The York Rite, What’s the Story?

It seems that most Freemasons are ignorant.  They are ignorant of how Blue Lodge Masonry fits with, what Paul Harvey would have called, the rest of the story.

Masonry is about building things.  The legends of the Blue Lodge demonstrate the beginning and a tragic ending, but it is not all of the story.  Solomon’s Temple is begun, the participant learns various attributes on his way to become a Master Mason but, unfortunately, his lessons of virtue and education are interrupted by the negative attributes of others, and the exemplar of positive virtues is killed.  Many, if not most, believe that this is the climax of the story and all that is necessary for one to successfully build a moral and masonic edifice.  

And now for the rest of the story. Craft Masonry sets a foundation.  It sets the basis by which we study the chronology of the historical legends that surround the degrees. If one never looks at the history that follows the period in which Craft Masonry is set one remains ignorant of the rich perspectives that the York Rite presents.

Some complain that the Rite is confusing because it is not in chronological order.  The order in which events happen is seldom the order in which we presented them in the ceremonies. This is for the simple reason that the lessons of virtue are the focus, not the chronology of the history.  If one were to take the York Rite degrees in chronological order then the whole story would be presented as:  1) EA; 2) FC; 3) Mark Master Mason; 4) Select Master; 5) Royal Master, first section; 6) Master Mason; 7) Royal Master, second section; 8) Most Excellent Master; 9) Super Excellent Master; 10) Royal Arch Mason; 11) Order of the Red Cross; 12) Order of the Temple; 13) Order of Malta.  

So what story do these presentations teach us?  In the Entered Apprentice, the candidate summons the courage to request admission for training as an Entered Apprentice Mason.  He is introduced into the values, principles, tenets, and legend of Freemasonry. He learns that they would go on to hold their meetings on the ground floor of what would become King Solomon’s Temple.  The ground floor is the courtyard, where the altar of sacrifice would be located. He also learns that apprentice masons were the bearer’s of burden, moving the crucial materials needed to erect this famous edifice.  The apprentice, his focus symbolically on things physical, begins to learn that there is more than mere physical labor involved in creating an edifice.  The lessons presented him include truth, love, charity, moderation, courage, prudence, and justice; a most appropriate foundation upon which to build a moral and masonic edifice. 

As a Fellow Craft Mason, he is taught that their meetings be held in what would become the Middle Chamber of King Solomon’s Temple. In the Middle Chamber will house the incense altar, where incense burns both day and night before the veil, and prayers will ascend like smoke up over the veil into the Sanctum Sanctorum or Holy of Holies.  We will also find the Seven-branched Lampstand here, and the Table of Shew-bread which are symbolized by the wages of a Fellowcraft Masons, corn (wheat), wine and oil.  He learns of the wages of a Mason, but instruction on how to receive those wages is not given. The lessons offered here are the need for acquiring knowledge and education, and charity and obedience to the established rules of our Ancient Craft.

The Master Mason is instructed about a great tragedy, the death of our Operative Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, prior to the completion of the Temple. The candidate is taught lessons of fidelity and the struggle against the enemies of Freemasonry: tyranny, ignorance, and fanaticism.  He is taught that Master Masons held their meetings in what would become the Sanctum Sanctorum, or Holy of Holies.  Here we will find an “altar" called the Ark of the Covenant, which is a small chest or coffer, made of Acacia wood, and overlaid inside and outside with gold, into which were placed the tablets of the Law (both the broken and the unbroken sets), a pot of Manna, and Aaron's Rod which budded and blossomed with almonds.  A copy of the Torah was also kept within the Holy of Holies, next to or possibly upon the Ark.  The Jewish High Priest, standing before this Ark, or Altar, would offer prayer for his own sins and the sins of his people, and this was also where, according to Masonic legend, Hiram Abiff offered his prayers each day during the building of the Temple.  The Master Mason, in this degree, learns the substitute for the word that was lost with the death of Hiram. The most pronounced lesson of this degree is unwavering fidelity in the face of adversary. 

But this cannot be the end of the story.  All we have is a foundation and a nearly completed edifice still under construction.  The negative attributes of life have overwhelmed the master designer. At this point the Master Mason is left with positive attributes, sacrificial work, education, charity, obedience, prayer, and an example of fidelity. Further construction is lacking the hand of the master designer. We know from biblical history that Solomon’s Temple was completed and eventually destroyed.  What role did the Mason play in these endeavors and what did he learn?  If we stop after at the third degree of Freemasonry we are ignorant of the rest of the story.

The next degree in the York Rite, the Mark Master degree, however, takes us to a time near the death of Hiram.  The candidate is taken back and represents a Fellowcraft during the construction of the Temple. Perhaps as a result of the loss of Hiram, his work is not appreciated at first, but later it becomes the “chief stone” required to complete the Temple. The Mark Master is instructed on many valuable lessons such charity, industry, honesty. He is taught to assume responsibility for his work by distinguishing his work with a “mark.” He is taught how to properly receive his wages, completing what was taught in the Fellowcraft degree.

The Past Master Degree doesn’t deal directly with an historical time, but it does seem that this degree deals with King Solomon’s inspection of the Temple just after its completion and just prior to its dedication. It teaches lessons important to being a Worshipful Master, a leader.  It particularly focuses upon justice and harmony. It was custom for only Past Masters of a lodge to be exalted to the degree of Royal Arch Mason. This degree upholds this ancient custom without requiring one to have served time “in office.”

The ceremony of the Most Excellent Master is a spectacular and unique degree.  Is the only degree which highlights the completion and the ceremonial dedication of the Temple. This degree emphasizes the importance of reverence and it compliments the symbolic lessons introduced in each of the prior degrees. The allegorical reference is to building yourself with the positive virtues as our operative ancestors built King Solomon’s Temple, with reverence.

With the Royal Arch Mason degree the Mason learns of Biblical history and follows the tale of the Jews return from Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem. The Mason, led by a guide, returns to Jerusalem to find it in ruins, but is informed that the Jews have been permitted to rebuild the city and the Temple. Much as an Entered Apprentice, the Royal Arch Mason is charged with removing the rubbish of the ruined Temple in order to lay the foundation for the new one. However, a Secret Vault is discovered which leads to discovering many artifacts that leads to the eventual discovery of the true Master Mason’s Word as promised in the Master Mason degree. This degree teaches lessons of service, undaunted fortitude, fervency, zeal, and the triumph of truth over all forms of ignorance and tyranny. It completes what was foretold in the Master’s Degree.

The degree of Royal Master is split into two sections which cover two different time periods. The first section gives a dramatic understanding of the mindset of our Ancient and Operative Grand Master Hiram Abiff.  The participant represents Adoniram, a Fellow Craft, who having just finished creating a piece of the furniture that would be placed in the Sanctum Sanctorum, seeks further light and implores Hiram, asking him when he will become a Master Mason. Hiram in turns imparts to the candidate the sublime teachings of useful labor on Earth and a worthy end of life, noting that he may never receive the Secrets of a Master Mason. This is one of the most beautiful and impressive monologues within Freemasonry.

The second section comes to us just after the Tragedy of the Third Degree and demonstrates the great loss felt by the other two Grand Masters of Ancient Craft Masonry.  This degree was instituted to honor the memory of Hiram Abif. This degree teaches lessons of patience, fortitude, and integrity. 

The degree of Select Master takes reference from the secret vault discovered in the Royal Arch degree and concerns itself with how it was created. The secret vault was created by the three Grand Masters and connects the events and myths surrounding the loss and hope of the future discovery of the Master's Word through the deposition of the Grand Master's secrets. The lessons of this degree are devotion, zeal, and overlooking the failings of those who through ignorance or curiosity may often overstep the bounds of propriety. 

Leaving somewhat the legend of Ancient Craft Masonry, but also making reference to Royal Arch Masonry, the Super Excellent Master degree refers to circumstances that occurred during the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, commander of the Babylonian Army. This degree is noteworthy for its scenes of the Jewish court of Zedekiah and the Chaldean court of Nebuchadnezzar. It represents the final destruction of King Solomon's Temple and the carrying away of the Jews to Babylonian captivity. This degree emphasizes the values of loyalty and faithfulness, and It teaches that while men may continue to build, the only permanent temple is that spiritual temple which each erects within himself.  This degree is an honorary one, and a member of the Council not needing to have it in order to hold membership or office. The degree requires the largest cast of characters of any of the degrees, and ends with a climax never to be forgotten.

A candidate of the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross represents Zerrubabel and presents himself as a Royal Arch Mason to a Grand Council that just convened in Jerusalem to deliberate upon the unhappy condition of the country and which desires to find a means to secure the favor of King Darius in order to proceed with the rebuilding dealt with in the Royal Arch degree. The candidate is guided to the Persian court and reminds the King of his promises to aid the Jews in their work. Debate ensues and Zerrubabel boldly proclaims that Truth is on his side of the issue.  So impressed with the speech, King Darius decrees his support for the continuation of the rebuilding, establishes the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross founded up on truth, and confers it upon Zerrubabel. This order is a transitional degree that bridges Royal Arch Masonry to Chivalric Masonry. The lessons taught encourage the constant search for truth, and emphasize the importance of liberty and justice with a right to worship Deity under whatever name he may be called.

Historically, elements of this order were practiced in ancient lodges before the final form of the Master Mason Degree came into use. It is still practiced in the full ceremonial form by the Knight Masons of Ireland and the Knight Masons of the United States, and as the Red Cross of Babylon in the English Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees.

The first Christian order in Masonry is the Order of Malta which is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. After passing through the preparatory degree of the Mediterranean Pass (which surrounds the story of Paul on the island of Malta from which this Order receives its name), the candidate solicits himself to become a member of the Order of Malta. This ceremony teaches the history of the Maltese Order as inheritors of the crusading Knights Hospitaller.  The preparatory degree emphasizes the need of faith while the lessons of the Order express examples of love, mercy, and the unfeeling and faithful martyrdom of Christianity.  Like the Order of Malta, it is founded upon the principles enunciated in the New Testament teaching that Love is the great characteristic of those who would aspire to immortality. Love which suffers long and is kind, Love which overcomes all hate and all difficulties and which will eventually, in a time we hope not too far distant, make of all mankind - brothers.

The Order of the Temple is one of the most impressive ceremonies in all of Masonry and is the true capstone of the American York Rite. The candidate represents one seeking admittance as a Knights Templar during the Crusades. As a trial of his worthiness there is enjoined upon him seven years of preparation beginning with a time of unarmed pilgrimage and then warfare. After serving a majority of his time, he seeks admission, but he is commanded to devote the remaining year to penance as a trial of faith and humility. Many beautiful lessons are given during this ceremony such reminding of us of the mortality of this body, the glorious immortality for those faithful followers, reverence, self-sacrifice, and reminders to Him who suffered upon the Cross are inculcated. Once proven worthy, the candidate is admitted a Sir Knight of the Valiant and Magnanimous Order of the Temple. 

More than just building a foundation, erecting some walls, and being content, the degree structure of the York Rite shares a full story.  Through sharing a most interesting Biblical history of the Hebrew people we are shown that all of the various hardships displayed in these degrees were for the purpose that they might prosecute the search for truth and worship according to their faith in the home and Temple of their fathers. They demonstrated that the main object in life for them was the search for truth. 

The main story of the York Rite is, likewise, the search for truth. It provides us the examples by which we can pursue that life.