Lodge of Perfection
Degree Descriptions
VIRTUS JUNXIT MORS NON SEPARABIT - " Whom Virtue Unites Death Shall Not Separate"
The Lodge of Perfection confers the 4th through the 14th Degrees. The presiding officer is the Venerable Master. The degrees of the Lodge of Perfection are better known as the "Ineffable Degrees" of Scottish Rite Masonry because their principal purpose is the investigation and contemplation of the ineffable (unspeakable) name of Deity.
Fourth Degree - Secret Master
Black and white. That’s the first
thing to strike the eye in the apron and cordon of the Fourth Degree.
Its creation of harmony by the balance of opposites is the first
statement of the great theme of the Scottish Rite the essential
philosophical and moral lesson of equilibrium.
White is the color of purity and light; black is the color of mourning
and death. And the Rite tells us that we should never forget we are
always in the midst of death, that we should never postpone making
amends, never leave disputes unresolved, never fail to do a kindness.
But neither should we be morbid and focused on death. Death borders what
we know of life, but life is still good and filled with joy. The fact
that life is transitory makes it all the more precious to us.
Again, the secret is equilibrium. Life is precious, but it must never be
so precious that a Scottish Rite Mason accepts dishonor, or loss of
integrity, or the sacrifice of others as an acceptable price of living.
To shrink from death is natural, but we must never let that natural
impulse make us fearful or cowardly.
The blue of the apron’s flap represents the heavens, and the eye in the
sunburst represents not only the eye of Deity, Who sees and knows all
things, but also the sun, the source of visible light and the provider
of physical energy to the earth.
Heaven represents the goal and hope of every Mason, and the eye of Deity
reminds us that everything we do, even in our most unguarded and
frustrated moments, is done in the immediate presence of God, even as
its second meaning, that of the sun, reminds us of the warmth and love
of God, which so many ancient cultures have typified by the physical
light of our star.
The wreath is
made of olive and of laurel, symbols of peace and of victory. The
victory, as always in the Scottish Rite, is not victory over others, but
victory over ourselves—for that is the only victory which brings peace
as its reward.
The ivory key which hangs from the
yellow cordon is a symbol of secrecy, and the letter “Z” which appears
on both the wards of the key and the center of the apron is the initial
of the password of the Degree. The C.a.M. embroidered on the
cordon stands for the Latin Clavis ad Mysterium, the Key to the
Mystery. The lessons of the 4° are secrecy, obedience, and fidelity.
But secrecy must be understood in its Masonic sense. It is not the
secrecy of conspiracy, the concealment of motives and activities, or
“deeds done in darkness.” For a Mason, secrecy is the ability to keep a
confidence. Great systems of philosophy have taught through the ages
that such ability is the first step in developing self-discipline and
self-control.
And there is more. The greatest need in the lives of most people is for
a friend in whom they can confide with no fear that what they say will
be repeated. Each Scottish Rite Mason should strive to be such a friend.
Certainly, duty is the “great law” of Masonry and central to this
Degree. Nowadays, many people think of duty as doing the minimum
required in a situation. But duty, for a Scottish Rite Mason, is a
positive virtue, not a negative requirement. It is a joy to be fulfilled
eagerly, not a task to be performed grudgingly.
Duty and secrecy are the foundations not only of
the Scottish Rite but of creative living. A man or woman who can be
relied upon to do what is right and to respect the confidentiality of a
friend’s private hopes and fears and doubts and dreams is well along the
path of becoming an honored and honorable human being.
The
symbolic reenactment of the funeral of Hiram the Builder forms the theme of the
Fifth Degree. We are told of the legend that each year, on the anniversary of
his burial, a worker was selected to represent the Grand Master Hiram, was
briefly entombed and then brought forth, and was expected to live his life
thereafter by the very highest standards of excellence of behavior.
The
crossed pillars on the Fifth Degree apron represent Jachin and Boaz, which
Biblical literature informs us Hiram named and set up on the porch of the
Temple. In addition to their traditional Masonic meanings, they here represent
Hiram himself. Resting upon them is a
cube, symbol of the finite universe. But here the cube also represents the
Temple of Solomon. Among its many meanings, the Temple is considered as a model
or representation of the universe, of life, and of the spiritual life each man
must build.
Thus, the pillars represent Hiram, and the
cube represents the work of God (the universe) and the work of Hiram (the
Temple).
Surrounding the cube are three circles in orange, blue, and red. The circle is,
of course, one of the oldest symbols of God, and these three represent His
Wisdom, Power, and Beneficence. They surround, enclose, and protect His
creation and the creations of His creatures.
The green
border, lining, and flap of the apron, as well as the green cordon, represent
spring or rebirth—the coming again of life after the death of winter.
The
compasses are open on a quadrant to 60° to represent the other ancient symbol of
God, the equilateral triangle. Again the ceremony of
the Degree centers around death, not as a negative or destroying force, but as
the door through which we must pass to have eternal life. Thus, while the
border of the apron of the Fourth Degree is black (representing sorrow,
mourning, and death), this border represents moving past death into new life,
rebirth, and joy.
The Degree also reinforces the ancient
Masonic obligation to see our Brethren decently interred. It may be difficult
for us, today, to understand the importance our Brethren of the last century
placed on decent Masonic interment. But in Pike’s day, the bodies of
impoverished citizens were given the most callous and ghastly shallow burial in
potter’s fields, which were often despoiled by thieves or unearthed by animals.
In contemporary America, our duty to the dead consists more in seeing their
unfinished work completed and their memories preserved.
This is a
good place to discuss the idea of Death, as presented in the Scottish Rite.
Brethren sometimes remark that there is a great deal of death imagery in the
Degrees, and they are correct. But the death imagery in the Rite is almost
always an affirmation of life.
It serves
two functions. At one level, there is a deep fear of death in most people—an
unreasonable fear, in the light of the teachings of religion, but a fear
nonetheless. That fear prevents many people from truly living. Using the same
techniques of confrontation to be found in a modern clinic for the treatment of
phobia, the Rite presents the image of death so that the fear can be overcome.
More
importantly, the Masonic Degrees carry on the tradition of the ancient mysteries
that new, richer, and expanded life can come only from death of some sort. Thus
in the three Blue Lodge Degrees, we have the death of the ego represented by the
entrance of the Entered Apprentice into the Lodge (for one cannot be a Brother
if he selfishly places himself first in all things). We have the death of the
ego-intellect in the Fellow Craft Degree (for one cannot experience intuition
and insight if one is bound to their pre-conceived ideas and opinions). And in
the Master Mason Degree, we have the death of the sense of apartness and
individuality which keeps us from experiencing spiritual unity with our Brothers
and with the Deity.
Later, in
the 14°, Pike identifies the lessons of the 5° as “Honesty, Sincerity, and good
Faith.” There are two central points the candidate should understand from the
Fifth Degree. The first in honesty. But, for the Scottish Rite Mason, honesty
is more than simply telling the truth. Honesty means that we do not mislead by
innuendo nor slant information, truthful in itself, in such a way that people
draw false conclusions. Honesty involves fulfilling commitments and doing what
we have said we will do. It means looking out for the interests of the other
person, not just for “Number 1.”
And Pike
also reminds us in this Degree of the great importance of work and of doing that
work well. As its second point, the Degree teaches it is honorable to leave
behind us tasks well and truly accomplished, just as it is shameful to leave
nothing. We owe a debt to posterity; it is only in that way we can repay the
debt we owe to our predecessors. And we owe a debt to others, to place their
interests at least on a level with our own.
Sixth Degree - Intimate
Secretary
The story
of the Sixth Degree goes like this: King Hiram was not having a good day. Word
had just reached him in Tyre of the death of the Master Architect. He set forth
in haste to Jerusalem. As he was passing through some desolate country, one of
his courtiers informed him that the ruined towns they saw were the ones King
Solomon was giving to him. Incensed that he was receiving poor instead of rich
territories—and not really thinking—he stormed into Solomon’s audience chamber.
Then, just as he was hitting his stride in telling Solomon what he thought of
him, he found someone hiding and appearing to spy. It was more than an absolute
monarch ought to be called upon to bear.
King
Hiram was wrong, of course. He judged quickly and from appearances. Solomon
tactfully refrained from pointing out that Hiram looked like a fool. Instead,
Solomon, acting the part of the peacemaker, allowed the monarch of Tyre to
recover his dignity and then resolved the problem.
The apron
of the Sixth Degree is white lambskin, bordered with crimson. The crimson is a
symbol of zeal. And the Degree both commends zeal as a virtue and warns against
intemperate zeal, represented by the impetuosity and rashness of King Hiram.
On the
body of the apron are the Phoenician letters B.N.S., initials of the
words Berith, Neder, Shelemoth, meaning, Covenant,
Vow, and Perfection. The two letters in the center spell the
Divine Name, Yah. On the flap is a triangle, and the triangle repeats in
the jewel of the Degree. The jewel is formed from the Tetractys (see page 33 of
A Bridge to Light by Ill. Rex R. Hutchens, 33°, Grand Cross) and contains
the triple delta. The deltas contain the symbols for the sun, the moon, and
mercury, or the sun, moon, and Master of the Lodge. Remember that in Blue Lodge
symbolism, the Master is assumed to be a combination of the sun and moon, being
a balanced man by virtue of possessing all characteristics in proper
equilibrium.
The
essential theme of the Sixth Degree is that duty is to be performed not
mean-spiritedly but with zeal, just as life is to be lived with zest. But
always there must be balance. And it further teaches the great lesson that
we are always to be slow in judgment and quick to act as peacemakers.
___________________________________
Chapter of Rose Croix
Degree Descriptions The Chapter of Rose Croix confers the
15th thought the 18th Degrees. The presiding officer is the Wise Master. The
Chapter of Rose Croix attempts to provide the candidate with a deeper
understanding of religion, philosophy, ethics and history though a variety of
complex "historical degrees". The intellectual challenges presented in these
degrees are numerous, and at times overwhelming and can take years to master. A
thorough reading of the chapters related to them in Morals and Dogma and
in Legenda and Readings is essential to achieve even a basic
comprehension of their true meaning.
_________________________________________ Information reprinted
with permission from Illustrious Bro. Tresner, 33°, Grand Cross - August 2007
Jim Tresner
is Director of the
Masonic Leadership Institute and Editor of The Oklahoma Mason. A frequent
contributor to the Scottish Rite Journal and its book review editor, Illustrious
Brother Tresner is also a volunteer writer for The Oklahoma Scottish Rite Mason
and a video script consultant for the National Masonic Renewal Committee. He is
the Director of the Thirty-third Degree Conferral Team and Director of Work at
the Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple in Guthrie, Oklahoma, as well as a life member
of the Scottish Rite Research Society, author of the popular anecdotal biography
Albert Pike, The Man Beyond the Monument, and a member of the steering committee
of the Masonic Information Center. Ill. Tresner was awarded the Grand Cross, the
Scottish Rite's highest honor, during the Supreme Council's October 1997
Biennial Session. 
Seventh
Degree - Provost and Judge
The white of innocence and the red of guiltless blood, wrongly spilled, are the
colors of the apron and cordon of the Seventh Degree. The blood is that of the
Master Architect who died rather than betray a trust. The white represents not
only the purity of his life, but the purity of act and motive to which every
Scottish Rite Mason should aspire.
But then we have a gold key, an ebony box, a balance (or scales), and, in the
center of the white lambskin apron, a red-trimmed pocket with a red and white
rosette just below its opening.
The key is to a box of ebony, seen in the Degree, which represents symbolically
the human heart where, to quote Mackey, “are deposited the secret designs and
motives of our conduct by which we propose to erect the spiritual temple of our
lives.”
The pocket, legend tells us, holds the records of Solomon’s tribunal along with
the plans of the Temple. Embroidered on the flap of the apron is a hand of
justice holding a balance or scales. Here, as throughout the Scottish Rite, the
balance serves as a symbol for two important themes, equilibrium and justice.
The Degree reminds us that we should never judge the motives of others quickly,
and we should avoid judging them at all if that is possible. The simplest reason
is that we cannot truly know the motives of another; they are locked away in his
heart. But the other reason is that we are very inclined to apply different
standards to others than to ourselves. We excuse our own actions on the basis
that our motives are good (our heart is in the right place), but with others, we
often say “It doesn’t make any difference why he did it, it was wrong.”
The gold key, ebony box, and balance or scales combine to remind us of the great
lesson of the Seventh Degree: each thought, each action, each dream, each
virtue, and each vice become a part of the plan for our own Temple, our own
life, no matter how tightly we may lock them in our heart.
Eighth
Degree - Intendant of the Building
Purity, zeal, hope for the future. White, red and green. Those themes and colors
resonate throughout the Scottish Rite.
PURITY is of many kinds--personal integrity, a focus on things of the spirit
rather than the flesh, a moral refusal to exploit others.
ZEAL can be the earnest dedication of the cloistered scholar determined to find
the truth no matter where it lies or the unswerving opposition of the lover of
freedom to all forms of intolerance.
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE may be the individual’s hope of the afterlife, the belief
that this world can be made better and more compassionate, or a commitment to
leave for future generations at least as much as was left to us.
The colors of the 8th Degree apron (pictured above) represent purity (white),
bordered by hope or regeneration (green), and lined with zeal (red). On the
apron is a nine-pointed star, which symbolizes the Divine truth God revealed to
the first men. This is the first appearance in the Scottish Rite Degrees of the
symbol which will become the Triple Interlaced Triangle of the 32nd Degree.
Above the star is the balance, again symbolizing both equilibrium and justice,
major keys in understanding the path to Divine truth. On the flap is an
equilateral triangle, symbol of Deity, containing at each of its corners
Phoenician letters which mean, apex letter, S for the Hebrew words shekinah, the
divine presence; left, the letter B for Ben-Khurim, meaning son of nobles or
freeborn; and, right, the letter A for Ahad, meaning The One, our only God.
The cordon is red or crimson, and the jewel hangs from it by a green ribbon. The
jewel is a triangle or delta of gold. One side contains the Phoenician word for
“nobles” or “freeborn” which Pike tells us is intended to indicate the sons of
Hiram. The other side has Samaritan letters which are interpreted to mean “One
God, Source of all things.” Thus the jewel reinforces the theme of the Degree,
for Hiram was a worker, and his sons, noble and freeborn, work not because they
are forced to, but from zeal, from a love of accomplishment.
Work is central to the Degree. One lesson is that a man cannot make real
progress in Masonry without study. The Degree further teaches us that great
undertakings are cooperative efforts. The Degree also teaches the valuable
lesson that knowledge is easily lost unless it is carefully preserved and passed
on to future generations. We have an obligation to teach, just as surely as we
have an obligation to learn. And all of us have something of value to teach.
Ninth
Degree - Elu of the Nine
In the Ninth Degree of the Scottish Rite, ignorance, error, and intolerance --
the great enemies of mankind -- are symbolized by the black border of the apron
and the black cordon. Throughout history, there has been a basic conflict
between those who seek to suppress others and those who seek to free them. The
conflict has usually been bloody. The white of the apron represents both Masonry
and Truth, while the gold blazing star on the flap symbolizes the light and
knowledge for which we must always seek.
On the apron is a dark cavern in which burns a candle, again symbolic of the
light which, however small, dispels the darkness and leads the seeker toward
truth. The jewel of the Degree is a dagger with gold hilt and silver blade. The
gold and silver represent the sun and moon, and recall the symbolism of the Blue
Lodge in which they combine to form the complete and balanced man, in control of
his own passions and free in his own thought. The gold and silver or sun and
moon also suggest that truth never rests; it leads and shines both by day and by
night. The red of the cordon represents the blood of those who have been
persecuted for Truth and for Masonry. Their number is legion -- DeMolay, burned
at the stake because a tyrant regarded wealth more than honor; Tyndall, murdered
because he dared to translate the Bible; millions of Jews and Masons in Hitler’s
death camps, exterminated simply because they were Jews and Masons; millions of
intellectuals and other inconvenient persons in Cambodia, massacred simply
because they were intellectuals and inconvenient.
The cordon’s nine red rosettes symbolize the nine Elus (Elected ones) chosen to
seek out the murders of Hiram. In symbolic terms, we as Elus are elected to seek
out ignorance, error, and intolerance (the murderers) which always seek to
destroy the best in human nature (Hiram).
The rosettes also symbolize the nine special virtues of the Degree which serve
as additional weapons for the Mason: disinterestedness, courtesy, devotion,
firmness, frankness, generosity, self-denial, heroism, and patriotism. The term
disinterestedness sometimes causes confusion, as some people assume it to mean
“lack of concern or commitment.” But that is not the meaning at all.
Disinterestedness means “without being self-serving.” The person who tries to do
right, simply because it IS right, and not because it will benefit himself in
any way, is being disinterested.
The virtues of the Degree give rise to its duties -- to enlighten our souls and
minds; to share that light with the people; and to defend the interests and
honor of our country so that its freedoms may be preserved and extended. Pike
never allows us to forget that we are in a battle to the death with the forces
which seek to enslave the spirit of men and women. And it is a battle fought
just as really with truth and justice and virtue as it ever was with sword or
cannon.
The problem of toleration is especially difficult because it is so easy to “feel
good” about being intolerant. The highest price we are called upon to pay for
freedom is not in taxes to defend the country, nor even on the battlefield. The
highest price we must pay for freedom is to allow others to be free.
Religious toleration means that we must allow others the same right to freedom
of worship we demand for ourselves, even if we find their practices wrong or
repugnant.
Intellectual toleration means that we must allow the free and full exploration
of every idea, even if we think it wrong or dangerous.
Social toleration means that we must allow others to live lifestyles we may find
strange or uncomfortable, whether on a commune or in a convent.
Of all the lessons a man or woman must learn to be truly human, toleration may
well be the hardest.
Tenth
Degree - Elu of the Fifteen
The colors of the regalia of the Tenth Degree repeat those of the Ninth Degree,
but there are some important differences. The apron of the Tenth Degree is not
only bordered in black, it is fringed. This is the first time we encounter
fringe on the Scottish Rite Degree aprons. Fringe is a very old symbol found in
the Hebrew tradition and in many others. It was apparently significant in the
Phoenician system of thought as well, making it an interesting symbol in
connection with Hiram, who was Hebrew on his mother’s side and Phoenician on his
father’s. Fringe may be said to represent spirituality and a dedication to
things of the spirit.
Since the theme of the Ninth and Tenth Degrees is the elimination of Ignorance,
Tyranny, and Fanaticism (intolerance), the fringe on the apron suggests that the
elimination of these three great enemies is not only necessary for the happiness
and strength of a society but also necessary for the spiritual growth of the
individual and the society in which he lives. Opposition to Ignorance, Tyranny,
and Fanaticism thus becomes a sacred obligation for each individual.
The three arches on the apron represent the east, west, and south entrances or
gates to Jerusalem, Solomon having directed that the head of one of the three
ruffians who murdered Hiram be exposed over each gate. The three rosettes above
the arches represent these ruffians and symbolize Ignorance, Tyranny and
Fanaticism (indicated above the rosettes by the letters I, T, and F). Thus,
those entering Jerusalem—symbolically, those on a quest for spiritual
self-development—are reminded of the nature of the enemies to be opposed. The
fifteen who participated in the capture of the assassins of Hiram are rewarded
by admittance into a higher Degree, and the new order is called the Elu of the
Fifteen, Elu meaning one who is selected or elected. The candidate of this
Degree, in being invested with this rank, devotes himself to toleration and
liberality. (See Ill. Rex R. Hutchens, 33°, Grand Cross, A Bridge to Light, page
65.)
The black of the cordon represents the sorrow caused to the world by Ignorance,
Tyranny, and Fanaticism.
The jewel of this Degree, like that of the Ninth Degree, is a dagger with gold
hilt and silver blade. The combination of gold (a sun metal) and silver (a moon
metal) is an ancient symbol. The Egyptians topped many of their monuments and
made many of their statues with an alloy of gold and silver called electrum.
Again, the symbol teaches balance and harmony—the combination of the male (sun)
and the female (moon). This balance is true even in the Sword of Truth, which
the dagger of the Degree symbolizes.
A couple of points in the symbolism of the regalia deserve special notice.
Ignorance is classified as a vice. We usually think of a vice as something a
person does, but Pike tells us that Ignorance is as destructive as any action
could possibly be.
Tyranny is given some special attention. We generally think of tyranny as the
political oppression of some people. But tyranny comes in many forms. Tyranny
takes place whenever any person or group says, “What I want is more important
than what you want. My desires are more important than your desires. I matter
more than you matter. Do it my way, or else.” Or, even worse, “Believe my way or
else.”
Tyranny does not equate with authority, but with attitude. We do not call the
skilled and caring teacher who maintains order and discipline in his or her
class a tyrant, nor the king who governs for the best interests and welfare of
his people, nor the nation which offers protection to another nation while
carefully not interfering with the nation so helped, nor the husband or wife who
discharges the affairs of the household with authority, but also love and
concern.
The essence of tyranny is selfishness. And if tyranny is selfishness in the
world of material things, fanaticism is selfishness in the world of ideas and
beliefs. Fanaticism is the sort of selfishness which says, “I am right. If you
do not agree with me, you are wrong, and I have the right to hurt you.”
Ignorance allows both fanaticism and tyranny to flourish, for only knowledge can
form the basis of freedom. And ignorance is the primary weapon of the tyrant and
the fanatic. Even today, the first action by a group attempting to overthrow a
government and establish a dictatorship is to take control of all the means of
communication and education—radio and television stations first, then newspapers
and magazines. Both the tyrant and the fanatic can give good reasons why “just a
little censorship is needed—only until things stabilize,” or why they should
control what people read “because otherwise they may ask questions and lose the
‘true faith.’” The fanatic always wants to benefit others.
All he asks in return is your mind and soul.
Eleventh
Degree - Elu Of The Twelve
The 11th Degree apron (right) is white, lined and bordered in black, and with a
black flap. As before, black represents those negative qualities typified by
ignorance, error, and intolerance. White represents purity of life and
intention. On the apron is a flaming heart, a symbol repeated on the cordon. The
flaming heart represents zeal and devotedness, especially the zeal and
devotedness of those who, throughout the world's history, have sacrificed
themselves for the good of their country or mankind.
On the cordon, above the heart, are the words Vincere aut Mori, "Conquer or
Die."
The jewel is a sword of gold. It represents truth. The allusion is to Hebrews
4:12, "Truth is sharper than any two-edged sword."
All these emblems point to devotedness, activity, zeal—and they can be a little
uncomfortable. After all, we're told to "keep our cool," to "chill out," to
"relax and go with the flow."
And here is the Scottish Rite saying "be committed," "care deeply and
passionately," "fight against the current." It's the difference between a
comfortable life and a productive life. And the sad truth is that the productive
life is seldom comfortable.
The Degree teaches that the Scottish Rite Mason must be actively involved in the
government of his nation. Unjust taxes, governmental bureaucracies more
concerned with self-perpetuation than with service, creeping limitations on the
freedom of the people—in the name of expediency, or of conformity, or of "the
greater good"—are not new. They have been recorded in virtually every government
from antiquity to today. If we are truly to be the champions of the people (as
the Rite calls upon us to be), we must be concerned with every miscarriage of
justice, every unreasonable limitation of liberty, every arbitrary act of court
or state house or capital.
Our special concern must be for those who do not have easy access to the courts,
nor the ear of those in power, nor influence with city hall. Their very
powerlessness creates a binding obligation on every Mason of the Rite. It would
be far easier, and far more comfortable, to "chill out."
But our duty is to be aflame.
Twelfth
Degree - Master Architect
The Twelfth Degree (right) begins the climb of the Scottish Rite Mason into the
reaches of philosophy, as opposed to the emphasis on morality typical of the
earlier Scottish Rite Degrees. In order to accomplish this, Pike takes us
straight back to Blue Lodge symbolism with the traditional colors of blue,
white, and gold. The blue with which the apron is lined and bordered, the blue
of the cordon, and the gold of the apron's fringe are colors whose Blue Lodge
symbolism is too well-known to discuss here.
The flap of the apron shows a protractor. The apron itself shows a plain scale,
a sector (two sets of scales, hinged at one end and used for computations), and
the compasses arranged to form a triangle. The choice of these three to form a
triangle is interesting, remembering that the triangle is a symbol of Deity. The
scale is an instrument of measurement, the sector of computation, and the
compasses of spirituality and creation. They might, therefore, be considered
symbols of the justice (measurement), wisdom (computation) and creativeness
(spirit) of God.
The jewel is seven-sided, with a five-pointed star, enclosed in a semi-circle,
in each vertex. The center shows an equilateral triangle formed by the arcs of
circles. Thus, with the triangle, the shape of the stars and the shape of the
jewel, we have the numbers 3, 5, and 7. The reverse of the jewel (pictured on
the sheet above the apron on the facing page) shows the five orders of
architecture, the three types of compasses, a plain scale, a parallel, a ruler,
a sector, and a slide rule. It is interesting to note that all the instruments
shown are instruments of calculation and creation. The instruments of testing
which play so large a part in the Blue Lodge Degrees—the plumb, square, and
level—are absent. This is because we are now moving away from the operative and
fully into the speculative or philosophical aspects of Freemasonry. The
instruments are emblems, of course, of the ethical duties of man and the duties
he owes to himself—to study, to learn, to develop, and especially to think. Only
then can a Freemason be a Master Architect.
Thirteenth
Degree - The Royal Arch Of Solomon
The apron of Thirteenth Degree is crimson, red with an a mixture of blue,
symbolizing zeal with a spiritual dimension. On the apron is the rayed triangle,
the emblem of Deity and Light. In the center is an ancient form of the Hebrew
letter yod, meaning Deity. The cordon is purple, blue with an admixture of red,
again representing spirit with an element of zeal.
The jewel is circular. On the front are the initials of Latin words, which
translate "In the reign of Solomon, wisest of Kings, Adoniram, Joabert, and
Satolkin found under the ruins the most precious treasure." The letters surround
an engraving of two men lowering a third into an underground vault. On the
reverse of the jewel, the rayed triangle is repeated. The figures and words
relate to the legend of the Degree, which tells how, during the building of the
Temple of Solomon, three workers discovered the vaults constructed long before
by Enoch, containing a cube of agate into the surface of which he had placed a
triangular plate of gold emblazoned with the Name of God.
An important message of the Degree is that it is easy for the Name of God to be
lost; that is, it is easy for the impulse to seek God to turn aside into
superstition, fear, or temporary concerns. The Degree’s use of the Name of God
to symbolize a person’s understanding of God and the relationship between
himself and his Creator warns us that we must not allow ourselves to construct
false idols in the place of Deity. We must not, in other words, make a god of
money, or social position, or political expediency, or anything else.
The great promise of the Degree is that when a person truly begins to experience
his own spirituality, when one discovers the luminous pedestal with the cube of
agate and the triangle of gold, a personal transformation takes place. We start
to become different people—richer in spirit, more compassionate, more truly
human.
But it is an active search—zeal with a touch of spirituality, spirituality with
a touch of zeal—that never ends as we grow closer to Deity in mind, heart, and
spirit.
Fourteenth
Degree - Perfect Elu
Red, white, and blue appear again in the regalia of the 14°. Here they symbolize
truth, justice, and right. The apron is of white lambskin, bordered in blue, and
lined in red. Red flowers form a second border, and within that is embroidered
the jewel of the Degree, crowned compasses open to 45° on an arc marked with
III, V, VII, and IX. Inside the compasses is a pendant showing the sun on one
side and a five-pointed star on the reverse side (not shown). A delta is within
the star, and the name of Deity, in Phoenician letters, is within the delta. On
the flap of the apron is a flat stone, fitted with a ring. The collar of the
Degree is crimson, with a sprig of acacia on one side and a silver, five-pointed
star on the other. Within the star is the Phoenician word for "perfection."
The compasses represent spirituality. They also represent science and knowledge,
and are crowned because, in the legend of Hiram, knowledge made him the
companion and equal of kings. The sun represents Divine Light while the star
represents the uncounted suns spread throughout the universe, all obeying the
laws of nature established by God. The stone is a reminder of the 13th Degree,
in which the cube containing the triangular plate of gold with the name of Deity
is discovered, and the plate itself is within the star on the reverse of the
jewel's pendant. The sprig of acacia here, as in the Blue Lodge Degrees,
symbolizes immortality.
As Rex Hutchens points out in A Bridge to Light, the 13° and 14° must be
considered together if we are to understand all the meanings involved in each
Degree. In the 13°, the treasure is discovered in the vaults constructed by
Enoch (a man of great spirituality), and those vaults are built vertically into
the earth, symbolic of the penetration of Light and understanding deep into the
human psyche. Solomon (who is not a spiritual man but who has great earthly
wisdom) has the treasure placed in a vault built horizontally between his palace
and the Temple. This arrangement is symbolic of Light which is treasured and
protected, but which does not become the foundation and basis of life.
The symbols of the Degree, then, reflect the three aspects of man—the physical,
represented by the stone; the intellectual, represented by Solomon; and the
spiritual, represented by Enoch and by the triangular plate of gold. That is one
of the senses in which the Mason of the 14° is said to be a Perfect Elu. The
three elements of his being are supposed to be in perfect balance and harmony.
But the Degree also makes another point: mankind—all men and women—are far more
than mere accidents of fate or chemistry. They are individual, unique souls and
spirits. That bond, that similarity is much greater than any possible difference
which can separate us. Thus, each of us should truly think of every other person
as a brother. We fight much the same battles, share much the same pain, have
much the same dreams. As a result, the Scottish Rite Mason can never be
indifferent to others. He has two fundamental obligations—first, to strive to
see that the physical needs of his fellow human beings are met and, second, to
look to their spiritual and emotional needs as well, sharing what he has learned
by example and by action. Perfection, of course, is unattainable. But the search
for perfection is critical. We receive as much Divine Light as we are prepared
to receive and are capable of understanding. As we become better prepared, we
receive more.
Fifteenth
Degree - Knight Of The East
Green predominates in the regalia of the Fifteenth Degree. The cordon is of
green watered silk. The apron is lined and bordered in green, and the regalia
includes green kid gloves and a green plume in a black, broad-brimmed hat (photo
right). Green symbolizes the immortality of the human soul and the transcendent
nature of Masonry.
The apron is red velvet. On the flap of the apron is a head upon two crossed
swords. The image represents the duty of the Scottish Rite Mason to oppose and
defeat arbitrary limitations on intellectual, spiritual, and political freedom.
On the apron are three triangles, one inside the other, formed of chains with
triangular links. They represent the three great limitations on or enemies of
the human intellect—tyranny, privilege, and superstition. Those three enemies of
humanity are opposed by the three great virtues, represented by the three nested
gold triangles on the jewel of the Degree. The triangles represent liberty,
fraternity, and equality as well as law, order, and subordination.
The regalia also includes a sash, edged and fringed with gold. At the end of the
sash is embroidered an arched bridge on which are the letters L.D.P. The
original meaning of the letters is Liberté de Passer (Liberty of Passage) and
Pike adds Liberté de Penser (Liberty of Thought). To be true and complete,
liberty must include both the body and the mind—one must be free to move, to do,
and to think.
That liberty must be fought for, and the battle is not always obvious. It's
clear in those rare instances, such as World War II, where political aggression
and abominable disregard of humanity are blatant. But impositions on liberty are
seldom so obvious. They frequently disguise themselves in noble-sounding
motives. A school board removes Romeo and Juliet, or The Wizard of Oz, or
Huckleberry Finn from the school library because they offend one group or
another. (And isn't it noble not to give offense?) An employer attempts to
control the activities of its employees outside the workplace. (Surely it's a
noble thing to preserve the "right image"?) A state passes legislation to make
people do "what's good for them." (Because, left to their own devices, they
would do what they wanted, not what's best.) Few things seem so typical of
society as its desire to take decisions out of the hands of individuals. But if
a man cannot make meaningful decisions, he is not free.
From the sash hangs a silver trowel, symbolic of the legend that the operative
masons who rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem worked with a trowel in one hand and
a sword in the other. It is, as well, a powerful warning that we must always be
ready to defend what has already been built, even as we try to build further.
Two great lessons are taught by the Degree. The first is that liberty is
achieved slowly and by painful steps. It comes no more quickly than a nation or
an individual is ready for it. Even then, it is a constant struggle to maintain
it. The second is that honor and integrity are absolute, not relative or
convenient. The world has often approved of dishonorable acts. Governments have
even required dishonorable acts (consider the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850). The
Mason must hold himself to a higher standard.
It's interesting to speculate as to why the Temple of Zerubbabel enters into the
Scottish Rite system. After all, the story of the building of the Temple is
complete—the symbolism that the building of the Temple represents the building
both of our individual lives and of the society around us has played out nicely.
Why this intrusion of the Second Temple? It may be merely a matter of moving us
forward through history. But Pike was seldom concerned with chronology in the
Degrees—his pattern of organization was mythic, not chronological.
Perhaps the purpose is to warn us that, no matter how carefully and skillfully
we build, nor how holy or altruistic our intention, we are still building in the
world, and the world has a habit of tearing down what others build. It may be a
warning that the task of building our lives is never simple and straightforward.
There are setbacks. Each of us can experience frustration and emotional
exhaustion. Each of us may have all our plans changed by forces we cannot
foresee or control. More than once, we may have to start building again from the
ground up. The death of a loved one, changing economic conditions, wars, even
our own continuing maturation and growing insight may send us back to the
drawing board.
But we have the assurance that we can always rebuild. In the words of the
American poet Oliver Wendell Holmes from "The Chambered Nautilus," "Build thee
more stately mansions, O my soul." And we can build better than before.
Sixteenth
Degree - Prince Of Jerusalem
The apron and other regalia of this Degree reflect the plot line of the Degree
itself. Zerubbabel has obtained permission from King Cyrus to rebuild the Temple
in Jerusalem, but it is going slowly. They are surrounded by countries that do
not want to see Israel become a power again. So they are not only sending false
reports to the king (Darius is now on the throne), but they also are attacking
the building site with armed forces, so that the workers often have to stop
building to fight off invasion and are having to work with a sword in one hand
and a trowel in the other. The situation has led to a general discouragement,
and the Prophet Haggai tells Zerubbabel to go to the court of Darius and remind
him of the decree of Cyrus. Zerubbabel and his followers do so and are
successful.
There is an interesting bit of byplay in the scene at the court of Darius.
Zerubbabel and his companions are asked a classic riddle—'Which is stronger,
wine, women, or the king?' (We noted, earlier in this series, that the quest
integral to the Degrees frequently involves solving a riddle of some sort.) One
of Zerubbabel's companions answers, "Wine." "Women," says another. The third
opines that the king is stronger. Each presents a telling and humorous argument
for his position. But Zerubbabel answers that Truth is the strongest of all.
The three answers may represent three different temptations to surrender control
over our lives, rather than living responsibly. The answer that wine is stronger
may symbolize a life based on seeking pleasure rather than fulfilling
responsibility. The answer that women are the strongest may symbolize a life
built on passions and desires, rather than on self-control and responsibility.
The answer that the king is the strongest may symbolize the person who avoids
living responsibly by simply obeying without question the laws of government and
the orders of authority.
But, if so, we are told that none of these is an adequate basis for life. Only
Truth can lead to success, and Truth implies a constant self-examination and a
series of deliberate choices to do the best thing, not the most fun, or the most
convenient, or the most popular thing.
The apron (see above) is crimson, edged and lined with saffron—a rich
yellow-orange color. Crimson usually symbolizes zeal, and here it adds the
meaning of faith in the goodness and the justice of God. Saffron symbolizes
dawn, here the dawn of hope for those who are dispossessed, oppressed, or
persecuted.
The body of the apron shows the Second Temple (remember that the Temple
symbolizes your life, society, and the universe). On one side is a sword resting
on a buckler or shield. On the other is a square, above which is a triangle. The
square represents the physical world and the triangle the spiritual world. Above
those are the Phoenician letters which correspond to the Greek Alpha and Theta.
At the primary level, they are the initial letters of two names which are
contained in the secret work of the Degree. But it is interesting to speculate
on a secondary meaning. It may be that the Alpha symbolizes God (the first, the
primal source) and that Theta symbolizes judgement, since it was the mark used
by the ancient Greeks to indicate sentence of death in the courts.
On the flap is a hand of justice, holding a balance in equipoise. It symbolizes
impartiality in justice and also the equipoise and harmony which God maintains
in the universe.
On the saffron cordon are a balance, the hand of justice holding a sword; a
dagger, representing justice meted to tyrants and oppressors; five stars,
representing the first five Princes of Jerusalem; a trowel, symbol of the work
of rebuilding the Temple; and two crowns, representing civil and religious
authority—both real, but separate.
The jewel is a disc of gold, showing on one side the hand of Justice with
balance and, on the other, the sword of justice surrounded by five stars and the
initials of the names Darius and Zerubbabel.
The Degree is, among other things, an allegory of the trials we face when we
decide actively to build a good life founded on ethics and intended to benefit
others. We suddenly find we are beset by enemies. People will encourage us to
participate in business deals which may not be illegal—but not at the highest
level of ethics, either. The automobile repair shop may offer to report more
than actual damage to the insurance company, so we can both "make a little for
our trouble." Friends may encourage us to take one more drink, or place one more
bet. And this in addition to the temptations which we find for ourselves!
Building or rebuilding a spiritual, ethical life isn't easy. We do have to build
with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other.
Seventeenth
Degree - Knight Of The East and West
It depends to some extent on how it is presented, but this can be one of the
most powerful and profound of the Degrees of the Rite. Here we encounter raw
spiritual energy in the words of the Book of Revelations, and we begin to
glimpse the spiritual power which is available to every man and woman who
decides to be open to it and to become a power for good.
The apron (right) reverses the colors of the 16°, with the body of the apron
being yellow (dawn and breaking light) and the trim of red (zeal and faith).
Both the apron body and the flap are triangular, symbol of the Deity. The body
of the apron is decorated with the Tetractys, formed of 10 Yuds (a character of
the Hebrew alphabet and the first letter of the Tetragammaton). They are
symbolic of the ten manifestations of God (Sephiroth) found on the Tree of Life
of the Kabbalah and, thus, symbolic of God's action in the creation and
maintenance of the universe.
There are two cordons, one of black and one of white, which are worn from
shoulder to hip, the white from right to left and the black from left to right.
They symbolize duality—night-day, male-female, mercy-severity, etc.—just as do
Jachin and Boaz. The fact that they cross each other suggests the union of
opposites or equilibrium.
The crossing of the cordons relates to another possible symbolism. In crossing,
they form an X, a shape also known as the Cross of St. Andrew. It is an ancient
symbol for change or transformation, probably deriving from that point in the
heavens at which the celestial equator crosses the plane of the ecliptic. The
shape is seen in ancient painting and statuary, associated with time and change,
and came to represent transformation in much the same way the circle came to
symbolize stability.
And change or transformation is a major theme of the 17°, precursor to the 18°
as its central character, John the Baptist, was precursor to the central (if
unseen) character of the 18°, Jesus of Nazareth.
Thus the crossed cordons may serve as a symbolic alert to the theme of
transformation—in this case the transformation of vital but unrefined spiritual
power into the focused spirituality of the Law of Love.
The jewel of the Degree is a heptagonal (seven-sided) medal, made half of gold
and half of silver or mother of pearl. The combination symbolizes the sun and
the moon, Osiris and Isis, the power which creates and the power which
nurtures—again, the same symbolism as in Jachin and Boaz.
In the center on the front is an engraving of a lamb resting on a book with
seven seals. On each seal is an initial of the name of one of the last seven
Sephiroth, and in the angles of the jewel the initials are repeated. It should
be noted that this book with seven seals is not the Bible's Book of Seven Seals,
which only Christ was worthy to open. But it's important to remember that this
Degree, which features John the Baptist as a major character, immediately
precedes the Eighteenth Degree in which the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth are
prominent and the New Law of Love is announced. As John the Baptist was seen as
a precursor to Jesus of Nazareth, so the front of the jewel is a signal that
this Degree concerns itself with the raw spirituality preached by John, which is
to be refined and focused in the teachings of the Nazarene.
The back of the jewel is a balance scale in equipoise. On the pans rest the
hilts of two swords which cross. They thus from a Cross of St. Andrew, symbol of
change and transformation long associated in medieval and renaissance art with
the coming of the Messiah "who shall make all things new." This Degree, then,
provides a sort of spiritual jolt or jump start in preparation for the
transformation, refinement, and redefinition which
is to come.
Eighteenth
Degree - Knight Rose Croix
The 18° is the final Degree in the Chapter of Rose Croix, and it marks a major
milestone in the progress of the candidate. There are two sets of regalia for
the Degree, which correspond to the two major "Apartments" into which the Degree
is divided.
The apron (right) of the Chamber of Darkness (which represents the world lost in
systems of philosophy which have failed to bring peace and harmony, the world in
which the Word is lost) is black, with a large red passion cross on the body of
the apron. The cordon is black, lined with red, and embroidered with a red
passion cross. The jewel pertaining to the Chamber of Darkness is the compasses,
open to 60°, resting on a quadrant, or segment of a circle. The compasses are
crowned. Resting on the quadrant is an eagle in silver with its head lowered.
Its wings are open but not spread. Above the eagle is a passion cross in
crimson.
The apron of the Chamber of Light (which represented the world after the
rediscovery of the Word) is white, bordered in crimson. On the body of the apron
is embroidered the jewel of the Chamber of Light. It is an open, crowned
compasses as described above. Resting on the quadrant is the nest of a pelican,
containing seven hatchlings. Perched on the edge of the nest is the pelican,
piercing her breast with her beak. It was anciently believed that the pelican
tore her breast to nourish her young with her own blood. Thus the pelican became
a symbol of self-sacrifice, philanthropy, and devotedness. It also symbolized
the bounty of nature, from which all living things draw their sustenance. Behind
the silver pelican is a crimson passion cross. At the base is a sprig of acacia,
and at the point of the cross bar is a crimson rose in full bloom. The regalia
for the Chamber of Light also includes a crimson collar from which the jewel
hangs.
To add to the symbolism, the two aprons are, in fact, the front and back of the
same apron, and the jewels are the front and back of the same jewel so that one
is easily transformed into the other. In both cases, the compasses carry their
usual Masonic interpretation of spiritual awareness and self-control. The
compasses are crowned to symbolize the fact that the Mason highest in rank or
Degree is only the highest among his equals. The crown also symbolizes the
sovereignty of the people and the rights of self-government and
self-determination.
The eagle on the jewel symbolizes Supreme Wisdom and Intelligence, deriving that
meaning from the ancient Egyptians who remarked that the eagle's wings bore him
high toward the light and away from the clouds. Thus the eagle and pelican,
together, symbolize, respectively, perfect wisdom and perfect devotedness.
The cross, which is part of the design on both sides, is an ancient symbol of
infinity and has been used as a sacred symbol from early antiquity—far predating
Christianity. Thus it may be said to represent the world or the condition of the
world. It also has ancient associations with suffering and sacrifice. Thus the
cross on the Chamber of Darkness side of the jewel can be taken to represent the
world in suffering when the Word was lost. The rose has ancient associations
with dawn, and thus with hope and a new awakening to life. The cross with rose
on the Chamber of Light side of the jewel thus represents immortality won by
suffering and sorrow. The association with immortality is strengthened by the
addition of the sprig of acacia at the base of the cross.
All of these symbols point, of course, to the transformation of the world with
the discovery of the New Law of Love. That Law of Love redefines life and our
responsibilities to others. It is no longer sufficient to say, "I have done no
harm." We no longer have the excuse of ignorance if we choose to "pass by on the
other side." Life becomes a positive affirmation of the worth of others and
oneself. It is this Law which transforms and directs the raw spirituality of the
17° by giving it shape and focus and mission. It teaches the great lesson of the
Brotherhood of Mankind under the Fatherhood of God. It affirms that your
obligation is to each person, simply because he or she is a person. It insists
that our common humanity, our common "sonship," is more important than any
divisive consideration—more important than nationality, creed, race, social
position, or wealth. Banished forever from the lips of a Knight Rose Croix are
the words, "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are" (Luke 8:11), for
we know we are, in all that matters, like them indeed.