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DEGREES OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE
NORTHERN JURISDICTION IN THE
-[ Consistory ]-

Fourteen “Traditional”, “Chivalric” and “Modern” Degrees – from the 19th to the 32nd inclusive, are conferred in a Consistory of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret. Each Degree dramatizes its own unique and independent message and applies it to a familiar life situation.

In the area of morals, certain Consistory Degrees teach the ultimate victory of good over evil, the dignity of labor, the sacredness of duty and unselfish service as the test of one’s religious professions. A leader of men is taught that he must be righteous if he aspires to influence others and that he should listen, with open mind, to the lessons of the ages.

In social relations, the Consistory teaches that toleration is respect for the opinions and religious convictions of others; that he who judges others must himself be above reproach; that it is noble to forgive but ignoble to seek revenge; that a Freemason who commits a felony will not be shielded by his brethren; and that he should have faith in himself, in his fellowman, and in God.

In the area of national affairs, the Consistory holds firmly to the separation of Church and State and teaches that treason is a crime over which Masonry casts no mantle of charity. It proclaims that the crowning glory, in any human life, is that sacrificial love which impels one to lay down his life for a friend.


19°   Grand Pontiff
We learn from the past and how it affects the present and the influence we live in the future in this degree.
We as mortals strive to endure, produce and improve the world as it surrounds us.
There is no apron, but the jewel is a gold “parallelogram” (rectangle) with a Greek Alpha on one side and an Omega on the other. The duties are to be content to labor for the future; to serve the cause of truth with patience and industry; and to destroy error, falsehood and intolerance with truth, honesty, honour and charity.

20°   Master Ad Vitam
This degree demonstrates fraternity and equality. These truths teach morals, religious and philosophical understandings.
This degree helps one to comprehend Deity, the forces of nature and good and evil. The apron is yellow, bordered in blue, with three concentric point-down triangles with the Tetragrammaton (horizontal) and “Fiat Lux” (vertical) at the center forming a cross.
Its triangular shape relates to the “fourth great light, which reminds us of the Deity and his attributes”. The jewel is made of gold with the same three concentric triangles. The duties are to dispense light and knowledge and to practice Masonic virtues.

21°   Patriarch Noachite
The lessons to be learned from this degree are that arrogance, defamation and cowardice are unworthy attributes of a Mason; and that humility, modesty and courtesy are the true virtues of men and Masons.
The apron is yellow and contains an arm holding a sword, a winged figure holding a key in the left hand and the right forefinger on the lips (the Egyptian figure of silence).
The jewel can be described as a point-up triangle, with an arrow, point downward, an arm holding a sword and the motto “Fiat Justitia, Ruat Coelum”. The duties are humility, modesty, trust in God and to be steadfast and courageous in the face of adversity.

22°   Prince of Libanus
This degree emphasizes work ethics. By doing good work we improve character and become better citizens.
The apron of this degree is white, bordered in purple, and contains a three-headed serpent and a table with instruments and plans on it.
The jewel is an axe and handle of gold. On the top of the handle are the initials of Noah and Solomon. In the middle of the handle are the initials of Libanus and Tsidun.
On the blade are the initials of Adoniram, Cyrus, Darius, Zerubbabel, Nehemiah and Ezra on one side and Shem, Kham, Yapheth, Moses, Ahaliab and Betselal on the other. The duties are to respect labor for its own sake and to do work.

23°   Knight of Valor
We learn in this degree that the man who forgets his duty to God, family, country and himself will be in danger of moral and spiritual destruction by thoughts and unworthy ambition.
The apron worn is white bordered with red, blue and purple ribbons. These colors, from the curtains of the Tabernacle, represent earth, fire, air and sea respectively, as well as the Lord’s beneficence, glory, wisdom and power.
On the apron is the golden seven-branched candlestick, representing the seven planets and virtues; the sun, faith, and aspiration toward the infinite; the moon, hope; Venus, charity; Mars, fortitude, “victory over rage and anger”; Mercury, prudence; Saturn, temperance; Jupiter, conqueror of the Titans and justice.
The jewel worn is a small silver censer, or ornamented cup, held by a handle in the shape of an open hand. The duties are to be devoted to the service of God; to constantly endeavor to promote the welfare of man; to act with proper subordination to your superiors.

24°   Brother of the Forest
A Mason must show evidence of compassion, piety and justice in this degree. After initiation he may “manifest faithfully the social virtues in order to receive the rewards”, to serve humanity through our brotherhood.
The apron is of white lambskin with scarlet green and blue. On it is a violet myrtle tree and a gold representation of an Arabian tent.
The jewel worn is the Hebrew letter ALEPH, suspended from a violet ribbon. The duties are to labor incessantly for the glory of God, the honor of your country and the happiness of your brethren.

25°   Master of Achievement
This degree attempts to explain the conceptualities of celestial purity and the eternal soul of man. The apprentice is driven to look within his faith, life and God to get a clear look at his inner self.
The apron is white, lined in black with gold stars on the white side (Pleiades, Hyades, Orion, Capella) and with silver stars on the black side (Perseus, Scorpio, Bootes). Also on it is a serpent (ouroboros) surrounding a scarab, a triangle in a glory with the Tetragrammaton in its center and the four initials of the stars Regulus, Aldebaran, Antares and Fomalhaut.
The jewel is a gold tau cross (crux ansata) with a serpent entwined around it and the Hebrew words HLThI (he has suffered or been wounded) and NChShThN (the Brazen Serpent) on it.
The duty is to fulfill your destiny and to re-create yourself by reformation, repentance and enlarging your knowledge.

26°   Friend and Brother Eternal
In this degree we explore for “the rewards of the trinity of Gods attributes – wisdom or intelligence, force or strength, harmony or beauty”.
The apron is scarlet, bordered in white, with a green triangle (point-down) in the center. In the triangle are the initials of force, wisdom and harmony, and a flaming heart of gold with the initials I.H.S. (Jesus Hominum Salvator or Imperium, Harmonia, Sapientia).
The jewel is gold and is the same triangle, suspended by a purple ribbon. The duties are to practice forgiveness and mercy; tolerance; to be devoted to the teaching of the principles of Masonry.

27°   Knight of Jerusalem
This degree teaches the apprentice to scorn selfishness and to uphold the knightly virtues of charity, truth and honor.
We should always strive to assist the poor, helpless and infirm. The apron is of scarlet lambskin, lined in black, with a Teutonic Cross (cross potent sable, charged with a smaller cross double potent or surcharged with the escutcheon of the Empire, the two-headed black eagle) and a black key surrounded by a laurel wreath.
The jewel is the Teutonic Cross shown on the apron. The duties are to be a lover of wisdom and to be faithful to your promises made within Masonry.

28°   Knight of the Sun
We learn in this degree that our love for God manifests itself in our love for truth, justice and nobility of soul.
The apron worn is white lambskin with a vermilion pentagram. The jewel is a gold five-pointed star. The duties are to be devoted to truth, honour, loyalty, justice and humanity.

29°   Knight of Saint Andrew
The virtues taught in this degree are love of God, loyalty to superiors, faithful adherence to promise and active resistance to unfair judgment. There is no apron.
The jewel is a gold St. Andrew’s cross (“X”), surmounted with a knight’s helmet with a thistle of gold between the arms at the bottom. In the center of the cross is a Hebrew YOD and on its points, clockwise from bottom, the Hebrew letters N M I N.
The duties are to reverence and obey God; to serve the truth; to protect virtue and innocence; to defend the people against tyranny.

30°   Grand Inspector
The lesson of this degree is to be true to ourselves, to stand for what is right and to be just in our lives today with a belief in God, country and oneself.
There is no apron, but the jewel is a gold Teutonic cross, enameled in red, with a silver double-headed eagle with wings spread pointing downward resting upon it.
The duty is to labor unceasingly for the good of mankind.

31°   Knight Aspirant
In this degree the apprentice learns prayerful self-examination. The mistakes today should not be committed tomorrow.
Simply, the daily look at ones self to learn to live with the future. No apron is worn in the Supreme Tribunal, but the traditional apron displayed is of pure white lambskin with a Teutonic Cross of black and silver embroidered upon the flap.
The jewel is a silver Teutonic cross. The jewel is suspended from a white collar, with a gold triangle with a “31″ inside it. The duty is to judge yourself in the same light as you judge others, considering both actions and motives.

32°   Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret
The lessons taught in this degree are that genuine brotherhood requires mutual regard, opinion, esteem and charity.
We always look for the good in all and make allowances for other’s shortcomings. We trust the Supreme Architect to lead us to friendship, morality and brotherly love.
The apron of this degree is white, lined in black, with a double-headed eagle and a plan of the Camp of the Princes.
The jewel worn is a golden Teutonic Cross. In the center are the letters XXXII, surrounded by a green wreath. The cap of a Master of the Royal Secret is black silk with a black band trimmed in gold. In the center front is a double-headed eagle emblem with a rayed equilateral triangle above in gold.
The triangle is red, has 32° in its center and is trimmed with gold. The duties are: a Soldier of the Light seeks truth and knowledge; a Soldier of Freedom demands for the people free vote and voice and attains freedom of voice, vote and opinion for himself; a Soldier of the True Religion combats spiritual tyranny with reason and truth; a Soldier of the People encourages men to be self-reliant and independent; a Soldier of Scottish Rite Masonry is zealous and ardent in the performance of his duties to God, his country, his family, his brethren and himself.

Continue your journey onto the
33RD DEGREE MASONS

Special Note: Thanks goes out to the Valley of Dayton who created the original document.

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