Solomon The Royal Arch
By the solemn Act of Union between the two Grand Lodges of Free-Masons of England in December 1813, it was declared and pronounced that pure Antient Masonry consists of three degrees and no more, viz., those of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch. [Preliminary Declaration, Book of Constitutions]
 The close links between the Craft and the
 Royal Arch are easy to see, HRH the Duke
 of Kent KG is both The Grand Master and
 The First Grand Principal; and Sir Michael
 Snyder is both the Metropolitan Grand
 Master for London and the Metropolitan
 Grand Superintendent in and over
 London.
In addition to having representatives for
 Provincial Grand Lodges, Learning and
 Development Leads also represent their
 Provincial Grand Chapters up and down
 the country, as well as in Districts across
 the globe.
We also continue this link on Solomon
 itself in the wide variety of content which
 is not just for Craft Masons. Although
 much of the content available is intended
 for members of the Craft, all of that
 content and more is available to those who
 have taken their next step into the Royal
 Arch, as well as those Master Masons
 thinking of joining the Holy Royal Arch,
 for whom we have created specific content
 to help you understand more about that
 next step, without ruining the surprise.
Those Brethren who have taken the next
 step or are considering taking the next
 step to become Companions of the Royal
 Arch will find all of the information that
 will help them understand this rich,
 complex and unique Degree more fully.
Like the content available to those in the
 Craft there are also a series of Presentations
 ideally suited for use within a Chapter,
 quizzes and Nuggets and Papers on topics
 from the History of the Royal Arch to the
 Roles and Responsibilities of the Officers
 within a Chapter. Every member has their
 own style of learning and we want to
 ensure that everyone can use Solomon to
 get the most out their masonic journey
 and learn in the way that they want to.
Many of the resources on Solomon can be
 accessed in a variety of ways; from
 downloading our Box Sets of audio files
 to listen to on another device or on the
 go, to viewing the famous Prestonian
 Lectures narrated by the Lecturers
 themselves which are usually only
 delivered inside a Lodge room, followed
 by a Q&A with the Lecturer, to testing
 your knowledge with our interactive
 quizzes.
As with all the content on Solomon we
 only recommend exploring the content
 of that Module if you have reached that
 Degree, otherwise you might spoil the
 experience.
As part of our mission to enable every
 member to use Solomon, the Learning &
 Development Team are increasing the
 quantity of interactive content available
 across the entire platform, from an
 interactive walk around the Lodge Room,
 complete with explanations of each Officer
 and their place in the Lodge, to an audiovisual
 guide of the Tracing Board and the
 meaning behind the symbolism. We are
 also increasing the amount of audio content
 available, to help enable you to experience
 Solomon the way you want to.
Solomon is the resource to feed that
 journey of discovery and understanding
 for everyone. Whether you are new to
 Freemasonry and are seeking a greater
 understanding of the ceremony that you
 have just experienced by reflecting on each
 stage of the ceremony, or you are seeking
 a deeper understanding of the symbolism.
Solomon continues to occupy a significant
 position as a resource for the enjoyment
 and instruction of individual Brethren and
 Companions and as a supply of
 informative, credible material for use at
 virtual gatherings and classes of instruction
 and development. The Learning &
 Development Team continue to work
 relentlessly behind the scenes to upload
 new, interesting and dynamic material, in
 a variety of formats, to satisfy the
 requirements of our members and bring
 education back into the Chapter
 environment.
From everyone at the Solomon
 Team, have a safe and Happy New Year.
 
How to Register
Simply go to solomon.ugle.org.uk
 and fill in your details, once you have
 received the confirmation email Log in,
 select your first Module and Enrol.
You can then begin your journey of
 Masonic learning and understanding.
A selection from Solomon
 
Master Mason:
 Origins of the Grand Lodge Certificate
 solomon.ugle.org.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=1727
 The origins, purpose and development of
 the Grand Lodge Certificates, which have
 evolved from the Antients and Moderns
 up to the present-day Three Pillars design.
 
The Royal Arch –
 Completing the Craft
 solomon.ugle.org.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=2264
 An introduction to the Royal Arch.
 
Nugget –
 From the Craft to
 the Royal Arch
 solomon.ugle.org.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=2263
 Some thoughts about what lies beyond
 the Craft.
 
Royal Arch
Why Companions not Brothers?
 solomon.ugle.org.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=2226
 A short explanation of the origin of
 the word Companion, and what
 differentiates it from Brother, its
 Craft equivalent.
 
Including the Holy Royal Arch –
 According to Fred & Charlie
 solomon.ugle.org.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=2306
 …pure Antient Masonry consists of
 three degrees and no more, …including
 Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch.

Royal Arch Regalia
 solomon.ugle.org.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=774
 History and Symbolism of Royal Arch
 Apron, Sash and Jewel.
 
More general content:
Nugget –
 Why do we wear white gloves?
 solomon.ugle.org.uk/mod/
 resource/view.php?id=1503
 A short explanation of why Freemasons
 wear white gloves at Lodge Meetings.  
Paper –
 Mediaeval Masonry Transformed
 solomon.ugle.org.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=2735
Paper –
 A Glossary
 solomon.ugle.org.uk/mod/
 resource/view.php?id=1794
 A brief glossary of the meanings of some
 of the unusual words used in Freemasonry.
 

 

 This article is part of the Arena Magazine, Issue 43 January 2021 edition.
 Arena Magazine is the official magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.
Read more articles in the Arena Issue 43.