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The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (Sometimes Called “Rose Croix”)

Structure Of The Order

Working under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council 33° of the Ancient & Accepted Rite for Australia, the Rite is divided into two separate and distinct bodies, Sovereign Chapters and Sovereign Councils. Entrance into the Order is by way of the Sovereign Chapter which confers the Degrees 1st - 18th. Of the eighteen Degrees, the first three are deemed to be the equivalent to the Three Craft Degrees and are therefore considered already attained. The Intermediate Degrees, 4th - 17th are conferred by name. The full working of these Degrees are demonstrated periodically by Chapters of Improvement. The 18° “Excellent and Perfect Prince Rose Croix” is worked in full.

Qualification for membership is one year as a Master Mason of good standing and, as the Rite is Christian in Character, a willingness to enter into an obligation in the name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity is required.

The Degrees 19th – 30th are conferred within a Sovereign Council. As within a Sovereign Chapter, the intermediate Degrees 19^th to 29^th are conferred on the candidate and the 30^th Degree is worked in full. The minimum qualifications for admission into a Sovereign Council is having served 3 years as a member of the 18^th degree.

Admission into the 31° and 32° are at the discretion of the Regional Commanders and are dependent on long, continued and exceptional service to both the Chapter and the Council.

The 33^rd Degree is conferred on a member when he is appointed District Commander i.e. Head of a District.

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Organisation of the Order

 
Tasmanian Chapters 

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Contact  Details

               For further information please contact District Recorder,

               Raymond Chell
               231 Pipers River Road
               Turners Marsh Tasmania 7267
               Phone (03) 63267350
               E-Mail    ray.chell@optusnet.com.au

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History of the Order

Our first record of what is now known as the Rose Croix Degree dates from 1765. In its early years the degree had a chequered history and eventually became one of twenty five degrees in what was known as the Rite of Perfection. In 1786 a group of eminent members of the Rite under the titular direction of Fredrick the Great of Prussia published the Grand Constitutions of 1786. Under these Constitutions the Rite of Perfection was renamed the “Ancient and Accepted Rite” and extended to thirty three degrees of which the Rose Croix Degree became the Eighteenth. 

The Grand Constitutions of 1786 provide for a procedure whereby a Supreme Council in one country can move to establish a Supreme Council in another country where a Supreme Council does not already exist. Under this procedure, a Patent to establish a Supreme Council for England and Wales was sought from the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction U.S.A. and was granted in 1845. A patent to establish a Supreme Council for Scotland was granted by the Supreme Council for France in 1846.

 Within a comparatively few years both the Supreme Council for England and the Supreme Council for Scotland has approved petitions for Charters to establish Rose Croix Chapters in Australia.

 Until 1945 progress of the two orders was slow but steady. After 1945 development of Rose Croix Freemasonry in Australia accelerated. It was natural that post 1945 there should be a demand for a Supreme Council 33° for Australia and in 1985 that demand was satisfied. The Supreme Council for England and Wales and the Supreme Council for Scotland conducted a plebiscite of all their members and Chapters. The plebiscite proved favourable and on the 12^th October 1985 the “Supreme Council 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Rite for Australia” came into being.

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Recent and Forthcoming Events

Late last year M Ill Bro. Ron Smith (the then Regional Commander) conferred the Order of  Merit  on Ill. Bro. Colin Macaulay 32°. This is a most prestigious award which is only conferred once every three years in a Region for exceptional service to the administration of the Rite and is the first to be awarded in Tasmania.

All members of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite congratulate Ill. Bro. Colin on his preferment.

V. Ill. Bill Morgan 33°, District Commander for Tasmania

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 From time to time the Southern Cross Chapter of Improvement conducts expositions of the Intermediate Degrees 4th to 17th with Rose Croix Freemasons being invited to attend the ceremonies.  The next expositions will be the 4th and 5th Degrees which will be held on the 21st January 2006 at the Crown of Life Sovereign Chapter meeting, Hobart.  The Sovereign Grand Commander Most Powerful Brother Jack Ball, A.M. 33o  will be in attendance at the 21st January meeting and he will be accompanied by the Regional Commander Most Illustrious Brother Prof. William Thompson 33o  and several visiting District Commanders from Victoria and the District Commander for Tasmania, Very Illustrious Brother G. William Morgan 33o.

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