From cat@luckymojo.com Tue Oct 3 11:14:48 2000 Return-Path: cat@luckymojo.com Received: from 209.204.136.153 (d92.nas22.sonic.net [209.204.137.92]) by prop.sonic.net (8.11.0/8.8.5) with SMTP id e93IEj807965 for ; Tue, 3 Oct 2000 11:14:45 -0700 X-envelope-info: Message-ID: <39DA2355.609F@luckymojo.com> Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2000 10:20:04 -0800 From: catherine yronwode Organization: Lucky Mojo Curio Company X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01-C-MACOS8 (Macintosh; I; 68K) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: nagasiva@luckymojo.com Subject: Freemasonic Burial Rite Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Status: RO Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2000 17:18:29 -0500 From: gavera@chatter.com (George Avera) Subject: Masonic Burial Service Message-ID: To the Brothers who wanted a copy of the Masonic Burial Service: The book MONITOR OF THE LODGE: GRAND LODGE OF TEXAS, A.F.&A.M. has several possible services and makes mention of others. (Copyright 1982 by the Grand Lodge of Texas, A.F.&A.M. ; Published by Waco Printing Co., Inc.) The Monitor a public document offered for general sale, so I am not betraying any Masonic secrets. Copies may be purchased from the Grand Lodge of Texas. I am selecting the shortest services because I won't have to type as much. Any omissions or spelling errors are mine. Brother George Avera Texas, USA [There is an Ante-Burial Service on page 206 which is meant to be conducted either in the Lodge Room or at the place of the public service: after a Master Mason's Lodge, or Lodge of Sorrow, has been opened; the public service when the Lodge has been called from labor. The Brethren conduct the service standing.] ANTE-BURIAL SERVICE MASTER: What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death: Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? RESPONSE: Man walketh in a vain shadow; he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them. MASTER: When he dieth he shall carry nothing away; this glory shall not descend after him. RESPONSE: Naked he came into the world, and naked must he return. MASTER: Let us live and die like the righteous, that our end may be like His! RESPONSE: God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even unto death! MASTER: Almighty Father! in Thy hands we leave with humble submission the soul of our deceased Brother. [Public grand honors may be given three times with the following words:] The will of God is accomplished! So mote it be. [The Master or Chaplain will then offer prayer.] PRAYER Most glorious God! author of all good and giver of all mercy! pour down Thy blessings upon us, and strengthen our solemn engagements with the ties of sincere affection! May the present instance of mortality remind us of our approaching fate, and draw our attention toward Thee, the only refuge in time of need! that when the awful moment shall arrive, that we are about to quit this transitory scene, the enlivening prospect of Thy mercy may dispel the gloom of death; and after our departure hence in peace, and in Thy favor, may we be received into Thine everlasting kingdom, to enjoy, in union, with the souls of our departed friends, the just reward of a pious and virtuous life. Amen RESPONSE: So mote it be! [The Lodge is then called from labor, and the Brethren proceed to the funeral home, place of worship, or place of internment, as appropriate.] MASONIC MEMORIAL SERVICE [page 215. Suitable for delivery immediately after the religious service at the graveside or place of worship.] [To begin the service, the Master should take his place at the head of the casket, and, speaking to the family, friends and Masons assembled:] We are assembled as Masons on this solemn occasion to pay a final tribute of love and esteem to a departed friend and Brother. Brother _____ was a beloved member of _____ Lodge Number _____, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. It is an honor for Masonry to have the privilege of paying a final tribute to the memory of a Brother whose life was inseparably linked to ours by solemn and binding obligations, entered into before the Holy Altar of Freemasonry. Our Brother's death does not release us, nor would we be absolved from the duties imposed upon us by those obligations. It is such moments as these, while under the spell of the tragic touch of nature, that we pause for serious reflection, in which there comes a realization of our own unworthiness, a desire for a closer walk with our Brethren and all mankind as with upturned faces we supplicate the Divine Throne: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts into wisdom." This white apron which our Brother was privileged to wear is an emblem of innocence and the badge of a Mason, more ancient than the Golden Fleece or Roman Eagle; more honorable than the star and garter, when worthily worn. We leave this emblem as a reminder of our unity in service. [Master may place apron on casket.] We also leave this sprig of evergreen, not alone because we remember that it once marked the temporary resting place of one illustrious in the annals of Masonry, but because of our belief that within us is an immortal spirit which shall survive the grave and which, blooming in the garden of our Father and our God, shall never, never, never die . . . [Master may place sprig of evergreen on casket.] Thus we may hope that when our earthly tabernacle is vacated and our bodies, clothed in the habiliments of death, are deposited in the grave, our souls, rising in majesty, like those of our departed Brethren, shall blossom in Eternal Spring. May these thoughts exert us to greater efforts in the doing of kind and friendly acts and in our endeavor to promote the welfare and the happiness of each other. Thus will the lessons of the departed be useful, as they have always been, as lectures to the living. Let us pray . . . Heavenly Father, we come to Thee in this sorrow, seeking that support which Thou alone can give. . . As we mourn the departure of our Brother from the circle of our Fraternity, we believe that he has entered into a higher Brotherhood, to find rest from earthly labors and refreshment from earthly cares. As the balm of Gilead soothed and sustained the wounded wayfarer, so we pray that Thy divine love may dwell amongst the dear ones of our Brother's household to cheer, to console and strengthen them in their hour of sorrow and despair. Let the light of Thy countenance shine upon them. Teach us Thy ways, O Lord. Make us to know the measure of Thy wondrous love, that we may seek Thee in truth, and forsaking our evil ways, cleave in righteous and constant devotion to Thee, O God, who is our Rock and or Redeemer both now and evermore. Amen. [The prayer may conclude the service, or at the option of the Master and in keeping with the wishes of the family, the Master says: "This service will be concluded at the cemetery." At the cemetery the Brethren assemble and (public grand honors may be given) the Master Continues.] MASTER: The dust shall return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. [Senior Warden and Junior Warden may repeat. The Master continues:] For as much as it has pleased Almighty God in His wise providence to take out of this world the soul of our deceased Brother, we, therefore, commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, looking to the general resurrection at the last day and the life of the world to come, when the earth and the sea shall give up their dead. [Brethren may repeat together the Lord's Prayer.] MASTER: May the blessings of Heaven rest upon us; may Brotherly love prevail and every moral and social virtue cement us. Amen. The Minister will give the benediction. [The Master in charge of the service shall have the right to make such changes as may be appropriate to fit the particular occasion and in keeping with the wishes of the family of the deceased.]