Sons and Daughters of King Solomon of South Carolina
Ritual
Arrangement of the Lodge Room
1979
Every Lodge room shall be arranged according to Convenience. The Counsellor
shall be seated on an elevated platform in one end of the building with the
female supported on the right hand side. The Vice Counsellor shall be seated at
the other with the female supporter at the right. The secretaries shall be
seated as follows: Recording Secretary in front of female assistant to
Counsellor, and Financial Secretary in front of the Counsellor, both being near
enough, however, to receive any communications from the Counsellor. The
Conductor shall be seated near to and in front of the Vice Counsellor, the Inner
Guards shall sit one within the door and the other without the door, according
to election.
The members shall then be seated in the remaining space, forming themselves
as nearly as possible into a hollow space.
Opening the Lodge
When the Counsellor of any Lodge desires to open the same, having taken his
seat, he shall give one rap of the gavel as a warning calling the Lodge to order
and the officers to fill their respective stations and the members to their
seats. The Counsellor gives second rap which means silence and says:
Brother Vice Counsellor, will you have the Conductor to take up the password and
see if all present are S. & D. of Solomon members. The
Conductor now proceeds to take up the password and report the same to the Vice
President, who at once informs Counsellor.
The Counsellor gives three raps when the Conductor reports: Your
orders are obeyed, Brother Vice Counsellor says:
Thank you Brother.
The Counsellor now rising, gives three raps, when all of the officers and
members will rise. The Counsellor then says: Brothers and Sisters,
let us forge the chain around our common anvil all
gathering around the anvil and the tie is now formed.
The Counsellor says: Will someone inform me what our sign
represents.
Anyone or all may answer: An unbroken
chain.
Counsellor: Thank you, let us all repeat three times: Our links of
chain shall never sever,
As long as we shall pull together.
Lodge will rise and the Counsellor shall say: Dear Brothers and
Sisters, God has permitted us to assemble ourselves together once more.
We are thankful for this and while we are desirous of having a businesslike
as well as pleasant time in our deliberations, yet we would not feel safe in
further proceedings without invoking the blessing of the Supreme Architect and
Ruler of the Universe upon us in our assemblage here and upon all members of
this Order everywhere, I therefore, call upon every one present to join with us
in our Devotional Exercises. Let us sing Hymn to 7’s.
Lord we come before Thee now,
At Thy feet we humbly bow;
Oh, do not our sult disdain,
Shall we seek the Lord in vain?
Lord on Thee our souls depend,
In compassion now descend;
Fill each heart with Thy rich grace
Tune our lips to sing Thy praise.
Counselor continues: Let us now be led in prayer: Brother
Chaplain, you will please perform your duty. Chaplain
now offers prayer extempore, at the conclusion all repeat: Amen,
Amen, Amen; and with the right hand salutation is shown
by all and then the Counsellor says: I declare this Lodge open in due
form for the transaction of all business which may lawfully come before it.
Secretary, you will please proceed to call the roll.
Order of Business
1st. Calling Roll.
2nd. Arranging of Absentees.
3rd. Reading the Minutes of previous session.
4th. Reports of committee on sickness and distress.
5th. Unfinished Business.
6th. Miscellaneous, considering of applications for membership for good and
welfare of Order,
7th. Report of Financial Secretary and calling of Financial Roll.
8th. Report as to collections and disbursements of the evening.
Initiation Of Members
The Counsellor having pronounced the Lodge ready for business, the outside
Guard shall take charge of the candidates if they are young, blindfold them and
alarm the door by giving two raps. The blindfold shall be kept on until they
appear before the Counsellor.
Counsellor, * *: Brother Guard, I hear an alarm at the door. You
will give the usual sign and ascertain the cause.
Inside Guard proceeds to the door, * *: Who comes there? Who comes
there?
Outside Guard answers: A poor wayfaring stranger.
Inside Guard: What is he seeking?
Outside Guard: Refuge.
Inside Guard: You will please tarry here a moment until I shall
make known your petition to the Worthy Counsellor and members of the Order.
Inside Guard, in front of the anvil, * *: Worthy Counsellor, I
have attended alarm at door and find the cause to be a candidate seeking refuge.
Counsellor: Thank you Brother Guard, you may resume your station.
Counsellor: Brothers and Sisters, you have heard the report of the
Guard, is there any room among us for a poor stranger who is seeking refuge?
Chaplain: Worthy Counsellor, before the brothers and sisters
respond, let me ask are they qualified?
Counsellor: Brother Chaplain, your question is in order. I shall
therefore ask who instructed them to come here for refuge.
Deputy rises: Worthy Counsellor, and members of the Sons and
Daughters of Solomon, I, your humble servant, pointed them hither and shall
vouch for their qualifications, Brother Deputy? Deputy
answers: They are possessed of good moral character, are sound in
body and mind, are Industrious in habit and have been elected to membership by
ballots of this Lodge.
Counsellor: Thank you. To Chaplain:
Are you now satisfied with the answers that have been given to your inquiries?
Chaplain: Most Worthy Counsellor, I am satisfied.
Counsellor: Then I shall ask the members again, Brothers and
Sisters, is there any room among us for this stranger?
Members (all): Room, room and yet there is room.
Counsellor: Brother Deputy or Conductor, since they are duly
qualified and the Chaplain and members of our Order have been satisfied at to
the same, you will now permit them to enter.
The Deputy then makes the proper signal at the door; the candidate is
admitted; he is now conducted by the Deputy in front of the Counsellor's stand,
where the Deputy shall say: Worthy Counsellor, here is the stranger
who is seeking refuge among us.
Counsellor: Brother Deputy, is he duly qualified, sound in body
and in mind, and industrious in habit?
Deputy: He is, Most Worthy Counsellor.
Counsellor, rising, * * *, calling the entire Lodge to order, and says to
Candidate: Well, stranger, you have come seeking refuge among us;
thus for you have run well, but before you advance further on your journey, let
me read you a few verses from the Word of God;
Matthew 11, 28 and 30 says: Come unto Me all that labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek
and lowly in heart, and yet shall find rest into your soul for My yoke is easy
and burden is light.
Counsellor: You will now be conducted around the anvil twice while
the Lodge will join with you in singing S.M.
A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify;
A never dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.
Help me to watch and pray,
And on Thyself rely,
Assured if I my trust betray,
Is halt forever die.
To serve this present age,
My calling to fulfill,
O may it all my power engage,
To do my master's will.
Counsellor: Thank you, Brother Deputy, you will now introduce the
candidate to the Chaplain of the Order, who will now see that he takes upon
himself the proper obligation of the Sons and Daughters of Solomon members.
Deputy now conducts the candidate in front of Chaplain, and after giving two
raps (to be answered by Chaplain) says: Worthy Counsellor, I now
present to you …, a poor stranger. He has been examined by our noble
Counsellor, and He has sent him to you that, he may take on himself the solemn
vow of this Order.
Chaplain: Thank you, Brother Deputy, and you will now cause the
candidate to give his attention while I read to them Psalm 133:
Behold how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like a precious ointment upon the head, that ran down the beard, even
Aaron's beard, that went down to the skins of his garments; as the dew of
Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion; for there the
Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. You have heard the reading
of the word; let it ever be your guide through life. You are now about to take
upon yourselves a very solemn obligation, and I appeal to each of you that you
call upon your Heavenly Father in prayer to give you strength and wisdom to
maintain the same as long as your lives shall last, let us pray.
Chaplain offers a short prayer, then says: You will now place your
right hand upon the book and calling your own Christian name, repeat after me:
I solemnly affirm that I will not become a member or support in any way any
society or lodge of the same name unless the same is a part of the Grand Lodge
of the S. & D. of Solomon, and subordinate thereto and recognized by the
said Grand Lodge in good standing. I further promise that I will not reveal
secret works to any person or persons not known to me to be members of this
Order in good standing, and I will not permit the same to be done in my
presence, if in my power to prevent same, so help me God.
What is your name?
What is your age?
Are you married, if so, what is your wife’s or husband's name?
How many children have you?
What are their names?
What is your occupation?
Where do you live?
When the above questions have been properly answered and oath taken, the
Lodge wilt join in singing:
My soul be on thy guard,
Ten thousand foes arise;
And hosts of sins are pressing hard,
To draw Thee from the skies.
Chaplain: I shall turn you over to the Deputy, who will give the
grip and password, and as you receive them you will give them to me. The
Deputy now communicates the grip and password and the newly made member give the
same to the Chaplain, who responds to him by saying: Correct, my
Brother (or Sister).
Afterward the Chaplain says: Since I perceive that you are in
possession of the grip and password, you will now be introduced to the Worthy
Counsellor. While you march the Lodge will join with you in singing 7’s.
Lord, we come before Thee now,
At Thy feet we humbly bow;
Oh, do not our suit disdain.
Shall we seek the Lord in vain?
Lord on Thee our souls depend,
In compassion row descend;
Fill each heart, with Thy rich grace,
Tune our lips to sing Thy praise.
Halting in front of the Counsellor, he shall examine candidate and then say:
I find you to be possessed of the grip and password; I shall therefore ask the
members concerning your further reception.
The Counsellor now gives three raps, when all shall stand and say: Brothers
and Sisters, this candidate has given me full satisfaction that he has been
initiated, and further, he is in possession of the grip and password of the
Order, Is he welcome?
Members all respond with two claps of the hands: Welcome! Welcome!
Counsellor taking the newly made member by the hand, shall say: In
the name of our Order, I bid you welcome, and may you ever remain faithful.
All the officers and members: We bid you welcome.
Counsellor: You will take your seat among the members.
Form of Closing
When the hour of adjournment shall arrive the Counsellor shall signify his
intention to close Lodge by giving one rap and saying:
Brother Vice, I am about to close this Lodge and I call upon you and your
worthy supporters to lend me your assistance.
Vice Counsellor now gives one rap and says: Attention all! The
Most Worthy Counsellor of this Lodge of the S. and D. of Solomon, Brethren and
Sisters, who have been engaged in the transactions of their, usual business now
desires to close the same. You will please notify the Inside Guard that he may
notify the outside Guard.
Conductor reports: Your orders obeyed.
The Counsellor now rising gives three raps when all of the officers and
members will rise. The Counsellor then says: Brothers and Sisters,
let us forge the chain around our common anvil all
gather around the anvil and the tie is now formed.
The Counsellor says: Will some one inform me what our sign
represents?
Anyone or all may answer: An unbroken chain.
Counsellor: Thank you, let us repeat three times: Our links of
chain shall never sever.
As long as we shall pull together.
Counsellor: Brother Chaplain, will you give us the tenet of Our
Order?
Chaplain answers: With pleasure, Most Worthy Counsellor, the tenet
of our Order and all other Orders founded upon Christianity is expressed in
these four words, "In God We Trust." Counsellor:
I thank you, Brother Chaplain, and since this is the Tenet of our Order, I will
thank the members to repeat tenet three times.
Counsellor: We will sing our closing hymn in C.M.
We meet, O Jesus, in Thy name,
And in Thy name we part;
We part in body, not in mind,
Our minds continue one.
Together let us sweetly live,
Together let us die;
And each a starry crown receive,
And reign above the sky.
Counsellor: Brother Chaplain, you will please pronounce the
benediction.
Chaplain: May the blessings of the Almighty God and His Son, our
Lord Jesus Christ and of the Holy Ghost be with us and all of the members of
this Order and with His true children everywhere, both now and forever, Amen!
Lodge responds: Amen, Amen, Amen!
Counsellor giving one rap says: I now declare this Lodge closed in
due form and to stay closed until our next regular meeting, unless for some
unforeseen cause we shall be sooner called together. Take due notice and be
governed accordingly, Brother Conductor, inform the Guard.
The Lodge shall respond with salutation sign: So it is! So it is!
So it is!