The High Priest then took a rod from the ark, which, after he had read the following passage,
Numb. xvii. 10. "And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony to be kept for a token."
He pronounced to be Aaron's rod, which budded and blossomed as the rose.
Q. Was there anything further found in the ark? A. There was a key to the ineffable characters belonging to this degree, as follows
beginning at top of this diagram at the left hand angle. The upper left angle without a dot is A, the same with a dot is B, etc.
Q. What further was said to you? A. The High Priest read the following passage:
Exodus vi. 2, 3. "And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord, and I appealed unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them."
He then informed us that the name of Deity, the divine Logos, or word, to which reference is made in John i. 1-5.
"In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, the same was in the beginning with God, all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not."
That this Logos or word was anciently written only in these sacred characters, and thus preserved from one generation to another. That this was the true Masonic word, which was lost in the death of Hiram Abiff, and was restored at the rebuilding of the temple, in the manner we had at that time assisted to represent.
Q. What followed? A. We were reminded of the manner in which we were sworn to give the Royal Arch word, were instructed in the manner, and finally invested with the all important word in due form.
Q. What is the Grand Royal Arch word? A. JAH BUH LUN.
Q. How is it to be given? A. Under a living arch by three times three, in low breath (see description of opening a Chapter).
Q. What followed? A. We were presented with the signs belonging to this degree.
Q. Will you give me those signs? Answered by giving the signs thus: Raise the right hand to the forehead, the hand and arm horizontal; thumb towards the forehead, draw it briskly across the forehead, and drop it perpendicularly by the side. This constitutes the due-guard of this degree, and refers to the penalty of the obligation. The grand sign is made by locking the fingers of both hands together, and carrying them to the top of the head, the palms upward, alluding to the manner in which the brother who descended into the vault and found the ark, found his hands involuntarily placed to protect his head from the potent rays of the meridian sun.