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Explaining the "higher" degrees.

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
The EA Degree provides a roadmap for Inward Travels. It provides a guide to the inner Terrain that, when Traveled, enables a man to know his true self and true nature -- The Creature that is himself. The Work it directs him to is Foundational to his Learning. In this respect, it is a roadmap of Preparation for Learning. It is focused upon the physical man. Sadly, few men follow the map that they are offered.

The FC Degree provides a roadmap for Outward Travels. It provided a guide to the outer Terrain that, when Traveled, enables a man to know the Universe -- the Whole of Creation. The Work it directs him to is Structural and sets the stage of his Actual Learning. In this respect, it is a roadmap to Learn How to Learn. It is focused upon the mental man. Sadly, even fewer men follow the map that they are offered.

The MM Degree provides a roadmap for Eternal Travels. It provided a guide to the spiritual Terrain that, if Traveled, enables a man to know the Word -- the Creator. The Work it directs us to is Actual Learning and Teaching. In this respect, it is a roadmap to Further Cultivation of the Heart and Mind, Travel and Employment of Cunning Craftsmanship. It is focused upon the spiritual man. Sadly, it is rare men who follows the map that they are offered.

The Other Degrees? I have not experienced them. I can't imagine though they could offer to any man anything of significant value if he didn't do the Work that the first three Degrees offer first.
 

Radical540

Registered User
There is a lot of confusion regarding the place of various "degrees of Freemasonry". Perhaps clarification can be had by means of analogy:

There are three and only three Degrees of Freemasonry. They are Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason. That's it. There is nothing higher within Freemasonry. However, there are a lot of other "degrees" and bodies that require one to first be a Master Mason. Since this is a requirement, it is mistakenly believed that they are somehow "higher" than Master Mason. Unfortunately, there are some Masons who appear to have held such beliefs, too, including fairly prominent ones. This leads to the confusion. Confusion dissipates if one looks at it this way:

Entered Apprentice: This is the "bachelors degree" of Masonry. It means you have actually started the journy.
Fellow Craft: This is the "masters degree" of Masonry. It means you have shown proficiency and should be taken somewhat seriously.
Master Mason: This is the "doctorate" of Masonry. There is no higher degree.


But what about all the other "degrees"? Scientists are not a homogeneous mash of people. They specialize. They form societies and associations based on their specializations. Thus, a membership or "degree" in a body that requires one to already be a Master Mason would be like a fellowship in one of those specialized societies. Those societies might have their own hierarchies. However, the PhD is still the PhD. It is the highest academic degree, regardless of ranks within a fellowship. Likewise, the Master Mason is the highest degree within Freemasonry, regardless of how many other "society" degrees may be obtained by an individual Master Mason.

Actually, I think a better analogy would be:
Entered Apprentice: This is the "Associate's" degree of Masonry. It means you have actually started the journy.
Fellow Craft: This is the "Bachelor's" of Masonry. It means you have shown proficiency and should be taken somewhat seriously.
Master Mason: This is the "Master's" of Masonry. There is no higher degree.
(actually, the word "associate" and "master" line up more linguistically as well as semantically)
Further, "Appendant Body" degrees conferred AFTER blue lodge degrees would be more synonymous with a "Doctorate".

Just my 2 cents.
 

BryanMaloney

Premium Member
If the appendant body degrees are "doctorates", then they ARE higher than Master Mason and Master Mason is not and cannot be the highest degree of Masonry, meaning that Master Masons do not meet each other on the level but are further divided by having or lacking the degrees that are "higher" than Master Mason.

If Master Mason is the highest degree of Freemasonry, then it is the "Doctorate". If anything else is the "Doctorate", then that is the highest degree in Freemasonry and Master Mason is really just a pretentious Fellowcraft.
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
From everything that I've heard about any degree offered after the first three, they fall into the category of CFEs (Continuing Freemasonic Education). Which is exactly what you would expect once you graduated from the Blue Lodge.
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
BTW - If you truly understood all the titles (there are at least three) that you received during your third Degree, you would also understand that you are indeed considered a "doctor". The root of the word "doctor" it "teacher" and is synonymous with at least two of those three titles.
 

legorix

Registered User
Interesting analogies and explanations. Such terms as higher and lower, much like superior and inferior are concepts of the human mind which we use to create contrast. On the most part our designations are subjective. In other words, what's perceived as better or higher by one individual may very well be seen as worse or lower by somebody else. All masonic degrees, craft lodge and appendant bodies, are part of the universal puzzle. They are of equal value in the grand scheme of things, no more, no less

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BryanMaloney

Premium Member
I sometimes think of them as the "dangly bits" (aka "appendant"). All guys want dangly bits. Dangly bits can be very important. But there is more to life than dangly bits, and dangly bits aren't really what makes a man worthy of the description "man".
 

Karen MM

Registered User
Thanks guys, I think I understand. While Dad was very active in various Masonic bodies he was most active in York Rite, rather than Scottish Rite. Perhaps that is part of the answer (along with the fact that 33* is honored (nominated/voted, I guess).
 

BroBook

Premium Member
Isn't somebody with more("further") knowledge higher than somebody with less knowledge?

The way I like to look at it is...as a MM it's like graduating high school. You can then get a job or continue your education...which will be higher and more involved than what you learned in high school.


My Freemasonry

The higher degrees are really like advanced classes " I think"


Bro Book
 

RyanC

Registered User
Interesting analogies and explanations. Such terms as higher and lower, much like superior and inferior are concepts of the human mind which we use to create contrast. On the most part our designations are subjective. In other words, what's perceived as better or higher by one individual may very well be seen as worse or lower by somebody else. All masonic degrees, craft lodge and appendant bodies, are part of the universal puzzle. They are of equal value in the grand scheme of things, no more, no less

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So let me ask this than if you get ride of all the other rites, but keep the Blue Lodge, would you still not have Freemasonry? Now let switch this, you keep all the other rites, but you do away with the Blue Lodge you would have nothing.
 
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legorix

Registered User
Everything is part of the whole. These divisions, separations and classifications of higher, lower, best, worse, etc, are part of the process of how our brains classify information. Let me put it this way, if we choose to start comparing craft lodge, appendant bodies, etc and instead of absorbing all of the beauty and wisdom they all impart to, we become stuck on the thought of asserting and proving the superiority of one over the other, we are then missing out on the essence of the teachings. Some look at the form, others look at the essence. In order to promote peace and harmony which are the very tenets of our fraternal and mystic ties, these competitive comparisons should be put aside. Enjoying, absorbing and applying the essence of the teachings, whether it be Craft Lodge, Scottish or York Rites is the main objective of our great order.

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legorix

Registered User
Very well put, this puzzle we call life is made up of dangly bits.

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RyanC

Registered User
I dont think peace and harmony have been broke, but this is a debate with no right or wrong. People here are applying one of our teachings in the use of rhetoric in a friendly and brotherly way. Again I will say with out the Blue lodge their is no need for any of the appendant bodies. Let just look at the definition of appendant; attached or added, typically in a subordinate capacity. But you are also right legorix, that their is more to learn than just the Craft Lodge and a Masons it is our charge to continue learning where ever we can find knowledge.
 
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Mac

Moderator
Premium Member
Now let switch this, you keep all the other rites, but you do away with the Blue Lodge you would have nothing.

Isn't that not the case with the Scottish Rite? The AASR has its own initial three degrees. Some of the later degrees (8th and 9th jump to mind) even build upon them specifically.


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legorix

Registered User
This is a matter of personal preference with, as you rightly say with no right or wrong answers. Using rhetoric in the friendliest and most brotherly of manners I can assert that knowledge and learning never stops, it is a continuous stream. As Masons we are taught to make a daily advancement in Masonic Knowledge. How we seek to get this knowledge is up to each individual Mason. It is all a matter of personal choice. The point is that there is the Blue Lodge and there are the appendant bodies. They are all a part of Freemasonry. They are all part of the whole. If you apply boarders. Why not rely on the compasses in order to circumnavigate around these separations and recognize truth in all of its various forms

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marty15chris

Premium Member
Isn't that not the case with the Scottish Rite? The AASR has its own initial three degrees. Some of the later degrees (8th and 9th jump to mind) even build upon them specifically.


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It's my understanding that well the AASR has the first three degrees they have agreed not to confer them (at least here in the US). It's part if the recognition agreement between the Blue Lodge and the AASR.


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Mac

Moderator
Premium Member
It's my understanding that well the AASR has the first three degrees they have agreed not to confer them (at least here in the US). It's part if the recognition agreement between the Blue Lodge and the AASR.
This is why I find the "red" lodges in Louisiana fascinating. They initiate their candidates with AASR rituals for the first three degrees, but the lodges are subordinate to the Grand Lodge of Louisiana.
 

jmiluso

Registered User
ImageUploadedByMy Freemasonry Pro1397622181.921595.jpgBrought some light to the space shuttle today! SMIB /G\


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promason

Registered User
inspires me a while!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!fantastic wednesday everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!continue good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!regards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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