Ritual , Secrecy , and Civil Society –– Volume 1 –– Number 1 –– Spring 2013
Some news from the “ Russian Archives ” about the early history of the high degrees : the Scottish Order in Berlin from 1742 to 1752
Pierre Mollier
The appearance of high degrees , along with their origins , role , and purpose prior to the 1760s , remains one of the most obscure issues in Masonic history . There is little information before 1745 , and what does exist is often allusive and always difficult to interpret . The first reference is a list of English lodges dated 1733 – 1734 , which mentions a “ Scotch Masons Lodge .” The second reference is an excerpt from a Minute Book from the Bath lodge , again in England , recounting that in 1735 brothers were “ admitted and raised to Master Scottish Masons .” 56 In London in 1740 , the Minute Book of the Old Lodge no . 1 also records that on June 17 , brethren were named “ Scottish Master Masons .” The next evidence turns up in Paris , where on December 11 , 1743 , the Grande Loge de France , in article 20 of its Ordonnances Générales , warns brethren against what appears to be a new development : “ Having heard recently that some brethren are presenting themselves as Scottish Masters , and in certain lodges , claim rights and privileges …” 57 Writings from this period , such as L ’ Ordre des Francs-maçons trahis , Le Parfait Maçon , and La Franc-maçonne , all allude to this “ Secret of Scottish Masons … which is starting to become known in France .” 58 Finally , in 1745 , the “ Statutes drawn up by the R . L . St . Jean de Jérusalem ” on June 24 leave no room for doubt , as they state : “ Ordinary Masters will meet with the Irish and Perfect Masters three months after St-John ’ s Day ; Elect Masters six months after ; Scottish Masters nine months after ; and those holding higher degrees when they deem it necessary .” 59 With very few documents and with just a few lines at most in each , it is clear that a more complete understanding of this difficult question depends above all on the discovery of new archives .
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 56 Concerning the questions about the appearance of the high degrees , see : Alain Berheim ,
“ Did Early ‘ High ’ or Ecossais Degrees Originate in France ?” Heredom 5 ( 1996 ): 87 – 113 , which presents an extremely clear overview of this complex issue . Concerning the few English documents that refer to “ Scott Master Masons ” in the 1730s and 1740s , refer to the second section of the article “ Earliest evidence of Écossais , ‘ Scotch ’ or ‘ High ’ degrees ” ( p . 96 ). For details concerning these documents , see Eric Ward , “ Early Masters ’ Lodges and Their Relation to Degrees ,” A . Q . C . no . 75 ( 1962 ): 131 , and in the same batch , the second section of the study “ Scots Masters and the Embryo R . A .,” pp . 155 – 181 . 57 Ms . Ref XX-239 , housed in the G . O . library in the Netherlands , from the Lerouge
collection ( no . 334 ), then from the collection of Dr . G . Kloss ; presented , translated and edited by Alain Bernheim , Travaux Villard de Honnecourt no . 17 ( 1988 ): 129 . 58 “ La Parfait Maçon ou les Véritables secrets des quatre grades d ’ apprentis ,
Compagnons , Maîtres ordinnaires et Ecossois de la Franche-Maçonnerie ,” BN Mss FM Baylot Impr . 312 ; The publication date of 1744 was given by Wolfstieg ( bib . no . 29958 ), as the copyright page indicates only “ Imprimé cette année ” (“ printed this year ”). 59 BN Mss FM 2 362 . Discovered and edited by Alain Le Biah , Franc-Maçons et Ateliers
parisiens de la Grande Loge de France au XVIIIé siècle , Paris Bibliothèque Nationale 1973 . History and presentation of the document , pp . 391 – 401 .
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