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

The Degree Rituals
The Twenty-second “Musical” Degree
The 22° appeared in Henry Francken’s manuscript by name, “Knight of
the Royal Axe,” a literal translation from the French, but without a ritual text.
All that Francken recorded about the degree was a legend about the Cedars
of Lebanon concerning use of the wood in the building of the Temples of
Solomon and Zerubbabel. This has led to conjecture that the 22° was intended
only as a “pass” degree without a complete ritual and lesson of its own.
A ritual for the 22° did not come into existence until Albert Pike’s initial
draft in 1855. Against the background of the Cedars of Lebanon, Pike introduced
the symbolic tools of the woodsman — the saw, the plane, and the axe
— as well as the dignity of labor as the lesson of the degree. This was the approved
ritual for use in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction at the time of the
Union of 1867 and, with only slight changes, for nearly 130 years thereafter.
Over time, the alternate title, “Prince of Libanus” (Lebanon) became generally
accepted for the degree.
During the 1930’s, a variation of the ritual developed. Ill. Julius B. Christman,
33°, and Ill. Otto J. Goffeney, 33°, members of the Valley of South
Bend, adapted the ritual to be presented in operatic style with members of
the cast performing vocal music, both solos and choruses. In 1942, this musical
version was approved by the Supreme Council as an alternate ritual for
the 22°, thus becoming the only musical degree ritual to be authorized in the
jurisdiction.
Despite initial popularity, use of the musical ritual unfortunately became
less frequent. By the 1970’s, few Valleys were able to assemble sufficient
numbers of players with the requisite musical talent. In 1977, the Committee
on Rituals sought to address the problem by having the music of the 1942
ritual rearranged and transposed into lower keys to facilitate performance by
less accomplished vocalists and by quartets in place of choruses. Although
this solution seemed feasible in concept, it would not be implemented for
many years.
The project was suspended in 1984 after two successive consultants retained
by the committee failed to produce the desired results. The committee
renewed the effort in 1987 and persisted through six more years and the serv-
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