Brother seeker of enlightenment,

We have just completed study of the Thirty-first degree and will now move on to the Thirty-second and final Degree of the Scottish Rite at our next session which will be held on Wednesday November 18, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom. We have thus completed our journey of study of the Scottish Rite degrees. This has been a six year journey and I hope you have found those years as informative and as exciting as I have found them. But this is not really the completion but just the beginning of your journey. I have been studying these degrees intensely for 18 years and still find something new and illuminating each time. They have truly been a journey of self-discovery. I wish to thank all those brothers who have participated over the years. If you are new and wish to join in please contact Ill. Keith and give him your e-mail address so you will get an invitation. A graduation ceremony for those who have qualified by their attendance will be held at our February stated meeting. As before the resource material for this and all subsequent degrees is as listed below. It is suggested you bring your copy of “A Bridge to Light” to class and study the 32° beforehand at home.

Important Symbols:

  • The Camp
  • The Lesser Tetractys
  • The Greater Tetractys
  • The Seven Pointed Star
  • Triple Interlaced Triangles
  • Colors Purple and Gold
  • The Five Pointed Star
  • Trimurti (3-faced bust)
  • The Heavens

Lessons:

  • The human is ever interlaced with the Divine.
  • Only doctrines, faith or knowledge which bear in action are of value.
  • Freemasonry is the subjugation of the Human that is in man by the Divine; the conquest of the appetites and the passions by the moral sense and the reason; a continual effort, struggle, and warfare of the spiritual against the material and sensual. That victory, when it has been achieved and secured, and the conqueror may rest upon his shield and wear the well-earned laurels, is the true Holy Empire.
  • The Royal Secret is the secret of UNIVERSAL EQUILIBRIUM.

Topics for Discussion:

  • How does the 32nd degree summarize the preceding degrees?
  • You received the Lost Word in the 14th degree, the True Word in the 18th degree and now the Sacred Word in the 32nd degree. What is the meaning of each of these three words, and why are there three?
  • What is the Holy Doctrine?
  • The candidate takes five vows in this degree. The first relates to Light and Truth, and he vows to be a soldier of light. What does this mean?
  • The second vow deals with the concept of power and the Knight Kadosh promises to be a soldier of freedom. Discuss what this means.
  • The third vow relates to man’s intellect as an individual spark of divine intelligence, and he becomes a soldier of religion. What principle does he defend?
  • The fourth vow makes him a soldier of the people. Explain this idea. What does he protect the people from and what is his weapon?
  • Finally, in the fifth vow, he swears to become a soldier of Scottish Rite Freemasonry. What kind of things does he defend and who does he do battle with? What is the sacred reason a Scottish Rite Mason loves mankind?
  • The Holy Doctrine is equilibrium. Discuss this in the universe, in our personal lives; in moral, spiritual and political spheres.
  • Discuss the Masonic Camp; its arrangements, symbols, tents, banners, degrees, letters, names. As a talisman what does it do? How does it serve as a memory palace?
  • What is the Royal Secret?

Looking forward to an interesting and rewarding session,

Ill. Harry Eisenberg, 33°