Excellent Master in the
East to open and adorn his Lodge; to set his craft to work; govern
them with good and wholesome laws, or cause the same to be done." [In
some Lodges the forgoing ceremonies are omitted.] M. E. M.--"Brother
Senior Warden, assemble the brethren around the altar for the purpose
of opening this Lodge of Most Excellent Master Masons." S.
W.--"Brethren, please to assemble around the altar for the purpose of
opening this Lodge of Most Excellent Master Masons." In pursuance of
this request, the brethren assemble around the altar and form a
circle, and stand in such a position as to touch each other, leaving a
space for the Most Excellent Master; they then all kneel on their left
knee and join hands, each giving his right hand brother his left hand,
and his left hand brother his right hand; their left arms uppermost,
and their heads inclining downward; all being thus situated, the Most
Excellent Master reads the following portion of Scripture: Psalm
xxiv.--"The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the world and
they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and
established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the
Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands
and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor
sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and
righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of
them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. Lift up your
heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the
King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord,
strong and mighty; the Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O
ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of
glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts; he
is the King of glory. Selah." The reading being ended, the Most
Excellent Master then kneels, joins hands with the others, which
closes the circle; they all lift their hands, as joined together, up
and down six times, keeping time with the words as the Most Excellent
Master repeats them--one, two, three; one, two, three. This is
masonically called balancing. They then rise, disengage their hands,
and lift them up above their heads with a moderate and somewhat
graceful motion; cast up their eyes, turning, at the same time, to the
right, they extend their arms and then suffer them to