THE GRAND COUNCIL ALLIED MASONIC DEGREES OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA
C. WALLACE JACKSON, K.G.C. 1965-1966 GRAND COUNCIL, ALLIED MASONIC DEGREES
A Historical Sketch of Its Beginnings
Prepared for Presentation before Coordinate Councils during Term as
Sovereign Grand Master
Although the Grand Council, Allied Masonic Degrees of the
USA has spread though many Grand jurisdictions, too many of the Brethren
belonging to the Coordinate Councils know little of its formation.
In the later part of the 1920s and early 1930s, a Masonic study group met
Sunday afternoons in Monroe, NC. Sometimes they met in the Masonic Temple,
but most often in that of J. Raymond Shute, II, one of Masonry's foremost
students at the time. In the year 1930, Bro. Shute began correspondence with
R. E. Comp. George A. Howell, Grand Scribe, Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter
of Scotland, relative to the Excellent Master Degree which was worked by the
Royal Arch Chapters of that country. The correspondence resulted in a
Dispensation being issued by His Lordship, the Earl of Cassillis, First
Grand Principal, Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland, permitting
the Degree to be conferred within the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of NC, on May
12, 1931, at Asheville. The Degree was conferred on about 200 Royal Arch
Masons. It was where the idea originated which resulted in founding the
Grand Council, Allied Masonic Degrees.
The enthusiastic reception of the Degrees caused the Companions involved to
seek a method to retain it in this country, together with other Degrees
controlled by the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland, without
interfering with established Royal Arch customs. After much correspondence,
including the precaution of securing permission from the Grand High Priest
of North Carolina, and the General Grand High Priest of the General Grand
Chapter, R. E. Comp. Howell agreed to entertain applications from three
groups which had been formed in North Carolina. Charters were to be issued
to them with the understanding that they would form a Grand Council as soon
as possible after receiving them. The groups were located in Monroe,
Charlotte, and Raleigh. They were later named St. Andrews in America No. 1A,
Howell No. 3A, and Cassillis No. 2A.
At the Annual Meeting of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland,
March 21, 1932, the Charters were granted. When the Charters arrived, the
Councils were consecrated, and a call issued to form the Grand Council,
Allied Masonic Degrees of the USA, in Salisbury, NC, April 16, 1932. The
Grand Council was formed with R. E. Comp. J. Raymond Shute, II as the first
Sovereign Grand Master.
In the course of the Salisbury meeting, a call was issued for a Special
Communication to be convened at the Raleigh Hotel, Washington, DC, during
the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Masonic birthday of our
great and beloved Bro. George Washington on May 12, 1932. Less than a month
had passed since the formation of the Grand Council when this meeting was
held in Washington, yet charters were issued to five new councils.
The first Annual Communication of the Grand Council was held in Charlotte,
May 8, 1933, at which three more charters were issued. At this
Communication, the establishment of the bulletin Miscellanea was authorized
for the publication of research papers of lasting interest. This
Communication also established the honorary rank, Knight Grand Cross, upon
the twenty-one founders, together with such brethren as the Board of General
Purposes might nominate and the Grand Council approve. There may never be
more than ninety-nine living Knights Grand Cross at any time. The
Constitution and By-laws offered at Washington were adopted at this
communication.
Shortly after the Charlotte Communication, it was discovered that some of
the Degrees assigned to the Grand Council had been worked previously by the
Sovereign Grand College of Allied and Christian Degrees of Norway, Maine.
This organization had been formed in Richmond, VA, in 1882 by the Rev.
Hartley Carmichael, an Episcopal Rector and Masonic leader of his time,
Josiah Drummond, Charles A. Nesbitt, and others. After the death of
Carmichael and Nesbitt, the records and activities of the Allied and
Christian Degrees were moved to Maine, where it became defunct in all but
name. However, its previous working of some of these Degrees put a dubious
light on the authority of the Grand Council to take over the same Degrees.
In July 1933, a committee consisting of J. Raymond Shute, II and William
Mosely Brown journeyed to Norway, Maine, where arrangements were made to
absorb the Allied and Christian Degrees into the Grand Council. Articles of
Union were drawn up and offered for adoption at a Special Communication of
Grand Council in Raleigh, July 22,1933.
The Second Annual Communication of Grand Council, held at Alexandria, VA,
February 20,1934, ratified the Articles of Union with Grand College, Allied
and Christian Degrees presented in Raleigh, which gave Grand Council clear
title to each of the Degrees controlled by Grand College. In addition to
those Degrees which were in doubt, Grand Council acquired a number of
Degrees controlled by Grand College pertaining to Christian philosophy which
it had not previously possessed. These Degrees were grouped together and
formally transferred to control of a new organization, formed for the
purpose and named Ordo Sacerdotalis Templi. This body later became the Holy
Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests.
Such is a brief outline of the beginning of Grand Council, Allied Masonic
Degrees of the USA, and a resume of some of the highlights of the first two
years of its existence. The account is incomplete and sketchy, but does
cover salient points.
The purposes of the Allied Masonic Degrees are beneficial to all aspects of
Masonry, whether they be Symbolic, York, or Scottish Rite. Though we control
a number of Degrees by incontestable authority, we are not primarily a
degree-working organization. Our chief interest is a return to the
conviviality and good fellowship, an indispensable part of Masonic
gatherings in former times, lost in the pressure of degree work now found
highly prevalent. This good fellowship is to be followed by research papers
or talks on various Masonic subjects. With this aim-an effort to throw more
light from the Sanctuary upon us all-we can but foresee even greater growth
ahead for Grand Council as these principles become more widely known.
Every man should study, interpret, and develop the symbols of Masonry to
best suit his own experiences, for Masonry is a vast and almost limitless
subject, with numerous facets to explore. It is more than a parrot-like
recitation of the ritual-far more than that. Not to underestimate the value
of good ritualistic work, for it is by this means that we welcome our
devotees. But the ritual is only the vehicle by which we bring them to the
open door of the wonders which lie in store for the sincere student of our
art. Beyond its portals lie exciting treasures untold, limited only by the
individual's own capacity to discover them. Just as each man's conception of
his God may vary as much as the individual man himself; just as one man may
be completely satisfied with a concept of a God in human form who sits on a
golden throne high in the heavens, dealing out fire and brimstone to those
who displease him, while others may believe Him to be to be kind and
merciful, One who pervades all things, sustaining His children with an
ever-present help in time of trouble, a God who is universal, eternal Divine
Love, which changes not, and causes no evil, disease, or death. Who am I to
say that my concept of God is right and the others are wrong. Even so, each
man's concept of Masonry and its allegorical lessons must be essentially
personal and individualistic. |