The Degree of Knight of the Sword

and of Rose Croix

William E. Parker, &
S. Brent Morris, ,
Fellow & Mackey Scholar

es Plus Secrets Mystres des Hauts Grades de la Maonnerie Dvoils

(The Most Secret Mysteries of the High Degrees of Masonry Unveiled),
edited by M. de Brage, was an expos published in and was the
first printed book to give the rituals of the hauts grades or high
degrees of Masonry. It may be one of the most important books for understanding the origins of the degrees of the Scottish Rite from the many rival
hauts grades in France in the eighteenth century. Brages degrees were not necessarily the most popular or the most important of those being worked, but
they were the first to be published.
We present here, with little comment, the Sixth Degree of Masonry, Knight
of the Sword and of Rose Croix. The translation of the First Degree of Masonry,
Perfect Elect Mason was published in volume of Heredom, the Second
Degree, Elect of Prignan, in volume , the Third Degree, Elect of the Fifteen,
in volume , the Fourth Degree, Junior Architect (Petit Architecte) in volume
, and the Fifth Degree, Senior Architect, in volume . Note that the Knight of
the Sword is somewhat less primitive than the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth

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Degrees, but not as sophisticated as the Perfect Elect Mason. The Knight of the
Sword has elaborate scenery but misses the opportunity for ritual drama, for
example, at the passage over the bridge. There is no lecture, only a catechism.
However, the theme of the degree, Zerubbabel returning from captivity to
rebuild the Temple of Solomon, is found in nearly all rites. An analysis of these
degrees is helpful in appreciating the origins of themes, characters, and words
that ultimately found their way into the Scottish Rite degrees we know today.
It should be emphasized that these ceremonies are not those of the present
day Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. They are the alleged practices of some
hauts grades Masons in France in . We have taken no account of the enormous changes, both organizational and ceremonial, that occurred as the hauts
grades eventually coalesced into their modern form in in Charleston, S.C.
Les Plus Secrets Mystres has the rituals for seven very early Masonic degrees
which match very roughly with more developed ceremonies in the Scottish
Rite: Perfect Elect Mason, Elect of Prignan, and Elect of the Fifteen, corresponding to the , , and ; Junior Architect and Senior Architect, corresponding to the ; Knight of the Sword and of Rose Croix, corresponding to
the and ; and Noachite or Prussian Knight corresponding to the .
There is indeed little honor among thieves (or exposers or anti-Masons),
as Brages text has been plagiarized in many different rituals and exposs.
Two examples demonstrate its pervasiveness. In Louis Guillemain de
Saint-Victor published Recueil Prcieux de la Maonnerie Adonhiramite (Precious Compendium of Adonhiramite Masonry), which was a copy of Les Plus
Secrets Mystres with just a few additions. Light on Masonry was an expos
published by David Bernard in New York in following the Morgan Affair.
In addition to the degrees of the York and Scottish Rites, Bernard included
seven French Degrees which he explained are conferred in France and in
this country as honorary degrees. Bernards degree of Knight of the East is
very close to that of Brage.
Our translation of Les Plus Secrets Mystres is based on the reprint of the
edition by Gutenberg Reprints of Paris and is not verbatim, as the original
French is convoluted and often difficult to understand. Our goal has been readability while being faithful, but not slavish, to the original. The clauses in some
sentences have been rearranged, lengthy sentences have been split into two or
more shorter ones, and long paragraphs have been broken up, especially when
speakers change. We have tried to note those places where the original text is
unclear or ambiguous to us.

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Si xt h D e g re e o f M as o n ry
K N I G H T O F T H E S WO R D
AND OF ROSE CROIX
This degree is called Knight of the Sword, sometimes Knight of the East or
Knight Mason of Rose Croix since the reception is a fully military one. It is
founded on sacred history in that once the Jews were led to Babylon in captivity and the temple destroyed, their prince Zerubbabel later obtained permission from Cyrus to rebuild it. But, since they were surrounded by enemies while
they worked on rebuilding the temple and the walls of Jerusalem, they held a
sword in one hand and a trowel in the other. This is the reason this degree was
named Knight of the Sword or Knight Free Mason and applied to the people
chosen to protect the subordinate workers, but who were also attending the
works made in common in order to maintain equality with their brethren.
It is also called Knight of the East for its creation happened in that part of the
world. They are called free masons, first, because those upon whom the degree
is conferred are bare-faced, and second, because among the captives there was
a class of masons descended from the race of King Hiram, from Moabon, and
from the senior architects that Solomon had rendered free from all taxes, and
who were chosen first by Zerubbabel.
He is called Zerubbabel because he represents the prince who received
Cyrus orders to rebuild the temple.
The lodge must have two apartments, with a painting and a decoration in each.

F I R S T A PA R T M E N T
It represents the room where Cyrus, king of the Assyrians, ruler of Babylon,
holds court. It is draped in green and lit by seventy lights to indicate the seventy
years of captivity. There is a throne in the east for the Master, seats for the

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brethren in the south and another in the west for the Warden. The square in the
center of the lodge must be enclosed by a small cardboard or wooden wall oneand-one-half feet high and painted in white, green, and red squares to indicate
the walls of Babylon. Brethren must be standing when inside the wall and sitting when outside. This wall will have seven towers, three in the south, three in
the north, and one in the west. Six towers will be one-and-one-half feet above
the walls, but the middle one, in the west, must be seven feet in height with a circumference sufficient to contain a man. It must have two doors, one inside the
square and one outside, and be lightproof. The drapes in the west must exactly
fit the exterior [of the tower] so that one can enter or exit without observing
anything. This door will be guarded by two brethren with swords at their sides
and lances in their hands. The room is adorned with a throne along the east
wall, thus inside the square. Behind the throne is a transparency representing
Cyrus dream, namely an angry, roaring lion ready to pounce on him; above, the
glory of the Grand Architect on a shining cloud. Underneath will be Nebuchadnezzar and Balthazar, the predecessors of Cyrus, burdened with chains. In the
center of the glory is an eagle holding these words in his beak: Let the captives
be free. Behind the west tower there must be some water, which when stirred,
will represent the Starburzana River. On the river is a sturdy wooden bridge
that leads to the second apartment.

S E C O N D A PA R T M E N T
It represents the premises or the piece of ground where the second temple was
built. The temple must be shown in all its splendor, and the drapes will be red.
The decoration will be like that of the Senior Architect.
Title[s] in the first apartment. The Master represents Cyrus and is called
Sovereign Master. The Senior Warden represents Nebuzaradan, his senior
general; the Junior Warden, General Mithredath; the Secretary, the chancellor;
the Master of Ceremonies, the grand master; the brethren, Knight Masons.
Title[s] in the Second Apartment. The Master is called Most Excellent Master or
Excellent of the Order; the Wardens, most potent; the brethren, most worshipful; and the candidate, Zerubbabel.

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CLOTHING OF THE BRETHREN

I N T H E F I R S T A PA R T M E N T
The Master and officers wear around their necks a large green moir collar,
without a jewel, coming to a point at the stomach. The Master has a scepter and
the brethren have swords in their hands. The Wardens and members wear a
large green moir ribbon without a jewel worn bandolier style over the shoulder, from left to right. In addition, they wear an apron lined in green taffeta with
a small ribbon of the same color bordering the apron, with no other sign and
the flap lowered. The apron and ribbon will be worn only while performing the
duties within the first apartment since they are profane marks that Cyrus
wished to give to the members of Solomon, thinking it sufficient to make them
masons. They are worn however, to remind us that the prince and his court
accorded Zerubbabel permission to rebuild the temple.
In passing to the second apartment, the brethren take off the green and put
on the red, which is the true Scottish color. The degrees can be distinguished
one from the other, however, by the rosettes at the bottom of the ribbon worn
one above another: a blue one for an Architect, a red one for a Senior Architect,
a green one for a Knight of the East, and a black one for a Knight of the Eagle.
The brethren wear a silk sash, the color of water, with a gold fringe, strewed with
skulls, crossbones, golden triangular chains, and a band of gold running in the
middle representing a bridge on which are the three letters L.D.P. This sash is
worn around the body like a belt in such a manner that the ends, fringed with
gold, hang upon the tails of the coat. The sash can be worn everywhere except
in the first apartment of this lodge.
The Master and the officers wear their jewels around their necks, and brother
officers at the bottom of their collars as a sash. The Master has three triangles, one
inside the other. The Senior Warden wears a square and two levels; all the officers
wear their usual jewels but enclosed in a triple triangle. The form of the jewel is
like that of the Architects, but upon the jewel must be two swords in saltire,
their handles on the level. Everything must be in gold or decorated with gold.
Preparation
The candidate must be clothed in red with a large [Senior Architect] ribbon,
Scottish apron, his hands bound with triangular chains. This chain must be
long enough so that his hands are free. He is told he will be called Zerubbabel,

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that he must have a sad, plaintive countenance, and must consider himself a
captive. He may have no weapon, ornament or jewel. His hands are placed on
his face until he reaches the tower door where the guards search him just prior
to being presented.

OPENING OF THE LODGE

Sovereign: My brethren, help me to open a lodge of Knights of the Sword.
The generals repeat his words. The Sovereign raps seven times, with a pause
between five and six, and the generals do likewise.
Sovereign General: What is the first care of a mason?
Sr. General: Sovereign Master, to see the lodge duly tiled!
He then performs that duty. After having checked both outside and inside, and
having checked the brethren, the Jr. General says
Jr. General: Sovereign Master, the lodge is duly tiled and all brethren present
are Knights of the Sword.
Q. Sovereign Sr. General: What times are we in?
A. Sr. General: The day [when] the seventy years of captivity are finished.
Sovereign: Generals, princes, knights, a long time ago I resolved to set free the
captive Jews. I am tired of seeing them moan in chains, but I cannot
release them without consulting you about a dream I had last night and
which requires an explanation.
I thought I saw a roaring lion ready to pounce and devour me. His
aspect frightened me and caused me to flee and seek safety from his
anger, but at that instant, in a dazzling light bursting from the opened
heavens, I saw my predecessors repressented as the last step of the alar to
the glory that masons designate under the name of Grand Architect Of
The Universe. Two words were heard; they came out from the center of
the shining star. I understood they meant to set the captives free or my
crown would pass into foreign hands. I remained dumbfounded and
confused; the dream disappeared.

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Since that moment, my tranquility is gone. It is your task, princes, to

deliberate and give me your opinion on what I must do.
During that speech, all the brethren have lowered their heads, but finally they
look at the Senior General, doing as he does.
The Senior General places his right hand on his sword, draws it, and holds
the point high, his arm held in front of him, then he points the sword downward
to signify agreement with the kings will, then points the sword upward again to
signify freedom, and remains in this position.
Sovereign: Let the captivity be ended. Generals, princes, knights, the Lodge
of Knights of the Sword is open.
The generals repeat the phrase, each on his own side. The Sovereign and all the
brethren make the usual acclamations, but without applauding.
Reception
When the candidate has been properly prepared, the Master of Ceremonies
leads him to the door of the tower, near the guards, as noted above. The guards
question the candidate, who repeats what the Master of Ceremonies tells him.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.

Guard: What are you asking for?

I ask if it is possible to speak with your Sovereign.
Guard: Who are you?
The first among my equals, a mason by rank, a captive by disgrace.
What is your name?
Zerubbabel.
What is your age?
Seventy.
What brings you here?
The tears and misery of my brethren.

Guard: Wait. We shall try to bring your complaints to the Sovereign.

One of the guards raps seven times at the tower door as a Knight of the Sword. The
Junior General raps seven times on the mallet of the Senior, then the Sovereign.
Jr. General: A guard knocks at the tower door as a Knight of the Sword.
Sr. General: Sovereign Master, a guard knocks at the tower door as a Knight
of the Sword.

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Sovereign General: Senior Warden, let him be introduced. Protect me with

extraordinary precautions in the trouble I find myself; minor details
should not be neglected.
The Junior Warden goes to the tower door, knocks, opens it, brings back the guard
to the west, who discards his lance, crosses his arms, bows, and says, The first
among equals of the masons, seventy years of age, asks to appear before you.
Sovereign: Bring him into the palace tower, and we shall question him.
The guard bows again, withdraws, brings the candidate into the tower, and closes
him in. The Sovereign then questions the candidate through the closed door.
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
Q:
A:

What brings you here?

I come to ask justice and kindness of the Sovereign.
About what?
To ask pardon for my brethren who have been in captivity for seventy
years.
What is your name?
Zerubbabel, the first among my equals, a mason by rank, and a captive
by disgrace.
What favor will you ask from me?
That by the grace of the Grand Architect Of The Universe, the kings justice grants us freedom, and that we be permitted to rebuild the temple of
our God.

Sovereign: Since such just motives bring him here, he is permitted to appear
before us bare-faced.
The guards open the tower door at once, lead him to the west, and make him
bow very low.
Sovereign: Zerubbabel, I felt the weight of your captivity as much as you did.
I am ready to release you and set you free this instant if you will agree to
impart the secrets of Masonry to me, for which I always had the utmost
veneration.
A. Sovereign Master, when Solomon acquainted us with its first principles,
he taught us that equality must be the first motive. It does not reign here.
Your rank, your titles, your superiority and your court are not compatible with the place where one is instructed in the secrets of our Order.

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Besides, our ostensible tokens are unknown to you. My obligations are

inviolable, and I cannot reveal our secrets to you. Should this be the price
of my freedom, then I prefer captivity.
Sovereign: I admire the discretion and virtue of Zerubbabel. He deserves
freedom for his firmness in his convictions.
All the brethren show agreement by lowering and then raising the points of
their swords.
Sovereign: General Junior Warden, let Zerubbabel undergo the seventy tests,
which I reduce to three; that is, the test of the body, of the spirit, and of
the soul, which are the pectoral, the memory, and the iron, in order that
he may thus merit the favor he asks, and which his discretion induces me
to grant him.
The Junior Warden leads him three times around the lodge. On the first time
around, a shot is fired. On the second he is asked if he persists in asking for freedom. On the third, his hands are placed on his forehead. On returning the
Junior Warden raps seven times and the Senior [Warden] says to him:
Sr. Warden: What do you want?
Jr. Warden: The candidate has undergone the tests with resolve and constancy.
Sovereign: Zerubbabel, I grant you the favor you have asked of me. I consent
that you be set free.
The Sovereign raps seven times, signaling the generals to free Zerubbabel from
his chains, which they do immediately.
Sovereign: Go to your country. I permit you to rebuild the temple destroyed
by my ancestors. Your treasures shall be restored before sundown. Be
acknowledged as chief above your equals. I shall order that you be
obeyed everywhere you go, that you be given aid and assistance as if it
were me. I merely require from you a tribute of three lambs, five sheep,
and seven rams, which I shall let be received under the porch of the new
temple. I ask this, rather in remembrance of the friendship I promise you
than of our gratitude. Approach, my friend.
The generals lead him to the foot of the throne.

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Sovereign: I give you this sword as a mark of distinction among your equals.
I am convinced you shall use it only in their defense. Therefore, I invest
you a Knight of the Sword.
In saying these words, he raps with his sword on Zerubbabels shoulders and
embraces him. He then gives him the apron and the green ribbon, worn from
left to right, and says:
Sovereign: As a token of my esteem, I present you with an apron and ribbon,
adopted in imitation of the workers on your temple. Although these
marks are not accompanied by any secrets, I bestow them only on
princes of my court as an honor. Henceforth, you shal enjoy the same
honors as they do. I now place you in the hands of Nebuzardan, who will
appoint guides to lead you safely to your brethren, to the place where you
shall rebuild the new temple. I do so order.
The Senior Warden takes hold of the candidate, lets him enter the tower, and
leaves him there while the brethren pass silently into the second apartment. As
soon as they are all in place, a servant indicates to the Master of Ceremonies that
everything is ready. He leads the candidate behind the drapes, to the place
where the bridge leads to the second apartment, at the entrance of which he
finds guards who stop him, take off his apron and green ribbon and attempt to
block his passage. But he breaks through, chases them off, and arrives at the
door of the second apartment.
The Master of Ceremonies knocks seven times as a Knight of the Sword. The
brethren, now in the second apartment, no longer represent Cyrus court, and
when they hear the knocks each take from their apron belts the trowel that should
hang there, holding the sword in their right hand and the trowel in their left.
The tracing board of the lodge is covered by a red drape. The Junior Warden knocks seven times first, then the Senior Warden.
Jr. Warden: I heard someone knock at the door as a Knight of the Sword.
Sr. Warden: Most excellent Master, someone knocks at the door of the lodge
as a Knight of the Sword.
Master: Most powerful brother Junior Warden, see who knocks.
The Jr. Warden goes to the door, knocks, opens it and asks what is wanted.

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William E. Parker and S. Brent Morris

A. I ask to see my brethren again in order to give them the news of my deliverance from Babylon and of the other unfortunates of the fraternity who
have escaped captivity.
The Jr.Warden gives his report to the Sr.Warden, who then reports to the Master.
Master: The news that this captive brings may be well-founded. Seventy years
have passed, the day of the temples rebuilding has come. Ask for his
name, his age and which country he comes from, to preclude any surprise.
The Junior Warden knocks, his knock is answered, he opens the door and says,
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
Q:
A:

What is your name?

Zerubbabel
Where is your country?
This side of the Starburzana River, west of Assyria.
What is your age?
Seventy years old.

The Junior Warden closes the door, knocks and repeats the exchange to the
Senior Warden. The Senior Warden then repeats it to the Master.
Master: Zerubbabel by name, from a country this side of the Starburzana
River, and seventy years old; yes, my brethren, captivity is over and dormancy comes to an end. This captive is truly the prince of the sovereign
tribe that will rebuild our temple. Let him enter among us and be recognized to guide and support our work.
The Junior Warden knocks, opens the door, receives the captive, and leads him
to the West.
Sr. Warden: Most Excellent Master, here is Zerubbabel, who desires to be
admitted into the bosom of our fraternity.
Master: Zerubbabel, give us an exact account of your deliverance.
Zerubbabel: Cyrus permitted me to appear at the foot of his throne and
was moved by the miseries of the fraternity. He armed me with this
sword for the defense and aid of my brethren and honored me with the
title of brother of his company. He then freed me, placed me in the
hands of zealous subjects who led me and helped me triumph over our
enemies during the crossing of the Starburzana River, where, in spite of

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our victory, we lost the distinctive marks that had been given to us by
the king, our liberator.
Q: My brethren, the loss that you experienced tells us that the justice of our
own fraternity will not allow the triumph of pomp and grandeur. When
Cyrus gave you these honors, he was not guided by the spirit of equality
that invariably accompanies us. You see by this loss that it was only the
marks of the prince which disappeared, and you kept those of true
Masonry. But, before I impart to you the secrets, kept since our captivity
in the remnants of our fraternity, we must demand your assurances that
the length of your disgrace has not weakened in you the sentiments and
the perfect understanding of the mysteries of Masonry.
A: Question me; I am ready to answer.
Q: What degree do you have in Masonry?
A: That of Senior Architect.
Q: Give me the signs.
A: He gives them.
Q: Give me the grip.
A: He gives it.
Master: My brother knights, I believe that Zerubbabel is worthy to enter into
our new mysteries.
The brethren agree by raising and lifting up the points of their swords.
Master: Most Powerful Senior Warden, have the candidate advance by three
steps of a Master Mason, so that the last puts him at the foot of the tribunal of the Grand and Sovereign Architect and that he may contract the
obligation we request.
He is postured in the same manner as when he takes the other obligations.

O B L I G AT I O N
Yes, I promise, under the same obligations I contracted in the various degrees of
Masonry, to never reveal the secret of the Knights of the Sword or free masons
to any member of an inferior degree or to a profane, under the penalty of
remaining in such harsh captivity that my chains never break, that my body be
exposed to the mercy of ferocious beasts, that my senses be deprived of smell

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William E. Parker and S. Brent Morris

and hearing, that thunderbolts reduce me to powder to serve as an example to

all indiscreet ones. So be it.
The Master rises, he and all the brethren replace their swords in their sheaths,
and says:
Master: My brother, the destruction of the temple subjected masons to such
harsh disgraces that we feared their captivity or dispersion may have
helped corrupt their fidelity to their obligations. That constrained us,
while awaiting the rebuilding, to stay away in a secret and private place
where we faithfully preserved some remnants of the ancient building
and where we only introduce those we know to be true and legitimate
masons, not only by signs, words, and tokens, but also by their actions
and behavior. We then communicate to them our new secrets with pleasure, but we insist they bring with them as a pledge some relic of the old
temple. Those that Cyrus gave you are sufficient for us.
During these last words, the tracing-board is uncovered.
Master: Very Powerful Brother Senior Warden, let the candidate take three
master steps backward, to teach him that we hold for certain that perfect
resignation is the virtue of masons.
The candidate remains in the West.
[Master]: My brethren, the aim of our work is the rebuilding of the temple of
the Grand Architect Of The Universe. This sublime task was reserved for
Zerubbabel. The obligations that you took with us, under that title,
resulted in its execution. The brilliance and grandeur in which it appears
before our eyes, proves to you that it is in no way diminished, and that it
only remains for us to preserve it with the sword that Cyrus gave us for
its defense. Henceforth you will contribute to it protection. Come participate in our secrets.
The sign of the Knight of the Sword, my brother, is to place the right
hand on the left shoulder and to bring it down diagonally to the right
side as if cutting the body in half.
The sign of response is to place the right hand on the left hip while
going across the body to the right hip.
The grip is to place the right hand on the sword as if to draw it for a
fight, then move by drawing your body back on the right foot and rais-

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ing the left hand as if pushing away an enemy. In this position, the left
hands of both brothers meet and interlace, and they embrace each other.
The words are Judas and Benjamin. The password is libertas from
which is derived the name free mason. Go and give the signs, grips,
and words to the brethren of the lodge. Afterwards, you will give them
back to me.
He does this in the North, returns by the South.
[Master]: My brother, after this deliverance, King Cyrus created you a Knight
Mason, as for me, I give you this trowel which will serve as a perpetual
symbol of your new dignity; that is to say, henceforth if ever the temple
were to be desroyed, you will work only with a trowel in one hand and a
sword in the other; for that is thus that we have established this one.
Putting the Sash on Him
[Master]: This sash must be worn in all lodges, and will be for you a mark of
true knighthood that you acquired at the River Starburzana by the victory over those who opposed your passage.
Giving Him the Green Rosette
[Master]: While we do not permit in our ceremonies any of the insignia Cyrus
decorated you with, we want, however, to preserve the memory of some by
a rosette of the color he chose, which we set under the rosette of the other
degrees at the bottom of the Scottish ribbon to which the jewel is attached.
Giving Him the Jewel
[Master]: This jewel, with the addition of swords in saltire, indicates the
symbol of our Masonry. You must never use your sword except for it,
that is to say, equity.
Giving Him the Gloves
[Master]: We shall proceed to our proclamation. My brother Knight
Masons, do you consent that Zerubbabel shall henceforth rule over the
works of Masonry?
They all show agreement by lowering and raising the points of their swords.
The candidate is then placed in the chair designated for him.

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William E. Parker and S. Brent Morris

Master: Pass, my brother, to the tribunal of the sovereigns of our lodges. You
will serve as the triangular stone of the edifice. You will rule over the
workers as Solomon, Hiram, and Moabon ruled by commanding them.
As soon as he is seated, the brethren sheath their swords, clap their hands three
times, and shout three times Zerubbabel. The catechism then begins.

C AT E C H I S M
Q. Brother Senior Warden, how did you attain the eminent Degree of
Knight of the Sword?
A. I achieved it with humility, patience, and frequent solicitations.
Q. To whom did you speak?
A. To the great king.
Q. What is your name?
A. Zerubbabel.
Q. Your country?
A. Judea. I was born of noble parents of the tribe of Judah.
Q. Which art do you practice?
A. Masonry.
Q. Which edifice do you build?
A. Temples and tabernacles.
Q. Where do you construct them?
A. For lack of land, we build them in our hearts.
Q. What is the name of a Knight Mason?
A. That of a most free mason.
Q. Why most free?
A. Because the masons chosen by Solomon to work at the temple were
declared free and exempt from all taxes, both they and their descendants.
They were also entitled to bear arms. During the temples destruction by
Nebuchadnezzar, they were placed in captivity with the Jewish people.
But the goodness of Cyrus gave them permission to rebuild a second
temple under Zerubbabel, and they were set free. It is since that time that
we are called free masons.
Q. Was the old temple beautiful?
A. It was the first wonder of the world in riches and grandeur for its forecourt could hold two hundred thousand people.

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Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.

Q.
A.
Q.
A.

Who was the principal architect who constructed this grand edifice?
God was the first, Solomon the second, and Hiram the third.
Who laid the first stone?
Solomon.
At what time was it laid?
Before sunrise.
Why?
To make known the vigilance we must have in serving the Architect Of
The Universe.
What cement was used?
A mystical cement, composed of flour, milk, oil, and wine.
Explain to me the mystical sense.
To make the first man, the Supreme Being used sweetness, wisdom,
strength, and kindness.
Where was the first stone laid?
In the middle of the room destined to be the sanctuary.
How many parts did the old temple have?
Three, one in the West, one in the South and one in the North.
How long did the temple stand?
Four hundred seventy years, six months, and ten days.
Under which King of Israel was it destroyed?
During the reign of Zedekiah, last of the race of David.
What is meant by the broken column Boaz and the missing candlestick
with seven branches?
The confusion and evil committed when someone who is not worthy is
received, this removes a member of the order.
Why is the number eighty-one so venerated among masons?
Because this number explains the triple essence of divinity represented
by the triple triangle, the square of nine, and the number three.
Why are the captives chains triangular?
Having learned that the triangle represented the Name of the Eternal
among the Jews, the Assyrians made the chains in that manner to inflict
more pain on the captives.
Why were masons forbidden to work on profane buildings?
To teach us not to attend irregular lodges.
What was the plan that Cyrus gave for the new temple?
One hundred twenty cubits in depth, sixty in height, and the same in width.

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Q. Why did Cyrus order trees cut from the forests of Lebanon and stones
drawn from the quarries of Tyre for the construction of the new temple?
A. Because it was necessary that the second temple should in all points
resemble the first.
Q. Give me the name of the principal architect who directed the construction of the second temple.
A. His name is Bibot.
Q. Why do the workers carry a sword while working?
A. As they were subject to incursions by their enemies, while working with
one hand to carry materials and to rebuild the temple, they held their
swords ready to defend their work and their brethren.
Q. Why the seventy lights in the lodge?
A. In memory of the seventy years of Babylonian captivity.
Q. Are you a Knight of the Sword?
A. Look at me! He takes his sword in his hand.
Q. Give me the sign.
A. He makes it.
Q. Give me the word[s] and the password.
A. Judas, Benjamin, Libertas.
Q. Give the grip to the Brother Senior Warden.
A. He gives it to him.
Q. Where did you work?
A. At the rebuilding of the second temple.
Q. What is the time?
A. The instant of rebuilding.
Master: My brethren, since we are happy enough to have rebuilt the temple
of the Lord in its splendor, let us preserve its memory and marks by our
silence. It is time to rest. Brothers Senior and Junior Wardens, announce
to the South as well to the North that I shall close the lodge of the Knights
of the Sword.
The two Wardens announce, each to his own side, that the Master will close the
lodge, then the most excellent knocks seven times, the two Wardens likewise.
Then the Master says,The lodge is closed; each is permitted to leave. The Wardens say likewise. The brethren then make the usual claps and acclamations.
End of the Sixth Degree

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NOTES
. A. C. F. Jackson, Rose Croix, rev. ed. (London: A. Lewis, ), p. .
. Jackson, pp. . Compare the Knight of the Sword with Knight of the Sword also
called Knight of the East or of the Eagle, John Black Vrooman, trans., An Exact Ritual
of Adonhiramite Masonry, Collectanea, vol. , part (), pp. . The latter
degrees are Dedicated to all instructed masons by a Knight of all Masonic orders.
(signed) F. Louis Guillemain, . which leds us to conclude they are from Receuil
Prcieux de la Maonnerie Adonhiramite. Allowing for natural differences between any
two translations, the texts are almost identical, which confirms that Guillemain plagiarized Brage. There is a good case to the conrary. An argument which might refute the
charge of Plagiaism brought against the authors of genuine exposures could be this: if
their exposures are accepted as genuine, how can they be charged with plagiarism
because their descriptions of authentic ceremonies resemble each other? Would not the
charge be well-taken only if the ceremonies they describe were invented ones? In which
case historians are left with no material at all to study the evolution of masonic rituals.
Henri Amblaine (Alain Bernheim), Masonic Catechisms and Exposures, Ars Quatuor
Coronati, vol. (), p. .
. David Bernard, Light on Masonry, rd ed. (Utica, N.Y.: William Williams, ), p. .
The Degree of Knight of the East or Chevalier de lOrient is found on pp. .
. Les Plus Secrets Mystres uses Jrobabel, which is equivalent to Zerubbabel (or Zorobabel) which we use in our translation.
Jrobabel. For Zorobabel, cf. this name. This form was rather common in the th
century. (Daniel Ligou, Dictionnaire de la Franc-Maonnerie [Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, ], s.v. Jrobabel).
Zerubavel (lbBvrz) Foreign to, or scion of, Babylon; seed of confusion. One of he
twelve leaders of the people upon he return from Babylon ( bce); he has supervised
the building of the second Temple ( to bce). (Sam Eched, Authentic or distorted
Hebraism in the AASR and the R::, M::M:: & R::A::M:: [Belgium: The Author,
], p. )
. This seems to be based on Nehemiah and a passage from Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, book . They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those
that laded, every one with one of hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held
a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded.
(Nehemiah :, .) He [Nehemiah] therefore ordered that for the future the builders
should be equipped with arms when they worked, and so the masons had swords, as also
those that carried the materials; and he ordered shields to be placed very near them,and stationed trumpeters at intervals of five hundred feet with the command to give the signal to
the people if the enemy appeared, in order that they might be armed when they fought and
not let the enemy fall on them unprepared. (Josephus, Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, vols.,
ed and trans. Ralph Marcus et al. [Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ. Press, ], xi..)

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. chevalier maon libre, the more common French term is franc maon.
. Moabon (or Mohabon, sometimes Mohaben, Mahabin). From Gen. :, the
name of the son and grandson of Lot, born from his incest with his eldest daughter and
ancestor of the Moabites, Mohabon means Root of Moab. This biblical name is found in
several degrees of perfection, notably in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.
Among extinct degrees, Mohabon was the sacred word of the degree of Elect of Prignan, the name of the candidate, and the sacred word of the degree of Senior Architect.
(Daniel Ligou, Dictionnaire de la Franc-Maonnerie [Paris: Presses Universitaires de
France, ], s.v. Moabon).
Mohabon (Obavm): a diminutive of Moab (bavm). Mohabon was the son born of the
incest of the eldest daughter of Lot with her father (Gen. :). In its use as a sacred
word, maybe, but it is more probably a distortion of Ma-Haboneh (hnbh-hm), the word
given by the Tuiller au Convent de Laussaune.A widespread interpretation (but unrelated
to its real meaning) is the flesh slips from the bone. In the tradition of certain degrees, it is
the name of the most zealous of the Masters of his time, a friend of Hiram Abiff. (SaintGall, Dictionnaire du Rite cossais Ancien et Accept [Paris: ditions Tlets, ], p. ).
. Unclear whether another refers to a throne or a seat for the Warden.
. Le carr de la loge, literally the square of the lodge, referring to the central checkered
floor found in most lodges.
. afin quainsi lon soit dan lintriur du carr. The description of the lodge room and
its furnishings is unclear.
. Starburzana (Starbuzzannai, Stabuzanay, Stharbuzana, Harbasanay, etc.): A composite word from Shtar (rtw), authenticated deed, conract, promise of payment, and
from Biza/Bizana (yanzB/hzB), spoils of war, pillage, rapine, contempt, a man living
from them. (Eched., p. )
STARBUNZZAI, in fact Shetharboznai. River that had to be crossed by the
Israelites to go from Jerusalem to Babylon (th Degree of the Ancient and Accepted
Scottish Rite and different degrees of Knight of the East). In fact, there was no river
between the two cities, and Shetharboznai is the name of an officer of the king of Persia.
(Ligou, s.v. Starbunazai).
At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to
build this house, and to make up this wall? (Ezra :.)
.In the Bible there is a person with this name,but he is mentioned as a general of Nebuchadnezzar at the time of the capture of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans.(Ligou, s.v. Nabuzardin)
And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year
of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a
servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: And he burnt the house of the Lord, and
the kings house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great mans house burnt he
with fire. (II Kings :, )

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. Mithredath. Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord,
which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the
house of his gods; Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. (Ezra :)
. trophe, literally trophy
. rcipiendaire, literally recipient
. A tablier Ecossois or Scottish apron is borderred in red, which is the true Scottish
color..
. The officers titles are inconsistent here. The Master is referred to as souverain
gnral and souverain matre; the Senior Warden as premier surveillant and premier
gnral. The titles premier gnral and second gnral are translated as Senior General
and Junior General.
. trac
. Presumably the Master of Ceremonies speaks for Zerubbabel.
. en levant & haussant la point de leurs pes. This may be an error, as a little later, when
giving the gloves, the brethren show their agreement by raising and lowering the points
of their swords, en baissant & relevant la pointe de leurs pes.
. trois pas de matre
. maons libres
. sous ce titre, that is, as Zerubbabel
. vous y conriburez dornavant
. This seems to refer to that jewel of a preceding degree, but the earlier jewels dont
seem elaborate enough to fit the description here. The jewel [of a Senior Architect] is
that of a Junior Architect, except that the circle must be golden, and over the star which
serves as the head of the compasses will be a golden sun whose lower rays will be on the
head of the level.There is no elaborate jewel in the fourth degree; members wear a simple triangle. The jewel [of a Junior Architect] is a triangle, and the officers will have he
emblem of thei office enclosed within. (S. Brent Morris and Eric Serejski, The Degree
of Senior Architect, Heredom, vol. (), pp. , n.)
. en baissant & relevant la pointe de leurs pes.Just before the obligation the brothers
showed agreement by raising and lifting up their swords, en levant & haussant la point de
leurs pes.
. Vous servirez de pierre triangulaaire ldifice. It is not clear what it means to serve
as the triangular stone in the edifice
. parvis

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. This mystical cement was used in Les Plus Secret Mystres Degree of Junior Architect
as the symbolic offering of the heart of this respectable master [Hiram Abif] which we
have preserved in the form of a mystic substance ever since the assassination. The candidate is asked,Do you have the strength to swallow the morsel of his heart which will
be presented to you, which all faithful masons have received, but which cannot remain in
the body of liars? After the candidate takes the obligation, The Puissant Master takes
the trowel in the urn, covers I with mystical paste, and presents it to the mouth of the
candidate to swallow. He says to him, This mystical portion which we share with you,
forever forms an indissoluble bond, that nothing will be able to break. (S. Brent Morris
and Eric Serejski,The Degree of Junior Architect, Heredom, vol. (), pp. , .)

Editors Note: Ill Alain Bernheim, , provided invaluable assistance in

reviewing this translation.

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