THE BUILDER February 1915

THE FOURTH DEGREE

BY WILLIAM F. KUHN, P.G.H.P. OF MISSOURI

The Royal Arch stands as the rainbow of promise in the Ritual; it
stands as the promise of the resurrection; of that which was lost
and that it shall be recovered. The question arises as to whether
the Master's Word was originally communicated in the Third Degree?
On this point there is some diversity of opinion. In our present
Ritual of the Third Degree the Master's Word is lost. Dr. Oliver,
a noted Masonic historian, says: "The True Word was never lost but
transferred to the Royal Arch," and in corroboration of this
statement further says: "I have before me an old French engraving
of the Ground Work of the Master's Lodge, dated in 1740, containing
the usual emblems and on the coffin is the 'True Word' in Roman
capitals." This would tend to prove that before the legend of Hiram
Abiff was introduced into the Master's Degree, the True Word was
communicated in the Master's Degree and not a Substitute Word. It
necessarily followed that when the legend of Hiram became a part of
the Ritual of this degree, the "loss" of the "Word" followed, as
the "loss" is a part of the Hiramic legend. But the "loss" without
a "recovery" would be an absurdity; to complete the symbolism of
Freemasonry, the "Word" must be recovered, hence the necessity for
a Fourth Degree, the Royal Arch.

In 1738, or earlier, the story of the loss of the Word and the new
legend, the Royal Arch, were gradually introduced into the lodges,
and when the division occurred, (1751) dividing the Freemasonry of
England into the "Moderns" and "Ancients," the latter organized a
Grand Lodge and adopted a Ritual of Four Degrees, the fourth being
the Royal Arch.

The Grand Lodge of "Moderns" evidently continued to use the old
Ritual, without the legend of Hiram Abiff, while the Grand Lodge of
"Ancients" used the new Ritual containing the Hiramic legend and
the Fourth Degree, until the year 1813, when the two Grand Lodges
united and formed the present Grand Lodge of England, known as the
United Grand Lodge of England. It is therefore to the Grand Lodge
of Ancients that we owe the Master's degree as found in our Ritual
and also the preservation of the Royal Arch Degree. One of the
Articles of union of the two Grand Lodges of England in 1813 was
the retention of the degrees as formulated by the Grand Lodge of
"Ancients;" hence, among the articles of agreement of this union,
we find the only declaration made anywhere or at any time as to
what constitutes "Ancient Craft Masonry." This article declares
that "Ancient Craft Masonry shall consist of the degrees of Entered
Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason, together with the Holy
Royal Arch."

We see, therefore, that the Royal Arch is merely the evolution of
a truth contained in the early Third Degree. It is not a "Higher
Degree," but the last volume of the series in a sublime story
revealed through symbolism. The Master's Degree without the Royal
Arch is a story half told, a song unsung and a promise unfulfilled.
The candidate is promised that he should receive, but is put off
with a "Substitute." He is left in darkness, in doubt, and to the
thoughtful one in a condition of disappointment. Yet, there is a
purpose behind this seeming deception. Light and revealed Truth
come only through toil and willing service. This lesson must be
learned before any Mason is qualified to know and appreciate the
Truth, The Master's Word. It is, possibly, unfortunate that the
Royal Arch Degree was separated from the "Blue Degrees;" but
whether fortunate or unfortunate, the Royal Arch stands as the last
of the degrees in Ancient Craft Masonry. It is the summit and no
Master Mason is in possession of all that Freemasonry teaches
without the Royal Arch. The series of four degrees continued to be
conferred under a lodge charter until about 1750, in America at
least. The earliest history that we have of the Royal Arch in this
country was in 1758, when it was conferred under a lodge charter in
Philadelphia. It was introduced into New York about the same time
by an English military lodge, in Massachusetts in 1869, where it
was conferred by St. Andrew's Lodge.

Since that time the Royal Arch Degree has remained secure in its
superior place. "The term Royal Arch Lodge was succeeded by Chapter
and Royal Arch Chapter. The word Chapter was used in Connecticut as
early as Sept. 5, 1783; in Pennsylvania, Sept. 5, 1789, in New
York, April 29, 1791; in Massachusetts, December 19, 1794. The word
Chapter took the place of Lodge in England, for the first time,
April 29, 1768. The word Companion, used in the Chapter in place of
Brother, was first used in England in 1778. These terms, Chapter
and Companion, were soon carried to America where they flourish as
elements in the Capitular system of degrees."

Such, in brief, is the history of the Royal Arch Degree; its
parentage is as legitimate as any of the degrees of Ancient Craft
Masonry; it sprang from the introduction of Speculative Freemasonry
into Operative Masonry--the fruit of symbolism and allegory. To be
a Master Mason is the highest and most honorable degree that any
man can attain; it entitles him to all the rights and privileges of
the Craft; all the accumulated so-called higher degrees do not add
anything to his Masonic stature. The Royal Arch is a part of the
Master's degree--the summit of its excellency. It is the privilege
and should be the duty of Master Mason to complete the Masonic
story, told in allegory and revealed in symbolism by receiving the
Royal Arch.

Would you be enrolled as one living in that future generation that
shall discover IT? Act now.

The Mark Master Degree.

The degrees of the Chapter are: Mark Master, Past Master, Most
Excellent Master and Royal Arch. The origin of the Mark Degree is
veiled in obscurity, like all Masonic degrees, but, like the
others, it sprang into existence in the earlier period of
Speculative Freemasonry.

It was customary for the operative Masons to select for themselves
a Mark, to be placed upon every piece of work wrought by them. This
was done in order to keep a check on each operative's work by the
Overseers, and to facilitate the payment of wages. Each Mark was
distinctive and the same Mark frequently descended from father to
son through several generations.

These Marks may be seen today on the stones in the old cathedrals
of Europe. Fac-simile copies are reproduced in all Masonic
histories. In Scotland, the operative Mason was required to
register his Mark by the Shaw's Statutes issued in 1598. From this
requirement of registration of the Mark, the Degree was evidently
evolved.

The earliest record of the Mark Degree being conferred in Scotland
bears the date of January 7, 1778. Yet this does not prove that the
degree was not conferred at a much earlier date. These records also
contain the information that the Mark Degree could not be conferred
upon any one not having received the degree of Fellowcraft and
Master. A report made to the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of
England states: "There is probably no degree in Freemasonry that
can lay claim to greater antiquity than those of Mark Man or Mark
Mason and Mark Master Mason."

The degree was conferred in Nova Scotia in 1784; in Connecticut in
1791; in New York in 1791 and in Boston in 1793. Like the Royal
Arch, the Mark Degree was originally conferred in the Lodge. In the
United States, the General Grand Chapter, R.A.M., issued Mark Lodge
Charters up to 1853, when it was prohibited and the degree passed
under Chapter control. In England the degree is under the control
of the Grand Lodge of Mark Masons; in Canada and in Scotland the
control is vested as in the United States.

The lessons of the degree are intensely practical, emphasizing the
great requirement in life, viz.: Qualification and service.

The Degree of Past Master.

The general use of the term, Past Master, by the Craft, means one
who has been elected, installed and served for twelve months over
a regular Lodge. The general use of the term does not imply a
separate degree, although in many lodges and formerly in Missouri,
the honorary grade of Past Master is conferred upon Masters elect
as a part of the ceremony of installation. This grade or degree was
or is conferred only in the presence of Past Masters. The degree is
the second in the series of the Chapter; hence arose the terms,
Actual Past Master and Virtual Past Master, the latter meaning one
who had received the degree in a Chapter but who had not been
elected or served as Master over a Lodge. A Virtual Past Master is
not entitled to recognition by the Grand Lodge as a Past Master.

The degree is an old one. We find the expression of Past Master
used in 1771 and implied as one who "having passed the Chair
through some ceremony." The Constitution of the Grand Lodge of
England, 1723, speaks of the installed Master passing through
certain "significant ceremonies." There can be no doubt as to the
antiquity of the degree. It dates from the birth of speculative
Freemasonry. The introduction of the degree into Capitular Masonry
rests on the fact that, originally, the Royal Arch was conferred
only on those who had been elected and presided over a Lodge as
Master, but it was manifestly unjust to a large portion of the
brethren to have such a restriction placed upon them and the Royal
Arch; the following law of 1789 illustrates this fact: "No brother
can be exalted until he has been at least three years a Master
Mason and has presided six months as Master of some regular
warranted Lodge or has passed the Chair of Dispensation." This law
shows the old restriction and the modification that was assuming
shape, permitting others than actual Past Masters to receive the
Royal Arch. An old law found in Harmony Lodge, No. 52,
Philadelphia, 1799, states: "That every brother who has not passed
the Chair shall pay fourteen dollars, out of which the Dispensation
shall be paid for; if he has passed the Chair for being exalted,
eight dollars."

That is, an actual Past Master could receive the Royal Arch Degree
for eight dollars, but one who has not received the Past Master's
Degree must obtain a Dispensation from the Grand Master to receive
it before he could be made a Royal Arch Mason and it cost fourteen
dollars.

When the Royal Arch Degree passed from under the control of the
Lodge and became a separate system, known as the Chapter, the
prerequisite to the Royal Arch remained, viz.: The Past Master's
Degree. The Virtual Past Master Degree became a part of the Chapter
series. The reason for this prerequisite becomes apparent when the
Lessons of this much abused, but beautiful, degree are studied and
understood. The lesson of obedience to authority is proof against
anarchy, and he who would teach must first learn to obey.

Most Excellent Master Degree.

A lie well told and repeated constantly becomes a truth to
credulous people. This applies to the oft repeated statement that
Thomas Smith Webb fabricated the American system of Capitular
Degrees and the Orders of the Commandery of Knights Templar. Any
man having an ounce of brains, and will use that ounce, will find
that the degrees of the Chapter and the orders of the Commandery
were in existence and conferred nearly fifty years before Webb was
born. The Most Excellent is frequently credited to his fertile
brain, and so stated by some Masonic writers, but fortunately there
is on record in Massachusetts and New York the date of Webb's birth
and the dates on which he received all the Masonic Degrees. The
dates go to show that the Most Excellent was known and conferred
before Webb became a Royal Arch Mason.

The latter half of the eighteenth century was prolific in Masonic
Degrees in France and England. The degrees of all Rites can date
their birth from 1723 to 1760, and in the maze of names and titles
of degrees we find a veritable jungle. In this period we find the
Irish System embraced The Chair, The Excellent, The Super
Excellent, The Royal Arch, The Knight Templar and the Prince Rose
Croix. The Scottish System embraced: The Mark Master, The Past
Master, The Excellent Master and the Royal Arch. St. Andrew's
Chapter, Boston, worked the Irish System, except The Chair, from
1769 to 1797. After 1799 the Mark, Past, Most Excellent and Royal
Arch were conferred. A prominent Masonic writer says of the change:
"This transition indicates and suggests that the Super Excellent
Degree contained the marrow and something of the bone of the Most
Excellent Degree."

From 1791 the Most Excellent was a well known degree and a part of
the Capitular system. The Super Excellent of this period must not
be taken for the Super Excellent appendant to the Council of Royal
and Select Masters of today. The Most Excellent Degree is a fitting
prelude to the Royal Arch, one of the most impressive degrees in
its ceremonies and sublimely spiritual in its symbolism.

What of the Hour?

What of the hour in Freemasonry? Brighter, stronger, clearer. We
often become discouraged and are inclined to be pessimistic; but
amid all the errors and stumbling, a better day is dawning, when we
shall see the beneficent labors of Freemasonry shinning in
effulgent splendor. Freemasonry is growing in power and
beneficence. As its immortal principles take root in the fallow
soil of the human heart and mind, it buds and blossoms into the
foliage of kindness and the Hesperidean fruit of charity toward all
mankind. While the Masonic tramp may be seen on the beautiful
highway of Freemasonry, there are many more today than ever, who
are toiling in mind and heart in the treasure strewn mines of
Freemasonry's realm.

Freemasonry today means more than negative plaudits and negative
principles; but she stand preeminently as a living, growing,
resistless power, whose end and aim is the exaltation of man and
the glory of "The I Am That I Am." Our ancient brethren journeyed
from Babylon to Jerusalem--out of bondage into freedom--with one
strong purpose in view. What was the desire so pre-eminent in their
hearts? What was the foundation of the zeal that actuated them to
undergo the trials and hardships of that weary journey? Let them
speak: "To aid in the noble and glorious work of rebuilding our
City and Temple of the Lord." It was Work, Work, Work. Not idleness
and ease

