Royal Arch Freemasonry

Rule 86 – Book of Constitutions The United Grand Lodge of Victoria

Freemasonry consists of the following Degrees, viz:

To The Master Mason

The fact that you are a Master Mason reading this pamphlet is evidence of your character and your belief in Supreme Being. Unless you are a person of good character and hold such a belief, you would not be comfortable in Freemasonry. Such qualifications are a good start if you are considering the Holy Royal Arch Chapter.

When you were initiated you learnt the duties you owe to God, your neighbour and yourself. You were made aware that Freemasonry is founded on sound moral principles and that, among all the virtues that were drawn to your attention, charity or, if you prefer, an attitude of benevolence is paramount.

When you were passed to the Second Degree you were advised to study the mysteries of nature and science – that is, to develop the intellectual faculty. When you were raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason, you were instructed how to meet death fearlessly and with confidence in the survival of human personality.

The Lost Secrets

But something was missing. The genuine secrets of a Master Mason were not given to you; you were told that they were lost; it was necessary to wait until time and circumstances should restore these genuine secrets.

These Secrets Are Recoverable

You can recover them by passing through the exaltation ceremony in a Holy Royal Arch Chapter.

The genuine secrets are not trivial. When you receive them you will find that you will learn more about the Supreme Being in whom you already believe. The lessons about life and death which are taught in the three Craft Degrees will be complete. Thus the Order of the Royal Arch has been called the copestone of the whole Masonic structure.

What The Order Is Like

The story of the recovery of the secrets is very different from the story of the building of the temple told in the three Craft Degrees. The ceremony is colourful and the candidate plays an active part. The furnishings of the Chapter room and the regalia of the members are rich in symbols which will be explained to you. To be exalted in this Order is an unforgettable experience.

In this Order your Brethren in the Craft become companions. As sharers in something valuable all companions feel a sense of unity and fellowship. You will be warmly welcome.

The Holy Royal Arch Degree

In the earlier days of Freemasonry, none but the masters of Craft lodges were permitted to enter the Holy Royal Arch. This stringent condition prevented many worthy men from participating in Royal Arch masonry; but today all Master Masons are eligible for membership in a Royal Arch Chapter.

In a Royal Arch Chapter, Freemasons complete the Third Degree, they receive the “genuine secrets” of a Master Mason – yet it is the ideal or philosophy presented to them which really matters. Emphasis is on the spiritual rather than the material. In the Chapter, answers may be found to many of the problems facing the masonic order and the world in general.

For those who delve, it is disclosed that there is an incompleteness about masonry if it stops short of the Royal Arch. Indeed, there are many who are adamant that, properly approached, the Royal Arch is the summit and perfection of ancient Freemasonry.