Freemason 32nd Degree Ritual

Originally posted by TgSoe
Once a man goes the Scottish Rite Does he meet in a different place than that of the Blue Lodge or is he just toating around all those degrees on his belt, while continuing to meet in the Blue Lodge? I know the Shriners have a seperate meeting but am not sure about the scottish Rite or york Rite for that matter. I was thinking I will one day travel by way of the Scottish Rite but have not made up my mind yet.

The Scottish Rite generally meets nearer larger towns or cities. Their meeting places (called "Valleys") are fewer and farther between than the Symbolic Lodges (which were in nearly every community at one time) Missouri for example has only 4 Scottish Rite Valleys in the whole state. I have to drive to St Louis (2 hours) for my meetings. They meet twice a month (some places only once) and business is conducted in the 14th Degree (that should set Necros off) Twice a year or so a "reunion" is held and the degrees of the Rite conferred, usually upon a class of anywhere from a dozen to 100+. Consequently it takes a lot of study to really get a lot out of the Scottish Rite, but if one is willing to put that time in, it's a beautiful system of degrees that build upon the teachings of the Symbolic or "Blue" Lodge.

Many areas have "Scottish Rite Clubs" which meet monthy or so and conduct a business meeting, have dinner, etc. much like Shrine Clubs meet since Shrine Temples (how I despise the word "Centers") are also few and far between.

Feel free to U2U me if you'd like to know more about Scottish Rite. I truly love it.

Regards

In Scotland it can take 30 years before you are invited to receive the 18th degree.I have been a Freemason for almost 16 years.In Scotland and the UK this order is a Christian one. In the USA and Canada the Red Cross of Constantine is an order which can take many years to join.The point of the post is Freemasons value degrees/grades in different ways. I may in time be invited to the A and A rite.If that invitation does not come I have plent of other Masoni orders to spend my time in.

Brother Gerard

[edit on 19-3-2005 by Gerard]

Originally posted by senrak

Originally posted by TgSoe
Once a man goes the Scottish Rite Does he meet in a different place than that of the Blue Lodge or is he just toating around all those degrees on his belt, while continuing to meet in the Blue Lodge? I know the Shriners have a seperate meeting but am not sure about the scottish Rite or york Rite for that matter. I was thinking I will one day travel by way of the Scottish Rite but have not made up my mind yet.

The Scottish Rite generally meets nearer larger towns or cities. Their meeting places (called "Valleys") are fewer and farther between than the Symbolic Lodges (which were in nearly every community at one time) Missouri for example has only 4 Scottish Rite Valleys in the whole state. I have to drive to St Louis (2 hours) for my meetings.

Wow! That's a long way to travel for the meetings, it must be well worth the drive. There is a Valley about an hours drive from me in Macon GA. I didn't know if once you get your degrees whether you had regular meetings or not.

I don't know that I will ever join the shrine right now I have no plans to. I am enjoying learning the catechisms of the Blue degrees of which now I am working on my 3rd. Its good excersize for the brain as well, so far I absolutely love it. I like being able to wear my new Masonic ring proudly and I always make sure I drink my coffee with my right hand so people will see it. LOL It sure makes one drink a lot of coffee though

They meet twice a month (some places only once) and business is conducted in the 14th Degree

So the Lodge is opened up on the 14th degree eh? Let me ask you this, how long should one wait before he petitions a Scottish Rite Lodge?

Originally posted by Gerard
In Scotland it can take 30 years before you are invited to receive the 18th degree.I have been a Freemason for almost 16 years.In Scotland and the UK this order is a Christian one. In the USA and Canada the Red Cross of Constantine is an order which can take many years to join.The point of the post is Freemasons value degrees/grades in different ways. I may in time be invited to the A and A rite.If that invitation does not come I have plent of other Masoni orders to spend my time in.

Brother Gerard

Its interesting that it takes one longer in other countries, it almost makes you wonder if America has cheapened it a bit, in America people are probably put in positins way before they are ready. I can see where they rush you thru, we could have spent a year learning the first 3 degrees or 3 years for that matter, if they broke it down and really taught what all that info means.


Here everybody wants to quit after he has been a worshipful master. They even have a name for it - The curse of the Worshipful Master, Is it also like that in Scottland?

Wow, I am amazed no one(in Masonry)has thought of Masonry like an Intellligence Organization that NO ONE ever really retires from. In fact, you can think of Confession as the first acts of intelligence gathering, but thats in the Church...

So after you are Grand Master, you are free to distance yourself if necessary, while still enjoying all the privileges a past Master enjoys.

Originally posted by TgSoe
So the Lodge is opened up on the 14th degree eh? Let me ask you this, how long should one wait before he petitions a Scottish Rite Lodge?

TgSoe,

I'd give the Symbolic (Blue) Lodge some time before jumping into York or Scottish Rite and especially before joining the Shrine, if you decide to do that. There's a world of fabulous things about the Lodge that need to be understood and put to practice before loading yourself down with more. Plenty of time for the others. I jumped in WAY too quickly (within a few months I joined the York Rite, then less than a year later the Scottish) I'd work at least a year or two before doing either if I had it to do over.

The degrees (of both rites) are very impressive and nice, though.

Shrine work is fun and for an excellent cause. The Ceremonial itself is pretty nicely done and most of the Temples have cut out a lot of the silly horse-play. The real purpose of the Shrine is to support our Shriner's Childrens Hospitals and Burn Centers. THAT'S Masonry in action!

Regards

Originally posted by akilles
Wow, I am amazed no one(in Masonry)has thought of Masonry like an Intellligence Organization that NO ONE ever really retires from. In fact, you can think of Confession as the first acts of intelligence gathering, but thats in the Church...

So after you are Grand Master, you are free to distance yourself if necessary, while still enjoying all the privileges a past Master enjoys.

The "Master" presides over a local "subordinate" Lodge. A "Grand Master" presides over the State (or in other countries National) "Grand Lodge" In any U.S. State there are as many "Masters" each year as there are active Lodges, but only one "Grand Master"

I have no idea what your bizarre reference to what USED to be called "confession" (the Church generally calls it "reconciliation" in these modern days...) has to do w/ anything. Any Mason can quit at ANY time. It's called "demitting" or he can even be expelled.

Akilies,
There really isn't any way a secret society could actually allow you to REALLY leave.
If it was a case of hand in a demission and walk away, then you would be free to talk openly about the cult afterwards.

I've met 2 ex-Masons on this board and they can only do these things because of the anonymity of the Internet.
One in particular (GadFly) really cleared up a lot of the holes in my knowledge of Freemasonry.

[edit on 20-3-2005 by MrNECROS]

Originally posted by MrNECROS
Akilies,
There really isn't any way a secret society could actually allow you to REALLY leave.
If it was a case of hand in a demission and walk away, then you would be free to talk openly about the cult afterwards.

I've met 2 ex-Masons on this board and they can only do these things because of the anonymity of the Internet.
One in particular (GadFly) really cleared up a lot of the holes in my knowledge of Freemasonry.

[edit on 20-3-2005 by MrNECROS]

Honorable men, who for whatever reason, have decided to leave Freemasonry have taken an obligation upon the Volume of Sacred Law (in the U.S.A. that's generally The Holy Bible) NOT to tell any of the so-called secrets (you know, the ones you can find ALL over the internet, in books, etc. etc.) So Honorable men generally don't discuss such things EVEN AFTER they've left.

Dishonorable men (GadFly) do not take such obligations seriously. It's because of people like him that the so-called expose's of Masonry (and many other fraternal societies) exist.

I have a dear friend who left because he simply didn't have the time to contribute. He still comes out to the Masonic coffee club every thursday morning and had breakfast with us.

....ya' sure gotta' watch those cult members....they're capable of anything

Gadfly is as big of a JOKE as you are Mr. Necros! Figures that you two like to Spew Non-Sense Drivel Together!

Senrak, you are so far gone you don't seem to understand the oxymoron of what you have just posted - You have to swear an oath of silence in order to leave the Masons, how the heck could that make sense to any sane individual?

Swearing an oath to LEAVE a society?

So what happens if you break that oath?

...this is a rhetorical question please don't bore me with your mind numbing mantras of BS...please.

Originally posted by MrNECROS
Senrak, you are so far gone you don't seem to understand the oxymoron of what you have just posted - You have to swear an oath of silence in order to leave the Masons,

Nope. Just write a letter to the Secretary asking for a demit, and if you're in good standing (dues paid-up) the Lodge will vote to issue it and shazaam! You're out! No oath, no swearing....simple as that.

Swearing an oath to LEAVE a society?

See above. You take an obligation to keep the secrets when you JOIN, not when/if you LEAVE. I said men of honor who leave for whatever reason, still keep the obligation. Men with NO honor, don't.

So what happens if you break that oath?

Nothing. There are plenty out there who have. Many of them put up anti-Masonic websites for thinking people to laugh at. Otherwise...they just go on about their business and the Masons do too.

...this is a rhetorical question please don't bore me with your mind numbing mantras of BS...please.

aw...now you've hurt my feelings Necros. I don't know HOW I'll ever make it through the day if you don't apologize for that one.

Originally posted by TgSoe
Once a man goes the Scottish Rite Does he meet in a different place than that of the Blue Lodge?

Most large cities have Scottish Rite Temples, where the Scottish Rite organizations meet. However, in smaller cities, it is also common for Scottish Rite organizations to pay rent to Blue Lodges, who allow them to meet there.

Scottish Rite organizations generally meet once per month to transact business, similar to the other Masonic organizations.

Originally posted by MrNECROS

There really isn't any way a secret society could actually allow you to REALLY leave.

Maybe, but if it's a secret society, we really don't know anything about them, and every comment is hypothetical. Surely you're not implying that Masonic Lodges, who are in the phone book, are these types of "secret societies"?

I've met 2 ex-Masons on this board and they can only do these things because of the anonymity of the Internet.
One in particular (GadFly) really cleared up a lot of the holes in my knowledge of Freemasonry.

Gadfly is not an "ex-Mason", nor did he claim to be one. He even went as far as to state that he really didn't care anything about the subject anyway, but simply enjoyed getting people roused up.

The only "ex-Mason" on the forum thast I'm aware of is Chief Counsellor, who decided to go with KofC instead.

[edit on 20-3-2005 by MrNECROS]

So that Zoroaster, he used to wear a White Robe, am I correct?

And all those around him would show their spiritual inferiority by wearing black, am I right?

My knowledge is NOT spotty on Zoroastrianism, so please, feel free to share the knowledge of Z that the 32 degree provided.

Originally posted by akilles
So that Zoroaster, he used to wear a White Robe, am I correct?

No one knows what Zoroaster wore, dude. As an ascetic, he probably wore rags like the Buddha.

And all those around him would show their spiritual inferiority by wearing black, am I right?

No. The Zend Avesta doesn't give any clothing laws.

My knowledge is NOT spotty on Zoroastrianism,

Really?

so please, feel free to share the knowledge of Z that the 32 degree provided.

I've said this before, but apparently it needs repeating. When Pike rewrote the Scottish Rite degrees, he did so with the intent of tracing the evolution of two things: moral philosophy and religious dogma. This is why titled the collection of degree lectures "Morals and Dogma".

Pike used his new 32° ritual as a method of communicating his idea of what Dr. Rex Hutchens, 33°, G.C., calls "Pike's Unity Concept". Pike believed that all true religion and moral philosophy originated in one place, and that it was eventually corrupted through innovation, the passage of time, and historical changes changes in culture.

Pike believed that the ancient Aryans, who populated the area along the Ganges, wrere the first monotheists, and possessed the first pure moral doctrine. He charges the other early nations with being polytheists and practitioners of blood sacrifice (even the later Hebrews practiced animal sacrifice, and these rites were written into their Levitical codes).

The religion of the Aryans eventually evolved into both Hinduism and Zoroastrianism, and later into Buddhism. The ritual of the 32° is based on these historical incidences.

Here everybody wants to quit after he has been a worshipful master. They even have a name for it - The curse of the Worshipful Master, Is it also like that in Scottland?

In Scotland there are some Masons who never take any more degrees/grades than the e degrees, Mark and the ceremony of Installed Master. There are some Masons who only visit the Royal Arch degrees. There are some Masons who prefer the KT and son on. I like all the degrees and grades. I like the Cryptic degrees of the Royal Arch and the Red Cross of Constantine.

regards

Bro Gerard

Originally posted by Gerard
In Scotland there are some Masons who never take any more degrees/grades than the e degrees, Mark and the ceremony of Installed Master. There are some Masons who only visit the Royal Arch degrees. There are some Masons who prefer the KT and son on. I like all the degrees and grades. I like the Cryptic degrees of the Royal Arch and the Red Cross of Constantine.

I've been getting ready to petition for the Chapter (Royal Arch) Degrees here. I want to go through those before I join the Scottish Rite. I really like the idea of the Arch degrees, and the way they elaborate on the Hiramic legend.

So he believed God came down and gave the knowledge to one group of people, at one time, as evidenced here:
"all true religion and moral philosophy originated in one place"

People need to bear in mind, NATIVE CULTURES had CHIEFS! No, not Chief.

As in Big Chief Indian, as we can readily recall from memory, but they had MANY individuals who helped make decisions, and gave advice to their tribe. This is equal to polytheism, if the people saw their most pure leaders as elements of God.

So you can see, ONE LEADER is purely, entirely a white man's concept. This leads to every white man thinking he's the ONE! Which he is, he's just not alone, as the Blind Creator teaches.

Originally posted by sebatwerk

Originally posted by Gerard
In Scotland there are some Masons who never take any more degrees/grades than the e degrees, Mark and the ceremony of Installed Master. There are some Masons who only visit the Royal Arch degrees. There are some Masons who prefer the KT and son on. I like all the degrees and grades. I like the Cryptic degrees of the Royal Arch and the Red Cross of Constantine.

I've been getting ready to petition for the Chapter (Royal Arch) Degrees here. I want to go through those before I join the Scottish Rite. I really like the idea of the Arch degrees, and the way they elaborate on the Hiramic legend.

Hey I remember them saying in the 3rd degree ritual that the word of Master Mason was lost because Hiram Abif died. I looked that degree up at the Lodge Room and it said in this degree it is found. This degree must obviously be the next logical direction for me in my Masonic endeauvers.