Installation of a Commander

PAST COM. – Worshipful Commander, I present to you Bro.

………………, the Commander elect of this Lodge for the ensuring
year, to receive at your hands the benefit of Installation, the better to
qualify him for the discharge of his important trust.

INST., COM, - Brethren, as it is your unanimous wish that Bro.

………. should be Commander of this Lodge, I will at once proceed with
the ceremony of Installation.

Bro. …………….. have you duly served the office of Warden in a

RAM Lodge and have you been duly installed as Master of a Lodge of
M.M.M.? (If the answer is in the negative, ‘Have you obtained from the
Grand Master’s Royal Ark Council a dispensation to be installed as
Commander?”)

(If a dispensation has been received, it is now read)

INST. COM. – You will now attend to the Scribe, who will read the
ancient charges and regulations, to each of which you must give your
assent in the usual form.

CHARGES, ETC.
SCRIBE – (I) Do you agree to hold in veneration the rules of Royal
Ark Masonry and their regular successors supreme and subordinate
according to their stations, and to submit to the awards of the Grand
Master’s Royal Ark Council, in every respect consistent with the
Regulations of the Order?

(2) Do you promise to respect true and genuine Royal Ark

Masonry and to discountenance imposters?

(3) Do you agree to promote the general good of the Order and to
propagate the knowledge of Royal Ark Masonry so far as your influence
and ability extend?
(4) Do you promise to pay homage, to, and strictly to conform to
the edicts of the Grand Master for the time being and his Officers?

(5) Do you admit that no new Royal Ark Mariner Lodge can be
properly formed without the permission of the Grand Master’s Royal
Ark Council, and that no countenance shall be given to any irregular
Royal Ark Mariner Lodge or to any person elevated therein?
 INST.COM. – Do you submit to and promise to uphold these
regulations as your predecessors have done in all ages?

(Com. elect asents.)

INST.Com – I will now ask all below the rank of an installed

Commander to retire from the Lodge.

INST.COM – (gavel) – I declare this to be a duly constituted

assembly of Installed Commanders.

(The Brethren will turn towards the E.)

INS.COM. or CHAPLIN. – Let us pray. Most Glorious

Commander of Heaven and Earth, Whose eyes pervade the universe,
who see’s every minute circumstance therein, our intentions being
perfectly known to Thee, fulfill now our request according to the riches
of Thy mercy. Cause a double portion of Thy Holy Spirit to descend on
this Brother set apart as a representative of righteous Noah to teach and
govern the Brethren of this Lodges; may his rule be regulated by true
wisdom, that they may have unity of spirit in the bond of peace, and,
may all their work tend to Thy Glory, S.M.I.B.

INST. Co, - Bro. ……….. you will now take a solemn obligation as
Com. for which purpose you will stand erect, place your right hand on
the P.S., whilst your left hand is elevated toward Heaven, state you
names at length, and say after me:-

I, …………….., do hereby agree to accept the Office of

Commander of this the Royal Ark Mariner’s Chera Lodge No. 16,
Palayamkottai on the Roll of the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of
Royal Ark Mariners, and solemnly promise faithfully, zealously and
conscientiously to discharge, to the best of my ability, the duties thereof
until the next annual period of election with in the Lodge and until a
successor shall have been elected and installed in my stead. That I will
do my utmost to forward the interests of Royal Ark Masonry,
whensoever and wheresoever it may be possible. I further promise that I
will not divulge the secrets restricted to the Commander’s chair to any
but those duly qualified to receive them. So help me T.S.C.O.T.U. and
keep me steadfast in this the great and solemn obligation of
Commander.

INST.COM. – As a pledge of fidelity you will salute the P.S. with

you lips.
 (Inst.Com. leaves Chair; takes vessel of salt. All presentation fro a
circle, Inst.Com. in the E. facing W. with Com. elect on his left.)

INST.COM. – When the Arab of the desert has tested salt with the
guest, that guest is sacred to him, even if his hands be red with the blood
of the father or son of his host.

Let us in like manner seal our vows of fidelity to Royal Ark

Masonry.

(all present take a pinch of salt, which is placed on the back of the
clenched left hand, and repeat the following, after Inst. Com.)

With this salt I confirm my vow, and whenever any Brother

Commander who has tasted this salt of inviolable faith, or anyone on his
behalf, shall call upon me to aid him in distress, need or danger, and
with the mark of the triangle this solemn pledge shall be redeemed. (All
taste)

INST.COM. –

The grip is given thus –

The Sign is given thus –

The pass word is –

The grand word is –

I invest you with the badge and with the collar and jewel, the
insignia of the office of Commander of the Lodge.

With the grip and the word …………….

I now place you in the chair as wor. Commander of this Lodge and
deliver to you this scepter which shows your authority to the Brethren.

(The newly-installed Commander now invests I.P.C.)

I.N.S.T. Com. – Brethren Commanders, I call upon you to salute

our newly installed Commander with five, taking the time from me.

INST.COM. (gavel) – I declare this assembly of Installed

Commanders closed.
 (Brethren admitted, and formed in Column in N.)

INST.COM – Brother Ark Mariners, during your temporary

absence, Bro. ………………….. has been installed Commander of this
Lodge, and I call upon you to proceed round the Lodge saluting him as
Ark Mariners in passing.

INST.COM. - Brethren, I now proclaim Bro. ………………

Worshipful Commander of the Royal Ark Mariners Chera Lodge No 16
Palayamkottai on the roll of the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of
Royal Ark Mariners, for the ensuing twelve months and until a
successor shall have been duly elected and installed in his stead, and I
call upon you to greet him with three, taking the time from me.

IIII.IIII.IIII

Brethren, be seated.

INST.COM. – Worshipful Commander, I hand to you the Vol. of

S.L. which contains the rules by which all Royal Ark Mariners should
regulate their actions.

I present to you the Regulations of Royal Ark Masonry, which are

included in the Book of Constitutions of the G.L.M.M.M. and by which
you will govern those under your rule, also the by-laws which you are to
enforce in your Lodge, which you will cause to be read in open Lodge at
least once during your year of office, in order that every member may
have an opportunity of being acquainted there with, and lastly –

I present to you the Warrant of the Lodge, being the authority

under which its meetings are held.

(Officers are now appointed and invested.)

INST.COM. (from the W.) – Worshipful Commander according to the

powers vested in me, I have had the honour to install you as Commander of
this Lodge. You do not need to be informed that it is an office of the highest
trust and confidence, such a one as your predecessor Noah filled with
uprightness. We have the highest opinion of your integrity and honour, and
make no doubt this Lodge will flourish under your rule, like an evergreen tree
whose leaves fade not.