The Royal Black Institution Oath

Brother ———- before being admitted a member of the Royal Black Institution it is necessary that you take upon yourself a voluntary yet solemn and binding obligation. Are you willing to do so? Yes.

Kneel upon your right knee in token of your humility, place your right hand on the Holy Bible in token of your sincerity and repeat after me.

I (full name) do most solemnly and sincerely promise that I will keep all matters and things confided to me in this Royal Black Institution and shall not by any means discover or entrust them (unless previously authorized so to do) to another person except to a Brother of the same Colour and Degree.

I will not initiate any person unless duly empowered so to do by the proper authorities holding a warrant for that purpose under the Independent Grand Black Chapter of the British Commonwealth (say in full) the same having been transferred into their hands legally.

I will as far as in my power aid and assist all Brethren of the “Royal” Black Institution And not wrong or see any of them wronged if in my power to prevent it.

I will to the utmost of my power support and defend her present Majesty, her heirs and successors being Protestant and maintain the Protestant Religion and Constitution of 1688 against all foes foreign and domestic.

I now become a member of the Institution of my own free will and accord and will not debase the Institution by receiving hire or gain for admitting persons into its Precetories nor for a less sum than that authorized by the Independent Grand Black Chapter of the British Commonwealth or by permitting to be received less than the said sum, namely 50p which sum I now pay (or have paid).

I will have such a sense of my duty as a Protestant that I will not marry a member of the Romanish Church or Papist, nor stand sponsor for the child of a Roman Catholic when receiving baptism by a Priest of Rome, nor permit a Papist to stand sponsor for my child at its baptism.

I will obey without scruple or reserve in all things lawfull the rules of this Institution, of which I now become a member.

And furthermore do most solemnly and sincerely promise that I will not write, indite, cut, carve, stamp, stain, paint, imboss, or engrave upon any thing moveable or immovable any of the signs, secrets or passwords of this Royal Black Institution whereby or whereon the same might become legible or intelligible to any person under the whole canopy of Heaven. So help me O Almighty God and keep me steadfast in this my solemn but voluntary obligation being that of a Royal Black Knight of the Camp of Israel.

Lodges Examined by the Bible by John R. Rice

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

The Royal Black Institution Oath

Other Info

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).

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, please William Schnoebelen’s enlightening book Masonry Beyond the Light