Templar Edification

By: Companion Eric Thiem In the Select Master Degree, we are informed of items of significance that are placed in the Ark of the Covenant to be discovered by future generations on their return from Babylon; or in the case of York Rite Masonry to be discovered previously in the Royal Arch Degree. One of those items to be placed in the Ark is an omer of Manna. Doing research; one finds that an omer was an ancient unit of measurement, which is one tenth of an ephah, roughly equivalent to 1.5 to 2 quarts worth. Another definition is the amount of manna it would take to feed one over a period of time, roughly seven weeks or the time between Passover and Shavuot (1) . The Old Testament describes manna as being a fine flake like bread that tasted like wafers that were made with honey. In Exodus 16:19-20, Moses instructs the Israelites not to keep the manna more than a day and when the Israelites disobeyed Moses and kept it and they discovered the manna to be full of maggots and have a pungent...

Compiled by SK Ray Hayward, REPGC 2012-2013 1. All commanderies used to be known as encampments. 2. The name of the famous High Priest of Egypt, Imhotep, means “He who comes in Peace.” 3. Knights Templar used to wear aprons. They were triangular and had a metal skull and crossbones on it. When that was phased out, the whole uniform became the apron. 4. The first person knighted as Masonic Knights Templar in the Colonies was Capt. William Davis, August 1769, followed by Paul Revere, December 1769, and Joseph Warren, May 1770. 5. Knights Templar originally carried daggers in addition to their swords. These were hung at the end of the baldric. 6. Minnesota produced one Grandmaster of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar, Charles N. Orr. 1943-1946. ATC Pierson served as Grand Junior Warden of the Grand Encampment. 7. Knights Templar vote yes with their sword arm, their right, and no with their bridle arm, their left. 8. Our swords reflect alchemical refinement and transmutation. We go f...

In York Rite Masonry, we are introduced to the presence of Cherubim and their importance to our Masonic Ritual. The part of Masonic Ritual where the presence of Cherubim is most prominent is when we do the circumambulations in the Royal Master Degree where the Cherubim (if enough members are present) greet the candidate and the Conductor of the Council as they make their way around the Council. The first mention of Cherubim in York Rite Masonry is during the Super Excellent Master Degree during the dedication of the Temple after the Keystone is lowered into place. The Ark is placed into the completed Temple and upon the Ark are Cherubim indicating the presence of God. When we do the opening of the Royal Arch Degree, the Captain of the Host mentions the Masters of the Veils are guards of the Veils. He mentions that on the veils are representative of the four tribes of Israel, Judah, Ephraim, Ruben and Dan an on each banner is delineated a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle. This is the are...

 Gothic Bible Fragment from “Parallel Pronouncing Bible”, John Williams & Co., N. Y., 1890 “Father our thou in heaven, blessed name, thy come kingdom, thine become, will thy as in heaven so on earth. Loaf our this daily, give us this day, and forgive us, that sinful are just as also we forgive those sinful to us. And not bring us into temptation, but lead us from this evil, for thine is kingdom and might and glory into eternity. Amen.” A 19th Century Gothic Bible facsimile of the Lord’s Prayer found within the Minneapolis Scottish Rite Center is reminiscent of versus, signs, tokens & ideals observed in York Rite Masonry. Kudos to Dawson College for translating select passages into English a few decades ago, that is greatly appreciated and perhaps even more so for those of us who regularly recite the Lord’s Prayer when an Asylum or Conclave of Knights Templar is opened in due form. It is rare to happen upon art or written word that predates its 6th Century origins, which is ...