Ninth Degree: Select Master

Two virtues particularly inculcated by the Select Master's degree are secrecy and silence.  These virtues constitute the very essence of all Masonic character and are the very safeguard of the institution.  

While many will look to something sinister in these words, the Mason looks to their meaning.  The word secret is derived from ancient words meaning discriminate, distinguish.  It refers to something set apart from the rest. Silence refers to being still, calm, quiet; attributes that the Mason strives for in questing for divine truth.

Select Masters therefore work in secrecy and silence that they prepare and preserve the sacred deposits of truth until such time come for its full revelation.  They labor here amid the foundations of the first temple of this transient life that their labor may bring forth fruit in the future.  They labor so that when their hours of work on Earth are finished their work may be brought to light and their reward bestowed in the second temple of eternal life.

This degree is set at the period of the first temple between the death of the builder and the completion of the edifice. The circumstances of this degree occur prior to the circumstances of the preceding degree.  Its secrets were not brought to light until long after the existence of the Royal Master's degree in preparation for the building of Zerubabel's Temple.

The degree refers to Select Masters, who had been designated, performed the task for which they had been selected, and had closed their labors without ever being openly recognized as a class of workmen in the Temple of Solomon.  

The place of meeting for the Cryptic Masons represents a crypt beneath the temple mount, hence Cryptic Masons.  Underground vaults from Solomon's Temple provide some example of the kind of workmanship that might be expected.

1 Kings 1, 5, 6 provides us with the principle characters:  Solomon, son of David, was king over Israel; Azariah, son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer and the king's friend; Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram, son of Abda, was over the tribute.

The blue lodge, or craft degrees demonstrate to the Mason that divine truth, the true word of a Mason, has been lost and he is left with a substitute, the best that can be done until the True Word is returned.  

The Chapter degrees reveal to the diligent Mason that the location of divine truth has been found, but he is still unaware of how such came to be preserved for its discovery during the second temple period.

The Cryptic degrees reveal the farsightedness and preparation of the Select Masters to ensure that the desire of mens hearts may be found when they are ready to receive it.