Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Rite
District of South Africa, North West
V Ill Bro. Prof. E G Charlesworth 33rd Degree
Inspector General
District Recorder:
Ill Bro. D G Penrose, 32nd Degree
174 Blairgowrie Drive
Blairgowrie 2194
Home Phone: 011 787 5883
Cell Phone: 082 787 5883
Email: penrose@vodamail.co.za
Please also visit the website of the Supreme Council for England and Wales
History and Origin
While some of the degrees within this Rite may have had an earlier origin, the Rite as such appears to have germinated around the early 1760s when a list of 25 degrees were drawn up, several of which were probably in name only. While there were various rival bodies controlling Rites of so-called Scottish degrees, it was the Grand Lodge of France in conjunction with the Council of Knights of the East who deputed Stephen Morin to promulgate Masonry in the West Indies, and from his labours Scottish Rite Masonry in America took its footing. By about 1765 a Rite of Perfection of 25 degrees was being practised both in Continental Europe and the Americas, and towards the end of the century the Rite was increased to 33 degrees. In 1801 a Supreme Council was formed in Charleston, South Carolina and in 1819 a patent was granted to the Duke of Sussex to form a Supreme Council in England, but he failed to act upon it, probably due to his keen desire to see the United Grand Lodge consolidate its 'purist' policy, which of course excluded all chivalric degrees, because from around 1775 the Rose Croix degree had been worked as a final or 'Ne plus ultra' degree of most English Knight Templar encampments. It was not until 1845 that the Supreme Council for England and Wales was formed and eventually assumed control of all independent Rose Croix degrees.
The degrees of the Rite are:
- Apprentice (Not worked by the Supreme Council)
- Companion (Not worked by the Supreme Council)
- Master (Not worked by the Supreme Council)
- Secret Master
- Perfect Master
- Intimate Secretary
- Provost & Judge
- Intendant of the Buildings
- Elect of Nine
- Elect of Fifteen
- Sublime Elect
- Grand Master Architect
- Royal Arch of Enoch
- Grand Elect Perfect and Sublime Master
- Knight of the Sword or of the East
- Prince of Jerusalem
- Knight of the East & West
- Knight of the Pelican and Eagle and Sovereign Prince Rose Croix of H.R.D.M.
- Grand Pontiff
- Venerable Grand Master
- Patriarch Noachite
- Prince of Libanus
- Chief of the Tabernacle
- Prince of the Tabernacle
- Knight of the Brazen Serpent
- Prince of Mercy
- Commander of the Temple
- Knight of the Sun
- Knight of St Andrew
- Grand Elected Knight K.H., Knight of the Black and White Eagle
- Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander
- Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret
- Sovereign Grand Inspector General
It is normal for one or two of the intermediate degrees (4°17°) to be demonstrated in full in South Africa every year; understandably such meetings are very well supported. Today there are in excess of 1190 Chapters owing allegiance to this sovereign body, and while the majority are situated in England and Wales the Supreme Council has warranted chapters of this Order in over 20 different countries.
Reference: 'Beyond the Craft' by Keith B Jackson. Published by: Ian Allan Publishing
| Chapter | Meeting Place |
|---|---|
| Composite Chapter No. 443 | Johannesburg, Park Lane |
| Golden Rand Chapter No. 934 | Carletonville |
| Holy Rood Chapter No. 550 | Johannesburg, Park Lane |
| Klerksdorp Chapter No. 661 | Johannesburg, Park Lane |
| Northern Transvaal Chapter No. 785 | Polokwane |
| Praetoria Chapter No. 125 | Pretoria, The Willows |
| Rosa Sine Spina Chapter No. 1189 | Co-Masonry Temple,Craighall |
| Rosepark Chapter No. 721 | Johannesburg, Park Lane |
| Southern Chapter No. 766 | Johannesburg,Rewlatch |
| St Aubyn's Chapter No. 818 | Johannesburg, Park Lane |
| St John the Divine Chapter No. 824 | Vereeniging |
| Vivian Chapter No. 514 | Johannesburg, Park Lane |