The Origin of Freemasonry and Knights Templar ... - Lodge Prudentia

FREEMASONRY AM) KNIGHTS TEMPLARCrypticDegrees.Council of Royal and Select Masters.The proper jurisdiction under which these degreesshould be placed, whether under Chapters andto be conferred preparatory to the Royal Arch degree,or under Councils and to be conferred afterit, has excited discussion. The former usage pre-but the latter in allvails inMaryland and Virginia,the other States. There is no doubt that these degreesbelonged originally to the Ancient and AcceptedScottish Rite, and were conferred as honorarydegrees by the Inspectors of that Rite. Repeatedattempts have been made to take the degreesout of the hands of the Councils and to place themin Chapters, there to be conferred as preparatoryto the Royal Arch.The Gerieral Grand Chapter, in the triennial sessionof 1847, adopted a resolution granting this permissionto all Chapters in States where no GrandCouncils exist. But, seeing the manifest injusticeand inexpediency of such a measure, in 1853it disclaimedall control over them, and forbade the Chaptersunder its jurisdiction to confer them. As faras regards the interference of the Ancient and AcceptedScottish Rite, that question was set at rest in1870 by the Mother Council, which, at its sessionat Baltimore, formally relinquished all further controlover them.ROYAL MASTER.The eighth degree of the American Rite, and thefirst of the degrees conferred in a Council of Royaland Select Masters. The place of meetingis calledthe "Council Chamber," and represents the privateapartment of King Solomon, in which he is said to105