Verbatim VerbatimA tool to remember text word for word. Chunk Memorize Recall Play " My Brother this degree is founded on the keystone of a certain arch of King Solomon's temple.|| It was wrought by our Grandmaster Hiram Abiff, but before he was slain, as we have had an account in the preceding degree. $ection it so happened that on the sixth day of a certain week, when the craftsman was carrying up their work for inspection, || a young Fellowcraft, seeing this piece of work, and concluding it designed for some portion of the Temple brought it up. ||He presented it to the Junior Overseer at the south gate || who observed that it was neither a regular oblong nor a square nor had it the mark of any of the workmen upon it; || but for its singular form and beauty, he was unwilling to reject it and suffered it to pass to the Senior Overseer at the west gate. || He, for similar reasons, suffered it to pass to the Master overseer at the East Gate, who called together his brother Overseers and held a consultation. || Observing that it was neither a regular oblong nor a square, || not having the mark of any of the workmen upon it, and they not knowing that which was upon it, || concluded it unfit for use and heaved it over among the rubbish. $ection The Senior Warden then informed King Solomon that the Temple was nearly completed || but that the workmen were at a stand for the want of a certain keystone|| which none of them had orders to furnish. || King Solomon, confidently believing that our grandmaster Hiram Abiff had completed this piece of work agreeably to the original design, || ordered inquiry to be made of the overseers to see if a piece of work bearing a certain mark had been presented to them for inspection. $ection Upon inquiry being made, it was found there had but for the reasons already given|| they concluded it unfit for use and heaved it over among the rubbish. ||King Solomon then ordered strict search to be made to see if it could be found. || Search was accordingly made, the stone found, and afterward applied to its intended use. $ection Its color was white and to it, alludes a certain passage of scripture, || "to him that overcometh will i give to eat of the midden manna, and i give him a white stone, || and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it." || (REV 2:17) $ection The new name is composed of words, of which the letters on the keystone are the initials. || They are HTWSSTKS. || In passing an ex@mination, you will alternate these words, as I now do with the Senior Deacon. Brother Senior Deacon, commence. $ection This was the mark of our Grand Master Hiram Abiff. || It is now the general mark of this degree, in the center of which each brother places his own private mark, ||to which the tie in your own obligation alludes.|| It will be necessary for you to select a mark and cause it to be filed with the Secretary,|| to be recorded in the Lodge Book of Marks, before you can lawfully receive the degree of Royal Arch Mason. $ection This degree was founded to be conferred on all who should be found worthy and well qualified.|| Not only as an honorary reward for their zeal, fidelity and attachment to masonry, || but to render it impossible that any brother, who should be found worthy of being advanced to this honorary degree || should ever be reduced to such extreme indigence as to suffer for the common necessaries of life, || when the price of his mark would procure the same. $ection A brother, presenting his mark and craving assistance, represents our Grand Master Hiram Abif who was a poor man;|| but, for his regular and upright conduct, his great skill in architecture and the sciences || became eminently distinguished among the craftsmen. || A brother, receiving the mark and granting assistance, represents our Grand Master Solomon King of Israel, || who was a rich man and eminently distinguished for his great liberality. "
