scottish rite - way down south --- a masonic journey spanning three centuries by barry j. lipson,...

8/10/2019 Scottish Rite - WAY DOWN SOUTH --- A Masonic Journey Spanning Three Centuries by Barry J. Lipson, 33, PSP

1/5

1

WAY DOWN SOUTHWAY DOWN SOUTHWAY DOWN SOUTHWAY DOWN SOUTH

--- A Masonic Journey Spanning Three Centuries

Barry J. Lipson, 33, PSP, Valley of Pittsburgh

The decade of the 1860's caused much disruption in this Nation, the "cornerstone" of which had beenlaid Masonically by Brother George Washington seven decades before (U.S. Capital, 1793). The Civil

War in the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction (SJ) interrupted Grand Commander Albert Pike'srefashioning of Scottish Rite Rituals. In the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction (NMJ) the "Union of1867," the merging of the NMJ Supreme Council, established by the SJ 1n 1813 (the same year the two

Grand Lodges in England merged into the United Grand Lodge of England), with the competing

Cerneau Supreme Council in New York, awaited its end. But, the Northern and Southern bonds ofMasonic Brotherhood had survived even that, the greatest of upheavals on American soil in American

history.1

Take the incident of December 13 1862, a typical example. At Fredericksberg, the

Confederates under Gen. Longstreet had the Federals stopped cold and pinned down in front ofMaryee's Heights. The firing stopped about 4:30 PM. and soon after a white handkerchief on a stick

was raised from one of the shell holes on the plain. The Confederates waited to see what was wanted.

The man crawled on his stomach toward the Southern lines and tumbled over the stone wall in front ofMaryee's Heights. He asked if there was a Mason there." Who would think that in the middle of such a

bloody confrontation, with each side killing and demonizing the other, thoughts of seeking aid and

solace from the enemy could have even been conceived, or that a positive response would be received?

Well, sir, a "Confederate officer stepped

forward and said that he was a Mason. The Manreplied that there were two Masons in the shell

hole and if help didn't come soon they would

bleed to death. The Confederate officer sent twolitters out to get the men, and bring them in."

One would think that Masonic obligations hadthereby been met and POW procedures would

henceforth come into play, leaving themincarcerated for the duration, and MIA's as far

as their Northern Masonic Brethren were

concerned?

No sir! "He took them to his owntent and had adoctor come and treat them. Both lives were

saved."

The End?Not so, they were not to be MIA's, or even POWs for: "When they were able to travelhe

paroled them both and sent them home...."

A true act of Brotherhood, well above the call of Masonicduty. Yet acts like this between our Southern and Northern

Masonic Brethren "were common on the fields of war and did

a lot to retard its horrors."2 Thus, the above hand sketch by

Harrisburg artist Frank Hummel depicting a similar, butreverse, Civil War incident at Gettysburg between Northern

and Southern Masonic Brothers, is memorialized by a Grand

Lodge Of Pennsylvania statute on the Gettysburg battlefield.


2/5


3/5

3

18 (but with two less degrees, and presided over by aMostWise Master); the Consistory,19-32 (butwith twelve more degrees, and presided over by a Commander-in-Chief); and noCouncil of Kadosh.

When I was Sovereign Prince (a position not used in the SJ, but hidden in the SJ traditional 32 ritual),

and Commander of the Scottish Rite Valley of Pittsburgh Legion of Honor, with the strong desire to

exchange degree presentations, C.B. Hall was instrumental in helping arranging for the Valley ofCharleston to exemplify in the Valley Of Pittsburgh on November 2, 2000 their SJ 14

thDegree (with

yours truly as the exemplifier). During this visit he was the recipient of the second presented Valley of

Pittsburgh Legion of Honor Medallion. Then, on April 25, 2001 the Valley of Pittsburgh reciprocated

by exemplifying the NMJ 29

th

Degree in Charleston, West Virginia (and did a NMJ Degree there againseveral years later when John Corey 32, was Sovereign Prince).

If you look closely you can see in the accompanying

photograph the Valley of Charleston Trophy Case

with at the top two of the first edition two-sidedcommemorative cups (sans the h in Pittsburgh the

second edition having the h) commissioned by

the Valley of Charleston to commemorate thishistoric exchange of SJ and NMJ Degrees. This

photograph, taken during their 100th

Anniversary

Grand Celebration, shows myself (White Hat), C.B.

Hall (Purple Hat) and John Corey (Yellow Hat). Butmore about hats later.

Now to the complimentary and contrasting mysteries, without, of course, disclosing any secrets.

While the SJ came first and covers 35 Orients (States), compared to the NMJs 15 States, both have

similar membership numbers,3with the NMJ having, we are told, the largest Scottish Rite Valley in

the World (Indianapolis), and while the Brotherhood and many of the trappings are quite familiar and

similar, there are still significant differences between the North and South.

For example, the SJ Thirty-third Degree is normally conferred by each Valley, while in the NMJ it is

conferred annually for the entire NMJ, with a unique welcoming tradition aimed at making each andevery Thirty-third elect feel very special. Then too, the feel and texture of the SJ Thirty-third Degree is

more that of a very impressive Blue Lodge-type Degree, with the NMJ Degree having a more dramaticapproach.

Furthermore, the Thirty-third trail differs in the North and South. In the NMJ the Supreme Council

awards the 33 as a way of honoring outstanding and selfless work performed in the Rite or in publiclife. At its annual session the Supreme Council elects members of the Rite to receive the degree.

Members unanimously so elected become Honorary Members of the Supreme Council. It is not

campaigned for. It is granted solely by the Supreme Council.

While in the SJ the Thirty-third Degree is also clearly a way of honoring outstanding and selflesswork performed in the Rite, the path, apparently due to the influence of SJ icon Albert Pike, is much

more structured. I am told that to be elevated to the Thirty-third Degree in the SJ you mustfirst be a

Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) for at least 46-47 months, that twice as manyKCCHs are elected as Thirty-thirds are created, and that only one in four KCCHs ever actually

become Thirty-thirds. The KCCH Investiture, which was open to guests, stressed that becoming a Red

Hat, a KCCH, was a high honor in itself,that it was not a degree, that only 32 Masons could receive

this honor, and that there was no guarantee that it would lead to the Thirty-third Degree. The themewas clearly to whom much is given, much is expected.

The NMJ does have its own Red Hats for 32 Masons, but they are received normally near the end of

ones Masonic career and are in no way a prerequisite for the 33. They are provided to Meritorious

Service Awards (MSA) awardees as recognition of distinguished Scottish Rite service, upon the


4/5

4

recommendation of the Valleys four presiding officers and approval by that State Council ofDeliberation. As with NMJ 33rds, there is a year delay before they officially receive their Hats.

The 33 White Cap of the SJ bears the red and gold

Patriarchal Cross. Compare the earlier photograph of

C.B. Hall and me with the accompanying photographof the two of us in DC. Does anything appear to be out

of the ordinary? Clue, the 33 White

Cap of the NMJ, bears the Double-

Headed Eagle Wings Down; and thatof the Supreme Council 33 Ancient and Accepted

Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of Canada (authorized

in 1874 by the Supreme Council for England & Waleswhich, in turn, had been warranted in 1845 by the

NMJ), bears the Double-Headed Eagle Wings Up.

Note, I am also wearing a Valley of Pittsburgh ScottishRite Legion of Honor Medal similar to the one presented to

C.B. Hall in Pittsburgh, and the 32 Masonic Learning

Centers Teddy Bears tie.

Though I do not know if it is unique to C.B. Halls two decade long administration of the Orient of

West Virginia, one of the real joys to the participants, and to him, are his Capping Ceremonies, both tothose receiving the Thirty-third Degree (White Hats), and to those being invested as KCCH (Red Hats).

I had the honor of observing the KCCH Capping Ceremony in Charleston, West Virginia, and to be

honorarily part of the Thirty-third Degree Capping Ceremony in DC These were very warmoccasions, exhibiting much brotherly love.

Like the 1971-73 Sid & Marty Krofft Kids TV ShowLidville, where hats ruled, Hats or Caps are most

important in the SJ. As the SJ Website explains: What are the Caps for? If the apron is a badge of a

Mason in Blue Lodge, the cap can be said to be the public badge of a Scottish Rite Mason. It isconsidered a part of the uniform and the different colors indicate the degree of the wearer (black-32

nd,

red-KCCH, white-33), being both a prayer cap in the Jewish tradition and a symbol of the Scottish

Rite Mason as a soldier in the Empire of Intellect, Reason, Philosophy & Wise Morality (32).

There is also a White Cap with a Broad Dark Blue Band, for those rare SJ 33 Masons awarded the

Grand Cross of the Court of Honour, the highest individual honor that the SJ Supreme Councilbestows. Such a Cap is sported by S. Brent Morris 33 G.C., who in 1991 founded the SJScottish RiteResearch Society, open to anyone interested in Masonic History, Mason or non-Mason; and who in

2001 organized the Omaha, Nebraska SJ "National Membership Development Conference," where asSovereign Prince I met him and explored a number of the membership growth opportunities referred to

herein. The Violet Cap is reserved for the SJ Sovereign Grand Commander, currently Ill. Ronald A.

Seale, 33. There remains the 17th Century Bonnet, with its cock feathers protruding from its Bonnet

Badge, that replaces the Black Hat for members of that elite SJ 32 Service Unit (KCCH's and 33rdsneed not apply), theKnights of St. Andrew; and the fifty-year Blue Hat.

In the SJ (unlike the NMJ), these Caps must not be removedwhen the flag is passing, while sayingthe Pledge of Allegiance, or [when] participating in prayer. SJ 32 Caps are provided to all new 32

Masons, and are meant to be worn regularly. To the contrary, for example, in the NMJ Valley ofPittsburgh, the Yellow Cap is only worn by a 32 Mason who is on an officers line or is a past officer;

no Cap equivalent to the SJ Black Hat is made available to new 32 Masons; wearing a Cap is the

exception and not the rule; and Caps are removed during prayer. (By the way, there is no truth to themisconception that Yellow Caps just sat in the Sun until their Yellow Caps bleach White.)

In discussing with SJ 32 Black Hats the regular wearing of Caps, they were rather positive. Though

they held no official positions or exalted ranks, they felt that wearing their Black Hats contributed to


5/5

5

their sense of belonging and being part of the organization. The same seemed true of the Masonic 14Ring they received after attaining the Fourteenth Degree, which they were instructed was to be worn

throughout their Scottish Rite career, and only to be replaced if they received the 33 Ring. (The 14

Ring is alsonotprovided in the NMJ Valley of Pittsburgh.) I have suggested in the past that such toolsas Masonic Caps and Rings be utilized in the NMJ to increase recognition, pride and esprit de corps.

One of the highlights of my traveling way down South was the opportunity of being able to

personally share down south these and other Rite Development Ideas with NMJ Sovereign Grand

Commander John Wm. McNaughton, 33, the most important of which, in my opinion, for both the

Northern and Southern Jurisdictions, being the "re-packaging" of the 32nd Degree. My point is that weneed to treat elevation to the 32nd Degree with the same degree of respect, admiration and awe as it

is viewed by our Blue Lodge Brethren and the general public, or we will lose forever this worthwhile

and beneficial Blue Lodge and public perception. The bottom line is that we have to take steps tomake elevation to the 32nd Degree special, by conferring the 32nd Degree on a separate day, and

with all due clat and acclaim (and possibly somehow including the wives).And I was very heartened

by the Sovereign Grand Commanders reaction: I believe you have a great idea about the importanceof the degree itself. Some would probably say that the 32nd degree is in fact the 33rd degree for the

vast majority of our Scottish Rite members.

Thanks for permitting my sharing with you of this Masonic journey spanning three centuries: Way

Down South to Fredericksberg, DC & WV.

Copyright 2009-2010 by Barry J. Lipson

1Arturo de Hoyos, "The Union of 1867,"Heredom, vol. 5:7-45 (Scottish Rite Research Society,Washington, DC 1995).2Leonard H. Freeman,Masonry and The Civil War,Educational Lodge No. 1002, A.F.&A.M. ofMinnesota, Paper No. 103, February 1982.3Christopher Hodapp, Freemasons For Dummies.

scottish rite - way down south --- a masonic journey spanning three centuries by barry j. lipson,...

Documents