Almighty Jehovah,[10] descend now and fill
    This Lodge with Thy glory, our hearts with good-will;
    Preside at our meeting, assist us to find
    True pleasure in teaching good-will to mankind.

    Thy wisdom inspired the great institution,
      Thy strength shall support it till nature expire;
    And when the creation shall fall into ruin,
      Its beauty shall rise through the midst of the fire.

[At the time the ark is placed on the altar, there is also placed on it a pot of incense, to which fire is communicated by the Most Excellent Master, just as the last line of the song is sung; this pot to contain incense is sometimes an elegant silver urn; but if the Lodge is too poor to afford that, a common teapot, with spout and handle broken off, answers every purpose; for incense some pieces of paper are dipped in spirits of turpentine.]

The members now all join hands, as in opening; and, while in this attitude, the Most Excellent reads the following passage of Scripture: 

2 Chron. vii. 1-4.  “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt-offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.  And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house.  And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, for he is good;[11] for his mercy endureth forever.”

The members now balance six times as before; in opening, rise and balance six times more, disengage themselves from each other and take their seats; the Most Excellent Master then delivers the following charge to the candidate: 

“Brother, your admittance to this degree of Masonry, is a proof of the good opinion the brethren of this Lodge entertain of your Masonic abilities.  Let this consideration induce you to be careful of forfeiting by misconduct and inattention to our rules, that esteem which has raised you to the rank you now possess.

“It is one of your great duties, as a Most Excellent Master, to dispense light and truth to the uninformed Mason; and I need not remind you of the impossibility of complying with this obligation without possessing an accurate acquaintance with the Lectures of each degree.

“If you are not already completely conversant in all the degrees heretofore conferred on you, remember, that an indulgence, prompted by a belief that you will apply yourself with double diligence to make yourself so, has induced the brethren to accept you.

“Let it, therefore, be your unremitting study to acquire such a degree of knowledge and