York Rite College History
YORK RITE COLLEGES
The first York Rite College was constituted on
June 15, 1957 in the City of Jackson, Michigan. From here, the new organization
spread rapidly from coast to coast and from north to south and by 1970 Colleges
had been established in fourteen States and one Province of Canada. According to
the Fall 1996 edition of the York Rite Crusader, the number of Charters have
reached number 176.
Membership in a College is by invitation, and is restricted to those who hold
membership in all of the other York Rite bodies. Since the primary object of
every College is to foster a spirit of service and to promote and support the
York Rite in every way possible, it is no surprise to find many of the leaders
of the Craft numbered among its ranks. Here they find a common ground from which
the can act for the welfare of all York Rite bodies without special favor to
any. Colleges have been active in the organization of York Rite Festivals,
degree teams, drill corps, and many other functions which serve to assist,
coordinate, and unify the Rite.
AWARDS OF THE SOVEREIGN COLLEGE
The York Rite Sovereign College of North America
is the supreme governing body for all Colleges within its jurisdiction. As
such, it endeavors to promote all those activities which favor the accomplishing
of its stated purpose. Among these is the awarding of certain honors for
outstanding service.
The Gold Honor Award may be given to any Mason for unselfish and faithful
service in any branch of the York Rite. The recipient need not to be a member of
a College, nor is it required that he be a member of all the other York Rite
bodies.
The Order of the Purple Cross of
York, the highest honor of the College, is conferred upon those members of the
College who have distinguished themselves by their service to humanity or to the
Rite. The recipients are designated Associate Regents of the Sovereign
College and from their ranks are chosen the Regents or active members of that
body.
The Sovereign College meets in General Assembly once each year, generally in
late July or early August.
The York Rite Sovereign College of North America exists primarily to be of service to the York Rite of Freemasonry. Constituent colleges must declare fealty to the Grand Lodge of their respective jurisdictions. The pre-requisite for membership, which is by invitation only, is good-standing in all four York Rite bodies: Lodge, Chapter, Council and Commander or Preceptory (Canada.)
LEGEND OF YORK
"This craft came into England, as I tell you, in the time of good king Athelsan's reign; he made then both hall, and also bower and lofty temples of great honor, to take his recreation in both day and night, and to worship his God with all his might. This good lord loved this craft full well, and purposed to strengthen it in every part on account of various defects that he had discovered in the craft. He sent about into all the land, after all the masons of the craft, to come straight to him, to amend all these defects by good counsel, if it might so happen, He then permitted an assembly to be made of divers lords in their ranks, dukes, earls, and barons, also knights, squires and many more, and the great burgesses of that city, they were all there in their degree; these were there, each one in every way to make laws for the state of these nations. There they sought by their wisdom bow they might govern it; there they found out fifteen articles, and there they made fifteen points."
----Regius Manuscript, circa 1390----Regius Manuscript, circa 1390
THE YORK RITE
The York Rite takes its name from the Ancient English city of York, around whose Minster, or cathedral, cluster many Masonic traditions. Here , these traditions tell us, Athelstan, who reigned more than a thousand years ago and who was the first king of all England, granted the first charter to the Masonic guilds. Here, in 1705, a Grand Lodge in London, to whose constitution the Grand Lodge of England later appealed as the true source of authentic Freemasonry. Though early disappearing from the Masonic scene, this Grand Lodge left an indelible impression upon the institution, and its name --- York --- will survive as long as Freemasonry continues.
The York Rite Sovereign College of North America came into being in the City of Detroit, Michigan on January 6, 1957. It was the result of a meeting called by Richard W. Lewis, Past Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Michigan, and attended by the heads of the four Michigan York Rite grand Bodies and a number of distinguished Masonic leaders from other States. These founders, responding to a need which had long been recognized in the York Rite, outlined the structure and purpose of the new organization and arranged for its incorporation.
The purpose of the York Rite Sovereign College of North America, as set forth in its Constitution and By-Laws, are as follows:
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To foster a spirit of cooperation an coordination among each of the Bodies of York Rite Masonry.
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To assist in worthy efforts to improve the ritualistic and dramatic presentation of York Rite work.
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To conduct an education program in order to inculcate a greater appreciation of the principles, ideals and programs of York Rite Masonry.
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To strengthen York Rite Masonry in every possible manner.
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To build up a love of country and to aid and support genuine Americanism.
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To reward outstanding service to York Rite Masonry by awards, honors and other methods of proper recognition.
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To support Charitable and Benevolent Endeavors of Freemasonry.