Many people will be surprised to know that there are many different Orders within Freemasonry.

They include the following (and I'm sure there are others):

The Craft
Holy Royal Arch
The Mark
Royal Ark Mariner
The Knight Templar and Knight of Malta
The Ancient and Accepted Rite
The Red Cross of Constantine
The Allied Masonic Degrees
Order of the Secret Monitor
The Operatives
Holy Royal Arch Templar Priest
Royal Order of Scotland
Scottish Rectified Rite
The Rite of Baldwyn
SRIA
Royal Order of Eri

My research strongly indicates that the ceremonies, contained within the Orders,
can be seen as a unified whole. Originally,the Mason would go from Entered Apprentice (within The Craft) to FellowCraft - enter the Mark - progress to Master Mason and eventually become Worshiful Master of his Lodge. Then and only then would he be allowed into Holy Royal Arch. That was the way it was 150 years ago! Now,a Master Mason only has to wait four weeks to go from Craft to Royal Arch, if he so wishes.

The progression would go onto the other York Rites like Royal and Select and then onto the Chivalric Orders like the Knights Templars. Once this was completed the Mason would go onto the Scottish Rite ( Ancient and Accepted). At the top of the Masonic System was the 33 Degree - or was it? Some scholars point to Orders beyond the 33rd - the Eygptian Rite and the Rite of Memphis leading to a 99 degree.

A lot of Masons are unaware of their incredible heritage. For them the journey ends at the third degree, maybe to go onto head of their Craft Lodge. It's not helped that the Orders are now presented as a mishmash of Side Degrees and not as part of a unified whole.

Most people, outside Masonry, talk only of the first three degrees. In truth its only the tip of the iceberg.

Why the ignorance?

I agree with you as well. I was rushed through my degrees, I still did them in long form however. The rush unbeknownst to me was solely to get me ready in time to join the Shrine Club. I have now learned that most of the Masons in my town join the Shrine in very short order and then generally quit attending Lodge altogether. Although I am not a strict ritualist I find it very sad that some of the traditions are being lost. I would have liked to wear my apron as a FC for a bit longer.

Originally posted by KSigMason

In Idaho to be eligible for Worshipful Master you must have a certificate of proficiency and served as a Warden for a year (which also requires a certificate). The Master's certificate requires proficiency in all 3 degree ceremonies, lectures, 3rd degree, 2nd section, opening/closing of a Stated meeting, and take a test over the Code & Digest. I'm pushing legislation right now to require proficiency in all duties of the Master.

I was not aware of any eligibility requirements other than having a proficiency card. We have a large enough lodge that you have to start as a steward in order to be part of the rotation, then of course not be a chucklehead in order to be elected to JW. I just hate to see the ones who after they are raised, they disappear into whatever reason they joined for. (shrine, ?) I don't think you even start to understand things until a year or so into going to lodge regularly.

Originally posted by Circle
Hello Network dude. The Operatives only appear to have lodges in England. They don't seem to feature in the USA; Scotland or Ireland.. They have seven degrees starting with Apprentice; Fellow; Fitter and Marker; Setter and Erector; Intendent; Passed Master and finally Master Mason.The Order was formed in 1913.

Actually, they have a presence in New York City and (I think) Philadelphia. I have several Mason friends who are members. They haven't been there long (perhaps 10 years or so)

I have a set of their rituals which bear a great deal of similarity in places to Speculative Freemasonry but deal more with the symbolism of the Operative trade

Originally posted by Circle


How is it decided what is regular and irregular?

By lineage and tradition.

The Rites of Memphis (97 degrees) and Mitzraim (90 degrees) are considered clandestine for several reasons. To begin with, both Rites plagiarized their first 33 degrees fron another iregular rite, the Cerneau Scotch Rite of 33 degrees. All the degrees above the 33rd in those systems existed in name only, without any ritual. When the Rites were reformed in the United States and incorporated into the Grand College of Rites, they wre stripped down to 33rd degree systems.

Those Rites were generally money-making schemes, selling the non-existent degrees to anyone willing to pay for them. Eventually, the regular Grand Lodges banned those rites for these and other reasons.

Most people, outside Masonry, talk only of the first three degrees.

From my experience, most seem to focus on the 33rd degree, as if it were the pinnacle of Freemasonry. In reality, the Masonic system of three degrees contains the fundamentals of Masonry. Other Masonic degrees and rites expand upon the first three degrees, but do not replace their original authority.

The Faulks / Cooper book says that Cagliostro claimed Masonry was incomplete without the Eygptian Rite. That his Rite deserved to be included in Regular Freemasonry because of its lineage. That kind of ties in with my original post about the need for Freemasonry to be a unified system of enlightenment. Is Cagliostro right to make these claims? Are the College of Rites correct to restrict access to the Rites? Why should a "regular mason" be threatened with expulsion for looking into the Eygptian Rites (except if he goes through the College)?