scottish rite

Order of Freemasons under the Supreme Council of the 33rd and Last Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in the Netherlands 

The Scottish Rite of the freemasons appears first to have been organized in the United States in 1801, with a good deal of spurious history as underpinnings. It offers higher degrees to a Master Mason (the third and highest of the traditional degrees, and as far as he can go in his blue lodge). Twenty-nine of these Higher Degrees (the 4th to the 32nd) are normally taken more-or-less simultaneously over the course of a few days. (It is possible to work each degree fully, in stages, but this is not usual.) The ritual for these speeded-up de­grees (called “communicated” degrees) normally consists a short lecture on the degree, followed by a recitation the appropriate oath. The 33rd degree is honorary and is conferred upon those who already hold the 32nd degree and have distinguished themselves in the craft.

There are both Northern and Southern Jurisdictions of the Scottish Rite in the United States. Taking the Northern Lodge as an example, the Lodge of Perfection confers the 4th to 14th degrees; the Council, Princes of Jerusalem, confers the 15th and 16th; the Chapter of Rose Croix confers the 17th and 18th; and the Consistory confers the remainder.

Unlike the York Rite, which can be worked to the highest degree only by Christians, the Scottish Rite is open to Jews and others.

This rite was founded in the Netherlands in 1912. According to internal regulations, it appears that until the late 1980s one worked as of from the 22nd Degree, since that time the order started working from the 4th Degree. Practically, initiations take place at this time in the Netherlands in the 4th, 14th, 18th, 22nd, 28th, 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd Degree. The other degrees are çommunicated upon the candidates.

In the Netherlands it was a custom for a long time that candidates should be a loyal member of the 'Higher Degrees'. In the last years the procedure for admission is simplified. Everyone who has been a Master Mason in good standing for at least one year can apply for this rite.
The 33 degrees of the scottish rite are similar to the first 33 degrees of the Rite of Memphis Misraïm. 
The Degrees of the Order:
First Class - Symbolical Lodges (Blue Degrees; in the Netherlands these degrees are worked in lodges under jurisdiction of the Order of Freemasons under the Grand Orient):
                        1 Entered Apprentice
                        2 Fellow Craft
                        3 Master Mason

Second Class - Lodge of Perfection (Red Masonry):  
       4 Secret Master 
        5 Perfect Master 
        6 Intimate Secretary 
        7 Provost and Judge 
        8 Intendant of the Building 
        9 Chapter of Elected Knights 
        10 Illustrious Elected of Fifteen 
        11 Twelve Illustrious Knights 
        12 Grand Master Architect 
        13 Royal Arch 
        14 Lodge of Perfection 
 
Third Class - Council:
        15 Knight of the East, or Sword 
        16 Prince of Jerusalem 
 
Fourth Class - Chapter:
        17 Knight of the East and West 
        18 Prince of the Rose Croix of Herodem 
 
Fifth Class – Areopagus (Philosophical Degrees of Black Masonry)
        19 Grand Pontiff 
        20 Grand Master of all Symbolic Lodges 
        21 Patriarch Noachite or Chevallier Prussian 
        22 Knight of the Royal Axe, or Hachet 
        23 Chief of the Tabernacle 
        24 Prince of the Tabernacle 
        25 Knight of the Brazen Serpent 
       26 Lord of Mercy 
        27 Grand Commander of the Temple 
        28 Grand Knight of the Sun, or Prince Adept 
        29 Grand Master Ecosé, or Knight of St. Andrew 
        30 Grand Elect Knight Kadosh 
  
Sixth Class – Consistory (Administrative Degrees, or White Masonry):
        31 Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander  
        32 Sovereign or Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret  
 
Seventh Class - Supreme Council:
        33 Soevereign Grand-Inspector-General