About Us
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite is a two hundred (founded on May 31, 1801) plus year-old branch of the world-wide order of fraternal societies known as Freemasonry. Today, the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite is:
- Geographically the largest Masonic jurisdiction in the world.
- The oldest established Scottish Rite in continuous existence.
- Numerically, the most significant one.
Originally headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, the Supreme Council was relocated to Washington, D.C. after the Civil War.
The organization is subdivided into Orients and Valleys. Members in Missouri may belong to the Valley of Saint Louis, the Valley of Columbia, the Valley of Joplin, the Valley of Kansas City or the Valley of Saint Joseph.
It is important to note that Scottish Rite Freemasonry challenges no man’s political creed, leaving that to his country and to himself; it does not interfere with any man’s religious opinion, leaving that a matter between his God and his conscience; and yet is does seek to impress by the most sublime and beautiful lessons, enforced by the most profound reasoning the almighty power of truth, appealing to the highest and purest sentiments of the human soul for the enforcement of its principles. Ignorance, tyranny and fanaticism are its foes; liberty, equality, and fraternity are its watch words.
What Do We Do?
Scottish Rite Masons are active on local, state, national, and international levels. Our activities include:
- Fund scholarships for students and teachers.
- Support programs for young people and services for the aged.
- Assist young people to overcome language and learning disorders.
- Help crippled children to walk via such advanced medical centers as the Scottish Rite Hospitals in Atlanta and Dallas.
- Support and create patriotic programs to remind Americans of our great national heritage.
- Advocate absolute separation of church and state as a mainstay of freedom.
- Advance the public school system as a guarantee of intellectual liberty.
- Champion the family as the cornerstone of our nation.
There is not a facet of community life where Scottish Rite Masons have not had an impact for good. Local Scottish Rite members are doers and achievers. We also engage the community through fun as well, with our annual Burns Night Dinner and various fundraising activities.
What Is Our Vision?
In the July 1988 edition of the Scottish Rite Journal, there is “A Vision Statement” that tells who we are and what our goals must be in the future. It reads:
“The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry must continue to enhance its character as a premier fraternal organization, managed and led by highly motivated, forward-thinking men of strong moral and ethical quality. It must be attractive to men of good character and embraced by their families. It must continue to be financially sound and independent, and it must make a positive impact on the quality of life of its members and society in general through its teachings, and thus will be a world leader in the recreation of the traditional moral values, including Love and Charity.”
What Is The Scottish Rite Creed?
The cause of human progress is our cause, the enfranchisement of human thought our supreme wish, the freedom of human conscience our mission, and the guarantee of equal rights to all peoples everywhere, the end of our contention.
To Implement this The Supreme Council 33° favors
The American Public School, non-partisan, non-sectarian, efficient, democratic, for all of the children of the people.
The inculcation of patriotism, respect for law and order, and undying loyalty to the Constitution of the United States of America.
The compulsory use of English as the language of instruction in the grammar grades of our public schools.
Adequate provision in the American Public Schools for the education of the alien populations in the principals of American Instituitions, and Ideals of Citizenship.
The Entire Separation of Church and State and opposition to every attempt to appropriate public moneys – Federal, State, or Local – directly or indirectly, for the support of sectarian or private institutions.
What Are Scottish Rite Reunions?
The Northern and Southern Scottish Rite Jurisidictions in the United States confer the Fourth (4th) through the Thirty-third (33rd) degrees. The degrees are one-act plays, staged with costume, scenery, and special effects. The Fourth (4th) throught the Thirty-second (32) degrees are conferred at Scottish Rite Reunions; these reunions are usually held twice a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. These gatherings are termed Reunion as they are a reuniting of the members after a period of separation. The days of the Reunion are rich in comradeship, fellowship, and hard work. We also make a time to share the lessons of the Scottish Rite Degrees.
What Are The Scottish Rite Degrees?
The primary eligibility requirement of the Scottish Rite is that a candidate must be Master Mason in his Masonic Lodge. That is, he must have been initiated an Entered Apprentice (1st Degree), passed as a Fellowcraft (2nd Degree), and raised as a Master Mason (3rd Degree).
From there, the Scottish Rite will confer the 4th through 32nd Degrees at a Scottish Rite Reunion. The mandatory degrees presented during the reunions are the 4th, 14th, 18th, 30th, and 32nd Degrees. Additional degrees are presented as the duration of the reunion allows. The 4th through 32nd Degrees are grouped together as follows:
Lodge of Perfection – 4th through 14th Degrees
These are termed the “Ineffable Degrees” because they are concerned with the ineffable, or unutterable, name of God.
Chapter of Rose Croix – 15th through 18th Degrees
The 15th and 16th Degrees are referred to as Historical Degrees. The lessons of these degrees are drawn from the historic drama that transpired during the reigns of the great kings, Cyrus and Darius.
The 17th and 18th Degrees offer a new development of Masonic teaching and are a distinct departure from the teachings of the preceding Scottish Rite Degrees.
Council of Kadosh – 19th through 30th Degrees
The 19th through the 30th Degrees continue our Masonic education. These are termed the philosophical and chivalric degrees.
The Consistory – 31st and 32nd Degrees
The lessons portrayed in the 32nd Degree are an embellishment of our previous Masonic teachings and carry the greatest possibility of inspiring a person to pursue an active and rewarding Masonic life.
Inspector General Honorary – 33rd Degree
The 33rd Degree is bestowed as an honor on members for their hard work and accomplishments both in the Community and the Masonic fraternity. This degree can not be applied or asked for, it is an honor that given.
What Is The Regalia Of The Scottish Rite?
The Rings of the Scottish Rite
To our ancient Brethren, who were members of Knightly Orders, three things in this life were prized above all others — even above life itself — with the loss of any, life’s aim had failed.
These three things so dear to the ancient Knight were the purity of his honor, the integrity of his sword and the spotlessness of his shield. Honor that never broke faith with anyone, whether man or woman; the integrity of the sword in never failing to draw it in defense of innocence and right; the shield never to be sullied by protecting oppression and wrong.
At the death of a Knightly owner, he bequeathed his sword and shield to one nearest and dearest to him, the one he believed would maintain both unblemished.
The Scottish Rite has adopted symbols that represent the sword, shield and armor of our ancient brethren, and as clearly marks the profession of Knighthood as did those: they are the rings of the Fourteenth and Thirty–second Degrees.
The oldest of these is the ring of the Fourteenth Degree with its motto — “Virtus junxit, mors non separabit” — “Virtue has united, and death shall not separate” — to be worn through life and, at death, as it was the custom of our ancient Brethren, to be handed down to the one most dear in the belief that it would be kept pure and unsullied. The ring of the Fourteenth Degree is a plain flat band of gold, having imposed thereon and engraved or enameled plate in the form of an equilateral triangle and within the triangle the Hebrew word “Yod.”
A signet ring of the Thirty–second Degree, however, was commissioned and approved by the Supreme Council’s Ritual and Ceremonial Forms Committee during the 1993 Biennial Session. The new Thirty–second Degree signet satisfies the Brethren’s desire for a tasteful, quality ring as an alternative to commercially available, possibly inaccurate products. It carries the double–headed eagle Scottish Rite with the Latin motto of the Thirty–second Degree: “Spes mea in Deo est”—“My hope is in God.”
This new ring should also be honorably worn through life and, at death, may be handed down to one most dear as is custom.
Scottish Rite Caps
You may wonder when you see the different color caps being worn by various members what they denote.
The great majority of the members wear a black cap which denotes a 32° Mason.
The red caps are worn by those members who are 32° K.C.C.H. K.C.C.H. stands for Knight Commander of the Court of Honour. It is not a degree but an Investiture. At its biennial session certain 32° Masons who have been 32° Masons at least four years and who have rendered signal service to the Rite, are chosen to receive the Rank and Decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour. The decoration is conferred in a very impressive ceremony of investiture in the local Bodies. This is a rank and decoration and not a degree. The members who hold it are designated 32°, K.C.C.H. A member must be a K.C.C.H. for at least four years before he can be nominated for election to receive the 33°.
The white caps are worn by those who have been honored with the 33° Inspector General Honorary. The Thirty-third is a Degree conferred by the Supreme Council upon members of the Rite in recognition of outstanding service to the Rite, or, in public life, to the principles taught in the Degrees. The 33° cannot be asked for and if asked for must be refused. At its biennial session the Supreme Council elects members of the Rite to receive the Degree. These 33° Masons are Inspectors General Honorary and honorary members of the Supreme Council. The active members of the Supreme Council are chosen from among them.
The white caps with the blue border are worn by those 33° members who were unanimously elected by the Supreme Council to receive its highest honor, the Grand Cross, for outstanding service on behalf of Scottish Rite, Freemasonry, and humanity.
The blue caps are worn by those Masons who have held membership in the Rite for at least fifty years.
The white cap with a red border denotes a Deputy of the Supreme Council.
The purple cap denotes a member of the Supreme Council.
All these caps are prayer caps. They are always to be worn during prayer and may be worn at our meetings and throughout the Reunions. Since they are prayer caps, they must not be worn on the street, at any bar and on other similar occasions.
Additionally, members of the Knights of Saint Andrew (KSA) are allowed to wear a glengarry bonnet. The glengarry bonnet is a traditional Scots cap made of thick-milled woollen material, decorated with a black toorie on top, The vast majority of members of the KSA are 32nd degree members, the glengarry is black. There are members that have been given honors and are wearing a red glengarry.
What Is The Philanthropy Of The Scottish Rite?
For over twenty-five (25) years, the principal charity supported by the Valley of Saint Louis has been the Walker Scottish Rite Clinic. The Walker Scottish Rite Clinic is committed to teaching two-through six-year-old children with speech and language disorders the communication skills necessary to succeed in school and throughout their lives. This goal is achieved through early identification and long-term therapy and by training parents to use techniques with their children at home.
The programs of the Walker Scottish Rite Clinic are:
KidScreen
Speech-language screenings are conducted to identify potential problems at all Clinic locations and on-site at local area childcare centers.
KidTalk Language Group
The early childhood language groups for children ages two to three, who are speaking very little or not at all, stimulates speech-language skills while children learn to socialize with peers. Services are provided at the Maryville University Clinic site.
KidTalk Social Group
Children, ages four to six, who have difficulty making friends or participating in group activities learn social skills. Services are provided at the Maryville University Clinic site per semester.
KidTalk
Children, ages two through six, receive individual therapy tailored to meet their specific speech-language needs twice weekly for an average of 12 to 18 months. Services are provided at the Maryville University Clinic site.
KidTalk Spanish
Children, ages two through six, receive individual therapy delivered in Spanish to meet their specific speech-language needs twice weekly for an average of 12 to 18 months. Services are provided at the Maryville University Clinic site.
KidTalk Outreach
Children, ages two to six, receive individual therapy tailored to meet their specific speech-language needs. Services are provided in downtown St. Louis, Arnold, Troy and Union, Missouri.
(Select city name for location and map)
- St. Louis City (Wednesday)
- Arnold, MO (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)
- Union, MO (Monday, Thursday)
- Troy, MO (Monday through Thursday)
KidTalk North County
Children, ages two to five, receive individual speech and language services on-site at the YWCA North County Center, a Head Start Provider in North St. Louis County, thanks to a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health.
KidStart Spanish
Children, ages two to five, receive individual speech and language services delivered in Spanish at SouthSide Early Childhood Center, a Head Start Provider, in the City of St. Louis.
All Ears Hearing Screenings
Children enrolled in therapy receive free hearing evaluations conducted by the Clinic Audiologist at the Maryville University Clinic site.
It Takes Two to Talk
Our Hanen certified Speech-Language Pathologists conduct this 12-week group to train parents on using language building techniques with their children who have language delays.
Special Programs
Parent Education and Training
Provides speech and language development information and training for parents to implement a home program targeting the speech and language skills being addressed in therapy.
Take Time to Read
To encourage good language skills, the Clinic provides books for children to borrow and to earn. For each ten books a child and adult read together, the child is allowed to select one book from the Clinic’s collection to keep. This supports parents as they help their children develop speech and language skills through book-sharing activities.
The St. Louis Scottish Rite Memorial Library-Museum
The first books formally presented to the Valley of St. Louis Scottish Rite were in 1911 when the library of the late Brother James Fowler Ewing 33° was donated.
Our present Library consisted of two rooms, both filled to the brim with books. A totally amazing collection of Masonic work. Most of which came from the private collection of the late Brother John Black Vrooman 33°, a very well known and highly respected Masonic scholar, in addition to being a former Librarian here. The Lounge level room alone, we estimated contains around 7,000 volumes. A few years ago the Museum was merged into the Library, thus enhancing, and enriching every visit.
The Library is open too all who seek knowledge, so they may spread truth. The Library is open to individuals, families, and the general community. We are a Research Library, and therefore do not lend out any of our materials. So you may read, study and make copious notes to your hearts content.
Our splendid Library stands ready to offered to the whole fraternity and the public as an incentive to follow the admonition of the late P. G. M. Brother Harry S. Truman, 33°, in his introduction to the four volumes of “10,000 Famous Freemasons“, he wrote:
“We know that research is the most important step in the study of history. Comprehensive and accurate information must be available for those who would interpret trends in world happenings”.
At this time, the library is open by appointment only. Please email the Library Committee at library@scottishrite-stl.org to set an appointment.