Scottish Rite Masons - Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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A MESSAGE 'ro THE CLASS N the name of Van Rensselaer Lodge of Perfection and for all of its membership, I bid you a hearty welcome upon your entrance into Scottish Rite Masonry, and into renewed and newer ties of brotherhood. The organization of the various bodies in Scottish Rite Masonry is not always clear to those who enter our doors, and, for that reason, we deem it important that you should be informed upon this point at the beginning. In Scottish Rite Masonry there are Four Local Bodies and also a Supreme Council. In this jurisdiction, the first body to which you have petitioned, and by which you have been elected to receive the degrees, is Van Rensselaer Lodge of Perfection, which con- fers the degrees from the Fourth to the Fourteenth, inclusive, and of which Ill-'-Oliver J. Graham, 33', is the Thrice Potent Master. The second body to which you have petitioned, but to which you have not yet been elected to receive the degrees, is Chicago Coun- cil of Princes of Jerusalem, which confers the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Degrees, and of which Ill.'.Carl A. Miller, 33 , is the Sovereign Prince. The third body to which you have petitioned but to which you have not yet been elected to receive the degrees, is Gourgas Chap- ter of Rose Croix De-H-R-D-M., which confers the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Degrees, and of which Ill.f.William B. Moak, 33', is Most Wise Master. The fourth body to which you have petitioned, but to which you have not yet been elected to receive the degrees, is Oriental Consistory, S-'-P-'-R-'-S-'-which confers the degrees from the Nineteenth to the Thirty-second, inclusive, and of which Ill-'- Edward L. Johnson, 33', is Commander-in-Chief. Each of these bodies in Scottish Rite Masonry is separate and

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Van Rensselaer Lodge of Perfection of the ANCIENT ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE Valley of Chicago A CPROQRAM SPRING CRE UNION 1924 Fourth to Fourteenth Degrees fi? Monday, April 14, 1924 Morning Session, 9 A. M. Afternoon Session, 1:30 P. M. Evening Session, 7:30 P. M.

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independent of all of the others, and has its own regular meetings and its own corps of officers. But for economic reasons, and because the members of one body are also largely the members of. all of the others, we have entered into a concordat with each other, hold all of our property in common, and are incorporated under the laws of Illinois as Oriental Consistory and Co-ordinate Bodies of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. Beside the four local bodies named above, there is a Supreme Council of the Thirty-third and last degree, to which all of the local bodies bear allegiance. The members of the Supreme Council constitute a self-perpetuating Oligarchy, and election to receive this degree is initiated in the Supreme Council and cannot be secured by petition. A more complete explanation of this subject will be given you at the proper time. It has always been the custom for the members of Classes receiving the degrees in the Scottish Rite bodies to effect organiza- tion of themselves. It is customary to elect a President, Vice- President, Secretary, Treasurer and Orator. You are invited to do this, after a sufficient time has elapsed for you to get acquainted with each other. Many such class organizations have been maintained for many years, and some of them hold annual meetings and other celebra- tions. During the conferring of the degrees, and especially after the conferring of the Thirty-second Degree, it is customary for the presiding oliicers to call upon the President and Orator of the class for addresses. During the progress of the Work it is hoped that the members of the class will make themselves at home. So far as is con- sistent with proper decorum the class will not be under any restraint that will be irksome. Should any of the members become ill, or indisposed, there are always one or more of our Medical Stall present to render aid. Any proper information desired by any candidate will always