Northern Jurisdiction
Scottish Rite Degrees
(from an actor's view)
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The tales we tell:
Welcome Sublime Princes
Each Scottish Rite degree has themes and lessons. Many are associated with various names of the Grand Architect of the Universe. Most have official titles, such as Master Traveler for the Fourth degree, granted to the candidates. Degrees have been changed, split, consolidated, or replaced over the years. In the Symbolism of the Master Mason degree, you are told that “no matter how much the founders of rites may have corrupted and perverted other degrees” the Temple Builder in the Third Degree has been untouched. Scottish Rite appreciates tradition and history, and much ancient lore remains in our degree work. With 29 degrees though, the Supreme Council and its Ritual Committee have the opportunity to modify the stories and language of degrees to suit today’s challenges. The four bodies are roughly chronological, but the degrees within the Lodge and Consistory bodies are not. These are our stories. Travel them well. Scottish Rite is rich in allegory and ceremony, with patterns and principles to help you build your Temple.
14 November, 2009
ILL\ Frederick J. Rayfield, MSA, 33˚
Commander-in-Chief
Vermont Consistory, AASR
Lodge of
Perfection
11 degrees: 4th and 14th
4th
A tour of twelve of the 29 Scottish ScotRite degrees.
Old 4th was the installation of a new guard at the Temple
5th
(Moses)
Rebellion against Moses and Aaron, the light goes out.
Older degree was a funeral of Hiram Abif
6th
(Moses)
A plague of snakes ends another rebellion against Moses
7th
(Solomon)
Building King Solomon’s temple, jealousy, theft,
and forgiveness among the workers
8th
(Solomon)
King David rejects his proud eldest son and selects
Solomon to be King
9th
(Solomon)
Dedication of the Temple with representatives
of many religions
10th
(Solomon)
Even wise King Solomon stumbles,
drawn to a heathen wife.
11th
(Solomon)
Evil tax collector is caught by Solomon
who should have been more careful
12th
(Joseph)
Joseph, sold by his brothers into slavery,
later forgives and saves them from famine.
13th
(Solomon)
Tunneling deep into the ground,
workmen for Solomon recover the lost name of the Almighty.
14th
A ceremony of wisdom, anointing and obligation,
and the name of the Almighty
Council of
Jerusalem
15th
Zerubabel in the Court of King Cyrus gains Israel’s freedom
16th
Later King Darius makes good his vow to the
faithful Zerubabel at a festive banquet
Chapter of
Knights Rose Croix
17th
Roman “help” building the 2nd Temple pits
Pharisees, Essenes, Sadducees and villains.
18th
Ceremony of the Rose Cross -
Christian allegory as it applies to all faiths.
Consistory
Granting the 32nd degree
Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret
19th
Ancient philosophers speak and Good battles Evil
20th
Washington, Lafayette, Franklin and others
confront Benedict Arnold
21st
A court in 12th century Germany pits
Bishop against Count
22nd
19th century woodcutters discuss Masonic symbols,
including cedars from Lebanon
23rd
Four Chaplains of different faiths are heroes
of a sinking troop ship in WWII
24th
Colonial Masons consider if belief in the Great Spirit
qualifies a petitioner.
25th
Petitioner Ben Franklin is questioned by a
Lodge Committee about his indiscretions
26th
Pre-Civil War friends/brothers may become
adversaries on the battlefield.
27th
Pope Honorius and Emperor Frederick II
reconcile in 13th century
28th
Kings nobles and philosophers meet in a
Council of the Rose Cross 17th century
29th
Knights of St Andrew are captive of a
Turkish emir in 14th century Greece
30th
British court of 13th century when guilt was
presumed rather than innocence
31st
Perhaps the most famous degree:
The story of the honorable Knight Constans-formerly part of a longer 32nd.
The old 31st was a medieval trial of false accusation.
32nd
A ceremonial degree reviewing the bodies of
Scottish Rite and Masonry’s purposes.
Supreme Council
Northern Masonic Jurisdiction
( Northeast and Midwest USA)
33rd
Honorary degree that reveals again the
light of Masonry by allegory and ceremony
