Scottish Rite

The seed or the myth of Stuart Jacobite influence on the higher degrees may have been a careless and unsubstantiated remark made by John Noorthouk in the 1784 Book of Constitutions of the Premier Grand Lodge of London. It was stated, without support, that King Charles II (older brother and predecessor to James II) was made a Freemason in the Netherlands during the years of his exile (1649–60). However, there were no documented lodges of Freemasons on the continent during those years. The statement may have been made to flatter the fraternity by claiming membership for a previous monarch. This folly was then embellished by John Robison (1739–1805), a professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, in an anti-Masonic work published in 1797. The lack of scholarship exhibited by Robison in that work caused the Encyclopædia Britannica to denounce it.[12]

A German bookseller and Freemason, living in Paris, working under the assumed name of C. Lenning, embellished the story further in a manuscript titled "Encyclopedia of Freemasonry" probably written between 1822 and 1828 at Leipzig. This manuscript was later revised and published by another German Freemason named Friedrich Mossdorf (1757–1830).[13] Lenning stated that King James II of England, after his flight to France in 1688, resided at the Jesuit College of Clermont, where his followers fabricated certain degrees for the purpose of carrying out their political ends.[14]

By the mid-19th century, the story had gained currency. The well-known English Masonic writer, Dr. George Oliver (1782–1867), in his Historical Landmarks, 1846, carried the story forward and even claimed that King Charles II was active in his attendance at meetings—an obvious invention, for if it had been true, it would not have escaped the notice of the historians of the time. The story was then repeated by the French writers Jean-Marie Ragon (1781–1862) and Emmanuel Rebold, in their Masonic histories. Rebold's claim that the high degrees were created and practiced in Lodge Canongate Kilwinning[15] at Edinburgh are entirely false.[16]

James II died in 1701[17][18] at the Palace of St. Germain en Laye, and was succeeded in his claims to the English, Irish and Scottish thrones by his son, James Francis Edward Stuart (1699–1766), the Chevalier St. George, better known as "the Old Pretender", but recognized as James III & VIII by the French King Louis XIV. He was succeeded in his claim by Charles Edward Stuart ("Bonnie Prince Charles"), also known as "the Young Pretender", whose ultimate defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746 effectively put an end to any serious hopes of the Stuarts regaining the British crowns.

The natural confusion between the names of the Jesuit College of Clermont, and the short-lived Masonic Chapter of Clermont, a Masonic body that controlled a few high degrees during its brief existence, only served to add fuel to the myth of Stuart Jacobite influence in Freemasonry's high degrees. However, the College and the Chapter had nothing to do with each other. The Jesuit College was located at Clermont, whereas the Masonic Chapter was not. Rather, it was named "Clermont" in honor of the French Grand Master, the Comte de Clermont (Louis de Bourbon, Comte de Clermont) (1709–1771), and not because of any connection with the Jesuit College of Clermont.[19]

There are records of lodges conferring the degree of "Scots Master" or "Scotch Master" as early as 1733.[20][21][22] A lodge at Temple Bar in London is the earliest such lodge on record. Other lodges include a lodge at Bath in 1735, and the French lodge, St. George de l'Observance No. 49 at Covent Garden in 1736. The references to these few occasions indicate that these were special meetings held for the purpose of performing unusual ceremonies, probably by visiting Freemasons.[23]^: 5 The Copiale cipher, dating from the 1740s[24] says, "The rank of a Scottish master is an entirely new invention..."[25]

A French trader, by the name of Estienne Morin, had been involved in high-degree Masonry in Bordeaux since 1744 and, in 1747, founded an "Écossais" lodge (Scottish Lodge) in the city of Le Cap Français, on the north coast of the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). Over the next decade, high-degree Freemasonry was carried by French men to other cities in the Western hemisphere. The high-degree lodge at Bordeaux warranted or recognized seven Écossais lodges there.

In Paris in the year 1761, a patent was issued to Estienne Morin, dated 27 August, creating him "Grand Inspector for all parts of the New World". This Patent was signed by officials of the Grand Lodge at Paris and appears to have originally granted him power over the craft lodges only, and not over the high, or "Écossais", degree lodges. Later copies of this Patent appear to have been embellished, probably by Morin, to improve his position over the high-degree lodges in the West Indies.[23]^: 31–45

Morin returned to the West Indies in 1762 or 1763, to Saint-Domingue. Based on his new Patent, he assumed powers to constitute lodges of all degrees, spreading the high degrees throughout the West Indies and North America. Morin stayed in Saint-Domingue until 1766, when he moved to Jamaica. At Kingston, Jamaica, in 1770, Morin created a "Grand Chapter" of his new Rite (the Grand Council of Jamaica). Morin died in 1771 and was buried in Kingston.[26]^: 16

Early writers long believed that a "Rite of Perfection" consisting of 25 degrees, (the highest being the "Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret", and being the predecessor of the Scottish Rite), had been formed in Paris by a high-degree council calling itself "The Council of Emperors of the East and West". The title "Rite of Perfection" first appeared in the Preface to the "Grand Constitutions of 1786", the authority for which is now known to be faulty.[23]^: 75–84

It is now generally accepted that this Rite of twenty-five degrees was compiled by Estienne Morin and is more properly called "The Rite of the Royal Secret", or "Morin's Rite".[23]^: 37

However, it was known as "The Order of Prince of the Royal Secret" by the founders of the Scottish Rite, who mentioned it in their "Circular throughout the two Hemispheres"[27] or "Manifesto", issued on December 4, 1802.[28]

Henry Andrew Francken, a naturalized French subject born as Hendrick Andriese Franken of Dutch origin, was most important in assisting Morin in spreading the degrees in the New World. Morin appointed him Deputy Grand Inspector General (DGIG) as one of his first acts after returning to the West Indies. Francken worked closely with Morin and, in 1771, produced a manuscript book giving the rituals for the 15th through the 25th degrees. Francken produced at least four such manuscripts. In addition to the 1771 manuscript, there is a second which can be dated to 1783; a third manuscript, of uncertain date, written in Francken's handwriting, with the rituals 4–25°, which was found in the archives of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Lancashire in Liverpool in approximately 1984; and a fourth, again of uncertain date, with rituals 4–24°, which was known to have been given by H. J. Whymper to the District Grand Lodge of the Punjab and rediscovered about 2010.[29] Additionally, there is a French manuscript dating from 1790 to 1800 which contains the 25 degrees of the Order of the Royal Secret with additional detail, as well as three other Hauts Grades rituals; its literary structure suggests it is derived from a common source as the Francken Manuscripts.[30]

A Loge de Parfaits d' Écosse was formed on 12 April 1764 at New Orleans, becoming the first high-degree lodge on the North American continent. Its life, however, was short, as the Treaty of Paris (1763) ceded New Orleans to Spain, and the Catholic Spanish crown had been historically hostile to Freemasonry. Documented Masonic activity ceased for a time. It did not return to New Orleans until the late 1790s, when French refugees from the revolution in Saint-Domingue settled in the city.[26]^: 16

Francken traveled to New York in 1767 where he granted a Patent, dated 26 December 1767, for the formation of a Lodge of Perfection at Albany, which was called "Ineffable Lodge of Perfection". This marked the first time the Degrees of Perfection (the 4th through the 14th) were conferred in one of the Thirteen British colonies in North America. This Patent, and the early minutes of the Lodge, are extant and are in the archives of Supreme Council, Northern Jurisdiction.[26]^: 16 (The minutes of Ineffable Lodge of Perfection reveal that it ceased activity on December 5, 1774. It was revived by Giles Fonda Yates about 1820 or 1821, and came under authority of the Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction until 1827. That year it was transferred to the Supreme Council, Northern Jurisdiction.)

While in New York City, Francken also communicated the degrees to Moses Michael Hays, a Jewish businessman, and appointed him as a Deputy Inspector General. In 1781, Hays made eight Deputy Inspectors General, four of whom were later important in the establishment of Scottish Rite Freemasonry in South Carolina:

• Isaac Da Costa, Sr., D.I.G. for South Carolina;
• Abraham Forst, D.I.G. for Virginia;
• Joseph M. Myers, D.I.G. for Maryland;
• Barend M. Spitzer, D.I.G. for Georgia.

Da Costa returned to Charleston, South Carolina, where he established the "Sublime Grand Lodge of Perfection" in February 1783. After Da Costa's death in November 1783, Hays appointed Myers as Da Costa's successor. Joined by Forst and Spitzer, Myers created additional high-degree bodies in Charleston.[26]^: 16–17

Physician Hyman Isaac Long from the island of Jamaica, who settled in New York City, went to Charleston in 1796 to appoint eight French men; he had received his authority through Spitzer. These men had arrived as refugees from Saint-Domingue, where the slave revolution was underway that would establish Haiti as an independent republic in 1804. They organized a Consistory of the 25th Degree, or "Princes of the Royal Secret," which Masonic historian Brigadier ACF Jackson says became the first Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite.[23]^: 66–68 According to Fox, by 1801, the Charleston bodies were the only extant bodies of the Rite in North America.[26]^: 16–17

Although most of the thirty-three degrees of the Scottish Rite existed in parts of previous degree systems,[31] the Scottish Rite did not come into being until the formation of the Mother Supreme Council at Charleston, South Carolina, in May 1801 at Shepheard's Tavern at the corner of Broad and Church Streets (the tavern had been the location of the founding of Freemasonry in South Carolina in 1754). The Founding Fathers of the Scottish Rite who attended became known as "The Eleven Gentlemen of Charleston".

• John Mitchell – Received a patent April 2, 1795, from Barend Moses Spitzer granting him authority as Deputy Inspector General to create a Lodge of Perfection and several Councils and Chapters wherever such Lodges or Chapters were needed. Born in Ireland in 1741, he came to America at an early age. He served as Deputy Quartermaster General in the Continental Army and was the first Grand Commander of the Supreme Council.
• Frederick Dalcho – A physician, he served in the Revolutionary Army and was stationed at Fort Johnson. He formed a partnership in 1801 with Dr. Isaac Auld, another of the original members. He was an outstanding orator and author. In 1807 he published the first edition of Ahiman Rezon. He became an editor of the Charleston Courier, was a lay reader and deacon in the Episcopal Church, and in 1818 was ordained as a priest.
• Alexandre Francois Auguste de Grasse, known as Comte de Grasse-Tilly. He was born in France as the eldest legitimate son of François Joseph Paul de Grasse, a French admiral known as a hero of the American Revolution for defeating the British fleet in the Battle of the Chesapeake. He inherited his father's title, and likely had the highest social ranking of the original eleven founders. He was the youngest of the members and was named to become the Grand Commander of the West Indian Islands. After Napoleon came to power, de Grasse returned to France and resumed his military career. He also extended Freemasonry, establishing the Supreme Council of France and councils in other European cities.
• Jean-Baptiste Marie de La Hogue – He was a native of Paris who had lived in Saint-Domingue until the revolution there; father-in-law of de Grasse, he was a founding member of La Candeur Lodge in Charleston.
• Thomas Bartholemew Bowen – Was the first Grand Master of Ceremonies of the new Supreme Council. He was a Major in the Continental Army and a printer by trade.
• Abraham Alexander – Was one of the first Sovereign Grand Inspectors General. He was born in London in 1743 and immigrated to Charleston in 1771. He was a prominent Sephardic Jew and had been described as "a Calligraphist of the first order"; he was elected as the first Grand Secretary General.
• Emanuel de la Motta – A Sovereign Grand Inspector General. Also, a Sephardic Jew, he was by trade a merchant and auctioneer. He was a member of Friendship Lodge and was reported to be devoted to the study of Jewish literature and Masonry.
• Isaac Auld – An eminent physician, associated in medical practice with Dr. Dalcho. He was a strong Congregationalist.
• Israel de Lieben – A Sovereign Grand Inspector General and the first Grand Treasurer General. He was born in Prague and emigrated to the United States at 21. He was known as "the liberal-headed Jew", who was "tolerant in his religious opinions" and was considered to be intelligent, enterprising, liberal and generous.
• Moses Clava Levy – Born in Kraków, Poland, he was a prosperous merchant, was generous and helpful to the unfortunate, and devoted to his adopted city and country.
• James Moultrie – the only native South Carolinian among the original members. He was a physician, and according to Albert Pike, "was one of the foremost Citizens of South Carolina".
• Isaac Da Costa, another Sephardic Jew, was one of the deputies commissioned to establish Morin's Rite of the Royal Secret in other countries; he formed constituent bodies of the Rite in South Carolina in 1783. These are considered to have become in 1801, The Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction. All regular Scottish Rite bodies today derive their heritage from this body.

Subsequently, other Supreme Councils were formed in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) in 1802, in France in 1804, in Italy in 1805, and in Spain in 1811.[32]

On May 1, 1813, an officer from the Supreme Council at Charleston initiated several New York Masons into the Thirty-third Degree and organized a Supreme Council for the "Northern Masonic District and Jurisdiction". On May 21, 1814, this Supreme Council reopened and proceeded to "nominate, elect, appoint, install and proclaim in due, legal and ample form" the elected officers "as forming the second Grand and Supreme Council...". Finally, the charter of this organization (written January 7, 1815) added, “We think the Ratification ought to be dated 21st day May 5815."[33]

Officially, the Supreme Council, 33°, N.M.J. dates itself from May 15, 1867. This was the date of the "Union of 1867", when it merged with the competing Cerneau "Supreme Council" in New York. The current Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States, was thus formed.[34]

The double-headed eagle on the cover of Morals and Dogma.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts on December 29, 1809, Albert Pike is asserted within the Southern Jurisdiction as the man most responsible for the growth and success of the Scottish Rite from an obscure Masonic Rite in the mid-19th century to the international fraternity that it became. Pike received the 4th through the 32nd Degrees in March 1853[35][36] from Albert Mackey, in Charleston, South Carolina, and was appointed Deputy Inspector for Arkansas that same year.

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

In 1857 Pike completed his first revision of the 4°-32° ritual and printed 100 copies. This revision, which Mackey dubbed the "Magnum Opus", was never adopted by the Supreme Council. According to Arturo de Hoyos, 33°, the Scottish Rite's Grand Historian, the Magnum Opus became the basis for future ritual revisions.[37]

In March 1858, Pike was elected a member of the Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, and in January 1859 he became its Grand Commander. The American Civil War interrupted his work on the Scottish Rite rituals. About 1870 he, and the Supreme Council, moved to Washington, DC. In 1884 his revision of the rituals was complete.

Scottish Rite Grand Archivist and Grand Historian de Hoyos[38] created the following chart of Pike's ritual revisions:

Pike also wrote lectures about all the degrees, which were published in 1871 under the title Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.[39]

Inspired by the Solomonic Tradition and centered on the construction of the Temple of Jerusalem, the Scottish Rite closely combines the criterion of duration, as characteristic of the initiatory process, with the criterion of construction, which commits the adept to the path laid out by the Rite. Building oneself in the AASR system is seen as a long process which is accomplished on the path of truth, justice and wisdom.

This long and lengthy process to obtain the degrees can be found within the foundational documents of the AASR, the Constitution and Regulation of 1762,[45] that is present on the altar of every Lodge in the Southern Jurisdiction. The foundational document proscribes the following minimum time allowed to receive the degrees: "All these degrees, into which one can only be initiated in a mysterious number of months, to arrive at each degree in due succession, make the number, in all, of 81 months. [46]

Thus, almost seven years was the minimum allowed time to obtain the 25 degrees, in the foundational document of the AASR.

This is the meaning that Scottish Tradition gives to the building of the Inner Temple, which, from degree to degree, enables the mason to reach an ever-higher level of spirituality. In the philosophy of the AASR the mason must be building and rebuilding himself towards a higher state of being. Each stage, each degree depends on the individual work and the quality of such work. It thus often takes much longer than seven years to obtain the degrees.

The aim of building in successive stages is designed to awaken the mason's consciousness and reveal to us the immanence of the Creative Principle. The different degrees of the Rite do not constitute a hierarchy likely to constrain the freedom of each mason, but a ladder, a scale, that each initiate must climb individually, the objective remaining personal fulfillment. However, to reach a higher level, it is necessary to have first assimilated the previous one.

This is why in most traditional jurisdiction, the practice of the Rite is incompatible with impatience. The only way to assimilate these teachings is over a period of time, which is inextricably linked to impregnation. This initiatory process, which involves a slow progression from one degree to the next, is one of the REAA's distinctive features, setting it apart from other Rites.

In addition to the inseparable criteria of duration and construction by successive stages, there is another criterion that is equally specific to the REAA initiation process: the collective aspect; If the approach is a slow process of personal construction, it is essential not to lose sight of the fact that this personal construction is part of a collective reality of Tradition, vigilance and project.

The process cannot be a solitary, silent quest for self-fulfillment; the collective project must always prevail over individual pretensions in the AASR system.[47]

This motto is probably found for the first time in the patent of February 1, 1802 issued by the brother, Alexandre, Auguste comte De Grasse, marquis de Tilly.[47]

The motto "ordo ab chao" implies the action of a principle of order, the chaos from which each of us comes symbolizing the suffering and disarray of the human spirit that precedes the path to a spiritual life of peace and brotherhood.

It is explained as denoting the mission as Masons is to bring order out of chaos. It becomes a source of hope for those in darkness, who aspire to the Light.

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite is a full Masonic Rite and has its own distinctive versions of the Craft or Blue Lodge rituals which includes the Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason degrees. It is the most practiced Rite in the world thus most Master Masons are made thought the Scottish Rite system with the exception of the United States of America where most Lodges do not work the first three degrees in the Scottish Rite but rather join after the attainment of the third degree in their own systems.

However, some U.S. Lodges do practice the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite blue degrees, and, in recent years, they have grown in number.[48][49][11][50][51][52]

There are 11 lodges in New Orleans (Historically all located in the district 16 they recently approved a new one district 20),[53][54][55][56] 16 in New York City[57] as well as Washington DC, Hawaii[58] and California,[59] that work in the Scottish Rite Craft degrees. Nonetheless, it is worth highlighting that they may not necessarily be using the Rituals of either the Southern or Northern jurisdictions, as they might have their own distinctive Scottish Rite Rituals.

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite blue degrees are more common in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin-American jurisdictions. All lodges in the International Order of Freemasonry for Men & Women, Le Droit Humain, work "seamlessly from the first to the thirty-third degree and practice only the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. These two characteristics define it as an Order and not as an Obedience".[60] Most lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grande Loge de France use these degrees,[61] as do a few of the lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grande Loge Nationale Française. It is also a dominant ritual, out of the other rituals in use, in the Grand Lodge of Spain. There are two Lodges in Australia that practice the AASR Craft degrees, The Zetland Lodge of Australia No. 9 and Lodge France 1021, both of which are under the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.[62]

An hypothesis from Masonic historian Alain Bernheim, Belgian Masonic scholar Pierre Noël hypothesized in a 2002 paper that the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Craft degrees might be derived from a French translation of the Masonic exposé Three Distinct Knocks, issued in London in 1760. But this theory is heavily debated among Masonic Scholars. [63]

In 2000, the Southern Jurisdiction in the United States completed a revision of its ritual scripts. The current ritual is based upon Pike's, but with some differences. Generally, the current titles of the degrees and their arrangement in the Southern Jurisdiction remains substantially unchanged since the time of Pike.

In 2004, the Northern Jurisdiction in the United States rewrote and reorganized its degrees.[64] Further changes have occurred in 2006.[65] During those two revisions, the names of 21 out of the 33 degrees were changed.

The list of degrees for the Supreme Councils of Australia, England and Wales, and most other jurisdictions largely agrees with that of the Southern Jurisdiction of the U.S. However, the list of degrees for the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States is now somewhat different and is given in the table below. The list of degrees of the Supreme Council of Canada reflects a mixture of the two, with some unique titles as well:

In most parts of the world the Scottish Rite is practiced as a full Rite, staring with the Blue Lodge degrees, under the jurisdiction of a Grand Lodge, then becomes an invitation only body for "upper" degrees divided in groups, the candidate must then wait a period of time after being made a Master Mason of three to five years depending on the jurisdiction (sometimes must be past-master), then may be honored with an invitation to the Green Loges (4th-14th), if the brother shows diligence and hard work he may then become invited to the Red Lodges (15th–18th) and receive the degree, again after hard work and dedication he may be invited to the Black Lodges (19th-30th) and received the degrees, then be invited to the white Lodges (31st-33rd). This process takes an average of 25 years to accomplish if the brother is invited to every group and only a very small fraction can make it all the way to 33rd degree. It is worth noting that in the United States of America, the Scottish Rite process is a lot different than the rest of the world and tend to be a lot faster (only a few days or weeks), and the Master Mason can petition to receive the upper degrees,[80] although a new observant movement is developing and the idea of forming an "observant Valley" that would take more time and be more selective is being explored to curb falling membership numbers.[81][82]

The Droit Humain does not make a jurisdictional distinction between Blue degrees to upper degrees and holds an international jurisdiction over its Scottish Rite system.

The complex situation extends to Eastern Europe, including Russia, the Baltic states, and the Balkans, where historical oppression and ongoing challenges have rendered the stability of the Order, particularly the AASR, somewhat precarious. Some of these regions continue to grapple with oppression under new banners, even in contemporary times.

Austria contends with persistent fragmentation within its Freemasonry landscape, hindering a revival of a tradition that once flourished. In Scandinavia, a distinct Masonic tradition prevails, setting it apart from the broader Scottish Rite family.

When Comte de Grasse-Tilly returned to France in 1804, he worked to establish the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite there. He founded the first Supreme Council in France[83] that same year.

The Grand Orient of France signed a treaty of union in December 1804 with the Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree in France; the treaty declared that "the Grand Orient united to itself"[84] the Supreme Council in France. This accord was applied until 1814. Thanks to this treaty, the Grand Orient of France took ownership, as it were, of the Scottish Rite.

From 1805 to 1814, the Grand Orient of France administered the first 18 degrees of the Rite, leaving the Supreme Council of France to administer the last 15. In 1815, five of the leaders of the Supreme Council founded the Suprême Conseil des Rites within the Grand Orient of France. The original Supreme Council of France fell dormant from 1815 to 1821.[85]

The Suprême Conseil des Isles d'Amérique (founded in 1802 by Grasse-Tilly and revived around 1810 by his father-in-law Delahogue, who had also returned from the United States) breathed new life into the Supreme Council for the 33rd Degree in France. They merged into a single organization: the Supreme Council of France. This developed as an independent and sovereign Masonic power. It created symbolic lodges (those composed of the first three degrees, which otherwise would be federated around a Grand Lodge or a Grand Orient).

The Suprême Conseil de France (emerging from the Supreme Council of 1804 and restored in 1821 by the Supreme Council of the Isles d'Amérique founded in 1802 in Saint-Domingue, the modern Haiti) In 1894, the Supreme Council of France created the Grand Lodge of France. It became fully independent in 1904, when the Supreme Council of France ceased chartering new lodges.[86] The Supreme Council of France still considers itself the overseer of all 33 degrees of the Rite. Relations between the two structures remain close, as shown by their organizing two joint meetings a year.

France has two additional Supreme Councils:

• The Suprême Conseil Grand Collège du Rite écossais ancien accepté (emerging from the Supreme Council on 1804 and constituted in 1815), affiliated with the Grand Orient de France.
• The Suprême Conseil pour la France (emerging from the Supreme Council of the Netherlands, constituted in 1965), affiliated with the Grande Loge Nationale Française. In 1964, the Sovereign Grand Commander Charles Riandey, along with 400 to 500 members,[87] left the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council of France and joined the Grande Loge Nationale Française. Because of his resignation and withdrawal of hundreds of members, there was no longer a Supreme Council of France. Riandey then reinitiated the 33 degrees of the rite in Amsterdam.[88] With the support of the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, he founded a new Supreme Council in France, called the Suprême Conseil pour la France.

The distinction between the symbolic degrees (1st-3rd) and the high/side degrees (4th-33rd) has not always been as clearly defined as it is today, especially in France, where symbolic lodges practice the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite from the first degree onward. Nowadays, some of the rituals for certain high degrees still make reference to "prerogatives" dating back to their origins, predating the establishment of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.

In 2004, a noteworthy milestone was achieved when the AASR officially commemorated its establishment in France, marked by the founding of the Supreme Council under the leadership of de Grasse-Tilly. This momentous occasion marked the beginning of a developmental trajectory intricately linked with the activities of Masonic obediences in the country, resulting in a richly diverse and multifaceted network.

The year 2015 witnessed a pivotal commemoration, namely the AASR's historic alignment with the Grand Orient de France (GODF) in 1815. This event provided historians with a valuable opportunity to engage in a comprehensive and scholarly examination of the AASR's evolution in France, tracing its roots back to 1804. International symposiums, notably hosted by the Supreme Council and the Grand College of the REAA-GODF in cities such as Lyon and Paris, featured distinguished speakers who represented both the Southern Jurisdiction and the Supreme Council for France. These symposia were conceived with the overarching objective of transcending partisan debates and fostering a platform for erudite discourse within the Masonic community.

Beyond France, this distinctive pattern is observed in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, where the AASR demonstrates relative vitality, albeit in proportionate terms.

In France and Belgium, depending on the jurisdictions, the degrees typically practiced and initiated include the 4th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 22nd, 26th, 28th, 30th, 31st, 32nd, and 33rd degrees. In some Belgian jurisdictions, initiation into the 5th and 29th degrees are also conducted. Differences in the number of degrees practiced exist from one jurisdiction and country to another. Generally, French jurisdictions practice fewer Areopagus degrees than Belgian jurisdictions and prioritize capitular degrees.

In present day the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite has been growing rapidly in France, which prompted some changes to make it more difficult to be invited, in 2023, the G.N.L.F. changed the requirement from three years as a Master Mason to being a Past-Master to be invited into the Scottish Rite.

Germany, which established its Supreme Council (Oberster Rat für Deutschland) in 1930, faces challenges similar to those encountered in Spain during the process of reconstructing the Order, including the AASR. This challenge is rooted in the aftermath of the Nazi era and the division of the country, including its eastern part, during the era of the German Democratic Republic, which was aligned with the former USSR.

The Ancient and Accepted Rite for Ireland was established in Ireland in 1824 by the Southern Jurisdiction of the USA,[89] following dramatic American expansion.[6] Its Supreme Council operates from the Freemasons' Hall in Dublin,[6] which also serves as the headquarters for the Grand Lodge of Ireland. In Ireland, membership of the Ancient and Accepted Rite is strictly by invitation only.[6] Canvassing for, or requesting, membership results in automatic disqualification.

A number of prominent Irish freemasons have served as Sovereign and Commander of the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Rite for Ireland, including Sir Charles Cameron[90] and Gerald FitzGibbon.[91]

Italy, boasting a lineage of Scottish Jurisdiction dating back to 1805, sustains the dynamism of the AASR, preserving its enduring legacy and growing at a rapid pace.

Portugal, characterized by a robust and unswerving Masonic tradition, navigated the era of Salazar's dictatorship and emerged with a formally divided AASR. However, it remains both active and proficient in facilitating dialogue.

In Spain, where the Masonic Order continues to recover from the challenges posed by the Franco regime and subsequent persecution, the situation of the AASR closely parallels the broader dynamics within Freemasonry. It faces the task of reestablishing its presence while demonstrating a strong commitment to renewal, particularly through active participation in international dialogues.

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite was established in Romania in 1881, a year after the National Grand Lodge of Romania was founded. On 27 December 1922, the Supreme Council of Scottish Rite of Romania, received the recognition of the Supreme Council of France in 1922, and recognition from the Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction of the United States in 1925.

Between 1948 and 1989 all of Romanian Freemasonry, including the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Romania, was banned by the Communist regime.

The Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Romania was reconsecrated in 1993.[92]

The position of the Ancient and Accepted Rite among the Masonic appendant bodies in England and Wales

In England and Wales, whose Supreme Council was warranted by that of the Northern Jurisdiction of the USA (in 1845),[93] the Rite is known colloquially as the "Rose Croix" although this is just one of the degrees. More formally, it is known as "The Ancient and Accepted Rite for England and Wales and its Districts and Chapters Overseas". In England, the adjective "Scottish" is generally left out, although in continental European jurisdictions, they retain the "Écossais".

Position of the AASR among the Allied Degrees of British Le Droit Humain

There are 27,000 members of the Supreme Council out of the 400,000 members of the United Grand Lodge of England.[94] England and Wales are divided into Districts, which administer the Rose Croix Chapters within their District. All candidates for membership must profess the Trinitarian Christian faith and have been Master masons for at least one year.[95]

Many degrees are conferred in name only, and degrees beyond the 18° are conferred only by the Supreme Council itself. In England and Wales, the candidate is perfected in the 18th degree with the preceding degrees awarded in name only. Continuing to the 30th degree is restricted to those who have served in the chair of the Chapter. Degrees beyond the 30th are conferred only upon a very small number of individuals.

In Scotland, the 18th and 30th degree are practiced. A minimum of a two-year interval is required before continuing to the 30th degree, again with the intervening degrees awarded by name only. Elevation beyond that is by invitation only, and numbers are severely restricted.[96]

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite is also practiced from the 1st to the 33rd degree by the British Federation of Le Droit Humain,[97] and from the 1st to the 3rd degree by the all-male lodge The White Swan, No. 1348, of the Grande Loge de France in London, as well as by the mixed lodge Marco Polo of the Gran Loggia d'Italia.

In Canada, whose Supreme Council was warranted in 1874 by that of England and Wales, the Rite is known as Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. The council is called "Supreme Council 33° Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of Canada". Canada's Supreme Council office is located at 4 Queen Street South in Hamilton, Ontario. There are 45 local units or "Valleys" across Canada.[98]

In the United States of America there are three Supreme Councils: one in Washington, D.C. (which controls the Southern Jurisdiction), one in Lexington, Massachusetts (which controls the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction) as well as the Supreme Council of Louisiana.[99] They each have particular characteristics that make them different. In the United States, members of the Scottish Rite can be elected to receive the 33° by the Supreme Council[100] and is conferred on members who have made major contributions to society or to Masonry in general.

US states in the Southern Jurisdiction

Based in Washington, D.C., the Southern Jurisdiction (often referred to as the "Mother Supreme Council of the World")[101] was founded in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1801. It oversees the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in 35 states, which are referred to as Orients, which are divided into regions called Valleys, each containing individual bodies.[102][103][104]

Scottish Rite Cathedral in Indianapolis, Indiana

In the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, the Supreme Council consists of no more than 33 members and is presided over by a Sovereign Grand Commander, and since 2019, Illustrious Brother James D. Cole, 33°.[105] Other members of the Supreme Council are called "Sovereign Grand Inspectors General" (S.G.I.G.), and each is the head of the AASR bodies in his respective Orient (or state). Other heads of the various Orients who are not members of the Supreme Council are called "Deputies of the Supreme Council". The Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction meets every odd year during the month of August at the House of the Temple, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Southern Jurisdiction Headquarters, in Washington, D.C. During this conference, closed meetings between the Grand Commander and the S.G.I.G.s are held, and many members of the fraternity from all over the world attend the open ceremony on the 5th of 6 council meeting days.

In the Southern Jurisdiction, a member who has been a 32° Scottish Rite Mason for 46 months or more is eligible to be elected to receive the "rank and decoration" of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (K.C.C.H.) in recognition of outstanding service. After 46 months as a K.C.C.H. he is then eligible to be elected to the 33rd degree, upon approval of the Supreme Council and Sovereign Grand Commander.[106]

The Lexington, Massachusetts-based Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, formed in 1813, oversees the bodies in fifteen states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Vermont. The Northern Jurisdiction is only divided into Valleys, not Orients.[107] Each Valley has up to four Scottish Rite bodies, and each body confers a set of degrees.

US states in the Northern Jurisdiction

In the Northern Jurisdiction, the Supreme Council consists of no more than 66 members, led by the Sovereign Grand Commander, currently Ill. Walter F. Wheeler, 33°, who was elected to the position in 2023.[108] Those who are elected to membership on the Supreme Council are then designated "Active." In the Northern Jurisdiction all recipients of the 33rd Degree are honorary members of the Supreme Council, and all members are referred to as a "Sovereign Grand Inspectors General." The head of the Rite in each State of the Northern Jurisdiction is called a "Deputy of the Supreme Council." Thus, the highest-ranking Scottish Rite officer in Ohio, is titled, "Deputy for Ohio", and so forth for each state. Additionally, each Deputy has one or more "Actives" to assist him in the administration of the state. Active members of the Supreme Council who have served faithfully for ten years, or reach the age of 75, may be designated "Active, Emeritus". The Northern Jurisdiction Supreme Council meets yearly, in the even years by an executive session, and in the odd years, with the full membership invited. The 33rd Degree is conferred on the odd years at the Annual Meeting.

In the Northern Jurisdiction, there is a 46-month requirement for eligibility to receive the 33rd degree, and while there is a Meritorious Service Award (as well as a Distinguished Service Award), they are not required intermediate steps towards the 33°.

States in which the Supreme Council of Louisiana is present as of 2023.

The Supreme Council of Louisiana was founded in New Orleans in 1839 in the aftermath of the Morgan Affair. During this time, the Northern Jurisdiction consisted of John James Joseph Gourgas and Giles Fonda Yates who were "effectively a Supreme Council of two people."[109] Likewise, the Grand Commander of the Southern Jurisdiction, Moses Holbrook longed to "relinquish his responsibilities as Sovereign Grand Commander"[110] moving to the rural frontier of Florida to serve as a doctor.

It was during this period that the Supreme Council of Louisiana emerged, which claimed its authority via "Cerneauism"[111] – a type of Scottish Rite Masonry[112] without ties to the either the Northern or Southern Jurisdictions.[113] After the Civil War, the Grand Orient of France recognized the Supreme Council of Louisiana.[114]

New Orleans educator and Civil Rights activist George Longe was the head of this council for nearly five decades, from 1938 to 1985. Under his watch the Supreme Council of Louisiana tripled in size and expanded to other states.[115] His papers are held at the Amistad Research Center of Tulane University.[115] As of 2023, the Most Powerful Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of Louisiana is Ill. Bro. Eddie L. Gabriel, Sr. 33°.[116]

The Scottish Rite in the USA, renowned for its intricate degrees and rich symbolism, has in the past fifty years seen a strong decline in its membership in all jurisdictions, prompting the need for change. Historically, the organization boasted a robust and active membership, but in recent decades, it has witnessed a steady and amplifying erosion in its ranks. Several factors have been identified by different Masonic figures that may contribute to this decline.

The declining membership can be partially attributed to changing demographics. Younger generations often show less interest in the social aspects of Freemasonry, instead seeking a more profound, traditional, and esoteric approach. This contrast in preferences sometimes leads to misunderstandings with the older generation, which advocates for making entry "easier," "quicker," or "more affordable." Consequently, new members may become dissatisfied and depart, contributing to the accelerated erosion of membership, especially as the older generation gradually passes away. This hypothesis finds support in the fact that many other international jurisdictions that adopt a deeper, slower, and more exclusive approach to the Scottish Rite are experiencing membership growth.

Recognizing the urgent need for revitalization, the debate is weather to make it more and more easy or going in the opposite direction, which also tends to be a generational debate, were the older generation tends to advocate for an easier and faster way and the new generation tend to be on the opposite side.

Acknowledging the pressing need for rejuvenation, there is an ongoing debate about whether to simplify processes or take a contrary path. This debate often reflects a generational divide, with the older generation leaning towards advocating for a more streamlined and expedited approach, while the younger generation tends to embrace the opposite more observant and traditional stance.

Some Scottish Rite bodies are reassessing the approach of conducting degree work over intensive weekend sessions. Instead, they are considering a shift towards a longer, more contemplative system that allows each degree to be thoroughly explored, fostering a deeper understanding of the symbolism and lessons within. In contrast to the American approach, most growing Scottish Rite bodies worldwide already employ a more observant and leisurely method of conducting degree work. These organizations emphasize the profound meaning behind each degree, offering candidates a more profound and transformative experience.

Mexico plays a significant role as part of this living legacy and stands as one of the primary focal points for the development of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite within the Latin American context. A parallel status in South America is held by Brazil, which is considered the foremost inheritor of what Portugal passed down to it. Brazil has masterfully blended these influences with its own distinctive character, a blend that often results in a profusion of AASR Jurisdictions. This abundance can at times present challenges in navigating the landscape, but it undeniably serves as a testament to the remarkable vitality of the AASR.

This vitality has given rise to the aspiration of Scottish Masons in the region to host a regional AASR conference in Mexico in 2017. The conference aims to include all Scottish Masonic bodies, regardless of their affiliations, with the purpose of exploring avenues for potential convergences that do not erase the unique characteristics of each entity.

Latin America bears a profound imprint of the original essence of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR), and it manifests an exceptionally vibrant expression of liberty that it has fully embraced with its unique spirit.

This diversity extends across a wide range of territories, encompassing regions as varied as Central America from Panama to Guatemala and the countries of the Caribbean, which can be regarded as a regional Scottish cradle. On this continent, the AASR displays a very strong growth and vitality that can be described as almost audacious.

AASR Jurisdictions flourish here and sometimes coalesce into regional bodies. An illustrative example is the Federacion Americana de Supremos Consejos del R.E.A.A. ,headquartered in Colombia but comprising powerful entities of the rite from across the subcontinent.

Countries like Uruguay, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, and particularly Colombia, the nation of Simon Bolivar, are rightfully recognized as strongholds where the AASR took root early and has endured through the vicissitudes and events of history or current affairs.

To the extent that Fidel Castro not only permitted the continuation of Masonic activities but also elevated the national liberator Jose Marti to a revered status. It is worth noting the legendary figure of Salvador Allende, who displayed remarkable courage in adversity when, confronted with Pinochet during the military coup in Chile, he stood firm in upholding the principles he had received, demonstrating unwavering courage.

The entire continent of South America and Central America is has been experiencing a strong growth in membership which prompted some jurisdiction to make it more difficult to be invited into the Scottish Rite upper degrees, as to not grow too fast.

Practices vary from Jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but South and central America remains known for its strong lengthy Scottish Rite system most, that spans from the first to the thirty third degree and only selects a few hard-working members to be invited into its upper degrees. It takes on average 20 to 35 years to go through the degrees depending on the jurisdiction.

In North Africa, Morocco stands out as a model of peaceful and rigorous practice of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR) within a Muslim world often characterized by turmoil. The Alawite monarch, Mohammed VI, a descendant of the Prophet and the Commander of the Faithful, tolerates the activities of Moroccan lodges. These lodges, for the most part, work in the AASR discreetly and with full respect for the customs and beliefs of the country. They thus enjoy relative tranquility, given the potential uncertainties posed by religious fundamentalism. Morocco, along with Lebanon and Turkey, represents a unique exception, as all three deserve recognition as the last bastions in the Islamic world where Freemasonry remains free to operate, even extending the principle of gender equality within its ranks.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the AASR has also established a strong presence. However, it often becomes entwined, sometimes for the better but more often for the worse, with the ruling powers. This situation is not necessarily advantageous for an Order that claims to uphold values frequently violated. It is also a region where Northern Masonic powers tend to impose their dominance and engage in competitions that have left their mark on Masonic Temples, which were originally not intended for such purposes.

• Links to RiteCare Clinics which provide diagnostic evaluation and treatment of speech and language disorders, as well as learning disabilities in the Southern Jurisdiction, USA
• Masonic Learning Centers for Children, Inc. which provide tutoring for children with dyslexia in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction
• Learning Centres for Children in Canada
• Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, a pediatric orthopedic hospital in Dallas, Texas
• Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite