By EDWARD R. CUSICK
In the famous Geneva Bible published in 1560 there is an editorial comment which is of peculiar significance to all Past Masters and Royal Arch Masons. It is a footnote in reference to the word "stonesquarers" used in Chapter five, verse eighteen of the First Book of Kings which tells the story of the building of the Temple. This footnote reads:
The Ebrew worde is -------- which some say, were excellent masons.
It must be remembered that from 1560 until 1750 this edition of the Bible was the one most widely used and read by the people of England and America. After 1750 the King James version rapidly replaces it. However, its influence was wide and deep. How many Free Masons must have paused and read with keen interest the foregoing quoted footnote? Does it connote that the editor was a Free Mason? But the word "excellent" with "masons" at such an early date is most intriguing.
Let us move rapidly on to the year 1767 when we find a group of Royal Arch Masons of London, England, proclaiming a Charter or Compact of a Grand Chapter for the government of the Royal Arch. Incidentally, this was the Mother Grand Chapter of the world and still exists as the Supreme Grand Chapter of England. In this Charter or Compact we find the expression:
We, the rest of the Excellent Companions of this Most Excellent Grand and Royal Chapter.
In the Laws of this Grand Chapter, adopted in 1778, it is established that:
To this exalted degree, none are to be admitted but men of the best character and repute; -- must have passed through the three probationary degrees of Craft Masonry; been regularly appointed and presided as Masters (to be justly entitled to, and have received the Past-master’s token and password); ….
Here is an historical basis for the practice of conferring the Past Master degree on all candidates for the Royal Arch. The American Royal Arch Masons can be proud that they have preserved this old regulation, even though the Mother Grand Chapter no longer observes it.
From England let us move on to Boston in America. The year is now 1769 and the exact date is August 28th. The old St. Andrew's Royal Arch Lodge is in session. The members are at work with Brother William Davis as the candidate. The minutes read:
... made by receiving the four steps, that of an Ecellt., Sup. Excellt., Royl. Arch and Kt. Templar.
We have often heard students of Masonry ask what were these degrees of "Excellent" and "Super Excellent" Mason. Let us hope that what follows will prove enlightening and instructive.
In the latter part of the 18th century and the early part of the 19th the expression "Excellent and Super Excellent" are used frequently on Royal Arch Masonry. For the moment we are mostly concerned with what was the "Excellent Master's" degree.
From Boston let us move on to the village of Middletown, Connecticut, where we find the old Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons at work on September 19th, 1783 (this Grand Chapter had been organized on September 5, 1783, and is now Washington Chapter No. 6). The minutes read:
When a letter was read from our beloved Brother Joseph Webb of St. John’s Lodge No. 2 in which he humbly begd that this Grand Royal Chapter might be please to bestow him the most sublime degree of an excellent, most excellent & Royal Arch Mason – Whereupon he was raised an excellent Mason passing the Chair in due form.
It is worth stressing that on September 30th, 1783, “Worshipful Jehosophat Starr Past Master of St Johns Lodge No. 2, Asa Worthington Master of Wooster Lodge No. 15 Colchester in Connecticut and Brother Comfort Sage past Master of St Johns Lodge No. 2, humbly desired by letter to be initiated in the most sublime and noble degrees of super or most excellent Royal Arch Masons; ….” Please note that these Past Masters and one Master make no request to have the "excellent" degree conferred on them. Furthermore, in the minutes of October 8, 1783, we learn that only the degrees of superexcellent and Royal Arch Mason were conferred on these three Worshipful brethren. Incidentally, there is ample evidence from the records that the Superexcellent and Most Excellent degrees were one and the same thing.
The stagecoach is waiting for us, and so on to New York City. Let us pay a visit to Jerusalem Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. The minutes of March 20th, 1799, read:
A lodge was opened in the excellent degree, a report was presented by the standing committee, in favor of Br. Gedelia, & B. Cheetham, they were balloted for and found worthy; Br. Cheetham accordingly came forward and received the chair degree, Br. Gedelia, being examined was found to have received that degree, the chair Master’s Lodge was then closed and a most excellent opened.
The minute book lies open before us so we will read a part of the minutes of March 3d, 1802:
A Chair Master’s Lodge was opened in due form, when Br. Costello was brot forward and rec’d the degree of Chair Master in due form, excellent Lodge closed, and a most excellent Lodge opened.
On August 10th, 1804, the minutes read:
The Mark Lodge closed & a C. M. (Chair Master) Lodge opened. Br. Little was again brought in & presided in the excellent degree of C. M.
On December 14, 1814, the minutes read:
The M. M. M. Lodge was the closed and an E. M. Lodge opened and Br. Pecovich being prepared was brot forward and passed the Oriental Chair.
On December 14, 1814, the minutes read:
An excellent Master’s Lodge was then opened the Br. Thomas White prepared, brought forward and received the Degree of Chair Master in ancient form.
While we are in New York City let us also pay a visit to the old Phoenix Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. Just how old is this Chapter is unknown but actual documents prove that it was working in 1797. The minute books from 1797 to December 21, 1822. are missing, but are all preserved from that date forward. In the minutes of December 23, 1822, we read:
The Mark Lodge being closed a Lodge of Past Masters was opened and Brother John S. Gregory was duly advanced to the ancient and honorable degree of an excellent or Past Master and seated in the Oriental Chair.
The minutes for Phoenix Chapter for January 27, 1823 read in part:
The Mark Lodge was now closed and a Lodge of Past Masters opened, when Brothers Morris, Ketcham, Batterman, and Reynolds were duly advanced and received the ancient and honorable degree of Past or Excellent Master Masons. The Past or Excellent Masters Lodge was now closed.
It was not until several years later that the use of the expression - "Excellent Master" - disappears from the records.
In the Muniment Room of the United Grand Lodge of England are preserved the minute books of Lodge No. 285, constituted by the "Antients" in the 17th Regiment of Light Dragoons of the British Army. This Lodge was constitituted in September 1794, and erased in 1828.
An entry on November 8, 1815, reads:
An excellent Masons Lodge was opened, 3 passed the chair & a H. R. A. (Holy Royal Arch) Chapter opened 5 took the Degree and Superexcellent.
As a side note, the Royal Arch Chapters of Scotland still confer an "Excellent" degree but it is not concerned with the secrets of the Chair. It is really the ceremony of passing the veils as portrayed in the American Royal Arch Degree.
(Adapted
from The Royal Arch Mason, Volume I,
Number 9, March 1945, pages 275 - 277)
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