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York Rite/ Scottish Rite

BryanMaloney

Premium Member
Not many differences between the two until you get past the 3rd degree. Some of the wording is a little different jurisdiction to jurisdiction but passwords are same. If you ever see a Prince Hall Lodge most of those follow the York rite.

No regular Scottish Rite body confers the 1st-3rd degrees, ever. If a "Scottish Rite" body claims to confer the "first" three degrees, then it is a bogus/fake organization that merely pretends to be Scottish Rite.
 

BryanMaloney

Premium Member
Is that status standard throughout PHA jurisdictions? As I've traveled around the country I've seen plenty of SR cathedrals plus plenty of lodges with lists of emblems. The YR emblems are common in those lists. The only times I've ever noticed an SR emblem in the list I've seen "PHA" or "Prince Hall" on the building.

This is a result of some unfortunate history involving the failed "National Compact", from what I've read.
 

bupton52

Moderator
Premium Member
This is a result of some unfortunate history involving the failed "National Compact", from what I've read.

Some of it is. There are much more spontaneous groups than those resulting from the Compact. There are groups created simply because someone didnt get to be the WM of a lodge or the GM was stealing all of the money.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Freemason Connect HD mobile app
 

MarkR

Premium Member
No regular Scottish Rite body confers the 1st-3rd degrees, ever. If a "Scottish Rite" body claims to confer the "first" three degrees, then it is a bogus/fake organization that merely pretends to be Scottish Rite.
I'm surprised this went so long without being addressed. While your point is essentially true, there are a number of Lodges, about ten I think, in New Orleans that were originally chartered as Scottish Rite Craft Lodges, and still operate as such with the permission of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana. Most famous of these is Lodge Etoile Polaire #1.
 

KSigMason

Traveling Templar
Site Benefactor
I'm surprised this went so long without being addressed. While your point is essentially true, there are a number of Lodges, about ten I think, in New Orleans that were originally chartered as Scottish Rite Craft Lodges, and still operate as such with the permission of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana. Most famous of these is Lodge Etoile Polaire #1.
I've actually been to this Lodge.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Outside of the US there are regular and recognized jurisdictions that use the SR version of the scripts for the first three degrees.

Inside the US it's not quite only the 10 near New Orleans. California has a French lodge descended from them that retains dispensation to use that first degree script, but they do all other work in a French translation of the YR version of the scripts used everywhere in California.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Many of the lodges in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean, work in the SR system. I know a Brother who moved to Puerto Rico and was a tad confused the first time he attended lodge.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
Could the answer to your question be contained within the actual Ritual... The first degrees of Freemasonry are that of the York Rite. It makes perfect sense therefor to "share" facilities with the Blue Lodges, no real need to have their own building.
Makes sense to me. I also like the fact that there seem to be numerous places where they meet, my lodge is one of those places so it will be very convenient for me.
 

Bro. Craftsman777

Registered User
Brothers, I apologize. I know I started this thread but haven't had much time to look at it. I have a question though that maybe some of you can help me with. I'm going to be Passed in October. Hopefully raised in Dec or January and I know i should wait a little before going on to join the Scottish rite or York rite. I was speaking to our JW a little about the York rite, he said he was going to join, one of the reasons being that apparently in England you're not a true MM unless you've gone through the first degree or whatever it's called, of the York Rite, so my question is this, which body would you prefer, and can you please elaborate on some of the "benefits" (for lack of a better word) of growing through that body.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Actually, he was speaking of the Royal Arch, which is the fourth degree of the American York Rite (and a separate body elsewhere).
While I agree that all Masons should receive the Royal Arch, I still think you should wait awhile. Of course, I'm in favour of taking your time between degrees anyway.
 

Morris

Premium Member
I was speaking to our JW a little about the York rite, he said he was going to join, one of the reasons being that apparently in England you're not a true MM unless you've gone through the first degree or whatever it's called, of the York Rite.

You're a true MM once you've been raised and that is done solely at the blue lodge level. Although I am a member of an appendant body, it is in no way a requirement to finish the degrees.

Trysquare gave some good advice for you.
 

Companion Joe

Premium Member
Joining one of the appendant bodies does not make you more of a Mason. Once you are a Master Mason, you are as much of a Mason as any other man on the planet. What joining the York Rite does is make you a better informed Mason. It completes the story.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
Joining one of the appendant bodies does not make you more of a Mason. Once you are a Master Mason, you are as much of a Mason as any other man on the planet. What joining the York Rite does is make you a better informed Mason. It completes the story.
I really like this answer, makes a lot of sense.
 

Bro. Craftsman777

Registered User
Actually, he was speaking of the Royal Arch, which is the fourth degree of the American York Rite (and a separate body elsewhere).
While I agree that all Masons should receive the Royal Arch, I still think you should wait awhile. Of course, I'm in favour of taking your time between degrees anyway.



You're a true MM once you've been raised and that is done solely at the blue lodge level. Although I am a member of an appendant body, it is in no way a requirement to finish the degrees.

Trysquare gave some good advice for you.



Joining one of the appendant bodies does not make you more of a Mason. Once you are a Master Mason, you are as much of a Mason as any other man on the planet. What joining the York Rite does is make you a better informed Mason. It completes the story.

Thank you brothers, I agree with you all. I will absolutely take my time between being raised and moving on to join an appendant body.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
Thank you brothers, I agree with you all. I will absolutely take my time between being raised and moving on to join an appendant body.
I know how you feel. I was raised last month on the 4th. On the advice of brothers on this forum and in my lodge I was going to wait six months before joining the York Rite. However, next month there is going to be a two day class by which you can go through the entire YR at half the cost of taking it degree by degree. Therefore I have decided to go ahead with it.
 

jjjjjggggg

Premium Member
In Oklahoma one either has to have been a master mason at least six months or turned in their proficiency before joining an appendant body.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
Here in Kentucky you're qualified to join an appendant organization the day that you are raised a Master Mason.
 

chrmc

Registered User
I know how you feel. I was raised last month on the 4th. On the advice of brothers on this forum and in my lodge I was going to wait six months before joining the York Rite. However, next month there is going to be a two day class by which you can go through the entire YR at half the cost of taking it degree by degree. Therefore I have decided to go ahead with it.

From experience you will get a lot more out of taking the degrees individually though. My brain is usually fried after the 3rd one and I just don't get anything out of the later ones. If you just want to get the box ticked go for a one day class. If you want to get something out of it and have time for contemplation a couple at a time is much more advisable.
 
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