Frequently Asked Questions
The questions about SR you may have in your mind?
Although in the craft of Freemasonry there is no degree considered higher than that of a Master Mason, the degrees of 32° Freemasonry enrich and expand the teachings of the Symbolic Lodge. As a 32° Freemason you will, indeed, find an untold wealth of knowledge. You will learn more about Masonry. You will more deeply explore questions raised in the blue lodge degrees.
By joining 32° Freemasonry, you have an opportunity to journey more deeply into Freemasonry, widen your circle of friends, and serve your Brothers in unique ways.
No. The Scottish Rite confers degrees from 4°-32°. We are reinvigorating the use of the term 32° Freemasonry to instill pride and a sense of accomplishment in the men who have committed to going deeper into the highest principles, teachings, and ideals of the Masonic craft.
No. There is no Masonic distinction of higher prestige than that of a Master Mason. The noblest and most significant emblem is the apron of the Master Mason. 32° Freemasonry will take you deeper into the study of Masonic values, philosophy, and teachings.
Most Valleys to hold what we call a “Reunion” of the members once or twice a year. At the Reunion, the degrees of the Lodge of Perfection, Princes of Jerusalem, Chapter of Rose Croix, or Consistory are conferred on a class of candidates over a period of a few days. The Reunion also provides the opportunity for social fellowship. This format is also more convenient for members and candidates living some distance from the meeting place.
According to Arturo de Hoyos in his book The Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide, the Scottish Rite came to the United States by way of France. There is evidence of Scotch Masons’ lodges dating back to 1733 in England, and there were also predecessors such as the Adonhiramite Rite (ca. 1781), which included many degrees that ultimately became part of the Scottish Rite. Yet it was not until 1763 and the creation of the Order of the Royal Secret by Stephen Morin of France that the ritual we practice today began to coalesce into a form recognizable to a modern Scottish Rite Mason. “Scottish” is in name only.
Human progress is our cause, liberty of thought our supreme wish, freedom of conscience our mission, and the guarantee of equal rights to all people everywhere our ultimate goal.
The Scottish Rite Creed of Freemasonry
