The Council of Kadosh  confers the 19th thought the 30th Degrees. The presiding officer is the Commander of Kadosh. The word "Kadosh" is a Hebrew word meaning Holy.  Although Pike identifies the degrees of the Council of Kadosh as chivalric and philosophical, they are all intensely mystical with respect to the lessons conveyed and symbols employed.

"Faith in moral principles, in virtue and in God is as necessary for the guidance of a man as instinct is for the guidance of an animal." - Albert Pike

Nineteenth Degree - Grand Pontiff

The title of this Degree sometimes causes confusion, for the term "pontiff" is sometimes applied to the Pope. But the word is used here in its original sense of "bridge builder." A Mason is to build bridges to the future, both his own future and the future of his society and culture. Our nation is great, not by accident, but because of the sacrifices and efforts of our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and all those who have gone before us. One of the key lessons of this Degree is the importance of building for the future. Another is the certainty that good will triumph over evil. Those lessons are reflected in the regalia of the Degree.

Perhaps the most unusual piece of regalia for the 19° is the blue satin fillet or headband. (See photo above.) Embroidered with twelve gold stars, it brings together two of the traditional colors of the Blue Lodge, blue and gold, and symbolically suggests that the process of bridge building begins in those foundation Degrees. But the ritual tells us that the fillet also symbolizes purity, for the slightest contact of the satin with the earth will soil it. It reminds us that it does no good to try to be "virtuous most of the time" or "usually honest." We have to strive for perfection, even if we know it's not possible to attain.

The blue color also symbolizes the heavens. Thus, the fillet and its stars become a kind of miniature of the "starry canopy of heaven." The twelve stars are rich in symbolism, referring to, among others, the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem, the twelve signs of the zodiac, the twelve fruits of the Tree of Life, and the twelve Apostles. A little thought will suggest ways in which each of those sets of twelve represents a bridge toward heaven or the future.

The same twelve stars appear on the cordon. The cordon is crimson bordered with white. We have already seen that crimson symbolizes zeal and white symbolizes purity. The suggestion here is that the Grand Pontiff must act with zeal and determination, but that that zeal must be set off or confined by the greatest possible purity of morals, character, and motivation. The A & W (Alpha and Omega) on the cordon are used in their traditional meaning of "the first and the last" and, therefore, represent totality.

The regalia also includes the breastplate of a High Priest of ancient Israel. The breastplate is of gold, set with twelve different stones. On each stone is engraved, in Hebrew characters, the initial of one of the names or attributes of God as cited in the ritual.

The jewel of the Degree is a rectangular plate of solid gold. On one side is an Aleph (a), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, corresponding to the Greek Alpha. On the other side is a Tau (Z), a letter of the Hebrew alphabet that corresponds to the Greek Omega. Again, the suggestion is of the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the full cycle, totality.

The Degree reminds us that we are supposed to make a difference in the world. We are to make it a better place for others, and we are not to do that reluctantly but with zeal and fire. But we must always be sure of the purity of our own motives. A Mason who desires to help the world or to benefit others so that he can feed his own ego or for self-aggrandizement, completely misses the point.




Twentieth Degree - Master Of The Symbolic Lodge

Blue and yellow (gold) are the colors of the regalia of the Twentieth Degree. They refer us back to the Blue or Symbolic Lodge. The apron (see inside front cover) is yellow, bordered and lined with sky blue. In the center of the apron is a drawing of the jewel. The jewel is composed of three concentric triangles. In the nine angles thus formed are the initials of the nine Great Lights or Great Virtues taught in the Degree—Charity, Generosity, Veneration, Heroism, Patriotism, Honor, Toleration, Truth, and Justice.

In the center, reading from right to left, is the Tetragrammaton (the Holy Name in four letters), this time in Phoenician characters rather than Hebrew (remember that Hiram was from Phoenicia). Beneath it, reading from the bottom upwards is yehi aur, "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3). The cordon is of blue and yellow, reinforcing the Blue Lodge symbolism of the Degree.

The Twentieth Degree derives considerable power from its essential simplicity. Pike is making the point that there are important virtues to be practiced by a man when he is called upon to preside over a Symbolic or Blue Lodge. But remember that, among other things, the Lodge room symbolizes the life of the individual Mason, as the Master of the Lodge symbolizes the Mason himself taking control of his own life. That's probably the major symbolism involved here.

The symbolism of the Lodge and the Worshipful Master are so well known that we do not always give them the thought they deserve. Each can function both as a personal and universal symbol. Thus, the Lodge room represents the world and, on a larger scale, the "cosmic all," however many universes that may be. But it also symbolizes the life of the individual Mason. The Worshipful Master can symbolize mankind in the ideal, but he also symbolizes the individual Mason, whether or not he ever assumes the gavel. Since that symbolism holds true even in the Entered Apprentice Degree, these symbols may be the first instance in the Masonic journey of the macrocosm=microcosm concept—the idea that the universe is reflected in each person, or that each person is a "model" of the universe. The symbolism also reinforces Pike's insistence that man is not a bubble adrift on the seas of fate. A major purpose of Masonry is to teach the individual that he can control his destiny. In fact, he must control it if he is to be truly human. We are not pawns in the game of life; we are the chess player. We are not intended to be victims but rather Masters over ourselves (albeit never over others).

The virtues which help to give us that mastery are represented by the angles of five squares and three triangles on the tracing board.

The Squares:
The first square represents Prudence, Temperance, Chastity, and Sobriety.
The second square represents Heroism, Firmness, Equanimity, and Patience.
The third square represents Purity, Honor, Fidelity, and Punctuality.
The fourth square represents Charity, Kindness, Generosity, and Liberality.
The fifth square represents Disinterestedness, Mercy, Forgiveness, and Forbearance.

The Triangles:
The first triangle represents Veneration, Devotedness, and Patriotism.
The second triangle represents Gratitude to God, Love of Mankind, and Confidence in human nature.
The third triangle represents Truth, Justice, and Toleration.
The careful practice of these virtues, represented here by squares and triangles, helps to assure a positive and productive life. It isn't always easy, but these virtues are the best tools to use in governing the symbolic Lodge, which is your own life.



Twenty-first Degree - Noachite; or Prussian Knight

The 21° and its titles represent a curious historical accident. Although it is less discussed in Freemasonry today, in the 1700s and early 1800s there was a strong Masonic tradition which placed Noah as one of the Craft's major patrons involved with the preservation of the knowledge of antediluvian arts and sciences during the Flood and its transmittal to the generations which followed. Some systems went so far as to make Noah the central legendary figure rather than Hiram. Freemasons were sometimes called Noachites or Noachidae, sons of Noah.

In the Degree, the story intermingles with that of the Vehmgericht, a medieval court headquartered in Westphalia, hence the term "Prussian Knight." It is a strange combination, but it produces one of the most powerful and theatrical Degrees of the Rite. All the elements of high drama are there—a meeting in the forest at night by the light of the full moon; men of integrity and power forced to confront personal biases they did not know existed within themselves; the ease with which one may fall into dishonor; the power of faith—all this and more takes the stage in this Degree. It is a powerful cautionary tale.

The apron of the 21° is yellow, lined with white. On the flap is an Arm of Justice, i.e., an arm holding a naked sword and prepared to strike. On the body of the apron is a winged human figure. The forefinger of his right hand is on his lips, and he holds a key in his left hand. He is the Egyptian figure of Silence. In A Bridge to Light, Dr. Rex R. Hutchens, 33°, Grand Cross, points out that the wings are an addition and that Plato indicated wings symbolized "intelligence," while to the alchemists they represented "the higher, active male principle" (page 177).

Two different jewels may be used with the Degree. On it is a triangular plate of gold having on it an arrow, pointing downward. Or, the jewel may be a disc of silver (representing the full moon), showing an Arm of Justice surrounded by the words Fiat Justitia, Ruat Coelum—"Let there be Justice, though the heavens fall." The cordon of the Degree is a broad black ribbon, worn from right to left.

There are several important lessons in this Degree. The first is the great importance of a free and legitimate judiciary. Elsewhere, Pike points out that access to the courts is more important than access to the ballot box.

The second important lesson of this Degree is that we must be very, very careful when judging others. By definition, we are making a judgment on the basis of inadequate data. We should especially be hesitant to judge someone negatively. Almost all of us have had the experience of deciding that we didn't like someone we just met, only to find out later that the person is truly good and someone we would want as a friend. Being human, we will form first impressions, but we must be willing to set those aside when more information comes to us.

A third important lesson is that we must never become too impressed with our own knowledge or ability. We must not, in the words of the ritual, become "wise in our own conceit." Doing so not only leads us into error; it also makes the error self-perpetuating.

A fourth important lesson is that of the strength of faith. Often, only faith will be there to sustain us. In the Degree, this is not just faith in God, but faith in some ideal or goal such as justice, or faith in the ultimate triumph of right, or even a faith in our own ability.

Finally, the Degree teaches that we should be humble and modest. At times, we are capable of an almost incredible arrogance. We are perfectly willing to tell God what is wrong with the world He made and how He should fix it. Many of us are willing to assassinate the character of someone else, because it makes us seem more important to ourselves. We not only pass on slander about someone, we embroider it around the edges to make it a better story. The whole and wrongful purpose is to give us a sense of moral superiority—a feeling to which we have no right.

In our country, we have no fear we will be hauled before a secret court at the dead of night, as happens in this Degree, and be forced to defend our actions and character. Let us be very sure that our own hearts do not become the secret tribunals for the trial of others.



Twenty-second Degree - Knight Royal Axe, Prince Of Libanus

The 22° marks only the second appearance of the color purple in the regalia of the Rite. Its symbolic meaning is the same as in the 13°, a mixture of spirituality and zeal. It sums up well the basic theme of this Degree: that work is noble in and of itself and that to work in a noble cause is to pray.

The apron is white, lined and bordered in purple. On the body is embroidered a round table on which are mathematical instruments and unrolled plans. There are two likely symbolic meanings of the emblem. First, all who truly labor are equal, no matter what the work nor whether it is physical or mental. In this case, the round table symbolizes equality, as did the round table of King Arthur.

A second meaning is that God, the Creator, graciously allows us to share in His creative spirit. In this case, the circular shape of the table represents Deity, and the plans and mathematical instruments indicate our creative efforts.

On the flap of the apron is a three-headed serpent. The body of the serpent represents idleness, while the three heads represent the vices which are often the result of idleness—drunkenness, impurity, and gaming. This is the second time in the Scottish Rite that the symbol of a serpent with three heads has appeared. It also appears in the 19°, where the heads represent Error, Falsehood, and Intolerance, and the serpent being chained represents the destruction of those vices. Since the serpent does not appear on the regalia of the 19°, it was not mentioned in that Degree's essay.

The Order of the 22nd Degree is a broad, rainbow-colored ribbon, lined with purple. It may be worn as either a collar or a sash. The symbolism of the rainbow is interesting here and probably operates on several levels at once. The rainbow is closely connected with the story of Noah, of course, and the initial of Noah's name appears on the Jewel of the Degree, a golden axe, as one who made use of the cedars of Lebanon for sacred purposes or at divine direction. The rainbow is also a symbol of purity, since it appears only when the air has been washed and purified by the rain. Also, it is a symbol of hope, as it appears after the storm, and a symbol of the covenantal relationship between God and man, deriving from the story of the Flood. A symbol of unity in diversity because it is white light split into its component parts, it is also a symbol of growth and development, as one moves from one color or state of being to the next. And these seven significances compose only part of the rainbow's rich symbolism!

The jewel of the 22° is an axe of gold. In A Bridge to Light, Dr. Hutchens, 33°, Grand Cross, tells us that the initials on the top are those of Noah and Solomon. Those on the handle are the initials of Libanus and Tsidunian. Those on one side of the blade are the initials of Adoniram, Kuros, Darius, Zerubbabel, Nehemiah and Azra, while those of the other side are the initials of Shem, Kham, Yapheth, Moses, Aholiab, and Betselal. The men so memorialized are those who used the cedars of Lebanon under divine guidance.

The central idea of the Degree is the dignity of work and, hence, the ignobility of idleness. The Scottish Rite teaches that each person has a responsibility to be productive, not just in his own life but in the lives of others. Work is not a curse from God; it is one of the greatest blessings He has bestowed on us. When we work, when we are productive, when we create something which was not in the world before, when we find answers to problems, we are partaking in the creative nature of God.

In a beautiful passage, Pike shows that the axe is more noble than the sword, for the sword can be and is used as a means of conquest and subjugation. But in the hands of the pioneer, the axe becomes the instrument for the spread of civilization. Thus the axe is far more likely than the sword to be used as an agent of benefit to humanity.

The Scottish Rite Mason who holds the 22° is pledged to the support of civilization and culture and, above all, to work to assure those goals. As Albert Pike wrote in Morals and Dogma (p. 350):

Masonry seeks to ennoble common life. Its work is to go down into the obscure and unsearched records of daily conduct and feeling; and to portray, not the ordinary virtue of an extraordinary life; but the more extraordinary virtue of ordinary life. What is done and borne in the shades of privacy, in the hard and beaten path of daily care and toil, full of uncelebrated sacrifices; in the suffering, and sometimes insulted suffering, that wears to the world a cheerful brow; in the long strife of the spirit, resisting pain, penury, and neglect, carried on in the inmost depths of the heart;—what is done, and borne, and wrought, and won there, is a higher glory and shall inherit a brighter crown.



Twenty-Third Degree - Chief Of The Tabernacle

Colors associated with the Tabernacle dominate in this Degree. The apron is white, lined with crimson, and bordered with red, blue, and purple ribbons. The color symbolism is slightly different than in the other Degrees. The meanings are taken from the writing of Flavius Josephus. White symbolizes the earth, from which the flax for linen grows. Following the obvious color symbolism, red symbolizes fire and blue symbolizes the sky. Here, purple symbolizes the sea, since the color purple originally was obtained from a dye extracted from the shell of a mollusk. To these symbols, we add the more traditional Scottish Rite meanings. Thus white symbolizes the earth but also the Beneficence of God, Who made the earth. Red represents fire and zeal, but also the Glory of the Deity. Blue symbolizes the sky and the infinite heavens, but also the Wisdom of God. Purple represents the sea, but also the Power of God.

Thus, in the colors of the apron we find symbolized the physical world in the form of the four elements—earth, air, fire, and water. But we also find symbolized the Attributes of Deity—Beneficence, Glory, Wisdom, and Power.

In the center of the apron is embroidered the golden seven-branched candelabrum. The seven lights hold for us the same symbolism they did for the ancients: the seven planets—Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. It also represents seven manifestations of God (and thus seven Sephiroth): Justice, Mercy, Beauty, Glory, Victory, Dominion, and Kingdom. Thus, again, the physical world is symbolized by the planets, and the spiritual world is symbolized by the attributes of Deity.

A red leather belt is worn over the apron. The bottom edge of the belt is fringed in gold. From the belt hangs the jewel of the Degree, a censer (burner for incense) in silver. Its shape is that of a hand holding a bowl. The silver of the censer and the gold of the belt's fringe and the candelabrum give us the symbolism of the sun and moon, or male and female, again reinforcing the idea of completeness and totality already symbolized by the presence of the physical and spiritual words in the rest of the regalia. It reminds us of our duty to God and the need to offer up the acceptable sacrifices of good deeds and acts.

This Degree begins the exploration of the ancient mysteries. The Candidate here represents a young Levite, presenting himself for initiation into the first mysteries of the Hebrew priesthood. The mysteries represented a series of increasing purifications of the body and spirit, and an increasing awareness of one's own spiritual identity. It was not a single event but a process, not an act but a journey. The goal was self-discovery. It still is.




Twenty-Fourth Degree - Prince Of The Tabernacle

Here we move more deeply into the ancient mysteries, and that movement is reflected in the regalia. The apron is white lambskin, lined in scarlet and bordered in light green. The flap is light blue. On the flap, in violet, is a myrtle tree, a symbol of immortality. An Arabic tent is painted in gold on the body of the apron. As in the Twenty-third Degree, a belt is part of the regalia. It is made of light green morocco leather edged with gold lace and decorated at the bottom with gold fringe. From the belt hangs a silver censer, as in the 23°. Also hanging from the belt is the jewel of the 24°, the Phoenician letter Aleph in gold. Thus the silver censer and the gold Aleph repeat the moon–sun symbolism we have seen earlier.

The collar of the Degree is of narrow, violet-colored ribbon. From it hangs a larger gold Aleph, similar to the one which hangs from the belt. The cordon of the 24° is a broad, watered scarlet ribbon. Embroidered in gold on the cordon are a winged globe, a scarab beetle, and a butterfly.

The majority of the symbols of the regalia for this Degree speak of immortality. The winged globe symbolizes leaving this life and moving to a higher plane of being. The scarab is found everywhere in Egyptian art, especially in tomb paintings. It was a symbol of the sun and, therefore, of life, and carved scarabs were used as amulets against death, disease, and misfortune. The butterfly is a symbol of rebirth and immortality because a caterpillar, after weaving a cocoon, emerges from it as a new, more glorious being. The light green of the belt and apron border symbolizes spring with is reawakening to life. The Aleph, as the first letter of the alphabet, symbolizes beginning and rebirth.

The Aleph also alludes to the pentagram or five-pointed star. No matter how you turn a pentagram, you can read the letter A. Also, A is the initial of Adonai, one of the principal names of God (the Bible translates it as Lord). Since the pentagram is also a symbol of man, the Aleph in this Degree can be understood as symbolizing the interaction between Deity and humanity.

The lessons of this Degree can seem obvious, but when we think about them deeply and consider their implications, they rapidly become profound and can even be uncomfortable.

Lesson one: There is power in our faith in the Deity and His promises. Notice that we are not simply saying there is power in the Deity. We are saying there is also power in our faith, that there is power which resides in us.

Lesson two: The soul is immortal. That is something which presumably, we, as Masons, believe. But we often act as if we do not believe it. We may give more attention to pleasure than to the strengthening and cultivation of the spirit. That makes sense for someone who believes death is followed by annihilation, but for someone who believes in the immortality of the soul, it is like spending the entire year’s income in the first three months of the year. Or, as Brother Mark Twain sardonically observed, every man says he hopes he goes to Heaven, but few take the trouble to learn to play a harp.

Lesson three: There is one, true God, Who is absolute intellect and experience. The risk here is that we tend to assume our visualization of God is so correct and perfect that anyone who disagrees must be wrong. A belief in one God should not make us intolerant of the beliefs of others. Rather, we should be willing to see that they may simply have visualized a different part of God’s vastness, for He is far too vast and complex for any human mind to be able to say, “I understand God, I know who He is, and, therefore, I know that you are wrong.”

Indeed, an important teaching of this Degree is the universality of faith. The great Truths have been encoded into many myths and hidden in many allegories over time. Our task is to understand those myths and allegories and to discover the Truths beneath them. As Albert Pike wrote (Morals and Dogma, p. 434):

The human mind still speculates upon the great mysteries of nature, and still finds its ideas anticipated by the ancients, whose profoundest thoughts are to be looked for, not in their philosophies, but in their symbols, by which they endeavored to express the great ideas that vainly struggled for utterance in words, as they viewed the great circle of phenomena, --- Birth, Life, Death, or Decomposition, and New Life out of Death and Rottenness, --- to them the greatest of mysteries.



Twenty-fifth Degree - Knight of the Brazen Serpent

The symbolism of the regalia of the 25° is some of the richest in the Scottish Rite. The apron (image right) is white, lined and bordered with black. Both sides of the apron are of symbolic significance. On the white side or front of the apron are gold stars arranged in constellations to represent the Pleiades, the Hyades, Orion, and Capella. In the middle is a rayed equilateral triangle, and in the center is the name of Deity in Phoenician characters. To the right and left of the triangle is a larger star, each with the letter A over the star. The letters identify the stars as, respectively, Aldebarán and Antares. Beneath the triangle is a gold star with the letter F signifying the star Fomalhaut.

On the flap of the apron is a serpent or dragon, coiled into a circle and holding its tail in its mouth. The symbol is known as the Ouroboros. It is a symbol of time, or eternity, and of the great cycles of time in which we all live. Within the circle formed by the Ouroboros is a golden scarab beetle, symbol of immortality. Over this is a gold star, and the letter R for the star Regulus.

On the back of the apron are silver stars representing the constellations of Perseus, Scorpio, and Ursa Major.

Two cordons form a part of the regalia of the 25°. One is a broad crimson ribbon. On it are embroidered the names: Osiris, Ahura, Osarsiph, Moses. Following the last name is the embroidered figure of a bull. A disc is on his head as well as the horns with a crescent between them. This cordon is worn from left to right.

Over it, worn from right to left, is a cordon of similar size, but of white watered silk rather than crimson. Embroidered on the white ribbon, in gold, are the names Isis and Ceres. Under the name Ceres is embroidered the head of a dog, with a crescent above its head. On the right breast, on the left breast, and at the point at which the white cordon crosses the crimson cordon, gold stars are embroidered. Under the star over the right breast (which is on the white cordon) is the letter A for the star Aldebarán. Under the star over the left breast (crimson ribbon) is the letter A for the star Antares. Under the star on the white ribbon, where it crosses the crimson ribbon, is the letter F for the star Fomalhaut.1

Finally, on the crimson cordon is the word Geburah (Hebrew for valor) while on the white cordon is the word Aun (Hebrew for force or strength). Read together, they suggest the generative and productive power of nature.

The jewel of the Degree is in the form of an Ankh, i.e., a Tau-shaped cross with a loop or circle on top. On the upright of the cross are engraved the Hebrew words which translate “He has suffered” or “He has been wounded.” On the cross bar is the word Nakhustan (also spelled Nehushtan), the name given in the Bible to the brazen serpent erected by Moses (2 Kings 18:4, Numbers 21:6–9). A serpent is coiled around the ring at the top of the Ankh.

The primary legend of the Degree comes from an account of the Exodus. The people had started to complain to God about the length of the journey and the fact that there was nothing but manna to eat. God sent serpents among the people, and those who were bitten soon died. The people repented, and God spoke to Moses, telling him to make a serpent of brass and set it on a pole. Then, all that had been bitten and looked upon the serpent of brass lived. Thus, the serpent coiled around the handle of the Ankh symbolizes healing and spiritual grace.

There are many complex meanings in the constellations and stars selected for special emphasis on the regalia, but on a fundamental level, their meaning is that there is significance and a plan to the universe. God’s purposes move with certainty, and we need never fear being lost in a hostile or indifferent world.

The names on the cordons include the names of many of the gods and goddesses who appear in the ancient vegetation myths, stories which usually centered around a goddess and her lover who must die each year in order for the earth to bring forth a harvest. Many of these myths took their inspiration from the yearly journey of the sun toward the shortest day and its reemergence after three days in the movement toward spring.

The Degree reminds us that men have found many ways to tell the great truths of spiritual and human experience. Some may seem primitive or childish to us today, but there is wisdom in the wonder of a child even as there is wisdom in the sayings of the sages.




Twenty-sixth Degree - Prince Of Mercy

The jewel of the 26° is an equilateral triangle of gold. In the center of the triangle, also of gold, is a flaming heart. Engraved on the heart are the letters I.H.S. The side of the triangle to the right of the heart is engraved with W. The side of the triangle to the left of the heart bears an F. while the bottom side of the triangle bears an H.

The flaming heart may be used to symbolize zeal and devotion, but it may also symbolize religious or spiritual commitment and inspiration. The letters I.H.S. may be translated Iesus Hominum Salvator or In Hoc Signo, or, as used by some denominations, In His Sign. It is not necessary to make a Christian interpretation of the letters, however, because they may also be taken to stand for Imperium, Harmonia, Sapientia, giving the same meaning as the three letters on the sides of the triangle, Power, Harmony, and Wisdom.

The jewel hangs around the neck on a ribbon of watered purple silk.

The apron is scarlet, with a wide border of white. In the center of the apron is a green equilateral triangle. Within the green triangle is the jewel, embroidered in gold. The effect then, as seen in the painting by Bro. Robert H. White, 32°, on the facing page, is to create a triple triangle-one green, one scarlet, and one gold. The flap of the apron is sky blue.

The cordon is a broad tricolored ribbon of green, white, and red. It is worn from right to left. The colors of the cordon give a key to the symbolism of the Degree. Green is symbolic of the infinite wisdom of the Deity. Red is symbolic of His unlimited power or force. White symbolizes divine harmony, since it is produced by the presence of all colors in perfect proportion.

The 26° takes us into the early Christian mysteries just as the preceding Degrees have taken us into the mysteries of other faiths. We are told that in the earliest days, Christianity was taught by a series of initiations, echoes of which still survive today in the Baptism of the Catechumens and the Mass of the Faithful.

During the Degree, we are told of the basic beliefs of many of the world's ancient religions and shown that the idea of Trinity was central to most of them. Almost all religions have conceived of the Deity as having the attributes of Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty or of Harmony or Balance (the last three being largely synonymous). Another way to say it is that God must possess the Intellect to conceive a universe, the Power to create it, and the sense of Harmony or Equilibrium to bring that Intellect and Power together in such a way as to create. While we may think of that idea as belonging to the Judeo-Christian tradition, it is, in fact, difficult to find an ancient religion which did not hold much the same view.

The lessons of the 26° are forgiveness and toleration. Obviously, those ideas are closely linked. People primarily offend against others through intolerance. Most of the trespasses against you, which you are called upon to forgive, are the result of intolerance of one form or another. Surely, then, you have an obligation not to offend against others in the same way.

The Degree also explores the symbolism of the first three Degrees of the Blue Lodge and shows why Ignorance, Tyranny, and Intolerance are the ruffians against which Solomon must always send his forces. They destroy nations and cultures as surely as they destroy individuals.
But a Prince of Mercy is armed for that battle. With Mercy, Toleration, and a firm grasp of his own religious faith, he is prepared to see more similarities than differences in the faiths of his peers. With his understanding that the traditions of all faiths have something of value to teach, if he will only learn, he becomes, at last, the ultimate peacemaker.



Twenty-seventh Degree - Knight Commander of the Temple

This is one of the most powerful works of theatre among all the Degrees of the Rite. The primary story is found in the Rubric* of the Degree and concerns Constans, a young squire who wants to become a knight. He is left alone to keep vigil over his arms and told to "let no consideration tempt thee to forsake thine vigil and leave this spot. If thou shouldst do so, thou shall be proven foresworn."

In a scene which reminds the viewer of T. S. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral, although written long before Eliot's 1935 work, Constans is confronted with three temptations which represent (a) life with sensual pleasure but without any faith or spiritual component; (b) life based on the practical, economic realities of the world, in which everything becomes relative and there are no permanent spiritual values; and (c) life based on spiritual values only, without any true human experience or content.

After struggle, Constans overcomes these temptations, but then is confronted not with a temptation but with a choice in reality. The city is attacked, and the invaders enter. The defenders are losing the battle. Constans is a young, highly trained fighting man. If he goes to the battle, he may make a major difference in the lives of many people, but, by leaving his vigil, he will do so at the cost of his personal honor, and he will lose all hope of ever becoming a knight. Torn by agony, not knowing what God's will is, he. . . . Should you have forgotten the outcome of this dilemma, you will have to revisit the Degree to get what Paul Harvey would term "the rest of the story."

The apron of the Degree (see facing page) is of scarlet lambskin, bordered and edged in black. The flap is white. On the flap is the jewel of the Degree, a black Teutonic cross (a cross with arms of equal length, ending with a crossbar). On that is a Teutonic cross of gold, double potent (which is to say, having two crossbars at the end of the arm). In the center is a shield with a black, double-headed eagle. On top of the cross is a device of heraldry called a chief—in this case, a sort of blue cloud.

In the center of the apron is a black key, surrounded by a laurel wreath. The order or mark of distinction of the Degree is of white watered silk, with a red border, worn as a collar. Two gold Teutonic crosses are embroidered on the collar, and the jewel of the Degree hangs from the point. A second jewel of the Degree is described in the ritual as a gold triangle, bearing a word upon it in enamel.

As in earlier Degrees, scarlet represents zeal and determination. Black designates sorrow, death, and martyrdom. Green represents life and, in the form of the laurel wreath, honor. White represents purity-that purity of intention which was required of the knight. But it may possibly also represent transcendence, the condition of the knight who has met and overcome the enemy (in Masonic terms, one who has subdued his animal nature and made it subservient to his spiritual essence).

Though we are told very little about it, the key is interesting. It may be that the black color is intended to represent a key made of iron. We have seen keys as symbols before, most notably in the 4° where a key of ivory appears. In the ritual organization of the meeting room of the 27°, we are told that the key and a sword are placed, crossed, upon the central table amid other symbols of the Degree, such as the traditional working tools. It is very rare in Scottish Rite symbolism to cross a sword with anything except another sword. Possibly this crossing is an allusion to the obligations of the Templars, which included both the use of force to defend pilgrims and a vow of secrecy. Possibly, if we draw upon some of the earlier symbolism of the key in the Rite, it is a suggestion that a Knight is to use force moderated and directed by thought and reason.

The laurel wreath has its usual meanings of honor and valor, but here it takes on an additional meaning of union, reminding you that men who have accepted you as a Brother are entitled to wear the laurel wreath by virtue of their actions and their lives.

While circles do not play an important part in the regalia of this Degree, they appear strongly in the ritual setting of the chamber. The room is circular, or made to appear so with red and black hangings; light comes from circular chandeliers and from lighted globes. These symbolize unity and brotherhood.

This Degree, the first of the truly chivalric Degrees, alerts you that new and higher things will be expected of you. For a person of intellectual self-honesty, the going gets rough here, but the potential for personal growth opens wider than ever.


Twenty-eighth Degree - Knight Of The Sun

For many Brethren, this Degree is the most difficult, the "hardest to wrap your mind around," of the entire Degree system of the Scottish Rite. Yet, the regalia seems simple enough. There is a pure white lambskin apron with no edging or ornamentation, with the exception of an interlaced pentagram traced in vermilion in the center of the apron. The collar of the Degree is of white watered silk, without ornamentation except for an eye, painted in gold on the right side. Not all of the jewels are shown in the painting on the facing page to illustrate the Degree. The jewel of the presiding officer is a gold sun, hung from a gold chain worn around the neck. When the jewel is turned over, it shows the heavens with the signs of the zodiac from Taurus to Libra. The other officers wear a seven-pointed star of gold. The remaining Brethren wear a five-pointed star of gold. This pentagram, of course, is the symbol for mankind. Both white and gold represent purity-the white represents that which has never been impure and which is, therefore, not only pure but innocent. Gold represents that which has been made pure by refining. The gold represents the person who has become pure by being tried and refined over and over again. The eye represents the Deity, Who is aware of everything and from Whom nothing is hidden.

There are many other symbols in the 28°, which do not happen to appear in the regalia. You can find them in color in Appendix III on symbols in Vested in Glory: The Regalia of the Scottish Rite. Note especially the Worm Ouroboros (the dragon holding his own tail in his teeth, which is shown here), the Ancient of Days (a.k.a. the Macroprosopus), the Seal of Solomon, the microcosm, and the triangle of red, white, and green sides.

It simply is not possible to give an explanation of the Degree in detail here. The section in Morals and Dogma which Pike devotes to the Twenty-eighth Degree is 219 pages. But we can list some of the most important ideas presented in the Degree and encourage you to think deeply upon their meanings.

The soul of man is immortal-this life is only a point in the center of eternity.

The visual is a manifestation of the invisible.

Love and wisdom are to be valued above all else.

What is above is like what is below.

Nature continually points to God, reflecting His power and wisdom.

There is no death, only change.

Our life is a quest, a seeking.

By seeking and questing, we find a life.



Twenty-ninth Degree - Knight of Saint Andrew

In this degree, the Mason learns that there is no contradiction between religion and science; that religion can be better understood through science and science can be better understood by religion. He who denies science is as fanatical as he who denies religion. Our lifetime is limited in time; thus we must see God within this limited period of our time. Yet, God transcends all time; he is an energy over and beyond time. There is no other energy that creates that energy. There is no end to that energy. Freemasonry is thus the continual effort to exalt the divine in man over the human so that we may come to better understand the nature of God in our time.

 

Thirtieth Degree - Knight Kadosh

This is the last of the philosophical degrees. To spread the sciences, to apply the virtues, to learn the sublime doctrines which enable humanity to live as one great family-this is the school of which Masonry is engaged. It is not within the realm of Masonry to punish oppressors and tyrants who enact barriers to brotherly love and affection. They are always punished in the course of history. It is our goal to defeat the passions and fanaticism which lead to oppression by spreading love and toleration. The Knight Kadosh is aware of his obligations. He is just, equitable, and respectful of all ideas. He battles for freedom of conscience. He opposes those who would attack these liberties, but material revenge is not in his thoughts and philosophy. He is a lover of great example.

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Consistory Degree Descriptions

The Consistory Degrees are very different from each other in form and content.  The 31° reveals the dynamic relationship that has existed for centuries between human law as a means of achieving justice, and divine justice as an ideal.  The 32° reviews the degrees of the Lodge of Perfection, the Chapter of Rose Croix and the Council of Kadosh.  In it we learn the very ancient roots of Masonic Truth - in the East! 

"Where Freemasonry flourishes, there will be found the highest type of citizenship and the best standard of living." - Albert Pike

31° - Inspector Inquisitor 

In this degree the apprentice learns prayerful self-examination. The mistakes today should not be committed tomorrow. Simply, the daily look at ones self to learn to live with the future. No apron is worn in the Supreme Tribunal, but the traditional apron displayed is of pure white lambskin with a Teutonic Cross of black and silver embroidered upon the flap. The jewel is a silver Teutonic cross. The jewel is suspended from a white collar, with a gold triangle with a "31" inside it. 

The central teaching of this degree is justice.  To be free, a Mason must begin by passing judgment on himself.  He presents himself for examination.  By acting honestly in first giving judgment on himself within the principles of justice and equity, it should not be doubted when he shall do the same to his brothers.  

The brother who finds mercy in himself, who has not been too lenient towards himself, or punished himself too severely, can also judge his brothers.  In so doing, he can be certain that he has not acted contrary to his former obligations.  He has freed himself.

32° - Master of the Royal Secret 

The lessons taught in this degree are that genuine brotherhood requires mutual regard, opinion, esteem and charity. We always look for the good in all, make allowances for others' shortcomings. We trust the Supreme Architect to lead us to friendship, morality and brotherly love. The apron worn in this degree is white, lined in black, with a double-headed eagle and a plan of the Camp of the Princes. The jewel worn is a golden Teutonic Cross. In the center are the letters XXXII, surrounded by a green wreath. The cap of a Master of the Royal Secret is black silk with a black band trimmed in gold. In the center front is a double-headed eagle emblem with a rayed equilateral triangle above in gold. The triangle is red, has 32° in its center, and is trimmed with gold.

This degree teaches many lessons, but the mystery concealed is that man is a creature of free will and capable of recreating himself.  If he accomplishes this goal, he will attain a genuine power that can shake the limits of science, surpass the problems of this earth, decipher the secrets of space, surpass the limits of ceremony and catechism, and attain genuine enlightenment; a gnosis which is the foundation of all religions.  He will also surpass the narrow views of interest in the area of morals, and will comprehend a genuine virtue that transcends his own interest.  Thus, it will become his nature to help his fellow men, and, in so doing, he will discover the divine light within which brings true freedom of thought, freedom of conscience, and freedom of culture.

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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.