Q. Where did your tour of penance end? A. It has not yet ended; neither can it end until this mortal shall put on immortality; for all men err, and all error need repentance.
Q. Were you then permitted to participate in the fifth libation? A. I was.
Q. How gained you admittance there? A. After having passed my year of penance, I returned to the door of the asylum, where, on giving the alarm, the Warden appeared and demanded, "Who comes there?"
Q. Your answer? A. Pilgrim penitent, traveling from afar, who begs your permission here to rest, and at the shrine of our departed Lord to offer up his prayers and meditations.
Q. What was then demanded of you? A. What surety can he offer that he is no impostor?
Q. Your answer? A. The commendation of two true and courteous Knights, the Junior and Senior Wardens.
Q. What was then demanded of you? A. By what further right or benefit I expected to gain admittance.
Q. Your answer? A. By the benefit of a pass-word.
Q. Did you give that pass-word? A. I did not; my conductor gave it for me.
Q. Give it? A. Golgotha. (It is given as before described.)
Q. What was then said to you? A. Wait with faith and humility, and soon an answer shall be returned to your request.
Q. What was the answer of the Grand Commander? A. That I should be admitted.
Q. What did the Grand Commander then demand? A. Who have you there in charge, Sir Knight?
Q. What answer was returned? A. A pilgrim penitent, traveling from afar, who, having passed his term of penance, seeks now to participate in the fifth libation, thereby to seal his fate.
Q. What did the Grand Commander then observe? A. Pilgrim, in granting your request and receiving you a Knight among our number, I can only offer you a rough habit, coarse diet, and severe duties; if, on these conditions, you are still desirous of enlisting under our banners, you will advance and kneel at the base of the triangle.
Q. What did the Grand Commander then observe? A. Pilgrim, the fifth libation is taken in the most solemn and impressive manner; we cannot be too often reminded that we are born to die; and the fifth libation is an emblem of that bitter cup of death, of which we must all sooner or later partake, and from which even the Saviour of the world, notwithstanding his ardent prayers and solicitations, was not exempt.