[Chapter] [Council] [Commandery]
The York Rite is one of the appendant bodies of Freemasonry in
which a Master Mason may proceed to supplement and amplify the Blue Lodge
degrees, affording historical background on the work and meaning of
Freemasonry. The York Rite takes its name from the old English city of
The York Rite confers degrees beyond the Blue Lodge's three
degrees. In the York Rite, A Master Mason may become a member of three bodies
that consists of nine additional degrees: Chapter - Mark Master,
Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason; Cryptic -
Royal Master, Select Master, and Super Excellent Master; Chivalric Orders -
Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, Order of Malta and the Order of the
Many believe the Sublime Degree of Master Mason to be the ultimate degree
of Freemasonry and that all others are added and explanatory. Most students of
Freemasonry agree that the story of the Craft as presented in the three degrees
is incomplete and that the degrees offered in the York Rite of Freemasonry
complete the story and answer many of the questions in the mind of the newly
made Master Mason.
The York
The oldest document that refers to ancient Freemasonry is the
Regius Poem, or Halliwell Manuscript.
James O. Halliwell discovered an ancient manuscript in the archives of
the
Athelstan, the grandson of Alfred the Great, ruled
What is the Chapter or Royal Arch Masonry?
The Royal Arch Chapter is the second of the four York Rite
Bodies of Masonry (the first is the Symbolic Lodge, where the first three
Degrees of Masonry are conferred.) Chapters confer four degrees: Mark Master, Virtual
Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch.
Royal Arch Freemasonry provides an outstanding opportunity
for Master Masons desirous of Further Light in Masonry to explore some of the
deeper mysteries of the Craft. The four degrees of the Chapter are truly some
of the most profound and impressive within the whole Family of Freemasonry.
Most impressive of all is the Royal Arch Degree itself. It
is here that the True Word of a Master Mason is rediscovered in a beautiful
ceremony that takes the candidates through the destruction of King Solomon’s
So important is the Royal Arch to Craft Freemasonry that at
the Act of Union in 1813, the United Grand Lodge of England issued the
pronouncement:
"Pure Ancient Freemasonry consists of but three degrees
and three degrees only, namely, that of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and
Master Mason, including the Holy Royal Arch."
Every Master Mason aspires to attain the summit of Ancient
Craft Masonry. Many feel with regret that it is not practicable for them to
share in all the light shed by the several bodies, but all wish most earnestly
to receive all the light and instruction which pertains to the Ancient
Craft-the origin and foundation of the Institution.
In the life of every Master Mason, moreover, there comes a time when he
realizes that he has not yet attained that goal, that he Is not yet in
possession of all the rights and light of a Master Mason, as these were known
and understood by his ancient brethren.
The preparatory Degrees conferred in the Chapter are those
of Mark Master Mason, Past Master and Most Excellent Master. All are beautiful,
all are interesting, all teach valuable lessons, but the Most Sublime Degree of
Royal Arch Mason is more august, sublime and important than all that precedes
it. It brings to light many essentials of the Craft contained ONLY in this Most
Sublime Degree and explains many cryptic passages of the first three Degrees
incomprehensible to the Master Mason. Without knowledge of these the Masonic
character cannot be complete.
It has been said that "The Royal Arch stands as the rainbow of promise in
the Ritual; it stands as the promise of the resurrection; of that which was
lost and that which shall be recovered."
All who are Exalted to that Most Sublime Degree, particularly by those who are
seeking ·to complete their Masonic education; will justly appreciate the value
of Royal Arch Masonry. It reveals the full light of Ancient Craft masonry,
presents it as a complete system in accordance with the original plan and
confers at last the rights and light of a Master Mason in fact as well as in
name. It truly leads to a fuller understanding of the purposes and spirit of
Freemasonry, for standing upon this towering summit we are able for the first
time to perceive the completeness of the Ancient Craft and to understand how
all its forms and ceremonies, from the Entered Apprentice to the Master Mason's
Degree, are the preparation for the final goal, the Most Sublime Degree of
Royal Arch Mason.
The Mark Master
Degree
History of the Mark Master Origin
The
antiquity of Mark Masonry cannot be doubted. Operatively considered, and even
Speculative, it has enjoyed special prominence for centuries, records of the
custom of the adoption of Marks by theoretical brethren according to existing
records dating back to the 8th day of June, A. D. 1600.
Mark Masonry formerly consisted of the degrees of Mark Man and Mark Master
Mason. These degrees, in the sense given to the word "degree," were
wholly unknown to the Operative Freemasons of the Middle Ages. They were
undoubtedly invented and put into working order in Scotland Europe ,
in requiring the selection and registration of Marks, is clear.
There is little doubt that both the degrees were invented in Scotland
"-now it is holden forth by tradition that there was a tumult at this
Errection which should happened betwixt the Laborers and masons about wages and
for to call me all and to make all things easy the wise king should have said
be all of you contented for you shall be payed all alike yet give a signe to
the Masons not known to the Laborers and who could make that signe at the
paying place was to bayed as masons the Laborers not knowing thereof was payed
as foresaid- this might have yet if it was so were to Judge very Mercyfull on
the words of the wise King Solomon for it is to be understood and also believed
that the wise king meant according to every mans deserving-"
The story of the Temple origin of the Mark Master Degree is a myth, as is the
legend of the Third degree. From all we know about the time of origin of the
Mark Degree, we are led to believe that it was invented or fabricated later the
Third or Master Masons Degree.
The Mark was and is directly associated with both Operative and Speculative
Freemasonry and from time immemorial it has been the custom for the skilled
craftsman to chisel his distinctive Mark on stones fashioned by him, so as to
indicate his workmanship.
The existence of proprietary marks on European Buildings may be traced as far
back as the 10th century. The Greek artists who introduced the Byzantine style
of architecture, for which the Freemasons afterwards substituted the Gothic,
probably brought them over at that time.
But it was not until the 15th century that we were furnished with any
historical evidence that there was an organized systems of laws by which the
imparting, owning, and using of these marks was regulated.
The Mark degree is important because it is the connecting link between
operative and speculative Masonry. As early as 1599 we find that non-operative
Masons were admitted to operative Mark Lodges. What this ceremony consisted of
no one knows. There may have been some moral teachings connected with it. The
records hover; merely show the payment of a fee and the registering of a Mark.
The early history of the degree in what is now the United
States
Ohio Marietta Fort
Harmar Marietta Marietta
Unlike many of the early Masonic Bodies American Union Lodge did keep fairly
complete minutes, which have been preserved. From these minutes we learn the
American Union Chapter, under the aegis of American Union Lodge, began holding
meetings in 1792 and conferred all of the degrees although the minutes refer to
them as steps rather than degrees and do not mention them by name until 1797.
The degrees were the Past Master, Mark Master, Most Excellent Master and Royal
Arch.
With the organization in 1797 of what eventually became known as the General
Grand Chapter and with the forming of Grand Chapters, the degrees of Mark,
Past, Most Excellent and Royal Arch came under the jurisdiction of Chapters
operating independently of Symbolic Lodges.
The Degree of Mark Master is a continuation of the lessons
taught in the 2nd (Fellowcraft) Degree. The Degree teaches that although we are
often misunderstood, underrated and traduced, there is ONE who will make the
rejected stone the Head of the corner.
The Mark Master Degree is based on the ceremony of
registering a craftsman's mark in those years distinguished by operative craft
masons and their temple building. Some scholars say it may be one of the
earliest Masonic degrees.
The candidate for the Mark Master Degree represents a humble
laborer in the quarries of King Solomon’s
The degree of
Mark Master teaches us to discharge our several duties punctually and with
precision, the duty of assisting a distressed brother is forcibly illustrated.
Historically the degree illustrates the process by which the work on the temple
accomplished by each craftsman was identified.
The Past Masters
Degree
The Degree of Virtual Past Master teaches that before one
can rule, he must learn to obey; before one can govern others, he must learn to
govern himself. This Degree is part of the Royal Arch Chapter because
originally only Past Masters were allowed to receive the Degree of Royal Arch.
This Degree therefore fulfills that requirement.
The Past Master Degree came into being because the degree of
Royal Arch was originally conferred on actual Past Masters only. The (virtual)
Past Master Degree was instituted to make it possible for all worthy Brethren
to receive the Royal Arch Degree. This degree confers no actual status as a
Past Master upon the candidate, but it qualifies him for admission to the Royal
Arch. The first record of its conferral is found in
The Past Master
degree came into being because originally the Symbolic Lodge only on actual
Past Masters conferred the degree of Royal Arch. This restriction prevented
many worthy brethren from receiving the full information of the degrees of
Freemasonry. The degree of Past Master was instituted in order to conform to
tradition and to make it possible for worthy brethren to receive the Royal Arch
degree. The conferring of this degree by a Chapter gives a brother no rights as
a Past Master in a Symbolic Lodge unless he has actually served as Master of
his Lodge. The Most Excellent Master degree dramatizes the historical incidents
of the completion and dedication of King Solomon’s
The Most Excellent Master Degree
The Degree of Most Excellent Master is a very beautiful and
dramatic Degree. Here the
The Most Excellent Master Degree is a product of American
innovation. It was conferred in a Royal Arch Chapter as early as 1783 in
The Royal Arch Degree
The Degree of Royal Arch is the capstone of the Craft
Degrees. It is concerned with the discovery of a crypt and the value of the
resulting discoveries to the Craft. In this Degree, that which was lost in the
3rd (Master Mason) Degree is again found.
The Royal Arch Degree is the climax of Ancient Craft Masonry
and Masonic Symbolism. It has been described as "the root and marrow of
Freemasonry." It is the story of Jewish History during some of its darkest
hours.
All who are Exalted to that most sublime degree,
particularly by those who are seeking to complete their Masonic education, will
appreciate the value of Royal Arch Masonry. It reveals the full light of
Ancient Craft Masonry, presenting it as a complete and unified system. No other
degrees of Freemasonry are so intimately linked with the Blue Lodge or have so
ancient and noble a history.
The Royal Arch Degree is set in a later period in the
history of the Jewish People. Events of the objects of the Jewish people were
preserved, discovered and restored. This degree is the culmination of Ancient
Craft Masonry for here we find that which was lost-the word for which you were
given a substitute in the Master Mason degree is imparted to you in solemn and
impressive ceremonies.
These Degrees continue the education,
which the Master Mason received in the Symbolic Lodge. Any Master Mason who
wishes "Further Light in Masonry" should receive them.
What is the Council
or Cryptic Masonry?
The
Council of Cryptic Masonry is the third of the York Rite bodies. A man must
have completed the Symbolic Degrees and have taken the Degree of Royal Arch
before he can become a Cryptic Mason. Cryptic Masonry consists of three Degrees:
Royal Master, Select Master and Super Excellent Master. They were formerly
known as Councils of Royal and Select Masters. The Council of Royal and Select
Masters, known as the Cryptic Rite, fills what would be a significant void in
the complete story of the York Rite. The Degrees of Royal Master and Select
Master are sometimes called the Degrees of Preservation. The Council
Degrees are often referred to as "The Three Little Jewels" and are to
many, the most appealing in all Masonry.
A
brief history of the Council or Cryptic Masonry
While
eminent Masonic scholars have frequently disagreed with the exact history of
the formation of the Cryptic degrees, there is at least some general
information on the degrees with which most Masonic historians will agree. It is
on this information that we will concentrate here.
The
Cryptic Rite is "one of the smallest but one of the most important and
certainly one of the most curious of all the rites," according to Coil's
Masonic Encyclopedia. "Crypt" comes from a Greek word meaning
"hide, conceal, or secret," and thus has come to mean a vault, cave,
or other place of underground concealment. The Cryptic degrees are centered on
stories involving a vault or crypt where certain treasures were hidden beneath
King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem for very specific purposes. Rob Morris, a
very influential Mason in the 1800’s, first called them “Cryptic”.
The origin of the Cryptic degrees were theorized to be invented in France
together with the other degrees that were included in the Rite of Perfection,
which later were collected into what is today the Scottish Rite, and that the
Cryptic degrees were brought to America just like the Scottish Rite degrees by
Stephen Morin from France in 1761. When the Supreme Council for the Southern
Jurisdiction of the U.S. was organized in 1802 in Charleston, the degrees,
which are now in the Scottish Rite, were organized, while some
"detached" degrees, including the Royal and Select degrees, which had
previously been given were now dropped. Some of those who had received these
degrees then conferred them on their own and established Councils in the
process.
The Stuart theory is interesting and needs some explanation. The Stuart family
ruled England starting in 1603, with a break from 1649 to 1660 after Charles II
was executed by Parliament under Oliver Cromwell. The last Stuart to reign,
James II, was forced to abdicate in 1688. After the Hanoverian family came to
the English throne in 1714 with George I, the Stuarts invaded England in 1715 and
1745, by way of Scotland, which supported them, but both attempts failed. The
Stuarts and their supporters lived in exile in France, which recognized their
claim, and they continued to try to regain their throne for many years with the
support of some in England. The Stuart exiles living in France in the early
1700's, sometimes called "Jacobites" from the Latin form of the name
for James, were involved in Freemasonry. Some Masonic lodges in France and
Italy were made up completely of Jacobites, and the grandson of James II,
"Bonnie Prince Charlie" was definitely an active Mason. In 1745, the
same year he attempted to invade England, he became the Grand Master of the
Masonic Knights Templar, and also formed a Chapter of Rose Croix. The Jacobite Masons
considered the death of Hiram Abiff to represent the execution by the English
Parliament of Charles I, the father of James II, and the raising of Hiram Abiff
to represent the coming restoration to the English throne of the Stuart Kings.
The "Royal Master" was the Stuart claimant to the throne, who was
called by some the "Pretender" to the throne (at first James II, then
his son James III, and then the grandson, Charles), and the secret vault was
the place where the Jacobites plotted their return to power. The "Select
Masters" were the closest companions of the "Pretender.". The
ritual of the Select Master's degree can easily be seen to be that of a secret
political movement, if one believes this theory.
The
degrees of Royal and Select Master were not originally combined into one
system, each having been conferred by separate parties and initially controlled
by separate Councils. As near as may be determined from conflicting claims, the
Select degree is the oldest of the Rite. It was customary to confer the Royal degree
on Master Masons prior to the Royal Arch, and the Select degree after
exaltation to the sublime degree. This accounts for the fact that control of
the Cryptic degrees vacillated back and forth in many jurisdictions, even after
the formation of Grand Councils.
The
Royal degree appears to have been developed primarily in New York under
direction of Thomas Lownds, whereas Philip Eckel in Baltimore vigorously
promulgated the Select. It is claimed by Eckel that Grand Council of Select
Masters was formed in Baltimore in 1792, while it is definitely known that a
Grand Council of Royal Masters (Columbian No. 1) was organized in 1810 in New
York. It remained for Jeremy Cross to combine the two degrees under one system,
which occurred about 1818, and this pattern was adopted in most jurisdictions
as the degrees became dispersed beyond the eastern seaboard.
The
degree of Super Excellent Master is not allied to the other two degrees of the Cryptic
Rite, so far as its teachings and traditions are concerned. The records of St.
Andrews Chapter in Boston indicate that a degree of this name was conferred
during the latter part of the eighteenth century. The earliest positive
reference to the Super Excellent in connection to the Cryptic Rite is December
22, 1817, when Columbian Council of Royal Masters in New York organized a
“Lodge” of Super Excellent Masters. The incidents, teachings, and ritualistic
format of the Super Excellent degree bear no resemblance in any former degrees
so named, which appears to justify the claim that it is American in origin.
This degree has been, and to some extent still is, a rather controversial
subject. It is conferred as one of the regular Cryptic Rite degrees in some
jurisdictions, whereas the others confer it as an honorary degree only; in some
instances, separate Grand Councils of Super Excellent Masters have been formed.
Council or Cryptic Degrees
The degrees of the Council of Royal and
Select Masters are necessary to fully complete your education in Ancient Craft
Masonry. The degrees of our Masonic system are not chronologically arranged and
in the degrees of Royal and Select Master, which many believe, are the most
beautiful and impressive of all, you learn of additional incidents in the
building of the first temple. During these degrees you represent the Master
Builder, Hiram Abiff, and learn why the word was lost and the secret of its
preservation and recovery. The Super Excellent Master degree, though having no
connection with Ancient Craft Masonry, is a vivid dramatization of truth and
fidelity and never fails to impress those who witness it, either for the first
time or after many times. The degrees of the Council will enable you to more
fully understand your third degree of Symbolic Masonry and the degree of Royal
Arch.
Symbolism
of the Council or Cryptic Degrees
This
section is taken freely from Mackey's Symbolism as written in Chapter XXXI of
"The History of the Cryptic Rite." It is not written verbatim, but
rather was adapted to the form of our present day ritual. Symbolism from other
authors has been incorporated. It is the belief of the Grand Council, that if
our members understand the beautiful symbolism of our Order, they will become
better members of their subordinate Councils. We encourage you to study and
learn more about our great Order, as it is not possible to include everything
of interest or importance in this brief synopsis. We learn in the Royal Master
degree, that there was an agreement among our three Most Excellent Grand
Masters, that the word would not be communicated to the Craft until the Temple
was completed, and then only in the presence of all three. We learn in the
Master Mason degree, how the Word was lost, and in the Royal Arch degree, how
it was recovered. In the Symbolic degrees, we have an account of the loss of
the Word, and we search but do not find. In the Chapter, we search and find,
but do not understand the significance of what we have found. It is left to the
Cryptic degrees for enlightenment and explanation, to learn how the Word was
preserved, and what it means. In the Royal Master degree, we learn that
whatever may be the uncertainties of life, the reward is sure to the faithful
Craftsman. In the Select degree, we learn that the Word is to be preserved in
the Secret Vault of the Soul. While in the Super Excellent Master degree, we
find that catastrophe overtakes the unfaithful, whether he be a prince or
pauper, and that without fidelity, success is impossible.
Royal
Master
The
Degree of Royal Master symbolizes a Fellowcraft in search of more Masonic
Light. His efforts are eventually rewarded and he is admitted into a
select fellowship that has been entrusted with Cryptic secrets not yet
available to the majority of the craft. However, as Devine truth can only be
fully perceived by those who have attained an advanced state of spiritual
awareness, the Fellowcraft, now a Royal Master must continue his quest until
the Temple is completed.
This
degree is held in the Council Chamber, and represents the private apartment of
King Solomon, in which he is said to have met for consultation with his two
colleagues during the construction of the Temple. Its symbolic colors are black
and red -- the former being significant of grief and the latter of martyrdom --
and both referring to the chief builder of the Temple. The period of time
referred to in the first and second sections of the degree is different. In the
first section, Hiram Abif is active in the construction of the Temple. In the
second section, he is missing and the Temple is very near completion. This is
evident by the presence of the Ark of the Covenant and the investiture of
Adoniram with the responsibility of the Master Builder. His search is not
complete as he is instructed that in due time he will receive his reward, and
is returned to the Clay Grounds to continue his labors. The Beautiful Piece of
Work (brought up by Adoniram), represents a pure and complete life, offered to
the Supreme Architect of the Universe, followed by an admonition to remain
content and in due time we shall receive our reward. The reward will come after
our life has been completed, and is further symbolized by our entry into the
9th Arch, after completing all the symbolic instructions of Ancient Craft
Masonry. The 9th Arch is usually considered the symbolic Gate of Death. It is
now high twelve, an appropriate time to cease our labors and commune with the
Supreme Architect of the Universe. The number twelve is considered a sacred
number in Mythology. It is explained by some as being the product of
multiplying the three-sided triangle by the four-sided square. The triangle
represents the three equal attributes of Deity; His Omniscience, Omnipresence,
and Omnipotence (Universal wisdom, peace, and power). Low twelve consists of
the same numbers, but represents death, or the midnight of life. Hiram Abif
passes from the spiritual trestle board to the temporal trestle board, where
the eager candidate, who is still pursuing his search for Divine Truth, meets him
again. Then he delivers the commentary on death, moving slowly around the room,
going in the same manner and direction as the sun. He explains that all men are
equal in the eyes of God, from the youngest Entered Apprentice, to King
Solomon.
Royal
Master (Second Section)
As the
first light of day comes from the East, we are taught to look to the East for
enlightenment. The step symbolizes reverence toward the Alter. We alternate
steps as we pass through the degrees, up to, and including the Royal Master
degree. It is believed this has an allusion to the path of the Sun crossing the
Northern and Southern Hemisphere, between the two signs of the zodiac,
Capricorn and Cancer, in a zigzag motion. When the two hemispheres are laid out
end-to-end, with two parallel lines on the sides, it forms an oblong square or
the shape of a Lodge. In the sign, Alpha is the first, and Omega is the last
letter of the Greek alphabet, equivalent to the beginning and the end of
anything. Alpha and Omega is adapted as a symbol of Deity. This passage was at
one time read from the Apocalypse during the circumambulations, but is now read
from the book of Revelations. The equilateral triangle represents our three
Grand Masters at this point in the ritual. The broken triangle represents the
allegory of life. Some must go, and other must remain and carry on. The number
seven was sacred in Hebrew Scriptures and ceremonies. The seventh day was the
Sabbath day; Solomon was seven years in the building of the Temple; there are
usually seven sabbatical years; seven days usually constituted the feast
periods; and seven represents completeness. In the Temple, twelve loaves of
bread (shewbread) were always kept upon a table in the sanctuary (representing
the twelve tribes of Israel). It was a symbol of the bread of eternal life by
which we are brought into the presence of God. The principal article of
furniture in the Temple of Solomon at Jerusalem was the Ark of the Covenant.
The Cherubim surmounted it and between the wings of these fabled characters was
the Shekinah, or perpetual cloud, from which the bathkol issued when consulted
by the High Priest. The Altar of Incense was made of wood and overlaid with
gold, as was most of the furniture of the Temple. On the four corners were
horns, in shapes like those of ram's horns. A censer was placed on the top
center of the Golden Altar, and in it sweet incense was burned every morning.
On the table of Holy Vessels were pots, shovels, basins, flesh-hooks, and fire
pans, as well as all the other vessels or utensils necessary to the services of
the Altar. These were made of gold and brass.
Select
Master
The
Degree of Select Master completes the education of the craftsman with regard to
the concealed mysteries of Ancient Craft Masonry. It explains how the secrets,
which were found in the Royal Arch Degree, were preserved. He to complete his
spiritual building presents the candidate with additional teaching, which will
require future application. This degree commences with a character by the name of Zabud.
Zabud was a friend of King Solomon, and appears in several of the Masonic
degrees. To most of our membership, Zabud is but another character out of the
past. Yet a reading of the Holy Scriptures reveals that he was truly the friend
and companion of King Solomon, for Zabud was one of the sons of Nathan the
Prophet. Nathan was the chief advisor of King David, and it was through the
strategy of David, Nathan, and Bath-Sheba that Solomon came to the throne of
Israel, for the natural heir to the throne should have been Adonijah. Zabud
must have been about the same age as Solomon, and probably frequented the Royal
Court where he acquired the friendship and favorable notice of Solomon, later
developing into a friendship, which caused King Solomon to refer to Zabud as "my
particular friend and favorite." The Deputy Master refers to the number 27
which is also alluded to in the closing ceremony. Although the closing ceremony
states it a little differently, some authors believe that 27 members were made
up from one of each of the twelve tribes of Israel, the three workmen who
discovered the triangle hidden by Enoch before the flood, nine Grand Masters of
the Arches, one of whom was Ahishar, and our three Grand Masters. The Select
Master degree, or the building of the Secret Vault, took place between the
first and second sections of the Royal Master degree. This is explained by
saying that the secrets of the Select Master degree were not brought to light
until long after the existence of the Royal Master degree had been known and
acknowledged. In other words, to speak only from the traditional point of view,
Select Masters had been designated, had performed the task for which they had
been selected, and had closed their labors without ever being recognized as a
class in the Temple of Solomon. Their occupation and their very existence,
according to legend, were unknown in the first Temple. Whether the punishment
meted out to Ahishar was deserved, we should not question, for the story is but
a legend, teaching us that constant watchfulness is necessary in waging the
warfare of life, and only those shall succeed who are constantly on guard.
Considered simply as a historical question, there can be no doubt of the
existence of immense vaults beneath the superstructure of the original Temple
of Solomon. Legend has it that Josiah, foreseeing the destruction of the
Temple, commanded the Levites to deposit the Ark of the Covenant in this vault,
where it was found by some of the workmen of Zerubbabel, at the building of the
second Temple. Masonic legend, whether authentic or not, teaches that there was
an Ark in the second Temple, but that it was neither the Ark of the Covenant,
which had been in the Holy of Holies of the first Temple, nor one that had been
constructed as a substitute for it after the building of the second Temple. It
was that Ark which was presented to us in the Select Master degree, and which,
being an exact copy of the Mossical Ark, and intended to replace it in case of
its loss, is best known to Freemasonry as the Substitute Ark. In the Masonic
System there are two Temples; the first Temple in which the degrees of Ancient
Craft Masonry are concerned, and the second Temple, with which the higher
degrees, especially the Royal Arch, are related. The first Temple is symbolic
of the present life; the second Temple is symbolic of the life to come. The
first Temple, the present life, must be destroyed; on its foundations, the
second Temple, the life eternal, must be built. And so we arrive at this
result, that the Masonic Stone of Foundation, so conspicuous in the degree of
Select Master, is a symbol of Divine Truth, upon which all Speculative Masonry
is built; and the legends and traditions which refer to it are intended to
describe, in an allegorical way, the progress of truth in the soul, the search
for which is a Mason's labor; and the discovery of which is to be his reward.
Super
Excellent Master
The
Degree of Super Excellent Master is not a Cryptic Degree. However it is placed
here to prepare the candidate historically for the Order of the Red Cross,
which is the first of the Commandery Orders. It teaches the candidate to Walk
in Faith, Promote Friendship and Practice Fidelity. In 598, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem,
captured the city and took into captivity the King, Jehoiachin (Jeconiah). He
replaced him on the throne with Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, and an
uncle of the former King, who was but twenty-one years old. Nebuchadnezzar
changed Mathaniah's name twice, although the reasons as to why are not clear.
First to Mattaniah, which means "gift of Jehovah" and then to
Zedekiah, which signifies "Jehovah is righteous." As one of the
conditions of his enthronement, there was extracted from him a solemn oath to
be subject and loyal to his King and to Babylon. Being subjects of Babylon,
naturally there were powerful parties in court determined to throw off the yoke
of the "barbarian" ruler, and, in order to accomplish this, favored
an alliance with Egypt. It is natural that this palace clique and the priestly
circle should favor Egypt. The civilizations of the Nile were a dying one, but
its rulers and its aristocracy were living in wealth and luxury, blind to the
ominous forces threatening their existence. The royal crowd of Jerusalem was of
like character, and attracted by the same glitter and pretense. Against this
royal party was arrayed the strength, courage, and oratory of Jeremiah of
Anatoth, the prophet, a descendant of one of the earlier High Priests of the
Jews, and a small group of followers, who advised submission to Babylon as the
only means of preserving national entity, and claimed for his position that he
had direct command, and approval of Jehovah himself. Into this maelstrom of
contending and conflicting forces was plunged a young man of twenty-one,
immature, inexperienced, over-shadowed for years by his princely relatives,
lacking in strength of character and resolution. To be sure, at times he showed
an inclination to follow the voice of the prophet, but it was an inclination,
which he did not have the strength and resolution to pursue through to the
bitter end, in the face of intrigues, and the influence of royal favorites. The
story of his struggle with Jeremiah, his yielding to him on occasion, his later
stiffening of his neck in opposition to him, his punishment of him, and of the
conflict between Jeremiah and the petty dignitaries of the court, is a
fascinating one, and it gains much in its appeal as it is portrayed in the
degree of Super Excellent Master.
Any
Royal Arch Mason should take these Degrees as it completes the Masonic
Education, which he received during the Symbolic and Royal Arch Degrees. Here is completed
the Circle of Perfection of Ancient Craft Masonry but to the followers of
Christ there is a definite need and desire for application of these impressive
lessons and beautiful ceremonies to the Christian believer and his way of life
The
fourth, and last, of the York Rite Bodies of Masonry, Commanderies of Knights
Templar serves as the crowning glory in completing the Christian Path towards
Masonic Light. This is the only recognized Masonic Body that has religious
connotations, since it is based on the Christian Religion and virtues. As a
consequence, while not all Masons will become Knight Templars, every Christian
Mason should to complete his Masonic journey. Today's Knight Templar is a man
dedicated to the living Christ, and the defense of the virtues contained in the
practices observed by all true Christians.
In the Commandery,
there are three 'degrees' or steps, which are called Orders. These are The
Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, The Mediterranean Pass and Order of Malta
and The Order of the Temple; after the Orders of Knighthood and Chivalry as
known in Europe before the reformation. Hence, we are called Chivalric Masonry.
History
of the Knights Templar
The
Order was founded in Jerusalem in 1118 by Hughes de Payens Geoffroy de St. Omer
and seven other French knights. It was consecrated to the protection of pilgrims
and the defense of the Holy Land. The founding knights took monastic vows and
were known as "The Poor Knights of Christ".
King
Baldwin II, the French King of Jerusalem (1118-1131) installed the Order in a
part of his Palace, on the site of Solomon's Temple, for their residence,
stables and armory, from which it took its name of Knights of the Temple or
Templars.
At the
Council of Troyes in 1128 Pope Honorius II, who gave it the strict Rule
dictated by St. Bernard, a monk of the Cistercian Order who became the first
Abbot of Clairvaux, confirmed the Order. The Knights also received the white
mantle as a symbol of purity of their life, to which in 1146 Pope Eugenius
added the red Templar cross.
The
Order's battle honors in defense of the Holy Land were many. Following the fall
of Jerusalem in 1187 the Templars withdrew to Acre. They remained at Acre with
Grand Master William de Beaujue until 1291 when the city was captured and he
was killed. The surviving Templars, with their new Grand Master, were the last
to leave the city. The Order withdrew to Limmasol, Cyprus and had its
Headquarters at the Temple Monastery in Paris.
After
many years of sacrifices and rendering services to both Christianity and
civilization, this very rich and powerful Order excited the envy and greed of
others. The principal malefactor was Philippe le Bel, King of France, who was
financially indebted to the Order. In 1307 Philippe arrested all serving
Templars in France with the intention of sequestrating all the Order's possessions.
However, these were hidden in a secret place and have never been found to this
day. Not able to judge the Order himself, (it was only answerable to the Pope)
Philippe set about to coerce the Pope to suppress the Order, but the Pope
refused. Whereupon, the king dismissed him and created his friend, the Bishop
of Bordeaux, Pope Clement V, who readily issued a Bull suppressing the Order in
1312. The Order then reverted to its original status of a Secular Military
Order of Chivalry.
Only in
France were the Templars treated with any severity, with Grand Master Jacques
de Molay and others burnt at the stake in March 1314 on an island in the Seine.
In England, Edward II (a patron) at first did not take any action against the
Order, but finally, he allowed the inquisitors to judge the Order at the Church
of All Hallows By-the-Tower. Edward then set about reclaiming English Templar
lands and possessions including the London Temple, rather than passing them to
the Hospitallers. After Edward's actions The Templars sought refuge in Scotland
where they were welcomed.
Prior to
his martyrdom in 1314 Grand Master Jacques de Molay invested Jean-Marc
Larmenius with his powers. Larmenius was unanimously recognized as the new
Grand Master following de Molay's death. He gathered together the dispersed
remnants of the Order and in 1324 gave the Order the Charter of Transmission.
This Charter is still one of the governing documents of the Present Order.
The Order
continued in secret with an uninterrupted line of Grand Masters until 1705. In
March of that year a number of French nobles held a convention of Templars at
Versailles. They elected Philip, Duke of Orleans, later Regent of France, as
the Order's 41st Grand Master. Thus as Regent of France and Grand Master of the
Temple it provided an official renewal and legitimization of the Order of the
Temple as a Secular Military Order of Chivalry and also its right to resume the
use of "sovereign" in its title.
After
the death of the Duke of Orleans in 1723, three Princes of Bourbon were Grand
Masters of the Order until 1776. That year the Duke of Cosse Brissac accepted
the Grand Mastership and remained in office until his execution during the
French Revolution in 1782. Having foreseen the coming events he passed on the
Order's archives and the Charter of Transmission to Radix de Chevillon. The
Order survived the Revolution and went through a period of prosperity in France
during the early C19th with many people of high office asking to be admitted.
Between
1818 and 1841 the Order expanded greatly with over 20 Convents in France and
Priories set up in Great Britain, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland. Legations
were also established in Sweden, Brazil, India and in New York.
In 1940
when France and Belgium were invaded by Nazi Germany, Emile Joseph Isaac
Vandenburg who lived in Brussels was Grand Master. In order to safeguard and
ensure the survival of the Order he handed over his rights to a Portuguese
neutral, a nobleman, Count Antonio Campello Pinto de Sousa Fontes who became
the Regent pending an election of a Grand Master. Since these times many Grand
Priories have claimed Autonomous status. However, in 1989 an International
Federative Alliance was formed with the intention of electing a new Grand
Master.
History
of the Knights of Malta
The Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of
St John of Jerusalem, called of Rhodes, called of Malta (generally known as the
Order of Malta), came into existence between c. 1080 when a hospital for
pilgrims was established in Jerusalem near the Abbey of St Mary of the Latins,
and 1113, when the hospital, its administrators and dependencies were
recognized by the Pope as an Order of the Church, dedicated to the care of the
sick poor. Half a century after its foundation it assumed military as well as
Hospitaller functions, and by 1200 it was playing a major role in the defense
of the Christian settlements in Palestine and Syria which had been set up by
the Crusaders. From its origins it was endowed on a massive scale in Western
Europe and it developed an international structure to manage these properties
for the benefit of its work in the East.
Driven from Palestine with the rest of the
Catholics in 1291, the Hospitallers of St John took over the island of Rhodes,
off the coast of Asia Minor, which became their base for naval operations
against Muslim shipping. They ruled the island as a semi-independent state
until 1522. They were then given the island of Malta, which they held until
1798. During the centuries of the Order's government of Rhodes and Malta it
became recognized as a sovereign power.
With the loss of Malta the order's military
functions ceased, and Hospitaller work again became its only duty. It moved its
headquarters to Rome in 1834. It is still regarded by many states (though not
by all) as a sovereign subject of international public law. The seat of the
Grand Magistracy in Rome, under the present Grand Master, HMEH Fra´ Andrew
Bertie, has the right of extra-territoriality recognized by the Italian state.
The Commandery of Knights Templar
The Commandery orders represent a new
direction of Masonic thought and experience, in that they no longer refer to
Ancient Craft Masonry, but to ideals and practices of chivalry and Christianity.
The first Commandery order, the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, presents
the story of the Jewish Prince, Zerubbabel, and his efforts to secure
permission of the Persian King Darius to rebuild the second temple at
Jerusalem. The next order, Knight of Malta, is a complete departure from
Masonry based on the Old Testament and is the first Christian order. Here, the
candidate represents a knightly warrior of the Crusades prior to his departure
for the Holy Land. The last order is that of Knight Templar, the crowning glory
of the York Rite system. Again, in this totally Christian order, the candidate
represents a knightly postulant who desires to unite with a Commandery of
Knights Templar during the era of the Crusades. After several trials to test
his faith, courage, and humility, achieving his desire rewards him. Let us
consider these orders in more detail.
The Orders of Knighthood, the Commandery of
Knights Templar, are three in number. The Order of the Red Cross, The Order of
Malta, and The Order of the Temple. Each of these portrays beautiful and
impressive lessons and explains the Christian interpretation of Freemasonry.
Order of the Red Cross
This order consists of two sections: (1) Zerubbabel's (the
candidate) admission to the Jewish Council at Jerusalem, in which he is
invested with permission and authority to travel to Babylon and attempt to
obtain leave from King Darius to stop the enemies of the Jews from hindering
their progress in building the Temple, as well as to recover the holy vessels
of the Temple which were taken as booty to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar when
he destroyed the First Temple. Zerubbabel is also given a sword to defend him;
a sash to remind him of his cause; and a password to get him by Jewish
sentinels on his journey. Unfortunately, he is captured and made prisoner upon
reaching the domains of King Darius. (2) At the court of Darius, Zerubbabel
renews his earlier friendship with the king, and is granted a position in the
royal household. He then participates in a friendly contest with other nobles
of the realm regarding the question: " Which is greater? The strength of
wine? The power of the king? Or the influence of woman?" Zerubbabel
contends for the latter, and adds an additional factor: The force of truth.
After delivering his declamation on women and concluding in favor of truth
above all, Zerubbabel is declared the winner of the contest and is granted his
desires by the king. To perpetuate the occasion, Darius creates a new order,
the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, and after an obligation, makes
Zerubbabel its first member. Next follow the signs, grips, and words as well as
a historical lecture. The body is called a Council. The cornerstone of this
order is the all-important attribute of truth, and the importance of keeping
one's word. It foreshadows the words of Jesus: "I am the Way, the TRUTH,
and the Life."
Order of Malta
This Order actually consists of two: The Order of St. Paul, or the
Mediterranean Pass, which is a preparatory order, and the Order of Malta
itself. The Order of Malta must be conferred in either full or short form. The
full form is quite elaborate and beautiful but, alas, is not conferred by many
Commanderies. The short form is but a summary of the lessons taught in the full
form, and this is what I will describe here. The Order of St. Paul is based on
the story of Paul's shipwreck on the island of Melita (Malta). The candidate
represents a knight about to depart for the Crusades in the Holy Land. He
receives sustenance, both spiritual and physical, to prepare him for the ardors
of his journey. The Order of Malta is a suitable preparation for the Order of
the Temple, in that it provides the candidate with additional New Testament
instruction, particularly in the eight Beatitudes. The symbol of the order is
the Maltese cross, symbolic of the Beatitudes and the eight languages, which
once were spoken by its members. The candidate is created a Knight of Malta and
invested with words and signs specific to the Order. The body is called a Priory.
Order of the Temple
This Order begins with the candidate, a Knight of Malta, who, after
soul-searching reflection and suitable answers to certain questions, seeks to
unite with a Commandery of Knights Templar. To test his faith, his directed to
perform a certain number of years of pilgrimage. Being full of zeal and wishing
to accomplish more useful deeds, he requests and is granted remission. He
assumes a most solemn obligation, and then is obligated to a certain number of
years of knightly warfare, as a test of his courage and constancy. Having
satisfactorily performed these, he is admitted to the Asylum of the Knights
Templar, where he is a participant in certain memorial exercises to KS, HKofT,
GMHA, and Simon of Cyrene. Accompanying these exercises is a reading of New
Testament scripture and an inspirational slide presentation. He is then
required to perform a time of penance in token of his humility. Following this,
he seals his membership in the Order in the most solemn, impressive and binding
manner, and is duly dubbed a member of the Valiant and Magnanimous Order of the
Temple. Again, he receives certain signs, grips, and words, as well as an
explanation of the important accoutrements of Templary, the Grand Standard,
Baldric, Beauceant, Sword, and Spur. The body is called a Commandery. The
relevance of this sublime Order to the Christian Mason can scarcely be
overstressed. It provides a vivid connection between the Craft and
Christianity. Especially relevant and meaningful is the address given by the Prelate
during the course of the ceremonies.
A Knight Templar Commandery has 12
officers, in order of rank: Eminent Commander, Generalissimo, Captain General,
Recorder, Treasurer, Prelate, Sr. Warden, Jr. Warden, Standard Bearer, Sword
Bearer, Warder, and Sentinel. Some jurisdictions also have a Marshal. Members
are styled "Sir Knight". At least 9 Knights must be present to open a
Commandery. Commanderies usually meet monthly. The state governing body is the
Grand Commandery. The national body, to which Grand Commanderies must belong,
is the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America.
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