A Brief History of the Scottish Rite Craft Degrees in America.

 

As a past master of Germania Lodge #46 in New Orleans, Louisiana I have had the privilege of receiving my first three craft degrees in masonry in the Scottish Rite form and worked these degrees throughout my Masonic career. At the time of receiving the degrees I did not know how different or special these were from the craft degrees that the majority of masons in America received, I can only express that the degrees conferred were full of meaning and allegory that was recognizable and important to me.

Many, if not most masons in America consider that the Scottish Rite to be a 29 degree ritual, that is, commencing with the 4 th Degree and continuing up through the 32 nd Degree. In fact it is a 33 Degree ritual with an Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason Degree with the 33 rd degree being an honorary Degree only.

Here then, is a brief history of how the Scottish Rite craft degrees still exists within the bounds of our society.

All degree work in the United States of America is based on the Ancient Rite of Perfection with the Scottish Rite degree being only slightly modified from that old degree.

When the Scottish Rite Mother Supreme Council was created in 1801, there was nothing to suggest that they did not want to work the entire 33 degrees. However the Grand Lodge of South Carolina flatly refused the idea of any lodge working any ritual other than the York Rite. Had the Supreme Council not given up their desire to work and control craft lodges, the Scottish Rite in America might not have continued to exist. A political compromise was necessary. They dropped the craft rituals from their work.

The second, third and Fourth Supreme Councils that were created (two in the West Indies and the 1804 Supreme Council of France) did in fact work the complete 33 Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite degrees from their birth. The two West Indies Supreme Councils died early but the Supreme Council of France continued to charter Lodges until the early 1890's. As they chartered lodges, it was inevitable that they would spread to their colonies and areas under their control. Remember that, prior to the Louisiana Purchase, Louisiana was a French possession.

The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite lodge ritual was first worked in Louisiana in 1807 when the Supreme Council in Jamaica, the third oldest Supreme Council, created a lodge in New Orleans. Other lodges followed, chartered by Supreme Councils of the West Indies or France.

Today our senior Scottish Rite Lodge is Etoile Polaire No 1. Etoile Polaire is French for Pole Star. Etoile Polaire was created in 1794 and originally worked the old Rite of Perfection ritual. This later was easily merged into the French language Scottish Rite degrees, as there was very little difference in the rituals.

Strangely, there are two Lodges in LA designated with the No.1. The other is Perfect Union that was organized in 1793 and also worked the old Rite of Perfection ritual, but in English. Perfect Union switched to the English language York Rite when they applied for a charter from the Grand Lodge of South Carolina.

Early Lodges on LA worked a number of different rituals including the:

• Rite of Perfection,
• Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
• French or Modern Rite and
• York (American Webb)

Eventually only three rites remained and in the 1830's the Grand Lodge of LA created a 'Chamber of Rites' to administer these three Rituals. The Grand Lodge also began issuing charters in the three rites and it was at this time that Etoile Polaire applied for a Scottish Rite Charter and became Etoile Polaire Scottish Rite No 1, having before been assigned the No 5.

A Grand Lodge constitutional change in 1850 mandated all lodges to work in the York Rite but concessions were made with the existing Scottish Rite and French Rite lodges allowing them to retain their rituals as the Grand Lodge had already issued charters in these three rites. Eventually the French Rite lodges faded away leaving the two remaining rituals in Louisiana being York and Scottish Rite. When the Grand Lodge began dividing itself into districts, the 10 remaining Scottish Rite lodges were given together as the 16 th district.

The 10 lodges of the 16 th district are also known as the ethnic lodges, being lodges that worked in a language other than English. Work in these lodges was conducted in French, Italian, Spanish or German. Eventually all lodges converted to mostly English which led to an interesting variance of the degree work performed in these lodges due to the differences in translations and traditions within these lodges. Thus, even within the 16 th District, variations of the rite exist.

Germania Lodge Number 46 was chartered in 1844 and worked exclusively in German until 1944. When the work was translated into English, help was given by the other Scottish Rite ethnic lodges and we therefore have a little of other lodges in our work.

As in all things in this world, changes occur and organizations evolve. The degree work conducted in the Scottish Rite craft lodges is more involved and lengthier that the York Rite cousin and is probably closer to the original Rite of Perfection. From that point of view, observing a Scottish Rite craft ritual is a living history lesson, one that teaches that the craft had much to teach us about the improving the human condition three hundred years ago, lessons that still fully apply today.

Ian D Cairns, PM Germania Lodge No.46

With additional material submitted by W.Bro. Michael Poll, PM