As a bit of background recall that, in 2016, the Committee on Education of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Oklahoma developed thirty-five Lessons on Capitular Masonry, in an effort to foster more opportunities for educational presentations during Chapter meetings. Each of these thirty-five lessons outlines a self-contained educational presentation. The material for these lessons is drawn from two readily available sources:

THE COURSE — The Capitular Masonry Education Course, which was published in 2014 by the Grand Chapter R.A.M. of Oklahoma.

THE RITUAL — The Ritual of the Grand Chapter R.A.M. of Oklahoma, as adopted in 1932, with subsequent amendments.

Every other month we will suggest one of these lessons that a High Priest may use, if he so desires, as an educational presentation in his Chapter meeting.

This month’s suggested lesson for Chapter meetings is “Royal Arch Lesson #9,” which is found on p. 31 of the Lessons on Capitular Masonry.

Outline of the Lesson:

(i) Review the “Words of the Masters of the Veils” from the excerpt of the Royal Arch ritual regarding “Passing of the Veils” found on p. 113-120 of THE RITUAL.

(ii) Read the sections on “Shem, Ham, and Japhet,” “Moses, Aholiab, and Bezaleel,” and “Jeshua, Zerubbabel, and Haggai” found on pp. 118-122 of THE COURSE.

Discussion Questions:

(i) Answer question 8 on p. 147 of THE COURSE.

(ii) The candidates must be in possession of three words in order to pass each of three Veils. Discuss how this relates to the symbolism of “three times three.”

(iii) The words of the Master of the First Veil are the builders of Noah’s Ark (i.e., the Ark of Safety) and the words of the Master of the Second Veil are the builders of the Ark of the Covenant. However, the words of the Master of the Third Veil are not the builders of the Substitute Ark (i.e., the Ark of Imitation). Who were the builders of the Substitute Ark? How do the words of the Master of the Third Veil relate to the Substitute Ark? Discuss why the words of the Master of the Third Veil deviate from the pattern established by the previous two. Also discuss how the Arks associated with each of these Veils symbolically relate to a candidate’s progression through Masonry.

These questions are only meant to begin the discussion and to hopefully spark further discussion and interest in the chosen topic.