Rectified Rite: Beneficent Knights of the Holy City, Ritual for the Novitiate

essential points of view. Namely, the knowledge of oneself and of nature, and finally, the knowledge of moral duties toward men.

Beneficence is a need for sensitive and upright souls, and it is the purest pleasure that man can taste. It is through this that he manifests the living image of the Divinity he carries within himself: to dry the tears of the unfortunate, to relieve the infirm, to provide sustenance to the wretched, to defend the weak and the oppressed, to serve as a father to the orphan, to spread light and activity, to instruct men in their duties, to make them love virtue and truth through the sweetness of morals and the strength of example, to respect sovereigns and the laws inviolably, to obey them faithfully, to love and serve the fatherland, to exercise ardent charity toward all men without distinction of religion or sect, and to devote oneself courageously to the defense of the holy truths of Christianity.

These, Sir, are the duties strictly imposed upon the members of this order into which you desire to be admitted. If their magnitude does not frighten you, if you feel the desire and the strength to fulfill them in their entirety, enter into this order solely devoted to religion and beneficence. But it is not enough to practice the virtues it prescribes; important reasons compel us to observe the most profound secret regarding its nature and organization. Collect yourself for a moment, question yourself, and answer in the presence of all the brethren assembled here. Are you firmly and freely willing to observe all the duties of which I have just given you the idea, and to keep an inviolable secret regarding everything that will be unveiled to you in the future, of whatever nature it may be?

The aspirant having answered Yes, the Worshipful Master says to him:

It is not here that you must pronounce the engagement by which you submit yourself to the practice of the duties I have indicated to you. I will limit myself to requiring from you a preliminary declaration that ensures your discretion in all cases.

He informs him of the formula for the engagement of discretion and has him read it in a low voice.

I, [Name], [Name], Civilian, acknowledging that I have asked freely and voluntarily to be received into the interior order original: "ord. int.", whose origin and goal are veiled under the allegorical emblems of Masonry original: "Mcie". I promise and engage upon my honor never to reveal in any case, under any pretext whatsoever, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by word or by writing, or by any signs, to any man, Mason or otherwise, who has not contracted the same engagements as I, any of the things that are going to be entrusted to me or that will be in the future concerning the said interior order. If I fail in this, I consent to be deemed a man without honor and worthy of the contempt of all my brethren. In faith of which, I sign the present engagement in this assembly.

The Worshipful Master: You promise to sign the engagement that you have just read.

The aspirant having agreed, the Worshipful Master orders him to be brought forward, has him placed on his knees before the table, right hand on the steel referring to the sword, left hand on his heart. The said brethren stand around, having their swords drawn. When the Worshipful Master strikes the blow of order, all the brethren, being in their seats, remain standing in that attitude. The aspirant reads himself and pronounces aloud his preliminary engagement on the sheet that has been presented to him. Having risen after having read it, the Worshipful Servant presents him the pen to sign it. This being done, the Worshipful Master strikes a second blow of order, and all the brethren return their swords to the scabbard.

Then the Worshipful Master says to the aspirant: You are now, my dear brother, irrevocably engaged to the secret that is going to be unveiled to you. Prudence, and not the affectation of mystery, has dictated this precaution. We are now going to make known to you the order that has been veiled from you until now by the allegories and symbols of Masonry original: "Mcie", and the true order by which it has been replaced and to which you desire to belong.

My brethren, the mysteries are therefore going to cease from now on. There are no more emblems for us; we are going to leave behind the Masonic original: "mques" garments, but let us not forget that we must never take them up again with our brother Masons except to serve as a model for them in this career of virtues that must characterize us.

To the aspirant:

For you, sir, to whatever degree you may rise in the order, never forget that the compass, the square, the level, and the plumb line