Past Masters - Actual and Virtual

By Ward K. St. Clair

Past Master, Lodge of United Services No. 1118, New York, and a Past High Priest of his Chapter.

Major, United States Signal Corps

    In the United States and parts of Canada there are two types of Past Masters.  They are the actual and virtual Past Masters.

    An actual Past Master is one who has been elected and installed as Master of a symbolic lodge.  Most grand lodges define a Past Master according to these terms.  Since this article is intended to deal with the degree of “Past Master” as controlled by chapters of Royal Arch Masons, we will not discuss further the Past Masters of the lodge except to state that the two are separate and distinct.

    A virtual Past Master is one who has received the degree of “Past Master” in a chapter of Royal Arch Masons as a preliminary or qualifying step to the Royal Arch Degree.  It entitles the recipient to no distinctive rights outside a Royal Arch Chapter.

    We are told that the Past Master degree has no historical connection with the other capitular degrees, and that it sheds no light upon itself, but is used only to satisfy an ancient requirement that none but Past Masters could be exalted to the degree of Royal Arch Mason.  How true is this?  Also, how binding is it?

Stated Meeting Notice

The next Stated Meeting of Washington Chapter No. 2, Royal Arch Masons, will be held at the Masonic Hall at 4911 Montrose Boulevard at 7:00 PM on Monday, September 9, 2019.  Members of the Chapter are encouraged to attend.  All Royal Arch Masons are welcome.

Proper attire is recommended.

Stated Meeting Notice

The next Stated Meeting of Houston Council No. 1, Royal and Select Masters, will be held at the Masonic Hall at 4911 Montrose Boulevard at 7:00 PM on August 12, 2019.  Members of the Council are encouraged to attend.  All Royal and Select Masters are welcome.

Proper attire is recommended.

Rabboni

by 

N. TRACY WALKER

      The word “rabboni” occupies a unique position in our Masonic vocabulary, yet the literature relating to the word, and to the Most Excellent Master degree wherein it comes to our attention, is extremely thin.  A great need exists for scholarly additions to that literature – particularly in the areas of historical development and philosophical definition.  However, this paper will limit itself to a consideration of certain ramifications implicit in several of the unique aspects of the word.

    Every degree now under the control of a recognized rite in the United States contains one or more words which are central to the communication of that degree.  Such words are usually characterized as principal and/or passwords, and are always indispensable elements of the degree – in some instances being the only really essential element.  Generally they allude to phenomena central to the theme of the degree, to physical objects associated with the degree or its setting, to places or personalities celebrated in connection with the events of the degree, to moral virtues promulgated in the degree, and the like.  In many instances the association of word and degree are remote, but an effort is always made to establish a relationship between them.

Stated Meeting Notice

The next Stated Meeting of Washington Chapter No. 2, Royal Arch Masons, will be held at the Masonic Hall at 4911 Montrose Boulevard at 7:00 PM on Monday, May 13, 2019.  Members of the Chapter are encouraged to attend.  All Royal Arch Masons are welcome.

Proper attire is recommended.