The San Francisco call., 1899-05-14
HEADS
Of the
TWO BRANCHES
of
FREEMASONRY

Continued From Page Twcnty-eight.
twenty-five degrees were recognized, but
with the organization OF the mother su-
preme council there was an addition to
the rite of eight more degrees, so as TO
make the thrty-third degree, and not the
twenty-Iifth. the summit Of the Scotush
rite These degrees were at first divided
into seven sections, each being under an
appropriate jurisdiction, but IN later years
the division was reduced to five by COM
bining certain degrees.
with its three degrees of Entered Appren-
tiCe Fellow Craft and Master Mason
which in the Scottish Rite are not con-
ferred in the United States, England
Scotland and Ireland, because the Su-
Drcme Councils of the rite have retralned
from exercising jurisdiction through their
respect for the older authority in these
countries of the York Rite.
Starting with the fourth degree comes
the Lodge of Perfection, with eleven de-
grees. Secret Master "a. Perfect Master
%. Intimate Secretary 10, Provost ana
Judge 10. Intendent of the Building 90,
Elect OF the Nine (9), Elect OF the tnteen
QW. Sublime Knight Elect of the Twelve
GID Grand Master Architect ~, hnlSht
Of the Ninth Arch or Royal Arch OF
Solomon G$j, Grand Elect, Perfect and
sublime Mason Q4).
Then follows the Chapter of Rose CroiX
with four degrees; Knight of the East
I'D. Prince OF Jerusalem (l6). Knight or
The East and IVES, 80. Sovereign Prince
Rose CroiX GSD.
Council OF KadOSh, with eleven degrees;
Grand Pontin O9). Grand Master OF sym
boliCal Lodges (20), Patriarch Noachlte
or PruSsian Knight CD. Knight OF the
ROYAL AK or Prince of Libanus (22), Chief
Of the Tabernacle t23), Prince OF the lap-
ernaCle t24. Knight of the BraZen Serpent
mander of the Temple t20. Knight OF the
sun of Prince Adept (2>). Grand ScOttlSh
Knight of St. Andrew (2p, hnlght or ha-
dosh. also called Grand Elect Knight. X.
H. or Knight of the Black and Nhlte
The next is the Consistory of Sublime
Princes OF the Royal Secret with out Two
degrees: Grand lnspe tor lnquisltor ON
mander t3D, Sublime Prince OF the Royal
Ana the finale is he division which is
the pinnacle of Masonry and that is the
Supreme Council, with its solitary degree
of Sovereign Grand Inspector General t35).
The Scottish Rite mas its headquarters
i'm the city of Washington, d. G, in the
House Of the Supreme Council OF the
fhirty-third degree. at the corner of Third
and + streets northwest. with entrance
the Offices of Judge Thomas II. Caswell
Of San Francisco. who by reason OF being
the head OF the Mother Supreme Council
Of the world is not only the highest officer
Of the Masonic fraternity in the United
States. as already announced, but Is the
ranking Masonic dign;tary OF the entire
world. lONOr previously QGlu only DS
General Albert Pike. James q. BatcheIor
and Phillip G. Tucker. Judge CasweN is
proud of that honor. but he Is still proud
tr that the choice of holding that exalted
office fell to a resident of San francisco.
The Supreme Council. of which he is the
head and in which he holds a life tenure,
embraces all that territory south OF the
Ohio and west of the Mississippi. cit in
cludes within its territorial limits the Ha-
waiiau Islands. Japan and the Philippine
Islands. The other Jurisdiction in the
United States is known as the northern
jurisdiction and is under the control of a
Supreme Council, with Henry l.. Palmer
Of Wisconsin as the NJ. L. Sovereign
Grand Commander. In that jurisdiction the
officers hold office only for three years.
These councils are on relations of amity
with the supreme Councils of France,
England, Scotland Ireland Belgium,
Brazil, the Argentine Republic, Uruguay.
Peru, Portugal, Italy, Mexico, Colombia,
Chile. Central America. Greece, Canada,
cuba, Switzerland, Egypt, Tunis and
Spain.
The southern jurisdiction is in a most
prosperous condition and has member
ship Of about 10000. The House of the
Temple OF the Supreme Council in the
city OF Washington is a three-stOry struC-
ture that is SO plain that there cannot be
claimed for il any architectural beauty,
but what is lacking in exterior appear
aECes is made up by the interior arrange
ments Judge Caswell in speaking Of the
Temple, as it is generally designated, said
few DAYS since. 81 he building at this
time is not as it appears in the picture, 80
as he pointed to Photographic view on
one of the walls of his Office. for il is
in the hands Of mechanics and artisans
who are enlarglng II in order 70 meet re-
quirementS. When l visited Washington
last year l succeeded in obtaining au-
thOrity TO acquire two buildings adjoin-
ing and entered into q contract to make
an addition to the main building, so as
TO give room for the splendid collection
of curiOS that we own and which has a
value of not less than 100000, but it has
been kept slowed away in boxes in the
basement. in the garret and in every
place where an unopened box could be
stored. In the addition there will be a
museum 43X65 feet in which can be dis
played in q most advantageous manner
all the rare and wonderful things that
belong TO the Supreme Council.
I'VE also have a most magnificent
library of more than 1000 volumes. and
out of that number we have but 1000
novels. These. however, are the very
best. We have a large number of the
finest and rarest books that are TO be
are a number of books worth more than
$500 volume. Some of these are not to
be found in the Congressional Library
and efforts have been made to secure
them for it, but they are not for sale.
We have books in all languages and an
unlimited number of scientific works. OF
on Masonry. but those works form but a
small fraction of the whole. When the
late General Albert Pike died he left us
his magnificent library and ii is a Valu-
"
publications, including a number Of Ma
sonic works. He was a man for whom /
had the greatest liking. l formed his ac-
quaintance in lS32. when l was but Il
years old. He was one to be admired,
bOtn as man and as a Mason.
The addition TO the temple is to be
completed in June and that is why | am
going on to Washington. | want to be
there when the annex is completed.
shall. on my way there, go by the north
ern route and make official visits In all
the States through which / shall pass
shall, now that l have resigned from my
positions with the order in this city, re
main in Washington for about ten
months of the year and pass the balance
Of my time here, as | do not wish tC
give up my residence in San Francisco" "
General Albert Pike TO whom refer
cnce was made by Judge Caswen was a
man, who, in life. devoted a great deal
of time TO a study Of Masonry, and in
order that ne might complete his re-
searches for historical lights as to the
early history OF Free Masons he spent
wears perfecting himself in the Hebrew
and dead languages to enable him to form
his own opinion as to the meaning OF
What he might discover He made many
discoveries, which he Systematically ar
ranged and filed in the archives of the
Temple Library.
Judge Caswell, whose high position in
Masonry has made him a "ery prominent
parsonage in that fraternity, is a native
Of Exeter Oswego County, New York and
IS now I'm his SgNqQfN-foOrth wear with