Scottish Rite

How Charity leads to Peace

January 8, 2019

Throughout life you have heard the scripture of Luke 2:14 repeated, especially at Christmas time. It reads: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” As that this message is reaching you at the beginning of a new year, I would like to suggest an understanding of this scripture that suggests why it should be on your heart constantly, and might be of further benefit to each of us, even to help us in our efforts to live by the Scottish Rite Creed.

The message of Luke 2:14 seems clear cut – the birth of the Messiah, something we should praise the Divine for the gift of, will bring peace to the earth and spread good will among men, or mankind. This message is, undoubtably, critical to the whole human race. However, we can perhaps take away another message if we consider the original Greek it was written in. Those words were “ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας” and, by today’s understanding of language translation, means “on earth peace to men of good will”. This passage, taken alone, would seem to suggest that the peace to be felt will only be experienced by persons of good will.

This “good will”, synonymous with compassion, kindness, benevolence, and charity, ought to speak to every Freemason and ought to reinforce not just the charitable nature of Christianity, but also answer a time-old philosophical question: How do I find happiness?

I’d like you to imagine happiness. Feel it. Is it not a sense of satisfaction, a sense that all is right, a sense of… peace? Throughout the scriptures, more especially with the New Law or Law of Love, we can consistently see the importance, for better or worse, of actions we perform for, or on, others. And, similarly, when others perform acts of kindness on us. Perhaps the meaning in the scripture, as translated in the KJV, is to say that through the teachings of Christ mankind can achieve peace. Deeper still, these lessons are teaching us about the death of the ego – another lesson we ought to be taking away from our various Masonic degrees, especially in the Scottish Rite.

What does all this mean for you? It means that if you want to find peace, true happiness in your life, you can only do so by being more concerned for others than yourself. You will have to practice good will to your fellowmen. This good will does not have to be monetary or extreme. Open a door for someone, offer to help a Brother with whatever project he is involved in, visit the sick. There are simply so many ways to practice good will.

Now, then, is this peace something you only want to feel for a few weeks a year – or through your whole life? And, now that you know, what will you do about it?

By Jared F. Stanley, 32°, Wise Master, Chapter Rose Croix

Originally Published in the Jan-Mar 2019 Meridian Valley Scottish Rite Bodies Newsletter

Master Craftsman Certification

August 3, 2018

Scottish Rite Master Craftsman Medal — The Scottish Rite Master Craftsman Philosophy Medal, with one device attached.

I have yet to meet a man who joined Freemasonry who isn’t in the Fraternity, in part, because of the fellowship involved. Said plainly, the majority of us like to “hang out with the guys.” However, Freemasonry is so, so, much more. Being around good men can certainly have an affect on you and enable you to better yourself, but learning the lessons of the philosophy of Freemasonry will go much further.

When I joined Freemasonry I envisioned a room of men pondering the finer points of life, but that is not what I found. I found men who were good, even great, and fun to be around, though they took the ritual work of Freemasonry with the utmost discretion and dignity. Some of these men know a good deal about the lessons Freemasonry endeavors to inculcate in its members, but the majority don’t know anything beyond what is printed in our ritual monitor, known locally as the Blue Lodge Text Book.

When I leaned about the Scottish Rite Master Craftsman Program (SRMC), I instantly signed up for the first course they had at the time, History & Ritual, the prerequisite course for Philosophy. Having now completed both of those I am returning to the newest course, now billed as the first course, called Esoterika. It takes a lot of time to complete this learning, and the overall cost is low ($165 total for all 3 courses, but paid individually per course, ranging from $40-$65 per). Buying the books alone, without the tests, costs $227.95 (That’s Esoterika, Morals & Dogma, Monitor & Guide, and A Bridge to Light), so you can see the value in ordering the program and not just buying the books!

There are no time limits! I myself took a hiatus during the History & Ritual portion, with several months in between a few of the quizzes – but it was never a problem – you can just pick up and keep going whenever you are ready. Self-paced is more than an apt term for this program. Indeed, they’ll encourage you to take a lot of time, and that the courses were developed with the intent to require you to take a lot of time – which enables you to soak in more of the lessons.

After all, are we not told that we are to “study the legend carefully and learn, if you can, its symbolic and allegorical meanings.”?

At the August business meeting of the Valley of Meridian in the Orient of Mississippi, I received my medal for completing the Philosophy course. With it comes two devices or pips that are Teutonic or Potent Crosses. The devices signify your completion of the other 2 courses. Of course, if you complete all 3 courses in their current order, by the time you get this medal you will have completed the other two courses – so you would pin these devices on your medal to signify that. Since I still have 1 more course to go, I only installed one of the pips.

Whether you are a Freemason or not, you can take these courses. And, whether you are in the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite in the USA or not, I know you’ll find value in these courses. I hope you consider taking them and then spreading the knowledge you gain to others, and inform them where you learned it, so they might take the course as well!

I very much appreciate the Supreme Council for this course, and for leaders such as the Supreme Grand Commander, the Grand Archivist, the Editor for the Scottish Rite Journal, the Director of Member Services, Grand Cross Recipients, and many other staff members who took the time to review and grade my tests. It is a great lesson to see these busy men taking the time to review and grade tests from members and not just leave the task to an employee who might not even be a Freemason. Thank you, Brethren.

Always, always, keep seeking more light!

Freemasonry, Patriotism, and Despotism

June 27, 2018

Patriotism is continually on the mind of the Scottish Rite Freemason, but perhaps more especially so at this time of the year. One place to find lessons about patriotism within the Rite is the 30th Degree, Knight Kadosh, or Knight of the White and Black Eagle.

You will remember that in this degree, the candidate must make certain professions, one of which states his beliefs regarding political matters. The candidate is prompted to proclaim that he believes “In being a loyal and peaceable citizen and in government by the consent of the governed, with equal treatment for all.”¹ This statement clearly brings to mind the very foundations of our own republic here in the United States of America.

During this degree the candidate is informed that, “You know that we only admit among us those persons whose integrity, whose unsullied reputation, whose unimpeachable honesty, and whose honor lift them above the mass of mankind. Their courage, zeal, and fidelity make it impossible to doubt or distrust them. Free of prejudices and improper influences, they are prepared to labor in the great work of the Knights Kadosh. Many, my Brother, are called, but few are chosen. Many faint on the way, and many wander from it and are lost.”¹

Are you ensuring that you do not wander, or faint, but can be among the few that are chosen? How is a Scottish Rite Freemason supposed to accomplish these things?

In the work, little, if anything, is left to the imagination in this regard. We are told that Knights Kadosh labor “to war against oppression, injustice, and usurpation. We labor to free men from their own ignorance, prejudice and error. These vices lead to the bondage of despotism and enslavement.”¹ To accomplish this, the Knight must have attained true manhood. “He is free from childish notions, capable of distinguishing the Truth, and is man enough to follow it. His empire is over himself. He has overcome the fear of death and sacrificed his weaknesses and passions on the alter of Masonry.”¹

Yet, in true Masonic fashion, we are humbled by being reminded that we must appeal and defer to Deity. We do so through the motto Nekam Adonai, which we are taught means, “Vengeance is Thine, O Lord. Thou will repay.”¹ As such, it is indeed our duty to labor, but the motive of vengeance is not suitable for a Knight Kadosh.

At the birth of our nation, and before the Scottish Rite came to our shores, Benjamin Franklin, PGM of Pennsylvania, addressed the Constitutional Convention with these words: “I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other.”²

This despotism is what we are working to avoid, by freeing men from their own ignorance, prejudice and error.

As such, we are best to follow the advice of our first President, and PM, George Washington, wherein he admonished, “I shall expect you will confine yourself to your studies; and diligently attend to them; endeavouring to make yourself master of whatever is recommended to, or required of you.”³

By Jared F. Stanley, 32°

Originally Published in the July-Sept 2018 Meridian Valley Scottish Rite Bodies Newsletter

1 Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide, p742-755
2 Benjamin Franklin’s Speech at the Constitutional Convention, http://www.benjamin-franklin-history.org/constitutional-convention/
3 Letter to Parke Custis, January 7, 1798

A Progressive Science

July 11, 2017

In an effort to describe Freemasonry to the uninitiated one common phrase, or some variant thereof, that has been used is that “Freemasonry is a Progressive Moral Science.” But what does that mean and how can we further explain why we do what we do in Freemasonry?

Too often the word science will mean little more to a man than perhaps unpleasant memories of some grade school class. It is imperative to understand that science is, at its core, any systematically organized body of knowledge on any particular subject. It is the intellectual and practical activity that surrounds the study of any topic. In this way, Freemasonry is a science.

But why progressive, and in what way? Why must a person be Initiated, Passed and Raised, then to perhaps continue further into the higher degrees? Because a foundation must be laid. A system must be followed to provide general knowledge which then is further tuned into a more precise understanding over time. It is the scientific approach.

A firm foundation provides us with two benefits: A sure understanding to further build upon, and a place to return to should our attempt to progress to further understanding not come to fruition. Take, for example, The Mysterious Ladder of Kadosh.

Here is symbolically represented the need to form a solid foundation in one aspect of learning before climbing to the next – How Grammar must proceed Rhetoric, Rhetoric before Logic, and so forth. In such a progressive and scientific approach, should our learning falter at any step, we can “take heed lest he fall” and return back to our last solid foundation, ever to try again.

As such, no man can simply be told, “Here is a moral man, be like him”. It is the same as saying “There is a building, build another like it”. The man must learn how to become a more moral, better, man. As the architect must learn the many sciences that come before him being able to construct his plans and execute his designs into a structure, so must a man learn, scientifically, the steps to treat himself as a living stone, becoming increasing improved upon over time.

In this scientific approach to progressively become moral men we must certainly practice patience. Too often are we ready to progress quickly, just as the man who does not understand why he would be required to take steps in Freemasonry. But taking these steps provides a foundation and direction that is imperative to our growth. Perhaps with this explanation any man could learn to subdue his passions for knowing the last step before even taking the first and truly begin his path to a better understanding.