It is a branch of Freemasonry designed to supplement and amplify the philosophical teachings of the first three degrees conferred in the Symbolic Lodge. The Scottish Rite allows a Master Mason to journey deeper into the ethical teachings and philosophy of blue lodge Masonry through dramatic presentation.
Yet it was not until and the creation of the Order of the Royal Secret by Stephen Morin of France that the ritual we practice today began to coalesce into a form recognizable to a modern Scottish Rite Mason. To find out more about joining the Brotherhood of Freemasonry, please click here for more information.
You will learn more about Masonry. You will more deeply explore questions raised in the blue lodge degrees. It presents in degrees from the fourth to the 32nd an interpretation of the lessons of the first three degrees by the use of drama and lectures appealing to both the ear and eye to explore the great truths that Freemasonry professes. There is no Masonic distinction of higher prestige than that of a Master Mason. The noblest and most significant emblem is the apron of the Master Mason.
You must be a member in good standing in a Masonic lodge, and belief in a Supreme Being is essential. The usual Masonic conditions of residence and sponsorship apply. And no, one does not need to travel back to Scotland to attain the 33rd degree. That is a common misconception among people. Degrees in the Scottish Rite have titles, similar as the standard degrees. For example, the 4th degree, called Master Traveler emphasizes duty and the necessity for secrecy in all confidential relationships.
There are two branches in Masonry nowadays where people can proceed after completing the third, and final degree of the Blue Lodge Masonry. That third degree is the highest rank one can attain. The second branch is the York Rite. Many people think that the Scottish Rite actually originates from Scotland, but that is not the case.
The first reference of the rite is actually found in French records. The Rite actually has its establishment in America, in South Carolina. The first official recognition of the Scottish Rite came in in South Carolina. The Northern jurisdiction of the rite covers 15 states east of Mississippi River. According to some estimates, there are more than , members of the Scottish Rite in the world. Out of those, only around 4, have attained the 33rd degree. And the most important aspect is that members of the rite share the belief that there is no higher degree than the Master Mason, or the third degree by the Blue Lodge Masonry.
As mentioned, the second branch in which Masons can continue after attaining the 3rd degree is the York Rite. There are no 33 degrees here. The York rite consists of 10 more degrees, which are considered concordant to the original three degrees. Similar as with the Scottish rite, the 10 additional degrees amplify and elaborate the first three. One of the biggest misconceptions is that people who attain the 33rd rule, are actually service of Lucifer, and they want to rule the world with their knowledge.
But to masons, the 33rd degree being evil is one of the most hilarious indictments against their fraternity. There is one Mason, or few in every lodge and every meeting that have attained the 33rd degree. It is an imperative duty to be just, fair, and merciful. Universal brotherhood is the message of the Ninth Degree. All through the ages men have been seeking God, each in his own way, and have worshiped Him, each in his own tongue.
A Master of the Temple is taught that God is best served by those who best serve their fellowmen and who reveal in their own lives the compassion of the Eternal. The lesson of this degree is taken from the testament of Solomon, written by him during his latter years when he was undergoing the terrible torment of the sentence of the Lord for his transgressions.
The ancient lesson of this degree insures that the violator of his obligations will not go unpunished. The lesson of the Eleventh Degree is that the true and faithful brother sooner or later will receive his just reward.
The Drama depicts an incident during the reign of King Solomon which condemns, in the strongest and most uncompromising manner, improprieties by those holding public office. It reminds us that public office is a public trust, and that public officials owe a special obligation to those whom they are chosen to serve. The purpose of the Twelfth Degree is to teach the quality of forgiveness.
Forgiveness means a spirit of compassion and a tenderness of heart which dispose a person not just to overlook the opportunity for revenge, but to cease to feel enmity or resentment toward an offender. The lesson taught in the Thirteenth Degree is that the true and faithful Brother should not be deterred by difficulties and dangers, however great, from pressing onward toward Perfection.
The Fourteenth Degree, the final and climactic lesson of the Lodge of Perfection is revealed, a belief in the one living and true God and a deep reverence for His Holy Name. It is a profoundly religious degree, not promoting a particular doctrine, but encouraging each of us to worship God at an altar of our individual choice. It is expressive of the deep spiritual roots of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite and of our constant endeavor to attain that perfection of character embodied in the concept of a loving Heavenly Father.
The Degrees of the Council of Princes of Jerusalem are known as the historical degrees. They take place during the rebuilding of Jerusalem by Zerubbabel follow the release of the Israelites from Babylon. In the year B. Cyrus the Great, who conquered Babylonia in B. Darius I continued this generous policy and gave substantial aid to the returning exiles. Both Cyrus and Darius were disciples of Zoroaster. They believed in one God, who demands righteousness from his worshipers.
These religious beliefs, similar in many respects to the faith of the Jews, motivated their considerate attitude toward the captive people.
Inspired by such leaders as Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah, groups of Jews endured the hardships of the long journey, and joined with their loyal brethren in Jerusalem to rebuild the Holy City and the Temple of their God. The second Temple was completed and dedicated in B. In the Allegories of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Degrees, we are taught, by the example of Zerubbabel, the important lessons of loyalty to conviction, fidelity to duty and devotion to Truth.
They are complex, as they attempt to invest the candidate with a deeper understanding of religion, philosophy, ethics, and history. The intellectual challenges presented in these degrees can take years to master. The attitudes of the three factions of the Jewish religious population reflect the conflicts which continue, even today, as we try to understand our places in the plan of the Grand Architect.
This degree teaches that we must seek truth in our path through life, and that we should learn from, and avoid repeating, the errors of the past. The Rose Croix Degree teaches that the new Temple is in the heart of man where God is worshiped in spirit and in truth. The new Law is a law of love which all men everywhere may understand and practice.
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