The Five Points Symbolism

By N.A. Mcaulay

Foot to foot that we may go,

Where our help we can bestow;

Pointing out the better way,

Lest our brothers go astray.

Thus our steps should always lead 

To the souls that are in need.

Knee to knee, that we may share

Every brother’s needs in prayer:

Giving all his wants a place,

When we seek the throne of grace.

In our thoughts from day to day

For each other we should pray.

Breast to breast, to there conceal,

What our lips must not reveal;

When a brother does confide

We must by his will abide.

Masons to us known,

We must Cherish as our own.

Hand to back, our love to show

To the brother, bending low:

Underneath a load of care, 

Which we may and ought to share.

That the weak may always stand,

Let us lend a helping hand.

Cheek to check, or mouth to ear

That our lips may whisper cheer

To our brother in distress: 

Whom our words can aid and bless

Warn him if he fails to see,

Dangers that are known to thee.

Foot to foot, and knee to knee,

Breast to breast, as brothers we:

Hand to back and mouth to ear,

Then that mystic word we hear,

Which we otherwise conceal,

But on these five points reveal.

RIP George Sellars

I am saddened to say that Companion George Sellars, the Most Puissant General Grand Master of the General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons International passed away this last Sunday; he was 74-years old.

For those who knew him or knew of him, they had probably heard of his failing health due to cancer. I never knew personally, but Dave Grindle, the General Grand Recorder, was friends and spoke of him fondly. My thoughts and prayers are with all of those who were touched by this man and Mason.

Companion George was born and raised in the State of Michigan where he earned a BA in Biology, History, and Business; and took postgraduate study in Engineering, Economics, and Management. He served in both the Army and the Navy, worked for 34-years for a Public Utility Company, and for 15-years as Owner of a Construction and Consulting Firm.

He was married to his wife Brenda for nearly 50-years. Together they had two children, Anne and Paul.

George was initiated in 1961 and was a member of several Lodges in Michigan. He served in various distinguished capacities. He was exalted as a Royal Arch Mason in 1971 where he served as High Priest and as President for the Michigan Holy Order of High Priesthood. He was greeted as a Cryptic Mason in 1975 and a member of several Councils and served in various capacities and began his ascent up the ladder in Cryptic Masonry in 1984 with his first appointment to the officer line. He elected to serve the Grand Council of Michigan as Most Illustrious Grand Master in 1988 and after his time continued to serve on several committees.

In the General Grand Council, he served as Ambassador and Regional Deputy General Grand Master before being elected as General Grand Principal Conductor of the Work in 2005. He moved up the ranks and in 2011 he was elected as the Most Puissant General Grand Master.

He was knighted in Mt. Clemens Commandery No.51 in 1975 where he served as Commander, Recorder, and for the Grand Commandery served as Grand Sword Bearer and Grand Sentinel. He was awarded the Knight Commander of the Temple by the Grand Encampment in 2002.

He was a member and officer of other Masonic organizations which include: York Rite College, Knights of the York Cross of Honor, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Philalethes Society, Scottish Rite, Scottish Rite Research Society, Quatuor Coronati Lodge No.2076 in London, Shriners, Allied Masonic Degrees, Royal Ark Mariners, Grand College of Rites, Royal Order of Scotland, SRICF, Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priests, Red Cross of Constantine, National Sojourners, Knight Masons, Commemorative Order of St. Thomas of Acon, and the Grotto. He was a recipient of the Legion of Honor, Order of DeMolay.

Companion, you're feet have brought you to the end of your journey, you've laid aside the working tools of this life, and pierced through the veil of mortality to see beyond that Supreme Lodge where the Great Architect of the Universe resides. Rest well and in peace.

The Hierarchy of the Knights Templars

While today the Masonic Knights Templar doesn't perpetuate the belief of any direct lineage to the medieval Knights Templar we use their name in commemoration of the noble and Christian virtues they practiced. While we do commemorate and celebrate their deeds the American Templars have drifted and varied from the leadership structured established by the Crusaders who followed the Latin Rule of St. Bernard of Clairvaux.

Today the local level, the Commandery, is governed by a Sir Knight elected annually to serve as the Eminent Commander. To assist him in the government of meetings and in the conferral of the Order of the Temple, there are the following officers: 

Generalissimo: Sits at the right-hand of the Commander, assists the Commander in his duties, and is charged to introduce the Grand Commander and his staff. This term originates from "generale" (Italian for General) and the suffix -issimo, itself from Latin -issimus, meaning "utmost, to the highest grade". 

Captain General: This is a very important officer as he ensures the Commandery is prepared for the reception of the Commander, and essentially executes a majority of all commands whether communicated through the Generalissimo or from the Eminent Commander directly. 

Senior Warden: This officer is similar to the Senior Deacon seen in the Blue Lodge as he is one of the guides for candidates going through the Order of the Temple.

Junior Warden: This officer is also a guide to the candidates and has some similarities to the Senior Deacon, but also has some duties that are similar to that of the Marshall (giving instruction and charges to the candidates prior to initiation). He also assists the Senior Warden during parts of the conferral. 

Prelate: From the Medieval Latin 'prelatus' meaning "clergyman of high rank." Some of the duties of this officer are obvious, but this officer is also charged with administering the vows to candidates striving to become new Sir Knights. 

Treasurer: The duties of this officer apparent and he should always practice those great moral virtues when over-watching the finances of the Commandery. 

Recorder: This administrative officer's duties are just apparent as the Treasurers and much rests on his shoulders who sit in this seat. 

Standard Bearer: As his name implies he is the keeper of the Standard, the banner of the Commandery, and like the Marshall of the Blue Lodge he is the one presents the Nation's flag during the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Sword Bearer: This officer is charged with protecting the Standard Bearer as well as leading the detail to present the flag for the Pledge. 

Warder: Similar to the Junior Deacon of the Blue Lodge, this officer responds to alarms at the door of the Asylum as well as announcing the approach and departure of the Commander, or Grand Commander during his visitations. 

Sentinel: Just as the Tyler guards the doors to the Lodge so too does the Sentinel protect the Asylum from those who are not entitled to be there.

The Commandery reports to the Grand Commandery, which is the state level, and which is presided over by the Right Eminent Grand Commander who is elected annually by the members who compose the Grand Commandery and the delegates from the Commanderies around the jurisdiction. The Grand Commander is assisted by officers similar to that seen at the local level with the addition of "Grand" attached to their title as well as the addition of the position of "Deputy Grand Commander".

In some jurisdictions, there are district representatives that mediate between the Commanderies and Grand Commandery, and who is regarded as the personal representative of the Grand Commander.

The next level in American Templary is known as the Grand Encampment and this body is presided over by the Most Eminent Grand Master. This Sir Knight is elected to serve for 3-years or Triennium. The Grand Master is assisted by a host of officers and advisers. Many of the officers are styled similar to those at the local and Grand level, but instead of a Grand Sentinel, they have a Grand Captain of the Guard. There are also some additions that will be discussed as follows:

Department Commanders: These officers hold the status of Proxy for the Grand Master and hold authority over regions which include Grand Commanderies and local Commanderies not yet under Grand Commanderies. They are appointed and serve at his discretion. 

Aides-de-Camp: These Sir Knights are assigned to assisting certain officers of the Grand Encampment as well as Past Grand Masters. These include the staff of the Knights Templar magazine, office administrators of the Grand Encampment, and Grand Banner Bearer.

This will serve as a basic understanding of the modern Masonic Knights Templar in America and will better help us look at the hierarchy of the medieval Knights Templar. Originally there were only four ranks, but this was due to the fact there were very few members. Once the Order expanded so did the ranking system. As with all things concerning the Templars the Latin Rule laid out how everything would be structured. With the original Templar Order, we will start from the top and move our way down.

Grand Master: Serving as head of the entire international Order the Grand Master exercised supreme authority and only answered to the Pope. The Grand Master was an elected position and the Knight elected would serve for life, although that was not always a long amount of time as many Grand Masters lost their lives in battle which shows that he oversaw military operations as well as the administrative operations. There were some rare exceptions to this as a couple Grand Masters stepped down and retired from the position with the consent of the Pope. The Grand Master was treated with great respect by the monarchies, the Pope, and the members of the Order. His entourage included 4-horses for personal use, a minimum of on cleric, two Knights, a Sergeant, a translator, a cook, a servant, and an administrative clerk.

Beneath the Grand Master there was a host of officers with specific duties, all laid out by the Rule. Some of these included Masters and Commanders of Lands and Provinces who reported directly to the Grand Master.

Seneschal: This officer served as the "right-hand man" of the Grand Master. His chief duties surrounded the oversight of much of the administrative operation, acting as an adviser to the Grand Master, and acted as head of the Order in his absence. Due to his administrative duties the Provincial Masters of Western Europe often reported to him. His duties were extremely important since the Western European lands were essential to the logistics and supplies needed to sustain the troops in the Holy Land. Like the Grand Master, he had his own staff which included knights, sergeants, clerics, and squires; horses; and supplies as an indication of his authority.

Marshal: While the Grand Master ultimately led the troops, when present, and the Seneschal assisted in the logistical and administrative needs of the Order, the Marshal was in charge of anything related to the war effort such as arms, training, horses, and gear. He also served as an adviser to the Grand Master. He also had an entourage assigned to his honored station.

Under-Marshal: As the name implies this officer was directly under the Marshall and assisted in his duties. This officer was in charge of lesser equipment, equipment for the horse (bridles, saddle padding, shoes, etc), and assisted in with logistics from the side of the Marshall. He was also in charge of carrying the 'piebald banner' which was at the head of the procession and helped keep the stragglers together.

Turcopolier:  Militarily this officer was third in line. He was charged with commanding the light cavalry/mercenaries and Sergeants.

Draper: Sometimes referred to as a 'Quartermaster', this officer was in charge of Templar garments, clothing, linens, and all tailoring needs. This was an important job and, according to the Rule, the Draper was superior to all Brethren after the Grand Master and Marshall; he had the authority to chastise all those whose clothing and linens were not in proper order. In his inspections he would also ensure that the grooming of the Knights was according to the Rule. He also had the power to remove items from members who appeared to have more than what was proper or who was acting with unnecessary pride.

Standard Bearer: This officer is similar to the modern officer bearing the same name, but in reality didn't actually carry the banner, but rather led the procession of soldiers that did. This officer came from the Sergeant class and was also known as the 'Confanonier'. He was also in charge of the Squires; paying them, training them, and ensuring they were performing their duties to standard.

Commanders of the Land: These Templar officers are similar to that of the Department Commander or Grand Commander in today's Masonic Templar Order. The 3 provinces or Lands were Jerusalem, Antioch, and Tripoli. The Commander of the Lands of Jerusalem was also the Treasurer of the entire Order and along with the Grand Master acted as a check-and-balance over the property of the Templar Order.

Provincial Masters: Similar to the Commanders of the Land were charged with governing the lands in Western Europe. Like their Eastern counterparts they were to govern the lands which included castles, farms, forts, strongholds, Bailies, and other estates. These Masters also had the duty of managing the revenue of the Order and recruiting new men to the Templar Order.

Bailli: This was a local or regional commander position and would usually be filled by a Knight, but in the absence of any Knights a Sergeant could fill it. He would preside over a "baillie" which would have been a district or division of a Templar Province. Within each Templar baillie were their preceptories.

Masters and Commanders: These officers were in charge of the local Commanderies or Preceptories. Particularly in the Western provinces, if there were no Knights present then this duty fell to a Sergeant.

Castellan: An officer charged with ensuring the protection of a Templar castle.

Casalier: An officer who oversaw the security and protection of a Templar farm or casal.

Admiral: While not renowned for their naval exploits in their early years, the Templars would eventually develop a working naval operation to assist in movement of troops, supplies, and treasures. This becomes increasingly apparent towards the end of the Templar years when their headquarters is moved to Cyprus. The role of Admiral was not necessarily one who was on the ships themselves, but one who controlled a shipyard or port.

Through these officer positions, we've mentioned terms like Knights, Sergeants, and Squires. These were the classes, but there were also servants and the clerics to remember and were arranged as follows:

Knights: The famous class who were known as the backbone of the battlefield; very few battles were fought without the Templars present. To become a Knight one had to be of noble birth and for such reason composed a small number in comparison to the total number of members within the Templar Order. A Knight wore the famous white mantle adorned with a red cross, kept their hair short, and were known for their bears which they were not allowed to shave. Quite often Knights would also be used outside the battlefield in advisory roles which could include sitting as Judge in lower courts.

Sergeants: The next class of Templar did not have to be from noble stock. As a display of their lower status than the Knights, they wore primarily a black mantle with a red cross, but sometimes would wear a brown mantle. This class was the chief support of the Order and as such much more versatile than the Knights as they not only would fight alongside the Knights, but also would be seen notaries, craftsman, blacksmiths, masons, or cooks - it all depended on what the needs of the Order were. They were given one horse, but no squires.

Squires: Squires were the young men who, just like in the movies, were there to assist the knight in any way possible, from polishing his weapons to feeding his horses. The difference for a Templar Squire is that this was often a hired position, especially in the first hundred years of the Order. It was only later that many Squires were there specifically to test themselves and their mettle and to climb to the order of Knight. They wore garb similar to that of the Sergeants.

Lay Servants: This class could run the gamut, from masons brought in to do building or repair work to personal servants to an officer. The hierarchical statutes of the Templar Rule laid out precisely how many of such servants each officer was allowed to have. For a Templar to have too many would be a sin of pride. Due to the number of masons and builders under the command of the Templars they were an institution not only known for their fighting skills, but were known to be capable of building great and expensive structures.

Clerics: One of the most important positions within a Templar Commandery was that of the Chaplain. This man had many important jobs, not ecclesiastical, but also secular in many ways. He was an internal priest for the Order. He had the power to hear confessions and to give absolution for sins; Templars were forbidden to give confession to anyone other than a cleric in the Templar Order without Papal approval. These clerics were not answerable to local clerics or bishops, but only to the Pope.

Confrere: This was an associate member who served for a short period of time and who did not partake in the monastic vows.

As I stated above, the Knights made up a small portion of the entire Order. Quite often there was a 10:1 ratio of non-Knights to Knights in the Templar Order. Accompanying a group of Knights through Europe and the Middle East, there would be chaplains, Sergeants, administrative officers, translators, masons, engineers, carpenters, armorers, blacksmiths, tent makers, rope makers, shepherds, tailors, gardeners, millers, cooks, and servants.

References

1. A Brief History of the Medieval Knights Templar. (n.d.). Retrieved from Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani: http://www.osmth.org/templar-legacy

2. Brief on the History of the Medieval Knights Templar. (n.d.). Retrieved from Regular Grand Lodge of England: http://www.rgle.org.uk/Brief.htm

3. Bruno, S. T. (2001). Templar Organizational Structure. Retrieved from TemplarHistory.com: http://blog.templarhistory.com/2010/03/templar-organizational-structure/

4. Dafoe, S. (2006). The Templars Hierarchy. The Working Tools magazine, 30-33. 

5. Grobschmidt, S. (n.d.). Religious Orders. Retrieved from the ORB: http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/religion/monastic/comprule.html

6. Hodapp, C. (n.d.). Organizing the Knights Templar. Retrieved from The Templar Code For Dummies: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/organizing-the-knights-templar.html

7. Ralls, K. (2007). Knights Templar Encyclopedia. Franklin Lakes: Book-mart Press.

Eleven Years of Service

Today marks the day 11-years ago that I raised my right hand to defend the Constitution of this great nation and enlisted into the Idaho Army National Guard.

I enlisted at the age of 17 so my first trial was to convince my parents to sign the paperwork. I enlisted under the "Split-Option" so I went to Basic Training between my Junior and Senior year of high school then attended Advanced Individual Training (AIT) for Intelligence Analyst in 2003. I deployed in 2004 to Kirkuk, Iraq. In 2007, I attended the training needed to become an Unmanned Aircraft Operator and deployed in 2010 where I acted as Mission Coordinator/Shift Supervisor. I held that job until December 2012 when I went back to the Intelligence community.

I have had an array of experiences and gained many invaluable skills. I have also made many great friends like Ryan who I've known my entire career and two others I call the Twins who I watched come in and, now as I leave, they are emerging as leaders of the Platoon.

I am now down to my final year within the military and will not be re-enlisting due to my knee and back injuries.

The Grand Priory of the Rectified Scottish Rite of the USA has been dissolved!

Here is some breaking news regarding the Rectified Scottish Rite and the Grand Encampment:

I wonder what will happen with the other Rectified Scottish Rites and what their status shall be. I hope that America can keep this organization as it is truly a spectacular organization. I am curious to see how this will affect our relations with the British Templars who were moving towards removing recognition from the Grand Encampment.

The Druze and the Order of the Eastern Star

While reading, during my few days of Winter break, I decided to go back through some old articles I read and came across Worshipful Brother Cliff Porter's article on his time in the Middle East and his discussion about the Druze when something caught my attention. I am only going to highlight key portions of this faith, but I encourage anyone interested to further research this religious practice.

A monotheistic religious community, the Druze can primarily be found in Syria, but can also be found in Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan; there are some communities of expatriated Druze in Europe, North America, and Africa. This faith emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism branch of the Shia Islam and combines aspects of the Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neo-Platonism, and other philosophies.

There are a few theories as to the origin of the name Druze. Some believe it originates from Muhammad bin Ismail Nashtakin ad-Darazi, an early Islamic preacher. Ironically the Druze considers ad-Darazi a heretic for his wild exaggerations that led to his expulsion, but the name is used to identify them for historical purposes. Some hypothesize that it was Shaykh Hussayn ad-Darazi, an early convert that influenced the use of the Druze name. Others believe it derives from the word Darazo which means bliss. The Druze refers to themselves as Ahl al-Tawhid (the People of Monotheism) or al-Muwaḥḥidūn (the Unitarians).

The early Druze faith was preached by Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad, a Persian Ismaili scholar. When he arrived in Egypt in 1014, he assembled a group of scholars and leaders from across the region to form this Unitarian movement. The early meetings were held in secret until 1017 when Hamza finally took the religious movement public.

The Druze are not a separate ethnic group, but rather a religious and social group who has some similarities to the predominately Muslim controlled nations they inhabit. Due to their secretive nature and some fundamental differences from the mainstream Islamic faith, they are sometimes seen as separatist.

To the Druze, God transcends the attributes that may be placed on Him by other faiths as they believe this leads to polytheism. God is incomprehensible so many of the questions concerning the "how", "when", and "where" of God are fruitless. They believe in the concept of Tajalli or theophany. Theophany taken in its literal translation means "appearance of God", but can also be defined as a "divine disclosure." From everything I have read the Druze follow the latter definition since it is less a concept of a physical incarnation (which would contradict their scriptures), but rather to the Light of God experienced by those who have reached a high enough level of spirituality.

The Druze have several books that comprise their sacred texts which are known as Kitab Al Hikma (Book of Wisdom). Some of the teachings are symbolic or allegorical and some divine. Due to these understandings the books and their teachings are divided into three layers which are the zahir (the exoteric), the batin (the esoteric), and the anagoge (the hidden of the hidden). The zahir is available to anyone who can read and hear. The batin is available to those who have the willingness to learn and study through the concept of exegesis or critical interpretation of religious texts. The anagoge is only accessible to a select few who have reached a certain level of enlightenment. Unlike other movements, the Druze do not believe that the esoteric meanings void the exoteric meanings, and actually complement one another.

Druze meet in sanctuaries called khalwa (or khalwat) which act as their prayer-houses instead of mosques. The main sanctuary is called the Khalwat al-Bayada which is located near Hasbaya (Southeastern Lebanon).

The Druze follow seven precepts that are considered to be the core of the Druze faith, which are similar to the pillars of Islam. These precepts are:

Veracity in speech and the truthfulness of the tongue.
Protection and mutual aid to the brethren in faith.
Renunciation of all forms of former worship (specifically, invalid creeds) and false belief.
Repudiation of the Devil, and all forces of evil (or despotism).
Confession of God's unity.
Acquiescence in God's acts no matter what they are.
Absolute submission and resignation to God's divine will in both secret and public.

The moral system of the Druze religion consists of seven principles:

Truthfulness
Fellowship
Abandoning false beliefs
Avoidance of confusion (evil)
Acceptance of divine unity in humanity
Acceptance of all the Lords acts
Submission to the Will of God

In the Druze faith there is a belief of reincarnation similar to that seen in the Eastern religion of Hinduism. As man is imperfect he must be reborn many times to unite with God and reach Heaven where he saved from rebirth. Good people are more fortunate in their reincarnations than bad people. Those who have the misfortune of finding themselves in Hell are tortured by the distance, separation, and deprivation from God. Keeping in common with the Eastern religions, they believe the transmigration of the soul where the soul is instantaneously reincarnated into a new life.

The Druze recognize the major Prophets such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. These major Prophets had 7 minor prophets who in turn had 12 disciples which include figures from the Abrahamic faiths as well as Greek history. Prophets are not worshiped but are considered special people who are free of sin.

Avoiding most uses of icons, the Druze use five colors to represent a metaphysical power which is called Haad. Haad translates to mean limit and by limitation they refer the limits that separate man from the animals of this Earth. The five colors of each of the five Haad are as follows:

Green for Aql or the Universal Mind which gives consciousness and is necessary to understand the truth
Red for Nafs or the Universal Soul embodies the mind and is responsible for one's character
Yellow for Kalima or the Word/Logos which is the mediator between the divine and the material and communicates the qualia (conscious experience) between humans
Blue for Sabiq or the Cause or Precedent and is the mental power of the will which manifested will lead to the Tali
White for Tali or the Future, taken with the Sabiq, one learns from the past, plan for the future, and predict what may come

These colors can be combined into vertical stripes or a five-pointed star which embodies the golden ratio, or Phi, as a symbol of temperance and moderation. The latter design reminds me of the emblem of the Order of the Eastern Star. 

The Order of the Eastern Star is one of the largest fraternal organizations under the Masonic umbrella in which both women with proper Masonic heritage and Master Masons may join. The fine degrees of this organization center on the lives of the five Biblical heroines: Adah (Jephthah's daughter, from Judges), Ruth (the widow Mahlon), Esther (the wife of the Persian King Ahasuerus or Xerxes I), Martha (sister of Lazarus from the Gospel of John), and Electa (the "elected lady" mentioned in II John). Each of these famous women represents one of the five principles of the Order: Fidelity, Constancy, Loyalty, Faith, and Love.

The emblem of this order is a five pointed star which is said to represent the Star of Bethlehem. By this symbol we see a dualist interpretation where the star represents the descent of spirit into matter, the divine in man, or the presence of God on Earth. Each point of the star represents one of the heroines mentioned above and is also emblematically represented by a specific symbol:

Adah is represented by the blue point of the star and symbolizes the virtue of Fidelity. She is represented by the sword and veil.

The yellow point of the star is the seat of Ruth who is symbolized by a sheaf of barley and represents the virtue Constancy and devotion to that which is righteous.

The virtue of Loyalty is exemplified in the story of Esther who stands upon the white point of the star and is symbolized by the crown and scepter.

The broken column symbolizes the mortality of man and the perseverance in trials as told in the story of Martha at the green point of the star.

The elected lady or commonly known as Electa is placed upon the red point of the star which color is commonly used to represent martyrs as she stood by her faith in the face of persecution and is symbolized by the chalice.

One reading through the history and teachings of the Druze, one can see similarities not just between the Eastern Star, but Freemasonry in general. According to Cliff Porter:

I had heard of the Druze only in passing when I learned that the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Southern Jurisdiction and Mother Council of the World had removed the Druze from their 25th degree. Masonic scholar Rex Hutchens believed the degree should be a Sufi degree. I am assuming that is because the Sufi’s seemed a likely candidate because their rituals are so similar to Masonry and so little is known of the Druze. I am no longer certain the correct decision was made here and I shall elaborate.

I am going to continue researching such groups like this with possible influence on our great organization.

References

1. About. (n.d.). Retrieved from General Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star: http://www.easternstar.org/about_oes.html

2. Druze. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druze

3. Eastern Star. (n.d.). Retrieved from Symbolic Dictionary: http://symboldictionary.net/?p=3184

4. Mowahhidoon . (n.d.). Retrieved from Australian Druze Community: http://www.druze.org.au/religion/index.htm

5. Order of the Eastern Star. (n.d.). Retrieved from Masonic Dictionary: http://www.masonicdictionary.com/oes.html

6. Order of the Eastern Star. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Eastern_Star

7. Order of the Eastern Star. (n.d.). Retrieved from Freemasons of New Zealand: http://www.freemasons.co.nz/cms/other-masonic-bodies/order-of-the-eastern-star/

8. Porter, C. (n.d.). The Missing Link Between Egypt and Freemasonry. Retrieved from Living Stones magazine: http://www.livingstonesmagazine.com/PDF/Cliff.pdf

9. The Druze Star. (n.d.). Retrieved from Symbolic Dictionary: http://symboldictionary.net/?p=1810

York Rite Resurrection Society

While rooting around the Internet I came upon the York Rite forum on the Reddit website where Bro. Nick from the Millennial Freemason highlighted an article from a group out of Colorado called the York Rite Resurrection Society.

This group is based on the ideals Masonic Restoration Foundation and their ideals towards creating a stronger Fraternity that will endure for years to come.

Their Vision Statement is:

York Rite Resurrection Society is dedicated to creating an organization that is well managed by highly motivated men with vision and leadership skills, which is attractive to interested Masons of good character, is well understood, is embraced by the family, and makes a positive impact on the quality of life through the reinforcement of high moral values.

The Mission Statement is:

The York Rite is a society of Master Masons whose Mission is to improve its members by teaching, training and encouraging members to emulate in daily life the principles of Brotherly Love, Tolerance, Charity, and Truth while actively embracing the highest social, moral, and spiritual values.

York Rite improves individual character through the lessons taught in the degrees and through leadership training and relevant programs and promotes belief in a Supreme Being and brotherly love amongst all people regardless of race, color, creed or religion.

Empowering our members to enhance the communities in which they live by demonstrating their understanding of fellowship, compassion, and dedication to their God, their family and their country.

The York Rite Resurrection Society is dedicated to creating a financially sound organization which leads by example.

There are some excellent articles on this site discussing the problems facing Freemasonry today and possible solutions to this. I encourage all to read the articles and I commend the Companions and Sir Knights for their endeavors to better our Fraternity.

The Rectified Scottish Rite

In August 2011, I discussed the Masonic Templary creation myth surrounding the Rite of Strict Observance. In it, I made a small mention of the Rectified Scottish Rite, but didn't go too far.  While this group in recent years has been the epicenter of some discord held against the Grand Encampment, it is still a notable and worthy group to be discussed and researched.

The Rectified Scottish Rite is one of the oldest orders in Freemasonry that has had a continuous existence from its beginning. Its origins take us back to von Hund's Rite of Strict Observance, and we also see an influence from French Freemasonry and Ordre des Chevaliers Macons Elus-Cohen de l'Univers (a precursor to Martinism). Jean-Baptiste Willermoz, the founder, was born in Lyons, France, on the 10th of July, 1730. When he was 20-years old he became a Freemason and in 1752 he was Worshipful Master of his Lodge. The following year, he founded the Lodge La Parfaite Amitié (Perfect Friendship), of which he was elected Master on the 24th of June, the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist. On November 21st, 1756, this Lodge joined up with the Mother Lodge of Lyons.

On May 4th, 1760, the Grand Lodge of France approved the formation of a Provincial Mother Lodge called the Grand Loge des Maîtres Réguliers de Lyon (Regular Grand Lodge of Masters of Lyon) and Willermoz was the Provincial Grand Master from 1762 to 1763. After serving in the East, he became the Archivist and Keeper of the Seals. In 1763, Willermoz founded the Souverain Chapitre des Chevaliers de L'Aigle Noir - Rose-Croix (Sovereign Chapter of the Knights of the "Black Eagle - Rose-Croix).

While in Paris in 1767, Willermoz met Bacon de la Chevalerie who was the Deputy Grand Master of the Ordre des Chevaliers Macons Elus-Cohen de l'Univers and in time would be initiated by De Pasqually himself.

In 1772, Willermoz learned of the existence of the Rite of Strict Observance, a German Masonic Order. The golden age of this rite was on the decline, particularly over the controversial claim of the noted founder, von Hund, of "Unknown Superiors" that secretly led the group through von Hund.

With the Rite of Strict Observance on a decline as well as the Elus-Cohens (after the death of De Pasqually), and Willermoz was anxious to preserve the knowledge passed down through these bodies. With the help of others, he created a system of degrees.

In the winter of 1778, at the request of Willermoz, a meeting called the Convent of Gaul was called to order to discuss the reform of the Auvergne Province of the Strict Observance. This body changed its name to the Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte (Knights Beneficent of the Holy City) or commonly referred to as C.B.C.S. It was then absorbed into the “Rectified Scottish Rite” with the degrees as follows:

1° - Apprentice
2° - Fellow Craft
3° - Master
4° - Maître Ecossais (Scottish Master)
5° - Ecuyer Novice (Squire Novice)
6° - CBCS
7° - Chevalier-Profès (Professed Knight)
8° - Chevalier-Grand Profès (Grand Professed Knight)

The last two degrees were secret degrees that imparted upon the candidate the doctrines of the Elus-Cohen.

In hopes to expand this reformed body, Willermoz attended a meeting of the Germanic Strict Observance famously known as the Convent of Wilhelmsbad of 1782. After heated discussions, opponents included representatives from the Bavarian Illuminati, Willermoz won the day and the CBCS reform was adopted among the members of the Order. According to A.E. Waite, Willermoz blended together with the forms and doctrines of the two rites, but de-Templarized the Rite of Strict Observance and "Martinized" it, which resulted in the Rectified Scottish Rite.

Willermoz headed a committee to prepare the rituals of the revised degrees. Much of the work was done, but activity in this rite was interrupted by the eruption of the French Revolution.

In 1806 the CBCS became active again, but, due to the political unrest, it soon would pass into Switzerland with the transmission of power to the Directoire of Helvetia; it was this jurisdiction that reinvigorated the Order in France after WWII. Willermoz passed from this world on May 5th, 1824, in Lyons, France. Today the body exists in Switzerland, France, England, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and the United States. In the United States, the Rectified Scottish Rite is a body surrounding many scandals within the Templar community and which is now having a major effect on our recognition from our English Sir Knights.

The governing body is usually referred to as a Great Priory, but may also be seen as Grand Priory. As you can see above, the first 3-degrees or Symbolic degrees are listed under this body. In the United States and Europe the power to confer the Symbolic degrees ceded to the authority of the Grand Lodges. In other countries, the Great Priories works all the degrees themselves. Through the fourth degree, the lessons are centered on the inner reconstruction of the man through a deeper appreciation of his faith and the diligent practice (observance) of the Christian virtues. The Master of St. Andrew is a degree worked along with the Scottish Master or 4°. According to the Great Priory of America, "When a Master of St. Andrew has reached the level of self-spiritual realization, proving that he has worked up the Masonic initiation, he can access the Inner Order."  The Inner Order is a chivalric order and is composed of the 5° and 6°. The former, the Novice Squire, is a preparatory and transitional degree. The latter is said to be a "quality conferred" rather than a degree when you are dubbed Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte (CBCS).

References

1. Condensed History of Chevaliers Bienfaisants De La Cité Sainte . (n.d.). Retrieved from Great Priory of America: http://greatprioryofamericarer.com/

2. L'Ordre de Chevalier Bienfaisant de la Cité Sainte. (n.d.). Retrieved from King Solomon's Lodge: http://www.kingsolomonslodge.org/freemasonry/cbcs.php

3. Rectified Scottish Rite. (n.d.). Retrieved from Gnostique.net: http://www.gnostique.net/initiation/RER.htm

4. Willermoz and the Scottish Rectified Rite. (n.d.). Retrieved from Martinism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinism#Willermoz_and_the_Scottish_Rectified_Rite

Absent

Since the New Year, I have been taking a Winter Intercession course at Boise State University. Even though it is only a 3-hour course, there is a lot of reading and writing attached to it and we are condensing nearly a Semester's worth of material into two and a half weeks.

I plan to have a few more posts out by the end of the week. I hope everyone is enjoying the Winter...it is rather chilly here in Idaho.

Father's Lodge

I heard this poem some years ago during a speech by a visiting Grand Master to the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Idaho. It resonated with me and has been a favorite ever since.

Father's Lodge

By Douglas Malloch

Father's lodge, I well remember,

wasn't large as lodges go,

There was trouble in December

getting to it through the snow.

But he seldom missed a meeting;

drifts or blossoms in the lane,

Still the Tyler heard his greeting,

winter ice or summer rain.

Father's lodge thought nothing of it:

mid their labors and their cares

Those old Masons learned to love it,

that fraternity of theirs.

What's a bit of stormy weather,

when a little down the road,

Men are gathering together,

helping bear each other's load?

Father's lodge had made a village:

men of father's sturdy brawn

Turned a wilderness to tillage,

seized the flag, and carried on,

Made a village, built a city,

shaped a country, formed a state,

Simple men, not wise nor witty —

humble men, and yet how great!

Father's lodge had caught the gleaming

of the great Masonic past;

Thinking, toiling, daring, dreaming,

they were builders to the last.

Quiet men, not rich nor clever,

with the tools they found at hand

Building for the great forever,

first a village then a land.

Father's lodge no temple builded,

shaped of steel and carved of stone;

Marble columns, ceilings guilded,

father's lodge has never known.

But a heritage of glory

they have left, the humble ones — 

They have left their mighty story

in the keeping of their sons.