Secret societies and subversive movementsWebster, Nesta Helen
History
Secret societies and subversive movements
Webster, Nesta Helen
Secret societies
From all this the following facts stand out: (1) that whilst British
Craft Masonry traced its origin to the operative guilds of masons, the
Freemasons of France from 1737 onwards placed the origin of the Order in
crusading chivalry; (2) that it was amongst these Freemasons that the
upper degrees known as the Scottish Rite arose; and (3) that, as we
shall now see, these degrees clearly suggest Templar inspiration.
The earliest form of the upper degrees appears to have been the one
given by de Bérage, as follows:
1. Parfait Maçon Élu.
2. Élu de Perignan.
3. Élu des Quinze.
4. Petit Architecte.
5. Grand Architecte.
6. Chevalier de l'Épée et de Rose-Croix.
7. Noachite ou Chevalier Prussien.
The first of these to make its appearance is believed to have been the
one here assigned to the sixth place. This degree known in modern
Masonry as "Prince of the Rose-Croix of Heredom or Knight of the Pelican
and Eagle" became the eighteenth and the most important degree in what
was later called the Scottish Rite, or at the present time in England
the Ancient and Accepted Rite.
Why was this Rite called Scottish? "It cannot be too strongly insisted
on," says Mr. Gould, "that all Scottish Masonry has nothing whatever to
do with the Grand Lodge of Scotland, nor, with one possible
exception--that of the Royal Order of Scotland--did it ever originate in
that country."[374] But in the case of the Rose-Croix degree there is
surely some justification for the term in legend, if not in proven fact,
for, as we have already seen, according to the tradition of the Royal
Order of Scotland this degree had been contained in it since the
fourteenth century, when the degrees of H.R.M. (Heredom) and R.S.Y.C.S.
(Rosy Cross) are said to have been instituted by Robert Bruce in
collaboration with the Templars after the battle of Bannockburn. Dr.
Mackey is one of the few Masons who admit this probable affiliation, and
in referring to the tradition of the Royal Order of Scotland observes:
"From that Order it seems to us by no means improbable that the present
degree of Rose-Croix de Heredom may have taken its origin."[375]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account