The York Rite or American Rite
The York Rite or American Rite - This rite has 10 degrees and the members here are not allowed to talk about politics or religion in the Lodges. Within the York Rite is the Chapter of Royal Arch Masonry, Cryptic Masonry and Knights Templar.
The Chapter of Royal Arch Masonryconsists of four degrees, Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason.
The Mark Master Degree is believed to have originated as a ceremony of registering a craftsman's mark in those years distinguished by operative craft masons and their temple building. It was later developed into a full-fledged Degree by the Masonic fraternity as we know it today, Some scholars say it was the earliest degree and may predate all others by many years. It is highly regarded by students in all Masonry, teaching lessons that have proven of valuein all walks of life. Some Grand Lodges place so high an eminence on the Mark Master Degree, that they confine it to the jurisdiction of a separate grand body, the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters.
The Past Master Degree came into being because originally the Symbolic (Blue) Lodge conferred the degree of Royal Arch only on actual Past Masters. This degree was instituted to make it possible for all worthy Brethren to receive the Royal Arch degree. The first record of its conferral is found in 1768 in England.
The Most Excellent Master Degree is a product of American innovation. It was conferred in a Royal Arch Chapter as early as 1783 in Middletown, Conn. It is by far the most spectacular degree in all Freemasonry. It is the only degree that brings forcibly to our attention the completion and dedication of King Solomon's Temple. The very idea upon which all Masonic symbolism has been based.
The Royal Arch Degree is the climax of Ancient Craft Masonry and Masonic Symbolism. It is described as "the root and marrow of Freemasonry." It is the complete story of Jewish History during some of its darkest hours. Jerusalem and the Holy temple are destroyed, The people are being held captive as slaves in Babylon. Here you will join with some slaves, as they are set free to return home and engage in the noble and glorious work of rebuilding the city and the Temple of God. It is during this rebuilding that they make a discovery that brings to light the greatest treasure of a Mason, the long lost Master's Word. In the 7th degree, the Royal Arch, the name of the God of the Masons is discovered: "Jah-Bul-On", which stands for "Yahweh", the God of the Bible; "Baal", the god of the Assyrians, the false god of the Bible; and "On", the sun-god of the Egyptians, Osiris.
The Order of Knights Templar is conferred in the Order of the Temple. It was founded in the twelfth century and is much older than Ancient Craft Masonry in its present form. It was a union of the Religious and the Militant spirit. Its members were referred to as Soldiers of the Cross. Their symbol is the Passion Cross, the same as worn by the Knights Templar of old. The Order of the Temple has been called the most beautiful of all the Orders and Degrees of Masonry.
The Knights Templar is a Christian-oriented fraternal organization that was founded in the 11th century. Originally, the Knights Templar were laymen who protected and defended Christians travelling to Jerusalem. These men took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and were renowned for their fierceness and courage in battle.
Templar membership consists of people from all walks of life, including doctors, lawyers, clergy, businessmen and entertainment personalities, all of whom profess a belief in the Christian Religion. All Knights Templar are members of the Masons. However, not all masons are Templars. Templary is but a part of the Masonic structure known as the "York Rite of Freemasonry".
The Knights Templar operate on a local, state and national level. But their religious activities extend across international borders as well. Nationally, there is The Grand Encampment of Knights Templar. This unit defines the 11 rituals and laws governing state and local level organizations. The state level is called A Grand Commandery of Knights Templar. This organization represents members of a state or an area of equivalent size. Finally, the local level unit is called a Commandery of Knights Templar. Atheists are not admitted, and only Christian Masons are permitted admission. Women, children, blacks, and poor people are not admitted.
The Templars are said to have represented the first wide-scale attempt to organize and mobilize the forces of occultism for the purpose of gaining control of the world. Having embraced Gnosticism while in Palestine, and in touch with the sect of the Assassins, the Templar order degenerated, and some of its members were said to practice Phallicism or sex-worship, and Satanism, and to venerate 'The Baphomet', the idol of the Luciferians. The crime of Sodomy was a rite of Templar initiation. Freemasonry is clearly Luciferian worship, despite their very clever, and successful, attempts to hide this fact.
Homosexuality is said to be very tightly tied in with the Knights Templar. In the paragraph above, we see homosexual practices such as Phallicism and Sodomy. The Luciferian book, "Mind and Magic" also quoted above. Sodomy is listed as one of the crimes of Knights Templar. The Grand Master at the time when King Philip IV of France tried and executed key members, was named Jacques de Molay. Since de Molay was Grand Master of Knights Templar, we can rightly conclude that he was also involved in these Satanic, and homosexual acts. We find it highly disturbing, then, that Demolay is one of the orders of Freemasonry for young men! |
