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Excellent Master
The Grade of Excellent Master, or Excellent Mason as it was known
in its earlier working, is of such age as to confuse us in estimating
just how old it is. It is almost safe to state that it is as old as is
Royal Arch Masonry, because it has always formed a part thereof. Even
in the United States it is mentioned as early as 1769, when in St.
Andrew’s Chapter, Boston, a Brother was "made by receiving the four
steps, that of an Excellt., Sup.-Excellt., Royll. Arch and Kt.
Templar."
Until the first quarter of the 20th Century, the Excellent was never
worded alone; it was always with the Super Excellent and Royal Arch.
Later, when this most beautiful method of work was abandoned almost
everywhere, the title was changed to "Excellent Master," the ritual
reworked and in Scotland was placed as the immediate predicant of the
Royal Arch. It is not worked elsewhere today, save in the Allied
Councils of the United States. Ireland has preserved some of both the
Excellent Master and Super Excellent Master in her veil-working in the
Royal Arch, but the formal ceremonies are a thing of the past.
The origin of the American Royal Arch did not cause a wide swept
discontinuance of the older form of working. The Grand Royal Arch
Chapter of Virginia used the old form, and even chartered Chapters as
"Excellent Super Excellent" well into the 19th Century. The very
abundance of early records and Minutes makes unnecessary its
transcription as we are all familiar with the antiquity of the
Excellent Master and its significance to Royal Arch Masonry.
The Ritual used in the United States is the Scottish work, unchanged.
It is a beautiful ceremony, and almost necessary to the Royal Arch.
Having passed the three veils in Babylon, there is necessity at
Jerusalem only to enter the fourth, or White, Veil. It is a simple and
beautiful method of working.
The Jewel of the Grade is the Pentegram, in gold, suspended from a
scarlet ribbon.
The Apron of the Grade is white, with a scarlet border, containing in
the center a gold pentegram.
The Collar of the Grade is approximately four inches wide and of
scarlet color.
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