in good faith. If satisfied with this assurance, you will each rise upon
your feet, (pausing till they do so,) place the left hand upon the breast,
and raise the right hand towards heaven.

[The brethren to remain seated till called up.]

                                           obligation.

In the presence of Almighty God and these witnesses, you do sol-
emnly promise and swear that you will never betray any of the secrete
of this society, nor communicate them even to proper candidates, except
within a lawful council of the order; that you will never permit any of
the secrets of this society to be written, or in any other manner to be
made legible, except for the purpose of official instruction; that you will
not vote nor give your influence for any man for any office in the gift of
the people, unless he be an American born citizen, in favor of Ameri-
cans ruling America, nor if he be a Roman Catholic; that you will, in
all political matters, so far as this order is concerned, comply with the
will of the majority, though it may conflict with your personal pre-
ference, so long as it docs not conflict with the Constitution of the
United States of America, or that of the State in which you reside; that
you will not, under any circumstances whatever, knowingly recommend
an unworthy person for initiation, nor suffer it to be done if in your power
to prevent it; that you will not, under any circumstances, expose the
name of any member of this order, nor reveal the existence of such an
association; that you will answer an imperative notice issued by the
proper authority, obey the command of the State Council President, or
his deputy, while assembled by such notice, and respond to the claim of
a sign or a cry of the order, unless it be physically impossible; that

you will acknowledge the State Council of------as the legislative head,

the ruling authority, and the supreme tribunal of the order in the State

of ------, acting under the jurisdiction of the National Council of the

United States of North America—binding yourself in the penalty of ex-
communication from the order, the forfeiture of all intercourse with its
members, and being denounced in all the societies of the same as a will-
ful traitor to your God and your country.

[The President shall call up every person present by three blows of
the gavel, when the candidates shall all repeat after the Vice President
in concert:]                                       

All this I voluntarily and sincerely promise, with a full understand-
ing of the solemn sanctions and penalties.

Vice President.—You have now taken solemn oaths, and made as
sacred promises as man can make, that you will keep all our secrets in-
violate; and we wish you distinctly to understand that he that takes
these oaths and makes those promises, and then violates them, leaves
the foul, the deep and blighting stain of perjury resting upon his soul.
President.—[Having seated all by one blow of the gavel.]—Brother
instructor, these new brothers, having complied with the demands of the
order, are entitled to the secrets and privileges of the same. You will,
therefore, invest them with every thing pertaining to the first degree.

Instructor.—Brothers, the practices and proceedings in our order are
as follows:
We have pass-words necessary to be used to obtain admission to our

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