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Beyond the craft

David612

Registered User
In my jurisdiction one must be a master mason for two years prior to being considered for membership in an appendant body, in time I hope to go through both the Royal Arch and the Scottish Rite however in your opinion brethren, where would you start?
 

Matt L

Site Benefactor
My advice is to take it slow. In some jurisdictions they are handing Brothers petitions for the York Rite and Scottish Rite right after you're raised and overwhelming them. Learn the meaning of the lessons of each degree, start learning a part in your lodge before you go further.

When you do, I would start in the York Rite, it answers a lot of questions that you may have from your 3 degrees. The Order of the Temple is some of the most beautiful work in Masonry. The Scottish Rite Rite work in full form is outstanding too.

All the best,

Matt
 

David612

Registered User
My advice is to take it slow. In some jurisdictions they are handing Brothers petitions for the York Rite and Scottish Rite right after you're raised and overwhelming them. Learn the meaning of the lessons of each degree, start learning a part in your lodge before you go further.

When you do, I would start in the York Rite, it answers a lot of questions that you may have from your 3 degrees. The Order of the Temple is some of the most beautiful work in Masonry. The Scottish Rite Rite work in full form is outstanding too.

All the best,

Matt
Thank for the tip-
The restrictions in my jurisdiction as well as my time o can allocate to the craft give me no option but to go slow.
I was thinking I would look to the Royal Arch in about a year when eligible
 

Winter

Premium Member
Both York and Scottish Rite are wonderful experiences. I have gone through both. But Craft Masonry has such a deep well to explore. Don't be so hasty to move on.
 

David612

Registered User
I have no intention of moving on, I intend to add too my Masonic experience.
As it stands I’m holding office in two craft lodges and have no intention of that stopping any time soon :)
 

David612

Registered User
That said, I’m going to have to say no at some point.. one cannot serve as a principal officer in more than one lodge I have been advised :( however I’m position myself to be able to go through every chair and avoid being rushed eastward.
 

Winter

Premium Member
The degrees for both Rites are great and an experience I recommend them for any Brother. And just because you join the Rites doesnt mean you have to be active in them to the exclusion of Craft Masonry either. Though that does become the case for many and the Rites themselves will likely try to encourage more activity. At the end of the day, find the niche in Freemasonry that makes you happy. Looking forward to your impressions after going through the degrees.

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Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
I love how David made no mention of the York Rite and yet every US Mason went right there...
I’d say to go Royal Arch first, personally, when the time comes.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
But David isn’t in the US and specifically stated Royal Arch. He also stated he has to wait two years but everyone told him to take his time. So many assumptions and no one really reads the question.
But please, carry on. *rolls eyes*
 

Winter

Premium Member
But David isn’t in the US and specifically stated Royal Arch. He also stated he has to wait two years but everyone told him to take his time. So many assumptions and no one really reads the question.
But please, carry on. *rolls eyes*

I honestly didn't know the York Rite and Royal Arch were separate overseas and was posting based on how what i knew. And your post moves the discussion forward, how?
 

David612

Registered User
I love how David made no mention of the York Rite and yet every US Mason went right there...
I’d say to go Royal Arch first, personally, when the time comes.
To illustrate the differences, the AASR in my area is Trinitarian Christian only and while I don’t meet that qualification there is talk of change to adopt the universal AASR ritual as practiced elsewhere in my jurisdiction, where as the Royal Arch is universal.
I think the Royal arch is the way forward as it also has a lot of support in my area-
When it comes to AASR I may just have to do the Master craftsman thing to fill the time until the changes happen.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
I honestly didn't know the York Rite and Royal Arch were separate overseas and was posting based on how what i knew. And your post moves the discussion forward, how?
There is no such thing as "York Rite" in Australia.

A MM has a few options here in Victoria
1 Mark Master Mason
2 Holy Royal Arch
3 18th Degree (Rose Croix) which is in the AASR (either under Scotland or Australia) which would lead onto 30th etc
4 SRIA (the Masonic Rosicrucians - Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia )
5 and some others like OSM (Order of the Secret Monitor) or RER (Rectified Scottish Rite) or even The Shrine (AANOMS)

Most would go for 1 then 2 OR 3 but lots of MMs seem to be joining just Holy Royal Arch..
http://www.lodgedevotion.net/devoti...ic-Orders-Worked-by-Victorian-Masons-200904-1
http://www.lodgedevotion.net/devoti...ic-Orders-Worked-by-Victorian-Masons-200904-1
 

Winter

Premium Member
That's interesting to know. So, in the HRA there, how many degrees are there? I confess very limited knowledge of that side of the appendent bodies of Freemasonry. I took the YR degrees through KT but decided I wasnt a good fit and left.

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bro.william

Premium Member
This is the structure, such as it is, of the side degrees in English Freemasonry. I would imagine there to be similarities in Australia, but that's just an only-slightly-educated guess. I'm sure Bro. Bloke can comment further. Basically, though, there is no York Rite as it exists in the States. The side degrees operate independently (though some do share admin via Mark Masons Hall in London). The Holy Royal Arch is, in English Freemasonry, considered to be the "completion" of the 3rd degree (that particular wording being a relic of the merger between the Moderns and the Antients), and is administered by Freemason's Hall, as is the Craft, and I'd guess that most English Freemasons who stick around after raising are members of Chapter as well as the Craft. (In fact, English Chapters bear the same lodge no. as their associated Craft lodge.) Other than that, though, there's no sense of going up the ranks as I assume there would be in the York Rite.
 

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Winter

Premium Member
A full half of the appendent bodies there are restricted to Trinitarian Christians? Is there ever any pushback on that in these days of inclusiveness?

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bro.william

Premium Member
To be honest, I do not know. I'm still new enough that I'm still feeling my way around, and I've only got as far as the Royal Arch, in any case. Wish I could help you more. Speaking only for myself, I'm an inclusive sort of guy.

I was under the impression that the AASR in the States also required Trinitarian belief. Or am I wrong?
 

David612

Registered User
A full half of the appendent bodies there are restricted to Trinitarian Christians? Is there ever any pushback on that in these days of inclusiveness?

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Not sure about the UK but here in my jurisdiction there isn’t push back as there are other things to do however the appendant bodies are learning that either they adapt to the changing demographic of the blue lodge or in time they will be handing in charters.

Here, the whole Animal Farm “some are more equal than others” thing tends to get get little traction and my generation seem to just be refusing to engage at all with these orders locally, but RA and OSM are doing quite well (as well as an organisation who draws its membership from the blue lodge can be anyway)
 
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Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
your post moves the discussion forward, how?

It helped to educate at least one person and may have made others do a bit of research before they posted, something we’re supposedly good at.

And in case you didn’t get a direct reply, there is one degree in the HRA; the HRA.
 

Winter

Premium Member
I was under the impression that the AASR in the States also required Trinitarian belief. Or am I wrong?

Unless they changed it when I wasn't paying attention, the Scottish Rite here in the States is open to all Master Masons. (I'm in the Orient of Florida, myself)

The Chapter and Council of the York Rite also open to non Christians while the Commandery has been traditionally for those who profess the Christian faith. Though in recent years, exceptions have been made for those who will swear willingness to defend the Christian faith.

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