Masonic Logos - Updated

Today seems to have been a very interesting day in terms of logos, as Brother M.M.M. over at The North Eastern Corner has also updated his logo. Meanwhile, I was busy updating my high resolution Masonic Logos. There are now .eps versions of each one available for download, and the Knights Templar Cross and Crown logo has been significantly improved.

Enjoy!

AMD: V - Architect.

If you haven't done so yet, read my Introduction to the Allied Masonic Degrees, to which this post is a follow-up.

This degree occurs after the death of Hiram Abiff and requires the candidate to profess his abhorrence of the crime committed against Hiram before being admitted.

It is the first in a series of three degrees, all under the control of AMD, which tell a continuing story about the advancement of skilled craftsmen for the ultimate purpose of completing the Temple.

In this degree the candidate is made an Architect to furnish plans for the second elevation of the Temple and to participate in the construction of the tomb for Grand Master Hiram Abiff.

This degree bears a significant resemblance to the French degree "Petit Architecte" (Junior Architect), which was reprinted in Volume 4 (1995) of Heredom, by the Scottish Rite Research Society. The source from which they received it was an expose published in 1766 entitled "Les Plus Secrets Mysteres des Hauts Grades de la Maconnerie Devoile" [The Most Secret Mysteries of the High Grades of Masonry Unveiled], edited by M. de Berage.

According to Berage's work, this was the Fourth Degree of Masonry, with Perfect Elect Mason, Elect of Perignan, Elect of the Fifteen coming before it. A little research has landed me with this list, which shows that it would have been the Fifth Degree of the "Hauts Grades", not the Fourth or Fifth Degree of Masonry itself. According to Albert G. Mackey's "An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry and its Kindred Sciences" pg. 20, the list of degrees in the now extinct rite of "Adonhiramite Masonry" were as follows:

1. Apprentice
2. Fellow-Craft
3. Master Maon
4. Perfect Master
5. Elect of Nine
6. Elect of Perignan
7. Elect of Fifteen
8. Minor Architect
9. Grand Architect, or Scottish Fellow-Craft
10. Scottish Master
11. Knight of the Sword, Knight of the East, or of the Eagle.
12. Knight of the Rose Croix

There is sometimes a thirteenth degree "Noachite or Prussian Knight" listed with these, but according to Mackey, this is an error because of its being included after Rose Croix in a book from which the list was copied.

I should mention that I got to be the candidate for the AMD version of the Architect Degree when our Council put it on this last year. It was special, and I really feel that it is a worthwhile degree and has a good, consistent feeling that goes along with the other degrees of Masonry.

AMD: IV - Grand Tylers of Solomon

If you haven't done so yet, read my Introduction to the Allied Masonic Degrees, to which this post is a follow-up.

This degree is staged in a subterranean vault. Its meetings are composed of 27 members. It features the number 9, and the drama involves an unwitting intruder's entrance into the vault. This degree teaches us not to make hasty judgments and emphasizes the importance of being properly Tyled (guarded).

All of the traits I just listed are also present in the first half of the Select Master Degree of Cryptic Masonry. Scottish Rite’s 6°, Intimate Secretary, is also very similar. It is possible that one of these degrees was a source of inspiration for the others, or perhaps they were originally the same degree and have drifted apart slowly owing to a long separation of time and distance.

The vault in this degree is called the "Mystic Chamber" and the degree itself was for a while conferred as a Side-Degree by the Scottish Rite, and was then known as the "Select Masons of the 27."

Unlike the Select Master Degree in Cryptic Rite, Grand Tilers of Solomon does not explicitly mention the Nine Arches (however, the number 9 does come up in other contexts), neither does it make any deliberate connections with the story of the Royal Arch Degree. It is my opinion that this degree was the source upon which was grafted the story of "the Deposit of the Word" in order to formulate the Select Master Degree and complete the circle of perfection in Ancient Craft Masonry.

Scottish McRite

Alabama-Free-Mason: Scottish McRite

I just read the above blog article and it is sad to admit it but David is right about this. [ Even if he does belong to some clandestine group that admits women ;) ] Historically, I bet the Rite of Perfection (Scottish Rite's grandaddy rite) was a pretty good system, but it has certainly become a McRite today. I wonder if the younger generation will be able to take back some of these things and make them workable again? Who has the levels of charisma and bravery necessary to do what Albert Pike did in his day, over again today, to fix Scottish Rite? I don't see enough left TO fix... so it certainly isn't me. I would assist in giving it proper burial, however.