York Rite and Scottish Rite

Hi:

I was wondering if someone could let me know what is the difference between Scottish Rite and York Rite?

I will be petitioning within the week and not sure how that goes...

Thanks

PS Please no email about head injuries or curses

U2U sent, forwarded Masonic Light's answer to me, when I had the same question.

Originally posted by Mundane Egg
I was wondering if someone could let me know what is the difference between Scottish Rite and York Rite?

When I first asked my dad this question years ago, he told me �Scottish Rite begins with �S�, York Rite begins with �Y��.

The York Rite of Freemasonry is the Masonry based on the English tradition, while the Scottish Rite is based on the French tradition.
The York Rite is dated to at least the middle ages, and originally consisted of the first two degrees. The Third Degree was adopted in the early 18th century, and these three compose what is now called the �Blue Lodge�, because, traditionally, Lodges of Masons were painted blue. Eventually, other degrees were added.
Technically, �York Rite� refers to all of the degrees from Entered Apprentice to Knight Templar, but modern common usage usually refer to York Rite as beginning with the degree of Mark Master. If this isn�t confusing enough, there is an exception, being the 16th Masonic District of Louisiana, whose Blue Lodges work in the Scottish Rite, but are governed by the York Rite Grand Lodge.
To simplify the matter, you will receive three degrees in the Lodge: Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason. After this, you may apply for the additional York Rite Degrees.
After the Lodge of Master Masons, the next step in the York Rite is the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. The Chapter confers 4 degrees: Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason. After this, the next step is the Council of Cryptic Masons which confers two degrees: Royal Master and Select Master (as well as a �side degree� called Super Excellent Master). Following this, if you are a Christian, you may join the Commandery of Knights Templar, which confers three Orders of Chivalry: Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, Order of Malta, and Order of the Temple.
There are many �side degrees� and honorary degrees in the York Rite in addition to these. For more info, see www.yorkrite.com...

You also may want to join the Scottish Rite. Just as the York Rite consists of 4 bodies that control their own degrees (Lodge, Chapter, Council, Commandery), the Scottish Rite consists of 5 bodies that control its 33 degrees.
The first Body of the Scottish Rite is the Lodge of Perfection, which controls the 1� - 14�. However, in English speaking countries, the Scottish Rite recognizes the first three degrees of the York Rite, so the Lodge of Perfection actually begins with the 4�.
The second body (in the Southern Jurisdiction...it�s a bit different in the Northern Jurisdiction) is the Chapter of Rose Croix, which controls the 15�-18�. The third Body is the Council of Kadosh, which controls the 19�-30�. The fourth Body is the Consistory, which controls the 31� and 32�. And the fifth Body is the Supreme Council, which controls the 33�. The 33� is administrative, and originally denoted only Sovereign Grand Inspectors General (i.e., voting members of the Supreme Council). However, this was changed during the Pike Administration to allow the Supreme Council to confer the 33� as an honorariam to Brethren, in recognition of service. These Brothers who have received the 33�, but are not SGIG�s, are called Inspectors General Honorary, and are Honorary Members of the Supreme Council. They may attend all Supreme Council meetings (except the Executive Sessions), and have a voice in its deliberations, but no vote.
The website of the Supreme Council 33� is www.srmason-sj.org...

Fiat Lvx.


[edit on 11-6-2004 by Masonic Light]

Originally posted by Masonic Light

Technically, �York Rite� refers to all of the degrees from Entered Apprentice to Knight Templar, but modern common usage usually refer to York Rite as beginning with the degree of Mark Master.

Even more confusingly, this is only sometimes true internationally. In my jurisdiction, for example, there are Lodges that work the first three York Rite Degrees, while other Lodges work the Canadian Rite Degrees, of which there are only three. Although the meaning of these two different types of degrees are similar, the Work is very different.

Also, you may join both the York and the Scottish rite. Just depends on you personally.

Here's a simpler explanation. The York Rite is larger in the northeast and is more Christian based. The Scottish Rite is more likely to have other faiths, particularly Christian and Jewish, and to a much smaller degree, Muslim. Both are based on a belief in a Creator.

The Scottish Rite tends to be more social. The York Rite is a more conservative organization. The Scottish Rite is the organization that confers 32 degrees but the York Rite does not, although it does have levels of competency to be attained. The Scottish Rite is much larger in the South than is the York Rite, but both exist everywhere. Many people belong to both.

www.onealclan.com

Originally posted by AlexKennedy


Even more confusingly, this is only sometimes true internationally.

I'll say it's confusing. York Rite and Scottish Rite aren't really something you hear about here in the UK. Because most UK masons take a long time to progress, we usually just refer to everything by the degree name.
I have to admit, I didn't know a thing about York or Scottish Rites until I started reading up about US masonry. Heck, I hadn't even heard of a "Blue Lodge" - we just refer to it as the "Craft Lodge".

We normally call the York Rite the "Christian Degrees".

I need to get out more.

[edit on 11-6-2004 by Leveller]

Sorry if this is an elementary question but...

Do the York Rite degrees correspond with the Scottish Rite? I know the names are different but is a 10th degree York Rite the same as a 10th degree Scottish Rite.

Could a person switch from one to the other?

Thanks

Take it easy

A 10th Degree in the York Rite is the Knights Templar. Which is right near the top. MY guess is that it would be closest to a 32nd degree in the Scottish Rite. I am not positive, but I think that they do not really follow along the same paths. I will let one of the more experienced brethren handle this one....

They are not interchangeable. Although many belong to both.


[edit on 12-6-2004 by JCMinJapan]

Originally posted by Mundane Egg
Sorry if this is an elementary question but...
Do the York Rite degrees correspond with the Scottish Rite? I know the names are different but is a 10th degree York Rite the same as a 10th degree Scottish Rite.

No. The York Rite and Scottish Rite are independent systems of Freemasonry, and have different degrees. However, some of them resemble each other. For example, both the 16� in the Scottish Rite (called Prince of Jerusalem) and the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross in the York Rite, are based on the biblical story of the return to Jerusalem from Babylon by Prince Zerubbabel, his stay in the Court of Darius, and the rebuilding of the Temple. Therefore, the two degree initiation ceremonies are similar.

Could a person switch from one to the other?

I�m not sure what you mean by switching, but Masons can join both Rites if they want.

Fiat Lvx.


[edit on 12-6-2004 by Masonic Light]

Thanks for the insight. All of this is new and exciting to me so I just have a lot of questions.

Thanks for your patience. Is there a benefit for joining one over the other. The persons sponsoring me are in the York Rite and of course are encouraging me to join.

I am sure I will understand more in time.

Take it easy

Levellor makes a good point about Masonry in Europe. Here in Orlando (USA) we receive many visitors from Europe who tell us that because of the cost of holding each Degree and the distance many Europeans must travel to attain each degree causes considerable difficulty in advancing to another degree.

Because Masonry requires less travel - and the advantages of living in the world's only economic superpower - many Scottish Rite Lodges can hold all 29 degrees beyond Master Mason often within one weekend if the candidate can keep up with the classes and running from class to class for two long days.

I recently met a man from Scotland who is considering arranging his annual U.S. tour in order that he can attain all degrees during one of the twice-a-year ceremonies. He says that in Scotland, a Mason may only get one more degree every five years and can spend a lifetime attempting to attain the level of 32nd Degree Mason.

I thought this was a pretty good idea. If I could receive the 32 degrees in Europe instead, I believe that would be an impressive achievement to bring back home. (And for a European, it sounds like the cost of the trip would be less than the cost of getting just one degree at a time.)

www.onealclan.com