Centros

(SB ^(lEANT) MASTER (IF ALL SYIIDOLIC LODGES.

Venerab~e Mastt’r—Ikt the great light of Toleration go forth Slid dilil tint’ firesof peisecutiuli. (Senior

~~‘ar-den takes one of the liglit~t and ritires.)

Venerable Mast”r—l hear the light of Truth into the world to over~ome fab~ehtood nn~h error, aiid tbis lidge is closi’d until the light riturns. (He retires with tIlt’

light anti the remaining brethren follow. whiCh closet

~lielodge.)

CHAPTER XXXVII

TWENTY-F IilbT DEGIIEE; NOACHITh OR PRUSSIAN

KNIGHT.

ORIGIN.

The most ancient ordcr of Noachite5” known, are

Note 845.—’ Noachite, or Prussian Knight. (Noachite eu Chevalier

?ruseaen.) 1 The toritty-firat degree of the Ancient and accepted Scot

tish Rite The history as well as the character of this degree is a

very singular one. It is totally unconnected with the series of liissoial, degrees sahich are founded upon the Temple of Solomon, and istraced to

the tower of Bahei. Hence the Prussian Knights cull ibemasivis

Noechites. or DiscIples of Noah, sahile they designate all other Masons asHiramites. or Disciples of Hiram. The early French rituals state that

the degree was transiated in 1757 from the German by. M de Bersic

Knight of Eloqueiice in the Lodge of the Count 5t, Gelaire. lnspirti,r

General of Prussian Lodges in i’ranee Lenning gives no credli to this

statement. hat admits that the origin of the degree must he 5ttribnti.~i

to the year above named. The destruction of the tower of Babel

consti-tutes the legend of the degree, whose mythical founder Is said to havc

been Peleg, Ito chief builder of that edifice. A singular regulatIon is that theic shail he no artificisi light In the Lodge room, and that lii meetings shaii he held on the night of the full moon of each month.

The degree was adopted by the Council of Emperors of the East and

west. and in that way became autiacqucoily a part of the s3stem of tue Scottish Rite. flut it is misplaced in any series of degrees supposed t”

emanate from ihe Solomonic Tcmpie It is. so an unditing link. aii

unsightly interruption of the chain of lcgcn,lary symbolism substituting

Noah for Solomon. and Peleg for Hiram Ahiff The Supreme Counell for

the Southcr,i JurisdIction has abondoned the original rItual and made

the degree a representation of the vebmgerieht or westphailan Franc

Judges But this by no means relieves the degree of the objeetion of

Masonic incompatibliity. That it a us ever adopted Into the Masonic

system is only to he attributed to the pusslos for high degrees a hi. h prevalied in France in the middle of the isat century. “—Mackey’s

Ency-clopudia of Jesamasanry, Article Noachate, or Prussian I Ight.

Nate 240,—”The legend of the degree describes the travels of Peleg from Bshi~l to the north of Europe, unit ends a ith the follosa log

narra-tive. In trenching the rubbish of the ~lt-mines of Prussia ,~ss found

in A D. 553, at a depth of fifteen cubits, the appearance of a trisiigiiiar building in which was a column of white marble, on sshh h was o ritten

in Itibrew the a hole history of the Noachites. At the side of ihis

coinmo was a tomb of freestone on which was a piece of agate liia, rilid

with ihe follossing epitaph Hero rest the ashes of Peleg, our Grand

Architect of the tow-cr of Babel. The Almighty had pity on hIm because

be became humble.’

This legend. aithoiigh wholly untenable on historl~ grounds, is not

absolutely puerile The dispersion of the human race iii the time of

Peleg had aiways been a topic of discussion among the learned. Long

dissertations bad been written to show that all the nuil~ins of the

world. esen America. had been peopled by the three sons of Noah and

their descendants, The object of the legend seems, then, to have heeii to impress the idea of the thorough dispersion. The fundamental Ides of the degree is. under the symbol of Peleg. to teach the crime of assump.

tion and the virtue of humility.

2. The degree was also adopted into the Rite of hliarsim. where it

is the thirty-fifth.~—Mackay’s Encyclopedia of Jreemaaansy. Article

Voachite, or Prussian Knight.

NOACIIITU OR PRU55IAN KNIGHT. 69

68 ^{NOACIHTE OR PRUSSIAN KNIGET.}

now called Prussian Knight Servants of the White and Black Eagle, which we gather from the German trans-lation by Berage, Knight of Eloquence and Lieutenant Commander of the CouncIl of Noachite in France, and Grand Mastei General Commander. The Most Ihlus~

trious Frederick of Brunswick, King of Pr’i~sia ~~as a patron of thc ordcr, as also his anccstors for 300 years.

This dcgree ~i’asestablished by the Prussians in order to coutnicinorate the discovery of the ancient trophies

while digging for salt mines, and to perpctuatc the buIlding of the tower of Babel by the desCendants of INoah. The Arksis and Dove illustrate the mercy of the Lord in the preservation of Noah and his faluily,

Nots 241.~”l’redericli the Great was certainly a Mason. But Carlyle,

in lila usual sarcastic veiii adds The Cro~~ n Priii.e pruoei ated his

ktaaoiiry at Reiiiaberg or (Isen here, occasionally, fur a ear or too, hut was never ardent in it. and very soon after his accession left off

alto-gether . A lto~ai Lodge was established at Berlin of which the new

kiiig consented to he patroil. hut he never once entered the p lace and naily his portrait ta weteomeiy good ole, still to be found there) presided aver ihc uiysterie5 of that eat ililishment

Now how much of truth o ith the sarcasm, and how much of sarcasm

n ithoot the tenth, there la iiithis remark of t7arl3 Ic. is just n hat the I,i ‘sonic ~~,rld is ts,iiiid tii discover Until further tight ii thr o a np—it

itic sobjed by documelitiro evidence froni the Pruasiar Lodges, the

Qileatinhi isonit be d.fiuiltely ansucred. But what is the now known

further Nitia’inie history of Frederick?

Builfeld tells us that the zeal of the Prince for the Fraternity iodiice’l him ii iiivili the Baron von tibcrg and himscif to Reinniiirg. o here iii 1739. they fi.oiiiied a Lodge iiil~, ~hi’h Ket ocrilite. Jordan. Moolcodorf.

Qucis. cud predersdorf tgrederlek’s valet) were admitted.

itleifeid is again oar aiitl~orilV for slating that cii the 20th of Jane.

17411. Klng Fredetlek—far he had then ascended the ibrone—heid a

Lodge at Chsriotteuibiirg, and, as Master in the chair, initiated l’rlnee

WIlliam of l’roosis his heother. the Siargrave Chines of Brandenburg.

and Frederick William. l)iike of ji~.lstein. The Duke of Holstein wiis

seven ye.irs afterwards clc~ted Aiijiitant Grand Waster of the Grand

Lodge of the Three Globes at Berlin

We hear no moreof Fredirleks Siasonrv in the printed records uiiill the 16th of July. 1774. when he granted his prol.etiin t” tue Nati”ii.ii Grand Lodge of Germany. and officially spp~oved of the treaty with iii, Grond Lodge of England. by which the National Grand Lodge was eoleh

~15hcd~MackOya £ntiytlopaedia of Freemasonry, Article Frederick the

Great.

348.—”Arlt of Noab. tine of the three Sacred Siructares, it wso

made ~,f Clire—a or tIle ig.ph.r) wood The pi.iiiks ifler heing roil

tt.g.lher. 55cr, tirolecied hv s’.siting of pitth. lald liside and outside

~ mike it ssater tight. The Ark consisied of a number of small com

pariments arranged In three stories A window, iS inches bread usia

made in the roof. eziending. perhaps, its Whole length There nsa a

door in ihe aide The whole structure was 450 iong. 75 feel hraed end

45 high The Temple of Solomon was the same height a. ihe Ark hti’

only one-fifth as long —Morrias Masonie Dictionary, Articla Ark of

Noah.

I

when all the rest of mankind were destroyed. The pagans called this degree by the name of Pilaus, the name of their Deity; but the Knights of our day ac-knowledge no other God but the Great Architect of the Universe, and find It thcir chief happiness to worship him and keep his commandmcnts. In the timcs of Ihe crusades the Knights of the different orders were initi-ated into this dcgree by the Christian Princes in order to conquer the Holy Land which was invadcd by the infidels. Those masons that were desccndcd from Sol-omon were most attachcd to thc Noachites5t5 and were initiated into their order and admitted Prussian Knights, and according to the mysteries of masonry, sincc which time none are admitted to this degree un-less they have received all the degrees of Ancent Craft Masonry.

DECORATIONS:—A Grand Chapter must be held in

a retired place, on the night of the full moon. The place is lighted by a large window or opening so ar-rangcd as to admit the rays of the moon, which i.~ the only light allowed, at as early an hour of the night as practicable. The presiding officer sits facing the moonlight, and the Knights in front of him and on either hand, in no particular place or order.

OFFICERS555—There are seven officers, viz:

First—Knight Lieutenant Commander.

Second—Knight Official or Grand Inspector.

Note 249.—This name is applied to freemasons as the successors, in

piety and virtue, of that eminent preacher of righteousness, Noah.’—

Moms aMasonic Dictionary, Article Noachidae,

Note 858.—in the modern ritual the meetings aro called Grand

Chapters The officers are a Lieutenant Commander, two Wardens, an

Orator, Treasurer, Secretary. Master of Ceremonies. Warder, and

Stand-ard Bearer The apron is yellow, inscribed with an arm holding a sword

and the Egyptian figure of silence. The order is hiack. and the jewel

a fail moon or a triangle traversed by an arrow. In the original ritual

there is a coat of arms belonging to the degree, which is thus

embisa-oned Party per fees, in chief. asure. seine of stars, or a full moon,

argent: in base, sable, an equilateral triangle, having an arrow

sos-cuended from its upper point, barb downwards —Mackeys Eocyoiepaedia

ef Freemasonry, Article Noachite, on Prussian Knight,

70 ^{NOACIIITE OR} rRU~r.iA.’~ KNIOJIT.

Third—Knight Introductor.

Fourth—Knight Orator.

Fifth—Knight of Chancery or Grand Secretary.

Sixth—Knight of Finance or Graiid ‘I’reisurcr.

Seventh—Knight Captain of the Guards.

The members are called Prussian Knights.

on~ss :—Black, with u~words, hpurs and black masks.

All the officers wear the jewel of the order, fastened to the button hole of the waist coat.

SASh :—Black, worn from right to left.

JE~vEL;—Silvcr moon, full, or a golden triangle

traversed by an arrow, point downwards, suspended from a collar; on the jewel is an arm upraiscd holding a nakcd sword and around it the motto, Fiat Just dia, Ruat Coclum.

APRON AND GLOVES:—Yellow: on the upper part of

the apron is a naked arm upraised, holding a naked

sword, and under it a human figure erect ~vithiwings, with the forefinger of the right hand upon his hips, and the other hand hanging by his cide holding a key, being the Egyptian figure of sihenee.sii

Note 35l.~”Secreoy and silence, These virtues constitute the very

esauuuu e utfalt Niastutuit uharattu~r. they are the safegua~d tuf the itustito-tion. giving to it all its security and perpetuity, and are enfutrueti hi fru.iuuutt adnuonitiouts itt ail the uiegrees. from the luuwest it, ihe highust The Entered Aprtru.uttice begins his Msmttuic career by learning the duty

of veerecy and silenuc iluoce it is apprtupriste that in that degree

~hith is the consumunstiuto of lutitlatioti. in which the whole cycie of Mastunie science is ttuinttiuteti. the uhatrutne mauhitutry of symholiem shutuuld he employed to impress the same important virtues on the mitud of the neoph~ te.

The same principles of set recy and silence existed in all the ancient

tny,tteries situ sTatutes of worship. When Aristotle was asked what

thing appeared to him to he most difficult of perft’rmuuuucc. be replied.

~To be secret and sitetut

‘it we tutrus uttur eyus hatk to antiquity,’ says Caleott, ‘we shall find that the old Egyptians ht,d so great a reguird fiur siiu’nce and secrecy itt the mysteries of their iu’iigiutn. thuit they act tip the god Harpoerstes.

10 us huum they paid pecutiur h.’nor anti votration teho us as r.iuru.senteut with right ittund piaced near the heart. a,juii hue icft down by his stilt covered with a skin before, tutu of u.y’s

Apuicitus. who was so iniliste it, ihu~ int-sieuies or Isis says ‘By m peril wiii I ever be compelied to diatiuse tut the uuninitiuuted the things that I itane had iniriusted tut me out tondititut of siienu e

ljuheuk. in his Agianpbamus. lutus etuiluilud several crumples of the teinetanec us ith which tite sut’ icois aruprusebtul a mvsiiu~uui euthicul and the manner iuu whi’h they shrank from divulging any explanation or fable

Which haul been related to them at the nuysteries. under ihe seal of

sei’ri.ey suid silenee.’—Mackeye Encyclopaedia of Freemasenry, Article Ieueci andSilence.

NOACHITE Oi~ rauss~A~ KNIOjiT.. 71

DRAFT:—Represents the firmament wilh full moos and stars, on which the c~e may rest. There are nine wax candles, in three rows in front of the altar, but not lighted. In the West is a representation of Noah’s Ark, with~ a dove holding an olh’c leaf in his beak flying to the window whence it was let ouL. Jn one part of the ChapLer is an Urn made of an agate stone, and in another part a representation of the Tower of Babel and near it a coffin with a human figure ir~ it.

BATTERY:—Three equi-timed strokes (0 0 0).

AItMORIAL BEARINGS:—First—Blue, with silver moon

surrounded with gold stars.

Second—Black, with the triangle and the gold dart

OPENINO CEREMONIES. 73

OPENING CEREMONIES

TWENTY-FIRST DEGREE; NOACItITE OR PRUSSIAN

K^~‘JIGlIT.

Lieutenant Commander—Knight Official, the full moon is midway between the horizon and the zenith, and the hour for this Grand Chapter to convene has arrived, let the Knight Captain of the Guards post the Sentinels that no spy may gain admission among us.

Knight Official—Knight Captain of the Guards, you will see that the Sentinels are posted, that no spy may gain admission among us. (Captain of the Guards

re-tires for a short time and returns.)

Captain of Guards—Sir Knight Official, the Sentinels are posted, and we are in security.

Knight Official—Illustrious Lieutenant Coininander.

the Sentinels are postM, and we are in security.

Lieutenant Commander—Sir Knight Official, you will now examine every Knight present and receive from each the pass-word, that we may know that all present are Prussian Knights. (Knight Official re-ceives the pass-word from each Knight.)

Knight Official—Illustrious Lieutenant Commander, all have the pass-word. None but true Knights are present.

Lieutenant Com~mander—Sir Knight Official, are you a Prussian Knight?

Knight Official—I am.

Lieutenant Commander—How were you received a Puissant Knight?

Knight Official—By the light of the full moon, like Qur ancient brethren initiated in the temple of Betus.

Knight Commander—Do you kuow the names of the sons of Noah?

Knight Official—I know three of them.

Lieutenant Commander—What are they?

Knight Official—Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Lieu tanant Commander—Give me the sign?

Knight Official—(Gives it)

Lieutenant Commander—Give me the pass.word.

Knight Official—(Gives it)

Lieutenant Commander—(Three knocks; 000) All rise Together, Sir Knights

AIl—( Raise their arms toward Heaven, sword in the right hand turn towards the moon, then drop their arms and face the Lieutenant Commander.)

Lieutenant Commander—I declare this Grand

ChaD-~eropen. Be seated, Sir Knight..

INITIATION. 75

In document MÁSTER UNIVERSITARIO EN ASTRONOMÍA Y ASTROFÍSICA Astrometría automática para los telescopios IAC80 y TCS del Observatorio del Teide Curso 2014-2015, convocatoria de septiembre de 2014 Trabajo dirigido por: (página 65-72)