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

52 The Degree Rituals
Let Justice Be Done — The Twenty-first Degree
The ritual of the 21° lays claim to what is probably the most unusual origin
of any degree in the Scottish Rite system. The ritual that appeared in
Francken’s 1783 manuscript under the title “Prussian Knight or Noachite”
had no apparent connection with the traditional Masonic symbolism of the
Solomonic Temple. The pattern of Francken’s ritual was conventional
enough. There was the opening, containing a lecture in the form of a catechism,
followed by a rather simple reception, obligation, and investiture, concluding
with a long historical lecture. The subject of the lectures was the Old
Testament story of Noah and a curious legend concerning Peleg, the reputed
architect of the Tower of Babel. After the Confusion of Tongues, Peleg allegedly
had taken the arts of Masonry to Northern Europe, i.e., Prussia and
Germany, where his tomb supposedly was discovered in the sixth century
A.D.
The name of Peleg appears in genealogical lists in the Book of Genesis as
a descendant of Noah and an ancestor of Abraham, contemporary with the
Confusion of Tongues. More to the point, however, although Noah, together
with many other biblical and historical figures, is mentioned as a practitioner
of the Masonic arts in the fanciful history contained in Anderson’s Constitutions,
there is no reference to the Masonic associations of Peleg upon whose
legendary role the ritual of the 21° was based.
The French ritual which was the source of Francken’s 21° supposedly was
translated from an earlier German ritual in 1757. The title of the presiding
officer of the assembly depicted in the ritual was “Lieutenant Commander.”
The position of Grand Master of the Order was reserved for King Frederick
of Prussia.
So it remained for 70-odd years. Then, in 1855, the ritual of Albert Pike
made an abrupt departure from tradition and introduced the dramatic theme
that in large measure comprises the current ritual. Pike selected for the background
of his ritual the mysterious secret tribunals (vehmgerichte) of me-