Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-13
THE SCOTTISH RITE arAsoNs.
The Supreme Council and It's Relations
With Subordinate Bodies

Il
With Subordinate Bodies.
| Referring to the contention of some mem
I bers Of the A. and A. Scottish Rite that the
present system of government by the Supreme
Council was oppressive and that taxation by
the council had increased, a STAR reporter was
informed today by an official Of the
| Supreme Council that there has never
been an assessment made nor a tax
collected against n member or body of
/ the rite by the Supreme Council during its en-
tire existence, and that the same system of gov
eminent now prevails which has prevailed
since 1901.
The Supreme Council of this, the southern
Jurisdiction, has Jurisdiction over all states and
/ territories except the New England states and
! New York, Pennsylvania. New Jersey, Della
ware. Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and
/ Wisconsin. There are thirty-three OF the
I thirty-third degree Masons who are official
/ members Of the Supreme Council. The Su-
4 preme Council is not representative body in
/ the American sense of the word and mover has
/ been, vet the representatives Of each state Is
the inspector general. appointed by the
| Supreme Council, and who represents the
! council and the bodies and membership Of the
state in which he lives. Surgeon General
Brown Of the United States navy. the treasurer
/ general OF the council, Is also the inspector
general of the District Of Columbia, and, there
| fore. the District cannot be claimed to be un-
| represented. There are now four vacancies in
! the Supreme Council and the vancancies may
| be filed at the biennial meeting Of the council
| next week.
OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS.
Every member of the thirty-third degree Ii
not necessarily a member Of the Supreme Coun-
Gil, for there are two grades, honorary and ac
tive. From the honorary the active members
OF the Supreme Council are elected for life by
the council itself. The members are sworn to
administer the rites according to the laws and
constitution of 17G2 and 1882, the laws and con-
sttution since the beginning Of the rite. While
most of the obligations Of Free Masonry are
esoteric. yet such as are given out at public
installations and inaugurations Of bodies Of this
rite are public property. The oath Of fealty Is
as follows:
These are my solemn vows and oath to be
kept inviolate:
II will support the regulations and constitu-
tons OF the Rite OF Perfection Of the year 1852,
whether then or afterward made, go far as they
have not been repealed or modified
Il will support the grand constitutions OF true
secret institutes and fundamental bases Of the
year l7s6, as promulgated by the Supreme
Council Of this jurisdiction, 30 far as the same
have not been repealed or modified by the
Supreme Council, as the supreme law Of the An
Gent and Accepted Rite.
~ viii support and obey the statutes and
southern jurisdiction of the United States, will
obey its edicts and mandates and submit to Its
decisions.
10 the Supreme Council will always bear
true fealty and allegiance and do my devoir as
q knight kadosh should; will assert and main
tain the justice OF its cause against all impugn-
eIs, and hold no Masonic communication with
its enemies and those whom it NAV declare un-
tit or unworthy out of the pale of the ancient
and accepted Scottish Rite.
$50 do solemnly vow and religiously swear.
and may He to whom the secrets Of all hearts
are known avert from me the guilt Of perjury!
Amen"
That obligation IL administered at the public
installation Of officers of bodies Of the thirty
second degree, and is taken by all members Of
the rite from the fourth to the thirty-third de-
gree.
The right to confer and to authorize to con-
fer the degrees OF the rite within the lawful
jurisdiction OF this Supreme Council vested
IN the Supreme Council. These rights are
irresistible. and are acknowledged through
out the Masonic world. Every member Of this
rite voluntarily Acknowledges this fact by vow
and oath.
THE TAXES LEVIED.
There are thirty-three Sovereign Supreme
Coun lis in the world two in this country. The
bodies organized under them pay q small fee
for a charter. Out Of the moneys received BY
taCn ruDOTulnatt DoiN utSrtcs COH-
ferred by them they pay q small ROYALTY toward
the support Of the Supreme Council The con.
sistories pay to the Supreme Council 81 for
each If their members. And this, said the re-
porter's informant. was all the taxation levied
by the Supreme Council. All funds received
by the Supreme Council from all sources
are classified and all its legitimate ex-
penses are paid from them, the bal
ance going 70 the fund for fraternal assistance
of aged and decayed members, for
the maintenance Of library, which has cost
$50, O0O and which il the only public library in
Washington. and for the benefit of suffering hu-
mainly. the expenditure Of these funds never
being confined to Free Masons only, the coun-
Gil never asking al applicant for charity whether
he is or Is not a member Of the Masonic order.
This, the council claims, is the only branch Of
the Masonic order in the world which SO ex-
ponds its funds.
The reporter was informed that the agitation
aroused by the contention might have the effect
Of causing the Supreme Council TO remove to
some other city. notwithstanding its large prop
erty interests here.