Prelate says to them, “Are you followers of the Captain of our salvation?” Verger says, “We are, Right Reverend Prelate.”  P.—­“Attend, then, to the sayings of our Master, Jesus Christ.”  Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy might.  This is the first great commandment, and the second is like unto it; thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself; on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.  The Verger and Beadle hold the Bible, on which the candidates place their right hands.

Vow.—­“I, A. B., in the name of the high and undivided Trinity, do promise and vow to keep and conceal the high mysteries of this noble and Invincible Order of Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, from all but such as are ready and willing to serve the church of Christ by acts of valor and charity, and its members by performing all the corporeal works of mercy, and that, as far as in me lies, I will defend the church of the Holy Sepulchre from pillage and violence, and guard and protect pilgrims on their way to and from the Holy Land; and if I perform not this, my vow, to the best of my abilities, let me become INANIMATUS [dead].

Interlace your fingers with the candidate, cross your arms, and say, “De mortuis, nil nisi bonum; [i.e., concerning the dead, say nothing but good.] Prelate says, “Take the sword and travel onward—­guard the Holy Sepulchre—­defeat our enemies—­unfurl the banner of our cross—­protect the Roman Eagle—­return to us with victory and safety.”  The candidates depart, go to the south, where they meet a band of Turks—­a desperate conflict ensues—­the Knights are victorious; they seize the crescent, and return to the cathedral in triumph, and place the banner, eagle, and crescent before the altar, and take their seats. (22d chapter St. John read by Prelate.) Then the choir sing: 

    “Creator of the radiant light,
    Dividing day from sable night;
    Who with the light bright origin,
    The world’s creation didst begin.”

Prelate then says, “Let our prayer come before Thee, and let our exercise be acceptable in thy sight.”  The seven candidates kneel at the foot of the altar.  The Prelate takes the bread, and says, “Brethren, eat ye all of this bread in love, that ye may learn to support each other.”  He then takes the cup, and says, “Drink ye all of this cup to ratify the vow that ye have made, and learn to sustain one another.”  The Prelate then raises them up by the grip (interlace the fingers), and says, “1st, Sir, I greet thee a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre; go feed the hungry; 2d, Give drink to the thirsty; 3d, Clothe the naked with a garment; 4th, Visit and ransom the captives; 5th, Harbor the harborless, give the orphan and widow where to lay their heads; 6th, Visit and relieve the sick; 7th, Go and bury the dead.”  All make crosses and say, “In nomini patria filio et spiritus sancto.  Amen.”  Prelate says, “Brethren, let us recommend to each other the practice of the four cardinal virtues—­prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude.”