sword & trowel may 2019 volume 6 no. 12 page 1€¦ · nine is given, each will resume his...

Sword & Trowel May 2019 Volume 6 No. 12


Vision Statement ..... 3 A Year has gone by ..... 4 Mysterious Nine ..... 8 Happenings in California ..... 19

Grand Sessions ....................................... 19 Scholarships ..... 22 Contacts ..... 23

Illustrious Grand Master Cryptic Masons: 23 Grand Secretary/Recorder: ..................... 23 Assistant Secretary/Recorder: ................. 23 Website ......... ......................................... 23 Officers: Grand Council Cryptic Masons California 24

Table of Contents


Vision Statement


A Year has gone by


Most Illustrious Companion William S. (Bill) Dann, KTCH, KYGCH Grand Master Cryptic Masons California

1. Chef Extraordinaire, S.K. Bill McBroome

2. Members of Pacific Council #37

3. Grand Master & Lady Anne, Grand Sentinel "son" Jeff White & "daughter" Lady Lisa

4. Grand Standard Bearer Gary Quintrell & Lady Heidi accompany Bill & Jeff & their Lady's

5. Grand Sentinel with Introductory Remarks

6. Gifts for Bill and Anne from ADR James Briggs

7. Anne receiving Bouquet from "Son" Jeff

8. MIGM making remarks

9. Softening the crowd

10. Serenading Lady Anne

11. Bill presenting 2019 I.M Michael Biesen with gifts.


By: Peter G. Champion Grand Captain of the Guard California 2018-2019

How many times during my Cryptic travels have I encountered the question, “Who are these mysterious nine companions mentioned in our ritual, and what is their regular alarm?” I don’t recall how many rituals, ciphers, Masonic encyclopedia, and diverse sources I’ve explored since being greeted in 1981, with nary a positive response to this question.

It appears that my question of, “WHO are these mysterious nine companions mentioned in our ritual ?” should have been, “WHAT is the mysterious nine?” To be more precise, the

question should have been, “What is the MYSTERIOUS NUMBER NINE mentioned in the ancient ritual ?”

Back in 1853, Avery Allyn’s “A RITUAL and ILLUSTRATIONS of FREEMASONRY, Accompanied by Numerous Engravings and a Key to the Phi Beta Kappa” was published by William Reeves of London, England. Allyn’s hundred and sixty-six year old book details the ritual of thirty Masonic degrees with meticulous illustrations of grips, chair placement, prop placements, and floorwork. I came across a University of Toronto Library pdf photocopy of Allyn’s book in early April 2019.

One of the degrees detailed in Allyn’s work is the “Select Masters Degree”. Where I expected to find the words in the opening ritual, “after the regular alarm of the mysterious nine”, I discovered the words, “after the regular alarm of the mysterious number nine”.

Incorporated within the 1853 opening is the following exchange (I have included dashes in lieu of some ritual):

H.K.T. Nine at night, Thrice Illustrious, when all prying eyes are - - -

K.S. Such being the hour, it is my pleasure that a council of select masters be now open for the dispatch of business. - - - you will therefore order the companions to their several stations, and after the regular alarm shall be given, let them proceed to their labours, according to the directions they have received.

H.A. Companions, it is our illustrious grand master’s orders that a council of select masters be opened for the dispatch of business; and after the regular alarm of the mysterious number

nine is given, each will resume his labour. (Solomon then knocks eight quick and one slow, and all the officers imitate him in their turn according to rank. Then all the companions knock eight quick and one slow with their hands.)

The following closing ritual reinforces the concept that the regular alarm of the mysterious number nine is the knock of eight quick and one slow:

K.S. What countryman are you?

C.G. A P

K.S. In what city was you born?

C.G. In P

K.S. What is your name?

C.G. G

K.S. What is it o’clock?

C.G. L – T - , the usual time to call from labor to refreshment.

The Regular Alarm of the Mysterious Nine?


K.S. What remains now to be done?

C.G. To retire in - - -

K.S. Companion Captain of the Guard, you will give notice to the companions by the mysterious number nine that this council is about to be closed. (The Captain of the Guard knocks eight quick and one slow, which is repeated by Hiram, King of Tyre and Hiram Abiff.)

Numerous rituals in Masonry refer to both “alarms” and “regular alarms”. Alarms at the door of the preparation room are never referred to as regular; nor are alarms by visitors at the Tyler’s door ever referred to as regular. A number of older rituals refer to the three knocks with the rod of the Senior Deacon at the station of the Junior Warden after a perambulation as a “regular alarm”. This would appear to be based on the fact that the alarms at the door to the preparation room and at the Tyler’s door may occur at haphazard times without any

regularity. Whereas, the three knocks by the Senior Deacon with his rod is expected and given with regularity after the perambulations when addressing the Wardens, thus they are “regular alarms”.

In the Select Master Degree ritual recorded by Allyn in 1853, the regular alarm of the mysterious number nine being “knocks eight quick and one slow” are always delivered at the same location in the opening ritual and closing ritual, thus the alarm is given with regularity in response to the Captain of the Guard’s command to perform them. It is probably fitting that I discovered the answer to my long sought question during my year as the Grand Captain of the Guard.

RAP-RAP-RAP-RAP-RAP-RAP-RAP-RAP - - - RAP


Grand Sessions

Happenings in California


Companions, your children, grandchildren, & for some, great-grandchildren may receive financial help for attending school. After opening up Scholarship Center website, have them go to bottom of page & find the Scholarship Manual in (PDF format – 450KB) to download.

There they will find instructions for filling out the forms.

This is the link which will take you to the public Grand Lodge web page on scholarships. All the information you need should be right there. This is a complete manual that you can download that talk about all of the scholarships available from the California Masonic Foundation as well as the Scottish Rite, York Rite, Eastern Star, High Twelve, DeMolay, Job’s

Daughters, & Rainbow for Girls.

Scholarships

http://www.freemason.org/scholarshipCenter/index.htm


Illustrious Grand Master Cryptic Masons:

Most Illustrious Companion, William S. Dann, KTCH, KYGCH Pacific Council No. 37 Grand Master Cryptic Masons of California

Grand Secretary/Recorder:

Philip Hardiman, OSV, KYGCH, PGHP Grand Secretary Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons California, Grand Recorder, Grand Council Cryptic Masons California, &

Grand Recorder, Grand Commandery Knights Templar California 1123 J Street Sacramento, CA 95814 E-mail: [email protected]

Assistant Secretary/Recorder:

Thomas Krummell, KCT, KYCH 1123 J Street Sacramento, CA 95814 e-mail: [email protected]

Website:

Grand York Rite of California

Note: Hyperlinks or links to other pages or web sites are prevalent throughout the document.

Contacts

mailto:[email protected]


http://www.yorkriteofcalifornia.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Grand.York.Rite.of.California/


Officers: Grand Council Cryptic Masons California

Most Illustrious Companion William S. Dann, KTCH, KYGCH & Anne

158th Grand Master Cryptic Masons Pacific Council No. 37

Right Illustrious Companion Eduardo Estrada, KYCH & Natasha

Deputy Grand Master Omega Council No. 11

Right Illustrious Companion Robert A. Morrison, KYCH & Pauline Grand Principal Conductor of the Work Butte Council No. 50

Most Illustrious Companion

Robert Whitfield, KYGCH, MIPGM & Genie GRAND TREASURER

Oakland Council No. 12

Most Illustrious Companion

Philip Hardiman, KYGCH, PGHP & Nancy Grand Recorder Sacramento Council No. 1

Most Illustrious Companion William E. Price, KYGCH, MIPGM & Janet

GRAND DIRECTOR OF RITUAL California Council No. 2

Right Illustrious Companion Richard E. Thornton, KYCH & Cara

GRAND CHAPLAIN (North)

Stockton Council No. 5

Right Illustrious Companion John Edward Bickerstaff & Jennifer GRAND CHAPLAIN (SOUTH)

H.Edward Barr's Oasis Council No.64

Right Illustrious Companion Peter G. Champion, KYCH & Janice

Grand Captain of the Guard San Luis Obispo Council No. 38

Right Illustrious Companion Guy M. Chalmers, KYCH & Jeanne GRAND CONDUCTOR OF THE COUNCIL Redwood Empire Council No. 46

Right Illustrious Companion Michael T. Sherman, KYCH

GRAND STEWARD Helix Council No. 58

Right Illustrious Companion Jeffrey A. White, KYCH & Lisa GRAND SENTINEL Pacific Council No. 37

Right Illustrious Companion William Miklos III, KYCH & Angelica

GRAND ORATOR Amador Council No. 31

Right Illustrious Companion Thomas A. Krummell, KCT, KYCH & Marcia ASSISTANT GRAND RECORDER Gateway Council No. 13

Right Illustrious Companion Efren D. Prado, KYCH

GRAND MARSHAL (North) King Solomon's Council No. 29

Right Illustrious Companion Ronald W. Alcorn III, KYCH GRAND MARSHAL (South) Alhambra Council No. 25

Right Illustrious Companion K. Mark Harris

GRAND SOLOIST/MUSICIAN Oakland Council No. 12

Right Illustrious Companion Andrew B. Pippin, KYCH & Julia GRAND BIBLE BEARER Ventura Council No. 15

Right Illustrious Companion Gary Richard Quintrell, KYCH & Heidi

GRAND STANDARD BEARER Pacific Council No. 37




















sword & trowel may 2019 volume 6 no. 12 page 1€¦ · nine is given, each will resume his...

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