Masonic appendant bodies
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Whilst there is no degree in Freemasonry higher than that of Master Mason,[1] there are a number of related organisations which have as a prerequisite to joining that one be a Master Mason or have some relation to a Master Mason.[2] In America these bodies are commonly referred to as appendant bodies. They generally use an initiatory system similar to Freemasonry, in that they use ritual, allegory and symbolism to communicate principles of a moral, ethical or philosophical nature.
Appendant bodies are administered separately from Freemasonry and within each there is a system of offices which confer rank within that order alone; some of these bodies style themselves as (or are considered to be) Masonic due to the membership requirement that one hold the Master Mason degree.
A number of phrasings are used to describe these appendant bodies, none offering an accurate description; side, additional, advanced or higher degrees. The latter two especially elicit protest from avid supporters of Craft Masonry, because not only does that designation imply a contradiction to the statement that there is no degree higher than that of Master Mason, it also infers a more direct connection than exists.
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[edit] History
The history of Craft Masonry, prior to the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717 is unclear, and the history of the various appendant bodies is even more opaque. The Antients Grand Lodge in England, formed in 1751, allowed a wide range of rituals to be worked, whilst the Grand Lodge of England, then colloquially known as the Moderns frowned on anything beyond the three Speculative degrees of Craft Masonry, viz. the Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason. Following the merger of the two Grand Lodges in 1813 it was agreed that Pure Antient Masonry consisted of these three degrees and no more, although by semantic wordplay that agreement immediately went on to admit at least three others.
The period from 1740 to 1813 saw a host of Masonic rites emerge, as there were brethren for whom the Grand Lodge system was insufficient. These new rituals enlarged the scope of Masonry and encompassed many elaborations, some of which included elements which had previously been practiced within the craft. Many rites proved to be transient and died out (some being no more than a written record without evidence of having been practiced), but some proved more resilient and survived through amalgamation.
[edit] Approach
It is possible to segment the various additional orders into five distinct categories based on the allegorical form that the ritual takes, the key lessons from the ritual and its relationship with other orders. The individual orders do not neatly fit into each category.
- Those dealing with the aftermath of the murder of Hiram Abif and subsequently completing the construction of King Solomon's Temple. The symbolism seeks to capture the lesson that every candidate must make his or her own spiritual temple
- The Vengeance degrees, elaborating on the allegory in the Traditional History of the Master Mason ritual. These degrees deal with the finding and subsequent punishment of the three who murdered Hiram Abif and the resulting rewards to those who carried this out.
- The rebuilding of the temple by Zerabubbel and the search for the figurative secrets in the foundations of the former temple.
- Degrees conferring powers of inspection and discipline on the candidate, within the structure that the degree is contained within.
- The Philosophical, Templar and Christian degrees.
[edit] Recognition
Different Masonic jurisdictions vary in their relationships with appendant bodies, if at all. Some offer formal recognition, while others consider them wholly outside of Freemasonry. This leads to some such bodies not being universally considered as appendant bodies, but rather separate organizations that happen to require Masonic affiliation for membership.
[edit] Membership
Membership of the various appendant bodies of Freemasonry requires the candidate to be a Master Mason or have a familial relationship to a Master Mason. Some require the candidate to be a Trinitarian Christian, whereas Craft Masonry accepts candidates from any faith as long as they declare a belief in a Supreme Being. Additional requirements may include prior membership of additional orders or having held specific office in a preceding order.
Membership of many of the appendant bodies is strictly invitational; in some cases one must merely express an interest to receive this invitation, others being more strict and seeing the invitation as an honour reserved for few.
[edit] Survival
The appendant bodies which have survived to the present have done so by containing ritual content perceived as being of value to the participants. The ritual of those orders which have not survived are collected and demonstrated by the Grand College of Rites which provides a mechanism to preserve the history and traditions associated with Freemasonry and prevent the resurrection of dormant rituals.
[edit] The Appendant Bodies
The bodies themselves are accorded different status and position in different Masonic jurisdictions, and furthermore do not exist in all Masonic jurisdictions. Distinctions are noted below if known.
Examples of these appendant orders include:
- The Mark Master — part of the York Rite in the United States
- The Holy Royal Arch — Forming both the first tier (Chapter) of the York Rite and the final degree in that tier (called the Royal Arch degree) in the US
- Royal Ark Mariners - UK
- The United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta — colloquially known as KT or the Knights Templar with the latter being the official title in the US.
- Scottish Rite, also known as Antient and Accepted Rite or Rose Croix in England.
- The Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Orders of the Holy Sepulchre and of St John the Evangelist. Colloquially known as the Red Cross of Constantine. This is a different body from that known as the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross in the US Templar system.
- Royal and Select Masters — colloquially known as Cryptic Masonry, and forming the second tier of the York Rite in the US, where it is called the Council of Royal and Select Master Masons.
- The Allied Masonic Degrees
- The Order of the Secret Monitor
- The Order of the Worshipful Society of Free Masons, Rough Masons, Wallers, Slaters, Pavoirs, Plaisterers and Bricklayers. Colloquially known as the Operatives and formed of nine grades.
- The Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priest — invitational only in the US
- Royal Order of Scotland — invitational only in the US; candidate must be a Trinitarian Christian.
- The Scottish Rectified Rite or Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cite Sainte (CBCS)
- The Rite of Baldwyn at Bristol — practiced only in the city of Bristol, UK.
- Societas Rosicruciana
- The Royal Order of Eri
- The August Order of Light
- York Rite Cross of Honor (US)
- York Rite College (US)
- The Knights of the North (US and Canada) — a Masonic think tank.
- Order of the Eastern Star, although it should be noted that this order is not permitted under UGLE, considered quasi-Masonic.
- Order of the Amaranth
[edit] Further Orders
A small number of bodies exist whose purpose is not the employment of ritual to further the development of initiates, but to engender a fun, social atmosphere and further the masonic principle of Charity:
- Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, colloquially known as the Shriners
- Royal Order of Jesters (ROJ), colloqially know as "Jesters", Established circa Feb 15 - Mar 7, 1911 out of good fellowship of members of the Mystic Shrine aboard a voyage to Hawaii, this organization developed a ritual and grew to include local Courts and a National body. Local units (courts) are limited to thirteen initiates yearly. Initiation, by invitation, and unanimous ballot, limited to members in good standing of the Mystic Shrine.
- Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm, colloquially known as the Grotto
- Tall Cedars of Lebanon
- Order of the Sword of Bunker Hill, patriotic side order limited to members in good standing.
- Ye Antient Order of Noble Corks
- Order of Quetzalcoatl, colloquially known as the "Q"
[edit] Youth Organizations
A number of Masonic-affiliated youth organizations exist, mainly in North America. See Masonic Youth Organizations.
[edit] Organisations not associated with Freemasonry
There are some organisations which are commonly perceived as being related to Freemasonry; some of these benefiting from charitable support by Masonic or appendant bodies, and some merely borrowing the structure.[citation needed] In addition a number of organizations and fraternities such as the Orange Order style themselves along Masonic lines, using similar regalia and ritual. However they are not part of Freemasonry and are not accorded recognition as such.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.grandlodge-england.org/pdf/cr-rule-update2-141205.pdf Aims and Relationships of the Craft
- ^ Beyond the Craft: The Indispensable Guide to Masonic Orders Practised in England and Wales, Keith B Jackson, ISBN 0-85318-248-5, Pub 2005
