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Robert Ambelain
FREEMASONRY IN OLDEN TIMES
Ceremonies and Rituals from the Rites of
Mizraïm and Memphis
Adventures in Spirit Series
Pub. Robert Laffont
Translated by Piers A. Vaughan ©2006
To the T Ill Bro. René WIBAUX
Honorary Grand Commander of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite
Honorary Grand Master of the Rite of Memphis-Mizraïm,
in memoriam.
2
CONTENTS
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..4
Resolution of the Convent on Ritual for 1976 E V………………………………………..5
FIRST PART:
THE RITE OF MEMPHIS
…………………………………........6
1.
The Rite of Memphis-Mizraïm………………………………………………………..7
2.
Affiliation Ritual……………………………………………………………………..13
3.
Masonic Triangle Ritual……………………………………………………………..18
4.
Ceremony of Foundation of a Masonic Lodge Ritual……………………………….24
5.
Installation of the Worshipful Master and Officers of the Lodge Ritual………..…..38
6.
First Degree Ritual……………………….…………………………………………..44
7.
Second Degree Ritual………………………………………………………………..78
8.
Third Degree Ritual………………………………………………………………...102
9.
Table Lodge Ritual…………………………………………………………………121
10.
Ceremony of Conjugal Recognition and Presentation of the Spouse to the Brothers of
the Mason…………………………………………………………………………...125
11.
Ritual for the Reception of a Louveteau……………………………………………139
12.
Funeral Service……………………………………………………………………..147
13.
Ritual for an Open “White” Meeting……………………………………………….153
14.
On Masonic Justice…………………………………………………………………155
SECOND PART:
THE RITE OF MIZRAÏM
………………………………….…161
15.
Apprentice or First Degree…………………………………………………………163
16.
Companion or Second Degree……………………………………………………..188
17.
Master or Third Degree…………………………………………………………….200
THIRD PART:
ON THE SUCCESSION OF THE SOVEREIGN GRAND
AUTHORITY OF THE RITE
…………………………………221
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INTRODUCTION
The almost total politicizing of some Masonic teachings could lead an uninformed
public to believe that all Freemasonry is in fact exactly like that. This is not so. The great
Obediences remain closed to this type of passion and continue to follow (dare we say
religiously
?) the secular traditions of tolerance, moral elevation and intellectualism
which, in the 18
th
Century, enjoyed the approbation of all cultivated society. Let us never
forget what Queen Marie-Antoinette said to her mother, the Empress of Austria:
“Everybody is one…”
Manifestations present in all human teaching, idiotic persecutions and
sectarianism made the Order move towards taking a defensive attitude towards its own
principles, without which its very soul would be affected. We remember that in Malta,
during the Napoleonic wars, some French prisoners who were Masons, who had set up a
Lodge with permission of their English ”Brothers” found themselves attacked by a large
crowd of Maltese peasants armed with pitchforks and scythes. The local Catholic clergy
had accused the French Masons of “flying in circles, like swallows, above the village,
performing conjurations…”. After the sack of the premises, the clergy came in procession
to exorcize the place. This is one example from among hundreds.
The preceding edition only contained the rites of the very old
Rite of Memphis
.
Now more recent formulations have been added to it; such as the Conjugal Recognition
Ceremony, the Baptism of a Louveteau
1
, a Funeral Service, a Ritual for a Banquet of the
Order (part ritual, part open), and a Masonic Death. To be comprehensive, it was
necessary to include the Rituals of the
Rite of Memphis
, a little older still, since from the
unification of the two
Rites
by Garibaldi, they have formed but a single Obedience.
In preparing it for commercial publication, certain details had inevitably been
omitted; other details are missing from the manuscripts of those times, for they were
always transmitted by word of mouth and never written down. It was ever thus for a great
number of details pertaining to Masonic life, and we respect this custom.
Finally, let us remember that publication of these rituals was unanimously
approved by the great International Convent of Paris in 1966. We mention this in order to
silence the demented lucubrations of certain fanatical adversaries. We are not violating
any obligations of silence…
1
The French word used is
Louveteau
, which literally means ‘wolf-cub’. In English tradition the son of a
Mason is traditionally termed a
Lewis
, after the cramp which is used to grip stones when being raised by
pulleys, probably to indicate his responsibility for looking after his father, represented by the stone.
However, since the French word carries other connotations it has been preserved here.
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T
O
T
HE
G
LORY
O
F
T
HE
G
RAND
A
RCHITECT
O
F
T
HE
U
NIVERSE
Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Mizraïm
SYMBOLIC GRAND LODGE
The Convent of Lodges of our Rite for Europe and Africa (France, Belgium,
Switzerland, Netherlands (Central African Republic), Madagascar) and Venezuela, laying
down its foundations for the year 1965 C.E., having decided with complete unanimity to
have the Rituals for the three grades of “Symbolic” Masonry (excluding the
Instructions
,
Words
and
Probatory Signs
) published – as much to dispel the malevolent stories about
Masonic Ceremonies spread abroad by our constant adversaries as to deliver a uniform
and complete set of Rituals to our
Blue Lodges
– the current edition is therefore created
and offered in consequence of this decision by the aforementioned Convent.
Global unity of the Rite having being realized with our Grand Lodges in Latin
America (Chile, Bolivia, Argentina), it is understood that these, who were still not
represented at the Convent of 1965, remain free either to preserve the present Rituals in
use or to rally to the decision of the Grand Lodges of Europe, Africa and Madagascar.
The same choice is left to the appraisal of Lodges in the process of being revived in other
States, be they in Europe, America, Australia or Canada.
Orient of Paris, this 21
st
Day of March 166 C.E.,
25
th
Day of the Month Phamenoth, and in the Year of
True Light 000.000.000.
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