Part 7
Brethren: It is our pride that we have our names on the records of Freemasonry. May it be our high ambition that they should shed a luster on the immortal page!
The hall is also dedicated to Virtue.
This worthy appropriation will always be duly regarded while the moral duties which our sublime lectures inculcate, with affecting and impressive pertinency, are cherished in our hearts and illustrated in our lives.
As Freemasonry aims to enliven the spirit of Philanthropy, and promote the cause of Charity, so we dedicate this Hall to Universal Benevolence; in the assurance that every brother will dedicate his affections and his abilities to the same generous purpose; that while he displays a warm and cordial affection to those who are of the Fraternity, he will extend his benevolent regards and good wishes to the whole family of mankind.
Such, my brethren, is the significant meaning of the solemn rites we have just performed, because such are the peculiar duties of every Lodge. I need not enlarge upon them now, nor show how they diverge, as rays from a center, to enlighten, to improve, and to cheer the whole circle of life. Their import and their application is familiar to you all. In their knowledge and their exercise may you fulfill the high purposes of the Masonic Institution.
How many pleasing considerations, my brethren, attend the present interview! While in almost every other association of men, political animosities, contentions, and wars interrupt the progress of Humanity and the cause of Benevolence, it is our distinguished privilege to dwell together in peace, and engage in plans to perfect individual and social happiness. While in many other nations our Order is viewed by politicians with suspicion, and by the ignorant with apprehension, in this country its members are too much respected, and its principles too well known, to make it the object of jealousy or mistrust. Our private assemblies are unmolested; and our public celebrations attract a more general approbation of the Fraternity. Indeed, its importance, its credit, and, we trust, its usefulness, are advancing to a height unknown in any former age. The present occasion gives fresh evidence of the increasing affection of its friends; and this noble apartment, fitted up in a style of such elegance and convenience, does honor to Freemasonry, as well as reflects the highest credit on the respectable Lodge for whose accommodation and at whose expense it is erected.
We offer our best congratulations to the Worshipful Master, Wardens, Officers, and Members of ...... Lodge. We commend their zeal, and hope it will meet with the most ample recompense. May their Hall be the happy resort of Piety, Virtue, and Benevolence! May it be protected from accident, and long remain a monument of their attachment to Freemasonry! May their Lodge continue to flourish; their union to strengthen; and their happiness to abound!--And when they, and we all, shall be removed from the labors of the earthly Lodge, may we be admitted to the brotherhood of the perfect, in the building of God, the Hall not made with hands, eternal in the heavens!
The Grand Lodge is again formed in procession, as at first, returns to the room where it was opened, and is closed in ample form.
MASONIC FUNERAL SERVICE
General Directions.
1. No Freemason can be buried with the formalities of the Fraternity unless it be at his own request or that of some of his family, communicated to the Master of the Lodge of which he was a member at the time of his death, foreigners or sojourners excepted; nor unless he has received the Master Mason degree; and to this rule there can be no exception.
2. Fellow Crafts or Entered Apprentices are not entitled to these obsequies, nor can they be allowed in the procession, as Masons, at a Masonic funeral.
3. The Master of the Lodge, having received notice of the death of a brother (the deceased having attained the degree of Master Mason), and of his request to be buried with the ceremonies of the Craft, fixes the day and hour for the funeral (unless previously arranged by the friends or relatives of the deceased), and issues his order to the Secretary to summon the Lodge. Members of other Lodges may be invited, but they should join with the Lodge performing the ceremonies.
4. Upon the death of a sojourner who had expressed a wish to be buried with Masonic ceremonies, the duties prescribed in Article 3 will devolve upon the Master of the Lodge within whose jurisdiction the death may have occurred, unless there be more than one Lodge in the place; and if so the funeral service will be performed by the oldest Lodge, unless otherwise mutually arranged.
5. Whenever other societies or the military unite with Masons in the burial of a Mason, the body of the deceased must be in charge of the Lodge having jurisdiction, and the services should, in all respects, be conducted as if none but Masons were present.
6. If the deceased was a Grand or Past Grand Officer the Officers of the Grand Lodge should be invited; when the Master of the Lodge having jurisdiction will invite the Grand Officer present who has attained the highest rank to conduct the burial service.
7. The pallbearers should be Masons, and should be selected by the Master, with the approval of the family of the deceased. If the deceased was a member of a Chapter or other Masonic body, a portion of the pallbearers should be taken from these bodies severally.
8. The proper clothing to be worn at a Masonic funeral is black or dark clothes, a black necktie, white gloves, and a white apron, and a sprig of evergreen on the left breast. The Master's gavel, the Wardens' columns, the Deacons' and Stewards' rods, the Tiler's sword and the Marshal's baton, should be trimmed with black crape. The officers of the Lodge and Grand Officers should wear their official jewels.
9. As soon as the remains are placed in the coffin there should be placed upon it a plain white lambskin apron.
10. If a Past or Present Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, or Grand Warden, should join the procession of a Lodge, proper attention must be paid to them. They take place after the Master of the Lodge. Two Deacons, with white rods, should be appointed by the Master to attend them.
11. When the head of the procession shall have arrived at the place of interment, or where the services are to be performed, the lines should be opened, and the highest officer in rank, preceded by the Marshal and Tiler, pass through, and the others follow in order.
12. Upon arriving at the entrance to the cemetery, the brethren should march in open order to the tomb or grave. If the body is to be placed in the former, the Tiler should take his place in front of the open door, and the lines be spread so as to form a circle. The coffin should be deposited within the circle, and the Stewards and Deacons should cross their rods over it. The bearers should take their places on either side--the mourners at the foot of the coffin, and the Master and other officers at the head. After the coffin has been placed in the tomb, the Stewards should cross their rods over the door and the Deacons over the Master. If the body is to be deposited in the earth, an oblong square should be formed around the grave, the body being placed on rests over it; the Stewards should cross their rods over the foot, and the Deacons the head, and retain their places throughout the services.
13. After the clergymen shall have performed the religious services of the church, the Masonic services should begin.
14. When a number of Lodges join in a funeral procession, the position of the youngest Lodge is at the head, or right, of the procession, and the oldest at the end, or left, excepting that the Lodge of which deceased was a member walks nearest the corpse.
15. A Lodge in procession is to be strictly under the discipline of the Lodge room; therefore no brother can enter the procession or leave it without express permission from the Master, conveyed through the Marshal. The Lodge is open and not at refreshment.
Service in Lodge Room.
The brethren having assembled at the lodge room, the Lodge will be opened briefly on the Third Degree; the purpose of the communication must be stated, and remarks upon the character of the deceased may be made by the Master and brethren, when the service will commence, all the brethren standing:
Master: What man is he that liveth and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the land of the grave?
S. W.: His days are as grass; as a flower of the field so he flourisheth.
J. W.: For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
M.: Where is now our departed brother?
S. W.: He dwelleth in night; he sojourneth in darkness.
J. W.: Man walketh in a vain shadow; he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
M.: When he dieth, he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.
S. W.: For he brought nothing into the world, and it is certain he can carry nothing out.
J. W.: The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
M.: The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
S. W.: God is our salvation; our glory and the rock of our strength; and our refuge is in God.
J. W.: He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
M.: Can we offer any precious gift acceptable in the sight of the Lord to redeem our brother?
S. W.: We are poor and needy. We are without gift or ransom.
J. W.: Be merciful unto us, O Lord, be merciful unto us; for we trust in Thee. Our hope and salvation are in Thy patience. Where else can we look for mercy?
M.: Let us endeavor to live the life of the righteous, that our last end may be like his.
S. W.: The Lord is gracious and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
J. W.: God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide, even unto death.
M.: Shall our brother's name and virtues be lost upon the earth forever?
Response: We will remember and cherish them in our hearts.
M.: I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me: "Write from henceforth, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord! Even so, saith the Spirit; for they rest from their labors."
Here the Master will take the Sacred Roll (a sheet of parchment or paper prepared for the purpose), on which have been inscribed the name, age, date of initiation or affiliation, date of death, and any matters that may be interesting to the brethren, and shall read the same aloud, and shall then say:
Almighty Father! in Thy hands we leave, with humble submission, the soul of our departed brother.
Response; Amen! So mote it be.
The Masonic funeral honors should then be given once; the brethren to respond:
The will of God is accomplished. Amen. So mote it be!
The Master should then deposit the Roll in the archives of the Lodge.
The following or some appropriate Hymn may be sung:
Ode--Air, Balerma. C. M.
Few are thy days, and full of woe, O man, of woman born! Thy doom is written, "Dust thou art, And shalt to dust return."
Behold the emblem of thy state In flowers that bloom and die; Or in the shadow's fleeting form, That mocks the gazer's eye.
Determined are the days that fly Successive o'er thy head; The number'd hour is on the wing, That lays thee with the dead.
Great God! afflict not, in Thy wrath, The short alloted span That bounds the few and weary days Of pilgrimage to man.
The Master or Chaplain will repeat the following or some other appropriate Prayer:
Almighty and Heavenly Father! infinite in wisdom, mercy and goodness, extend to us the blessings of Thy everlasting grace. Thou alone art a refuge and help in trouble and affliction. In this bereavement we look to Thee for support and consolation. Strengthen our belief that Death hath no power over a faithful and righteous soul! Though the dust returneth to the dust as it was, the spirit returneth unto Thee. As we mourn the departure of a brother beloved from the circle of our Fraternity, may we trust that he hath entered into a higher brotherhood, to engage in nobler duties and in heavenly work, to find rest from earthly labor and refreshment from earthly care. May Thy peace abide within us, to keep us from all evil! Make us grateful for present benefits, and crown us with immortal life and honor. And to Thy name shall be all the glory forever. Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
A procession should then be formed, which will proceed to the church or the house of the deceased, in the following order:
Tiler, with drawn sword. Masters of Ceremony, with white rods. M Master Masons. A Secretary and Treasurer. R Senior and Junior Wardens. S Past Masters. H The Chaplain. A The Three Great Lights L on a cushion, covered with black cloth, carried . by a member of the Lodge. The Master, supported by two Deacons, with white rods.
When the head of the procession arrives at the entrance to the building, it should halt and open to the right and left, forming two parallel lines, when the Marshal, with the Tiler, will pass through the lines and escort the Master or Grand Officer into the house, the brethren closing in and following, thus reversing the order of procession; the brethren with heads uncovered.
Service at Church or House of Deceased.
After the religious services have been performed, the Master will take his station at the head of the coffin, the Senior Warden at his right, the Junior Warden at his left; the Deacons and Stewards, with white rods crossed, the former at the head, and the latter at the foot of the coffin, the brethren forming a circle around all, when the Masonic service will commence by the Chaplain or Master repeating the following or some other appropriate prayer, in which all the brethren will join:
(Scripture can be used here.)
Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
Master: Brethren, we are called upon by the imperious mandate of the dread messenger Death, against whose free entrance within the circle of our Fraternity the barred doors and Tiler's weapon offer no impediment, to mourn the loss of one of our companions. The dead body of our beloved Brother lies in its narrow house before us, overtaken by that fate which must sooner or later overtake us all; and which no power or station, no virtue or bravery, no wealth or honor, no tears of friends or agonies of relatives can avert; teaching an impressive lesson, continually repeated, yet soon forgotten, that every one of us must ere long pass through the shadow of death, and dwell in the house of darkness.
S. Warden: In the midst of life we are in death; of whom may we seek succor but of Thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased. Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not Thy merciful ears to our prayer.
J. Warden: Lord, let me know my end, and the number of my days; that I may be certified how long I have to live.
Master: Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with Thee; Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; turn from him that he may rest, till he shall accomplish his day. For there is a hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. But man dieth and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up, so man lieth down, and riseth not till the heavens be no more.
S. Warden: Our life is but a span long, and the days of our pilgrimage are few and full of evil.
J. Warden: So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Master: Man goeth forth to his work and to his labor until the evening of his day. The labor and work of our brother are finished. As it hath pleased Almighty God to take the soul of our departed brother, may he find mercy in the great day when all men shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body. We must walk in the light while we have light; for the darkness of death may come upon us at a time when we may not be prepared. Take heed, therefore, watch and pray; for ye know not when the time is; ye know not when the Master cometh--at even, at midnight, or in the morning. We should so regulate our lives by the line of rectitude and truth that in the evening of our days we may be found worthy to be called from labor to refreshment, and duly prepared for a translation from the terrestrial to the celestial Lodge, to join the Fraternity of the spirits of just men made perfect.
S. Warden: Behold, O Lord, we are in distress! Our hearts are turned within us; there is none to comfort us; our sky is darkened with clouds, and mourning and lamentations are heard among us.
J. Warden: Our life is a vapor that appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth away. All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.
Master--It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
Response: So mote it be.
Ode--Air, Naomi.
Here Death his sacred seal hath set, On bright and by-gone hours; The dead we mourn are with us yet, And--more than ever--ours!
Ours, by the pledge of love and faith; By hopes of heaven on high; By trust, triumphant over death, In immortality.
The dead are like the stars by day, Withdrawn from mortal eye; Yet holding unperceived their way Through the unclouded sky.
By them, through holy hope and love, We feel, in hours serene, Connected with the Lodge above, Immortal and unseen.
The service may be concluded with the following, or some other suitable prayer:
Most Glorious God, Author of all good and Giver of all mercy, pour down Thy blessings upon us, and strengthen our solemn engagements with the ties of sincere affection. May the present instance of mortality remind us of our own approaching fate, and, by drawing our attention toward Thee, the only refuge in time of need, may we be induced to so regulate our conduct here that when the awful moment shall arrive at which we must quit this transitory scene, the enlivening prospect of Thy mercy may dispel the gloom of death, and that after our departure hence in peace and Thy favor, we may be received into Thine everlasting kingdom, and there join in union with our friends, and enjoy that uninterrupted and unceasing felicity which is allotted to the souls of just men made perfect. Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
If the remains of the deceased are to be removed to a distance, where the brethren cannot follow to perform the ceremonies at the grave, the procession will return to the Lodge room or disperse, as most convenient.
Service at Grave.
When the solemn rites of the dead are to be performed at the grave, the procession should be formed, and proceed to the place of interment in the following order:
Tiler, with drawn sword.
Masters of Ceremony, with white rods.
Musicians, if they are Masons; otherwise they follow the Tiler.
Master Masons.
Secretary and Treasurer.
M Senior and Junior Wardens. A R Past Masters. S H Chaplain. A L The Three Great Lights on a cushion, covered with black cloth, carried by a member of the Lodge.
The Master, Supported by two Deacons with white rods.
Officiating Clergy.
Pall Bearers. Pall Bearers. Mourners.
If the deceased was a member of a Royal Arch Chapter and a Commandery of Knights Templar, and members of those bodies should unite in the procession, clothed as such, the former will follow the Past Masters, and the latter will act as an escort or guard of honor to the corpse, outside the pallbearers, marching in the form of a triangle, the officers of the Commandery forming the base of the triangle, with the Eminent Commander in the center.
When the procession has arrived at the place of interment the members of the Lodge should form a square around the grave; when the Master, Chaplain and other officers of the acting Lodge, take their position at the head of the grave, and the mourners at the foot.
After the clergyman has performed the religious service of the Church, the Masonic service should begin.
The Chaplain rehearses the following, or some other suitable prayer:
Prayer.
Almighty and most merciful Father, we adore Thee as the God of time and eternity. As it hath pleased Thee to take from the light of our abode one dear to our hearts, we beseech Thee to bless and sanctify unto us this dispensation of Thy providence. Inspire our hearts with wisdom from on high, that we may glorify Thee in all our ways. May we realize that Thine All-Seeing Eye is upon us, and be influenced by the spirit of truth and love to perfect obedience--that we may enjoy Thy divine approbation here below. And when our toils on earth shall have ended, may we be raised to the enjoyment of fadeless light and immortal life in that kingdom where faith and hope shall end, and love and joy prevail through eternal ages. And Thine, O righteous Father, shall be the glory forever. Amen.
Response: So mote it be.
The following exhortation is then given by the Master:
The solemn notes that betoken the dissolution of this earthly tabernacle have again alarmed our outer door, and another spirit has been summoned to the land where our fathers have gone before us.