The Degree Rituals The Supreme Council, 33 ... - Scottish Rite, NMJ

The Degree Rituals
David and Solomon — The Eighth Degree
The ritual of the 8° provides a ready example of the developmental pattern
of many Scottish Rite degree rituals. The Francken Manuscript included a
complete ritual for the 8°, entitled “Intendant of the Building.” The ritual contained
the traditional elements of a Scottish Rite degree ritual — opening, reception,
obligation, investiture, and a lecture, explaining the symbolism of
the degree. The theme was the creation by King Solomon, in the role of Thrice
Potent Master, of a superintendent of the workmen on the Temple.
Subsequent rituals were either copies of Francken or added only minor
embellishments. All of this was greatly elaborated and presented in more dramatic
form by Albert Pike’s ritual, which in essence was the ritual adopted
after the Union of 1867 and used in this jurisdiction for more than a century.
Then, beginning in 1979, the Committee on Rituals embarked on a revision
of the ritual. The prime author of the revision was Ill. William W. Merrill,
33°, a member of the Valley of Detroit and a consultant to the committee.
Merrill added a dramatic section in two scenes that depicted David’s selection
of Solomon as his successor and the builder of the Temple. To compensate for
the addition of the dramatic section (15 pages) and to avoid greatly extending
the length of the ritual, Merrill significantly shortened the ceremonial section
which contained the original elements of the ritual. The aim was to communicate
the lesson of the degree in dramatic form, as an allegory which was believed
to be more effective than the traditional didactic form of Masonic
ritual. The revised version was approved as the ritual of 1981.
Twenty-five years later another revision of the ritual deleted the ceremonial
section in its entirety, consistent with the policy adopted by the Supreme
Council in 1995, thereby reducing the playing time by a third. The prologue
was modified to include an explanation of the lesson of the degree instead of
simply reciting the biblical background of the drama. Modest changes were
made in the drama to eliminate superfluous and obscure dialogue. The
anachronistic reference to “Jehovah” was changed to “the Lord.” In all other
respects the ritual of 2006 preserved the content of the drama and still bears
the original Francken title, “Intendant of the Building.”
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