Rose Cross.

Below is an extract from the initiation into the Rose Cross degree.

‘ What is the hour?

The ninth hour of the day

Then it is the hour when the veil of the temple was rent in twain and darkness overspread the earth, when the true Light departed from us, the altar was thrown down, the blazing star was eclipsed, the cubic stone poured forth blood and water, the Word was lost, and despair and tribulation sat heavy upon us.

Since Masonry has experienced such dire calamities it is our duty, Princes, to endeavour, by renewed labours, to retrieve our loss. May the benign influence of Faith Hope and Charity prosper our endeavours to recover the lost Word; for which purpose I declare this chapter of princes Rose Croix of Heredom duly open, in the name of the Great Emmanuel.’

The above passage refers to the crucifixion. However, as the author of the source correctly points out, to declare that the crucifixion represented a dire calamity for Masonry and that it suffered a loss at the same time is unusual to say the least. To go on to say that individually each mason will ‘retrieve’ the lost word is also unusual.

The author explains that it seems not only heretical but actually blasphemous. Why?

The crucifixion is the ultimate climax in Christianity. It is regarded as a triumph of good over evil, an ultimate act of sacrifice through which mankind has a means of being saved. It is regarded as the victory of Jesus Christ over Satan.

The hour at which the initiation is taking place is very significant. It is the hour in which Jesus died upon the cross. It ignores the idea of resurrection and every essence and meaning of Christianity

In addition, Jesus Christ described himself as the Word. Hence, in terms of Christianity, the Word was not lost but through the crucifixion became manifest. This is the basis of Christianity itself and it is this which distinguishes it from other religions such as Islam, for example, where he is regarded as a prophet.

What the above quotation actually represents is mourning of the defeat of Satan by utilising an immoral copy of Christian principles and terminology. A mourning of a time when Lucifer, the light bringer, and the ‘star of the morning’ was defeated and ‘ the ‘true Light departed from us’ and the ‘blazing star was eclipsed’.

Perhaps this then explains the symbol of a skull and cross bones. The skull at Golgotha together with a depiction of a cross, mourning the defeat of Satan. A dire calamity for Freemasonry.

This initiation is a splendid example of imitation and immoral biblical copy catting. It is a splendid example of speaking in a double tongue.