book in the Old Testament series.

SORROW LODGES. In this country Lodges of Sorrow are somewhat rare. They are, however, of very frequent occurrence in Europe, particularly in Germany, where, shortly after the death of a worthy brother, the " Trauer Loge" is held, when the virtues, memory, and intellectual qualifications are commemorated, and the funereal rites of an impressive character ai-e performed. The custom is emi- nently proper, and strictly in accordance with the fraternal principles of Freemasonry, and one which should be as uni- versal as the extent of the institution itself. On these occa- sions the Lodge-room should be appropriately draped in black, and the several stations covered with emblems of mourning. On the Master's pedestal is a skull and lighted taper. In the center of the room is placed a catafalque, which consists of a rectangular platform, about six feet long by four wide, on which are two smaller platforms, so that three steps are represented. On the third one should be au elevation of convenient height, on which is placed an urn. The platform should be draped in black, and a canopy of black drapery may be raised over the urn. (See engraving.) At each corner of the platform will be placed a candlestick, bearing a lighted taper, and near it, facing the East, will be aeated a brother, provided with an extinguisher, to be used at the proper time. During the first part of the ceremonies the lights in the room should burn dimly. Arrangements should be made to enable the lights to be increased to bril- liancy at the appropriate point in the ceremony. On the catafalque will be laid a pair of white gloves, a plain lamb- skin apron, and, if the deceased brother had been an officer, tbe appropriate insignia of his office. When the Lodge in oO
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held in memory of several brethren, shields bearing then names are placed around the catafalque. Vocal and instru- mental music are indispensable to the proper effect of the ceremonies. Brethren should wear dark clothing1, and no insignia but the white lambskin apron and white gloves.
SOVEREIGN COMMANDER OF THE TEMPLE, some- times called KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE TEMPLE, is the 27th degree of the Ancient and Accepted rite. The assemblage is called a Chapter. The degree is entirely chivalric. The presiding officer is styled Commander-in Chief; the Wardens are called Marshal and Turcopilier; the members are desig- nated Knights Commanders. The hangings are scarlet, with black columns at intervals, on each of which is a branch holding a light. The hangings and columns are so arranged as to give the room the form of a circle; in the center of which is a large round table, covered with the emblems of
the degree; around the table the members sit.
In front of the East is a candelabrum, with
three circles of lights, one above the other.
In the upper circle are six lights; in the second
nine, and the third twelve. The jewel is :\
golden triangle, on which
is engraved the letters I. N.
R. I.; it is suspended from
the collar, which is of white
watered ribbon, edged with
red; embroidered on each side in black and gold, is the Teutonic cross. This order was founded in 1190, in Palestine, and on the 23d of February, 1192, it was solemnly approved and confirmed by Pope Celestine III. This was the origin of the once famous military order of Teutonic Knights. All the French writers who have investigated the history of this degree concur in connecting it with the Knights Templars, and it certainly has much of the character of that order, Vassal expresses the following opinion of the degree: "The 27th degree does not deserve to be classed in the Scotch rite as a degree, since it contains neither symbols or allego ries that connect it with initiation. It deserves still less to be ranked among tne philosophical degrees. I imagine that it has been intercalated only to supply an hiatus, and as a memorial of an order once justly celebrated."
SOVEREIGN GRAND INSPECTOR GENERAL. The
33d and ultimate degree of the Ancient and Accepted rite. It is aot certainly known when or where this grade originated.
SPH— STA.
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The theory which ascribes it to the King of Prussia has long since been discarded by intelligent Masons. The number of Inspectors in a kingdom or republic must not exceed nine. These organized in a body, consti- tute the Supreme Council, which claims jurisdiction over all the Ineffable and Sublime degrees. The presiding officer is styled Sovereign Grand Commander. The sash is white, edged with gold, and suspended from the right shoulder to the left hip. At the bottom is a red and white rose, and on the part crossing the breast is a delta, with rays trans- versed by a poniard, and in the center the number 33. The jewel is a black, double-headed eagle, crowned, and holding a sword in his claws. The beak, claws, crown and sword are of gold. The motto of the degree is " Deus meumque jus," "God and my right."
SPHINX. In antiquity, an emblematical figure, composed of the head and breasts of a woman, and the body of a lion, and said to be the Egyptian symbol of mystery. This sup- position arises most naturally from the fact that these symbols are always found at the entrance of the Egyptian temples. Also, a fabulous monster, said to have infested the country around Thebes. Ac- cording to mythological history, its father was Typhon, the gigantic son of Terra, and it was sent by Juno to afflict the Thebans, which it did by proposing enig- matical questions to persons, whom it killed if they could not expound them. The Egyptian Sphinx had no wings; these appendages were added by the Greeks. As a symbol of mystery, silence and antiquity, it has been adopted as a Vlasonic emblem.
STANDARD. A staff with a flag or colors, under which men are united or bound for some common purpose. From the earliest antiquity all nations have been in the habit of using peculiar standards or banners, by which they were distinguished from each other in peace, and rallied to action in war. The ancient Egyptians were, probably, the first to adopt the use of the standard to distinguish their people or a particular tribe during their wars, or wh^n performing
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STANDARD OF SYMBOLIC MASONRT.
their ceremonies publicly. They are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. The earliest Eoman standard waa
a bundle of straw fixed to the top of a spear. This was suc- ceeded by figures of animals — the horse, the boar, etc. — all of which soon gave place to the ea- gle, which continued to be the Boman ensign, and was after- ward assumed by the German, and since by the French empe- rors of the Napoleonic dynasty. Standards are frequently car- ried in Masonic processions, with appropriate devices paint- ed or embroidered thereon. The standard appropriate to the Order, and that which is designated as the principal or general standard of symbolic Masonry, is described as follows: "The escutcheon, or shield on the banner, is divided into four compartments, or quarters, by a green cross, over which a narrower one of the same length of limb, and of a yellow color, is placed, forming what is called a cross vert voided or;
each of the compartments formed by the limits of the cross is occupied by a different device. In the first quarter is placed a golden lion, on a field of blue, to represent the standard of the tribe of Judah; in the second, a black ox, on a field of gold, to represent Ephraim ; in the third, a man, on a field of gold, to represent Reuben; and, in the fourth, a golden eagle, on a blue ground, to represent Dan. Over all is placed, as the crest, an ark of the covenant, and the motto is ' Holiness to the Lord.' " Besides this, there are six other standards proper to be borne in processions, the material oi which must be white, bordered with blue fringe or ribbon, and on each of which is inscribed one of the following words
BOTAL ARCH STANDARD.
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357
3RAND STANDARD OF KNIGHTS TEMPLAB.
FAITH, HOPE, CHARITY, WISDOM, STRENGTH, BEAUTY. In the Royal Arch degree, as recognized in this country, there are five standards. The Royal Arch Captain carries a white stand- -, ard, which is emblematic of a
purity of heart, and rectitude of conduct. The standard of the Grand Master of the third rail is scarlet, emblematic of ferven- cy and zeal, and is the appro- priate color of the Royal Arch degree. The standard of the Grand Master of the second vail is purple, which is emblematic of union, being a due mixture of blue and scarlet, the appro- priate colors of the Symbolic and Royal Arch degrees; and this teaches us to cultivate the spirit of harmony and love be- tween brethren of the Symbolic, and companions of the Sublime degrees, which should ever dis- tinguish the members of a soci- ety founded upon the principles of everlasting truth, and universal philanthropy. The stand- ard of the Grand Master of the first vail is blue, the peculiar
color of the Ancient Craft, or Symbolic degrees, which is em- blematic of universal friendship and benevolence. In the Royal Arch degree, as practiced in the Chapters of England, twelve standards are used, illustrating the twelve tribes of Israel, which are as follows: Judah, scarlet, a lion couchant; Issachar, blue, an ass crouching beneath its
IV ^ H burden; Zebulon, purple, a ship;
\\ Reuben, red, a man;* Simeon,
•yellow, a sword; Gad, white, a troop of horsemen; Ephraim, green, an ox; Manassah, flesh- colored, a vine by the side of a wall; Benjamin, green, a wolf; Dan, green, an eagle; Asher, purple, a cup; Naphtali, blue, a hind. The banner or grand standard of the Order of Masonic knighthood is of white silk, six feet in height and five feet
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in width, made tripartite at the bottom, fastened at the top to the cross-bar by nine rings; in the center of the standard, a blood-red Passion Cross, edged with gold, over which is the motto, "In hoc signo vinces," and under, "Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini tuo da Gloriam!" The cross to be
four feet high, and the upright and bar to be seven inches wide. On the top of the staff, a gilded globe or ball, four inches in diameter, surmounted by the Patriarchal Cross, twelve inches in height. The Beauseant, or the battle-flag of the Ancient Knights Templar, is of woolen or silk stuff, six feet in height, and five feet in width, made tripar- tite at the bottom, fastened at the top to the cross-bar by nine rings. The upper half of the standard is black, and the lower half white. The grand standard of the Ancient and Accepted rite is of white silk, three-and-a- half feet long, by two-and-a-half feet wide, edged with gold, gold fringe and tassels. In the cen-
gCOTTISH BITE.
ter, the double-headed eagle, under which, on a blue scroll, the motto, in letters of gold, "Deus Meumque Jus." On the upper part of a triangle, irradiated, the figures 33 in the center.
STATISTICS OF FREEMASONRY. AJ though, strictly speaking, this word " statistics " has reference to the present condition, resources and influence of whatever nation or society one may have under consideration, we shall depart a little from these limits, and introduce a few items which we deem important, that belong more properly to the history of the institution. Masonry now has gained a foothold and influence in nearly every country on*the face of the earth. It exists to-day, and exercises an immense power in every country of Europe; its Lodges cover the American continent, are found in Northern and Southern Africa, in the East and West indies; indeed, the Freemason can hardly travel into any part of the world but he will find Lodges to receive him, and fraternal sympathy and assistance, if he is sick or in distress. In no country, however, excepting England and Germany, has the Order a connected history reaching be- yond the year of the revival, A. D. 1717. In the
STA— STK. S69
kingdom the records of the Fraternity have been so well preserved that we gather from them a pretty correct view of its administration and condition through a long period of years.
STANDARD-BEARER. An officer in Grand Lodge; also in a Commandery of Knights Templar. His duty is to have charge of the banner of the order in processions.
STEWARDS' LODGE. The Grand Stewards' Lodge, in some jurisdictions, is a kind of court of adjudication for hearing complaints — considering applications for charity — and, in some instances, trying and punishing Masonic offenses. The Stewards' Lodge was founded in England, 1735, under the Grand Mastership of Lord Weymouth. It was entitled to twelve representatives in the Grand Lodge.
^ STRICT OBSERVANCE, RITE OF. This was the third attempt at innovation upon the purer systems of Freema- sonry by the Jesuits. It encouraged in its adepts the hope of coming into possession of the wealth of the ancient Templars. The chronological history of its Grand Masters is nothing more than the history of the generals of the Jesuits. It was established in Germany, in 1754, by Baron von Hund (Charles Gotthelf), and a few of his associates. Six degrees only were conferred. They were, 1. Apprentice; 2. Fellow Craft; 3. Master Mason; 4. Scotch Master; on the trestle-board of this degree were represented a lion, emblem of fearlessness, courage and calm fortitude; a fox, the symbol of prudence; an ape, signifying the faculty of imitation, and a sparrow-hawk, typical of swiftness. The Scotch Master, having been found worthy of advancement, was then received in the fifth degree as a Novice; and in the sixth was created a Knight Templar. This latter degree was divided into three branches, viz : Armiger, those who were not of noble birth or rank ; Socii et Amid, or those who were already Knights of some order, and Equites, or Knights. Each Armiger, Socius or Eques, received on his initiation a knightly name, coat of arms and motto. Von Hund after- ward instituted a seventh degree, styled Eques Prqfessus, which he surrounded with an unusual amount of mystery, and conferred the degree on those only who could be of the greatest service to him or his schemes. The whole of Europe was apportioned into nine "Provinces," the seventh of which included the northern part of Germany, between the Elbe and Oder, The order was subordinate to a Grand Master, who was supposed to be unknown to all, except a few of the privileged knights, Von Hund being in reality the head of
860 STB.
the order. The superior officer of each Province -rc as termed " Heermeister" Von Hund assuming command of the seventh Province, under the distinctive title of Carolus Eques ab Ense, The Lodges were called Comnianderies, the Masters being styled, " Commendatur domus." The Masters were subordinate to the Prefects, and these again to Sub-priors and Priors. The seats of these officers were called by names taken from the rolls of the old Knights Templar and Knights of Malta. The Preceptory of Hamburg was termed Foenack; Copen- hagen, Eydendorp; Brunswick, Brunopolis, etc. Many plans were concocted and attempted, in order to furnish a revenue to these office-holders. While Von Hund was in Paris, he actually contemplated the establishment of colonies in North America and on the coast of Labrador, and afterward in Russia. In 1768, he endeavored to dispose of his property to the order, at a very low price, in order to furnish dwellings for the officers, but, owing to the mistrust of the brethren, the arrangement fell through, and this plan cost him more than one-half his wealth. In 1766 a brother, by the name of Schubarth, proposed a so-called "Economical Plan," by which he proposed a regular system of graduated assess- ments upon the Lodges, a sort of sliding-scale of fees, which, on paper, presented a beautiful design and an enormous result. The plan, however, failed, a large majority of the brethren not being sufficiently credulous to embark in the speculation. Some Lodges, however, who had, in accordance with the plan, commenced the collection of a fund for the above purpose, soon found themselves enabled to erect handsome halls for their accommodation, and thus laid the foundation for acquiring considerable property. Von Hund, as " Heermeister" of the seventh Province, dwelt at Sonnen- burg, on his own estates, from whence he governed Ins Province and issued his decrees. This order was well organized, gave proof of great strength and exercised a powerful influence over all similar organizations during ite existence throughout Europe. The Provincial Grand Lodge of Hamburg, which had been constituted by the Grand Lodge of England in 1740, went over to the Strict Observ- ance in 1765, and each of its members was obliged to sign an act of obedience, abjuring its former system of York Masonry, and vowing implicit obedience and allegiance to the superiors of the order. The latter, fearing lest they might be persecuted in some way, as being the successors of an order which had been abolished by royal command, and desirous of insuring the existence of their order, began now to look around for some noble patron. The first reign- ing prince who acceded to their wishes was the Margrave
STB. 361
Charles Alexander, of Bayreuth, who was received as Equea a Munimento in 1766, and appointed as Protector Ordinis in Franconia. He arranged elegant rooms in his chateau at Anspach for the accommodation of the chapters, and had in contemplation the restoration of the Order of the Swan, (an order which flourished in the fifteenth century,) as a cloak beneath which should be concealed the actual Order of Templars. This plan was, however, suddenly abandoned, for what reason is not known. In the year 1767, a certain Dr. Stark, rejoicing in the cognomen of Frater Archidemides ab aquilafulva, made his appearance at Wismar, and pretended that he and some of his friends belonged to another branch of the Templar order, viz: the Clerical or ecclesiastical branch, who alone possessed the true secrets of the order, and that he had been invested with full powers by his superiors to take charge of the secular brethren. He exhibited a patent, in which he was styled "fils etfrere des peres de lafamille des Sgavans I'Ordre des Sages par tous les generations de I'univers," and which empowered him to initiate those whom he deemed worthy. The clerks, as they styled themselves, pretended to be descendants of the pious Essenes, who employed them- selves in the study of the secrets of nature, and who had attained the highest perfection in this secret knowledge. After the institution of the Order of the Temple in the Holy Land, they became acquainted with some of the members of that order, among whom was a nephew of St. Bernard, by name Andreas Montisbarrensis. They then united with this order, obtained a rule from St. Bernard, and chose Andreas as> their first ecclesiastical Prior. These clerical brethren became the guardians of the laws and mysteries -of the order, and to them mainly was due its future im- portance and wealth. At the dissolution of the order, their most secret documents and treasures were rescued by the Knight John Eures, and a part of these were still in their possession. Stark brought with him rituals, instructions, and other manuscripts, interlarded with Latin and old French sentences, which he pretended to have received in Auvergne, and which contained the forma and ceremonies of initiation of the Novices and Knights, as practiced in the French and Italian provinces. At that date, however, (1765-73,) no trace of the Strict Observance was to be found in those countries. It is most likely that Stark received his knowledge of the higher degrees in St. Petersburg, (1763- 65,) and manufactured the rituals to suit himself. Toward the end of the year 1770, Duke Ferdinand, of Brunswick, was initiated as sodi et amid into the Strict Observance, or so-called Order of Templars ; and, in the following year.
362 SUB.
his brother, the reigning Duke Charles, was likewise initiated. These initiations reanimated the spirit of the whole order, which had for some time shown signs of being about to fall to pieces. In May, 1772, a general convention of the officers and deputies of the seventh Province was held at Kohlo, at which the clerical branch was also represented. Von Hund, by request, presented his patent, which, although no one was able to decipher, was pronounced genuine. The clerical branch was acknowledged by an act of union, signed on either part, and Duke Ferdinand was chosen Magnus Superior Ordinis and Grand Master of all the United Scottish Lodges. The ritual of the first four degrees, as practiced in the united Lodges, was adopted, the explanation of the same being made to conform with the actual object of the order. A directory, under the title of a capitular government, was also established at Dresden, in order to lighten the labors of the Heermeister, Von Hund. The seventh Province was now fully organized; up to this time it had been the only one. In 1773, Major Von Weiler, a spica aurea, went to France, and instituted at Strasburgh. the fifth province, Burgundy; at Lyons, the province Auvergne; and at Mont- pelier, the third Province, Occitania; the principal seat, however, remained at Bordeaux. All these provinces recog- nized the Duke Ferdinand as Grand Master. In 1776, Von Hund instituted the eighth Province of Southern Germany, and constituted several Prefectures. In 1775, a convention was held at Brunswick, at which Prince Charles of Hesse was acknowledged as Protector Ordinis, and the capitulary government was transferred to Brunswick for three years. Von Hund, having a presentiment of his approaching end, confided to the Duke Ferdinand all his papers, correspond- ence, and the rolls and registers of the order, and on the 7th November, 1776, he died.
SUBLIME. The Master Mason's degree is thus styled on account of the grand and sublime doctrines it teaches.
SUBLIME GKAND LODGE. A term applied to the Lodge of Perfection.
SUBLIME KNIGHT ELECT, sometimes called TWELVE ILLUSTIIIOUS KNIGHTS. The llth degree of the Ancient and Accepted rite. This degree completes the series of Elect degrees, viz: Elect of Nine, Elect of Fifteen and Sublime Knight Elect. The legend of this degree specifies that after vengeance had been taken on the traitors, Solomon, to reward those wh:> had remained faithful to their trust, as well as to make room for the exaltation of others to the
SUB.
degree of Elect of Fifteen, appointed twelve of these latter, chosen by their companions, to constitute a new degree, on which he bestowed the title of Sublime Elect, and endowed them with a certain command to provide supplies for the king and his household; to see that the taxes were fairly assessed; to superintend the collection of the revenue; and to protect the people against rapacity and extortion of the tax-gatherers. In this degree is shadowed forth the great principle — free constitutions, without which liberty would often be but a name — the trial by jury of twelve men, whose unanimous verdict is necessary to convict of crime. The assembly is called a Chapter. It is lighted with twelve lights, by threes, in the East, "West, North, and South; each three forming an equilateral triangle. The presiding officer represents King Solomon, and is styled Thrice Illustrious Sovereign; the two Wardens are styled Inspectors; the