THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 474594B ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS 1948 Entered according to the Act of Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight, by J. Ross KOBERTSON, at the department of Agriculture. [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4 8 X 13 19 PREFACE. A BOOK without a preface would, in the estimation of many, be incomplete, and yet I think that the average reader would feel better if he were at once to plunge into the meat and mar row, without waiting for the apologies that au thors and compilers have to offer. I make no claim to originality in this compilation. The history of the Rite and its degrees is compiled from various sources, Mackey, Chase, McClenachan, and other Masonic authors. The history of the Cryptic Grand Councils in the United States is from the pen of my esteemed friend Brother and Companion, Josiah H. Drummond, of Maine, while the Canadian branch of the history I have gathered from documents in my possession as Grand Recorder, and from official sources of information, that make it the first written and authentic history of the Rite in Canada. My original intention was to confine the work to the Rite in my own country, but at the suggestion of Companions I have enlarged its scope so as to give, in one volume, what I believe has never been given before, a complete history of the degrees of Royal, Select and SuperExcellent Master, from their origin to the present time. I trust that this compilation may be received with favor by my Companions of the Secret Vault, and that the work of a few leisure hours may add to the interest that is so universally taken in the ceremonies and history of the Cryptic Rite. THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. The Rite and its Title The Origin of the term Cryptic-The In- CHAPTER II. The opinion of Different Cryptic Writers as to the Origin and Sta- CHAPTER III. Calendar of the Rite-Who Originally Conferred the Degrees- CHAPTER IV. Conclusions arrived at by Dr. Mackey as to the introduction of CHAPTER V. An unpublished MS. of Companion Josiah H. Drummond-Some CHAPTER VI. Cross's Claims-What Cryptic Masonry owes to him-How he went CHAPTER VII. The Origin and Authenticity of the Cryptic Degrees Discussed by CHAPTER VIII. The Arkansas Report continued-Stephen Morin's Work-The CHAPTER IX. The Action of the Grand Chapter of Florida-An elaborate and PAGE 1 8 13 21 24 31 41 49 62 CHAPTER X. PAGE Brief History of the Several Grand Councils of the United States. 89 CHAPTER XI. Conclusion of the History of the Grand Councils of the United CHAPTER XII. The Royal Degree--Its Officers and Colors-The Legend and Sym- 103 131 CHAPTER XIII. The Select Degree-Its Officers and Colors-The Legend and Sym- 134 CHAPTER XIV. The Super-Excellent Degree The Officers and Colors - The 136 CHAPTER XV. The Cryptic Rite in Canada-The Warrant of Authorization-The CHAPTER XVI. The Second Annual Assembly of The Grand Council of New Bruns- CHAPTER XVII. The Third Annual Assembly of the Grand Council of New Bruns- CHAPTER XVIII. The Fourth Annual Assembly of the Grand Council of New Bruns- CHAPTER XIX. Copy of Letter from Grand Prior of Canada to the Grand Master CHAPTER XX. The Introduction of the Rite into Ontario-The Inauguration of 138 141 144 146 155 161 CHAPTER XXI. The Fifth, Sixth, and Last Annual Assemblies of the Grand Coun- 168 |