The sixth degree of the Royal Arch Rite as practiced in chapters belonging to the General Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons Int. is the Most Excellent Master Degree. As with previous degrees, the candidate is required to circumambulate about the lodge an equal number of times as the degree represented (depending on jurisdiction, of course). In the Jurisdiction of Utah, as with many others, this path begins in the Northwest corner of the lodge. The candidate then travels to the East, South, and West, following the path of the sun. He travels through the North as well, a place of darkness, a representation of night? In this context, I would argue that it is the case. Each circumambulation represents a day, an epoch, and age. The Most Excellent Master occurs during the sixth epoch, age, or day. For the sake of brevity we'll use day.
On the sixth day the Temple of Solomon was completed and dedicated to the Ever-Living God. Craftsmen placed the keystone at the head of the arch, they placed the sacred vessels and ornaments in the Temple, and the Ark of the Covenant was seat in the Holy of Holies. Solomon offered up a dedicatory prayer, which was found favorable before God and His Spirit descended and rested in the Sanctum Sanctorum.
The Most Excellent Master Degree represents these events and it is a degree that stands apart in the Royal Arch Rite, more so than the Past Master Degree. The craftsmen are never presented with working tools, the work is complete. According to the ritual, the craftsmen remove their aprons and no longer need them. The work is done, the Temple is complete and has been accepted by the Grand Architect of the Universe.
Ask yourself, what else was completed on another sixth day? Man! On the sixth day of creation, God created Adam and Eve, man and woman, in His image. From the clay sprung forth the apex of God's creation, the keystone of the Genesis. And to complete this work, God gave the breath of life to man, he accepted the work of His own hand and the work was finished.
Work, from this connection, what you will. But, I tend to remember the admonition of Paul, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" I'm going to let you in on a little secret, you're quest as a Royal Arch Candidate is to find the lost Master's Word. I want to get you excited for the Royal Arch Degree, you shall find the Lost Master's Word. It will be work, you will dig, you will stoop low, and if you are lucky you may discover that Lost Word. But as the degrees of Freemasonry, and specifically that of the Royal Arch, are symbols of your journey through life, I must admonish you to look inward. Complete your temple that you may realize what you have found while digging through the rubbish of a Temple that has fallen by the hands of time.
