whole thrown to the wild beasts of the forests, guaranteed by three amens.

Solomon then shews the draft of the lodge to the candidate and thus explains it to him.--The window represented in the clouds is an emblem of the dome of the temple. In the glass of

it is the letter I, which is the initial of the name of the grand architect of the universe Jova. The building at a distance represents Solomon's Palace, with the door and great gate to go in by the mausoleum. The tears marked out represent the Mason's audience chamber, hung with black, where Solomon used to shut himself up, when he could spare a minute from business, to lament the unhappy fate of Hiram Abiff. I was in this chamber, that Hiram King of Tyre found him in a deep meditation, when he came to visit him. The letter A signifies alliance; the first P to the right of the mausoleum promise; the other to the left perfection.

Solomon orders the candidate to advance and says to him, I receive you as Intimate Secretary, on the condition, that you will as faithfully fulfil your duty, and be as much attached to this order, as the person was, whom you have the honour to succeed in office. The colour of the ribbon with which I now decorate. you must ever bring to your memory the wounds which that great man received from the traitors, who so inhumanly murdered him; and likewise, of the blood which he rather chose to spill than to reveal the secrets with which I am about to entrust you. We expect, my brother, that your fidelity will be proof against all temptations and dangers; and that the sword which I give you will serve to protect you against any villain, who shall dare to attempt to surprise you into a confession of our mysteries.

The first sign is to draw your right hand from your left shoulder to your right hip, as the penalty of your obligation.

The second sign is to raise both your hands, cross them and let them fall by your sword, at the same time lifting up your eyes

to heaven.

The grip is to take each others right hand, in the usual manner of saluting The one turns the others hand and says Berith, which signifies alliance. The other turns and says Neder which is promise. The first turns again and says Shilomoth.

The pass word is Joabert, which is the name of the favourite of Solomon, that peeped in at the door, and the answer is Zerbel, the name of the Captain of the Guards. The sacred word is Jova.

History of this degree.

Solomon, in consequence of the treaty established between him and the ambassadors of Hiram King of Tyre, solemnly covenanted to furnish Hiram with a certain number of measures of oil, honey and wheat, and a grant of province consisting of thirty governments, in exchange for timber, hewn, formed and drawn from the Forest of Lebanon, by King Hiram's people, and hewn stones to be formed in the Quarries of Tyre, and fitted for immediate use. This treaty was to have been fulfilled as soon as the temple should be finished. But Solomon allowed a year to elapse,

without paying any regard to its fulfilment; during which, Hiram visited the province and had the mortification to find it a barren sandy soil, inhabited by an uncultivated people, so that its possession was rather likely to be a burthen than a benefit. Not hearing from solomon, he determined to go in person to Jerusalem, to expostulate with him for having neglected to comply with the terms of the treaty. On his arrival, he entered the palace, went through the guard room where Solomon's court was assembled, and rushed directly into the King's apartment, who happened to be alone, bemoaning the loss of Hiram Abiff. Hiram walked so hastily, and seemingly in so passionate a manner, as to raise the suspicion of Joabert, one of Solomon's favourites. Struck with a notion that Hiram had some evil design on Solomon, Joabert followed to the door to listen, and was discovered there by Hiram, who exclaimed :-"O heavens! we are discovered! and, running to the door, seized Joabert by the hand and dragged him into Solomon's presence, saying here he is! Solomon, who could not doubt the trespass, said, what shall we do with this criminal. Hiram replied, we must kill him and drew his sword for that purpose: on which, Solomon, rushing from his throne, cried, stop my brother and suspend your wrath awhile. He gave a hard knock on the table, on which the Guards came in. Solomon said to them, seize that guilty man and be answerable for his appearance when requested. The Guards retired with their prisoner and Solomon thus addressed Hiram. This man, Sir, is the only person among my favourites and the Lords of my court, who has zeal and an affentionate attachment to my person. I know him sufficiently to be convinced, that his indiscretion is less to be attributed to an imprudent curiosity, than to his apprehensions for my safety. Your looks, change of countenance, and hasty manner of passing through the guard room, were the causes that excited his curiosity and alarm for my person. I, therefore, entreat of you to recall the sentence of death which you have pronounced against him, and I will be answerable for his zeal and discretion. Hiram, seeing how agreeable it would be to Solomon, that his favourite should be pardoned, readily consented, and the two kings renewed their treaty, which was to be perpetual, with different claims, and promises on both sides of lasting friendship, to which Joabert was Intimate Secretary. This, my dear brother, is what is represented to you in your reception as Intimate Secretary.

Catechism.

Q. Are you an Intimate Secretary.

A. I am (with the eyes lifted to heaven.)

Q. How were you received,

A. By my curiosity.

Q. Did you run any risk by it.

A. Yes, a risk of losing my life.

Q. What was done to you after you were elected.

A. I was committed to the care of the guard and expected to have sentence of death passed upon me.

Q. Were they Intimate Secretaries of Perfect Masters.

A. I was then ignorant of it; but have since found that my resolution, firmness and perseverance procured me the favour of being the first initiated into this degree.

Q. What are the pass-words.

A. Joabert and Zerbel.

Q. What do they signify.

A. Joabert is the name of him that listened at the door; and Zerbel is the name of the Captain of the King's Guards.

Q. What is your grand word.

A. Jova.

Q. What were you before you were an Intimate Secretary.
A. favourite of King Solomon's.

Q. From what country did you come.

A. From Capula.

Q. What is your name.

A. Capulist.

Q. How many governments did Solomon give to Hiram King of Tyre, in return for the work done by his people for the Temple. A. Thirty.

Q. Where was it that you were received.

A. In Solomon's hall, hung with black and illuminated with twenty seven lamps.

Q. What signifies the letter I which you saw in the window. A. Jova.

Q. What does that word signify.

A. It is the third pronunciation of the grand architect of the universe, which in this degree signifies to return thanks to God, the work is complete.

Q. What signify the A, and two P's in the triangle.

A. The A means alliance the first P, promise the second perfection.

Q. Why is the lodge lighted with twenty seven lights.

A. To represent the twenty seven hundred candlesticks, which
Solomon ordered to be made for the illumination of the Temple.
Q. What does the door in the draft of the lodge represent.
A. The door of Solomon's Palace.

Q. What means the triangle that hangs to your ribbon.
A. The three theological virtues-faith, hope and charity.

Form of closing the lodge.

Solomon strikes twenty seven, by three times nine; which are repeated by Hiram. The brethren bend their right knees, cross their hands, raise them so as to bring their thumbs to their temples, and, in a low voice, pronounce the grand word Jova.