Evening star., 1901-10-24
THE SCOTTISH RITE
Supreme Council and Court of Honor
in Session.
new CODE PREPARED FOR LATTER
The Closing Features Of Centen-
NAL Day Described.
ADDRESS AND BAN UET

The Supreme Council. A A s. R., for
the southern Jurisdiction. held an executive
session this morning from 10 o'clock until
noon, when a recess of two hours was
taken. The committee on nominations sub
mitted number of unimportant changes in
the list of nominees, filling in certain omis-
sions and correcting errors that had crept
in.
The Court of Honor also met at the same
time occupying the old council chamber.
T. w. Hugo of Duluth, Mimi, presided.
A code of new statutes and regulations to
govern the body hereafter was considered,
and it was decided to recommend it for
adoption to the Supreme Council this after
noon.
Scottish Rite In America.
Centennial day was brought to a success
Commander Richardson and a banquet at
the New Wizards. Mr.. Richardson chose
for the subject of his discourse, which was
delivered a. the First Congregational
Church. The Ancient and Accepted Rite
OF Free Masonry and the Supreme Coun.
Gil In the course of his refparks he said
Scottish Masonry was Introduced into
who held patent from the Rite of Per-
fection or Heredom, Orient of Paris, bear
ing date of August y, 1761. He was then
about to saii for America and as re-
ward for services done the order and for
his zeal I'm Masonry he was given author
ity by this patent to establish perfect and
sublime Masonry in the new world. His
title was grand master Inspector 1t
appears that he was given the power to
establish symbolic lodge in America;
the authority from the Grand Lodge max
ing him deputy grand master for Amer
lea; and the grand councils giving him
ha iptn nd
the rank of inspector over all the bodies
OF those degrees, and with power of sub
sttution on his part He was also given
authority to create inspectors general in
all places where the sublime degrees were
not established. On September 81, 1772,
nine Masonic commissioners or delegates
from the Councils of Emperors of the
East and West of Paris and from the
Council of Princes of the Royal Secret
at Bordeaux met at the latter place and
settled the regulations of the Masonry of
perfection in thirty five articles.
Origin of Degrees Undefned.
"As We have no well and accurately de-
| fined knowledge as to the origin of the
twenty-five degrees OF the rite of perfec-
tion. so We have none as to the degrees
above that number up to the thirly-sec-
ond. That these higher degrees existed is
undeniable. because in the grand constitu-
| tions of 1lS6 it was ordered, in creating the
Ancient and Accepted Rite Of thirty
three degrees, that there should be taken
| in addition to those of the first of the rite
| which must have meant the degrees OF
perfection. certain additional degr ,es OF
the hierarchy of the other rites mentioned
therein We have no reliable evidence of
| the creation of any supreme council of the
thtrty-third degree under these constitu-
tions until 1901, yet it is clear that the
sovereign grand inspectors general were in
the interim which elapsed between 1856
and 1901 comforting the degree of deputy
grand tnsDACtor general
rem.
Supreme Council Organized,
4on May 81. 1901, there was suddenly or
ganized In Charleston a supreme council
of the thirty-third degree for the United
States of America. This supreme council
came without a herald, and was OF all ap-
pearances fully matured and developed in
its very beginning. The body was opened
with the high honors of Masonry by
Brothers Mitchell and Dalcho. sovereign
grand inspectors general. and N the course
of the year 1902 the whole number of grand
inspectors general (nine) was completed,
agrseably to the grand constitutions.
The Supreme Council at Charleston pre-
scribed the number of supreme Councils,
and limited the powers of those who should
attain the thirty-third degree. To each
country in Europe but one supreme c,,un-
ell was allowed. while to Amerira two
were allowed. 1t was not commanded that
two should be organized in America but
IL was Simply made permlSSive that two
might be established.
"These constitutions are the supreme OF
fundamental law of the rite. Adopted as
such at its organization, says Grand Com
mander Pike. every Mason everywhere in
the world who has since then lawfully re-
celved any of the degrees of the Ancient
and Accepted Scottish Rite above the
third has solemnly sworn to support and
reverence them as the supreme law and
constitution of government of that rite of
Freemasonry. There is not a Freemason
of that rite In the world who is not bound
to bear true allegiance to these constitu-
tions as the supreme and fundamental law.
Growth Of Order.
"The record, continued Mr.. Richardson,
shows unbroken line OF grand COM
manders for just 100 years, or during the
entire lifetime of the Supreme Council.
Since the organization of this council there
have been crowned, in all. 112 active men,
bers. or this number eighty-four have
crossed over to sthe side OF the great ma
| jorfty. There are five Of this number on
the emeritus list and the remaining twenty
three are the members at this time of the
council.
Being the first Supreme Council ever
organized. as Is conceded by all impartial
and fair-minded men Of intelligence and
having mainta aimed its existence without a
break ever since Its establishment 1t Justly
claims to be the mother council OF the
world.
"At this date there are only twenty-three
In 1901 and fS02 there was only q
small number OF subordinate bodies
In our entire Jurisdiction, perhaps not