Grand Pontiff

Lessons

The lessons of the 19° are to be content to labor for the future; to serve the cause of truth with patience and industry; and to destroy error, falsehood and intolerance with truth, honesty, honour and charity.

Description

The lessons of this degree are learned from the past and how it affects the present and the way we live in the future. We always strive to endure, produce and improve the world as it surrounds us. There is no apron, but the jewel is a gold "parallelogram" (rectangle) with a Greek Alpha on one side and an Omega on the other. 

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Master ad Vitam

Lessons

The lessons of the 20° are to dispense light and knowledge and to practice Masonic virtues.

Description

This degree shows us Liberty, Fraternity and Equality. These teach moral, religious and philosophical understanding. This degree helps one to comprehend Deity, forces of nature, good and evil. The apron is yellow, bordered in blue, with three concentric point-down triangles, with the Tetragrammaton (horizontal) and "Fiat Lux" (vertical) at the center, forming a cross. Its triangular shape relates to the "fourth great light, which reminds us of the Deity and his attributes." The jewel is gold, with the same three concentric triangles. 

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Patriarch Noachite

Lessons

The lessons of the 21° are humility, modesty, trust in God and to be steadfast and courageous in the face of adversity.

Description

The lesson from this degree is to learn that arrogance; defamation and cowardice are unworthy attributes of a mason, and that humility, modesty and courtesy are the true virtues of men and Masons. The apron is yellow, and contains an arm holding a sword, and a winged figure holding a key in the left hand, and the right forefinger on the lips (the "Egyptian figure of Silence"). The jewel is an point-up triangle, with an arrow, point downward, an arm holding a sword, and the motto "Fiat Justitia, Ruat Coelum."

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Prince of Libanus

Lessons

The lessons of the 22° are to respect labor for its own sake and to do work.

Description

This degree teaches, "if a job is worth doing its worth doing well". By doing good work we improve character and become better citizens. The apron is white, bordered in purple, and contains a three-headed serpent and a table with instruments and plans on it. The jewel is an axe and handle of gold. On the top of the handle are the initials of Noah and Solomon. In the middle of the handle are the initials of Libanus and Tsidun. On the blade are the initials of Adoniram, Cyrus, Darius, Zerubbabel, Nehemiah, Ezra (on one side), and Shem, Kham, Yapheth, Moses, Ahaliab, Betselal (on the other).

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Knight of Valor

Lessons

The lessons of the 23° are to be devoted to the service of God; to constantly endeavor to promote the welfare of man; to act with proper subordination to your superiors.

Description

This degree teaches that the man who forgets his duty to God, family, country, and himself will be in danger of morally and spiritually destruction by thoughts unworthy ambition. The apron is white, bordered with red, blue, and purple ribbons. These colors, from the curtains of the Tabernacle, represent earth, fire, air, and sea, respectively, as well as the Lord's beneficence, glory, wisdom, and power. On the apron is the golden seven-branched candlestick, representing the seven planets and virtues: Sun, faith ("aspiration toward the infinite"); Moon, hope; Venus, charity; Mars, fortitude ("victory over rage and anger"); Mercury, prudence; Saturn, temperance; Jupiter (conqueror of the Titans), justice. The jewel is a small silver censer, or ornamented cup, held by a handle in the shape of an open hand.

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Brother of the Forest

Lessons

The lessons of the 24° are to labor incessantly for the glory of God, the honor of your country and the happiness of your brethren.

Description

In this degree a Mason must show evidence of compassion, piety and justice. After initiation he may "manifest faithfully the social virtues in order to receive the rewards", to serve humanity through our brotherhood. The apron is of white lambskin, with scarlet, green, and blue. On it is a violet myrtle tree, and a gold representation of an Arabian tent. The jewel is the Hebrew letter ALEPH, suspended from a violet ribbon.

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Master of Achievement

Lessons

The lesson of the 25° is to fulfill your destiny and to re-create yourself by reformation, repentance and enlarging your knowledge.

Description

This degree tackles the concept of pure, celestial, eternal soul of man. He looks within his faith, life, and God and to get a clear look at his inner self. The apron is white, lined in black, and with gold stars on the white side (Pleiades, Hyades, Orion, Capella) and with silver stars on the black side (Perseus, Scorpio, Bootes). Also on it is a serpent, ouroboros, surrounding a scarab, a triangle in a glory with the Tetragrammaton in its center, and the four initials of the stars Regulus, Aldebaran, Antares, and Fomalhaut. The jewel is a gold tau cross (crux ansata) with a serpent entwined around it, and the Hebrew words HLThI ("he has suffered or been wounded") and NChShThN ("the Brazen Serpent") on it.

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Friend and Brother Eternal

Lessons

The lessons of the 26° are to practice forgiveness and mercy; tolerance; to be devoted to the teaching of the principles of Masonry.

Description

In this degree we search for "the rewards of the trinity of Gods attributes - wisdom or intelligence, force or strength, harmony or beauty." The apron is scarlet, bordered in white, with a green triangle (point-down) in the center. In the triangle are the initials of Force, Wisdom, and Harmony, and a flaming heart of gold with the initials I.H.S. (A common Christogram based on the first three letters of "Jesus" in Greek (Ίησους, Latinized IHSOVS); also referring to the In hoc signo vinces legend - Later, Jesus Hominum Salvator; or Imperium, Harmonia, Sapientia). The jewel is gold, and is the same triangle, suspended by a purple ribbon. 

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Knight of Jerusalem

Lessons

The lessons of the 27° are to be a lover of wisdom and to be faithful to your promises made within Masonry.

Description

This lesson of this degree teaches us to scorn selfishness, and to uphold the knightly virtues of charity, truth and honor. We should always strive to assist the poor, helpless and infirm. The apron is of scarlet lambskin, lined in black, with a Teutonic Cross (cross potent sable, charged with a smaller cross double potent or, surcharged with the escutcheon of the Empire - the two-headed black eagle) and a black key surrounded by a laurel wreath. The jewel is a gold triangle, on which the word I.N.R.I. is enameled.

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Knight of Jerusalem

Lessons

The lessons of the 28° are to be devoted to truth, honour, loyalty, justice and humanity.

Description

This degree teaches that our love for God manifests itself in our love for Truth, Justice and Nobility of Soul. The apron is white lambskin, with a vermilion pentagram. The jewel is a golden sun on the obverse, and a hemisphere, showing the northern half of the ecliptic (Taurus to Libra) and zodiac.

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Knight of St. Andrew

Lessons

The lessons of the 29° are to reverence and obey God; to serve the truth; to protect virtue and innocence; to defend the people against tyranny.

Description

The virtues of this degree are "Love of God, loyalty to superiors, faithful adherence to promise and active resistance to unfair judgment." There is no apron. The jewel has two parts: on top is a gold hexagram, made of concave-outward triangles, with a compass open to 25 degrees inside it. On the bottom is suspended a gold St. Andrew's cross ("X"), with a knight's helmet, winged serpent ouroboros, key, and a point-down triangle. In the center of the cross is a Hebrew YOD, and on its points, clockwise from bottom, the Hebrew letters N M I N. 

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Grand Inspector

Lessons

The lesson of the 30° is to labor unceasingly for the good of mankind.

Description

The lesson of this degree is to be true to ourselves, to stand for what is right and just in our lives today. To believe in God, country and ourselves. There is no apron, but the jewel is a gold Teutonic cross, enameled in red, with the letters J.'.B.'.M.'. on the obverse, and a skull transpierced by a poinard on the reverse.

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Knight Aspirant

Lessons

The lesson of the 31° is to judge yourself in the same light as you judge others, considering both actions and motives.

Description

This degree teaches prayerful self-examination. The mistakes today should not be committed tomorrow. Simply, the daily look at ones self to learn to live with the future. No apron is worn in the Supreme Tribunal, but in inferior bodies, a white sheep-skin apron with a silver Teutonic cross may be worn. The jewel is a silver Teutonic cross. The jewel may be suspended from a white collar, with a gold triangle with a "31" inside it. But in inferior bodies it may be suspended from a golden chain, the links of which form the eight fundamental degrees of Masonry: The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 30th. 

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Sublime Prince of

the Royal Secret

Lessons

The lessons of the 32° are: a Soldier of the Light seeks truth and knowledge; a Soldier of Freedom demands for the people free vote and voice and attains freedom of voice, vote and opinion for himself; a Soldier of the True Religion combats spiritual tyranny with reason and truth; a Soldier of the People encourages men to be self-reliant and independent; a Soldier of Scottish Rite Masonry is zealous and ardent in the performance of his duties to God, his country, his family, his brethren and himself.

Description

The lessons of this degree are that "genuine brotherhood requires mutual regard, opinion, esteem and charity". We always look for the good in all, make allowances for other's short comings. We trust the Supreme Architect to lead us to friendship, morality and brotherly love. The apron is white, lined in black, with a double-headed eagle and a plan of the Camp of the Princes. The jewel is a golden Teutonic cross, with a double-headed white and black eagle in the center. 

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