Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
History Of The Ancient And Accepted Rite.
; HISTO ^^
IT 4 SraW ^ I ? BIip Ol 1 f HI lOIAI / SEGPTS ( Continued from page 186 . ) Ok the first day of May , 1786 , the Grand Constitution of the 33 rd Degree , called the Supreme Council of Sovereign Grand Inspectors ^
Greneral , was finally ratified by His Majesty the King of Prussia , who ? as Grand Commander of the Order of Princes of the Uoyal Secret ^ possessed the Sovereign Masonic power over the Craft * In the new Constitution , this high power was conferred on a Supreme Council , composed of nine brethren in each nation , who possessed all the Masonic prerogatives in . their own district that His Majesty m ^ dually possessed ^ and are vS ^ y ^ r ^
AH the transactions of S . ' . P . , E . . S . - . required the sanction of Frederick William II . ( who had for many years been the head or patron of the Order ) , or that of his substitute , to establish their legality . Many other prerogatives were attached to his Masonic rank ; and not least in the consideration of the day , it was thought that in the United States of America , who had just then emerged
from what they called " the thraldom of the mother country , " after a long and arduous struggle for their liberty , it would be improper or inexpedient to have the Masonic head and jurisdiction over the Ineffable and Sublime Degrees in another country , and to pay allegiance of any kind to a foreign potentate . These difficulties added to the importance attached to the highest position in
Freemasonry , and the very great caution necessary to prevent an unsuitable person from obtaining an office so respectable , influential , and important , weighed with the King and the high Consistory over which he presided . Upon reading the respectful petitions and statements made to them during the years 1784 and 1785 , the subject w as referred to a highly learned and able committee , who reported this Degree ( 33 rd ) to constitute nine Sublime Princes of the Royal
Secret in each nation a Supreme Council of Sovereign Grand Inspectors-General , and they being duly organized , accredited , and approved , should at his decease possesk all his Masonic prerogatives over the concerns of the Craft within the country or territory over which their jurisdiction extended ; and their appointment was ad vitam . They became the jEivecutive body of the Masonic Fraternity within their territory .
By Article XII . of the Grand Constitution of the 33 rd Degree , the Supreme Council were authorized to exercise the power then possessed by Frederick , in recalling the Patents of Deputy Inspectors- ^ General for improper and un-Masonic conduct , & e . These patents contained the following clauses : " And we hereby authorize and empower our said illustrious Bro , to establish , congregate , superintend , and inspect all Lodges , Chapters , Councils , Colleger , and
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
History Of The Ancient And Accepted Rite.
; HISTO ^^
IT 4 SraW ^ I ? BIip Ol 1 f HI lOIAI / SEGPTS ( Continued from page 186 . ) Ok the first day of May , 1786 , the Grand Constitution of the 33 rd Degree , called the Supreme Council of Sovereign Grand Inspectors ^
Greneral , was finally ratified by His Majesty the King of Prussia , who ? as Grand Commander of the Order of Princes of the Uoyal Secret ^ possessed the Sovereign Masonic power over the Craft * In the new Constitution , this high power was conferred on a Supreme Council , composed of nine brethren in each nation , who possessed all the Masonic prerogatives in . their own district that His Majesty m ^ dually possessed ^ and are vS ^ y ^ r ^
AH the transactions of S . ' . P . , E . . S . - . required the sanction of Frederick William II . ( who had for many years been the head or patron of the Order ) , or that of his substitute , to establish their legality . Many other prerogatives were attached to his Masonic rank ; and not least in the consideration of the day , it was thought that in the United States of America , who had just then emerged
from what they called " the thraldom of the mother country , " after a long and arduous struggle for their liberty , it would be improper or inexpedient to have the Masonic head and jurisdiction over the Ineffable and Sublime Degrees in another country , and to pay allegiance of any kind to a foreign potentate . These difficulties added to the importance attached to the highest position in
Freemasonry , and the very great caution necessary to prevent an unsuitable person from obtaining an office so respectable , influential , and important , weighed with the King and the high Consistory over which he presided . Upon reading the respectful petitions and statements made to them during the years 1784 and 1785 , the subject w as referred to a highly learned and able committee , who reported this Degree ( 33 rd ) to constitute nine Sublime Princes of the Royal
Secret in each nation a Supreme Council of Sovereign Grand Inspectors-General , and they being duly organized , accredited , and approved , should at his decease possesk all his Masonic prerogatives over the concerns of the Craft within the country or territory over which their jurisdiction extended ; and their appointment was ad vitam . They became the jEivecutive body of the Masonic Fraternity within their territory .
By Article XII . of the Grand Constitution of the 33 rd Degree , the Supreme Council were authorized to exercise the power then possessed by Frederick , in recalling the Patents of Deputy Inspectors- ^ General for improper and un-Masonic conduct , & e . These patents contained the following clauses : " And we hereby authorize and empower our said illustrious Bro , to establish , congregate , superintend , and inspect all Lodges , Chapters , Councils , Colleger , and