manner. I found that the Scottish Rite is not necessarily the upper echelon of Freemasonry, but rather an additional body of knowledge that complements Freemasonry as a whole. So, for the purposes of this paper, we will examine the issue from a military perspective. However, let ’ s begin by going back to the origins of the Scottish Rite. Let ’ s discuss the Order of the Royal Secret. The Order of the Royal Secret was created and promulgated by Stephen Morin. Morin was made a Grand Inspector and issued a patent authorizing him to establish Perfect and Sublime Masonry in the New World. His patent was issued on August 27, 1961, by the Grand and Sovereign Lodge of St. John of Jerusalem in Paris in concert with the Council of Emperors of the East and West, Sovereign Ecossaise Mother Lodge, which was a body of the superior degrees. The Cambridge Dictionary defines “ superior ” as “ higher in rank or position than others ” and “ better than others of the same type. ” The Order of the Royal Secret comprised 25 degrees, divided into seven classes; the 1st to 3rd degrees were the first class. The French regarded these degrees as “ Haut grade ” (high degree) Masonry. Additionally, Albert Pike ’ s Masonic Formulas and Rituals provide a reason as to why the Scottish Rite Masons of the time considered themselves of a superior grade. It states: “ Instead of weeping over the ruin of the temple of Solomon, as their brethren do, the Ecossaises (Scottish Rite) are concerned with rebuilding it. Everyone knows that after seventy years of captivity in Babylon, the Great Cyrus permitted the Israelites to rebuild the temple the City of Jerusalem; that Zerubbabel, of the House of David, was appointed by him [Cyrus] the Chief and leader of the people for their return to the Holy City; that the first stone of the temple was laid during the reign of Cyrus, but that it was not completed until the sixth year of that of Darius, King of the Persians. From this great event, the Ecossaises (Scottish Rite) derived the epoch of their institution. Although they are later than the other Masons by several centuries, they consider themselves of a superior grade. ” From this quote, one may accept that the Scottish Rite Masons of the time felt superior to the other
classes of Masons. However, let ’ s return to the question, “ Is the Scottish Rite the Upper Echelon of Freemasonry? ” From a military standpoint, some may consider it; however, we have to understand the structure and purpose of the military. In this case, we will use the United States military. The term “ echelon ” is defined as: • An arrangement of a body of troops with its units, each somewhat to the left or right of the one in the rear, like a series of steps • Any unit or group acting in a disciplined or organized manner • One of a series of levels or grades in an organization or field of activity • A group of individuals at a particular level or grade in an organization or field of activity
The term echelon relates perfectly to the Camp of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Scottish Rite bodies of various degrees are arranged as encampments on several of the geometrical shapes of the camp. They are stationed in an organized manner. A series of levels and grades exists throughout the Camp to ensure Order. Taking these factors into account, the Camp meets all of the definitions. However, let ’ s explore the Camp further. We begin with the St. Andrews Cross, working outward from the center. In the center of the Cross is the Sovereign of Sovereigns or the Sovereign Grand Commander. He is accompanied by four Marshals positioned on the outer extremities of the cross. In
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