Grand Commandery - Oregon York Rite

1 48 1 Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Oregon Ten Man Opening Ceremony With Tactics and Diagrams 2015 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PROTOCOL 3 Grand Commandery 3 Constituent Commandery TACTICS INSTRUCTION Flag Protocol 4 Commands 4 GENERAL RULES 5 Footnotes (Notes) 6-7 SWORD MANUAL The Sword and Scabbard 8 Draw Sword and Carry Sword 9 On Guard 10 Present Swords and Sword Salute 10-11 Order Swords 11 Communicating Across the Lines 12-14 Forming an Arch of Steel 15 Return Swords 15 FLOOR DIAGRAMS 16 20 ORDER of BUSINESS 20 List of Officers 20 RITUAL & TACTICS Full Form Opening 21 35 Rehearsal of Duties 27 32 Closing 36 37 Purging Conclave 43 44

2 - Reception of Grand Officers 38 42 Inspection Form 45 Reference Notes 46 47 46 Reference Notes: _____ 3 PROTOCOLS Official Title and Honorary title of Officers: ( When referring to an officer , the honorary title shall immediately follow his name ) Grand Officers: 1. Grand Commander: Sir Knight _____, Right Eminent Grand Commander 2. Deputy Grand Commander: Sir Knight _____, Very Eminent Deputy Grand Commander 3. All other Grand Officers are: Sir Knight _____, Eminent ( Title of Grand officer ) Grand Generalissimo Grand Captain General Grand Senior Warden Grand Junior Warden Grand Prelate Grand Treasure Grand Recorder Grand Standard Bearer Grand Sword Bearer Grand Warder Grand Sentinel 4.

3 Past Grand Commander (s): Sir Knight _____, Right Eminent Past Grand Commander. ( Rank right after the Grand Captain General, according to seniority of service.) 5. Constituent Commandery Officers: Commander: Sir Knight _____, Eminent Commander 6. All other Commandery Officers: Sir Knight_____, (Title of officer ) 4 GENERAL RULES 1. The plural form of Knight Templar adds an s to the word Knight making it KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. 2. All are Sir Knights, never Eminent Sir Knights, etc. The words Sir Knight, ( in Commandery ), Eminent, Very Eminent and Right Eminent are Honorary Titles. The name of an office is a Official Title. 3. When calling upon officers below the rank of Commander, use Sir Knight followed by his Official Title.

4 Note: Officers are ad-dressed by nature of their current office, not by nature of any past office held. 4. 4. When addressing an officer , use his Honorary Title followed by his Official Title. Ex: Eminent Commander; Eminent Grand Warder; Sir Knight Generalissimo; Sir Knight Senior Warden. 5. While escorting a Sir Knight, we NEVER touch him. If there is a physical problem, a arm may be offered. 6. While escorting a Lady, the Bridle Arm ( left arm ) should always be offered. 7. Knights Templar in uniform NEVER BOW, but Hand Salute. 8. A Gavel is NEVER used in a Commandery of Knights Templar. 9. The Word debts is used when reciting the Lord s Prayer. All Prayers in Commandery end by saying Amen not the words So Mote it Be. 45 44 the Captain General, and when the salute is acknowledged say:) Sir Knight Captain General, I vouch for the visitor as a Knight Templar in good standing.

5 (Captain General releases the Knight with Sword Salute, coming to Carry Sword.) : Sir Knight (Senior or Junior) Warden, a Sir Knight has vouched for the visitor. (If no one present vouches for the visitor, the Captain General says:) The visitor will retire to the ante-room where an Examining Committee will wait upon him. (The examining Committee should be appointed by the Captain General and retire immediately after the Wardens are seated.) (When purging is completed or if satisfied that all present are Knights Templar, Wardens return to the East or if already there, face each other and report as follows:) : (Sword Salutes, holds salute and reports) Sir Knight Senior Warden, all on the North are Knights Templar.

6 (Senior Warden releases Junior Warden with Sword Salute, both coming to Carry Swords together.) ( Both Wardens face the Captain General.) : (Sword Salutes, holds salute and reports) Sir Knight Captain General, all present are Knights Templar. (Captain General releases Senior Warden with Sword Salute, both coming to Carry swords together.) (Wardens face each other, face west, return to their respective stations moving by the shortest route, face each other, Return Swords, step back one step and are seated.) 5 TACTICS INSTRUCTIONS Flag Protocol The National Flag is Never dipped. Officers use Present Sword when saluting the Flag when swords are drawn, all others Hand Salute. Commands 1. Commands are given at Carry Sword.

7 Responses are given at Carry Sword. Sword Salute is released by either a Hand Salute or a Sword Salute. 2. Commands are to be given in two parts; the preparatory command and the execution. There is always a pause between the prepara-tory command and command of execution. For example, give the preparatory command DRAW, (pause until all Sir Knights are ready to draw their swords) then give the command of execution, SWORDS. 3. The officer issuing a command, such as DRAW - SWORDS will draw his sword first and come to CARRY and then give the command to others. Likewise, on the command RETURN - SWORDS, the officer will give the command and after it has been executed, he will return his own sword. The officer issuing a command will NEVER execute the order while he is giving the order to others.

8 4. NEVER Speak, through a Hand Salute or while at Present Swords. 5. ALWAYS uncover using the Bridle Arm (left arm). 6 TACTICS INSTRUCTIONS Commands Cont d 6. When uncovering, On the preparatory command, when under arms, Un , grasp the front part of the chapeau with the left hand, On the command of execution Cover raise the Chapeau from the head, placing it on the right shoulder. 7. When recovering, On the preparatory command Re , lift the chapeau slightly. On the command of execution Cover, replace the chapeau on the head, dropping the hand to the side. Tactic Instruction Footnotes 1. When standing from a chair when under arms, Arise, take one step forward, facing officer requiring your attention, Draw Sword, come to Sword Salute and hold Sword Salute until re-leased by either a Hand Salute or Sword Salute, returning to Carry Swords Together.

9 2. When completing a communication either give a Sword Salute if sword is drawn or a Hand Salute if not armed, when the Senior officer returns the Salute, both return to Carry Swords or Drop Hands together. 3. The position of Attention, for all officers, is one step in front of their chairs. 4. The Captain General will see that all properties and parapher-nalia are in place. 5. Treasurer, Recorder and Prelate do not bear arms at those posi-tions. 43 How to purge a Conclave. : Sir Knights Junior and Senior Warden, (Wardens rise, take one step forward, face the Captain General, Draw Swords, Sword Salute and holds salute.) Are all present Knights Templar? (Captain General releases Wardens with Sword Salute, all three coming to Carry Swords together.)

10 (Wardens march in unison to a point two paces in front of the Captain General and Generalissimo s Stations, Wardens FACE EACH OTHER and Senior Warden commands:) (see examination or purging floor diagram for floor work, page 17.) : Sir Knight Junior Warden, (Swords Salutes, holds salute.) Ascertain if all in the North are Knights Templar. (Senior Warden releases Junior Warden with Sword Salute, both coming to Carry Swords together.) ( then they About Face and if not satisfied that all are Knights Templar (see optional part of floor diagram, page 17) and go to and along the north and south sides of the asylum. If any person is unknown to the Wardens, they face the individual, go to ON Guard position and say:) JUNIOR OR SENIOR WARDEN: Are you a Knight Templar?