The Green Degrees of Freemasonry

KSigMason

Traveling Templar
Today I was invited into the Order of Knight Masons referred to as the "Green Degrees"

Introduction
Knight Masons councils are honorary bodies who extends invitations for membership to active, hard-working Royal Arch Freemasons. The membership includes many of the leaders of Masonry in the United States, and is considered an honor earned by service to the craft. In the United States, Freemasons are not supposed to ask for membership in Knight Masonry, but rather wait to be invited. One is required to be a Royal Arch Freemason in good standing in his lodge and chapter, be recommended for membership, and pass a unanimous ballot.

The Mission Statement from the Grand Council of Knight Masons, USA, is:
The Grand Council of Knight Masons of the United States of America, in consideration of its origin strives to:
  1. Perpetuate the ancient rituals of the Irish Masonic Canon, (the "Green" degrees) by promoting their frequent and regular conferral inits constituent councils, and by its expectation that such conferral will be executed with an accuracy, a precision, and a dramatic power congruent with the highest traditions of the Masonic institution.
  2. Elevate to membership in its constituent councils only those Freemasons who in their character and persons have amply and thoroughly demonstrated in their Masonic lives, by means of a faithful attachment to the institution, a true and honorable record of service to its goals, and a genuine dedication to its high ideals.
  3. Foster in its constituent councils the regular exploration and studyof the Masonic Tradition and Heritage by means of an aggressive program of scholarly inquiry and research, and to pursue that Masonic learning in the spirit of our Celtic forbears who kept the light of faith burning in times of darkness.
  4. Encourage its constituent councils to discover in the pleasures and diversions of the festive board that warm fellowship and that joyous fraternity, which have ever characterized and actuated the great spirit of this Ancient Craft.
  5. Promote the charitable dimension so central to, and inherent in, Masonic life and tradition by obliging its constituent councils to contribute with customary Masonic liberality to those institutions, both Masonic and non-Masonic, which serve the needs of the greater community.
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Bob Franks

Past District Deputy Grand Lecturer
I know some people who are Knight Masons, but this is the first I've heard of 'Green Degrees.'
I was under the impression that Knight Masons was connected to one of the levels of York Rite.

S&F
 

Zack

Active Member
I know some people who are Knight Masons, but this is the first I've heard of 'Green Degrees.'
I was under the impression that Knight Masons was connected to one of the levels of York Rite.

S&F
I know of a couple of Brothers who refer to themselves as "MasonKnights".
They are Masons and members of the Knights of Colombus.
 

Winter

I've been here before
I know of a couple of Brothers who refer to themselves as "MasonKnights".
They are Masons and members of the Knights of Colombus.
Interesting, since the Catholic Church reiterated its position that membership in the Freemasons places a man in grave state of sin and forbids him from receiving communion and is cause for excommunication.
 

Bob Franks

Past District Deputy Grand Lecturer
Interesting, since the Catholic Church reiterated its position that membership in the Freemasons places a man in grave state of sin and forbids him from receiving communion and is cause for excommunication.
1. That's the churche's rule, not ours. They are welcome as any other non-atheist!
2. Two of the officers of my lodge are communing members of the Roman church.

S&F
 

Winter

I've been here before
1. That's the churche's rule, not ours. They are welcome as any other non-atheist!
2. Two of the officers of my lodge are communing members of the Roman church.
S&F
Don't get me wrong. I'm all for admitting Catholic Brothers. But the fact remains, that according to their religion they are in "a grave state of sin and forbidden from receiving communion." Regardless of whether their local priest allows it or not, or even knows about their affiliation. I am uncomfortable where any man has placed the Craft before his professed faith. What does that say about his commitment to G-d?
 

Winter

I've been here before
And, to get back on topic, look at chart posted by Ksig. The dashed lines represent invitational only bodies. A large number of which have as a requirement membership in a Commandery. This seems to me to be counter to the Masonic ideal. Seek and you will find, ask and it will be answered, knock and it will be opened. But the invitational bodies are proud of the fact that any Brother who asks for entrance into that body cannot enter.

How did we let so many of these invitational only bodies grow from the Craft? I count 18 on that chart. 18 bodies claiming to be Masonry that deny the basic tenets of our Order!

Brother KsigMason, I am sure you have earned your invitation through hard work and dedication. I am not attempting to besmirch that. But I am becoming increasingly incensed at the practices that we have taken for granted in our Fraternity that I feel are not conducive to the betterment of the Craft.
 

KSigMason

Traveling Templar
How did we let so many of these invitational only bodies grow from the Craft? I count 18 on that chart. 18 bodies claiming to be Masonry that deny the basic tenets of our Order!

Brother KsigMason, I am sure you have earned your invitation through hard work and dedication. I am not attempting to besmirch that. But I am becoming increasingly incensed at the practices that we have taken for granted in our Fraternity that I feel are not conducive to the betterment of the Craft.
Many of these bodies stem from overseas and have existed since the earliest days of recorded Freemasonry. St. Thomas of Acon if I remember right was an actual knighthood that went out of practice and the Masons picked it up.
 

Winter

I've been here before
I'm older than the the Masonic Order of St. Thomas! LoL So that argument doesn't hold any water.

"The Order of St. Thomas of Acon was established in 1974 as a result of twenty years' research in the Guildhall Library in London by John E. N. Walker, who for many years was the Secretary General of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia. The ancient records of the Order, written in medieval French and Latin, had been deposited in the Guildhall Library and escaped the Great Fire of 1666. The Order now operates under the official title of The Commemorative Order of St Thomas of Acon."
 

KSigMason

Traveling Templar
In its current form yes. Many would be older than it.

I think the same goes for the Red Cross of Constantine (it being a resurrected chivalric order), but I can't remember.
 

Winter

I've been here before
The Red Cross of Constantine. Another Masonic body I can never join because I do not worship G-d the "correct" way.
 

Gary2112

Troll Stomper
Staff member
Lets face it. You can't join most of them. But that's not an issue for the majority.

However, there is an ancient and VERY exclusive order that is invitation only, and excludes bible thumpers from joining. It is more noble than any that have been mentioned thus far.

What is it? The sacred order of the Knight's who say... ;-p
 
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