Some Other Orders of Masonry

All forms of Freemasonry take as their basis, the teaching of the relationship one has to his God, his neighbour, to his family, and an understanding of himself.

Freemasonry has existed for hundreds of years, and throughout the world there are millions of men who find the fraternity of Freemasonry conducive to a development of their responsibilities to the society in which they live.

|| Royal and Select Masters  || ||  Order of Allied Masonic Degrees  ||  || Royal Order of Scotland   || 

|| Rose Croix  ||  || Knights Templar   || || Red Cross of Constantine || || Quit ||

Rose Croix
Royal and Select Masters

The Cryptic Degrees

There are four degrees in the "Cryptic series" which are worked in Councils under the jurisdiction of the Grand Council of the Order of Royal and Select Masters.

The Cryptic Rite was introduced into England in the 1870s. Whilst part of the ceremonies had been worked in the North of England in the 18th / 19th Centuries the complete rite as a sovereign body existed only in the USA and formed part of the "York" or American rite.

The first Book of Constitutions was published in 1874 although it was not until 1930 that the regalia was standardised.

The Cryptic degrees can be said to fill part of the void in the progression between the Craft ceremonies and the Royal Arch ceremonies. The four degrees worked are the Select Master, the Royal Master, the Most Excellent Master, and the Super Excellent Master.

To many members of Royal and Select Masters, the ceremony of the Royal Master includes one of the most impressive pieces of ritual, undertaken by the Principal Conductor of the Work, surpassing even that of Principal Sojourner in the Royal Arch.

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Logo Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees

The Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees was created in the late 1870's to give some cohesion to the various degrees that had originally been granted by the "Antients". The object of the original Constitutions as contained in Rule 1 was stated in the following terms: "In view of the rapid increase in Lodges of various Orders recognising no central authority and acknowledging no common form of government, a ruling body has been formed to take under its direction all Lodges of such various Orders in England and Wales and in the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown"

Between 1870 and 1931 there was much discussion as to which Orders fell under this new body, in particular Grand Council obtained control of a large group of Knight Templar Priest Degrees and also the Secret Monitor Degree from America. In 1923, following the formation of the Grand College of England of Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests, Grand Council disclaimed all interest in such degrees; and after protracted discussions with the Grand Council of the Order of the Secret Monitor a treaty was signed in 1931 agreeing to cease the practice of the Secret Monitor degree under Grand Council jurisdiction.

By 1924 the following degrees were being worked under Grand Council. St Lawrence the Martyr; Knight of Constantinople; Grand Tilers of Solomon; The Red Cross of Babylon; The Holy Order of the Grand High Priest and The Secret Monitor. It is the first five degrees on that list which are still being worked in Allied councils today.

Every Candidate must be a Mark Master Mason and a Companion of The Holy Royal Arch (Constitutions 1958) as the degrees worked today encompass and complete some of the explanations relating to those Degrees. A Candidate must first be admitted to the Degree of St Lawrence the Martyr, but the other four degrees may be conferred in any order and in any Council. Regalia today consists only of a Breast Jewel apertaining to the relevant degree.

Information regarding candidature for this Order may be obtained from the respective Council Secretaries.

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Logo ROYAL ORDER OF SCOTLAND

The Royal Order comprises two Degrees, the degree of Heredom of Kilwinning and that of the Rosy Cross. The word "Heredom" has been variously interpreted, but the most obvious derivation is from the Hebrew word "Harodim", meaning "The Rulers", and the name of Kilwinning refers to the re-establishment of the Order by King Robert the Bruce at Kilwinning, where he presided as its first Grand Master.

The Degree of Heredom of Kilwinning is an interesting Degree which explains much of the symbolism and teaching contained in the first three Degrees of Craft (or St. John's) Masonry.

The Rosy Cross Degree, is said to have taken its origin on the field of Bannockburn, on Summer St.John's Day 1314, and was instituted by King Robert the Bruce, who having in the course of the battle for Scottish independence, received assistance from a body of sixty-three knights. He conferred upon them as a reward for their services the civil rank of Knighthood. Each received a characteristic considered descriptive of his performance at Bannockburn.

By the Constitution of the Royal Order, the King of Scots is its hereditary Grand Master, for whom at every meeting of the Order, wherever held, a vacant chair or throne must be placed at the right hand of the presiding officer. The acting head of the Order is the Deputy Grand Master and Governor, who appoints a Deputy Governor.

The ceremonies of the Degrees are peculiarly interesting, being different from those of other Degrees of Freemasonry. Part of the Ritual is rendered in irregular rhyming form. The original French manuscript of the Ritual, rendered in that language, is in the possession of the Grand Lodge of the Order in Edinburgh.

From France the Order seems to have been taken up in England, where it flourished for a few years, probably from 1741 to 1750, and on 22nd July of that year the Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of Scotland was re-constituted in Edinburgh, where it has ever since had its headquarters.

Originally, membership in the Order was limited to Scotsmen or those of Scottish descent, but latter the privilege was extended to Master Masons of other nationalities. The Order has now, besides Provincial Grand Lodges in Scotland and in England, Provincial Grand Lodges all over the world, including the United States of America.

Most Provincial Grand Lodges restrict membership to Brethren who are already members of other Masonic orders, and membership is gained by invitation only.

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Rose Croix The Ancient and Accepted Rite


The Ancient and Accepted Rite is believed to have originated in France in the late eighteenth century. It was worked in the USA where a Supreme Council was formed in 1801.

The Supreme Council for England and Wales was established in 1845 under a patent from the Supreme Council of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America.

Throughout England and Wales and certain Districts and Chapters Overseas the Order is governed by the Supreme Council 33º whose headquarters are located at No.10 Duke Street, St. James' London.

The Ceremonies comprise 33 Degrees entirely separate and distinct from any other Order. The three Craft Degrees are accepted as equivalent to the first 3 Degrees of this Rite.

The 4º to 17º Degrees are given by name only, prior to the detailed and beautiful 18º Degree ceremony. This is the only degree permitted to be worked in a private Rose Croix Chapter.

Degrees above the 18º are awarded on merit after a brother has passed the Chair of his Chapter and are undertaken at the headquarters in London.

'Rose Croix' is a Christian Order of Masonry which amplify the teachings of Craft Masonry within a Christian context. For this reason candidates must profess the Trinitarian Christian Faith and are required, prior to any formal consideration of their candidature, to sign a declaration to this effect.

The Regalia for the l8th degree is both simple and spectacular and comprises a rose pink edged collar with gold braid embroidered with various symbols in gold braid. A jewel is appended to the collar. From time to time you will see Rose Croix aprons, but these are no longer worn in most private Chapters, the cost of these very ornate aprons being the prime reason for their discontinuance.

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K.T. Knights Templar and

Knights Templar Priests  K.T.

Knights Templar PriestsTraces of the Masonic Knights-Templar rites were first found in England in the 1760s, and in many cases appear to have been worked in Royal Arch Chapters. Despite the insertion of the words "including the degrees of orders of chivalry" in the Act of Union of the two Grand Lodges in 1812, the Knights Templar ceremonies appeared to cease operations until the end of the eighteenth century when attempts to build a Convent General incorporation England Ireland and Scotland ceased. Each of the Sovereign bodies reverted to independence and as far as England is concerned, the order is controlled by the Grand Priory of England. The full title of the order is "The United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St.John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta, in England and Wales and Provinces Overseas".

The Ceremonies are (1) Knight of the Temple (Knight Templar), (2a) Knight of St.Paul or Mediterranean Pass, (2b) Knight of Malta. The Knights Templar Preceptory will also be allowed to hold a Priory of the Knights of Malta, which conducts the latter ceremonies. The entry requirements are: Craft Master Mason, Royal Arch Mason, and a belief in the Trinitarian faith. The St.Helier Preceptory was formed in 1936.

The Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests (usually referred to as KTP) was in its early days under the control of the Allied Masonic Degrees. The Grand College was formed in Newcastle in 1923 and the order has seen steady growth since that time. The St.Helier Tabernacle was formed in 1989.

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  Red Cross of Constantine

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