A HISTORY
CATEGORIES OF JEWELS
KNIGHT MASONRY ~ A HISTORY
CONTENTS:-
[TO JUMP DIRECTLY TO A SECTION CLICK ON NUMBER ]
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1. A BRIEF HISTORY ~ THE GRAND COUNCIL OF KNIGHT MASONS.
2. WHAT IS KNIGHT MASONRY ?.
3. WEBLINK ~ GRAND COUNCIL OF KNIGHT MASONS 1923 - 1998 "NOTABLE EVENTS".
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Most Excellent Great Chief:
Bernard V. A. Woods
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1. A BRIEF HISTORY ~ THE GRAND COUNCIL OF KNIGHT MASONS.
[Reproduced from "The Trowel" No. 1 Nov 2006]
The first meeting of the Grand council of Red Cross Masons Degrees took place on Monday, 18th June 1923 and a number of Committees were appointed.
At the next Meeting, held on the the 16th November 1923, the Secretary reported that, at the October meeting of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, recognition had been extended to the Grand Council and that it be authorised to be incorporated in the Freemasons' Calender. A report from the Committee of Constitutions was discussed, amended and adopted. It was decided that the Grand Council be styled as The Grand Council of Degrees of the Knight of the Sword, Knight of the East, and, Knight of the East and West. A report from the Committee of Ritual was received and adopted.
The Secretary was instructed to report to Great Priory that the Grand Council was now in a position to take over and exercise the rights and privileges with which they were invested.
It was proposed and seconded that Bro. Gerard Black be elected President of the Grand Council and this proposal was carried. A Committee was appointed to examine and report on suitable forms for Warrants and Certificates.
Owing to illness, and other reasons, the meeting held on the 12th December 1923 was poorly attended and brief, however proposals were made to change the titles of Officers to: Grand Chief, Grand Treasurer and Grand Secretary. The other officers of the Council ere to be known as Grand Councillors. These proposals were seconded and carried.
At the Meeting held on the 13th February 1924, Ritual for the Degrees and for the ordinary working of Subordinate Councils was Approved. It was decided that a Red Sash with Crossed Swords embossed in Gold be adopted as clothing for Grand Council. On a Motion of the Great Chief (note the title change), seconded by the Secretary, it was resolved to ask The Great Priory of Ireland for a financial grant and for the use of the Templars Chapel for the Meetings of Grand Council.
At a spcial meeting of Grand Council on the 9th April 1924 to transact the following business:
a. To consider applications for Warrants to form Subordinate Councils.
b. To approve the pattern of clothing for Grand Council.
c. To approve specimens of Jewels.
An Application, dated 27th February 1924, for a Warrant to form a Subordinate Council in Dublin: To be called "Great Chief's Council, to meet in Freemasons' Hall, and, signed by V.E. Sir Kt. Gerard Black (Great Chief), Sir Knights Edward H. Burne, W. Metcalf, James O'Hara, J.M. Lewis, J.D. Mitchell, Arthur H. Whitehead, George Metcalf and George F. Healy, was considered and approved. The Secretary submitted a patterned Sash and specimen Jewels, these were approved.
At the Grand Council meeting held on the 14th May 1924, on the proposal by the Great Chief, it was determined that the Officers of Grand Council be; Most Excellent Great Grand Chief, High Priest, Grand Treasurer, Grand Scribe, Grand Senior Knight, Grand Junior Knight and Grand Captain of the Guards. The proposal was seconded and passed.
Warrant ~ Great Chief's Council
The Warrant for Great Chief's Council, being the first Knights Council Warrant, was created on the 9th April 1924 and is illustrated above.
A Meeting was held in Freemasons' Hall, Molesworth Street, Dublin, on Wednesday, 14th May 1924 to Constitute Great Chief's Council, Sir Knights Black (Chair), Burne, O'Hare, Lewis, Metcalf and Healy being in attendance. The Following were installed as Elected Officers:-
M.E.C. Sir Knight gerard black.
[this picture appeared in Volume II of the Lodge of Research Transactions 1922 and is reproduced by kind permssion]
M.E.C V.E.C. Sir Knight Gerard Black
Priest Sir Knight J.M. Lewis
Treasurer Sir Knight William Metcalf
Scribe Sir Knight JamesO'Hara
Senior Knight Sir Knight Edward H. Burne
Junior Knight Sir Knight
C. of G. Sir Knight George Metcalf
Past Chief's Jewel
Great Chief's Council
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The Grand Council of Knight Masons is a Sovereign Masonic Order with control of the ancient Irish degrees known as the Red Cross or Babylonian Degrees. These ancient Irish Degrees of Knight Masonry are of high esoteric and symbolic value and the building of the second Temple forms the theme.
Knight Masonry contains those Degrees which are worked within a Council of Knight Masons under the Jurisdiction of The Grand Council of Knight Masons.
The Grand Council of Knight Masons was formally constituted in 1923 to look after the degrees which were previously worked by Royal Arch Chapters, Preceptories of High Knight Templars and even a Prince Rose Croix Chapter.
The History of the Judean people, as contained in the roll of the Law, including the Books of Ezra, Jeremiah and Esdras, records three outstanding episodes intimately connected with Ancient Irish Universal Masonry:-
1. The building of King Solomon's Temple - Craft Masonry.
2. The repairs of the Temple by King Josiah - Irish Royal Arch Masonry.
3. The building of the Second Temple by Zerubbabel after the return of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin from their seventy years of captivity in Babylon, circa. 536 B.C.E. - Knight Masonry.
Craft Masons, advanced as Mark Master Masons and Royal Arch Masons, are eligible to become Knight Masons, thus attaining the rank and dignity of the complete series of degrees within Irish Universal Masonry.
So by becoming a Knight Mason you are completing a sequence intimately related to the teaching of Masonry.
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3. Link ~ "Notable Events 1923 - 1998" Published By The Grand Council of Knight Masons.
The Paper is in a PDF format
To download Acrobat Reader click here
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