unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion."

Numb. chap. 6. "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."

Hebrews, chap. 7. "For this Melchisedeck, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him; to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; (first be

ing, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace; without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God;) abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham."

"For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedeck."

"And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest."

"For those priests (under the Levitical law) were made without an oath; but this with an oath, by him that said unto him, The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck."

CHAPTER XIX.

THE MANNER OF CONSTITUTING NEW CHAPTERS AND THE CER

IMONIES USED ON THE OCCA-
SION.

1. The Grand Officers will meet at a convenient place and open.

2. The subordinate Chapter will meet in the outer courts of their hall, and form an avenue for the reception of the Grand Officers.

3. When formed they will despatch a committee to the place where the Grand Officers are assembled, to inform the Grand Marshal that the Chapter is prepared to receive them; the Grand Marshal will announce the same to the Grand Officers, and introduce the committee.

4. The Grand Officers will move in procession, conducted by the committee, to the hall of the Chapter; when the Grand High Priest enters, the Chapter will give the Grand Honours

5. When the Grand Officers have passed through the avenue, they counter-march in the rear of the left hand line and face to the left; in the mean time the Chapter will form rank entire, and face to the front; the officers of the Chapter then file off, and form a front rank two paces in advance of their members.

6. The Grand Secretary will then call over the names of the officers elect, and the Grand High Priest will ask whether they accept their respective of fices. If they answer in the affirmative, he then asks the members if they remain satisfied with their choice. If they answer in the affirmative, he di rects these officers to approach the sacred volume, and become qualified for installation according to ancient usage and custom.

7. The Grand Marshal will then form the whole in procession, in single file, and they will march through the aisles into the inner appartment, where they will surround the Altar, which is to be previously furnished

and prepared, in ample form, for the occasion.

8. All present will then kneel and the following prayer will be recited:

PRAYER.

Almighty and Supreme High Priest of heaven and earth! who is there in heaven but thee, and who upon the earth can stand in competition with thee? thy omniscient mind brings all things in review, past, present, and to come; thine omnipotent arm directs the movements of the vast creation; thine omnipresent eye pervades the secret recesses of every heart; thy boundless beneficence supplies us with every comfort and enjoyment; and thine unspeakable perfections and glory surpass the understandings of the children of men! Our Father who art in heaven, we invoke thy benediction upon the purposes of our present assembly; let this Chapter be established to thine honour; let its officers be endowed with wisdom to discern, and fidelity to pur sue its truest interests; let its members be ever mindful of the duty they owe to their God, the obedience they