The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-24
KNELL OF IRON CROSS:
Sounds in the CandIed Gloom
Of Midnight
FOR THE DEAD MASON
Eloquent Service of Sorrow
at Masonic Temple.


Y..t night occurred at the Scottish Rite
fannie the solemn and impressive cere-
,nontss Of the Masonic Low Twelve bur
Gal rite over the remains Of Charles NJ
Jones. sSd. AT 1879 the doors were thrown
omen on the First street side and the
vast crowd which had been gathering for
hours slowly and decOrously passed IN
between two rows Of city police and the
committee assiEned to attend the door,
Everv inch of spacs was taken and the
chanel was soon filled from gallery 70
stage.
In the center Of the chamber was the
casket, with q guard OF honor Oh AnlsnIs
rremplar relieved In fifteen minute relays.
These were Sir Knights Biting, DAVID
son. Carey and Anawalt- At a quarter
of u there was q hush over the large
audience as tho mourning party entered.
Mrs. Jones was accompanied by four Ia
dies and four gentlemen, immediate
friends. They took places directly at the
head Of the bier. facing the Passion
Cross. Promptly at midnight the signal
gong slowly and dolefully tolled on the
twelve strokes. Then from the halls OF
Albert Pike lodge through the prepare
ton rooms back of the stage filed In nine
teen men attired completely in black.
The first ten bore burning tapers, the
next seven unlighted tapers, followed by
Venerable Master James II. Mccall and
~ Uo11 tafn na
two latter took their positions at the foot
OF the bier. Music softly pealed out from
the Consistory Quartette, the first num-
Der being Consolation" The rooms
were dimly lighted as the venerable mas
ter announced the sorrowful task await
ing them.
The whole service was one the effects
OF which will leave an imprint for life
time on those present 1t was the entire
Scottish Rite service in charge of the
Consistory with many sections from other
degrees in the various systems of the
Rite. The first part. or strictly the Ka-
dosh ceremony, was given as follows, this
being the monitorial work:
The right to be buried with the ceremo-
MES OF the Order Is one that under certain
restrictions belongs to every Master Ma
son. These restrictions, according to the
ancient Constitutions and the monitorial
work as prescribed by Preston and all the
earliest scholars. are that Master piasons
only may be permitted this honor, Eel
low crafts and Entered Apprentices being
denied always; and also that the deceased
must have made a request for the cere-
mony to the Lodge of which he was a
member In good standing. The several
jurisdictions regulate differently regarding
The ritual OF burial ceremonies. as do also
the various systems and Rites. The
knight Of Kadosh ceremony is almost
Identical with that OF the knight Templar,
in fact the two hold authority concur
rently. and the latter is mainly taken from
the former. The Consfstory OF ceremonial
and official degrees has charge Of the
midnight Kadosh ceremonies and any
knight of Kadosh from the thirtieth to
the thirty-second degrees may re-
ceive them. They ara always held at
midnight. Low XII, or II midnight, is in
Masonic language the closing hour OF the
first half of the diurnal day. corresponding
TO the Jewish regulation. It Is so called
in reference to the sun then being below
the earth. In Masonic symbolism 1t is
considered an unpropitious hour
The ancient regulations as prescribed by
pc Supreme Council OF the Scottish Rite
Hor these midnight ceremonies are in brief
as follows These offices will take place at
midnight. or low XII. ii the Chapel of
the Order.
The walls Of the Chapel win be covered
with black cloth. and on trestIe board in
the center will be placed the coffin con-
tanning the body Of the deceased Knight.
The body should he dressed in the habit
Of the Kadosh Knight, the legs crossed,
and the arms folded on the breast. Nine
candlesticks four feet high will stand in
three triangles on the east, west and
south sides Of the coffin. each having a
lamp and the chapel being otherwise I'M
lighted. On the upper end of the coffin
lid there will be a chaplet OF white roses.
and below II the insignia OF the Order and
the sword OF the deceased Knight in its
scabbard: On a tablet near the coffin
IS to be placed a skull wreathed with
evergreens. and surrounded by seven large
candlesticks bearing no lights At the
head OF the coffin is to stand a great iron
Passion Cross. FIVE feet high. painted in
black. The Grand Master OF Kadosh or
the Preceptor is to hold an iron hammer,
painted also in black. This officer pre-
ceding and all the Knights following. all
bearing tapers feathered IN black. and
with scarfs of crepe. viii enter the chapel.
one by one. and as silently as shadows.
The Knights So entering viii arrange
themselves In a semi-circle on the west,
south and north sides Of the coffin. facing
the east. and will then stand on the east
side Of 1t behind the Cross, facing the
west After standing a few moments in
perfect silence. 4 trumpet VIII sound few
pialhtiVe notes in an adjoining room.
Immediately the Sir Preceptor will open
the first ceremonial function by saying:
Dear Brothers and knights OF the Holy
House Of the Temple. 1t hath pleased Our
Father who is in Heaven 10 take away
from among Us the living soul OF our
Brother. Sir Charles Morgan Jones. and