"Talking Points"

New Jersey

Council of Deliberation

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in America

In 1732, the first "Ecossais" or Scottish Lodge, was organized in Bordeaux, one of the oldest and most influential Masonic centers in France. The membership included Scottish and English Masons. The years 1738-40 saw the formation of the first "Hauts Grades" or advanced degrees.

The founder of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in America. On the 27th of August, 1761, the "Deputies General of the Royal Art, Grand Wardens, and officers of the Grand Severin Lodge of Saint John of Jerusalem established at Paris," so reads the document itself, granted a Patent to Etienne Morin herein after referred to as Stephen Morin, by which he was empowered "to multiply the Sublime Degrees of High Perfection, and to create Inspectors in all places where the Sublime Degrees are not established."

History - United Supreme Council, AASR, PHA, NJ, U.S.A., Inc.

Stephen Morin appointed several Deputy Inspectors General, and gave them the authority to spread the "Superior Degrees of Free and Accepted Masons" in their various territories. While Morin died in 1771, before the first official Supreme Council was formed at Charleston in 1801, he deserves credit for laying the foundation of the organization we know so well today.

The first Scottish Rite organization among African-Americans was the African Grand Council of 1820 in Philadelphia, which was referred to as a Council of Princes of Jerusalem arose through the West Indian migration, for the establishment of the Rite of Perfection in the Western Hemisphere.

In 1850 the minutes of the King David Supreme Council included a reference to a merger of African Grand Councilwith the King David Supreme Council, the first Prince Hall Council.

The Organization of the King David Supreme Council grew out of the conferring in Philadelphia (1850) of the 33rd Degree by Count DeSaint Laurent (also, Larine) of the Supreme Council of France and the Grand Commander of the Council of Spain on Illustrious David Leary, 33° the first Black Inspector-General of the Prince Hall Scottish Rite.

Prior to 1881, five Supreme Councils were in existence in the United States of America among African- American Freemasons:

1. King David Supreme Council - 1850 (Philadelphia)

2. Supreme Council of the United States or De Bulow Supreme Council - 1864 (New York)

3. Supreme Council, Southern and Western Jurisdiction - 1869 (Washington)

4. Supreme Council of the Southern States or Star of Bethlehem Council - 1870 (Baltimore)

5. King Fredrick Supreme Council - 1879 (Philadelphia)

Five Supreme Councils in close proximity to each other eventually required a course correction. Through a series of meetings in New York City of all five (5) Supreme Councils in late 1880/early 1881, a framework for a union in the spirit of the Grand Constitution of 1786 was agreed upon.

King David Supreme Council and King Frederick Supreme Council consolidated in 1881 to form the United Supreme Council, AASR, PHA, Northern Jurisdiction (USC-NJ).

Supreme Council for the Southern and Western Jurisdiction and Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction consolidated to form the United Supreme Council, AASR, PHA, Southern Jurisdiction (USC-SJ).

The United States Supreme Council maintained its independent status despite originally agreeing to merged with the USC-SJ. * Note: The United Supreme Council, AASRM, 33rd And Last Degree of Freemasonry, For the Southern and Western Masonic Jurisdiction, USA. (A Bogus Scottish Rite Body)

Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America

On April 9, 1881, the United Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Thirty Third Degree of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America (our name at that time), commanded by Ill. William H. Cooper, 33°, was formed from the amalgamation of both the Philadelphia bodies and the New York body. On April 28, 1881, the Scottish Rite degrees were conferred on Ill. Charles N. Robinson (Past Grand Master) who became the first Commander-In-Chief of DeHugo Consistory No. 2, Camden, NJ, serving under the leadership of Ill. Alexander T. Bowman, 33°, the first Deputy for the Orient of New Jersey.

Scottish Rite Recognition

On January 23, 1995 official Scottish Rite recognition and fraternal bonds were formally established between the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction (Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction) and the Prince Hall United Supreme Council (United Supreme Council, AASR, PHA, NJ, U.S.A., Inc.in Lexington, Massachusetts. To solidify the agreement a official document of Scottish Rite recognition was signed by Ill. Robert O. Ralston, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander and Ill. Samuel Brogdon Jr., 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander.

Scottish Rite “Statement of Unity”

On September 7, 2022, the Sovereign Grand Commanders of the four mutually recognized Scottish Rite Jurisdictions in the U.S.A., signed a “Statement of Unity”, following Sovereign Grand Commander’s affixed their names and seals to the document of Scottish Rite Unity.

Sole and Legitimate Conservators of Scottish Rite Freemasonry in the USA

Ill. James D. Cole, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction

Ill. Corey D. Hawkins, Sr., 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander United Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction

Ill. Walter F. Wheeler, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander Supreme Council, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction

Ill. Dr. Melvin J. Bazemore, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander United Supreme Council, Northern Jurisdiction

New Jersey Council of Deliberation

Ill. Commander-In-Chief: Ill. Ricardo McNeil – Deputy for the Orient of New Jersey

Orient Consistories: DeHugo Consistory No. 2, Valley of Camden (1881); Douglass Consistory No. 10, Valley of Plainfield (1893); Mount Calvary Consistory No. 22, Valley of Atlantic City (1894); Sardonias Consistory No. 41, Valley of Newark (1918); Ophir Consistory No. 48, Valley of Trenton (1921) and Samuel W. Gordon Consistory No. 50, Valley of Asbury Park (1922).

Bogus Scottish Rite Bodies (Reference: Phylaxis Society)

New Jersey

Alpha and Omega Supreme Council, A.A.S.R.
King Solomon Grand Council, National Supreme Council, Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite
King Hiram Grand Council, Supreme Council of America, Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite Masons, Inc.
Reformed Universal Masonic Brotherhood and Order of Eastern Star, Inc. (Scottish Rite Affiliation)

District of Columbia (Washington, DC)

United Supreme Council Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite for the 33rd Degree of Freemasonry

Southern Jurisdiction, Prince Hall Affiliated Grand Orient of the District of Columbia

Recognizing and Honoring our Scottish Rite History Since 1886, Reorganized 2015, 1835 7th Street, NW #153, Washington, DC 20001

Scottish Rite Unity

The Scottish Rite Unity Compact affirms that the four signatory Supreme Councils are the sole and legitimate conservators of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in the United States of America.

Accordingly, any Scottish Rite body that is not affiliated with or recognized by one of these four signatory Supreme Councils is not recognized under the Unity Compact and is regarded as an irregular and illegitimate Scottish Rite body, lacking recognized authority to confer or administer the authentic degrees of the Scottish Rite.

Oath of Fealty (Breach of)

If any Frater has Scottish Rite Masonic Intercourse with member(s) of the clandestine, irregular and bogus Supreme Council our Constitution requires that you will be willfully forfeit your membership within this body.

See: Oath of Fealty

2010 Constitutions and General Regulations of the United Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation Northern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., INC. APPENDIX I (Page 114)