with the All Father if he so desires, without encroaching upon the rights and privileges of his brother Mason.

It is this spirit of toleration which the Rite inculcates, and like the bee gathers honey from every flower for the common hive, yet carries a weapon to defend itself when attacked in its course by the oppressor, the thief, and the robber in every land.

The illustrious names of Parvin, Tucker, Jordan, Teller, Carr, Browne, Batchelor and others, shine brightly over the plains east of the Rocky Mountains, from British America to Mexico, from the Ohio River to the Gulf and from the majestic Mississippi to the storm-beaten shores of the Atlantic; while the index finger of Liberty from the dome of the Capitol of the Nation beckons the members of our Supreme Council to assemble, and beneath the shadow of the loftiest monument ever erected to the memory of man, the "Father of His Country" and the "Father of American Freemasonry, our own beloved Washington, who received the gift of his sword from Frederick the Great, who gave us our Grand Constitutions, of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and in whose honor the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia, was named, and in our own jurisdiction.

Of the legitimate Supreme Councils duly recognized by each other around the globe entitled to fraternal recognition, are the following: ...Constituted May 31,

Southern Jurisdiction, U. S. A...

*France (Supreme Council).

1801

*The Grand Orient of France is not in fraternal communion with any Masonic body of the United States.

The following Supreme Councils have been formed, but have not received formal recognition and the courtsey of an exchange of representation: Naples of Italy, Dominican Republic, Turkey, Palermo of Italy, Florence of Italy, and Luxemburg.

To several of these Supreme Councils the Grand Lodges of the maritime States of the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts appoint representatives to and receive representatives from, they being also Grand Lodges and governing the blue degrees. But in the United States, England, Scotland and Ireland, the government of the symbolic Lodges and the control of the blue degrees are relinquished to the Grand Lodges of their several jurisdictions.

But to receive the degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in the United States, it is only necessary to be a Master Mason in good standing, and the degrees of the Scottish Rite commence from that of Master Mason, and are regularly conferred in legally constituted bodies of the Rite, at or in the vicinity of the applicant's residence, if there be any; or they are conferred by communication by Active Inspectors General of the 33d degree of the Rite, or by their duly appointed Deputies, who are authorized to communicate them and create members at large, as nuclei for others to be afterward constituted into bodies when there are a sufficient number, the fees received being paid into the Charity fund, after deducting the necessary expenses of the Supreme Council.

While it may be considered a large number of degrees, yet the lessons and catechism to be learned are very short, not averaging over five questions and answers to a degree, in order to be perfect. Yet the patent, or diploma, will at all times admit the lawful possessor to any body of the Rite which he is entitled to visit by virtue of the rank of the degree to which he has attained.

The following is the scale of degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and are designated as follows. The Ineffable Degrees pertain to King Solomon's Temple only.

The Ineffable Degrees conferred in a Lodge of Perfection are:

4°, Secret Master,

5°, Perfect Master,

6o, Intimate Secretary,

7°, Provost and Judge,

8°, Intendant of the Building,

9°, Knight Elect of the Nine,

10°, Illustrious Elect of the Fifteen,

11°, Sublime Knight Elect of the Twelve,

12°, Grand Master Architect,

13°, Royal Arch of Solomon,

14°, Grand Elect Perfect and Sublime Mason,

Which have sole reference to all the events in detail, in regular order in connection with the completion and dedication of King Solomon's Temple, and which may be classified as follows: The 4th and 5th have relation to the proper tribute due to the memory of the third Grand Master of the Temple. The 6th, 7th and 8th, to supplying the place made vacant by the death of the Architect of the Temple, in keeping the record of the plans agreed

upon by the two kings, the adjustments of the accounts and demands of the workmen, the settlement of disputes, and the resumption of work upon the Temple.

The 9th and 10th to the faithful administration of justice, which never tires or sleeps. The 11th, the rewardingof the faithful and true for bringing offenders to justice, and the regulation of the equitable collection of the revenues of the realm. The 12th, the science of architecture, the use of all the instruments and their morals, and the science of astronomy, with geometry and the lofty lessons to be learned in the study of the starry heavens above us. The 13th, the fortunate discovery of that which have been lost, but unknown to the discoverers; and the 14th, the preparation of the mind, heart and body by consecration to the service of true Freemasonry, and to receive, with the fullest and most ample explanations, the great treasure and reward on the competion of the Temple, which is delivered by the two kings to the patient, discreet, and faithful workman, which will enable him in all his journeys through life to be welcomed and received as a true brother, earn his wages and the bread for himself and his family, and to contribute to the relief of his fellows.

NOTE. From the Sixth Degree and a portion of the history of the Fourteenth Degree, the Degree of Select Master was made. And from the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Degrees, with a change of history, applied to the second Temple under Zerubbabel, left unfinished, Lawrence Dermott made his Royal Arch when he split the Grand Lodge of England in twain, in 1739, and added to by Dunckerly, when he dismembered the Master Masons Degree and cutting off the True Word and attaching it to the Royal Arch, and remodeled by Webb, is the Royal Arch Degree of the American Rite as practiced in the United States as heretofore stated.

SECOND TEMPLE DEGREES.

The following are the Second Temple Series:

15°, Knight of the East, of the Sword or of the Eagle.
16°, Prince of Jerusalem.

These two degrees are founded upon the history of the two reigns of the Persian monarchs, Cyrus and Darius, the destruction of the Temple of Solomon by Nebuzuradan, the captivity of the Jews, who were carried away into Babylon, the decrees of these two kings permitting the rebuilding of the Temple by Zerubbabel and the restoration of the holy vessels, and the release of the Jews from captivity, with the hindrances and opposition from the Samaritans, all serving to symbolize the destruction of the Order of the Temple which was ruined, scattered and proscribed, and of a country which has once lost its liberties, and the difficulty of regaining them, teaching to Freemasons, as brethren, the lessons of patience and perseverance under affliction and trials, and never to despair in their efforts to regain that which, through treachery, persecution, oppression and robbery, whether of liberty or possessions, they, like the old Knights Templars, may have lost.

NOTE. These two degrees were taken bodily by Webb, from the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, telescoped or consolidated by him and called the "Red Cross Degree" and placed by him in the American Commanderies of Knights Templar, without leave or license. They are entirely Jewish and Persian in history and drama and the events occurred 563 years before the Crucifixion of Christ, as already stated.

KNIGHT OF THE EAST. The Fifteenth Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. It is also substantially the Tenth Degree or Knight of the Red Cross of the American Rite. [Page 415, Mackey's Enc.]

KNIGHT OF THE RED CROSS. "Webb, or whoever else introduced it into the American system, undoubtedly took it from the Sixteenth Degree or Prince of Jerusalem of the Ancient and Accepted Rite.

It has within a few years, been carried into England under the title of the "Red Cross of Babylon." In New Brunswick it has been connected with Cryptic Masonry. It is there as much out of place as it is in a Commandery of Knights Templars." [Page 418, Mackey's Enc.]

BABYLONISH PASS. A degree given in Scotland by the authority of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter. It is also called the Red Cross of Babylon and is almost identical with the Knight of the Red Cross conferred in Commanderies of Knights Templar as a preparatory degree. [Page 99, Mackey's Enc.]

EMBASSY. The embassy of Zerubbabel and four other Jewish chiefs to the court of Darius to obtain the protection of that monarch from the encroachments of the Samaritans, who interrupted the labors in the reconstruction of the Temple, constitutes the legend of the Sixteenth Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and also of the Red Cross degree of the American Rite, which is surely borrowed from the former. [Page 250, Mackey's Enc.]

THE SPIRITUAL TEMPLE DEGREES.

17°, Knight of the East and West.

18°, Knight Rose Croix (or of the Rosy Cross.)

The 15° and 16° embraced in the Council of Jerusalem are now, with the 17° and 18°, conferred in the Southern Jurisdiction, in the Chapters of Rose Croix.

The 17° of Knight of the East and West portrays the history and life of St. John the Baptist and his sad fate like that of the Master Builder of Solomon's Temple, who fell a victim and a Martyr to the principles of virtue, integrity and truth; and also the history and teachings of St. John the Evangelist, the Beloved Disciple who, in his gospel, declared that "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was GOD," and whose rapturous vision of the New Jerusalem on the Isle of Patmos, in which he was told to "weep not, behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David hath prevailed," made him the Knight of the West to proclaim the truth in revelation as John the Baptist had been the Knight and Herald of the East, at the head of the Order of the Essenes, to declare the approach of "One that cometh after him, and who is preferred before him.”

The 18°, or Rose Croix, portrays the history of him who came to elevate his race and to be the Reformer and Redeemer of Men. One whom all liberal minded men, regardless of creed, will readily admit was unjustly and inhumanly put to death, as a victim to satisfy the clamors of a fanatical mob, at the instigation of a hierarchy that was false to its race, and content to willingly serve under the foreign yoke of a conqueror, to pay tribute to its power, that priestly authority might control the destiny of its own people whom it

was willing should be kept in subjection that they might, with a rod of iron, rule over the hearts and consciences of men. A hierarchy that finds to-day its counterpart at the Vatican in Rome. In the 18° no violence is done to any man's religious faith, while the Christian may draw its lessons more closely to heart than others; yet the grand principles of Toleration, Humanity and Fraternity are taught, in which all good men may recognize Christ as a Most Wise Master Builder, and one endeared to us as "our elder Brother," who has taught us to say "Our Father which art in Heaven," and to "Do unto others as we would have them do unto us."

NOTE. From the Rose Croix Degree, Webb made his Knight Templar Degree in part.

THE HISTORIC, PHILOSOPHIC AND CHIVALRIC DEGREES.

19°, Grand Pontiff.

20°, Grand Master of all Symbolic Lodges.

21°, Noachite or Prussian Knight.

22°, Prince of Libanus, or Knight of the Royal Axe.

23°, Chief of the Tabernacle.

24°, Prince of the Tabernacle.

25°, Knight of the Brazen Serpent.

26°, Prince of Mercy.

27°, Knight Commander of the Temple.
28°, Knight of the Sun, or Prince Adept.
29°, Grand Scottish Knight of St. Andrew

30°, Knight Kadosh, or of the Temple.

The 19th degree relates to the Apocalyptic Vision of St. John the Evangelist, and the hoped-for millenium, when there shall be a perfect union of mankind under the perfect sway of Toleration and Charity.

The 20th degree teaches Veneration for the Deity, Knowledge, Science and Philosophy, inculcates Charity, Generosity, Heroism, Honor, Patriotism, Justice, Toleration and Truth.

The 21st degree portrays the history of the Knights Crusaders, who returned to Europe from the wars in the Holy Land, to find themselves and their kindred stripped of their properties by the rapacity and cunning frauds of the Monks, and the recovery of their lands, and the punishment meted out to those cowled thieves and robbers who plundered the estates of the living and dead, and the absent defenders of the Faith in Palestine, and turned old men, women and children out upon the highways to starve and perish by the roadside.

The 22d degree relates to the work upon Mt. Lebanon, and the preparation of the timbers and woodwork for the Temple; the dignity of labor, and that in Freemasonry rank and nobility go for naught, and that he who will not work among his fellows in the Craft, shall not eat.

The 23d and 24th degrees relate to the history of the formulation of the ceremonies of the Jewish religion, in the setting up of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, and the doctrines and laws given by Moses, who was well versed in all the knowledge of the Egyptians.