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Fort Worth and Dallas Reunions

crono782

Premium Member
Anybody at either the Fort Worth or Dallas SR reunions today? I'm at FW in the morning and will be at Dallas after lunchtime. Hit me up if you're there.


My Freemasonry HD
 

scialytic

Premium Member
I forgot to tell you that Day 3 will be on the last Saturday of October (10/26/13), not next saturday (they are usually consecutive Saturdays). I will be shadowing the Evaluation Committee on the balcony.

We will be honoring R:.W:.&Ill:.Jack Hightower, S.G.I.G. Emeritus at lunch. Here is a tentative schedule:

The Three Hundred Ninety-Sixth Memorial Reunion, Honoring R:.W:. & Ill:.Bro:. JackEnglish Hightower, 33*, PGM - Day 3: 4th, 14th, 18th, & 30th through the 32nd Degrees.


7:25 - Opening Ceremonies
7:50 - 4th Degree, "Secret Master"
8:40 - 14th Degree, "Perfect Elu"
9:40 - 18th Degree, "Knight of the Rose Croix"
11:05 - 30th Degree, "Knight Kadosh"
12:25 - Lunch: Remembering and Honoring R:.W:. & Ill:.Bro:. Jack English Hightower, 33*, PGM
13:30 - 31st Degree, "Inspector Inquisitor"
14:55 - 32nd Degree, "Master of the Royal Secret"
16:30 - End of the Three Hundred Ninety-Sixth Memorial
 
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crono782

Premium Member
I've always seen it as Master of in the SMJ and Sublime Prince of in the NMJ. I know a number of the degrees have "alternate titles". I dunno if this is one of 'em.
 

scialytic

Premium Member
The first Sublime council of Princes of the Royal Secret in America, was established in Charleston, SC in 1797. This was the 25 degree system, with Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret degree as the capstone of the degree system (not as a title). Once established, the Supreme Mother Council of the World required all other bodies to reorganize under its jurisdiction and absorbed the degrees into its rite (and either perfected, incorporated it, or discarded it).

When the degree structure was updated to include other degrees, the capstone remained similar, but with more of a spiritual theme (specifically under A. Pike). The degree had maintained the same name, but is also Master of the Royal Secret, which is the commonly used title. I am not sure when it officially changed to the common usage of consistently referring to it as Master of the Royal Secret, but you are right it is consistently called such now.

If you look in your monitor you will see it included when showing the proper regalia. Albert Pike also referred to it as Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret (degree) in "Morals & Dogma." The change is likely because after receiving the degree you *are* a Master of the Royal Secret, not a Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret Degree which is a council position and no longer a true body.

Do NMJ refer to 32nd Masons as Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, or Prince Masons? I wonder if Soutern Jurisdiction ever did?


Now that I am done arguing my point...you are absolutely right and I'll change it. I think the Supreme Council changed it for consistency more than anything.




My Freemasonry HD
 
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crono782

Premium Member
As far as I know NMJ still calls it Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret. Yah, I remember seeing it called that in older SMJ literature. I wonder when it changed.
 

Jericho2013

Premium Member
I received my 32nd degree certificate 18 years ago and it says Master of the Royal Secret. I'm not sure how long ago it was called something else.
 

scialytic

Premium Member
Probably quite sometime ago. Albert Pike's Magnum Opus lists it as Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret (his original revision of the manuscripts that he received from Albert G. Mackey). I'm skimming through it to see how Master of the Royal Secret is referenced. I am assuming that no matter what the degree title, the recipient has always been a "Master of the Royal Secret," since "Prince Mason" is pretty bold of a statement. Also, Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret was an authoritative title for the governing body, so just by receiving the degree, it doesn't entitle you to the princley title. I'll post what I find from M:.O:. in a few minutes.

ADDITION: Apparently that is exactly what you were called: "Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret," which actualy makes sense when looking at the older Camp Tracing Board. Wonder how that was changed to reflect the name change?
 
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scialytic

Premium Member
It looks like it was Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret for quite some time. M:.O:. mentions nothing of M:.R:.S:. (so far as I can tell). Mackey's Encyclopedia (mine latest is 1924) does not include an entry for M:.R:.S:., but from "Royal Secret" to the S:.P:.R:.S:. instead and there is no reference of anything different.

I did check my 1974 copy of "Clausen's Commentaries on Morals and Dogma" and he listed it as M:.R:.S:. in the title. He does not mention any changes in the name so it is likely between 1924 and 1974 that we will find our answer.
 

scialytic

Premium Member
Alright...it appears that S:.G:.C:.Clausen rewrote a substantial amount of the rite. I don't see any other changes to the 32nd Degree between the early 1900s and the 2000 revision (which would have been after you received the degrees and the certificate of M:.R:.S:.). My money is on Clausen in the 70's-80's...

Anybody able to narrow this down for us? Thanks Brothers!
 
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