A Brief Development Three main functions of the Craft could be: Initiation ceremony (image) Transferring knowledge (and secrets) Integration with your brethren In the early days of 17/18th Centuries, the ritual was simple and related to admission, fellowship and mastery. There was a ceremony, sometimes an oath appeared but a background story usually from the VSL and food and drink to finish.
while others remain with us today. Every Craft mason can choose a path to follow after the MM degree (usually RA is the stepping stone and unfortunately seen as such) or he can remain within the lodge only system only.
Many brethren object to the term ‘higher degree’ and an alternative would be better. Telling a new candidate that he has now attained the most sublime degree (MM) then mention another brother has the 33rd degree, is difficult for a new brother to underDuring the 1720/30s, the MM degree ap- stand. Perhaps using terms such as a propeared and became very popular with the gression of knowledge would be better. speculative type lodges. This really opened the doors to ‘higher’ degrees, today generally There is no right or wrong path, but new known in Scotland as brethren should be side orders or appenassisted as what path dant degrees. to travel. This can really only be done by This Hiramic legend grand bodies producis an apocryphal coning information in tinuation of the Bible one place and not left story, but brethren for potential candimust have thought dates to stumble why stop with just across their order. this legend? Lets continue with say the post Too often candidates will join through friends Babylonian period—Royal Arch. Why stop which is the most straightforward approach, there? The Scottish Master degree appeared but some advice would be more constructive in Europe and was related to the crusading rather than getting a candidate into an order period. This was more of a French flavour which is struggling. who did not like to think they were part of a craft that came from the common workman. To put the cat amongst the pigeons, make it Hence the knightly military aspect appeared truly progressive where the order of degrees for these French aristocrats. is formalized. After all, no one would do their MM before the FC! Over the next 50 years, hundreds of degrees appear—some last only a few yeas and die
Cross Keys October 2021
