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Cryptic Mason
The
Councils of Cryptic Masons form the center body of the York Rite of
Freemasonry. A Master Mason may join a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons and
receive the four degrees of that organization. After which he may seek
further knowledge in Freemasonry and join a Council of Cryptic Masons.
CRYPTIC RITE
No
rite of Freemasonry has come into its own so much as the series of
degrees known as the Cryptic Rite, also known as the Cryptic Masons. Its
popularity is well deserved for there are no more beautiful or
meaningful degrees in all Freemasonry that those conferred in the
Council of Cryptic Masons.
One reason for its popularity is that it completes a story, a Masonic
allegory. Freemasonry is very philosophical and teaches its ideals by
allegory or story. This philosophy is moralistic and religious however
Freemasonry is not a religion., nor a substitute for one. A requirement
for membership in Freemasonry is a professed belief in God and eternal
life. It is mandatory that a man profess a personal faith in a Supreme
Being prior to becoming a Freemason. Freemasonry never attempts to alter
any ones beliefs. Freemasonry offers no theology or plan of salvation.
However, it does offer a moral plan to use in this world. Leaving the
Mason to look to his religion for salvation into the next world.
Ancient Cryptic Masonry centers around the story of the preservation,
loss and recovery of the Word. The Word represents mans search for
life's
purpose and the nature of GOD. Symbolic Freemasonry, as in the Lodge,
teaches of the loss of the Word and hope for its recovery. Royal Arch
Masonry, as in the Chapter, teaches its recovery. Cryptic Masonry, as in
the Council, completes this story by teaching of the Words initial
preservation.
ORIGIN OF THE DEGREES
As
in many of the Masonic degrees, the origins of the degrees of Cryptic
Masonry are shrouded in mystery. Yet, they have attained a substantial
growth and one out of every two Royal Arch Masons is a Cryptic Mason.
Nearly two hundred years ago the degrees of Royal Master and Select
Master appeared. Traveling Masonic lecturers throughout the East were
conferring them upon Masons, while engaging in instructing in Craft
(Lodge) and Capitular (Chapter) degrees. Even one Supreme Council of the
Scottish Rite included the degree of Select Master as one of its
detached degrees. But, these beautiful degrees were not to remain
detached for any length of time. The state of Connecticut bore the first
Grand Council in 1819. In Virginia and West Virginia the degrees
developed in the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons where they still remain.
In the 1870s a General Grand Council was formed for the United States of
America. Today this Grand Council numbers most of the Grand Councils in
the United States, as well as the western section of Canada.
The Shriners (Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine) limits
its membership to Knights Templar (York Rite) and 32 degree (Scottish
Rite) Masons. Until a few years ago, Cryptic Masonry was not a series of
degrees which one had to take to meet requirements to join the Shriners
or the Commandery of Knights Templar. However, in recent years a large
number of Grand Commanderies of Knights Templar have made the Cryptic
degrees a prerequisite for the Temple orders. Also, making it a York
Rite perquisite for the Shrine. It appears that even more Grand
Commanderies will adopt this policy in the years ahead.
THE VAULT AND THE MYSTERIES
Biblical students and archaeologists know of the vaults or crypts
beneath King Solomon's Temple. Masonic Degrees were probably not actually
conferred in these vaults. However, such a legend does persist
throughout Freemasonry. The legends, conveyed in this system of degrees
form a beautiful allegory or story. The Masonic author, Albert G.
Mackey, writing of the vault, says: The vault was, therefore, in the
ancient mysteries, symbolic of the grave; for initiation was symbolic of
death, where alone Divine Truth is to be found. Freemasons have adopted
the same idea. They teach that death is but the beginning of Life; that
if the first, or evanescent Temple of our transitory life be on the
surface, we must descend into the secret vault of death before we can
find that sacred deposit of Truth, which is to adorn our second Temple
pf Eternal Life. This teaching is not unusual in Freemasonry since as
was stated previously the requirements for membership include a
professed belief in God and ones eternal life.
THE USE OF THE NAME CRYPTIC
The degrees of the | 
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