Initiation into the Royal Arch.

This initiation ceremony is very lengthy and it would be impractical to properly describe it fully.

Therefore pertinent points will be mentioned and discussed.

Firstly it is important to remember the incorrect quotation that is associated with the word Shibboleth; ‘In strength I will establish this Mine house to stand firm forever’

This quotation is incorrect and the closest biblical approximation is 1 Kings 9:3 (taken from K.J)

‘And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.’

This passage is particularly important to the Royal Arch degree because the whole initiation revolves around finding the ‘secret name’ of God. The above passage states that His name will be in the temple forever.

The pomp and ceremony of the previous degrees is maintained. However the number of biblical texts and readings which are employed increases significantly. These include readings from Isaiah 12 (praise for God), Proverbs 2 1-9(seek the benefits of Wisdom), Proverbs 3 13-20(seek the benefits of Wisdom), Haggai 2 1-9 (rebuilding the temple), Genesis 1 1-3 (creation, let there be light).

The candidate swears himself to secrecy under penalty of being beheaded. He kisses the bible four times. He repeats that the predominant wish of his heart is to receive Light. Light being elaborated upon and described as the ‘light of our mysteries’ and has obvious spiritual overtones.

During the ceremony there are four principle characters. These are the initiate, Zerubbabel, Haggai and Joshua.

He is told the pass words which are Ammi Ruhamah.

These words appear in the King James Version Hosea 2:1

‘Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah.’

The meaning of the words is given in the Douay Version of Osee (same chapter just different name) 2:1.

‘Say ye to your brethren: You are my people: and to your sisters: Thou hast obtained mercy.’

According to the initiation they mean ‘My people have found mercy’. The chapter from which it is taken concerns the punishment of Israel for worshipping Baal.

The initiation then goes on with pomp and ceremony and emphasis is placed upon the initiate receiving the ‘secret’ name of god.

In order to receive this secret name the initiate must go down upon all fours and grope around in darkness to lay his hands upon the sacred scroll which apparently contains the name. This imitates one element of the Egyptian darkness to which other sources point such as ‘shibboleth’ and ‘darkness visible’.  Deuteronomy 28 describes how the Egyptians groped around like a blind man at mid-day. It should be remembered that as far as a Masonic lodge is concerned it is always mid day for the ‘sun is always at its meridian over the lodge’.

However the scroll does not contain the name, rather the scroll is the ‘scroll of Moses’.

Indeed the finding of the scroll appears to serve no purpose what so ever in the initiation other than draw attention to the fact that a scroll is included in the ritual and that it directs a persons attention to biblical text, specifically Genesis 1: 1-3, let there be light. This is read after the initiate has repeated that the predominant wish of his heart is light.

There is a theatrical search of the ruins of the first temple where a secret chamber is discovered and contained within this chamber is a plate of gold upon which is written the secret name.

This secret name is Jah-bul-on and this is given in association with the usual name of God, Jehovah.

‘Jah’ is mentioned in the King James Version of the bible and represents Yahweh or Jehovah; Psalm 68:4. This represents its only usage in the bible.

‘On’ is mentioned in the King James version Genesis 41: 45 & 50. Each reference concerns the daughter of an Egyptian priest. The Douay version uses the city Heliopolis instead of the word ‘On’. The primary deities of Heliopolis were Ra and Osiris. It is the Freemasonic lecture itself which develops the Egyptian connection further. It draws similarities between the Christian God and the Egyptian gods. It ignores the fact that the Israelites and the Egyptians were enemies and the Egyptian deities are defined as biblical devils.

‘Bul’ is only mentioned in one location in biblical text and represents the month in which the first temple was completed; Kings 6:38. The identification of ‘Bul’ with Baal comes from the Freemasonic lectures themselves. The mystical lecture claims it to be a compound word from different sources meaning Lord. This is elaborated upon and similarities are drawn between Bul, Bal, Bel (devils name),Baal (devils name) and Lord.

The Chapter from which the password Ammi Ruhamah is taken concerns the punishment of Israel for worshipping the deity, Baal, whose name is implied in the ‘secret’ name of the Freemasonic god. The chapter also explains that Israel would refer to God as ‘my husband’ specifically to avoid any associations with the word Baal. Therefore, the secret name would appear to intentionally make a mockery of this specific biblical chapter. The password subtly directs a person to find this.

Remember the mission statement. ‘I will be like the most High’. The secret name Jah-Bul-On doesn’t represent a likeness. It essentially attempts to unite the Judaic and Christian God and the devil or devils under various names. It may obviously and blatantly be considered blasphemous and a personal religious belief is not required to appreciate this.

The name would be better read as Jah Ra Osiris Babylon Baal Beelzebub Pan Lucifer Astarte Moloch ….Yet this would be too obvious.

The ritual requires ‘officials’.

In this regard one of the principle characters is essentially sworn in as a priest reciting Leviticus 8:1-12, Number 16:46-48 and Genesis 33:20. The principle may even wear a collar a robe and carry a sceptre. He is sworn in ‘like’ a priest.

Another is sworn in ‘like’ a prophet and the other ‘like’ a king. Biblical knowledge is not a requirement.

I am convinced that the Lords prayer could be recited backwards in Latin and possibly in English and the ‘brothers’ would happily repeat it without giving a second thought as to its meaning. By this stage they have been immersed in Freemasonry and indoctrinated into a blind, unquestioning state of mind. Yet the Mason considers himself as having been taught to be cautious.

However there is a very important aspect to this ritual which centralises around the primary character Zorobabel. He was responsible for the building of the second Temple.

Zorobabel and Visions

This character features significantly in the Old Testament.

Freemasonry adopts a character of this name in the Royal Arch degree.

Zacharias has a number of visions. Zorobabel is specifically discussed in Chapter 4 of Zacharias. Chapter 5 continues with two visions.

Flying Scroll or Volume

The first vision describes a flying scroll (N.J), roll (K.J.) or volume (Douay) according to which every thief and every person who has falsely sworn upon the name of God will be judged. The remainder of the vision states that the same principle would then occupy the houses of and consume the offenders.

The flying scroll is described as the curse that goes over the face of the earth.

The devil is described as being cursed above all beasts of the earth, Genesis 3:14. Effectively the curse of the earth.

The derivation for devil from Greek ‘diabellien’ is slanderer and accuser. From Hebrew, ‘Satan’, is adversary and accuser. This vision would appear to satisfy the imitative & judgemental mechanism of accusation by the devil with one important provision. It is under the control of God and is used as a punishment of the thief and of those who swear falsely by Gods name.

A thief in this sense may mean someone who has stolen someone belonging to God. In essence, deliberately corrupting their faith leading them to something else. A snare for the innocent without cause.

The oaths sworn by the Mason, on the bible, along with the penalties are non-Christian. The New Testament specifically states that such oath swearing should be avoided. Here, the vision of the flying scroll, provides another reason why such oaths are specifically included in Freemasonry. Celebrating and encouraging an aspect of biblical text which can lead to the devil.

What a scam. The devil tempts, deceives and lies on the one hand and continually accuses and buffets on the other. Yet the accuser itself is one of the few biblical characters that are absolutely condemned. Refer the stone relief entitled King of Terrors.

This whole article has and will continue to discuss immoral imitation and copy catting. Most commonly this focuses upon biblical text.

The devil is the immoral biblical copycat. Consequently, it should be expected that this theme can be found throughout Masonic initiations and in places with strong Masonic connections.

Refer the picture below showing ‘moses’ with horns on his head, holding the ten commandments in one hand and a scroll in the other. It is taken from Rosslyn Chapel, a building with prominent links with Freemasonry in its past and in its present.

It combines a representation of the mechanism of accusation together with immoral spin doctoring of biblical text. The horns are likely a reference to Ex 34:35 (Douay) which refers to the face of moses being horned ie sending out rays of light. However the horns together with the scroll and tablet would seem to summarise one of the fundamental definitions of a devil - the Old Testament accuser.

Consequently, the finding of the ‘scroll of Moses’ in the Royal Arch degree together with the reading of ‘let there be light’, which we know from the Third Degree refers to the Masonic Light and the derivation of Lucifer as ‘light bearer’, may be considered all the more dubious.

Freemasonry has used biblical text throughout their initiations and laced it with symbolism that is both anti-Christian and anti-Judaic. With the superficial appearance of having a biblical basis, this breaks down upon closer inspection. The initiations are simply a double tongued fiasco.

There is a simpler example of this principle of immoral Satanic copycatting in action.

Alistair Crowley, famous Satanist and occultist, was a member of the secret, sexual and occult group called Ordo Templis Orientalis. He is also attributed as being a Freemason by several popular sources.

A term for Jesus Christ is used in the Catholic Douay Version of Zacharias Chapter 3 and Chapter 6. He is called the Orient. This term is used in only three occasions in biblical text, the other refers to Jesus in Luke 1:78. The vision of the flying scroll is described in Zacharias Chapter 5.

This term is not found in the Protestant King James Version.

The name Ordo Templis Orientalis refers to a self proclaimed occult, sexual and Satanic group. It has incorporated a name for Jesus Christ in its title.

The title of the group is deliberately intended to be blasphemous which is not surprising considering the openly Satanic nature of the group itself.

The name of the group demonstrates the immoral imitation of biblical text. Further more the source of the groups name, Orient, is taken from the same immediate biblical vicinity as the vision of the flying scroll itself. Both the source of the name and the principle of immoral copying are contained within the space of four consecutive biblical chapters or three consecutive pages.

Freemasonry also incorporates this name into several titles of its various bodies.

Their Eye in All the Earth.

The second vision describes a woman that is contained in a vessel of some kind. Some texts describe this vessel as being a bushel ie a measure of volume normally around 33 litres. But in most it can only be interpreted as a container or a large cup. It is reminiscent of the Babylon in Revelations, holding a cup.

The woman is described as being wickedness itself.

The Douay Version specifically describes the vessel as ‘their eye in all the earth’. Since Freemasonry favours the Douay Version, especially, refer later section, this would seem to provide an alternative source for their symbol of the all seeing eye of their deity. It is completely consistent with the theme of this article that there would be an alternative and especially Catholic source for the symbol which has a link to either the devil or the widow Babylon.

The link between this woman and the Harlot in Revelations is strengthened not least because of the descriptive text. On one hand it is described as the definition of wickedness and on the other it is described as the mother of abominations.

She is sealed in the vessel with a circular disk of lead over its mouth before being taken to Shinar to establish a temple. Shinar is considered the home of the city of Babylon.

In Rosslyn Chapel, adjacent to the above representation of horned ‘Moses’ is the carving below. It shows a man holding a cup to his breast. Is it representative of the cup of Jesus or does it represent the cup of Babylon? Considering its close proximity to the carving of horned ‘Moses’ it is likely the latter. Both visions of the principle of the flying scroll and the cup of Babylon appear to be presented adjacent to each other in Rosslyn Chapel.

The aspect of Babylon and the feminine facade of Satanism is hinted at throughout the previous degrees. In the Royal Arch Degree the scroll and Zorobabel are used to provide a similar link in the same subtle fashion. The link is not found by accepting the ritual at face value, some amount of associated reading must be completed. Yet these connections are not random. Specific aspects of the rituals provide the sign posts.