Apron and Royal Blue Degree
LECTURE
Why do you wear an apron?
Because I am free.
Where are you from?
The Temple.
What Temple?
The Temple at Jerusalem.
What have you been doing there?
Building and assisting with the work.
The following part of the degree was removed a number of years ago after pressure from a group of concerned evangelicals within the Royal Black. Whilst there were some cosmetic changes made to appease the complaints of this grouping at the time, many of their main theological concerns regarding the degrees were rejected. After this failed effort many of these Blackmen resigned from the Order.
Where are you going?
To the rock.
What rock?
The rock at Joppa.
What to do there?
Search out the murderers of my Grand Master Hiram.
How do you intend to get there?
By the benefit of a password.
Have you that password?
I have.
Will you give it to me?
I will if you begin.
Our Great Grand Master King Solomon.
Have you a number?
I have.
What is your number?
Nine.
What nine?
The nine revolters who went in search of the murderers of my Grand Master Hiram.
Did they find them?
They did and with there apron bind them.
How did they find them?
By their moans and lamentations.
What moans and Lamentations did they make?
1st O that I had suffered my throat cut across ere I had murdered my Grand Master Hiram.
2nd O that I had suffered my left breast torn open ere I had murdered my Grand Master Hiram.
3rd O that I had suffered my body severed in two ere I had murdered my Grand Master Hiram.
We recommend The Secret Teachings of the Masonic Lodge by John Ankerberg and John Weldon
Have you the great and Grand pass – word of the Knight of the Apron order?
I have.
Will you give it to me?
I did not so obtain it neither will I give it but finding you to be a brother I will word it or divide it with you.
Divide it and begin.
No begin you.
Our great Grand Master King Solomon.
Here ended the removed part of the degree.
Why do you wear Royal Blue?
Because I am free and accepted.
Why do all those who are free and accepted wear Royal Blue?
Because it was the colour worn by the principle workmen. employed at the building of King Solomon’s household.
What do you behold?
A star.
What star?
The star that first appeared in the east.
What star that first appeared in the east?
The star that led the wise men to Bethlehem, the place where the young child was to be born.
Have you the password of a Royal Blueman?
I have.
Will you give it to me?
I will if you begin.
The- holy- child- Jesus.
Where are you from?
The east.
Where are you going?
To Bethlehem.
What to do there?
To behold the young child that was born.
How do you intend to get there?
By the benefit of a travelling password.
Have you the travelling password of a Royal Blueman?
I have.
Will you give it to me?
I will if you begin.
Holiness unto the Lord.
Why do you take Holiness unto the Lord for your travelling password?
Because it was engraved on all the pots, pans, saddles, bridles and all the other utensils in King Solomon’s household.
Did David see anything?
He did.
What did David see?
An angel standing between the heavens and the earth with a drawn sword in his hand pointing towards Jerusalem, the place where the Temple was to be built.
We recommend a sound compelling book written by the great revivalist Charles Finney who was a former Freemason (The Character, Claims And Practical Workings Of Freemasonry):
Have you a number?
I have.
What is your number?
Four.
What four?
The four Evangelists.
Who where they?
St Matthew, Mark, Luke and John who where sent to the 4 corners of the world, to preach glad tidings of great joy to all people.
What should all Royal Bluemen be possessed of?
Three great things.
What are they?
Faith, hope and love.
Why faith?
In Jesus Christ the saviour of the world.
Why hope?
Through him to be saved.
Why love?
Love to all men more especially free and accepted Royal Bluemen.
Have you the great and grand password of a free and accepted Blue – man or the Word that was lost and found?
I have!
Will you give it to me?
I did not so obtain it, neither will I give it, but finding you to be a brother, I will word it, or divide it, with you.
Divide it and begin.
No begin you.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and God is the Word.
Where was it found?
Deep buried in the ruins of King Solomon’s household.
How was it found?
By a mystery.
What kind of mystery?
By digging in a certain place where the sun shone once each day coming to a marble slab, underneath the marble slab a Jewish arch, underneath the Jewish arch a roll of fine linen whereon was written the Word G. O. D.
God is the Word that was lost, God is the Word that was found and God is the Word.
We would recommend a very compelling book written by Masonic authority E. M. Storms called Should a Christian be a Mason?:
ADDRESS
The emblems worn for this degree are the Bible, the compass and square with the letter G in the centre, the level, the plumb, the mallet and the two foot rule.
The bible should be the rule and guide of our faith and practice, the compass teaches us to encompass the brethren with brotherly love and loyalty. The square being an emblem of virtue teaches us to pursue virtuous paths. The letter G in the centre occupies the most prominent position in the emblem; therefore, the password it represents should occupy the most prominent position in our lives. The level teaches us to walk with level footsteps and the plumb with upright intentions before God and man. The mallet being a symbol of power, teaches us to repair the irregularities of life and seek contentment where discipline is practised. The two foot rule whilst reminding us of the rule of life, teaches us to pursue a straight line of conduct, always keeping eternity in view. Consequently by paying strict attention to the rule of our faith and practice, we may encircle ourselves in the virtuous paths of duty, and with Gods help, walk with level footsteps and upright intentions and wield that power that will enable us to reign as well as rule.The Royal Black degrees
We would recommend a revealing book written by David W Daniels – Should A Christian Be A Mason:
Biblical analysis of the Royal Black degree
- Why Black?
- The Royal Black Jesuit Connection
- The Royal Black Mystic cup
- The Royal Black use of human remains in Black rites
- The biblical way to treat human bones
- Evangelical enquiry into the Royal Black
- The Royal Black Judas threat
- Playing the Role of Moses
All the Black Degrees
The Royal Black Institution consists of eleven degrees, as follows: –
(1) Royal Black degree – exposed and biblically examined
(2) Royal Scarlet Degree – exposed and biblically examined
(3) Royal Mark degree – exposed and biblically examined
(4) Apron and Royal Blue degree – exposed and biblically examined
(5) Royal White degree – exposed and biblically examined
(6) Royal Green degree – exposed and biblically examined
(7) Gold Crown degree – exposed and biblically examined
(8) Gold Star and Garter degree – exposed and biblically examined
(9) Crimson Arrow degreee – exposed and biblically examined
(10) Gold Link and Chain degree – exposed and biblically examined
(11) Red Cross degree – exposed and biblically examined
The Institution also possesses a final retrospective degree, which is essentially an overview of the 11 degrees that the candidate has traversed.
Red Cross Grand Charge – exposed
Other Info
Purchase direct: Inside the Royal Black Institution
Testimonies from former leading Royal Blackmen Rev. Canon Brian T. Blacoe (former Deputy Grand Chaplain of the Royal Black Institution), Malcolm McClughan (former Royal Black Lecturer) and David Carson (Chairman of the United Protestant Council).
A book for Blackmen to seriously consider by Cecil Andrew of Take Heed Ministries.
The “Protestant” Knight of Malta exposed
The solid and unrelenting opposition of GOLI to the RAP and the RBI
The history of the Royal Black Institution
The history of the Black degrees
For more information read Freemasonry: The Invisible Cult by Jack Harris