Supreme Council, Scottish Rite (Southern Jurisdiction, USA)

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The Supreme Council, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, USA is the first Supreme Council of Scottish Rite Freemasonry, founded in 1801. Its official full name is "The Supreme Council (Mother Council of the World) of the Inspectors General Knights Commander of the House of the Temple of Solomon of the Thirty-third Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America." [1] It is also commonly known as The Supreme Council, 33°, Southern Jurisdiction, or by some other varying degree of complete titulage. It is sometimes called the Mother Supreme Council of the World. It is the governing body of Scottish Rite Freemasonry in its jurisdiction, [2] and is one of four Regular and Recognized Supreme Councils in the United States, along with the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, and two Prince Hall Affiliated Supreme Councils.

Contents

It claims that all other Supreme Councils and Subordinate Bodies of the Scottish Rite are derived from it, [3] although some degrees in the Scottish Rite were practiced before the Southern Jurisdiction was organized. It oversees the Scottish Rite in 35 states. [4] The other 15 states fall under the Northern Jurisdiction, which is an independent body.

The Scottish Rite is one of the appendant bodies of Freemasonry that a Master Mason may join for further exposure to the principles of Freemasonry. To join the Supreme Council, one must attain the 32° of the Scottish Rite. The 33° is an honorary degree which only some members obtain.

In the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, the Supreme Council consists of no more than 33 members, and is presided over by a Sovereign Grand Commander. Other members of the Supreme Council are called Sovereign Grand Inspectors General (SGIG), and each is the head of the Rite in his respective Orient (or state). Other heads of the various Orients who are not members of the Supreme Council are called Deputies of the Supreme Council.

History

The Supreme Council was founded in Charleston, South Carolina in May 1801 [4] at Shepheard's Tavern at the corner of Broad and Church Streets. Previously, the tavern had been the location of the founding of Freemasonry in South Carolina in 1754. The Founding Fathers of the Scottish Rite who attended became known as "The Eleven Gentlemen of Charleston". They included:

House of the Temple - Headquarters of the Southern Jurisdiction in Washington D.C. Scottish Rite Mason Temple DC.JPG
House of the Temple - Headquarters of the Southern Jurisdiction in Washington D.C.

In 1813, a member of the Supreme Council established in [5] New York a Supreme Council for the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States of America. In 1823, the Supreme Council granted jurisdiction of the fifteen states east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River to the Supreme Council for the Northern Jurisdiction. [4]

In 1870, "its residence was moved to Washington, D.C.," although " its see remains in Charleston." [6]

In 1911 the Mother Supreme Council began construction of a new headquarters of the Supreme Council in the District of Columbia, called the House of the Temple. Finished in 1915, the House of the Temple remains their headquarters to this day. It is located at 1733 Sixteenth Street, NW. [4] The House of the Temple also contains the remains of Albert Pike.

Leadership

The head of the Southern Jurisdiction is titled the Sovereign Grand Commander. A total of 21 men have held this office since 1801. Albert Pike and John H. Cowel's tenures of 32 years were the longest. The list of Sovereign Grand Commanders is as follows:

NumberSGCYears in OfficeNumberSGCYears in Office
1John Mitchell1801–181612Thomas H. Caswell [7] 1895–1900
2Frederick Dalcho1816–182213 James D. Richardson 1901–1914
3Isaac Auld [8] 1822–182614George F. Moore [9] 1914–1921
4Moses Holbrook [10] 1826–184415John H. Cowles1921–1953
5Jacob De La Motta (acting) [11] 1844–184516Thomas J. Harkms1952–1955
6Alexander McDonald1845–184617Luther S. Smith1955–1969
7John H. Honour1846–185818 Henry C. Clausen 1969–1985
8Charles M. Furman (acting)1858–185919C. Fred Kleinknecht1985–2003
9 Albert Pike 1859–189120Ronald A. Seale2003–2019
10James C. Batchelor1892–189321James D. Cole2019–present
11Philip C. Tucker1893–1895

Writing

Albert Pike, SGC, 1859-1891. Albert Pike - Brady-Handy.jpg
Albert Pike, SGC, 1859-1891.

An important philosophical document of the Southern Jurisdiction was Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, written by Albert Pike in 1872. A copy of Morals and Dogma was given to every new member in the Southern Jurisdiction until 1974. The book given to new initiates then became Grand Commander Henry C. Clausen's Clausen's Commentaries On Morals and Dogma (1976), then Rex Hutchens' A Bridge to Light (1988). Following the adoption of the "Revised Standard Pike Ritual," Hutchens' book was revised in 2010 by Scottish Rite Grand Archivist and Grand Historian Arturo de Hoyos. Currently, de Hoyos' Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide (2007, rev. 2010) is now distributed to new members as is Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition (2011).

Degree Structure

Before Albert Pike became a member of the Southern Jurisdiction, the degrees were in a rudimentary form, and often included only a brief history and legend of each degree, as well as other brief details which usually lacked a workable ritual for their conferral. In 1855, the Supreme Council appointed a committee to prepare and compile rituals for the 4th through the 32nd Degrees. That committee was composed of Albert G. Mackey, John H. Honour, William S. Rockwell, Claude P. Samory, and Albert Pike. Of these five committee members, Pike did all the work of the committee.

The degrees offered by the Southern Jurisdiction can be divided into four categories: [12]

  1. Lodge of Perfection - 4° through 14°
  2. Chapter of Rose Croix - 15° through 18°
  3. Council of Kadosh - 19° through 30°
  4. Consistory - 31° and 32°

The inspiration for the various degrees are as follows:

As of 2017, the topics of the degrees are as follows: [13] [14] [15]

Degree NameSetting and/or TopicDegreeNameSetting and/or Topic
Secret MasterNear the Holiest of Holies in Solomon's Temple 19°Grand Pontiff Albert Pike created ritual following a general plot of the hero's journey
Perfect Master Hiram Abiff's Funeral20°Master of the Symbolic LodgeGeometry and Virtues; Famous lawgivers including Hammurabi, Socrates and Confucius
Intimate SecretaryNon-biblical story of debts owed by Solomon to Hiram of Tyre 21°Noachite, or Prussian Knight Imperial Free City of Dortmund in the 1190s
Provost and Judge Phoenicians and Jews building the Temple22°Knight of the Royal Ax, or Prince of Libanus Prussian Knights
Intendant of the BuildingSelection to succeed Hiram Abiff23°Chief of the TabernacleChapter 16 of the Book of Numbers
Elu of the NineVengeance for Hiram Abiff's murder24°Prince of the Tabernacle Four Elements, Osiris, Mithra
10°Elu of the FifteenExecution of the murderers of Hiram Abiff25°Knight of the Brazen Serpent Sufism
11°Elu of the TwelveExecution of the murderers of Hiram Abiff26°Prince of Mercy, or Scottish TrinitarianComparative Religions
12°Master Architect Adoniram, successor to Hiram Abiff27°Knight of the Sun, or Prince Adept Knighthood; Middle Ages
13°Royal Arch of SolomonVault of Enoch 28°Knight Commander of the Temple El
14°Perfect EluInitiation Ceremony29°Scottish Knight of Saint Andrew Robert the Bruce
15°Knight of the East,

or Knight of the Sword,

or Knight of the Eagle

Ruins of Solomon's Temple and the throne room of Cyrus the Great during the Babylonian Captivity 30° Knight Kadosh, or

Knight of the White and Black Eagle

Philip the Fair; Pope Clement V; Jacques De Molay; Seven Liberal Arts; Kabala
16°Prince of Jerusalem Darius' support for rebuilding the Temple31°Inspector Inquisitor Egyptian Book of the Dead
17°Knight of the

East and West

Execution of John the Baptist; Book of Revelation 32°Master of the Royal Secret Esotericism; Pythagoreans; Zarathustrans; Magi; Kabbalists
18°Knight Rose CroixChamber of Darkness; Chamber of Hell; Chamber of the Mystic Rose33°Inspector General Tribe of Levi

Scottish Rite Honors

In the Southern Jurisdiction, a member who has been a 32° Scottish Rite Mason for 46 months or more is eligible to be elected to be invested with the "rank and decoration" of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (K∴C∴C∴H∴) This Honor was established by Albert Pike in 1878 for recognition of outstanding service. These members are easily recognized by their red caps with a passion cross embroidered on them. This ceremony is not a degree. It is a public Investiture. The new Sir Knight is invested with the rank, distinction, and decoration of Knight Cammander within the Court of Honour. This investiture is only done at the Orient level.

Originally, the 33° was only conferred on those who would be active members of the Supreme Council. Now, after 46 months of serving as a K∴C∴C∴H∴ a Scottish Rite Mason is then eligible to be elected to be coroneted a 33° Inspector General (Honourary), upon approval of the Supreme Council and Sovereign Grand Commander. These members are called Inspectors General Honorary (I∴G∴H∴). The member may elect to go to the Biennial Meeting of Scottish Rite in Washington D.C. for conferral of the degree or he may choose to receive it in his Orient at a specific Scottish Rite Valley where it is regularly conferred. These members are recognized by their white caps with Patriarchal/Cross Lorraine embroidery.

The highest award achievable in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is the Grand Cross of the Court of Honour. This honor is invested with members who have demonstrated exemplary service to Freemasonry in general or humanity at large. This honor was established by Albert Pike at the same time as the Knight Commander of the Court of Honor.

These members are recognizable with their white hats with blue band and a Teutonic Cross embroidery. [16]

Philanthropy

The Supreme Council in 1928 made a gift of $1 million to the George Washington University in D.C., to fund the creation of what is today the School of Business. [17]

Since the early 1950s, the Supreme Council has sponsored the RiteCare Scottish Rite Childhood Language Program "to help children with speech and language disorders." [18]

In addition, Scottish Rite for Children, a pediatric hospital located in Dallas, Texas, is located within the jurisdiction of the Southern Jurisdiction and there are many Scottish Rite Masons on the Board of Directors. [19] Likewise Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite had its roots as a hospital owned and operated by the Scottish Rite.

See also


References

  1. "FAQs about Masonry." Archived 2008-05-12 at the Wayback Machine The Supreme Council, 33°, A.A. & S.R. of Freemasonry, S.J., USA, (2006). Accessed June 2, 2008.
  2. "About the Building" Archived 2007-10-29 at the Wayback Machine The Supreme Council, 33°, A.A. & S.R. of Freemasonry, S.J., USA (2006). Accessed June 2, 2008.
  3. "Scottish Rite History" Archived 2013-02-21 at the Wayback Machine Scottish Rite California. Accessed June 2, 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Southern Jurisdiction" Archived 2007-01-24 at the Wayback Machine The Supreme Council, 33°, A.A. & S.R. of Freemasonry, S.J., USA (2006). Accessed June 2, 2008.
  5. "A Brief History Of The AULD Bible". pubs.royle.com. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  6. "History of the Rite". Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., U.S.A. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  7. "San Francisco Call 14 November 1900 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  8. "A Brief History Of The AULD Bible". pubs.royle.com. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  9. The American Tyler-keystone: Devoted to Freemasonry and Its Concerdant Others. J. H. Brownell. 1919.
  10. "Letter from Moses Holbrook to John James Joseph Gourgas, 1830 October 30 · digitalVGW". digitalvgw.omeka.net. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  11. Cohen, Theodore (April 29, 2018). "Jacob De La Motta, M.D.: An Early American Jewish Medical Pioneer". silo.tips. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  12. Rite, Savannah Scottish. "Savannah Scottish Rite". Savannah Scottish Rite. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  13. Conway, Frank; Hodapp, Christopher L. (August 16, 2017). The Masonic Pageant: The Scottish Rite Degrees of the Supreme Council, NMJ. Cornerstone Book Publishers. ISBN   978-1-934935-92-7.
  14. Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry by Pike.
  15. Hutchens, Rex R.; Seale, Ronald A.; Hoyos, Arturo de. Bridge To Light: A Study In Masonic Ritual & Philosophy. The Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite.
  16. "The Distinctive Regalia of the Scottish Rite" Archived 2006-05-02 at the Wayback Machine by Pete Normand, "The Scottish Rite Journal", October 2001, retrieved 9 April 2006
  17. "School of Business" Archived 2008-08-27 at the Wayback Machine The GW Hatchet, January 11, 1928. Accessed June 2, 2008.
  18. "RiteCare Scottish Rite Childhood Language Program (SRCLP) | Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., U.S.A." Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  19. "Scottish Rite for Children | Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., U.S.A." Retrieved February 19, 2024.