The Lodge being called to order, the Most Excellent Master says,
"Brother Junior, are they all Most Excellent Masters in the South?"
The Junior Warden replies, "They are, Most Excellent." Most Excellent
Master to Senior Warden, "Brother Senior, are they all Most Excellent
Masters in the West?" The Senior Warden replies, "They are, Most
Excellent." M. E. M.--"They are in the East (gives one rap, which
calls up both Deacons); Brother Junior Deacon, the first care of a
Mason?" J. D.--"To see the door tyled, Most Excellent." M. E.
M.--"Attend to that part of your duty, and inform the Tyler that we
are about to open this Lodge of Most Excellent Masters, and direct him
to tyle accordingly." Junior Deacon steps to the door and gives six
knocks, which the Tyler answers with six more; Junior Deacon gives one
more, which the Tyler answers with one; the door is then partly
opened, when the Junior Deacon informs the Tyler that a Lodge of Most
Excellent Masters is about to be opened, and tells him to tyle
accordingly; and then returns to his place in the Lodge and says,
"Most Excellent Master, the Lodge is tyled." M. E. M. "By whom?" J.
D.--"By a Most Excellent Master Mason without the door, armed with the
proper implements of his office." M. E. M.--"His duty there?" J.
D.--"To keep off all cowans and eavedroppers, and see that none pass
and repass without permission from the chair." M. E. M.--"Your place
in the Lodge, Brother Junior?" J. D.--"At the right hand of the Senior
Warden in the West, Most Excellent." M. E. M.--"Your duty there,
Brother Junior?" J. D.--"To wait on the Most Excellent Master and
Wardens, act as their proxy in the active duties of the Lodge, and
take charge of the door." M. E. M.--"The Senior Deacon's place in the
Lodge?" J. D.--"At the right hand of the Most Excellent Master in the
East." M. E. M.--"I thank you, brother. Your duty in the East, Brother
Senior?" S. D.--"To wait on the Most Excellent Master and Wardens, act
as their proxy in the active duties of the Lodge; attend to the
preparation and introduction of candidates; and receive and welcome
all visiting brethren." M. E. M.--"The Secretary's place in the Lodge,
Brother Senior?" S. D.--"At the left hand of the Most Excellent Master
in the East." M. E. M.--"I thank you, brother. Your business there,
Brother Secretary?" Sec.--"The better to observe the Most Excellent
Master's will and pleasure; record the proceedings of the Lodge, and
transmit a copy of the same to the Grand Chapter, if required; receive
all monies and money-bills from the hands of the brethren; pay them
over to the Treasurer, and take his receipt for the same." M. E.
M.--"The Treasurer's place in the Lodge?" Sec.--"At your right hand,
Most Excellent." M. E. M.--"I thank you, brother. Your duty there,
Brother Treasurer?" Treas.--"The better to observe the Most Excellent
Master's will and pleasure; receive all monies and money-bills from
the hands of the Secretary; keep a just and true account of the same;
pay them out by order of the Most Excellent Master, and consent of the
brethren." M. E. M.--"The Junior Warden's place in the Lodge?"
Treas.--"In the South, Most Excellent." M. E. M.--"I thank you,
brother. Your business in the South, Brother Junior?" J. W.--"As the
sun in the South, at high meridian, is the beauty and glory of the
day, so stands the Junior Warden in the South, the better to observe
the time of high twelve; call the craft from labor to refreshment;
superintend them during the hours thereof; see that none convert the
hours of refreshment into that of intemperance or excess; call them
again in due season; that the Most Excellent Master may have honor,
and they profit thereby." M. E. M.--"The Senior Warden's place in the
Lodge?" J. W.--"In the West, Most Excellent." M. E. M.--"I thank you,
brother. Your duty in the West, Brother Senior?" S. W.--"As the sun
sets in the West to close the day, so stands the Senior Warden in the
West, to assist the Most Excellent Master in the opening of his Lodge;
take care of the jewels and implements; see that none be lost; pay the
craft their wages, if any be due, and see that none go away
dissatisfied." M. E. M.--"The Most Excellent Master's place in the
Lodge?" S. W.--"In the East, Most Excellent." M. E. M.--"His duty in
the East, Brother Senior?" S. W.--"As the sun rises in the East to
open and adorn the day, so presides the Most Excellent Master in the
East to open and adorn his Lodge; to set his craft to work; govern
them with good and wholesome laws, or cause the same to be done." [In
some Lodges the forgoing ceremonies are omitted.] M. E. M.--"Brother
Senior Warden, assemble the brethren around the altar for the purpose
of opening this Lodge of Most Excellent Master Masons." S.
W.--"Brethren, please to assemble around the altar for the purpose of
opening this Lodge of Most Excellent Master Masons." In pursuance of
this request, the brethren assemble around the altar and form a
circle, and stand in such a position as to touch each other, leaving a
space for the Most Excellent Master; they then all kneel on their left
knee and join hands, each giving his right hand brother his left hand,
and his left hand brother his right hand; their left arms uppermost,
and their heads inclining downward; all being thus situated, the Most
Excellent Master reads the following portion of Scripture: Psalm
xxiv.--"The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the world and
they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and
established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the
Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands
and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor
sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and
righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of
them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. Lift up your
heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the
King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord,
strong and mighty; the Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O
ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of
glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts; he
is the King of glory. Selah." The reading being ended, the Most
Excellent Master then kneels, joins hands with the others, which
closes the circle; they all lift their hands, as joined together, up
and down six times, keeping time with the words as the Most Excellent
Master repeats them--one, two, three; one, two, three. This is
masonically called balancing. They then rise, disengage their hands,
and lift them up above their heads with a moderate and somewhat
graceful motion; cast up their eyes, turning, at the same time, to the
right, they extend their arms and then suffer them to fall loose and
nerveless against their sides. This sign is said by Masons to
represent the sign of astonishment, made by the Queen of Sheba, on
first viewing Solomon's Temple. The Most Excellent Master now resumes
his seat and says, "Brethren, attend to giving the signs." The Most
Excellent Master then gives all the signs from an Entered Apprentice
Mason up to the degree of Most Excellent Master; in which they all
join and imitate him. M. E. M.--"Brother Senior Warden, you will
please to inform Brother Junior, and request him to inform the
brethren that it is my will and pleasure that this Lodge of Most
Excellent Master Masons be now opened for dispatch of business,
strictly forbidding all private committees, or profane language,
whereby the harmony of the same may be interrupted, while engaged in
their lawful pursuits, under no less penalty than the by-laws enjoin,
or a majority of the brethren may see cause to inflict." S.
W.--"Brother Junior, it is the will and pleasure of the Most Excellent
Master, that this Lodge of Most Excellent Master Masons be now opened
for dispatch of business, strictly prohibiting all private committees,
or profane language, whereby the harmony of the same may be
interrupted, while engaged in their lawful pursuits, under no less
penalty than the by-laws enjoin, or a majority of the brethren may see
cause to inflict." J. W.--"Brethren, you have heard the Most Excellent
Master's will and pleasure, as communicated to me by Brother
Senior--so let it be done."
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