
Note: This material was scanned into text files for the sole purpose of
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HISTORY
of
THE
SUPREME COUNCIL, 33°
(MOTHER
COUNCIL OF THE WORLD)
ANCIENT
AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE
OF
FREEMASONRY
SOUTHERN JURISDICTION, U.S.A.
1861-1891
By
JAMES D. CARTER, 33°
Librarian and Historian
THE
SUPREME COUNCIL 33°
WASHINGTON, D.C.
1967

1V
CONTENTS
Page
Foreword by Luther A. Smith, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander
...................... 1
Preface‑James D. Carter, 33°
................................................. 3
CHAPTER I War, Destruction and Revival‑1861‑1869
................................... 5
CHAPTER II Five Years of Creeping Stabilization‑1869‑1874
.............................. 35
CHAPTER III Six Years of Economic Depression‑1874‑1879
................................ 83
CHAPTER IV Opportunity, Problems and Action‑1880‑1886
................................ 183
CHAPTER V The Last Years of an Era‑1887‑1891
....................................... 329
CHAPTER VI Some Observations
....................................................... 379
Bibliography ................. .............................................
389
Appendices .................................................................
405
Index
..................................................................... 465
ILLUSTRATIONS Page General Albert Pike, C. S.
A.............................................. Frontispiece Home of Albert
Pike in Little Rock, Arkansas ................................
Facing 1 Luther A. Smith, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander
................................ 1 President Andrew Johnson
..................................................... 16 Latin
Thirty‑Second Degree Patent, 1866
......................................... 19 Civil War Emergency
Certificate ................................................ 34
Masonic Temple, Lyons, Iowa ..................................................
63 Pike's Jewels
................................................................ 82
Badges‑Knight Commander of the Court of Honour; Grand Cross of the Court of
Honour ... 86 Albert Pike in Scottish Rite Regalia
............................................. 88 David Kalakaua,
King of Hawaii, Wise Master, Nemanu Chapter of Rose Croix ............ 104
Blank Stock Certificate
........................................................ 122 First House of
the Temple ..................................................... 182
Announcement of Session of 1880
............................................... 190 James A. Garfield,
President, U.S.A. ............................................. 218 Title
Page‑The Book of Infamy ................................................ 238
Furniture Designed by Pike at El Paso, Texas
...................................... 244 Albert Pike, 1889, wearing the
Decoration of the King of Hawaii on his left breast ......... 284 Albert Pike
about 1888 ....................................................... 328 The
Vinnie Ream Bust of Albert Pike ............................................
378 APPENDICES Page APPENDIX I ‑Tableaus of the Supreme Council 33° U.S.A.
1861‑1890 ............ 407 APPENDIX II ‑The Gouley Controversy
....................................... 421 APPENDIX III ‑Letters of
Denunciation and Appeal .............................. 429 APPENDIX IV
‑Articles of Confederation ...................................... 435 APPENDIX
V ‑Articles of Federation ......................................... 441
APPENDIX VI ‑Titles of Degrees, Bodies and Officers
............................ 449 APPENDIX VII‑Letter to the Supreme Councils
of the World ....................... 459 LUTHER A. SMITH, 33° Sovereign Grand
Commander
THE
SUPREME COUNCIL, 33° ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY
SOUTHERN JURISDICTION, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

INTRODUCTION to a worthy book should be more than a formality. It should
create in the reader a real desire to get thoroughly acquainted with the
contents of the book. It is with that feeling that I approach the task of
intro ducing our Scottish Rite and Masonic membership to the second volume of
the History of the Supreme Council, 33°, S.J., U.S.A., written by Dr. James D.
Carter, 33°, Librarian of the Supreme Council. It is a real history, produced
out of the materials found in the Archives of the Supreme Council and from the
discoveries found in many places by the Author as the result of his meticulous
research for historical facts that would throw light upon the subject under
study,‑the growth and development of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the
Southern Jurisdiction.
The content of the volume is well organized into six chapters with
descriptive names as follows: CHAPTER I ‑War, Destruction and
Revival‑1861‑1869 CHAPTER II ‑Five Years of Creeping Stabilization‑1869‑1874
CHAPTER III‑Six Years of Economic Depression‑1874‑1879 CHAPTER IV‑Opportunity,
Problems and Action‑1880‑1886 CHAPTER V ‑The Last Years of an Era‑1887‑1891
CHAPTER VI‑Some Observations HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33°
The Author in these Chapters sets himself to the very difficult
task of describing the desperate political, economic and social conditions
existing in the Southern States which seceded from the Union at the beginning
of the War and remained out until the Reconstruction Period worked its
miserable way back to normal in the seventies. It was difficult to find any
bright spots to write about. There was one fact that offered hope to the small
number of Scottish Rite Masons who refused to give up in the face of apparent
insurmountable obstacles,‑Albert Pike was there with his faith and courage to
inspire the remnants who stood by, ready to follow his leadership. His
presence meant everything to the forlorn hope for the future of the Rite.
Watching the Author's skill in marshalling the fragments of facts
and circumstances favorable to future growth of the Rite is a fascinating
experience. Pike's practical judgment and unconquerable determination in the
ultimate success of his faith and efforts easily established him as the hero
of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry; its Seer, Philosopher and Savior.
People love success stories and take great pleasure in keeping
them vibrant in the folklore of the race. This volume in the history of the
Supreme Council should be a treasure house of pride and glory for Scottish
Rite Masons of all generations. I am sure all Masons will read it with
pleasure and profit.
Your attention is called to the 14 illustrations which are to be
seen in this second volume of the History of the Supreme Council. They are
well chosen and render a fine service in adorning the history. The Albert Pike
portrait in Confederate Army Uniform is a real find. It is the only one that
has been discovered. The picture of King Kalakaua of Hawaii is an item of
special importance, and so is the picture of President Garfield and of
considerable interest is the furniture designed by Albert Pike when he
established the Lodge of Perfection in El Paso, Texas. The Author is to be
congratulated upon his good judgment and good luck in finding and selecting
these illustrations.
Sovereign Grand Commander PREFACE THE HISTORY of the Supreme
Council, 33°, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction,
United States of America, like ancient Gaul, is divided into three parts. The
first is that period extending from its creation in 1801 until its almost
annihilation by the outbreak of civil war in 1861. The second is the three
decades of revival, restoration and maturation under the guidance of Albert
Pike until his death in 1891. The third is the period since 1891 in which its
organizational structure has been perfected, its numerical and financial
strength multiplied and its service programs formulated and brought into
reality.
Organized Freemasonry in the United States of America antedates
the birth of the Republic and both have experienced comparable growth in
strength and health. The great events that transpired on the North America
continent have influenced and been influenced by Masonic institutions. This is
particularly true of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the Southern
Jurisdiction for there is an amazing parallelism between the major divisions
of general United States history and those of the history of the Mother
Council of the World.
The above comments state the fundamental concepts that have
governed the writing of this history of the Supreme Council in the Southern
Jurisdiction. The first volume, principally the work of R. Baker Harris, 33',
in this historical study was published in 1964, and was devoted to the period
from 1801 to 1861. This volume is a continuation of the project instituted by
Sovereign Grand Commander Luther A. Smith, 33°, in 1956.
This History of the Supreme COUNCIL, 33░
(Mother Council of the World), Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of
Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, United States of America, 1861 to 1891, is
devoted entirely to the administration of Sovereign Grand Commander Albert
Pike. The presentation is chronological, the better to correlate the actions
of the Pike administration with the events and conditions occurring and
prevailing in the period. This type of presentation is employed to depict the
day to day problems of building an adequate administrative unit for the Rite,
however, it demands closer attention from the reader in order to keep all
threads of development in continuity. The general background is civil war and
the slow and painful recovery from civil, economic and social chaos which
followed. The principal sources of information include not only the printed
Transactions and other published documents issued by the Supreme Council and
the Grand Commander but confidential records and a large number of official
and personal letters exchanged between the Grand HISTORY OF THE SUPREME
COUNCIL, 33░
Commander and his correspondents. Many of these letters have never before been
made available, even to Scottish Rite officials, because of the time and
effort required for their careful study. In fact, the collection of such
materials in the possession of the Supreme Council has been materially
increased during the time this study was in progress.
The author is indebted to many people for assistance in the
preparation of this work, so much so that it could not have been done without
their efforts. These contributions extend over a period of time in excess of
one hundred years and the volume is such that it would be impractical to
undertake even a listing. However, special thanks are extended to Sovereign
Grand Commander Luther A. Smith, 33', every Sovereign Grand Inspector General
and Deputy of the Supreme Council, my associates in the House of the Temple
and my family for making it possible for this work to be done under as near
ideal circumstances as was in their power to provide.
JAMES D. CARTER, 33' CHAPTER I WAR, DESTRUCTION AND REVIVAL
1861‑1869 THE opening of the Civil War in 1861 brought the first phase of the
history of the Supreme Council, 33░,
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction,
United States of America, to an end and marked the beginning of the second
period. This latter span of Supreme Council history has two major
characteristics. First, the almost total destruction of the Rite and its
revival and subsequent development. Second, the period is dominated by Albert
Pike, directly or indirectly, until the rise of another dominant personality
after 1909, John Henry Cowles.
During the war, there is little evidence of Scottish Rite activity
except that of Albert Pike which was quite limited. However, Pike's activity
did serve to preserve the spark of life in the Rite. After the adjournment of
the Session of the Supreme Council on April 5, 1861, probably early in May,
Grand Commander Pike accepted a commission from the Confederate Government to
treat with the Indians along the Arkansas border and gain their support. He
was engaged in this and other Confederate service until relieved of his duties
in 1862. Early in 1863, Pike returned to Arkansas and established himself at
Greasy Cove with a part of his library. Here he continued his revision of the
rituals of the Scottish Rite and probably made plans for the resumption of
other Scottish Rite work following the restoration of peace. Then Pike seems
to have lived at Washington, Arkansas, until late in that year or early in
1865. He was living on Big Creek, six miles from Rondo, when the Confederate
forces in the Trans‑Mississippi Department surrendered on May 26, 1865, ending
the Civil War. He is believed to have compiled Morals and Dogma at this
location.
Pike's success in securing the allegiance of the Indians to the
Confederacy, the belief in the North that he was responsible for greatly
exaggerated accounts of atrocities in the West during the war, and possibly
the hatred of all Masons and all things Masonic by some leaders of the Anti‑masonic
movement still in the United States Congress caused his exclusion from the
general amnesty granted to Confederate soldiers and officials on May 29, 1865.
It was not until August 30, 1865, that HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
a
Presidential order was signed by Andrew Johnson which permitted Pike, then in
Canada, to return home, without fear of arrest by either civil or military
authorities, after taking an oath of allegiance and giving a parole of honor
to conduct himself as a loyal citizen.
Pike then went to New York where he apparently remained for about
two months supervising the printing of the ritual of the Lodge of Perfection
that he had completely revised. On November 16, 1865, the Grand Commander had
arrived in Charleston for the Session of the Supreme Council! The Scottish
Rite had been preserved in the Southern Jurisdiction but it had been reduced
for all practical purposes to one man. Revival and reconstruction were now in
order.
If the problems of advancing the Scottish Rite in the Southern
Jurisdiction during the sixty‑year period from the creation of the Supreme
Council at Charleston to the opening of the Civil War are viewed as
formidable, a review of the conditions that existed in the Jurisdiction
following the war indicate that the situation had not improved.
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas,
Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee had formed the
Confederate States of America. The remaining states in the Southern
Jurisdiction had retained their membership in the Union. Differences of
opinion of no insignificant character had caused this separation and a
military victory would not change opinions on these issues. Harmony could not
be immediately achieved.
The major theaters of military operations during the war were
located within the Confederate States and the greater portion of war
destruction lay within the Southern Jurisdiction.
The collapse of the Confederacy made its currency and securities
worthless. This and other losses produced a desperate economic bankruptcy in
those states, both public and private. There was no surplus capital in these
areas in any significant quantity.
1 A detailed account of this period in Albert Pike's life is
contained in Walter Lee Brown, "Albert Pike, 18091891," unpublished Ph.D.
dissertation, U.T., 1955, pp. 719‑759; Charles S. ‑Lobingier, The Supreme
Council, 33', S.J., 215‑227.
WAR, DESTRUCTION AND REVIVAL
The emancipated slaves were wandering aimlessly about depending
upon the Union army of occupation for sustenance. The idleness of this labor
force retarded economic recovery in huge areas of the Jurisdiction.
Transport and communication were almost completely destroyed in
much of the Jurisdiction. Railroads and bridges were destroyed by military
action and by four years of neglect and heavy service without adequate
manpower, repair and replacement. Until postal service was restored, letter
communication was nonexistent.
(See illustration of emergency certificate on page 34.) Other than
the United States army of occupation, there were no legal and effective
agencies of law and order until civil government could be restored in the
vacuum created by the defeat of the Confederacy. The President of the United
States moved quickly into this area of reconstruction; however, there was a
powerful element in the United States Congress bent on further vengeance upon
the defeated Confederacy, and its efforts contributed to a prolongation of the
prostrate condition of the territory.
The casualties of the Civil War had cost the Southern Jurisdiction
a high percentage of the men in the region. The surviving Confederate
soldiers, many maimed or broken in health, were disfranchised, bankrupt and
bearing the psychological as well as the physical burden of defeat. Their
immediate problems were to rebuild their shattered lives and to provide a
degree of security for their impoverished families. Their difficulties were
compounded by the not overly sympathetic army of occupation, the host of
scavengers that had gathered to prey on the land, and the well‑intentioned but
impractical visionaries, the incompetent and the sometimes dishonest officials
in the local governments that were established by their conquerors. The
effects of the war and "Reconstruction" were to remain with the veterans of
the Confederate army until the end of their lives and were to color the
viewpoints of several generations that knew them.
The states in the Southern Jurisdiction that had remained in the
Union were more fortunate than those which had composed the Confederacy. Their
economic condition was stable and relatively prosperous. Their political
system was intact. Their social structure had not been overturned. However,
they had not escaped some effects of the war. They also lost a high percentage
of the flower of their young manhood and there were emotional and
psychological attitudes that would make lasting alterations in the existing
order.
During the Civil War, Masonic bodies had practically ceased their
labors while attention was given to the' conduct of the war; men had turned
from the contempla‑
HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
tion
of morality and beauty to the study of war with its manifestations of
savagery. Darkness had almost snuffed out the Light.
In 1865, throughout the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish
Rite, chaos was the rule rather than the exception in the physical life and in
the political, economic and social institutions of the people. This disorder
had extended itself until confusion was present in emotional, psychological
and philosophical outlooks. This was the general situation when on July 15,
1865, Grand Commander Albert Pike summoned the Supreme Council to assemble at
Charleston on November 15, 1865, for the resumption of Scottish Rite
activity.) It may be observed that there had never been a period in American
history when there had been a greater need for the active presence of an
institution dedicated to bringing "Order out of Chaos" than at that very time.
To fully understand the events and activity in the years between
the formal Sessions of the Suprme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction during
Albert Pike's administration, it is necessary to be familiar with the general
history of the period, with the structure and jurisprudence of the Rite and to
comprehend Albert Pike the Grand Commander. Pike was a man of many abilities,
some of them highly developed. He was also a militant crusader for Scottish
Rite Masonry as zealous in its cause as any missionary the world has seen; he
could not conceive of a lesser degree of zeal in any member of the Rite. His
profession as a lawyer was only a means to sustain life and secure means to
further the interests of Scottish Rite Masonry. Discovering that "the law, to
a rebel, having rebel and ruined clients, is a slow, slow way of realizing
cash how much ever one may charge,"' Pike devoted more and more of his time to
the affairs of Scottish Rite Masonry. His official documents and large volume
of letters reflect the burning urgency that he felt for the propagation of the
Rite; his impatience with restricted finances which curbed his activity on
behalf of the Fraternity; an outraged anger at those who impeded the progress
of Scottish Rite Masonry; and are filled with cajolery, eloquent appeals to
obligation and to sense of duty and stinging denunciations of those members of
the official family who faltered or seemed content with the status quo. It
seems that the survival of the Mother Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite in
that age demanded such a determined and unrelenting leadership. Pike's words
and deeds should be evaluated in that climate.
2 Summons, July 15, 1865.
3 Albert Pike to J. C. Batchelor, July 15, 1866.
WAR, DESTRUCTION AND REVIVAL
A quorum of the Supreme Council had not appeared for the Session
on November 16, 1865, and no work was undertaken. On November 17, 1865, six
members, Albert Pike, Sovereign Grand Commander; Azariah T. C. Pierson, as
Lieutenant Grand Commander; Albert G. Mackey, Secretary General; Henry Buist,
Treasurer General; William S. Rockwell, as Grand Marshal and Benjamin R.
Campbell, as Captain of the Guards, opened the Supreme Council for business.
In his address to the Supreme Council during the afternoon, Pike
summarized the effect of the war on the Rite in these words: During four
terrible years our Temples have been for the most part deserted, the ashes of
the fires upon our altars have been cold, and the Brethren have met each other
as enemies, or ceased to commune with each other. Isolated, in most of our
States, from the outer world, we have had no correspondence with Foreign
Bodies. No attempt has been made to enlarge the borders of the Ancient and
Accepted Scottish Rite. Our Subordinate Bodies ceased to meet.
We had, at the commencement of the war, Grand Consistories in
Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas and Virginia. I have no information
to communicate as to any of them.' Later in the address, he remarked: ...
Except in New Orleans, there are, perhaps, no Bodies working subordinate to
these (Grand Consistories). Those established in Arkansas have done nothing
since the war began; and except a Chapter of Rose Croix and Lodge of
Perfection in South Carolina, and Bodies of the same degrees and the 16th in
Baltimore, I have no information of any Subordinate Bodies in the
Jurisdiction. In the northern portion of it we have not one body of any
degree.' The Grand Commander announced the completion of a revision of the
rituals in the following words: Being relieved of all other labour during the
last two years and a half of the war, I devoted nearly the whole of that time
to the Ancient and Accepted Rite. I have completed the Rituals of all of the
degrees, so that from the first to the thirty‑second inclusive, they are
either printed or ready for the printer.
. . . There are, then, fourteen degrees, besides the three Blue
Degrees, to print, and ceremonies of Inauguration and Installation, Patents,
Letters of Constitution 4 Transactions, Supreme Council, S.J., 1857‑1866,
(Reprint), 257. 5Ibid., 261.
HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33°
and
other blanks, for all of which the money has to be earned. The labour is done;
the money alone is wanting.' Regarding the extension of the Rite, Pike said:
With peace, the opportunity for useful labour returns to the Ancient and
Accepted Scottish Rite. We shall soon be prepared to extend it throughout our
Jurisdiction....
It will be absolutely necessary that some of us should take in
hand the dissemination of the Rite, as soon as the Rituals are ready. If we
would effect anything, we must be willing to give our time and labour to the
Order. I hope to induce our Ill.'. Bro.'. Pierson to undertake the propagation
of the Rite in Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas and Nevada; and that others may be
willing to engage in the extension of the Rite in the Southern States, with at
least the zeal which many Masons display in Symbolic Masonry. The field is
wide enough for many husbandmen; and if there be in any State an Inspector
General who neither attends our Sessions nor labours to extend our Rite in his
State, the sooner we remove him and find a more faithful workman, the better.'
In Pike's mind, the propagation of the Rite and the composition and
organization of the Supreme Council were so closely related as to be
inseparable; hence, the following statements on Supreme Council membership: We
have not yet any Inspector‑General for Maryland, North Carolina, Florida,
Texas, Oregon, California or Kansas; and there are vacancies in South
Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. We ought, I think, to take steps
to fill existing vacancies; and if the person elected for any State does not
appear, in order to be qualified, we should at once put him aside and select
another. We have no use for, and can expect little benefit from, anyone,
however "distinguished" as a Mason, who does not think it worth his while to
attend one meeting of our Body, at least, and receive the degree.
I shall propose the election of an Inspector‑General for
California, and one for Oregon. The Ill\
Bro\
whom I shall propose for California, already possessing the 32d Degree, will
be present to receive the 33d, and on his return to the Pacific Coast will
engage zealously in the work of propagating the Rite, and can convey the
Rituals to the Inspector‑General for Oregon.
By the deaths of Ill\
Brethren Mellon and Scott, we are enabled to give Oregon and Kansas each a
member, under Article III. of the Constitutions of 1859. We have a 33d already
in Oregon, who may, if you think fit, be selected to fill the place vacant for
that State; and I recommend that the necessary steps be taken to qualify some
proper person and make him the member from Kansas.
6Ibid., 258‑261. 7 Ibid., 257, 261.
10 W R, DESTRUCTION AND REVIVAL
It is
not at present practicable to assign a member to Nevada, without depriving
either Alabama or Florida of one. And as the Rite has an exceedingly limited
membership in those two States, and it is desirable, on many accounts, to
increase the representatives in the Council from the northern portion of our
Jurisdiction, and to provide for new States yet to enter the Union, I think it
will be advisable to re‑apportion the representation, but without diminishing
the number of members allowed to South Carolina and Louisiana.
In this respect and in many others, our Statutes need amendments
and additions; and, having had ample time to reflect upon them, I have thought
it not improper to prepare a revision of the whole, which I lay before you,
proposing that it be referred to a Committee, and that such action may be had
upon it as may be deemed advisable.' [This revision was mislaid, never acted
on, and found in 1877.] The remaining portion of the Grand Commander's address
was devoted to summaries of what was known regarding other Supreme Councils.
The schism which had developed in the Supreme Council of the Northern
Jurisdiction was explored in great detail in the hope of finding some ground
upon which the Mother Council might effect a reconciliation; it was
recommended that the problem be given further study by a Committee.
In other areas of business, the Supreme Council acted as follows:
Henry W. Schroder for South Carolina, George B. Waterhouse for North Carolina
and Ebenezer Hamilton Shaw for California were elected Sovereign Grand
Inspectors General and Active Members of the Supreme Council.
Nine brethren were elected to Honorary Membership in the Supreme
Council.
Henry Buist was elected Treasurer General.
Taliferro P. Shaffner was commissioned a Special Deputy of the
Supreme Council "to establish Supreme Councils, Consistories and other Bodies,
in any places or countries in Northern Europe, where no Supreme Councils
already exist".
The Supreme Council withdrew its recognition of the Supreme
Council established in Cuba by De Castro and reaffirmed its recognition of the
Supreme Council established in Cuba by Andres Cassard.
8 Ibid., 262‑263.
HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
"The
Supreme Council was then adjourned to meet in Washington, D.C., on April 16,
1866."9 News of the meeting of the Supreme Council of the Southern
Jurisdiction in November, 1865, spread over the United States. Some not
altogether to be unexpected reactions occurred which illustrate the extent of
bitterness that the Civil War had engendered. Original letters of Grand
Commander Pike to the Sovereign Grand Inspectors General are reproduced in
order to present the atmosphere preceding the meeting that occurred on April
16, 1866.
(See Reproductions on pages 13 and 14) Pursuant to adjournment,
the Supreme Council reassembled at Washington, D. C., on April 16, 1866.
General conditions had improved to the extent that thirteen Sovereign Grand
Inspectors General appeared for the Session. Five Active Members sent excuses
for their absence that were accepted by the Supreme Council. James Penn sent
his resignation as an Active Member and as the Lieutenant Grand Commander.
Items of business acted upon included the following: John J.
Worsham was elected Active :Member for Tennessee.
Honorary Memberships in the Supreme Council were increased to four
per state. The fee for Honorary Membership was fixed at $150.
Twelve brethren were elected to Honorary Membership.
The report of the Committee studying the schism in the Northern
Jurisdiction was adopted which recognized Robinson, Moore, Case, Young and
Starkweather as the legitimate members of the Northern Supreme Council.
The Lodge of Sorrow was postponed until the next Session.
Several appropriations for charity were approved.
The Grand Commander was authorized to appoint Deputies for the
purpose of propagating the Rite. Where Inspectors General were resident in a
State, these Deputies were "to act in aid" to such officials.
Twenty‑five percent of fees were appropriated to defray the
expense of propagating the Rite. This seemed to be in addition to the actual
expense incurred.
9 Ibid., 256, 353‑359.
12 Vimy DF‑uc AND 1Li‑.% Blt~rrnEit:.
The Supreme Councilò the Southern Jurisdiction of th nite(j
States has adjourned, to lueet again at the City of Washington, on the third
Monday ot ~, 1866, when a Lodge of Sorrow will be held in memory of the
III. % Brethren Lip: PRINCE, Scarrr, MELLEN, RAMSAY and STtxuATT, Sovereign
Grand Inspectors‑General and active members of the Sup. % Council, who have
departed this life. Then, also, matters of the gravest importance
will come ap,to be disposed of The questions concerning the two bodies
claiming to be Supreme Councils for the Northern Jurisdiction, were refcrn;d
to # CoiWittee consisting of III. % Bros.'. MACKEY, ROCKWELL, BUIST, Pumsox
and N'xxNcu, wK will report at the adjourned Session; and the Sup.‑. Council
must then decide.
Setwit nding the Summons issued in due time, the members in
attendance were so few, that those who did attend came near being unable to
transact. any business. Nor were exev░
sent by more than two or three of those who failed to attend.
Of the members present, one came from, Minnesota and one from
Arkansas, at much expenac and more inconvenience. No member was less able to
lose the money and the time required, nor could have attended at a greater
sacrifice, than the Grand Commander.
It is my duty to remind you that no mere stress of busaam can
excuse one of ns from attending a Session of the Supreme Council'; since there
is no business to which we are more solemnly pledged.faithfully and punctually
to attend, and there are no duties more obligatory on us, than the business
and duties of our high office.
It is earnestly hoped by your Brethren that you will be present at
the Session of the third Monday of February next; and I do hereby
pereiaptorily summon and require you to be there, apon your oath to obey all
due signs and aummomes,and b3' your obligation w is liiadve+kmadiftOW
Inspector‑General; and lest you should be put to shame as neglectful of sworn
duty; and yen WN, make‑due return of this Summons to our Ill.‑.
Secretary‑General, that we may know you I%" received the same.
There may never again be so important a Session of the Supreme
Council, and it. ought net to be expected that any ordinary excuse should be
accepted as sufficient, in case of non‑attendance. You will also, at the same
time, make due return of your action in conferring the degrees of the Ancient
and Accepted Rite, and of all funds received by you, and pay over the same,
Your actual expenses alone being deducted, and you will be pleased personally
to see to it that the Grand Consistory of your State, if there be one, and any
other bodies therein which should do so, do make due report and returns and
transmit all moneys due the Sup.. Council, lest they shou:M be suspended as in
default, and you will please be prepared to report a complete list of all
Bodies of the Rite in your district, showing the name and locality of each.
MAY Tim GREAT SOURCE AND AUTHOR OF ALL THAT Id, HAVE‑ YOI‑ IN IIIS
IIOLY KEEPING! Gives under our hand and the Seal of our Arms, at the Grand
Orient aforesaid and countersigned by our III. % Secretary‑General of the Holy
Buipire, and the Great Seal of the Supreme Council affixed, this Z/ 4=
day of the Hebrew.month A.% m.'. 562''‑irauswering noto the e., rz
‑ day ot /a...., a.‑‑7 1166, V... .: E'.
cc.ò.
(pen. . X.‑ X...
%ov.% firaud (~onunander.
13 Rsus fAmmps Ans.
ORIENT 01‑ _l1A'AIPHI8, 12TH MARCH. lfttiti DFAR Slit AND
1LLUSTRIOUK BROTHXR: The meeting of the Supreme Council for the Southern
Jurisdiction, which was to have been held in Washington on the Third Monday of
February last, was postponed to the Third Monday of April,. at the earnest
solicitation of mur illustrious Secretary General.
Equally as your Grand Commander; as your Brother in the bond, and
as friend to friend, I earnestly entreat you to let nothing prevent your
attendance, whether you receive a formal summons from the Secretary General or
do not.
Our Supreme Council is sedulously represented in the Northern
Jurisdiction as dissolved, or destroyed by death and expatriation of its
members. A plot exists there to prevent our meeting. The object is
two‑fold: 1st. To hinder us from deciding whether there is any Supreme Council
in the Northern Jurisdiction; and if there be one, which is the legal
Council; 2d. To plunder as (it all the States west of the Mississippi
River, except Arkansas and Texas.
It is to elect these purposes that4ve are loudly denounced by
Masons, forgetful of their oaths, as a Rebel Council, and that your Grand
Commander is singled out for vituperatigtt.
.The conspirators in the North have tat least one accessory among
ourselves a member of the Supreme Council ‑ who has already been so
indiscreet, moved by I do not know what passion, as to assail in violent
language, not only me, but the Supreme Council, of which he is a member, in
the "Masonic" columns, edited by an expelled Mason, of an obscure Sunday paper
in New York: to send to the same paper for publication the summons to attend
our meeting, and to empower those who hate us there to boast. that he will
assail the action of the Supreme Council and its Grand Commander in open
Council in April.
I do not think that he will find any helpers. If he does, all
will come to shame together. But what I do know is, that there
exists a settled and eager determination to destroy our Supreme Council, and
that all the urgent motives for this determination are political, or ignobly
personal.
t Appealing to God to witness the unselfishness of all my Masonic
labors, the hingle‑heartedness of all my official acts, courting the most
scrupulous investigation, and‑knowing that I can abundantly justify all I have
written or acted as to the Northern Jurisdiction, caring nothing for myself,
but all for the Supreme Council, (for what am I compared with the Rite of
which I have 'n for fifteen years the slave Y) I beg you, if you care for the
Supreme Council, if you care for Truth and Justice, if you are not willing to'
see you brethren laid, ready for the knife, on the political altar of
burnt‑offering, Do nor FAIL. TO HE PaESNNT IN APRIL, All ANY COST.
I lately received a letter t tom an Illustrious Brother, 33d.'.
and Grand Master, which, enigmatically written. advised me, ie e .feet, that
it was represented to the politicalpower in Washington, that there were
disloyal purposes concealed in our intenfion to hold a lodge of Sorrow in
honor of our dead brethren. There is no depth of infamy to which
humanity cannot descend. A"ever was a more infitmous libel conceived The
object was to induce the Government to prohibit our meeting; and I know from
what quarter the attempt came. It wears the known ear‑marks. It is for you now
to determine whether we shall permit. ourselves to Ire crushed like
unresisting worms, or whether we shall assert the majesty of Truth, of Right,
and of Reason. You are hereby formally and peremptorily summoned to meet the
Grand Commander in session of the Supreme Council, at the City of Washington,
ors Monday, the 16th day of April next, for the transaction of such business
as may lawfully come before it and to defeat all attempts to destroy it.
GOD SAVE THE SUYREUR COUNCIL.!
‑.............____........_...................._.........................._,
. ..,..::.. ..., : fu Sov.‑. GR.‑. COMMANDXR.
I LLCBTRIous BROTHIRIt ~e+~~?J
._.................................................... .......
:......l~....( .+.'.l.....1...(flr.1...:...^..fLt ..~....~..t.c~2_r..
8av.'. GR.'. INAP.'. GRNCRAL, AND AKMDKR OF THS 80PRIMS COI'NCM 14
HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
William S. Rockwell was elected Lieutenant Grand Commander.
Albert G. Mackey was made the third ranking officer of the Supreme
Council for life.
The Statute on officers was amended so that officers' The Grand
Commander The Lieutenant Grand Commander The Secretary General of the Holy
Empire The Grand Prior The Grand Chancellor The Grand Minister of State The
Treasurer General of the Holy Empire titles read as follows: A.T.C. Pierson
was elected Grand Prior.
B. B. French was elected Grand Chancellor.
G. M. Hillyer was elected Grand Minister of State.
The purchase of necessary office furniture and stationery for the
Grand Commander and Secretary General was authorized.
The Secretary General was directed to have the documents and books
bound.
An assistant was authorized for the Secretary General.
A Statute was enacted directing the establishment of an accounting
system.
Contingent funds were set aside for the use of the Grand Commander
and Secretary General.
The "Chamber of Deputies" which had developed without
authorization in Louisiana was abolished.
The bills were ordered to be paid.
A number of Deputies were appointed.
Grand Commander Pike was awarded a jewel and was requested to
prepare and print a Manual for the degrees. He was also requested to proceed
with the printing of "Morals and Dogma".
15 WAR, DESTRUCTION AND REVIVAL The Committee on Subordinate
Bodies reported as follows: 12 resident members of the Grand Consistory of
Arkansas which had not conferred any degrees during the past five years.
13 members of the Grand Consistory of Kentucky, five of whom were
new members.
102 members of the Grand Consistory of Louisiana, twenty‑two of
whom were new members.
11 members of the Grand Consistory of Mississippi, one of whom was
a new member.
35 candidates received the degrees from Albert G. Mackey. 7
candidates received the degrees from William S. Rockwell. 3 candidates
received the degrees from Frederick Webber. 17 candidates received the degrees
from Giles M. Hillyer.
4 candidates received the degrees from John J. Worsham. 7
candidates received the degrees from A. T. C. Pierson.
A resolution was adopted to apply to the Legislature of South
Carolina for a charter for the Supreme Council that it might hold real estate.
A series of resolutions relating to Foreign Supreme Councils,
presently of little or no significance, were adopted.
A precedent setting feature of the Session was a visit to the
White House to pay respects to the President of the United States." At this
time, President Andrew Johnson granted a pardon to Grand Commander Pike for
his services to the Confederacy. (See picture of President Johnson on page
16.) It appears that the meetings of the Supreme Council in 1865 and 1866 may
be the most momentous and dramatic in its history up to those dates.
Certainly, its members could not have had greater physical difficulties and
dangers in traveling to overcome. It is also certain that the temper of the
times had never been less conducive to peaceful and harmonious activity in any
convention or body national in its member to Ibid., 337‑471.
17 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
ship
and representation. The record of work accomplished, decisions made and plans
formulated were of major importance for the future of the Rite. But the
psychological effect of calm and deliberate action of a constructive nature,
under intense and vicious intimidation, was in sharp contrast to the example
presented to the nation by the Congress of the United States. Great
achievements had occurred in the past and others were to be attained by the
Supreme Council in the future, but the prompt and efficient resumption of its
humanitarian labors by the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction,
almost before the echoes of civil war had subsided, is one of the signal
victories of Freemasonry in all ages. To the discerning mind, it was the first
ray of hope that the United States could and would again become reunited in
the bonds of mutual trust and confidence; that the nation would resume the
path of destiny to world leadership in the development of a culture and
civilization dedicated to Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.
(See Illustration on page 19.)
Following the conclusion of the 1866 meeting of the Supreme Council in
Washington, D. C., Grand Commander Albert Pike returned to Memphis, Tennessee,
to resume his law practice and to engage in extensive work for the Scottish
Rite. The "Council of Deputies" in Louisiana had been abolished, and the
members thereof were unhappy as a result. A large part of Pike's
correspondence in this period was in relation to that action of the Supreme
Council.
The Grand Commander immediately undertook to exercise the
authorization of the Supreme Council to appoint Deputies in portions of the
Jurisdiction where no Active Members were resident for the propagation of the
Rite. On July 22, 1866, Pike wrote to Philip C. Tucker, Jr., in Galveston,
Texas, as follows: Our Supreme Council is very anxious to commence the
extension of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite into Texas. Could you so
engage in it? We have as yet no Active Member there, and cannot have one until
our Sup. Council meets in 1868. If you receive the degrees to the 32d you can
be appointed Deputy Inspector for the State, a place which I should be
delighted to see you fill.
Can you go to New Orleans and receive the degrees? Hoping that you
can, I enclose an authorization and request, upon which you will be invested
with them by our B. '. B.'. in New Orleans, without charge.
I will then send you a Commission, and the ritual and secret work.
You can make other 32ds to act as Deputies, and we can propagate the Rite in
all the parts of your State. . . .11 ii C. A. Hotchkiss, History of Scottish
Rite Masonry in Texas, 2.

On or
about August 1, 1866, Tucker accepted the proposal of Pike, and the Grand
Commander then wrote to J. C. Batchelor on August 18, 1866, at New Orleans,
advising him of the arrangements and requesting the Louisiana Bodies to confer
the degrees "for me, without charge". Tucker was delayed by illness in his
family but on February 5, 1867, he received a certificate from Inspectors
General James C. Batchelor and Sam'l M. Todd attesting to the fact that he had
received the Scottish Rite Degrees. Tucker returned to Texas immediately
because of the illness in his family. About three months later he wrote to
Pike that he was ready to start work. 12 During May, 1867, Tucker communicated
the Scottish Rite degrees to ten Galveston Masons and with two other Scottish
Rite Masons living in the city, formed San Felipe de Austin Lodge of
Perfection No. 1, and outlined plans for the same actions in Houston, Texas."
Thus, Scottish Rite Masonry was introduced into another State of the Southern
Jurisdiction.
Grand Commander Pike expressed concern about the departure for
France of Claude Samory, Sovereign Grand Inspector General for Louisiana, and
the selection of his successor in May, 1866. In the meantime, Samuel M. Todd
and Wm. M. Perkins were made Special Deputies for Louisiana, and Emmet D.
Craig, Special Deputy for Western Louisiana to carry on the extension of the
Rite in the state. In the same letter containing the information on Louisiana,
Pike wrote I hope you [J. C. Batchelor] will be able to work in South Alabama
this fall. Hillyer proposes to help; and Fizell of Tennessee (an Honorary
Member) will take North Alabama. 14 On July 17, 1866, Pike moved to extend the
Rite into Kansas and Nebraska with this request: Please select two worthy
Master Masons of Kansas and two of Nebraska. Invite them to Saint Louis and
give them the degrees as honoriam, without charge, if they will agree to act
as our Deputies and extend the Rite. I will shortly send you blank Commissions
for them." 12Ibid., 8‑9; Philip C. Tucker to Albert Pike, August 29, 1866; 7th
Veador A.'.M.'. 5627; 22d Veador A.*.M.*. 5627; Albert Pike to J. C.
Batchelor, August 18, 1866.
13 Philip C. Tucker to Albert Pike, June 4, 1867. 14 Albert Pike
to J. C. Batchelor, May 20, 1866. 15 Albert Pike to A. O'Sullivan, July 17,
1866.
20 WAR, DESTRUCTION AND REVIVAL Pike had lost confidence in the
loyalty of‑Theodore S. Parvin of Iowa and in his letter to Anthony O'Sullivan
on July 17, 1866, so stated. At the same time, he requested O'Sullivan to
"find two true and good Iowa Brethren" and give them the degrees without
charge on condition that they serve as Deputies in extending the Rite, "first
asking Ill. Bro. Parvin's consent . . . . If Bro. Parvin does not give his
consent, please inform me, and I will exercise my prerogative and specially
commission you to confer the degrees on the selected Iowa Brethren"."
O'Sullivan did not live to consummate this labor for the Rite.
On May 17, 1867, a union of the contending Supreme Councils in the
Northern Jurisdiction was effected." The new Grand Commander Josiah H.
Drummond wrote a letter to Grand Commander Pike advising him of the fact and
expressing a desire to establish fraternal relations." On the same day that he
dispatched the official letter to Pike, he also wrote a personal letter which
contained the following statement There have been many things said by members
of our Council concerning you and your Council that were not exactly fraternal
in their tone or spirit. When I closed the session of our Council, standing in
my place as Grand Commander, I declared that from that time forward "any and
all unnecessary allusions to the differences of the past would be High Treason
to the Rite, and be visited with condign punishment".
Shall not the same Rule be applied as between our respective
Supreme Councils?" Pike's reply to these letters has not been found, but a
later letter from Drummond reveals that Pike had nominated a Representative
near the Northern Supreme Council. In this same letter Drummond raised the
question of the boundary between the two jurisdictions indicating that an
extension of the territory of the Northern Jurisdiction was his desire.
Drummond closed his letter as follows: A new era has dawned for the Scottish
Rite and a brilliant future awaits it; and this, instead of a lingering death,
it will owe, My dear Brother, to your labors .21 16 Ibid.
17 Samuel H. Baynard, Jr., History of the Supreme Council, 33',
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Northern Masonic
Jurisdiction of the United States of America and its Antecedents, 11, 17.
18 Josiah H. Drummond to Albert Pike, July 4, 1867. is Ibid.
10 Ibid., September 25, 1867.
21 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
Pike's
reply to this letter is also miffing but in earlier views expressed by the
Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction that the boundary was finally and
unalterably fixed in 1827, it is a foregone conclusion that Pike declined to
discuss that subject. In this connection it might be noted that the original
division of the United States into two jurisdictions was probably deemed
necessary because of the difficulty and expense of travel and communication.
It is easy to understand that the ensuing developments in transportation and
communication, railroads, steamships, telegraph and an efficient postal
system, had made the actual need for two jurisdictions obsolete.
Violations of the jurisdiction of the Southern Supreme Council
appeared in the states bordering the territory of the Supreme Council of the
Northern Jurisdiction. It is unknown what other measures were adopted to
combat this violation but a circular letter, a copy of which follows, was
printed and distributed in the affected areas.
(See Letter on page 23) Trouble arose in Missouri during these
years. George Frank Gouley, Grand Commander of the Knights Templar in
Missouri, received the Scottish Rite degrees and finding features in them that
were objectionable to him, addressed a letter to Grand Commander Pike on
August 6, 1867, to which Pike replied in detail. The two letters were printed
and circulated late in 1867, copies of which are reproduced in Appendix II.
Gouley was unconvinced that his position was untenable; he
launched a bitter attack against the Scottish Rite in his Grand Commandery
which forbid Missouri Knights Templar to be present at Scottish Rite degree
conferrals, except when the candidate had already received the Orders of
Knighthood in a regularly constituted Commandery of Knights Templar.
Furthermore, the attacks on the Scottish Rite were continued in the
periodical, Freemason to which Pike replied in The Morning Herald. Unable to
effect a settlement, Pike placed the controversy on the agenda of the Supreme
Council Session for 1868.
Grand Commander Pike was also involved, especially in 1867, with
the printing of diplomas, rituals, "Morals and Dogma", Liturgy and Ceremonies
of Inauguration and Installation for Lodge of Perfection. The correspondence
with Robert Macoy regarding this work continued from the middle of January to
the middle of December, 1867. Closely allied with the labor of preparing copy
and proofreading, Pike found it necessary to search for funds with which to
defray the cost.
22 ToUio, ftth dily at 4~.*. P.'. 5627.
‑1l teeing 2efiwenled to ces that eedain (ladies of tke lncient
and ;kcef,led ~9`cottcA Aate Ln Mates a,1 the godhew lcnadZeaan of the 2lnited
Mates. have eanle2ied and con&nue to camel, the dopees of that AZte, alle2
thei, ~mheVeet mannet and 4.y~ heab deleetizse 2dual ~ afton Xa4ons 2estdcnt
in, ;dates z,yLtlain the 4aalhein yiLtt~dL'atcan of ttte
░2lnL'ted
Mates, and yaa),tcocdadyon Chase 2e4cdent in J'owa and dlujsou2i, in violation
al masanic laws,' hetelaie we, celled uTihe, the ~a~u.‑. ~5% ~owmande ko fth
eyufetem e'ounei la/ 0av:. ~.‑. ~nOectaa ~enetal lot the said
~9acclhetn faua dictaon, and .AZnthan y ~'~~ull wan, aetriue mem(6et of
said .!7itlneme cG"ounelL Aarn the vr'late of Xasowi, do make hnowsn unto all
Xason5. of the caunAv extending ltom the Xebsc45ilhlzi duet to the _llzlacelte
ocean=== i . ░JhaaL
the, yictasdielean of the YufL.'. goancLl laL the godl,ew jwisdiotian of the
26ntZed _'Alalcs (al such, a 66ad~o exists) Ls conlined (~y its chattel, and
tie pant to at al ja2cadicLean, to the gem &rayland Males, Stews %oth, gew
fiei4ey, _"Aenn,~Vtuania, .Telawate, Ohio, ,Orndcana, ~llL~,aas, XLeluyan and
61.(~ascanxn,' and that the whole count2y west of the ..flisi‑cbscl'12‑i
tizset a 'within, tl,e exclu~ve ~CttL.sdtcl,o" a/ Ike _qul4e‑me Wouncil lab
the _99bcdhe2n ,&t6dietLSn, whose ‑wee aL al rqhatle6too2, in the date al
mouth, Two&wa, a.2L~Lyea((ey the tf,2eme VauneiL lo‑;. the 'whole of god1
arr,e2ica, and the olde.d ~9'ufaeme Wouned an the ‑?,wadd ,2.
░Jhaat
it as anla'ulcdlab any 4ody al the 4.'. P sl.'. ai'le in the Sfoilhew ici
6de'alta" to canlet any of the duties of 6aid mile an, a Iftasoz, tes.c'dezat
Ln Iowa, ~lcdsouti, at eliewhetc west of the ,/llasscosifilzi 2izset,; and
anzy l2etso" who h,a6 60 2eceiued, at 6hall so 2eceiue, the depees, a2 any of
them, has teccZued o2 will weive then, illegally, and hob /een, and wdl (Se,
deliaudd of hit zneazz6, il he haveAzaid o2 shalllz.ay foe them..
. .hat and y a : azf.'. rand ~n6fiectoi:=genet‑al, cLCtiue
m.em(ye2 0~ 6‑acd ccclL2eme Tounccl, of an kano2wy mezn66e2, delucty al the
Game, duly eornmasianed can comet the deytee6 within Mzis y'utisdietian,' and
that the undetsicyned, _4nlhany 6"gulliuan, 6 the c7ov.'. j_% Jn*ec$ct4enetallot
~lklsotna, and <Theodo2e 4. ,tfLn the 9'az,.'. i.'. ~nsf,eclot‑
metal l~ fo'aa.
,Vnd a&gl lemans Ln J%cssouu ‑ioho have lhce6 Xeyally ieceived the
dey2ees ate adrnaneshe.d to take measates to (se healed, since then duties and
l,alenGs ate wodhlaw,* and tl they 6hauld delay, they will not under any
citeumstanee6 6e wcyulw~ed.
and at as also h,ete6y made known, that Ll any .&asons, Aa/l sa
al&,qally 2eeeiue the deemed to ‑have done sa an any account of at any tame
de,q9ee6 allet the lnomalcyahan al this notice, they will le contemn of "anie
laws and acethouty, and will not, on alte2watd, (Se healed.
ALBERT PIKE, 33d, Sov.‑. Gr:ò. Commander..
ANTHONY O'SULLIVAN, Sov.ò. Gr.ò. In.‑. Gen.‑. 33.‑. MARTIN
COLLINS, D.‑. G.‑. In.‑. Gen. ‑. 33.‑. WILLIAM N. LOKER, D.ò. G.ò. In.‑.
Gen.‑. 33.‑.
HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
The
years 1866 and 1867 had been a busy and trying period for Grand Commander
Pike. He issued his summons on April 3, 1868, for the opening of the Biennial
Session of the Supreme Council on May 4, 1868, at‑~Charleston and announced
that "gravest interests of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite require the
attendance of all the Sovereign Grand Inspectors General" and that
nonattendance, if attendance was possible, would be "inexcusable". He also
notified them that "members are to be elected for eleven States".21 A letter
from Philip C. Tucker, the Deputy in Texas, acknowledging receipt of his
summons and explaining why he could not attend, contained a hint, the only one
that has been found, that the Grand Commander had attempted a personal contact
between the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction and those in England
and France during 1867. Tucker reported in his letter as follows: My journey
to Europe was near being the last of earth for me, twice down with dangerous
illness, I was brought back to die but by the blessing of God I slowly
recovered. (At my Mother's in Vermont.) In England by appointment (by letter)
I had an interview with Col Clerk [Secretary‑General of the Supreme Council]
at Wollwich and not an agreeable one.... As to information he seemed possessed
of very little outside of his profession: ‑ . . . Indeed I was much
disappointed in him, for I expected to have met a gentleman. . . . In France I
was very ill, and being there during the long vacation could not find the
members of the order I desired to see. At the office of the Grand Orient, I
found a porter in charge‑all absent. Not finding the address of Bro. Chas
Laffon de Ladebat or Bro. Le blanc de Marcennay in any Paris directory I
called at the office of the Secretary‑General of the Holy Empire where I had a
pleasant interview with that officer who is a gentleman of the old school and
two other members of the Supreme Council of France: The Secretary‑General gave
me two copies of the register or Official Tableau of the Supreme Council of
France one for you and one for myself‑and instructed me to assure you of his
fraternal esteem ect. . . . as I came thro' Memphis in Dec. I left it for you.
. . .22 Whatever Tucker's mission may have been, it does not seem to have been
productive of anything other than a contact.
Josiah H. Drummond, Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of the
Northern Jurisdiction, was invited to attend the Session of the Supreme
Council of the Southern 21 Albert Pike to Samuel M. Todd, April 7, 1868. 22
Philip C. Tucker to Albert Pike, April 20, 1868.
24 WAR, DESTRUCTION AND REVIVAL Jurisdiction beginning on May 4,
1868. He acknowledged the invitation and expressed his regret that he could
not attend the Session in a personal letter to Grand Commander Pike. He also
took occasion to mention some ritualistic matter to Pike as follows There will
be presented at the session of our Supreme Council a memorial requesting that
all allusions to the York Rite in our Ritual be stricken out ...
I think we are bound to treat with respect, or if that cannot be,
with silence every other Rite which does not make war upon us....
There has not, as yet, in this jurisdiction been any collision
between our Rite and the York Rite; and we are determined there shall be none;
and I have no doubt you have the same desire; and knowing that there are
expressions in your ritual which are regarded by our members as offensive to
the York Rite Masons, I have taken the liberty to address you freely upon the
subject and to invoke your consideration of the matter, not doubting you will
receive my suggestions in the same spirit in which they are made.
If Pike replied to this letter, his communication has not
survived. However, the Pike rituals had already been printed; the Grand
Commander had on several previous occasions stated that his work on rituals
was finished; and furthermore, Pike had already publicly replied to similar
criticisms of his ritual by George Frank Gouley, Grand Commander of the Grand
Commandery of Missouri. It also appears that Drummond's "suggestions" were
timed to arrive when Pike was greatly irritated by Gouley's conduct and not
inclined to receive "suggestions" on the ritual with favorable consideration.
As scheduled, the regular Biennial Session of the Supreme Council
opened in Charleston on May 4, 1868, and continued through May 9, 1868.
Thirteen officers and Sovereign Grand Inspectors General were present for the
Session.
Business transactions began on May 5 with the Grand Commander's
address as the first item on the agenda. In the introduction of his address,
Grand Commander Pike made remarks about the generally improverished condition
of much of the Southern Jurisdiction, expressed his observation that the
"bitter feelings among Masons caused by the Civil War" had disappeared, and
stated that "peace and harmony" prevailed within the jurisdiction of the
Supreme Council. He then moved from the general to the specific on various
items as follows: 23 Josiah H. Drummond to Albert Pike, April 30, 1868.
25 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
Active
Member Claude Samory of Louisiana had moved to France creating a vacancy in
the membership of the Supreme Council that should be filled.
A review of the activities of the Sovereign Grand Inspectors
General and of the Deputy Inspectors General revealed that Parvin had
established bodies in Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri; Shaw had created bodies
in California and Nevada; "several" Consistories had been opened in Georgia;
Batchelor and Todd had established bodies at Mobile, Alabama; Tucker had
reported the first bodies in Texas; and Cunningham was reviving the bodies in
Maryland.
The Grand Commander then announced that his ten years of
ritualistic labors had closed; that the ritual of the degrees from 14 to 32
were in the hands of the printer; that copies of Funeral, Lodge of Sorrow,
Masonic Baptism, Louveteau, and Adoption ceremonies were completed; and that
Morals and Dogma was ready for the printer. He then submitted a revision of
the ritual of the 33░
to the Supreme Council for adoption.
It was then reported that Patents for 32░
and 33░
had been lithographed and that they had been sent to Giles M. Hillyer for his
signature some five months previously but that no returns had been received
from him.
The protest of the Louisiana "Chamber of Deputies" against its
abolishment was then presented to the Supreme Council, together with a
refutation of each of the points contained therein.
A detailed report of the activities of George Frank Gouley was
laid before the Supreme Council with the recommendation that a Trial Tribunal
be created to conduct a trial of Gouley on charges of misconduct as a Scottish
Rite Mason.
The propagation of the Rite of Memphis was noted. The Grand
Commander observed that the Rite of Memphis was not a threat to the Scottish
Rite and that no "war against the Rite of Memphis" was contemplated.
The union of the rival Supreme Councils in the Northern
Jurisdiction was officially announced; also, that the renewal of "relations of
amity and correspondence" with the Nothern Jurisdiction had taken place.
However, invasions of the jurisdiction of the Southern Supreme Council by
overenthusiastic members of the Northern Jurisdiction in Kentucky and Missouri
raised the question of the status of Masons receiving the 26 WAR, DESTRUCTION
AND REVIVAL Scottish Rite degrees as a result. The Grand Commander then
reviewed his correspondence with Grand Commander Drummond of the Northern
Jurisdiction on a new delineation of the boundary line, denying Drummond's
claims for more territory.
The lack of adequate communication with Supreme Councils in
foreign lands was pointed out, and it was recommended that it be the duty of
the Grand Chancellor to establish such correspondence.
A review of known information about foreign jurisdictions was
presented. It was admitted that the circular letter against the Supreme
Council of Belgium for its recognition of the James Foulhouze Supreme Council
in Louisiana was an error since it was the Grand Orient of Belgium that had
recognized that illegal body in New Orleans.
The Grand Commander then reviewed policy matters in the
establishment of Consistories. He expressed regret that particular
Consistories had been established. He then stated that the 31' and 32░
should be conferred sparingly and only after candidates had received the
approval of the resident Sovereign Grand Inspector General and that of the
Supreme Council in writing; and that these degrees should be conferred only in
Grand Consistories which should not exceed one in each state. He also
recommended that the Supreme Council should act on the rituals of the 31' and
32░
which had not been approved up to that time.
A review of the decisions of the Grand Commander since the last
meeting of the Supreme Council was then presented.
It was pointed out that no Lodge of Sorrow had been opened since
1861, and it was recommended that the dead, which were listed, should be
honored with this ceremony.
The Grand Commander closed his address with an appeal to keep
political and religious considerations and convictions out of decisions on
Masonic matters.
After the Grand Commander's addresss was received, the Supreme
Council proceeded with its business and an outline of its accomplishments is
as follows An illegal cipher book, reported to have been the work of Inspector
General A. T. C. Pierson, was considered and laid over until the next session.
27 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
Several elections to Sovereign Grand Inspector General and Active Member took
place: Philip C. Tucker for Texas Samuel M. Todd for Louisiana Martin Collins
for Missouri Erasmus Theodore Carr for Kansas Robert C. Jordan for Nebraska
Edward R. Ives for Flordia Clinton A. Cilley was elected an Honorary Inspector
General and Special Deputy for North Carolina to represent the Supreme Council
in that State, Inspector General George B. Waterhouse having resigned his
membership.
Richard J. Nunn was continued as Special Deputy for Georgia.
Eight Inspectors General were excused for their absence from the
Session.
Seventeen brethren were elected to receive the Honorary 33'.
Charges were preferred against George Frank Gouley. A Committee on
Charges having reported "guilty" on all counts, the Tribunal pronounced a
sentence of "Deprivation of all rights and privileges of the Masonry of the
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite".
The Grand Chancellor was made responsible for all correspondence
with foreign Supreme Councils.
The rituals of the 31
░
and 32░
were adopted.
The Lavradio Supreme Council of Brazil was recognized.
Recognition of the Supreme Council of Mexico was withdrawn.
All Inspectors General and Special Deputies were required to file
complete reports before the next Session of the Supreme Council.
The Committee on Subordinate Bodies made an extended report on
bodies in sixteen states and the District of Columbia, but there were no
membership statistics developed. It did reflect that growth was taking place
in the Jurisdiction.
28 WAR, DESTRUCTION AND REVIVAL A resolution was passed
prohibiting the conferral of the 31' and 32░
until after the approval of candidates in writing had been obtained from the
resident Inspector General, Special Deputy, or Grand Consistory in a state.
A resolution was adopted requiring the filing of complete rosters
of all bodies by all Inspectors General for a register to be published with
the Transactions of 1868.
A resolution was adopted that all Inspectors General should keep
an accurate record of all copies of the Secret Work issued by them.
A loan of $150 was extended to G. A. Schwarzman.
The date for a Lodge of Sorrow at St. Louis was set, "3rd Tuesday
in September".
A committee reported that no further action was necessary
regarding the "Chamber of Deputies" in Louisiana.
Delta Lodge of Perfection was ordered to pay its dues and fees to
the Supreme Council before its next Session.
Several new statutes were adopted and other items were held over
for further study.
The next Biennial Session was set for the first Monday in May,
1870, at Baltimore, Maryland.
All appointments of Deputies for Louisiana, except those then
living who received their appointments under the Concordat of 1854, were
revoked.
A committee was formed to prepare a statute on jurisdictional
violations in degree work for introduction at the next Session.
The statute on time intervals between degrees was amended, only to
be dispensed with by Inspectors General or Deputies when establishing new
bodies or adding new members to bodies to enable them to have a quorum for
work.
A statute was adopted whereby changes of jurisdiction over
candidates within the Southern Jurisdiction must have the approval of the
resident Inspector General or Deputy.
29 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
The
changes in the statutes recommended by the Grand Commander were adopted.
The Grand Commander was authorized to settle the jurisdictional
problems at St. Joseph, Missouri.
The Session was then closed. 2' No records or correspondence in
the period between May 9, 1868, and September 17, 1868, survive to indicate
activity by the members of the Supreme Council, except that which received
consideration at St. Louis in September.
In accordance with the resolution of that effect, the Supreme
Council reassembled at St. Louis on September 17, 1868, eight Sovereign Grand
Inspectors General being present. The principal purpose of the meeting was to
open a Lodge of Sorrow, but there were several items of business to which
attention was given.
Correspondence was presented which absolved the Supreme Council of
Belgium for the reported recognition of the spurious Foulhouze bodies in New
Orleans. An apology was tendered to the Supreme Council of Belgium and a
request for the restoration of correspondence was made together with 'one to
"appoint a Grand Representative near this Supreme Council".
A committee of five members of the Supreme Council of the Northern
Jurisdiction was present at the meeting and a like committee was formed of
members of the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction to discuss the
jurisdictional boundary.
Thomas Hubbard Caswell was elected Sovereign Grand Inspector
General,for California.
All appointments and commissions as Deputy Inspectors General,
except the three in Louisiana resulting from the Concordat of 1854, were
recalled.
Eleven brethren were elected to receive the 33' Honorary and
eighteen candidates appeared for the conferral of the degree.
The charter of the Grand Consistory of the District of Columbia
was recalled because of inactivity.
24 Transactions, Supreme Council, S.1., 1868, pp. 3‑100.
30 WAR, DESTRUCTION AND REVIVAL Committees were formed to study
changes in the organization of the Grand Consistories and the fiscal system of
the Supreme Council.
Following the closing of the Lodge of Sorrow, the Session closed
on September 19, 1868.
With the Transactions of 1868, the Statutes and Institutes of the
Supreme Council, brought up to date, were published. The evolution of the
jurisprudence of the Scottish Rite in the Southern Jurisdiction is a complete
study within itself, so detailed and technical as to be unsuited for inclusion
in this history. However, some comments on the trends of its evolution are not
only desirable but necessary to an understanding of the general history of the
Rite in the Southern Jurisdiction.
The primary source of Scottish Rite law is found in the Grand
Constitutions of 1786. This document sets forth a framework of general
principles of government and organization rather than details of
administration.
The Supreme Council is established as the administrative head of
the jurisdiction. It possesses, generally speaking, all executive, legislative
and judicial powers. It holds all of the attributes of sovereignty over the
Rite.
To understand the employment of this system of government, it must
be remembered that the Scottish Rite Degrees had their origin in Europe, and
that they could exist in Prussia only if the King was the sole and absolute
head. In 1786, it was obvious to Frederick the Great that his life was drawing
to a close. Evidently, if he died without making. provision for a succession
and continuation of his Masonic powers, the Ancient and Accepted Rite would
also die. Hence, on May 1, 1786, Frederick, in consultation with other Masonic
leaders, promulgated the Grand Constitutions of that date. Regardless of his
precautions, the death of Frederick and the wars that followed brought an end
to the Degrees in Europe. However, an Inspector General brought the Rite to
America, and John Mitchell formed a Supreme Council by authority of the Grand
Constitutions at Charleston in 1801.
In the early years of the Rite in Charleston, it had few members
and their problems of government were comparatively few and simple. With the
expansion of the membership and the establishment of bodies remote from the
Supreme Council, it became necessary to develop a body of law in greater
detail. The first published code by the Supreme Council was the Revised
Statutes of 1855. Albert Pike recognized the need 31 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME
COUNCIL, 33░
for
another revision of the law when he became Grand Commander, and the Supreme
Council, by appropriate action, adopted and authorized the publication of such
a code in 1859. This work appears to have been prepared by Pike and served
until 1866 when a new compilation, bearing the title Grand Constitutions, was
adopted. The legislation of 1868 and the creation of a trial tribunal served
to highlight the incompleteness of the jurispurdence for the government of the
expanding Scottish Rite. This period in Scottish Rite law is characterized by
rapid evolution and much experimentation. The allocutions of Grand Commander
Pike indicate, and his nature and his profession of lawyer further confirm,
that most of the additions and refinements sprang from his fertile brain.
There does not appear to be a period of greater crisis in the
history of the Scottish Rite in the Southern Jurisdiction than the first
decade of Albert Pike's administration as Grand Commander. The Rite was
severely handicapped by the outbreak of the Civil War and the manifold
problems, already reviewed, that appeared in its wake. Reconstruction of the
Rite began immediately after the close of the war in 1865, in very adverse
circumstances, under the aggressive leadership of Albert Pike. Reconstruction
was accompanied by a renewal of construction on the unfinished edifice of the
Rite. Specific accomplishments from 1865 to 1869 may be listed as follows: The
Supreme Council was reorganized, and working unity was restored.
The rituals of the Rite were virtually completed, printed and
prepared for distribution to Subordinate Bodies.
Ceremonial transcripts for Funeral, Lodge of Sorrow, Masonic
Baptism, Louveteau and Adoption were completed.
Morals and Dogma was ready for the printer.
Propagation of the Rite was reinstituted.
Attacks from within and from without the Rite were repelled.
The pressure against spurious and clandestine bodies was renewed.
The jurisprudence of the Supreme Council was refined, strengthened
and expanded.
32 WAR, DESTRUCTION AND REVIVAL The organizational structure
received minor alterations to accommodate the expansion of the Rite.
The fiscal and accounting systems were reorganized. Work needed in
the future appears to have been as follows: Continued propagation of the Rite.
Continued evolution of the organizational structure. Continued
opposition to spurious and clandestine bodies. Further protection of the
territorial jurisdiction. Development of an efficient fiscal system.
Development of membership accounting system. Further evolution of
the system of jurisprudence. Development of an educational program.
Recruitment of additional competent leadership. Erection of an administrative
headquarters building. Creation of an adequate charity fund.
CHAPTER 11 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION 1869‑1874 THE end
of the first major period in the administration of Albert Pike as Sovereign
Grand Commander and the opening of the second is marked only by a date. The
general situation had improved only to the extent that there was no war.
Radical reconstruction governments supported by the bayonets of an army of
occupation ruled the states that had composed the Confederacy. Turmoil,
corruption and viciousness characterized the government of the United States.
Revolution and reconstruction was also taking place in the North as well as in
the South and there was much bitterness and violence throughout the nation.
The southern states, almost totally agricultural in economy, had not been
permitted to reorganize that industry and restore production much above a
subsistence level. The northern and eastern states were undergoing an
industrial revolution in which there were areas of depression almost equal to
that of the South, although on the surface the appearance of prosperity
prevailed. In the West, the final phases of the conquest of the frontier were
beginning. A new flood of immigration had begun, the principal sources of
which were from lower economic and social classes and were non‑protestant in
religious background. In Scottish Rite Masonry, major unsolved problems
present in the first years of Pike's administration continued to absorb the
Grand Commander's time. The process of bringing "Order out of Chaos" was
certainly under the head of unfinished business in every phase of life in the
territory composing the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council.
The reorganization of the spurious Foulhouze Supreme Council in
New Orleans by Chassaignac and its recognition by the Grand Orient of France
had caused Pike to discuss this problem at considerable length in his
"Allocution" to the Supreme Council in 1868. In January, 1869, Pike wrote to
James C. Batchelor regarding the controversy and suggested that the Grand
Lodge of Louisiana "stir‑up all the Grand Lodges".' At the same time the Grand
Commander wrote a letter to Samuel M. Todd and stated that the Grand Orient of
France "is always committing some folly since a few years ago it recognized
the spurious Hays body in New York". He also told Todd 1 Albert Pike to James
C. Batchelor, January 26, 1869.
35 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
that
he had prepared a letter, which he expected Grand Commander Drummond of the
Northern Supreme Council to endorse, to all Masonic powers asking them to
denounce the action of the Grand Orient of France.' On February 15, 1869, the
Grand Lodge of Louisiana published an announcement of its withdrawal of
fraternal relations with the Grand Orient of France' which met the approval of
Pike.' Later, he informed Batchelor that if the reply of the Grand Orient of
France was not satisfactory "we shall denounce the Grand Orient of France‑to
all other Supreme Councils in the world".' Subsequently information in its
bulletin, dated July, 1869, indicates that the Grand Orient rejected the
objection of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana to the invasion of its jurisdiction
by the Chassaignac organization. Drummond of the Northern Jurisdiction wrote
to Pike as follows: I have recently written to Brother G to keep their and his
attention to the sole question of jurisdiction, where you left it in our
Balustre [no copy available]. The action of the Grand Orient was upon
Goodall's report rather than in answer to us, and I look for action
specifically upon that Balustre. It seems to me the date you name will give
them time enough.
I shall write at once to Goodall to learn if any answer is to be
returned: for if they are to make one, though late, we should prefer, it seems
to me, to wait till we receive it even though it may be longer than we think
we ought to give them.
If the proceedings given in the Bulletin are to be our answer
also, we do indeed have them on the hip.
They must do one of three things 1. Take the back track fully and
completely; 2. Repudiate in all cases the law of exclusive jurisdiction; 3.
Admit that law as a general rule, but adopt an exception to it when lodges
practically refuse admittance to candidates on account of race or color and
determine that in this country such is the fact.
From the tenor of their Proceedings, I now incline to think the
third will be their conclusion. In that event they will array all Bodies in
this country and South America against them.' 2 Albert Pike to Samuel M. Todd,
January 26, 1869.
3 James C. Batchelor to All Whom these Presents may come,
Frebruary 15, 1869. 4 Albert Pike to Samuel M. Todd, "21 Sebat, A.'.M.'.
5629." 5 Albert Pike to James C. Batchelor, June 5, 1869.
s Josiah H. Drummond to Albert Pike, October 5, 1869.
36 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION Before the close of the
year Drummond wrote: ... I will endeavor to meet you or Brother French ... and
agree upon a conclusion.... The united decision of the two Councils would be
decisive and I reciprocate fully your sentiment that the closer relations
between our Councils and the more they act in unison, the better I shall be
pleased.' The expulsion of George Frank Gouley from the Scottish Rite during
the Session of the Supreme Council in 1868 did not bring the disagreeable
episode which brought it about to an end. At the urging of Gouley, the Grand
Commandery of Missouri had enacted laws and resolutions that made what had
been personal disagreement a controversy between rites. A copy of a proposed
mandate, endorsed on its reverse side "10 March 1869", prepared by Grand
Commander Pike, was distributed to all Active Members of the Supreme Council
and afterwards this mandate was revised and addressed to all Scottish Rite
Masons in the Southern Jurisdiction on June 30, 1869. This long document is
reprinted in Appendix II for reference. It was a definitive statement of the
points in controversy and a refutation of Gouley's position. As such, it
stripped Gouley of support in the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar, in the
Grand Commandery of Missouri, and among the ranks of Knights Templar in other
States. Minor revision of the ritual followed which pacified others. Within
five years, Gouley was petitioning_ for reinstatement in the Scottish Rite.
The Supreme Council acted with magnanimity and he was restored. In 1876, he
was elected to and invested with the Rank and Decoration of Knight Commander
of the Court of Honour, and he did not create any further controversy before
his death in a hotel fire in the following April.
The abolition of the "Chamber of Deputies" in Louisiana and the
adoption of the Pike revision of the Scottish Rite rituals continued, in 1869,
to create some problems between Grand Commander Pike and some Louisiana
Scottish Rite Masons. John Quincy Adams Fellows of New Orleans contended that
the 33' conferred upon him was not an honorary degree but was that of a
Sovereign Grand Inspector General. This was reported to Pike who wrote several
letters on the subject. His first was to James C. Batchelor, received by
Batchelor on August 16, 1869, in which Pike stated that the 33░
received by Fellows was that of the Foulhouze ritual, not approved by the
Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction, and that it was "not used
outside of New Orleans". He then pointed out that the Pike ritual of the 33░
was approved by the Supreme Council in 1868. Pike then emphasized again that
the copy of the 33░
ritual held by Fellows was not approved by the Supreme Council. Fellows' other
7 Ibid., December 25, 1869.
37 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
objections were with regard to the obligation to country and against the
recognition of any degree higher than the 33
░
which Pike refuted.' This letter did not terminate the misunderstanding, and
Pike wrote directly to Fellows. The pertinent portions of the letter are as
follows: ... I do no think that, when we properly understand each other, there
is any disagreement between us, on the points suggested by you.
The word "State" is the most comprehensive one that could be
used.... in the Ritual the only purpose was to frame the obligation as not to
seem to decide anything in regard to the doctrine of allegiance in the United
States. . . the conscience of every one [is] free in regard to his political
principles.
You are mistaken in regard to the Rites of Misraim and Memphis.
Each claims to have in its scale and administer all the degrees of the Ancient
and Accepted Rite. . . the clause in the obligation in relation to any higher
degrees etc. refers to these Rites and to any others, that may pretend to have
degrees above the 33d....
Of course we do not pretend to have any control over the Capitular,
Cryptic or Templar degrees or orders. We do claim that the Symbolic degrees
are lawfully a part of our scale. Here [the United States] we claim no control
over them, and only say we might have to do it, in a certain contingency not
at all likely to happen There are no new points in the 33░
obligation.
You are not wholly correct in regard . . . [to] your title. We had
termed you and other Louisiana brethren Deputy Inspectors General. You claimed
to have paid for the title of Sovereign, and I advised the Supreme Council
that you were right, and it was resolved to entitle you Honorary Sovereign
Grand Inspectors General. Not being active ones, not Active Members of the
Supreme Council, how else could we designate you? I too received the degree
and paid $100 for it, and I am sure I never imagined that I was becoming
invested with any powers, or that the title would be any more than an honorary
one....
I am sorry you speak of personal attacks on yourself.... I feel
very sure that no personal attack ever was made on you in connection with any
suggestion you made to the Supreme Council itself.
... nothing, I know, would give all of us [the Supreme Council]
greater pleasure than to see many of our Louisiana Brethren with us, and to
receive from them counsel and advice. We might not consent to change the
fundamental laws as to the organization of our Council; but we should surely
not ignore our Brethren, nor treat them otherwise than with the highest
respect.
8 Albert Pike to James C. Batchelor, undated.
38 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION For myself, I assure you
that if the work which I undertook twelve years ago ... were printed, I should
at once resign my office. There is nothing in it to make me care to retain it;
but all my interest is in the success of the Rite and of its great
principles.' It appears that this letter brought the matter to an end as no
further documents have been found in relation to it.
Scottish Rite Masonry had been introduced into Maryland prior to
the Civil War and during that conflict had become dormant. Strong opposition
to the Rite had developed in Baltimore during and following the War, possibly
because Pike and others of the Supreme Council had been prominent in the
Confederate military forces, and with the added possibility that the Gouley
episode had repercussions in Baltimore. The Northern Jurisdiction had been
seeking to expand into Maryland also. There is no doubt that the meeting of
the Supreme Council of 1870 was scheduled for Baltimore with the hope that the
Session in that city would contribute to a lessening of opposition to the Rite
and a restoration of harmony among the members there. Thomas A. Cunningham was
reported by Pike in May, 1868, as attempting to revive the Rite in Maryland,
and it appears that William S. Rockwell had worked in the state to that end. A
letter written by Pike in September indicates that he had received an appeal
from John M. Miller for assistance. Pike answered him in these words: On
Friday or Saturday next I will be in Baltimore, will see you, and will then
arrange to re‑open the Grand Consistory of Maryland this fall. Your charter is
in force, because it has never been revoked. You may rely upon it that I shall
take the matter in hand. I have not heard from Ill.'. Bro.'. Cunningham since
April, on Masonic subjects.
I know no reason why the surviving Members of the Consistory may
not meet at any time, and go to work." A record of Pike's visit, to Baltimore
has not survived but the following document indicates what he found the
situation to be and outlines the proceedings that should be undertaken to
reactivate the Maryland Grand Consistory.
In response to inquires made in your behalf by Ill.'. Bro.'. John
M. Miller, you are by these presents advised that the Grand Consistory of the
State of Maryland has never ceased to exist, the number of members always
having been sufficient to fill vacancies in the number, and the Letters Patent
of Constitution never 9 Albert Pike to John Q. A. Fellows, September 23, 1869.
1░
Albert Pike to John M. Miller, September 20, 1869.
39 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
having
been recalled. If, as has been represented to me, the B B.'. John M. Miller,
W. J. Wroth and Emanuel Corbit were selected by consent of the surviving
members, to become members of the Grand Consistory, and increase its members
of nine to twelve, they will not need to be reelected. . . . .
The Ill.'. Bro.'. Thomas A. Cunningham, 33░,
having become an Active Member of the Supreme Council, can only be ex‑officio
a member of the Grand Consistory, over whose doings he has supervision as an
Inspector General, but with power to interfere, only when they are irregular,
and then subject to an appeal of the Grand Consistory to the Supreme Council,
or, in its vacation, to the Sovereign Grand Commander.
The Sovereign Grand Commander by these presents advises the
members, original and added, of the Grand Consistory, that they have the
authority to convene, upon the call of any member, and upon notice, and to
resume the labors of the body. They may convene by general consent, and when
they have done so, may receive additional members, taking them in the order in
which they received the 32░
Degree, unless there be objection to them. There not being Sublime Princes of
the Royal Secret in the State of Maryland, more than sufficient for Active
Members, it will not be necessary to report in the mode prescribed by the
Statutes of 1866. . . . .
Each new member must be unanimously elected, the election being
viva voce: and it may be without other form except that of ascertaining that
there is no objection to the party proposed.
It is not necessary that the Lieut.*. Gr.'. Commander, Ill.'.
Bro.'. Rockwell, or Ill.'. Bro.'. Cunningham should be present nor is it
indespensable that they should be notified, but as each has a right to be
present, it will be more regular and more proper, to give them information
that the meeting will be held, and invite them to be present.
If one of the Lieut. Commanders of the Grand Consistory is
present, he should preside. If neither, one of the Princes may be selected to
do so.
When the new members have been elected, they should be notified to
attend, and thereupon all the officers be elected. They can be installed by me
in December, acting in the meantime after taking a simple oath of allegiance
to the Supreme Council, of obedience to and observance of the Grand
Constitutions of 1786, and the Statutes and Edicts of the Supreme Council, and
faithfully to demean themselves in office.
These proceedings must all be made of record and the Grand
Consistory, thus resuming labor will proceed to exercise all its powers.
The Sovereign Grand Commander is satisfied that the time has come
when it should do so, and assume the government and direction of the Ancient
and Accepted Scottish Rite in Maryland‑and therefore, as it needs no
authorization 40 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION from him, nor would it
be in his power to prevent the resumption of labor in the manner indicated if
he desired to do so, this letter will be regarded as one only of advise. If it
had been necessary, it would have assumed the form of a mandate ‑and if the
members of the Grand Consistory prefere to consider it as an authorization,
they will be entitled to do so, if any objection should be made to their
action.
It appears that Inspector General Thomas A. Cunningham did not
favor the reactivation of the Grand Consistory of Maryland and that he may
have written to the Grand Commander in protest, for early in December, Pike
wrote a letter to Cunningham which reads as follows: After I had been several
times applied to for advice, by some of the Sub.'. Princes of the Royal Secret
of Maryland, and informed by them that Ill.'. Bro.'. Rockwell had created the
requisite number of Princes long since, to increase the number of members of
the Grand Consistory of Maryland to nine, I could not longer delay informing
them that the charter of the Grand Consistory had never been revoked, and that
the members had a full right to meet whenever they saw fit, and resume their
labors.
You had long ago informed me that you thought it best not to put
the Grand Consistory again at labor, until an additional number of members
should have been obtained; and so long as the Ill.'. Brethren of the Grand
Consistory made no complaint to me, but acquiesed silently in your delay, I
considered it by no means within my power to interfere. But all that was
changed when they demanded to know of me what were their lawful rights. For
then I had no option but to inform them, as I did that the Grand Consistory
was not dead, and that if by the action of Ill.'. Bro.'. Rockwell, with the
consent of the survivors, the number of members had been increased to nine,
they could convene, elect officers if necessary, and proceed to work. Of
course, under Sec. 4 of Art. XXII of the Constitutions that number is
indispensable.
If there are more than twenty‑one Sublime Princes of the Royal
Secret in Maryland, you, with Ill.'. Bros.% Rockwell and Schwarzman, who is by
law a member of the Grand Consistory, can, tomorrow or at any other day,
select twenty‑one out of the number to be the active members. If as I
understand, there are not twenty‑one in all, I do not see how you can have any
selection to make.
When the statute in question was enacted there were in Louisiana
some twenty Honorary 33ds and fifty or sixty 32ds. It was necessary, there,
and in Virginia and Kentucky, to select the 21 active members out of the whole
number of Sublime Princes, and that some body should make the selection. The
Honorary 33 d" being all without exception, members of each Grand Consistory,
and the active 33ds having always the right to be present and even to preside,
and therefore exofficio members, the duty of making the selection was
entrusted to them jointly.
41 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
They
being members without selection, were to select the others, and in preforming
that duty an Active 33d had no greater power or authority than an Honorary
one. You have just the same power as Ill.'. Bro.'. Schwarzman, and no more,
nor any power of supervision or control as the Superior of the Grand
Consistory. In making the selection you would act as a member of the Grand
Consistory, and not as a member of the Supreme Council....
The Honorary Inspector General, Ill.'. Bro.'. Schwarzman, and the
survivors still resident in the State, with the three added by Ill.'. Bro.'.
Rockwell with their consent (as they have certified to me) constitute the
Grand Consistory of Maryland. When nine of them assemble there will be a
quorum, and they can do any act, work or business within the power of a Grand
Consistory to do....
I learn that at the recent meeting of members of the Grand
Consistory, only eight were present. This was not a quorum; and if such was
the case, what they did was null and void.
But the Grand Consistory exists nevertheless, as fully as it ever
did. You are no longer the Ill.'. Grand Commander in Chief, because you hold a
higher Office, and the acceptance of the higher vacated the lower. The
Brethren must therefore elect your successor, and whenever nine of them meet
(of whom III.'. Bro.'. Schwarzman may be one) they can do this, fill all other
vacancies and proceed to work. All this is their lawful right, of which
neither you nor I, nor the Supreme Council itself can deprive them.
The Grand Consistory of Mississippi has not yet even been
reorganized; but no one doubts that it is still in lawful existence and can
work. It was nearly a year after the Statute of reorganization was enacted
before the Grand Consistory of Louisiana was reorganized, during all which
time it was at work, and its works were regular.
. . . My letter to 111.'. Bro.'. Miller contained no mandate, but
my opinion and decision in regard to the legal standing of the Grand
Consistory, and its rights to work....
I earnestly hope, my dear Brother, that you and the Princes of the
Royal Secret of the Grand Consistory will act harmoniously together in the
matter. . . . Dissension between you and them must be fatal to the Ancient and
Accepted Rite in Maryland and it would be the first instance of such
dissension in all our jurisdiction. If we must lose the revenue which we
should derive from the State if there were no Grand Consistory so be it. That
mischief, if it be one was done when we created the Grand Consistory.
If the Princes of the Grand Consistory assemble, I propose to be
present, and hope that you will unite with them, and let us work together in
harmony. We can lead them I am sure, but we cannot drive them. If I had
attempted that in Louisiana the Rite would have gone to pieces in that State.
Even when the superior is entirely in the right, it is often wise to yield.
42 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION Above all, I hope no
unkindness will grow up between you and me. I am sure you have no other desire
than to do what you believe to be your duty, and for the interest of the Rite
in Maryland. Do me the justice to think the same of me." The Scottish Rite in
Maryland in 1869 was experiencing enough difficulty without any friction among
the members. At no time nor place had Grand Commander Pike spoken more
plainly, yet diplomatically, than he had to Inspector Cunningham on December
8, 1869.
It seems that Inspector Cunningham read Pike's letter carefully
and then proceeded to call the members of the Grand Consistory of Maryland
together and complete the number of members without notifying the three 32░
Masons created by Rockwell. This was not an oversight, and Cunningham was
legally correct for Rockwell had neglected to file the necessary official
records of his acts. When John M. Miller and his two companions protested
Cunningham's action, Pike sustained the legality of the reorganization of the
Grand Consistory of Maryland in a letter to Miller which he closed with an
appeal for harmony among members of the Rite in Baltimore." The reorganization
of the Grand Consistory of Maryland had been accomplished but an undercurrent
of dissatisfaction remained.
Pike's efforts to restore harmony in the Grand Consistory of
Maryland at Baltimore had not been entirely successful and in mid‑January
those difficulties again demanded his attention. It was necessary for him to
repeat much of the information sent out on January 1, 1871, to remind the
Grand Consistory that the powers of the Sovereign Grand Inspector General were
advisory and supervisory and that he could on any occasion preside over the
deliberations of the Grand Consistory or refuse to sanction action of the Body
which he considered invalid, require it to be undone or recalled, and, if his
order was refused, might refer the matter to the Supreme Council, suspending
the labors of the Grand Consistory until a final decision could be reached.
Pike then stated that it would be improper for him to answer the questions
propounded without a hearing of both sides of the controversy. The letter was
closed with an appeal "to bear and forbear with each other" and a reminder
that it was not the action of a good Mason to withdraw from the order since
the Supreme Council would "never sanction injustice or the exercise of
arbitrary and illegal power"." 12 Albert Pike to Thomas A. Cunningham,
December 8, 1869.
13 Albert Pike to the Ill.'. Grand Commander ... of the Grand
Consistory ... of Maryland, February 1, 1870; Albert Pike to John M. Miller,
26 A.'.M.'. 5620.
14 Official Bulletin, I, 158‑161.
43 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
the
Once again, firm and unbiased words from Pike calmed the ruffled feelings of
members of that Grand Consistory but he had no assurance that calm would be a
permanent characteristic. The letter was published in the Official Bulletin no
doubt for the effect that it would have in other Grand Consistories as well as
in that of Maryland.
Previous to this point in this study there have been repeated
references to inadequate fiscal and membership accounting and to laxness and
carelessness in the preservation of Supreme Council documents of
administration. On more than one occasion during the first decade of his
administration, Pike had made recommendations to the Supreme Council, which
were adopted, seeking to remedy these weaknesses. However, the Secretary
General, Dr. Albert G. Mackey, either could not or would not cooperate
sufficiently to enable the Supreme Council to have an adequate record of the
administration of the Rite in the Jurisdiction. The accelerating growth of the
Rite convinced Pike, by 1869, that this situation could no longer be
tolerated. He put his thoughts on this matter into a letter to James C.
Batchelor in which he stated that it was his intention to demand a "full
account of all receipts and expenditures, from the beginning" from all
Sovereign Grand Inspectors General; that he intended to move the Secretary
General's office to Washington; to employ a full time secretary for the
Secretary General's office; to leave "Mackey the Secy.Gen., however"; and to
reduce the number of Sovereign Grand Inspectors General in South Carolina."
Possibly in answer to a letter of complaint, Pike wrote later in the year that
he was "more provoked at Mackey's omissions" in the recently printed
transactions of the Supreme Council with regard to Louisiana than Todd; that
he would "demand a report from Mackey including omitted materials which will
be published as a supplement"; that he must "move the Sec. to Washington" and
get a secretary that will "attend to something"; and closed his letter with a
threat to "resign in disgust"." In the following February, Pike wrote: I urged
Mackey, early in December, to send me the Report. Have not heard a word from
him. He has let all holds go, and quit: and we shall be compelled to have some
one to do the work of the secretariet, or abandon the whole thing ‑I don't
mean to do so, out of regard to one who does not regard anybody but himself.
There is a limit to the human endurance." 15 Albert Pike to James C.
Batchelor, August 2, 1869. is Albert Pike to Samuel M. Todd, December 17,
1869. 17Ibid., February 15, 1870.
44 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION Then, some two months
later he wrote: I am sorry to learn from Ill.'. Bro.'. Worsham that you think
you will not be at Baltimore. The Sessions will be the most important one we
have ever had, for some things that will be unpleasant must be done, or it
will be very unfortunate for the Rite; and our pure and determined members
ought not to be away. Pierson is in arrears six or seven thousand dollars,
Collins had done nothing in Missouri, and Mackey is useless as
Secretary‑General, owing to his unconquerable indolence and Spirit of delay.
If it is possible for you to be present you must. Do not desert us now, of all
times in the world." The preceding pages, covering the period since the 1868
meeting of the Supreme Council, have indicated the critical climate in which
the Session of May 2 through 7, 1876, in Baltimore must operate. The Session,
as scheduled, opened with twelve of the twenty‑seven Sovereign Grand
Inspectors General present, and one more arrived on. the second day. The
excuses of four Active Members were acceptable to the Supreme Council and one
was rejected; one had moved from the Jurisdiction to France; and three had
died since 1868‑twenty‑two accounted for and five being unaccounted for.
The business accomplished during the Session included the
following actions: Election of Active Members John C. Ainsworth for Oregon
Achille Regulus Morel for Louisiana William Tracy Gould for Georgia who was
immediately placed on the list of Emeriti Members William Letcher Mitchell for
Georgia John Quincy Adams Fellows for Louisiana Seats vacated John C.
Breckenridge for Kentucky Henry W. Schroder for South Carolina Resignation A.
T. C. Pierson for Minnesota 11 Albert Pike to James C. Batchelor, April 13,
1870.
45 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33 Election of Officers B. B.
French, Lieutenant Grand Commander Henry Buist, Grand Chancellor John Jennings
Worsham, Treasurer General Ebenezer H. Shaw, Grand Prior Thomas Cripps, Grand
Organist Appointment of Officers Samuel M. Todd, Grand Mareschel of Ceremonies
John C. Ainsworth, First Grand Equerry Elections of Honorary 33' Nine Brethren
so honored The Grand Commander's Address Reported death of Active Members of
the Supreme Council: Edward Rutledge Ives for Florida William S. Rockwell for
Georgia Reported on State of the Rite in the Southern Jurisdiction No
organized bodies in the District of Columbia, West Virginia, North Carolina,
Minnesota or any of the Territories Bodies were established in Maryland,
Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska,
California, Nevada and Oregon. Ranked the Rite as prosperous in only two
states: Louisiana and California.
Recommended the publication of an official bulletin Reviewed
conditions in Foreign Jurisdictions Commented on official decisions Reviewed
the action of the Grand Orient of France regarding the Chassaignac
organization in New Orleans.
Defended his Grand Constitutions of 1786 against the attacks of
Enoch T. Carson. Commented on "Liturgy and Dogma, Monitor, Dogma and Morals".
46 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION Contrasted conferral and
communication of degrees and observed that "delays should not be disturbed",
that the higher degrees should be conferred "sparingly", and that degree work
should not be the "chief work" of a lodge.
Announced that a Lodge of Sorrow would be convened.
Proposed the creation of a Court of Honour Resolutions One
Honorary 33' dropped from roll of Honorary Members.
Five elections to Honorary 33
░
cancelled.
Two Deputy commissions revoked.
Next Biennial Session to be in San Francisco.
Date of Lodge of Sorrow set for May 5, 1870, 7 p.m.
Secretary General directed to prepare a roll of all Active and
Honorary Members of the Supreme Council from its organization with pertinent
data included.
All decisions of the Grand Commander were approved.
Treasurer General's accounts were approved.
All previous elections to 33░,
not conferred, were cancelled.
A limitation of one year until conferral was placed on all future
elections to 33░
except in cases where satisfactory reasons were given for a delay.
The 33░
should not be conferred until the fee had been paid.
$300 was appropriated for the transcription of records in a "Book
of Gold".
The thanks of the Supreme Council were extended to the
Commanderies and Masons in Baltimore for their assistance and courtesies.
The bills of the Supreme Council were approved and payment
ordered.
$100 was appropriated for "contingent expense" of the Secretary
General.
On condition that the office of the Secretary General be moved to
Washington, D.C., a salary was fixed at $1,000 per annum plus 10% of money
collected from the sale of publications in addition to the fees already
established by law.
47 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
The
Secretary General, Treasurer General, Grand Chancellor and Grand Minister of
State were directed to secure seals of office.
All Sovereign Grand Inspectors General not filing "full and
complete" reports within 90 days to be suspended from office until the next
meeting of the Supreme Council.
All organized bodies in Alabama and the Lodges of Perfection in
Memphis were required to report in full within 90 days.
The Secretary General was requested to revise the Statutes and
Institutes to include the actions of the present Session.
The Supreme Council relinquished all control over the Degrees of
Royal and Select Masters, remitted all dues of such bodies owed to the Supreme
Council, and all Statutes relating to said degrees were repealed.
The "Letter of Denunciation and Appeal", relating to the action of
the Grand Orient of France, prepared by Grand Commander Pike, with a request
to the Northern Jurisdiction to concur in sending the joint communication to
all Supreme Councils of the world was approved.
A substitute for Article VII was adopted to provide for the
election of Sovereign Grand Commander, Lieutenant Grand Commander, Grand
Prior, Grand Chancellor, Grand Minister of State, Secretary General and
Treasurer General by majority vote of the Supreme Council, in case of vacancy,
and the appointment of all other officers by the Sovereign Grand Commander.
Committee Reports Adopted By the Committee on Jurispurdence that
the 33░
can be conferred upon anyone Masonically qualfied by the Supreme Council but
only those who have attained the age of 35 or over may be elected to Active
Membership.
By the Committee on Finance, as amended, reorganizing the fiscal
structure and prescribing a form for reports.
The Session was closed to meet in San Francisco on "1st Monday in
May, 1872".19 is Transactions, Supreme Council, S. J., 1870, pp. 3‑296.
48 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION The adjournment of the
Supreme Council left Grand Commander Pike with a mass of routine work to do in
making its actions and resolutions effective in the Southern Jurisdiction. Two
items seem to have engaged his attention immediately: the publication of the
first number of the Official Bulletin and the formation of the Court of Honour.
By June 8, 1870, these items were well out of his way. The "Prefatory To No.
1" of the Official Bulletin reads as follows: The Bulletin of the Supreme
Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, is intended to be
published at intervals of not more than four months, and as much oftener as
may be found necessary, to furnish official information of the acts of that
Body, of the Council of Administration, and of the Grand Commander.
It will be strictly official and historical, containing
information of the actions of the Supreme Council at its sessions, the
important reports made to it, the statutes adopted, the resolution, edicts,
and decisions of the body, the acts and decisions of the Council of
Administration, and the mandates and rulings of the Grand Commander.
Each number will contain also the latest information in regard to
the doings of Foreign Supreme Councils and Grand Orients.
It will not be a vehicle for essays, discussions or disputations;
but in regard to domestic matters, will furnish under the head of
"Unofficial", the current information in regard to Consistories and
Subordinate Bodies of the Obedience, and such extracts from Foreign Bulletins,
and other documents, Official and Historical, as may be interesting and
valuable.
The Bulletin will be published at the expense of the Supreme
Council." Immediately following the close of the Session of 1870, the
following communication was sent to each Active Member of the Supreme Council:
A STATUTE TO ESTABLISH A COURT OF HONOUR.
Section 1. There is hereby established a Court of Honour, of those
who have deserved well of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, to be
composed of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret.
Sec. 2. The Knights of the Court of Honour shall be of two
ranks,‑Knight Commanders and Grand Crosses of Honour.
2░
Official Bulletin, 1, 3.
49 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
Sec.
3. All Knights Commanders and Grand Crosses shall be elected by the Supreme
Council, by affirmative vote of three‑fourths of the members present.
Sec. 4. Each member present at the next regular Session of the
Supreme Council may nominate two Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret of his
State, to receive the rank and decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of
Honour; each taking care to nominate no one who has not by zeal; devotion and
active service, deserved well of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.
Sec. 5. At every session of the Supreme Council, thereafter, each
member present may nominate one Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret of his
State, and no more, to receive the rank and decoration of Knight Commander of
the Court of Honour.
Sec. 6. The rank and decoration of Knight Commander of the Court
of Honour shall never be asked or applied for by any person; and if asked or
applied for, shall be refused. And no fee or charge shall ever be made for the
said rank and decoration, or those of the Grand Cross of the Court of Honour.
Sec. 7. The Supreme Council at the next and every subsequent
session, select from among the Knights Commanders, three Grand Crosses of the
Court of Hohour, and no more.
Sec. 8. Each Grand Consistory may, at each meeting of
the Supreme Council, nominate one Prince of the Royal Secret, to receive the
rank and decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour.
Sec. 9. No Prince of the Royal Secret shall be hereafter elevated
to the rank of Honorary Sovereign Grand Inspector General, unless he be a
Knight Commander of the Court of Honour.
Sec. 10. Each active member of the Supreme Council will be,
virtute officii sui, an Honorary Grand Cross of the Court of Honour, entitled
to wear the decoration of that rank; and such Honorary Sovereign Grand
Inspectors General also as may, for distinguished services, be elected thereto
by vote of three‑fourths of the members present in Supreme Council.
Sec. 11. The Sovereign Grand Commander will be Praefect of the
Court of Honour, and the Lieutenant Grand Commander will be Pro‑praefect. The
first Grand Cross selected from each State will be the Praetor for such State;
and the Grand Commander in Chief of each Grand Consistory, if a Grand Cross,
will be, during his term of office, Praetor Honorary for the State.
Sec. 12. The Court of Honour may assemble at the same time and
place with the Supreme Council, shall be presided over by a Legate Grand Cross
designated by the Sovereign Grand Commander, adopt Rules of Order and Statutes
for its 50 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION government, and propose to the
Supreme Council measures of Legislation for the benefit of the Order of
Scottish Freemasonry, and be heard in the Supreme Council by its Grand
Crosses, to urge, explain and discuss the same.
Sec. 13. Each Knight Commander and Grand Cross of the Court of
Honour, shall receive from the Supreme Council, without charge, a Diploma or
Letters Commendatory, in the Latin language, and on vellum, as evidence of his
rank.
Sec. 14. Every Grand Cross shall have the privilege of membership
in all bodies of the Rite in his State, and be free of all dues, taxes and
assessments, everywhere.
Sec. 15. The Supreme Council will give without charge to every
Grand Cross of the Court of Honour, the jewel of his rank.
Sec. 16. The Jewel of a Knight Commander, and that of a Grand
Cross, shall be such as may be defined and established by the M.'. P.'. Sov.'.
Gr.'. Commander, and the Lieut.% Gr.'. Commander, to whom this subject is
referred.
At the late Session of the Supreme Council, the consideration of
the foregoing Statute was postponed until the next regular Session. A
reconsideration of that vote was intended to have been had‑on the last day of
the Session; but the pressure of business on that day caused it to be
forgotten.
At the request of several of the Brethren of the Supreme Council,
who earnestly wish it speedy adoption, as an incitement to labour and faithful
service during the two years now begun, I submit for your consideration this
question: "Shall the Statute to establish a Court of Honour, as its text is
given above, be passed and become a law?" Please forward your vote, Aye or No,
hereunder written to the Secretary General, at 1418 F Street, Washington City.
On June 8, 1870, Grand Commander Pike published a notice that the
Statute had been adopted." The last sentence in the communication on the
Statute to create a Court of Honour provides the information that the office
of the Secretary General had been moved to Washington, D. C., and was located
at 1418 F Street. This was a move long desired by Pike as has been previously
recorded.
21 Ibid., 56.
51 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
In May
also, the Grand Commander sent a circular letter to all Inspectors General and
Deputies containing the resolutions of the Supreme Council providing for the
suspension of said officers if they failed to send in their reports within the
limits provided." Shortly thereafter, Pike wrote to Frederick Webber regarding
Webber's report to him and in regard to other routine administrative details."
This letter was followed within a few days by one that announced that he
(Pike) was leaving for Minneapolis on June 18, 1870, and that he expected to
visit Topeka and Santa Fe before returning to Washington in July." No
previously dated letters or documents have survived to indicate the intention
to make this trip, nor the reason for it, and there are none to establish that
the trip was made. However, the following circular letter issued late in 1870
indicates a situation that may have come to Pike's attention in mid‑June.
Very Dear Brethren: Having heard that Ill.'. Bro.'.‑ A. T. C.
Pierson, 33d, late Grand Prior of the Supreme Council, still confers the
degrees of the said Rite, and those of Royal and Select Master, in the State
of Minnesota, and receives the fees therefor, we do deem it necessary to make
it known unto you that the said Ill.'. Bra.'. resigned his membership in our
Supreme Council, at the session held in Baltimore on the 2d day of May last,
and has since then been only an Honorary Member thereof; and that he has since
then had and now has, no power or authority whatever to confer degrees or
create bodies, of said Rite, or to confer the degrees of Royal and Select
Master, or to receive moneys for degrees, in the State of Minnesota or
elsewhere; and that all his acts so done since said session of our Supreme
Council are null and void, and without the knowledge or authority of our
Supreme Council.
And we do further give you to know that at the same session our
Supreme Council formally relinquished all control over the degrees of Royal
and Select Master, and that since that time none of our Inspectors General
could lawfully invest any one with those degrees.
And as the said Ill.'. Bro.'. has never reported to us any of his
doings as Inspector General, in Minnesota or elsewhere, we do advise those who
have received from him any of the degrees of the said Rite, to furnish us with
the evidence thereof, that they may, if invested with them before our last
session, receive the proper credentials whereby to prove lawful possession of
the said degrees.
zz Albert Pike to Erasmus T. Carr, May 25, 1870. 2a Albert Pike to
Frederick Webber, June 1, 1870. 24 Albert Pike to Erasmus T. Carr, June 17,
1870.
52 of A~~t4i'n , i, ~lzesvan, 63 FORP,ESPONDING TO ~OV. 1ST, 18 0,
y.‑.f ,ò, A, Mile name f Mile, cefupreme pauncil of ~lze 33c1 ‑geyree f
elne %zcz'en~ and accelzWed JcoUiSA RiZZe, for Mile Joualzerrz,
Wurzsa?ic~ion
░f
Mze '&ni~ecl AVazes .' To all Freemasons of the 3Qd Degree of the said Rite,
hi good staizding, in the State of Georgia HEALTH, STABILITY, AND POWER! and
Very ‑Tear VroM er .
‑''v~ clirec~ion and antler aullzorily f Me, Sov.'.Sranp?
0om?na)zcler and Mme Oouneil f clmz~'nis~ra~zorr, . all AmOme
princes o' 14e molal Jecrd 3zcl ‑Teyree .'. .'.oS . iZe, in
yoocl 8 ano?irnq, wi~lzin oznr Jizso71 eion /‑wlzicln coM~Prises MJe CS~lale
of Seoryia l, are cliredeW M assemble in ~Tze My f uyusla, upon ~Tze
7sZTz clad el ~lne ;oresern~ mon~lz, for ~7~e ~urIvose of oryanizirny and
ins~i&u~iny a v~ran~ p~onsis~ory for the (7, ~e f '1~4eoryia.
c7Je ~ov.'.era‑ncl p~omman~er, ill .fro.'.~ l~er~ ~~Vie, 33c1,
2.oeZl~res2'cle. you are re,~ues~ecT, ~o y░es~ec~
~lzis, our ~rnaiZC~?afe, a)u/ yover>n yourse accorclinyly.
qArater1l ally yours, TKIf, ‑L. JI_,ZTUTTKLL~ 3,13d. Sov.‑.G)░and
Inspector General.
Ta Ma NELSON, 3d.
Honorary Inspector General and Special Deputy.
53 AMT xl esvan~ 6"63 FORPESPONDING TO NOV. 1ST, 18 0, Y‑‑.~,‑, Jn
Me name of ilze ‑&Ivreme Oomncil l zlze 33667 ‑eyree f elze eneie~‑a and
accelv~eo? UGDZZid'1, Mi~e, for ~Aze AoldlllerYb e~f?,( ris667ic~ion f Mle
Vni~e667 To all Freemasons of the 32d Degree of the said Rite, At good
stariding, ia the State of Georgia HEALTH, STABILITY, AND POWER! and 'Perk
‑Tear Rrozlzer _ .. __ ...
cZirec~ion an(? un6ler au~hori~y f ~Te SJov.'.~ran6Z ~omman6ler
and Mm oouneiz f a(lmI')nislrazion .. a1Z AmMime princes of Mze NoyaI Jecree
32667 ‑Tel ree .'. . . J. ‑. Mile, in good 8ZaYn667inq, wiM in oaGr Lion, /
wAicA coml)rises Ml e JWe of Seoryia/, are o?zrede(l ~o assemMe zn elze &y
f uyus~a~ upon ze 7sZlz claJ' cl Mze 1oresen~ mor~Zlz, ,for ~lzc
purIvose f oryaniziny ano? zndiladirny a Sran667 Oonsistory for llze Afa~e of
Seoryia.
,7lze &v.'.'5~‑and 0ommander, , o Zl'. ro.'.~; l67er~ ~zke~
~361, wa'Zl~res2'cle.
you a~░e
re meVecl ~o Miss our inaizWafe, and yover)z yours6, ~I,
accor667inylzy.
~ralcrll ally yours JTT~`' v11‑1‑E1L'L, 33d.
Sov.‑. Grand Inspector General.
ld s ff. NUSOX, 3.
Honorary Inspector General and Special Deputy.
53 ORDO AB CHAO.
;19/h/ cleaeZ, 6"63 , THE ~IAME OF THE tS. UPREME FOUNCIL OF THE
330 ~EGREE ANCIENT .AND 7~ICCEPTED I ~COTTISH f,ITE OF FREEMASONRY FOR THE
,SOUTHERN JURISDICTION OF THE PLAITED tSTATES.
t*
an ~156alwp~ of t4f, 1kfr'&T+nad ~oggee of air "e1finae in ol, Italy
of ,eaej e G R EET I N G Ill.‑. and Very Dear
Bro............... .............. _ ..
_.............................
This is to inform you that the most Puissant Grand Consistory of
the Stxtc of Georgia, was duly organized, instituted and consecrated, and its
Officers installed. in the City of Augusta, the Seat and ace of the, same, on
the l8dl and 19th clays of November, 1870. You are, by virtue of your dignity,
as x S. .P..lt.'.S.'., an Active Member of the Grand Consistory, and entitled
to attend its Sedeòunts, and Vote upon all questions submitted to it for
decision. Whun not able to attend its Annual Meetings, which are
required t,y its Constitution to he held on the Thursday after the last
Wednesday in April of each year. you Will please address your excuse in writin,;
t~) the Grind Registrar of the Grand Consistory at Augusta, the suflicioncy Of
which will be determined by the body.
You are requested to notify the ILL.‑. GRAND REGISTRAR ;is soon as
convenient, whether Or not you desire your name to bu enrolled with the Active
Members of the Grand Consistory.
A list of the Ollicers of the Grand Consistory is hereunto annexed
for your information and guidance. Yours, Fraternally, WM. L. MITCHELL, 33░,
░T.
H. NELSON, 33░,
bptciral Deputy.
Sor. . Grhwl Iaspeclor Generftl of the State of Georgia.
OFFICT‑‑ R 0f, "Toll', ‑97wo C01Vsisl,"'o~RY .
CHARLi.s G. GOODRICH, Grand Commander in Chief. CALVIN FAY, First
Lieutenant Grand Cononander. .J. E.%I~IE,rT BLACKSHEAR, Second Lieutenant
Grand Commander. WILLIAM CRAIG, Grand Constable.
ARCHIBALD MCLELLAN, Grand Adwiral. JOHN KING, Grand Minister of
Sttde. THOMAS II. NELSON, Grand‑Chancellor. DANIEL J. RYAN, Grand Hospitaller
and Ahnontr. EDWARD 11. PUGHE, Grand Registrar.
RoRERT L. MOILWAINE, Grand Keeper of the Seals. WILLIAM J.
GOODRICH, Grand Treasurer.
REV. DAVID WILLS, Gwtnd Primate.
CHARLES S. BRADFORD, Grand Provost or Muster of Ceremonies WILLIAM
J. POLLAIID, Graced Expert. JOSIAH MOSHER, Assistant Grand Expert. JOHN D.
BUTT, Grand Beamenijer. ALEXANDER PHILIP, Grand Bearer of the Vexillwn Belli.
JOHN OSLEY, Grand Master of the Guards.
RICHARD S. AGNEW, Grarad Chaniberlain. WILLIAM H. HANCOCK, Grand
Aid‑de‑ Camip of the Commander‑in‑Chief JOHN E. NAVY, Grand Steward.
FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION And the bodies of the Rite
organized in Minnesota never having reported to our Supreme Council, nor being
on our Register, are hereby warned to make due return by the first day of
March next, or their works will be suspended.
Given under our hands and seals of office at the Orient aforesaid,
the day and year aforesaid, under the Great Seal of the Supreme Council.
Notice of the death of Lieutenant Grand Commander Benjamin B.
French was published on August 12, 1870,2 5 and immediately thereafter Pike
caused a ballot to be circulated by mail for an election to fill the vacancy.
John Robin McDaniel was elected to the office of Lieutenant Grand Commander
and the announcement was published on September 30, 1870.2 In reply to an
invitation to attend the Lodge of Sorrow conducted by the Grand Consistory of
Louisiana, Pike expressed doubt that he could be present. In the same letter
the Grand Commander took occasion to advise Sovereign Grand Inspector Todd of
several other matters. He stated that he had received the Bulletins of the
Grand Orient of France and that he would reply by Balustre in December; he
acknowledged receipt of special music prepared by Thomas Cripps and took the
opportunity to ask Todd to "render" Cripps "out of his discontent" at not
having received the 33'. He promised to write a "general eulogy and specially
remembering the Latin Brethren" for the Lodge of Sorrow21. Pike later found it
possible to be in New Orleans for the Lodge of Sorrow and delivered his
"general eulogy" in person.
In November, Wm. L. Mitchell officially advised the Grand
Commander that a Grand Consistory for Georgia had been organized." Subsequent
correspondence with the presiding officer of that body requested much detailed
advice about the duties and responsibilities of a Grand Consistory and its
officers. It is unfortunate that the replies of Pike have not survived.
On some now unknown date in 1870, Pike sent out a circular letter
relating to the communication of degrees. Since the same problem is, to some
extent, still prevalent, Pike's letter is reproduced in full for what it may
be worth on this subject.
25 Star, August 12, 1870. 2s Official Bulletin, I, 163. 27 Albert
Pike to Samuel M. Todd, October 2, 1870. 28 Official Bulletin, I, 51.
29 Wm. L. Mitchell to Albert Pike, November 29, 1870.
55 rient o~ ~~I~iit~toiY, i~irict o First day of the
,Month Ir.r..ò. Bxo.ò.
.~1.~. ‑M.'. 5630.
I leave lately been informed by a. Brother who received from the
Deputy of a Sov.'. Gr.ò. Inspector Ueneral the degrees of the Ancient and
Accepted Scottish Rite, from 4░
to 32░,
by commnnir~a~.ron, that the whole was done in the sloace of two hours or a
little ruore.
It is quite evidelrt that one so receiving the degrees can be
neither a 1{ose Croix, a 1Zadosh nor ar Prince of the I~ogal Secret in
anything more than name. IIe can know nothing, or comparatively nothing, of
their teachings, nor understand the ceremonies, nor have received any value at
all or vn,y berleiit at. all, in return for that which he paid Hurt lro
rui~rllt become a 32░
indeed.
When the degrees arc communicated the candidate must take the vows
of every orre degrees in regalar succession. )FIe must cornpl,y‑ with the
rwelirniuaries of tire 5th and 18th degrees. Ffe must. alrswer the preliminary
questions, make the preliminary promises and give the preliminary pledges, in
evel;S‑ degree, wherever these are found.
The Icast time in whi<~h the decrees can be prolaerly communicated
is sixteen hour a clay on four al1eC0FSlce clays. On the first clay ere m.ry
advance to the 14th degree and on the second, to the 18th <rr:cl no farther:
on the third, to the 30th <rncl rlo farther; and on he will conclude.
That he pray obtain some ideas of the nature, puryose slue meaning
of the degrees, a acrd separat.cl3‑, parts of the olvening anc~ closing
ceremonies of each must be read to him, tl of initiation be briefly gone over,
curd the mast. striking portiolrs of the instruction be read.
That all this nlay be yroperly dor,o,.:nd the ca;ndiclatc be
enabled to a>>preeiate the degrees and not to despise them as v'orthless or
con:~ider himself' deluded, deceived and defrauded by large promises followed
by scant performance, eac+h Ill.ò. l~ro.ò. orr whom it may devolve to
communicate degrees, must. be thorozylal~ familiar with tire whole, and witL
every hart of each.
For, to pretevc] to communicate the degrees irr two hours is to
but them upon the level those of a Iiite whose ninety degrees have bean
░~
communicated" while crossing a river in a fe boat, and even by ~ potent sent
by mail to a candidate not seed. 1=Iowever pure and good the int tion,
the effect cannot but be most mischievous and most deplorable. tire do not
zccrzrt Initiates who c be satisfied with such com.mzcnicat orr of degrees
drat are worthy to lie the study of a lifetime, and i which there is nothing
that is not of value for' the heart or for the head.
All our Sovereign Grand Inspectors General are therefore urgently
entreated to conform their action and course of initiation to these
saggestioua ; which are, for all Grand Consistoriea and of the s, font boors
no farther the fourth s a ~~hole e course with rryen ~.n n 56 other bodies‑,
and all Special and other Deputies, peremptory instructions, to be at all
points observed and obeyed, until order of our Supreme Council to the
contrary: nor is any dispensation or any pretence of exigency or emergency to
be permitted to excuse any non‑observance thereof, in any case or under any
circumstances whatever.
And you are further admonished that in no case hereafter can the
delays required by Statute be dispensed with, unless it be in cases where the
degrees are to be conferred on BB.‑. for the purpose of enabling there to oe
constituted a new body of the Rite, or for the purpose of filling up the
numbers of an existing body, until it becomes perfect and efficient, and no
further. It is to violate the spirit of the law to add members in that
manner, to any body of the Rite, after its numbers are complete, and a quorum
for work at all times is secured.
It is not the purpose of the Ancient and Accepted Rite to run a
race of competition for numbers with any other Rite or Order whatsoever.
Loyalty to it cannot consist with the cheapenig of its degrees, nor is its
strength to be found in mere numbers; in which, indeed, all other Orders in
compete with it and may profit thereby, while it must fail to make true
progress and advancement. Receive, very dear Brethren, these admonitions in
the spirit in which they are given. Recall to your minds the teachings of our
beloved Rite, and aid us in enforcing its laws.
Sov.‑. Gr. ‑. Commander.
HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
During
1870, Pike and Grand Commander Drummond, of the Northern Jurisdiction, carried
on a correspondence that produced the long discussed "Letter of Denunciation
and Appeal" approved by both the Southern and Northern Supreme Councils and
issued by them jointly late in the year, possibly in December, as indicated in
Pike's letters previously reported. This "Letter of Denunciation and Appeal"
is historical and judicial in nature and is quoted in full in Appendix III. At
this point it is sufficient to say that it withdrew recognition of and
fraternal relations with the Grand Orient of France and any and all bodies
that might support the position of the Grand Orient with regard to the
situation in Louisiana until the objectional action had been recalled.
The year of 1871 opened with the publication of two circular
letters: the first was a statement of the powers of a Sovereign Grand
Inspector General relating to a Grand Consistory and is the first known
analysis of this relationship: the second was another effort to collect the
money due the Supreme Council for degree work done by Sovereign Grand
Inspectors General and Deputies of the Supreme Council. Both letters are dated
January 1, 1871, and read in part as follows The Supreme Council not having as
yet acted ... in regard to the powers of Inspectors General ... in States
where there are Grand Consistories, I have been constrained ... to consider
the question and decide it, subject to the future determination of the Supreme
Council.
The following provisions of the Constitutions and Statutes are all
that bear upon the question: "In no case", says the Declaration prefixed to
the Grand Constitutions of 1786, "can any other person enjoy those rights,
prerogatives, privileges and powers wherewith we do invest those Inspectors".
By Art. xvi,
1
1, of the Statutes, the Supreme Council reserved to itself the power of
conferring any of the Degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, upon
any such persons as it might deem worth to receive them. And it was provided
that it might delegate that power to Deputy Grand Inspectors General, in
States wherin there was no resident active Member of the Supreme Council or
Grand Consistory.
Art. xxv gives each active Member of the Supreme Council the power
to confer all the degrees, to and including the 32d, by way of honorarium, and
without fee; no exception being made in regard to States in which there are
Grand Consistories.
Art. xxxii,
1
4‑"Every Sovereign Grand Inspector General, active Member of the Supreme
Council, possesses, and may exercise in the State in wihch he resides, during
the recess of the Supreme Council; all the prerogatives of Grand Master of
Symbolic Lodges, so far as relates to the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite."
58 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION Art. xxii,
1
4‑Declares each Grand Consistory, "a deputy of this Supreme Council, and the
governing Power of the Ancient and Accepted Rite in the State wherein it is
organized", and that all charters for bodies of the degrees below the 31st,
must emanate from it, and all Potents, Briefs and Diplomas be issued by it".
Art. xxii,
1
5‑"The privilege of conferring the 31st and 32d degrees has been delegated by
the Supreme Council to the Grand Consistories." Art. xxvi,
1
2‑"The degrees may be communicated in order to establish new bodies." Art.
xxvii,
1
2‑"For the puropse of propagating the Rite, this provisions as to delays may
be dispensed with by any Sovereign Grand Inspector General, active Member of
the Supreme Council, . . . for the purpose of establishing bodies, or adding
members to bodies already existing, so as to enable them to work." Upon
reflection and careful consideration, I have arrived at the following
conclusions That the Grand Commander‑in‑Chief of a Grand Consistory is but the
presiding officer of that body, except so far as it may invest him with power
to act for it during its recesses, and that he does not possess, nor can it
confer upon him, the power to confer any of the degrees of the Ancient and
Accepted Scottish Rite, that power being confined to Inspectors General,
active Members of the Supreme Council, Deputies of these or of the Supreme
Council, and organized bodies of the Rite.
That the Grand Consistory may empower the Grand Commander‑in‑Chief
to congregate the requisite number of brethren already in possession of the
necessary degrees, into any body of the Rite, of the 14th, 16th, 18th, or 30th
degrees, and to grant to such body a warrant, to be afterwards submitted to
the Grand Consistory for confirmation and continuance.
That an Inspector General, active member of the Supreme Council,
or a Deputy of the Supreme Council, in a State where there is a Grand
Consistory, retains undiminished his power to confer any and all of the
degrees of the Rite, from the 4th to the 32d on such persons as he may select,
and to establish any of the said subordinate bodies, granting Letters Patent,
which must be submitted to the Grand Consistory for confirmation,‑the fees for
the degrees belonging to the Supreme Council, and those for Letters Patent to
the Grand Consistory; from which, also, those receiving degrees from an
Inspector General or Deputy, must, upon his certificate, obtain their
Diplomas, Briefs or Patents, and to it pay the fees therefor. And that a Grand
Consistory can confer no degrees except the 31st and 32d; all below these
being conferable only by the proper Body, or by an Inspector General, or
Deputy Inspector General as aforesaid; so that councils of Knights of Kadosh
are indispensable bodies in this jurisdiction.
59 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
If
there be in any place but one person who desires the degrees, and no body
established there, they may certainly be given him, for the purpose of
establishing the bodies . . . thereafter....
Wherever a body . . . is established, the degree may be given . .
. until finally the requisite number for a new body is obtained....
I am clearly of opinion that the only efficient mode of extending
the Rite is ... to extend it among individuals, one by one....
The Grand Commander then took the opportunity to point out that
the Supreme Council needed money to pay its printing bills and to finance the
publication of "Morals and Dogma" then in the printer's hands. He also
reminded the Inspectors General We have paid since the war about seven
thousand dollars for printing, in addition to all other expenses, and of this
sum about five thousand came from California; and we owed it to the zeal and
energy of our Ill. Brother Shaw. Even from the great jurisdiction of Louisiana
we have received but three or four hundred dollars, and from most of the
States much less; from many nothing at all.
He closed the letter with an appeal to propagate the Rite, to make
the quarterly returns by the Statutes and to require Subordinate Bodies to
make due and prompt returns "without delay" that the Supreme Council would be
enabled "to do its work"." The second letter reads as follows I am directed by
the M.'. P.'. Grand Commander to inform you that there are demands against the
Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, for moneys
due for printing Rituals and Transactions, and other work, which cannot be met
unless the money due to itself are paid.
The Sovereign Grand Commander desires me fraternally but earnestly
to urge you to remit to the Treasurer General, Ill.'. Bro.'. John J. Worsham,
33d, at Memphis, in the State of Tennessee, the sum of $‑, due by you to the
Supreme Council, since day of , 18‑, for It is hoped that as the sum thus due
belongs in fact to those whom the Supreme Councils owes, you will, if not
actually impossible, make due answer to this sign and summons, that the Order
may not suffer reproach." " Albert Pike to John Robin McDaniel, January 1,
1871. 31 Blank form letter, January 1, 1871.
60 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION Within three months of
Pike's appeal to the Inspectors General and the Deputies of the Supreme
Council to increase the tempo of the propagation of the Rite, he received a
letter from Inspector John C. Ainsworth that he had established Albert Pike
Lodge, No. 2, at Salem, Oregon, and reported "Under direction of your Circular
of January 1st, '71, I have taken individuals from different localities to
form a nucleus of a `new body . . .' ". Probably of as good news to the Grand
Commander was his statement that he was sending $1,800 to the Treasurer
General." The good news from Oregon was followed by sad tidings on April 2,
1871, when Inspector General Giles M. Hillyer, Grand Minister of State, of
Mississippi died. However, the living must carry on and after writing a
tribute to the "Illustrious Dead", Pike turned back to administrative duties
of the Supreme Council.
Treasurer General John J. Worsham reported receipt of $1,836.04
remitted by Ainsworth on April 12, 1871, and in the same letter raised
objection to the Session set for San Francisco because of the cost of travel.
Two days later he wrote that he had received Pike's instructions to pay
William T. Anderson $1500 and explained that a protested draft had never
reached him. A few days later, Worsham advised Pike against a proposed
appointment in Memphis until he had made an investigation in that city." This
was the last known letter Pike received from Worsham, for Worsham died on July
31, 1871. The office of Treasurer General was a very active office and the
Grand Commander immediately appointed Inspector General Frederick Webber of
Kentucky to fill the office" until the next meeting of the Supreme Council,
not quite one year away.
One of the major problems in the propagation of the Rite has
always been the finding of the right man in a given territory to do the work.
Pike was constantly looking for such men. On April 24, 1871, John S. Driggs
accepted an appointment as Deputy Inspector General for Florida, and about the
same time William M. Ireland was appointed to the same position in the
District of Columbia. However, E. H. Caldwell and "Brother" Willoughby both
declined such an appointment in Alabama." Charles G. Goodrich, Grand Commander
of the Grand Consistory of Georgia, was most active in his state in 1871. He
reported to Pike that he was corresponding with Masons in Albany, Fort Valley,
Atlanta and Macon with regard to Lodges of Per 32 J. C. Ainsworth to Albert
Pike, March 25, 1871.
33 John J. Worsham to Albert Pike, April 12, 14, May 25, 1871. 34
Official Bulletin, 1, 366.
35 John S. Briggs to Albert Pike, April 24, 1871; Official
Bulletin, 1, 229; E. H. Caldwell to Albert Pike, May 1, 1871.
61 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
fection and had established such a Lodge at Milledgeville." Inspector General
Mitchell of Georgia informed Pike later that he had issued Letters of
Constitution for a Lodge of Perfection at Atlanta and that a Lodge could be
formed at Rome before the year ended." R. M. Smith, a Deputy of Mitchell,
expressed the opinion that two more Lodges of Perfection would be established
before the spring of 1872.38 The Grand Commander contributed materially to the
efforts in Georgia, Minnesota, Iowa and South Carolina during mid‑1871. In
May, he was in Charleston to form a Chapter of Rose Croix" and also in Georgia
to lend inspiration to the workers there. In July, Pike was in Minnesota and
Iowa to assist in forming bodies at St. Paul and Lyons. At Lyons, Pike spent
five days, and when he left, the Knights of Kadosh totaled ninety. The Bodies
at Lyons had expanded $15,000 for regalia and had started the construction of
a temple which was finished in 1872.'░
In so far as (See Illustration on page 63) is presently known, this building
was the first in the Southern Jurisdiction to be erected and owned exclusively
by Subordinate Bodies of the Scottish Rite. Early in September, Pike planned a
trip into the West to visit Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas,
Louisiana and Alabama" but there is no record that he actually made the trip.
As had been a part of his labors for the entire period of his
administration, Grand Commander Pike carried on an extensive correspondence
with Robert Macoy regarding the printing authorized by the Supreme Council.
Revision of the Rituals and Ceremonies were the principal projects in 1870. A
continuation of the correspondence with Macoy began early in 1871. Macoy's
letter of February 4, 1871, acknowledged receipt of $1,258.75 in money sent in
by Shaw for work at Salt Lake City." The letter also contained information on
the progress of typesetting on the "Ceremonies of Baptism and Adoption",
"Morals and Dogma", "Bulletin" and "Charters". This letter indicates the
extent of printing committments for 1871‑1872. In August the printer wrote
Pike that he needed a payment on the printing bill of the Supreme Council and
two days later that he was sending some proof sheets of "Morals and Dogma". In
the first week of October, Macoy requested a payment of $1,000 as Chas. G.
Goodrich to Albert Pike, Swan 26, 5331; May 22, 1871. 3 " Wm. L. Mitchell to
Albert Pike, November 4, 1871.
38 R. M. Smith to Albert Pike, January 2, 1872. 39 Henry Rush to
The Supreme Council, undated. 40 Transactions, Supreme Council, S. 1., 1874,
p. 15. 41 Albert Pike to Marshall W. Wood, September 4, 1871. 42 Albert Pike
to T. S. Parvin, February 5, 1871.
62 MASONIC TEMPLE, LYONS, IOWA. 63 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL,
33░
on the
printing bill and before the end of the month the Grand Commander sent out
another circular letter regarding the payment of accounts owed to the Supreme
Council. Pike was unable to meet the request for $1,000 but did send $600. A
request for more copy and the delivery of more proof sheets took place in
November and December. All of the type for "Morals and Dogma" was set by
mid‑December, 1871.43 It appears that Pike had been unsuccessful in collecting
sufficient funds to defray the printing bill and had sought a loan, for Wm. L.
Mitchell wrote that such a loan might be secured from Robert Toombs.44 This
letter was followed in a few days by one from Toombs who stated that he could
let the Grand Commander have $3,000. Of this amount, $2,000 was paid to Pike
in two installments of $1,000 each." The first twenty‑four copies of Morals
and Dogma were sent to Pike on March 2, 1872.46 On August 24, 1871, Grand
Commander Pike saw fit to issue a circular letter regarding the situation of
Scottish Rite Masonry in Colombia which he closed by stating that it was his
intention to submit a document entitled "Articles of Agreement and Contract"
for adoption to the Supreme Councils of the world. The four articles read as
follows ARTICLE I The Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction of the
United States will not recognize more than one Supreme Council of the 33d
Degree in any North or South American Republic; and agrees that the creation
of more than one is forbidden except in the United States of America, by the
Fundamental law of the Rite.
ARTICLE II The said Supreme Council will maintain as an inviolable
law and landmark of Free Masonry, that an illegal, irregular, and spurious
body, claiming Supremacy, cannot be legitimized by a Treaty made between it
and a regular body of the same rank and degree, but continues, after such a
treaty, as spurious and irregular as before.
43 Robert Macoy to Albert Pike, August 15; 16; October 6; 27; 28;
November 4; 14; December 13, 1871; Circular Letter, October 25, 1871.
44 arm. L. Mitchell to Albert Pike, December 27, 1871.
45 R. Toombs to Albert Pike, January 3; April 14, 1871; C. H.
Phinizy to Albert Pike, January 4, 1871; Robert Macoy to Albert Pike, January
10; 30; February 1, 1871.
46 Robert Macoy to Albert Pike, March 2, 1872.
64 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION ARTICLE III The Supreme
Council will maintain as the law of Free Masonry, that a regular body of any
degree, so treating with and recognizing as its peer an irregular and
illegitimate body, becomes itself infected with irregularity, and is no longer
entitled to recognition; and it will maintain no relations of amity or
correspondence with a body that so commits felo de se.
ARTICLE IV The said Supreme Council agrees that it will not
hereafter create or authorize the creation of, a Supreme Council in any
Empire, Kingdom, Republic or State, anywhere in the world, without first
obtaining the unanimous consent of all the Supreme Council that shall accede
to this agreement; and that it will not recognize any one created by any other
power or authority, without such unanimous consent. Nor will it revive any
dormant Supreme Councils, without obtaining such consent thereto, nor
recognize any dormant Council that may hereafter be revived without such
consent." Pike submitted the proposed "Articles of Agreement and Compact" to
the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction in his Allocution delivered
on May 6, 1872, but there is no record that the same was adopted as an
official statement of minimum principles upon which recognition could be
based. This would not indicate a disagreement with the considerations that
were expressed, rather it does indicate that the document did not adequately
cover all of the points of regularity by which a Supreme Council should be
measured before fraternal relations should be established with it. It might be
pointed out in this connection that the creation of an adequate formula for
recognition between Masonic Grand Bodies resolving all of the questions of
jurisprudence, custom, practice, wisdom and propriety is probably the most
difficult undertaking in the whole category of Masonic policy making. It has
successfully defied all efforts at final solution from the establishment of
the first Grand Lodge at London in 1717 until the present writing.
United States Grand Lodges were concerned about the regularity of
Lodges established in Mexico under the Supreme Council of Mexico which became
dormant in 1871. On August 23, 1871, Pike issued a circular letter in which
the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction vouched for the regularity of
the Mexican Supreme Council and the Lodges that it had established and also
assumed responsibility for the Mexican Lodges so created until the Supreme
Council of Mexico could 47 Albert Pike to M.'.P.'. Sovereign and P.'.
Lieutenant Grand Commanders etc., August 24, 1871.
65 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
be
reactivated. A second circular letter was mailed out on March 6, 1872, in
which Pike announced the recognition of the reactivated Mexican Supreme
Council." Other surviving correspondence before the Session of the Supreme
Council in May, 1872, informed Pike that his rituals were being used in
Canada;" that the Supreme Council of the Northern Jurisdiction would not
tolerate invasions of the Southern Jurisdiction by its representatives;" that
Pike's Book of the Words was ready for distribution;" and notified the
Inspectors General that the meeting place for the Session of the Supreme
Council in 1872 had been changed from San Francisco to Louisville." The Grand
Commander also indicated that the persecution of ex‑Confederates had not yet
died out in the nation's capital when he wrote: "It is a hard world for a
rebel to live in."" The final letter of preparation for the 1872 Session of
the Supreme Council was a circular sent out on April 2, 1872, regarding
nominations for Knight Commander of the Court of Honour. Since this was the
first of its kind, it is quoted in full.
Dear and Ill.'. Bro.'.
By the terms of the statute creating the Court of Honour, each
InpsectorGeneral, active member of the Supreme Council, will have the right,
at the coming session of the first Monday of May next, to nominate two Sublime
Princes of the Royal Secret, and each Grand Consistory to nominate one, to
receive the rank and honour of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour.
Each Bro.'. so nominating Princes to be decorated with the said
rank and honour is required by the statute "to take care to nominate no one
who has not by zeal, devotion and active service, deserved well of the Ancient
and Accepted Rite." It will, therefore, in each case, be necessary to make
known to the Supreme Council what services have been rendered, and' what zeal
and devotion have been displayed. For, without the said rank and dignity, no
one can become a 33d; and unless that degree is hereafter given for real,
actual and distinguished zeal, energy and devotion, and for actual and
valuable services, as well as in consideration of high personal character, of
intelligence, and of cultivation of the intellect by study, it will soon
become as common and as cheap as the commonest and cheapest of Masonic
degrees.
4s Circular Letter, August 23, 1871; March 6, 1872. 4s J. W.
Murton to Albert Pike, December 14, 1871. 50 Josiah Drummond to Albert Pike,
March 10, 1872. 51 Circular Letter, March 10, 1872.
52 Ibid., March 11, 1872; April 2, 1872.
53 Albert Pike to John H. Howe, February 28, 1872.
66 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION Any honorary Sov.'. Gr.'.
Insp.'. General, possessing like claims, may be invested with the same rank
and dignity. I have to request you to be prepared to give your brethren of the
Supreme Council information as to the services and claims of these and the
Princes of your State.
We have too many of both, who, having early attained their high
rank, have since been utterly useless, through indolence, apathy or
indifference, steadily deserving ill and not well of the Order. So far as my
single vote will go, no such Prince or Hon.'. Insp.'. General shall ever
receive the rank and dignity of Knight Commander; for when it comes to be
given to those who have not deserved it, it will cease to be any value to
those who have deserved it well.
If you should not be able to attend the session, I beg you to
furnish me with information in regard to the services and zeal of such Princes
of the R.'. S.'. and Hon.'. 33ds in your State, as may, in your opinion,
deserve‑having by faithful devotion earned it,‑the rank and honour of Knight
Commander of the Court of Honour.
At Louisville, Kentucky, on May 6, 1872, the Supreme Council
opened its regular Biennial Session with fifteen Sovereign Grand Inspectors
General present. Three Active Members of the Supreme Council had died since
the meeting in 1870: B. B. French, Giles M. Hillyer and John J. Worsham; three
sent excuses for non‑attendance that were accepted; one sent in a resignation
from Active Membership; and two were unaccounted for: John C. Ainsworth for
Oregon and Achille R. Morel for Louisiana.
Grand Commander Pike opened his Allocution with a review of world
condtions and the status of Freemasonry therein; his general conclusion was
that the situation appeared to be encouraging. He next gave his attention to
the ravages by death in the past two years expressing his deep regret at these
losses. The official thanks of the Grand Commander were then expressed to the
Knights Templar of Louisville for their assistance, and he paid a tribute to
York Rite Masonry. Pike then launched into a report of activities and his
recommendations as follows: The enactment of a statute to govern the mode of
filling vacancies in offices during the recess of the Supreme Council.
A report of his trips to Iowa, Maryland, Georgia and South
Carolina.
A report on dispensations granted which he closed by stating that
he wished he had no such power.
67 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
He
observed that it was his opinion that the creation of particular Consistories
was a mistake and that those in existence should be converted into Councils of
Kadosh.
Reported that neither Deputy Schwarzman or the Secretary General
had been able to establish the Rite in North Carolina, and recommended that
the Deputy Commission to Schwarzman should be recalled.
Reported the appointment of John S. Driggs as Deputy for Florida,
that he had accomplished nothing and that the commission should be recalled.
Recommended that the charter of the dormant Consistory at Natchez,
Mississippi, should be recalled, and also those of the Bodies in Memphis
except that of the recently formed Lodge of Perfection.
Announced the appointment of Deputies as follows: Abraham E.
Frankland for West Tennessee George S. Blackie for East and Middle Tennessee
Sterling Y. MacMasters for Minnesota Odell Squier Long for Western Virginia
Edwin A. Sherman for Territories Outlined the decisions he had made during the
past two years.
Expressed a desire to have the Rituals translated into French,
Spanish and German.
Offered some comments on the newly authorized Court of Honour.
Recommended that the fey for the 33' be abolished.
Stated that all printing bills would soon be paid and recommended
that the Supreme Council undertake: to build a "Sanctuary" in Washington, D.
C. to establish an interest bearing "Charity Fund" Reviewed relations with
Foreign Supreme Councils with the general observation that such relations were
satisfactory.
68 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION For the remainder of the
Session the Supreme Council proceeded with the usual and routine business.
Accomplishments included the following items: Assumption of payment of the
$2,000 advanced to Pike for printing expenses by Robert Toombs.
Letters of Constitution granted to Buist Council, Princes of
Jerusalem, Charleston, South Carolina.
Election of forty‑two nominees to receive the Rank and Decoration
of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour.
Robert Toombs elected 33' and Active Member for Georgia.
Wm. Edward Leffingwell elected to receive the Grand Cross of the
Court of Honour.
T. S. Parvin elected Grand Minister of State.
Frederick Webber elected Treasurer General.
Office of Grand Auditor created and Samuel M. Todd elected to that
office.
Salary of the Secretary General was raised to $1,500 annually.
A. T. C. Pierson dropped from the roll of Honorary Inspectors
General.
Five brethren were nominated to receive the 33░
Honorary, election to be held in 1874.
Two Brethren were nominated for Active Membership to be acted upon
in 1874.
Deputies appointed: Isaac Bateman for Nevada; Robert W. Furnas for
Nebraska.
Resignation of Inspector General Robert C. Jordan accepted.
Grand Commander Pike authorized to visit Europe as Legate of
Supreme Council.
Approved the acts of the Sovereign Grand Commander while Supreme
Council was in recess.
69 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
Authorized construction of "Sanctuary" when all debts were paid and $20,000
had been accumulated and appointed a committee to plan same.
Authorized the creation of a "Charity Fund" when "Sanctuary" was
completed.
Statutes adopted On powers of Sovereign Grand Commander during
recess of Supreme Council Vacancies in offices to be filled by appointment of
Grand Commander ad interim until next Session of Supreme Council Requiring
visiting Scottish Rite Masons to show Patent before admission etc.
Grand Commander's decisions made a part of the General Regulations
Hereafter, no statute to be adopted at the meeting it was proposed and making
a two‑thirds majority vote necessary for passage.
Grand Commander given authority to nominate for Rank and
Decoration of Knight Commander of Court of Honour, regulating other
nominations, and specifying that vote on the nominations should take place on
the second day of the Biennial Session.
Reports of officers, Sovereign Grand Inspectors General, and
Deputies of the Supreme Council were received.
$150 appropriated for steel engraving of Grand Commander Pike to
be inserted in next issue of Transactions.
No investiture of Knight Commander of Court of Honour until all
fees due the Supreme Council were paid.
Lodge of Sorrow was convened.
Action of Grand Consistory of Louisiana in dropping three Honorary
33░
members from roll approved and the same were dropped from the Supreme Council
roll.
$500 additional salary for Secretary General for years 1871 and
1872 appropriated.
Secretary General authorized to buy office furniture not to exceed
$350.
Dues remitted Minnesota Council, Princes of Jerusalem and Chapter,
Rose Croix; Mobile Bodies 70 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION Rulings
approved that of Grand Commander that Honorary 33░
members have all rights and prerogatives of Active Members in Sessions of the
Supreme Council except those expressly denied to them by Statutes that of
Committee on Jurisprudence that the Grand Consistory can confer only the 31░
and 32░;
issue Patents of Constitution to Bodies 4░
to 30░
inclusive; that Grand Commander‑in‑Chief has these same powers during recess
of the Grand Consistory; and that neither has power to communicate or confer 4░
to 30░
inclusive that of Special Committee that Honorary Inspectors General retain
all prerogative and privileges when moving from one state to another in the
Jurisdiction Charters withdrawn of Bodies at Memphis except that of recently
created Lodge of Perfection; of all Bodies that do not pay delinquent dues
within 60 days Special report on situation in Missouri adopted Resolutions
adopted Council of Administration to designate meeting place in 1874 giving O.
S. Long more time to receive 33░
withdrawing Deputy Commission of Edwin A. Sherman referring some proposed
Statutes to Council of Administration accepting resignation of Andres Cassard
as Honorary 33░
refusing to recognize Andres Cassard as representative of the Supreme Council
of Uruguay withdrawing exequatur to Andres Cassard electing five distinguished
members of other Supreme Councils as Honorary Members of the Supreme Council
thanking Matthew Cook of London for music thanking Thomas Cripps of New
Orleans for music thanking Professor Winkler for providing music at Memphis
Lodge of Sorrow 71 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
authorizing Grand Commander Pike to publish music selected by him thanking
Grand Consistory of Kentucky, Union Lodge of Perfection No. 3, Knights Templar
of Louisville for assistance, Falls City Lodge, Directors of Masonic Home for
Widows and Orphans, Masonic Temple Association, Louisville, Broadway Methodist
Church for music during Lodge of Sorrow, and railroad companies for granting
half‑fare rates to members of Supreme Council The Supreme Council was closed
on May 11, 1872, with the usual ceremonies." In striking contrast to the two
years between the meeting of the Supreme Council in 1870 and 1872, the period
between the Sessions of 1872 and 1874 was relatively inactive.
The first letter to emanate from the Supreme Council after the
Session of 1872 was that of Secretary General Mackey on June 1, 1872, quoting
the new statute that required a Scottish Rite Mason, after May 1, 1873, to
present his Patent before gaining admission as a visitor into a body of the
Rite in the Southern Jurisdiction. The letter also outlined the procedure for
acquiring a Patent, gave the rate of charges for the various patents, and
listed the data that must be provided for its preparation." Although today
such procedure has become routine, in 1872, this legislation represented a
policy matter of major importance in the organizational structure of the Rite
and its membership accounting system.
On June 15, 1872, Grand Commander Pike and his committee on the
building of a "Sanctuary" released a letter from which the following is
selected: The Supreme Council ... deemed that the time had come when it could
engage in . . . the acumulation of a fund for the erection of a Home and
Sanctuary ... and for the relief of the widows and the support and education
of the orphans of deceased Brethren.... and therefore has adopted the
following Statute....
1. Resolved, That the Supreme Council ought to build . . . a
Sanctuary in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, . . . upon the cash
principle, and after all its debts are fully ... discharged.
2. Resolved, That the proceeds of the sales of the Books . . . be
devoted, after the debts are paid, to the purchase of a suitable site and
erection of a suitable building for the purposes aforesaid.....
54 Transactions, Supreme Council, S. I., 1872, pp. 3‑163. 55
Official Bulletin, 11, 16‑17.
72 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION 3. Resolved, That in order
to raise funds ... the Committee hereinafter named be authorized, . . . to
issue stock, . . . receivable for all dues to the Supreme Council, and also to
invite donations ... from the Brethren and others....
4. Resolved, That as soon as the sum of $20,000 shall have
accumulated ... or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be devoted to
the purchase of a suitable site in the city of Washington for said Sanctuary.
5. Resolved, That while the Supreme Council would not encourage
extravagance . . . a proper regard to the best architectural taste should be
paid by said Committee, and a building erected worthy of the Mother‑Council of
the World....
6. Resolved, That . . . the Committee shall . . . before
committing the Supreme Council to a contract, the plan of the building and its
cost shall be reported to the Supreme Council for its approval.
7. Resolved, That said Committee, after accumulating a sufficient
fund for the Sanctuary . . . shall, from the same sources, . . . husband a
Charity fund till the same shall amount to $100,000, when the annual interest
may be appropriated to aid the widows and orphans of members of our Rite; and
. . . an overplus of interest.... shall be added to the principal....
8. Resolved, That ... the Committee hereinafter appointed should
look carefully into our right under the Charter of Incorporation from the
State of South Carolina, to hold real estate in the District, and if there be
any doubt upon the subject, said Committee is hereby instructed to apply to
Congress for an Act incorporating Trustees to hold the same for the Supreme
Council, and also to manage the Charity fund aforesaid.
9. Resolved, That Ill.'. Bro.'. Albert Pike, Ill.'. Bro.'. Thomas
A. Cummingham, and Ill.'. Bro.'. John R. McDaniel, be a permanent Committee to
carry into effect the two schemes of a Sanctuary and a Charity fund as herein
provided.
The Supreme Council is the proprietor of the following books....
Rituals of the Degrees, from the 1st to 32d. 6 vols.
Ceremonies of Constitution of Bodies and Installation of Officers,
from the Lodge of Perfection to the Consistory. 5 vols.
Ceremonies of Baptism, Reception of Louveteau and Adoption. 1 vol.
Funeral Ceremony and Offices of Lodge of Sorrow. 1 vol.
Grand Constitutions, old edition, and new edition, greatly
enlarged. 1 vol. Morals and Dogma of the Rite. 1 vol.
And Parts I., III., IV. and V of the Liturgy, which will be
published during the present summer and coming fall. 4 vols.
In addition to 200 copies Transactions of 1868, 500 copies
Transactions of 1870, and 200 copies of the Bulletin of the Supreme Council,
Vol. 1 It has paid for all the printing hitherto done, and ... the fund to
arise from the sales of books will soon begin to accumulate.
73 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
An
admirable site for the Sanctuary, having 75 feet front, with ample depth, is
offered to the Committee, in the City of Washington, within half a square of
the building of the Department of the Interior, and of that of the Post Office
Department, upon a quite and pleasant street, of residences only.
It is not the purpose of the Supreme Council to erect a building
... to be wholly devoted to the uses of the ... Supreme Council, and, at
moderate rent, the bodies of our Rite at the City of Washington. . . . .
The cost of the site and the building will probably be not far
from $70,000.....
The shares of stock are fixed at $10 each .... ... and
these will be receivable in payment for books purchased, for charters, and
patents, and for any dues to the Supreme Council.
No debt will be created, . . . . No stock will be issued except to
those who subscribe moneys ... or to be received in part payment of the cost
of the ground, or of work done, or materials furnished for the building; ....
The value of the ground and building will, unquestionably,
increase with the growth and increase of the city, and the shares of stock
will, of course, increase in the same proportion; ... profit being an increase
in the value of the stock.
All the surplus funds of the Supreme Council, . . . will be
received by the Committee, and put at interest, to accumulate. Donations in
aid of this fund are also earnestly solicited. The Committee hope to live long
enough to see it so accumulate, as that the interest will be available . . .
and with it the widows of the Brotherhood be saved from distress and
humiliation and its orphans rescued from want, ignorance and vice.
With this please receive a subscription paper for stock, and exert
yourself to have as many shares subscribed for as possible. ....
Please find also a subscription paper for the Charity fund, to
which it is hoped that the Bodies of the Rite as well as individual Brethren
will contribute, . . . it will be impartially dispensed throughout the whole
Jurisdiction. All contributions and donations will be suitably acknowledged
and registered, . . . those who are benefited ... may know ... their
benefactors." Nothing survives to indicate that any response was made to this
appeal. Grand Commander Pike reported to the Supreme Council on May 4, 1874,
as follows: "I regret to have to say that so little has been effected towards
the objects of building a Sanctuary and creating a permanent fund for Charity,
that it is little amiss to call it nothing."" 56Ibid., 17‑20.
57 Transactions, Supreme Council, S. I., 1874, Appendix A, 24.
74 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION During the Session of the
Supreme Council in May, 1872, some Statutes and resolutions were referred to
the Council of Administration for "determination". The Council of
Administration, on July 30, 1872, completed the work left to it and published
its action shortly thereafter. The new Statutes, Article XXIX, sections 7, 8
and 9, had the effect of abolishing Councils of Princes of Jerusalem as
independent bodies and making the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Degrees a part of
the Chapter of Rose Croix. Article XVIII, section 15, made it possible for
Grand Consistories to "excuse its subordinates from the payment of dues to
itself, from Brethren who have attained the Thirty‑second Degree".
The five resolutions adopted by the Council of Administration
provided: 1. James Bennett Gibbs to receive the Degrees of the Rite as an
Honorarium; 2. the Grand Commander authorized to present recognized Supreme
Councils with copies of Morals and Dogma and Grand Constitutions of the Rite
and to loan a copy of the Rituals "to Ill. ' . Bro. ' . Robert Marshall, 33d,
Deputy of the Supreme Council of England and Wales for new Brunswick; 3. the
Grand‑Commander authorized to procure and present Grand Representative Jewels
to those officers near the Grand and Supreme Bodies of Hungary, Sweden and
Norway, and Denmark; 4. that $5.00 he added to the fee for the degrees and
that a copy of Morals and Dogma be "handed" to each candidate thereafter (it
was advised that the next edition of Morals and Dogma be divided into four
parts, one for each body of the Rite, and that candidates be advanced only
after becoming familiar with the part bearing upon the prerequisite body) ;
and 5. a recommendation that no body of the Rite afterwards created be
permitted to begin labor until it had acquired three copies of the Ritual of
its Degrees, with the Secret Work and three copies of the published Liturgy of
the same, one copy of Morals and Dogma, and three copies of the Funeral
Ceremony and Offices of the Lodge of Sorrow, that Grand Consistories provide
themselves with the same number of copies of complete Rituals, Secret Work and
Liturgy." One of Grand Commander Pike's letters dated March 24, 1872, reveals
his thinking about progression in the Scottish Rite Degrees. The pertinent
portions read as follows: The manufacturing of great numbers of 32ds in haste
is an unmitigated evil, without any corresponding benefit at all. There is not
one among twenty who have gone at a bound, as it were, from Secret Master to
Prince of the Royal Secret, in all the jurisdiction, who takes the least
interest in the work of the various bodies. I find this universal every
where.....
ss Official Bulletin, II, 21‑22.
75 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
We
have too many 32ds now. We make that degree too cheap, and the others
worthless, when we rush through them.... It is not as great an evil to
multiply 32ds as to multiply 33ds but it is pretty near it. We have stopped
one; and I am for stopping another.
... The fact that you have twice too many 32ds in Iowa is the very
reason for barring more....
Next, I am opposed to local Consistories, and can no more help to
fill one up, than I could consent to the making of a new one. It will not do
to have them every where, making 32ds. If one is likely to die out, I am glad
of it. I wish they all would: and I thought the Grand Consistory of Iowa had
killed them all.
I have solemnly and firmly resolved that I will never consent
again, in any case, to giving the 32d degree until the expiration of one year
from the receipt of the 30th and then only upon B B.'. who have worked,
faithfully in the Subordinate bodies. The only exception I will make, which is
establishing the Rite in a new jurisdiction, when I will limit the number of
those to receive the 32░
to two or three. I am sure that it is the only wise course to pursue.
The Councils of Kadosh are the Commanderies of the Knights of the
Holy House of the Temple. The 31░
& 32░
are the judicial and governing degrees and ought to be given in Grand
Consistories alone. 'I The effect of this letter in Iowa is not left entirely
to conjecture. Late in 1872, Pike wrote as follows: What is the matter with
all of you in Iowa? ....
If you or they are in any way miffed at anything I have done or
said, tell me the cause, and I will make prompt amends." It may be that the
criticism in the Grand Commander's letter was responsible for the "resignation
of nearly all the officers" of the Lyons Bodies early in 1873. There was also
a sharp decline in the number of candidates that received the degree of Master
of the Royal Secret. From 1869 to 1873, 111 candidates had received the 32░
in DeMolay Consistory at Lyons; during the next four years, 1873‑1877, only
twenty‑six candidates received the 32░
in that Consistory." Parvin's letters to Pike have not survived but a Pike
letter reveals Parvin's thoughts in these words: I note what you write as to
the prospects in Iowa, and the impossibility of maintaining the Rite there on
any other System than that of dispensing with delays 59 Albert Pike to T. S.
Parvin, March 24, 1872. 60 Ibid., November 20, 1872.
si DeMolay Consistory, 7‑8.
76 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION and making 32ds in a week
out of Master Masons. I am convinced that it is this very System that has
ruined our Rite in Iowa, as it has wherever else it has been tried. And if the
bodies in Iowa can only sustain themselves by manufacturing 32ds "in short on
the record", I think it might as well die out. You have now more 32ds than any
State in the jurisdiction, and can hardly get a quorum of the Grand
Consistory. There is virtually only one body at Lyons, working the degrees
from 4 to 32, and having given the 32d until they owe the Grand Consistory
$1,500, and put all they have received in their Temple, they want to make
more, and more, and more, to enable them to thrive: and all the time they
virtually charge, I believe, less than half the regular and legal fee.
If we cannot begin at the bottom, build up Lodges of Perfection
and have work done in them, and by slow degrees build on them the new bodies,
we cannot make the Rite of any value. Make the degrees hard to get, and men
will go any reasonable distance to get them. Let it be understood that all can
be had together, and none are valued. You have already more 32ds in Iowa than
there are in England, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium and (I believe) France,
together.
Look at Ohio, under the Iowa System. All the work is done at
Cincinnati, and there are no bodies, or hardly any, elsewhere in the great
State. I would plant a Lodge of Perfection in every town where nine good
Master Masons would organize and work, and so have a Masonic people in the
Rite, and not all Princes." The conclusion seems inescapable that a conflict
of opposing views had developed regarding eligibility for the Scottish Rite
degrees and progression from one group of degrees to the next. The outcome of
this philosophic conflict might determine whether the Scottish Rite would
survive or perish; certainly, whether it would be small in number, weak
financially, aristocratic in character and consequently of little influence in
the social structure or become numerous, affluent, democratic and a major
force in Americcn national life. It is doubtful that these alternatives were
recognized at this period in the history of the Rite.
On April 13, 1872, Anto. De S. Ferreira, Sovereign Grand Commander
of the Supreme Council of Peru, addressed a letter to Grand Commander Albert
Pike urging him, as the head of "the oldest [Supreme Council] in the Masonic
world", to issue an invitation to all recognized Supreme Councils to convene
in a Congress for the interchange of ideas on problems of general interest.
Pike had long felt the need for such a Congress and on December 16, 1872,
proposed that the Congress meet in sa Albert Pike to T. S. Parvin, February 8,
1874.
77 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
Washington, D. C'., on the second Monday in May, 1874. His letter indicated
that the following topics should be discussed Recognition of bodies claiming
to be supreme Measures to counteract indiscreet publications Multiplication of
Supreme Councils in limited jurisdictions Lavish conferral of the 33' Low
figures set for degree fees Differences of Work Relations of Supreme Councils
to other Bodies Relations of Supreme Councils with Grand Bodies of other
Degrees Improvement of exchange, of proceedings Unity of action in resisting
aggressions Examination of "existing controversies and questions as to
supremacy of jurisdiction"." 3 It may be assumed that the response to the call
for the Congress was unfavorable, because it did not take place. It can be
said, however, that the letter served a useful purpose in that it identified
the major problems of concern to Supreme Councils and probably caused more
caution to be generally exercised in the fields of possible conflict between
them.
By the year 1873, the development of the Rite had reached the
point where suspension for non‑payment of dues and restoration must be given
serious consideration. Grand Commander Pike was requested to rule upon the
legality of the provision in the By‑Laws of Yerba Buena Lodge of Perfection
governing restoration after suspension for non‑payment of dues, and in doing
so, wrote a brief essay reflecting a a phase of the transition in thought as
follows: Suspension is temporary deprivation of rights and privileges.
It is of two kinds, because Masons have rights, in two characters,
of two kinds.
lst. Rights as Masdns, possessed by Masons at large, who have
either never been members of a Lodge or other body, or who have ceased to
belong to any.
2d. Rights dependent on membership in a body, and growing out of
that membership.
Also there are correlative duties of two kinds: those arising out
of the simple character of Mason, and the obligations assumed as such; and
those arising out of membership in a particular body.
sa Official Bulletin, II. 10‑14.
78 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION And also there are
offences of two kinds: one of violations of obligations assumed in receiving
the degrees, and of neglect or omission of performance of simply Masonic
duties; and one of like faults or omissions or neglect of duty as member of a
body.
It might be difficult to enumerate the duties that devolve upon a
Mason before any constituted Lodges existed. And it is not doubted that other
and higher duties are assumed by Masons, as Masons, now, than were assumed a
century and a half ago. Nor is it to be doubted that there are other duties
created by the relations of the members of Lodges, as such, than those which
are enumerated in the obligations.
Neither is it to be doubted that Masonic duties, other than those
assumed by a Mason before he becomes a member of a body, may be and are
created by becoming such a member; because the non‑performance of them may
constitute Masonic unworthiness. At least in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish
Rite, where men are obligated to performance of all the duties of life,
neglect to perform any of those duties makes the offender masonically
unworthy.
It is not to be doubted, therefore, that neglect, when one is
unable, to pay the dues required by the Statutes of a Lodge of Perfection, in
the absence of any sufficient excuse, and when one is put in default by proper
steps taken, is Masonic unworthiness, and may, upon charges preferred, be
punished as such, even by deprivation of all the rights and privileges of
Masonry.
If so tried, and upon conviction suspended, i. e., temporarily
deprived of such rights and benefits, he can only be restored by reversal or
annulment of the judgement, by such vote, taken at such time, and after such
preliminaries, as the Statutes of the Lodge shall have prescribed.
Therefore, in case of such a suspension, the latter clause
question is valid.
of the Statute in Suspension from the rights growing out of
membership (Whatever they may be), if a punishment for an offence or neglect
of duty, must be effected in the same way, and the judgement and conviction
woud be avoidable only in the same manner: for the offence, if one at all,
constitutes Masonic unworthiness.
But the Statutes of a Lodge are the unanimous agreement of the
members: lst, because in law every Statute is as much the act and resolution
of those who voted against it as of those who voted for it; for they have
agreed beforehand that it shall be so, if adopted by the requisite majority,
at the proper time, after the proper preliminaries and in the proper manner;
2d, because every one who unites himself to a Lodge binds himself to obey and
abide by its Statutes.
And there is nothing in the nature of the Association, or in the
principles of Masonry, or in the Constitution, Regulations, Statutes, or
Edicts of the Supreme Council, or of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite,
that forbids an agreement 79 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
among
the Brethren forming a Lodge, embodied in a Statute, that any member, in
default of regular and prompt payment of dues, shall stand suspended, ipso
facto, from the privileges of membership.
There is no more reason why a member cannot be deprived
temporarily of these, without trial, and ipso facto upon default, than there
is in the case of any other association or body of men, because the rights are
in their nature secular and not Masonic. . . . .
I am not called on to decide of what other rights a person so
suspended is temporarily deprived; and need only say that such a suspension,
without charges, trial, and conviction of unworthiness, can deprive the party
of no right possessed by a Mason who has never been a member of a Lodge. His
individual claims on individual Masons remain unaffected, and his suspension,
not proving unworthiness, does not effect his standing elsewhere.
In the absence of a disposition to the contrary effect, such a
suspension would ipso facto cease, when the default ceased, by payment of all
arrearages. But it was perfectly competent for the Brethren to agree that it
should, in any case, be submitted to the Lodge to say whether the rights of
membership should be restored. For the neglect of Brethren to pay dues with
regularity is calculated to embarrass the Lodge, to discredit it, to interfere
with its usefulness, to diminish its charities, and to create dissension; and
mere payment of arrearages, without excuse or apology offered and accepted for
the default, and without assurance of future punctuality, does not atone for
the incivility shown the Lodge, and the lack of interest in its well being.
The dues up to the date of suspension are a debt due the Lodge.
Even if he should not be restored, the Brother owes these, and if he continues
contumaciously to refuse to pay them, he may be dealt with for unworthiness.
But from the day of suspension no dues accrue against him unless he is
restored. If not restored, there is no claim against him, on that score. If he
pays them, and is not restored, they should be returned to him. If he tenders
them, and is not restored, they should not be received; and if the Lodge does
receive them and retain them, this will of itself operate a restoration, as
otherwise the Lodge would have taken them from him wrongfully, and it cannot
be heard to deny that he has been restored, in that case. It would be to plead
its own wrong, and it is estopped.'I In this decision, Grand Commander Pike is
in the position of looking backward over his shoulder at the old concept that
"once a Mason, always a Mason", in or out of a Lodge, while at the same time
embracing the principle that there can be no Masonic identity except within
the bounds of an organized Masonic body.
64 Ibid., 7‑9.
80 FIVE YEARS OF CREEPING STABILIZATION Other documents of this
period reveal that Pike visited in St. Louis for ten days and while there,
established "a splendid Lodge of Perfection" and in a three hour conference
with Frank Gouley, resolved all the questions of controversy about the
Scottish Rite ritual with him. They show also that Pike disclaimed that
Scottish Rite Masonry detracted from the York Rite; that the first edition of
Morals and Dogma was nearly exhausted; that the remaining Liturgies could not
be printed for lack of funds; that Pike had refused to permit the sale of
books in quantities at reduced prices; and that the question of removing
Inspector General E. H. Shaw, who had moved out of the Jurisdiction, had been
raised." This period in the history of the Supreme Council has been
characterized as one of "Creeping Stabilization" because little growth or new
developments took place and because fixed policy on old and sometimes chronic
problems emerged but slowly. This latter statement applies to fraternal
relations with Grand Masonic Bodies, ritualistic controversy, inefficiency in
the office of Secretary General, the collection of fees and dues owed to the
Supreme Council, the defining of the powers of an Inspector General and the
propagation of the Rite. The term also implies the difficulty of reaching a
stabilized administrative level, either because of the nature of the problems
or because of the external conditions surrounding the Supreme Council and its
activities. It also indicates that progress was being made toward the
formulation of a satisfactory administrative system for the Rite from the
abstract principles contained in its philosophy.
65 Albert Pike to T. S. Parvin, November 20, 1872; Official
Bulletin, 11, 14; Albert Pike to Frederick Webber, March 1, 1873; June 27,
1873; Albert Pike to T. S. Parvin, February 8, 1874.
CHAPTER III SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION 1874‑1879 A general
review of the years 1872, 1873 and the early part of 1874 does not reveal any
great internal problems in Scottish Rite Masonry. However, there was an
undercurrent of discontent, and there were social, economic and political
problems, national in scope, that were somber in hue and certainly were
adversely affecting the Rite in this period. At no previous time in American
history were the problems of proverty, disease, crime, immorality and class
struggle more universal and more acute than in these years. Ruthless
exploitation of labor, the farmer, the consumer and the public generally
characterized the economic system. Industrial magnates operated above and
outside the law, corrupted government officials, high and low, and practiced
cannibalism on a scale probably never equaled before in human experience. In
government and politics, republican forms survived but effective democracy did
not exist‑the corruption of the Radical governments in the South was equaled
only by that which existed in the remaining states of the Union. A combination
of these factors produced the Panic of 1873 that began with the failure of Jay
Cooke and Company on September 18, 1873, and inaugurated a major economic
depression of six years duration.
The general atmosphere was one of profound discouragement when the
Supreme Council opened its Session in Washington, D. C., on May 4, 1874.
Attendance on the Session was very poor, only seven of the twenty Active
Members and only four Honorary Members were present. The first item of
business was the presentation of Grand Commander Pike's Allocution which
opened with the declaration that the titles and offices in the Scottish Rite
were accepted with "solemn pledges ... for faithful service," and asserting
that, "We have in our Rituals and Lectures the means by which ... to make men
wiser and better, and to bless society and the land in which we live." Pike
expressed the belief that the Rite "could only grow slowly"; that it would
never be "popular"; that to confer the degrees cheaply and the "high degrees"
commonly would make them "worthless". A tribute was then paid to the
distinguished dead of the Scottish Rite.
Obviously conscious of the rising tide of criticism of established
policies, from within and without the membership of the Rite, much time was
devoted to a discussion 83 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
of the
"Condition of the Rite". The Grand Commander endeavored to sustain the
position he had assumed on the establishment of new bodies, on acceptable
candidates and on progression in the degrees after the acceptance of petitions
and offered his rebuttal, in advance, of some criticism of these positions
which he knew would appear in the reports of the Sovereign Grand Inspectors
General upon the following day. He began his discussion as follows: Looking
only upon the surface, and judging only by the increase or decrease of
initiates and bodies, one would without hesitation pronounce the condition of
the Rite unprosperous in this jurisdiction, and if profoundly interested in
it, be disheartened. The number of initiates has only here and there
increased, and nowhere largely; few new bodies have been formed, and many have
become dormant or died, and our revenues have been far less than in some
former years.
In some parts of the jurisdiction the Rite has made progress
during the last two years. In some, it has retrograded. In more, it is
stationary. But if its former prosperity was only apparent, in great measure,
and its increase mere inflation and intumescence, diseased and not natural and
healthy, its shrinkage is the evidence of returning health and real and hearty
vigor.
Its condition has not been sound or healthy, but I think it is
becoming so. It grew too rapidly, where it is now contracting its dimensions,
and the dead limbs are dropping off: and this is but the natural consequence
of the old and vicious system of propagating it by hurried communication of
all the degrees in a few days, and the creation‑of the several bodies at once,
in the same place. Wherever this has been done, the result has been loss of
interest in the work, and the bodies have for the most part become dormant.
Such was the result in Savannah and Columbus, Georgia, and Richmond, Virginia,
. . . all over Iowa, ... to a great extent, throughout California.... in
Baltimore and Mobile, and in Arkansas and Tennessee and Nebraska.
What excuse can there be for us, if we commit the folly and wrong
of teaching aspirants to believe that these inestimable degrees are not worth
the trouble of reading or hearing even once? I suppose that of the 32ds in our
jurisdiction there is not one in every ten . . . who really knows anything
about the Rite.... I am sorry to say it, but it is certainly true that in
parts of our jurisdiction the Princes of the Royal Secret are the most utterly
useless of all the Brethren of the Rite . . .
It was time to give a different system fair trial, and we have
done so. The Rite can have no stability or solidity or true prosperity, unless
the higher bodies are created upon the firm' and broad foundation of
flourishing Lodges of Perfection ... [Here followed explanations of
experiments along these lines conducted in Washington, D. C., Minneapolis and
Montgomery.] 84 SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION I am thoroughly convinced
that there is no real and true prosperity for the Rite in any other system
than that of the multiplication of Lodges of Perfection, and the creation by
that means of a Masonic people of the Rite....
.... The degrees of the Lodge of Perfection are a series of moral
lessons, all inculcating duty in all the relations of life. In this
jurisdiction they do not rely for their impressiveness upon machinery and
scenic pomp and costly disguises, which make it impossible to maintain Lodges
elsewhere than in here and there a city, but upon quite another means which
involve the necessity for little expense; on simple and yet impressive
ceremonies, wise lessons and serious vows; and may be conferred in any
ordinary Lodgeroom.
It is my counsel to you, therefore, and to those who after us
shall control the Rite, to build it up everywhere upon Lodges of Perfection.
Continuing his analysis of the situation in the jurisdiction, Pike
pointed to the sound strength in Oregon where Ainsworth had followed the
pattern which he was advocating and contrasted it with the "impoverished and
sickly" condition in Washington Territory. Then bluntly, almost brutally, the
Grand Commander reviewed the situation and the leadership of the Rite in the
remaining states and territories advising freely the recall of Deputy
Commissions and the pruning away of Honorary Inspectors General and Princes of
the Royal Secret who were inactive. The lashing of Active Members of the
Supreme Council for sluggishness and lack of wisdom was tempered only mildly.
It was then announced that jewels of Knight Commander of the Court
of Honour, Grand Cross, Prince of the Royal Secret and Grand Representative
had been designed and manufactured and that those authorized to be presented
by the Supreme Council had been delivered to the recipients. Authorization was
requested to send Grand Representative jewels to those officers near the
Supreme Councils of Belgium, Scotland, Italy, Greece and "to some" South
American Councils.
(See Illustrations on page 86) Further reports included the
settlement of the controversy with Frank Gouley and the revision of the
Rituals to conform to the Supreme Council resolution passed in 1872; the
completion of the Secret Work started by Hillyer before his death; the payment
of funds appropriated for bringing the "Book of Gold" up to date; the
necessity of an aecounting with the Secretary General for books delivered to
Inspectors and Deputies; the failure to adequately enforce the regulation
requiring visitors to show their Patents before permitting visitations to
Bodies; the lack of funds for completion of the printing of the Liturgies of
the "Blue degrees and those from 15th 85 SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION to
the 32nd;" the printing of over 6,500 pages of materials since 1865; and that
printing bills should be paid. The Supreme Council was informed that all of
their Rituals except that of the 18' had been adopted for use by the Rite in
Canada, and that the Ritual and Secret Work of the Lodge of Perfection had
been translated into German which should be published as soon as funds were
available. Pike expressed his desire to continue the publication of the
Bulletin and commented that it might be necessary to discontinue the
historical portions unless subscriptions could be increased. He also mentioned
that he had prepared a monograph on Masonic symbolism and compiled a history
of Freemasonry in Europe that he would like to publish if money were
available. This section of the Allocution was brought to a close with the
regretful announcement that practically nothing had been accomplished toward
raising money for a Sanctuary and Charity fund.
The Grand Commander then began a discussion of "Foreign
Relations". It opened with a report on the proposed Congress of
representatives of Supreme Councils. He stated that no agreement could be
reached as to location of the site for the Congress nor could a firm
commitment of attendance be secured from more than half the total number of
Supreme Councils. The proposal had been, for the time, withdrawn.
Pike summarized the topic of "Foreign Relations" in these words
Our relations with Foreign Powers, excepting only the Grand Orient of France,
are entirely satisfactory. The ties existing two years ago have been
strengthened and new ones have been formed, and with many of the Powers we are
upon terms of cordial and intimate friendship.
Although relations with Foreign Powers were termed "satisfactory",
the Grand Commander, in the reports on various Supreme Councils, took occasion
to be indirectly critical of some of their actions. His summary of the growth
of the Rite in the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States coupled with
comments on this same subject in Scotland and England and Wales leave no doubt
existing that the rapid expansion of the membership of the Rite in the
Northern Jurisdiction was displeasing to the Grand Commander. Other practices
in the Northern Jurisdiction did not meet with Pike's approval and he offered
some suggestions which he stated "are worthy of dispassionate consideration by
our Northern Brethren". It was "unwise" for the Supreme Council of England and
Wales to retain jurisdiction over any Chapters of Rose Croix in the Dominion
of Canada after the formation of a Supreme Council for Canada, Pike commented.
The Grand Orient of France was declared never to have been "a legitimate Power
of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite". The Supreme Councils 87 SIX YEARS
OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION of England and Wales and Switzerland, the Grand Orient
of Nueva Granada, and the Grand Lodge of Sweden and Norway were indirectly
upbraided for having replied, even in the negative, to an invitation to attend
the centennial anniversary celebration of the Grand Orient of France. An
outline of the Masonic situation in Brazil was brought to a close with
criticism of the Northern Supreme Council and its Grand Commander for not
extending recognition to the legitimate body in Brazil.
A brief review of decisions rendered during the two preceding
years and a restatement of the evil resulting from the omission of the lessons
and moral teachings of the degree work as unimportant closed the Allocution!
The second day of the Session of the Supreme Council in 1874 opened with the
announcement of the membership of the Standing Committees. Reports from the
Grand Chancellor, Secretary General, Treasurer General and Inspectors General
were then received.
The report of the Grand Chancellor outlined efforts made to bring
about the meeting of the Congress that Grand Commander Pike has proposed, and
the correspondence with the Supreme Council of England, Wales, and the
Dependencies of Great Britain regarding the formation of a Supreme Council in
the Dominion of Canada. This latter correspondence raised the question of
recognition of the Canadian Supreme Council, if it should be formed, by the
Mother Council of the World. The Grand Chancellor did not recommend any action
but left the impression that he favored the formation and recognition of the
Canadian Supreme Council.
The Secretary General's report itemized receipts totaling
$3,218.25 from all sources during the two years, disbursements of $2,910.10,
and showed an amount due the Supreme Council of $307.45.
The Treasurer General's report showed a balance in the treasury on
May 1, 1872, of $1,591.28, monies received to January 13, 1873, totaling
$5,880.83 and disbursements to December 23, 1872, totaling $6,761.86. A
balance of $710.25 remained in the treasury as 1873 opened. Money paid into
the treasury in 1873 amounted to $2,461.73; money paid out totaled $2,034.48.
The balance of funds in the treasury on April 30, 1874, was reported to be
$,137.50.
The Inspectors General for South Carolina, Henry Buist and
Benjamin R. Campbell, reported that they had established no new Bodies of the
Rite; that they did not 1 Transaction, Supreme Council, S. .I., 1874, Appendix
A, 1‑69. 89 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
regard
the extension of the Rite as the sole object to be kept in view; that they
would not assent to the enlargement of the membership in South Carolina except
to those "who possess character, intelligence and zeal"; and that the Lodge of
Perfection and Chapter of Rose Croix in Charleston were "in a most flourishing
condition".
Inspector General Frederick Webber of Kentucky reported that
regular meetings of the existing Bodies in Kentucky had been held but that
"little work" had been done. He also reported that no new Bodies had been
formed, although efforts in this direction had been made. The remainder of his
report was devoted to his analysis of the general situation of the Rite in the
Southern Jurisdiction. In part, he wrote: ". . . I have been forcibly
impressed with the conviction that there is 'something wanting' to make our
Rite what it ought to be and what it is in the Northern Jurisdiction." This
conclusion was followed by a number of observations that may be listed as
follows "Money is scarce and men won't indulge in the Masonic luxury of our
Rite." Opposition to the Rite is strong among prominent Masons.
There is apathy in the Scottish Rite not present in the York Rite.
Delays between the degrees of the Scottish Rite "often keep out
good men" while in the York Rite they "are put through as they desire without
any apparent detriment to the Order." Some Scottish Rite leaders are inactive.
Operation expenses of Scottish Rite Bodies are higher than York
Rite Bodies.
"The great expense of furnishing rooms deters the small towns from
undertaking the formation of Bodies." The 33' should be conferred more
liberally to stimulate interest in the Rite in the Southern Jurisdiction,
because the York Rite has the advantage in rewarding "labors faithfully
performed." "It is claimed as an impossibility to commit the work to memory,
there is so much of it." Webber closed his report by stating that he must
devote more of his time in the future to private affairs and expressing the
hope that he could resign in favor of someone with more time and means than he
could bestow on what had been a "hobby" with him since he started the Rite in
Kentucky in 1851.
The report of Inspector General J. C. Ainsworth of Oregon revealed
that no new Bodies had been formed in the State but pointed out that the
Bodies already formed 90 SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION were "reasonably
healthy and prosperous". A tabulation of funds remitted to the Treasurer
General totaled $1,668.75 and a similar tabulation showed that $510.00 had
been remitted to the Secretary General since the Session of 1872. Ainsworth
submitted his resignation as Sovereign Grand Inspector General because of "the
responsibilities and care of a large business, that prevents the possibility
of devoting the time and attention necessary to give due weight and influence
to an Active Member". He nominated John McCraken to be his successor. The
report was closed with two recommendations: 1. The consoldiation of the
Northern and Southern Jurisdictions; 2. The abolition of commisssions to
Active Members for communication of degrees.
Ainsworth transmitted the reports of James S. Lawson, Special
Deputy for Washington Territory, to the Supreme Council. It consisted chiefly
of an account of degrees communicated in Washington Territory under a
dispensation from Ainsworth estimated to total twenty‑five. Lawson also
reported that he had insisted upon "the utmost circumspection in the selection
of material" for the degrees. Lawson's report does not indicate the causes of
the castigation of Scottish Rite Masonry in Washington Territory contained in
Grand Commander Pike's address to the Supreme Council.
The Inspectors General of Louisiana, James C. Batchelor, Samuel M.
Todd and J. Q. A. Fellows, were not present at the ‑meeting of the Supreme
Council. They did file a report supporting the accuracy of the report of James
B. Scot, Grand Commander in Chief of the Grand Consistory of Louisiana, which
was attached, and suggested that the meeting date of the Supreme Council be
changed from May to the latter part of June, a time more convenient for
Louisiana's representatives.
Scot's report pointed out that "little or no work" had been done
in Louisiana; the organization of the Bodies had been maintained but that many
of the subordinates were several years in arrears for dues; eight charters of
Subordinate Bodies had been forfeited, one of which had been restored; and
remarked "Peace reigns in the jurisdiction, but it is the peace of the
desert". He then attributed the situation in Louisiana to the following causes
Prostration of business The unsettled political condition The new degree
rituals (Pike's) were not popular Degree fees were too high The interval
between degrees was too long The "eighteenth and thirtieth" degrees alone
ought to be conferred and the others communicated as "under the Laffon
Rituals." 91 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
The
report of Inspector General Wm. L. Mitchell of Georgia was brief. It contained
a statement of funds collected and paid to the Supreme Council, $202.50, and
the announcement of the formation of a Lodge of Perfection at Albany, Georgia,
with fourteen members.
The Rite in Missouri was reported to be "moving, slowly it may be,
yet still moving" by Inspector General Martin Collins who attributed this
improvement to Grand Commander Pike's activity while visiting in Missouri. He
then pointed out that one of the strongest desires of Masons who join the
Scottish Rite "is to reach its summit". However, he asserted that members
should attain "a fair degree of proficiency" before advancement should be
permitted, otherwise it would be impossible "to maintain any working Bodies
below the highest".
John Robin McDaniel, Inspector General in Virginia, rendered an
account of funds collected and paid to the Supreme Council. He also stated:
"It is a matter of much regret that the Rite makes such slow progress in our
State." The "want of means with those who wish to Unite," the lack of means to
fit up halls and obtain proper paraphenalia, and the "unfortunate" manner in
which the Rite was introduced in Richmond were suggested as the reasons for
the lagging of the Rite in Virginia.
The Inspector General for Iowa, T. S. Parvin, was absent from the
Session but his report was submitted to the Supreme Council. The revival of
the Bodies at Davenport was announced, and it was stated that activity had
continued at Des Moines and Lyons but at a reduced pace in the latter city
since the resignation of Wm. E. Leffingwell. Parvin then analyzed the lack of
progress in Iowa by the Scottish Rite attributing the same to sparseness of
population, to the great expense incurred in securing the degrees and to the
inability of Bodies to reach sufficient size to be able to "secure the
necessary outfit". At the conclusion of this part of his report, Parvin wrote
I have no suggestive remedies to make, knowing full well that the obstacles
are constitutional and permanent. Hence, I have lost, somewhat, the fervent
hope I once entertained of seeing the Rite spread and cover the Masonic field
of Iowa.
The financial difficulties of the Grand Consistory of Iowa,
resulting from the inability of the Lyons Bodies to pay their dues after
overextending themselves in building a Temple, were reported to the Supreme
Council. Parvin then pointed out that the "dispensatory power as to time being
withheld" the Lyons Bodies had been unable to secure "material at a distance
... upon which to work" whereby funds could be secured to discharge their
obligations.
92 SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION Erasmus T. Carr, the Inspector
General for Kansas, reported that his hopes for the formation of new Bodies in
Kansas had not materialized and that he had not communicated any degrees since
his last report. In discussing the situation in his Jurisdiction, he remarked
that the once "strong feeling of opposition to the Rite" had "nearly
disappeared". He also stated that he could have done a small amount of work
had he been supplied with "the proper work". Carr pointed out that some
prospects had "expressed great surprise" that the degree fees were so high and
then quoted these prospects as saying "we can get them in Illinois or Ohio
[states in the Northern Jurisdiction] for one half". Some Masons in Kansas had
applied to Carr for permission to secure the Scottish Rite degrees in states
of the Northern Jurisdiction, and he reported that he had refused all such
requests. Efforts to found Bodies in "the Capitol of the State" had come to
nought because of "hard times".
California's Inspector General, Thomas H. Caswell, made an
optimistic report of the condition of the Rite in that state, especially in
San Francisco. He also included a statement of degree fees collected by him,
which totaled $1390, and the disposition that he had made of these funds.
In connection with California, it seems appropriate to observe
that the state had been the chief financial support of the Supreme Council
since the termination of the Civil War. California had been far from the major
scenes of destruction that accompanied the War. Further, the exploitation of
rich gold deposits had poured a steady stream of wealth into the economy of
the state, some of which could be expended for the Scottish Rite degrees.
However, gold attracts a daring breed of men ready to venture into a twilight
zone of morality, culture and civilization which Freemasony seeks to destroy.
Pike's ritual of the Fifteenth Degree proves beyond any question of doubt that
he was aware of the possible degrading power of gold. Hence, his criticism of
the rapid expansion of the Rite, for that period of time, in California which
he had expressed in his Allocution at the Session 1874.
Inspector General T. A. Cunningham of Maryland expressed the
opinion in his report that "there has been a marked improvement in the
condition of the Rite in this State since the last session of our Council at
Louisville". However, he reported that the only Lodge of Perfection in the
State had been suspended but that a new Lodge of Perfection had been
established for some months. He concluded his report by stating that he had
received no money since his last report.
The report for Nevada was made by Deputy Isaac C. Bateman. He
observed that his labors may not have been "as extensive as they should have
been," and then sub 93 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
mitted
a financial statement showing the conferral of degrees upon twenty candidates
for a total of $1280 all of which had been remitted to the proper persons.
Special Deputy Wm. Cothran made a report of his activities in
Mississippi. No new Bodies had been established and no old Bodies had been
revived. He reported fees of $100 collected for degrees communicated to four
candidates through the Lodge of Perfection and that he had remitted the same
to the Treasurer General, less $25 commission. "Pecuniary embarrassments" in
the state were said to have prevented further advancement of the Rite in
Mississippi.
The reports of the Inspectors General and Deputies were referred
to the Committee on Doings of Inspectors General and Special Deputies and the
remainder of the second day was devoted to other matters as follows: Excuses
for non‑attendance were received and accepted from eight Inspectors General.
The resignation of Inspector General Luke E. Barber of Arkansas
was not accepted.
Six nominees were elected ‑to receive the 33' and Honorary
Membership in the Supreme Council.
William Morton Ireland and Abraham Ephraim Frankland were elected
to receive the Grand Cross.
Eight nominees were elected to the Rank and Decoration of Knight
Commander of the Court of Honour.
The resignation of Inspector General John C. Ainsworth of Oregon
was accepted.
Six nominees were elected to Active Membership in the Supreme
Council as follows John McCraken of Oregon William R. Bowen of Nebraska Alfred
Elisha Ames of Minnesota John E. Reardon of Arkansas Abraham Ephraim Frankland
of Tennessee Isaac C. Bateman of Nevada 94 SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION
The Grand Commander withdrew the nomination, made in 1872, of Wm. E.
Leffingwell of Iowa to receive the 3 3
░
Honorary.
The Honorary 33' was then conferred upon the nominees just elected
and afterwards Ames, McCraken and Frankland were crowned as Sovereign Grand
Inspectors General. No further business being on the agenda, the Supreme
Council was called off until the next day.
On the third day of the Session, May 6, 1874, eleven Inspectors
General, three of whom had been crowned the day before, were in attendance.
The first order of business was the report of the committee appointed to
assign the several divisions of the Grand Commander's Allocution to the
various committees for study. Immediately thereafter the Committee on the
State of the Order consisting of Inspectors General John R. McDaniel and
Alfred E. Ames and Honorary Member Nathaniel Levin made their report which was
adopted. This report and its adoption was a complete victory for the policies
of the Grand Commander over the criticisms that had been offered on the
preceding day. This report was as follows Your Committee to whom was referred
so much of the Sov.'. Gr.'. Com's.'. Allocution as relates to the "State of
the Order," have carefully considered the same, and most heartily commend it,
and cannot too earnestly recommend a rigid enforcement of the "Statutes," so
that the suggestion of the Sov.'. Gr.'. Com.'. may be carried out, . . . and
to that end they recommend the adoption of the following resolutions: 1. That
it is expected of each Sov.'. Gr.'. Inspector‑General, Active Member of the
Supreme Council, and he is advised to communicate the degrees of the Scottish
Rite, (except under extraordinary condition,) only on applicants for
subordinate Bodies, deemed by him necessary and proper for the propagation of
the Rite, confining himself to such a number of applicants and to them
communicating such degrees only as may be necessary for the establishment of
said Body or Bodies.
2. That it is required of all subordinate Bodies, including
Consistories (Grand and Particular,) to confer the several degrees of their
respective Bodies only on such as may have given satisfactory evidence of
their proficiency in all preceeding degrees, except by special authority from
the Supreme Council or one of its deputies.
3. That all Scottish Rite Masons (not legally exempted) shall be
required to retain their membership and pay dues to the several Bodies up to,
and including that one, in which he may have received his highest degree.
4. That the Sov.'. Gr.'. Com.'. be, and he is hereby authorized to
attach any one or more of the Territories within this Jurisdiction; and all or
any of the States 95 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
thereof, in which there is not a Resident Active Member of the Supreme Council
to the jurisdiction of any one or more of the Sov.'. Gr.'. Insp's.'. Gen.*.
which in his opinion may be most expedient.
5. That it is desireable that the publication of the Bulletin be
continued; and in order to increase its usefulness the History of Masonry,
prepared by the Sov.'. Gr.". Com.'. be published therein in continued series,
with a view of the publication of that valuable History in book form, at such
time as the Supreme Council may deem expedient.
6. That the Sov.'. Gr.'. Com.'. is authorized to present to the
Supreme Council of Canada, and any other foreign Supreme Council, such of the
Rituals and ceremonies of this jurisdiction as he may deem expedient.
7. That the Sec.'. Gen.*. procure a suitable "Book of Record," in
which he shall record all the transactions or proceedings of all previous
meetings, practicable to be obtained; as also, the transactions of this at all
future sessions of the Supreme Council that are prudent for publication, shall
be therein recorded; and such confidential Allocutions of the Sov.'. Gr.'.
Com.'. and acts growing out of the same, shall be recorded as heretofore in
the "Book of Gold." In conclusion your committee would most fraternally urge
upon one and all, a greater devotion and life in the teaching and the practice
of our Rite, in communicating or conferring its degrees, so that manly minds
may be clothed with its hallowed truths and graces, and a purer morality, a
greater love and veneration for its sacred teachings.
After the adoption of the report just quoted, a Senatorial Chamber
of the Thirtythird Degree was opened at which the following items of business
were transacted: Five distinguished members of other Supreme Councils were
elected to Honorary Membership in the Supreme Council of the Southern
Jurisdiction.
Twenty‑one Princes of the Royal Secret were elected to receive the
decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour.
Three brethren were elected to receive the Thirty‑third Degree and
Honorary Membership in the Supreme Council and one was nominated for action at
the next Session of the Supreme Council.
Grand Commander Pike announced that he had annexed Washington
Territory to the jurisdiction of Oregon and "Dacotah" Territory to the
jurisdiction of Minnesota.
A committee was appointed to investigate the condition of the
several Grand Consistories.
96 SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION An Assistant Auditor was
provided for in Washington.
By resolution, it was provided that the next Session of the
Supreme Council would meet in Washington, D. C.
An amendment to Article XI was proposed and referred to the
Committee on Jurisprudence.
The Supreme Council then resumed labor in its Consistorial
Chamber, the Grand Commander announced the appointment of subordinate
officers, and the meeting was called off until the following day.
Labor of the Supreme Council on May 7, 1874, began in the
Senatorial Chamber. The transactions included the following items: One
additional brother was elected to receive the decoration of Knight Commander
of the Court of Honour.
One additional member was elected to receive the Thirty‑third
Degree and Honorary Membership in the Supreme Council.
Charges were preferred against a brother whose name was not
published and were referred to a committee of three.
The Honorary Members were then admitted and the Thirty‑third
Degree was conferred upon four designates. The Honorary Members retired and
Robert Toombs and William R. Bowen were crowned as Sovereign Grand Inspectors
General of the Supreme Council for the states of Georgia and Nebraska
respectively.
John M. C. Graham, Representative of the Supreme Council of the
Southern Jurisdiction to that of the Northern Jurisdiction was invested with
the Grand Cross of the Court of Honour by Grand Commander Pike.
Some changes in committee assignments, at the request of the
members affected, were then made.
Consideration of recognition of the proposed Supreme Council of
Canada was referred to a special committee with instructions to report at the
next Session of the Supreme Council.
97 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
Grand
Commander Pike then presented a draft of "Articles of Confederation between
the several Supreme Councils . . ." for consideration. "The articles were
referred to the Committee on the State of the Order." At this point the
Supreme Council was "called off" until the next day.
The final day of the Session, May 8, 1874, of the Supreme Council
opened with a report from the Committee on Finance. The Committee expressed
the belief that all accounts were correct but pointed out that it could not
verify all items because of the absence of some papers in the hands of the
Auditor General and the large volume of papers which it did not have time to
examine. They then proposed some accounting changes which were adopted. They
took note that money to pay the salary of the Secretary General had not always
been available, and that he had been compelled to borrow money at an interest
rate of twenty per cent per annum to support himself and family. It was
recommended that the Secretary General be reimbursed for this expense.
The Committee on Jurisprudence and Legislation then made a series
of reports which were adopted.
An amendment of Article X regarding meeting places was proposed
with a recommendation that final action be taken at the next Session of the
Supreme Council.
It was suggested that a special committee be named to consider the
situation in Brazil.
It was recommended that the provisions of Statute No. 23 be
positively enforced.
The Committee on Subordinate Bodies made its report which was
adopted. The report was made up of brief comments regarding the returns or
lack of returns from the Bodies in each state in the Southern Jurisdiction for
the years 1873 and 1874. No attempt was made to consolidate the returns and
thereby show the total membership of the Rite, the number of candidates
received, the total amount of fees or the total amount of dues collected per
annum. The need for this information was recognized and at the conclusion of
the report a resolution was adopted that the Secretary General "shall present
a tabular abstract of the returns received by him." The Committee on the
Doings of Inspectors General and Special Deputies reported that they had
examined reports from fifteen states and territories, which they named, and
drew these conclusions 98 SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION The Rite "is
steadily progressing in the jurisdiction".
The "utmost care had been exercised" in the selection of material
to receive the degrees.
Care has been exercised to establish Bodies only in locations "to
warrant a future, both healthful and prosperous".
Complaints regarding the number of degrees "required to be worked"
and that time intervals between degrees should be abolished in some reports
"have been fully met in the admirable Allocution of the M. ' . P. ' . Sov. ' .
Grand Commander, and may properly be disregarded here".
A supplemental report of the Committee on Finance regarding
Inspector General Bateman's report from Nevada was approved.
Two resolutions regarding Grand Consistories were referred to the
Committee on Jurisprudence and Legislation.
Five Inspectors General Honorary were dropped from the list of
Honorary Members of the Supreme Council for inactivity.
It was ordered that the Secretary General prepare a "Register of
the Active and Honorary Members of the Supreme Council, and of all subordinate
Bodies in the Jurisdiction to be published. . ." It was ordered that the claim
of Special Deputy Edwin A. Sherman be corrected and "liquidated".
It was resolved that Joseph Daniels be notified to pay $110 due
the Supreme Council by July, 1874, or be tried for the offense of "violation
of promise".
The Committee on Jurisprudence and Legislation was required to
revise the "Statutes and Institutes" and report at the next Session of the
Supreme Council.
A report of the Committee on Jurisprudence and Legislation that an
Inspector General could not appoint a deputy to act for him in his absence
from his state if another Inspector General was resident in that state was
adopted.
The Assistant Auditor was authorized to settle the account of
Masonic Publishing Company.
99 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33 A proposal to make the Grand
Almoner a member of the Council of Deliberation was referred to the Committee
on Jurisprudence.
The Special Committee on the charge preferred against the unnamed
brother reported and further investigation was ordered.
The Grand Commander was authorized to furnish a copy of the Grand
Constitutions to each Active Member of the Supreme Council.
A Senatorial Chamber was opened and three additional nominees were
elected to receive the decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour.
John W. Cook, 33░,
was elected to receive the Grand Cross of the Court of Honour.
Achille R. Morel was dropped from the list of Active Members of
the Supreme Council.
It was ordered that the expenses of the Session be paid and that
the thanks of the Supreme Council be extended to the Washington Bodies of the
Rite for courtesies tendered.
The Committee on the State of the Order recommended that the
Articles of Confederation be referred to the Council of Deliberation which was
adopted.
The Supreme Council was then closed to meet again in Biennial
Session on May 1, 1876, at Washington, D. C: During the following evening a
Lodge of Sorrow was opened and appropriate commemorative ceremonies were
observed.' Each year of the early years in the history of the Supreme Council,
33░,
Southern Jurisdiction, United States of America, seems to have claim to being
a year of crisis. However, the intensity of crisis is more pronounced in some
years than in others; the year 1874, in some respects, was one of these. The
problems of the Supreme Council 2 Ibid., 3‑89.
100 SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION in 1874 stemmed from sources
outside of the Rite as well as from within it. The principle external factors
were: Economic depression.
Political chaos and corruption.
The breakdown of character in American society.
Internal factors contributing to the situation were: Lack of
adequate leadership in portions of the Jurisdiction.
Absence of an efficient membership accounting system.
An inadequate fiscal administration.
Lack of a fully developed system and code of jurisprudence.
Real differences of opinion among Supreme Council members on basic
policy and procedure matters.
Obviously, the Supreme Council could not successfully avoid or
remedy economic depression. As a result, the "Sanctuary" and Charity Fund
programs came to a complete halt, no new projects requiring funds were adopted
and initiations almost ceased. The other external factors seem only to have
been discouraging and distracting influences on the Rite, for there is no
noticeable increase in disciplinary action by the Supreme Council, nor were
there distrubing reports of such actions from subordinate Bodies. If 1874 is
considered a year for decision in internal matters, the Supreme Council seems
to have been equal to the demands made of it. Leadership in the Jurisdiction
was strengthened with replacements and with new additions. Measures were
proposed and adopted for better fiscal "housekeeping". Changes, refinements
and additions in the field of jurisprudence were made. Differences of opinion
were introduced, considered and decisions were reached which resulted in a new
unity. It is significant that this new unity was a major victory for the
thinking of Grand Commander Pike. The Supreme Council took actions that
confirmed his positions in all matters except in the field of Fraternal
Relationsnothing was done to encourage a Congress of Supreme Councils or to
further a Confederation of Supreme Councils, both of which had been proposed
by the Grand HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
Commander. The only area of need which did not receive the attention of the
Supreme Council was that of membership accounting, and it may be said that
this area was the least critical of those listed. It seems fitting to conclude
remarks on the Session of 1874 by observing that it could have terminated with
the Rite in serious disorder, under an inexperienced leadership at a critical
time, or oriented along a drastic new course opposed by the Grand Commander.
The known surviving correspondence relating to the Supreme Council
of the Southern Jurisdiction from the closing of the Session, on May 8, to the
opening of the next Session in May, 1876, begins with a letter to Grand
Commander Pike from Inspector General L. E. Barber. In this letter Barber
wrote as follows: When I wrote [my resignation], the means of living another
year, in any comfort, were not apparent. Now, I hope to be restored to my old
position, and though I cannot realize from it a large income, as I suppose has
been done, I hope I shall be able to live comfortably, and that I may have
time and means to do something for the order.' This letter to Pike from an old
friend and Masonic associate in his home state was good news to the Grand
Commander, but it was followed by others that reflected the desperate
situation in Arkansas under the Radical Reconstruction regime set up by the
Congress of the United States in the former Confederate States. The first was
from the recently elected 33░
and Active Member, John E. Reardon, who stated that "at present, I would be
entirely unable to pay" the expense of the degree and the travel to receive
it. He continued by stating that business was "prostrate", that he saw no hope
except in "repudiation" of debts "even if we obtain entire political control
of the state".' Some weeks later another letter characterized the regime as
"political harpies" and "a crew of bandits" and observed "I do not see any
final ending of their lust and rapacity".' With conditions as described, there
was little hope for Scottish Rite progress in Arkansas for some time to come.
However, Grand Commander Pike had little time to mourn over the
plight of Arkansas during the summer of 1874, for on May 29, 1874, the Supreme
Council of France issued a call for a meeting of representatives of all
recognized Supreme 3 L. E. Barber to Albert Pike, May 24, 1874.
4 John E. Reardon to Albert Pike, July 25, 1874.
5 Geo. A. Gallagher to Albert Pike, August 9, 1874.
102 SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION Councils in a Congress at
Lausanne, Switzerland, on the "first Monday of September, 1875" and indicated
that the formation of a Confederation was contemplated.' The Confederation
idea had originated with Pike. Pike presented a draft of "Articles of
Confederation between the several Supreme Councils" which at the end of the
Session in 1874 was referred to the Council of Deliberation. Since action on
the "Articles" could not be had in a Session before May, 1876, Pike ordered
the Secretary General, Albert G. Mackey, to send copies by mail to the Active
Members and request their vote on each article and upon the question of
sending Delegates to the Congress. The date on the printed circular was
December 15, 1874, and replies were requested by March 1, 1875.' Appendix III
contains the text of the proposed "Articles of Confederation." The file of
ballots on the proposition has not survived nor has any contemporary report of
the ballot or the actions which followed. However, the Allocution of Grand
Commander Pike to the Supreme Council at its Session in May, 1876, reveals
that the ballot was favorable, that Delegates were appointed to attend the
Congress, and that the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction was not
represented in the Congress because of the illness of Inspector General
Ebenezer S. Shaw.
In June, 1874, Pike announced the forthcoming publication of his
lectures on Masonic symbolism in a very limited edition of seventy‑five
copies, distribution in America limited to sixty‑five Masons of the 33░
or 32░
with the remaining ten copies to "be sent to eminent Masons abroad". Pike
announced that "the work makes known the real origin and meanings, heretofore
wholly unknown, of the principal Symbols of Freemasonry". The book was priced
at ten dollars per copy.' Shipment of the books began late in the year."
During June and July, 1874, Pike received several letters from Alabama
regarding Scottish Rite matters. The first requested instructions about the
books of the Supreme Council held by Richard F. Knott, deceased." On June 29,
Henry E. Day reported that he was "chagrined" at not being able to make rapid
progress in establishing Bodies in Alabama and that a general lack of money
was the cause. The remainder s Official Bulletin, 11, 53‑55.
' Albert G. Mackey to Samuel M. Todd, December 15, 1874. $
Transactions, Supreme Council, S. 1., 1876, p. 13.
9 Albert Pike to Samuel M. Todd, June, 1874. to Circular Letter,
December 12, 1874.
" F. R. Jarvis to Albert Pike, June 9, 1874.
103 SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION of the letter was a report of
the progress of the Lodge of Perfection recently established in Montgomery. It
had just conferred "the 4th degree upon three candidates, without having a
Ritual opened"." A few days later a similar letter reported lack of Scottish
Rite progress because of a scarcity of money," and about the same time
Montgomery Lodge of Perfection was said to be "doing pretty good"." On June
19, 1874, Special Deputy Pitkin C. Wright arrived in Hawaii and on July 16,
1874, constituted Kamehameha Lodge of Perfection No. 1 in Honolulu. This act
was followed by the constitution of Nemanu Chapter of Rose Croix No. 1 on
September 12, 1874. It is of special interest that David Kalakaua, Wise Master
of the newly formed chapter, was Kalakaua I, King of Hawaii.'' Within six
months the news of these events in Hawaii (Sandwich Islands) spread over the
Masonic world and brought forth a letter to Pike from G. Guiffrey, "Gr.'. Sec.
' . Chancellor of the Rite," of the Supreme Council of France expressing
surprise and asking for further information." This letter initiated a long
correspondence, for Freemasonry, bitter in tone. Briefly, the Supreme Council
of France claimed jurisdiction over Hawaii because it had created a Symbolic
Lodge in the Kingdom during 1843, and charged the Supreme Council of the
Southern Jurisdiction with an invasion of its territory with the creation of
the Lodge of Perfection and Chapter of Rose Croix. Both contentions were
categorically denied by Grand Commander Pike, and because of the "arrogant"
tone of the letters to him, he withdrew fraternal relations with the Supreme
Council of France. A Council of Kadosh was chartered on July 12, 1875.
Meanwhile, the Congress of Lausanne had assembled, without representatives
from the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction, under the influence of
the Supreme Council of France. The question of jurisdiction in Hawaii was
brought before the Congress and a decision favorable to France was rendered.
Pike refused to recognize the decision, and for this and other reasons
determined "not to accede to the Confederation". It was at this point that
correspondence ceased on May 13, 1876.1' Death struck the membership of the
Supreme Council twice in the latter part of 1874 and once more early in 1876.
Alfred E. Ames, Inspector General in Minnesota, died on September 22, 1874;
Benjamin Rush Campbell, Inspector General in 1= Henry E. Day to Albert Pike,
June 29, 1874.
is Stephen H. Beasley to Albert Pike, July 24, 1874. la Henry E.
Day to Albert Pike, July 27, 1874.
i s Official Bulletin, 111, 83‑86. is Ibid., 24‑25.
17 Ibid., 26‑55.
105 HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL, 33░
South
Carolina, died on October 27, 1874; and Ebenezer H. Shaw, Inspector General in
California, died on February 2, 1876. As usual in such instances, official
notices were published." Present day Masons who are concerned with Masonic
education and editors of Masonic journals who decry their small circulation
will find the following circular letter of particular interest: The Supreme
Council has published, since May, 1870, its "Official Bulletin," at a
subscription price of three dollars for 600 pages. During the first two years
five Nos. were issued, making a volume of 660 pp., 60 more than it agreed to
furnish. It then had, in the whole jurisdiction, about one hundred
subscribers, and the cost of printing 500 copies was nearly $1,500. It has
since published Nos. 1 and 2 of Vol. 11, at like cost, and has about sixty
subscribers, in twentytwo States and all the Territories. Such seems the
measure of the thirst for information of the BB.'. of the rite.
The Bulletin contains five sections in each number: 1st. Official.
2d. Domestic Unofficial. 3d. Foreign. 4th. Historical. 5th. Miscellaneous.
Everything official contained in it is promulgated by publication therein, and
thereby every Bro.'. has legal notice of all so published. The foreign section
gives information as to the Rite all over the world, not elsewhere to be
found: and the last two Sections contain matter of universal and permanent
interest to BB.'. of all the degrees and rites of Free Masonry. It may safely
be said that the Bulletin is of greater intrinsic value than any other Masonic
publication in the world, to Masons of the A.'. and A.*. S.'. Rite.
The Sov.'. Gr.'. Commander edits it, writes for it, translates for
it, without compensation, so that its whole cost is that of printing. Is it
creditable to the order that it should be read by less than one hundred
Masons? Is its limited usefulness any fit reward for the labour bestowed on it
by the Gr.'. Commander, and the expense incurred by the. Supreme Council? My
Bro.'., it is simply a shame to the Order, discouraging and disheartening in
the extreme. The Bulletin is beyond comparison more valued abroad than at
home. It contains matter of historical interest to all Masons; but to those of
the Ancient and Accepted Rite, it is simply indispensable. The work which it
requires in its compilation, is done for their benefit, on their account, and
they ought to be willing jointly to bear the mere actual expense of printing,
if they have the gift of that labor.
Upon receipt by me of three dollars, Nos. 1 and 2 of Vol. II will
be forwarded to the Bro.'. remitting, and the other Nos. of the volume, as
they are published.
"Ibid., II, No. 3, p. 23‑24; 43‑45; III, 9‑10.
106 SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION We hope that you will feel it
to be both a duty and a pleasure to take an active interest in impressing the
BB.'. of the Rite with the value of the work, and the duty of every one who is
not content with utter ignorance of the most essential things in regard to the
Rite at home and abroad, to subscribe for and read the Nos. regularly.
Lately, also, the Gr.'. Commander has prepared, and the Sup.'.
Council has published a new and enlarged edition of the Law of the Rite,
including the Constitution of 1762 and 1786, and all subsequent Institutes and
Regulations, and its own Statutes, with the old so‑called secret
Constitutions, and a Historical inquiry into the authenticity of those of
1786. The work contains 467 pages, is the only collection of the Law of the
Rite ever made in the world, is sold at $5 a copy, less than cost of
publication, and some forty Brethren have purchased it. Ought not every Bro.'.
of the Rite to know the laws that govern him? and how can he, without having
them in possession? These also may be ordered of the SecretaryGeneral, by
remitting a post‑office order for the price. Do the Brethren really want
light? At the Session of 1874, there was official notice of a proposal to
create a Supreme Council in Canada; however, no official action took place.
The archives of the Supreme Council of the Sou