The Grand Council of Knight Masons was formally constituted in 1923 to look after the Degrees which were previously worked by Royal Arch Chapters, Preceptories of High Knight Templars and even a Prince Rose Croix Chapter. The Grand Council of Knight Masons, USA was founded on February 18, 1967.
The Order of Knight Masons is a chivalric Masonic order, open to all Master Masons who are also members of a Royal Arch Chapter, but is by invitation only. Members of the order meet in Councils of Knight Masons which are governed by the Grand Council of Knight Masons, USA. A member of the group is a Knight Mason.
COUNCILS OF KNIGHT MASONS
Councils of Knight Masons are presided over by an Excellent Chief with two other senior officers, namely the Senior Knight and Junior Knight.
When meeting officially, Knight Masons are permitted to form Councils of Knights of the Sword, or Councils of Knight of the East, or Councils of Knights of the East and West in order to confer those particular degrees, therefore the three degrees of Knight Masonry are conferred in three separate Councils, all operating within a Council of Knight Masons.
THE DEGREES
Knight Masonry contains those Degrees which are worked within a Council of Knight Masons under the jurisdiction of The Grand Council of Knight Masons. The three Degrees in Knight Masonry, (formerly known as the Red Cross Degrees), are:
We learn of Zerubabbel’s visit to the court of King Cyrus of Persia. | Covers Zerubabbel’s later visit to the court of King Darius | Zerubabbel returns to his fellow countrymen in Jerusalem |
MISSION
The Grand Council of Knight Masons of the United States of America, in consideration of its origin strives to:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
HISTORY
The history of the Judean people, as contained in the Roll of the Law, including the Books of Ezra, Jeremiah and Esdras, records three outstanding episodes intimately connected with Ancient Irish Universal Masonry:
- The building of King Solomon’s Temple, Craft Masonry
- The repairs of the Temple by King Josiah, Irish Royal Arch Masonry
- The building of the Second Temple by Zerubabbel after the return of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin from their seventy years of captivity in Babylon, circa. 536 B.C.E. Knight Masonry
So by becoming a Knight Mason you are completing a sequence intimately related to the teaching of Masonry.
There are Knight Mason Councils throughout Ireland, United States, South Africa; Hong Kong; Jamaica; Tasmania; India; Gibraltar; Australia; New Zealand; Bermuda, Greece, England and Singapore.