Royal Order of Scotland

THE ROYAL ORDER OF SCOTLAND - A Brief Historical Sketch
by R.W. Bro. C.C. Nisbet, Past Deputy Governor of thr Order

The Royal Order comprises two Degrees, that of Heredom of Kilwinning, and that of the Rosy Cross. Tradition tells us that the former was established in Judea, in Palestine, but whether at the time of the Crusades or of much earlier origin, tradition is silent.

The word "Heredom" has been variously interpreted, but for the obvious derivation is from the Hebrew word "Harodim," meaning "The Rulers," and the name of Kilwinning refers to the re-establishment of the Order by King Robert the Bruce at Kilwinning, where he presided as its first Grand Master.

The Degree of Heredom of Kilwinning is a peculiarly interesting Degree and full of instruction to Craft Masons, as in its lectures it explains the symbolism and teaching contained in the first three Degrees of St. John's Masonry.

The Rosy Cross Degree, tradition informs us, took its origin on the Field of Bannockburn, on St. John's Day 1314, and was instituted by King Robert the Bruce, who having in the course of the battle for Scottish independence received signal assistance from a body of Freemasons, conferred upon them as a reward for their services the civil rank of Knighthood. He granted them permission to confer it on such Scottish Freemasons professing the Christian religion as had shown themselves worthy of the honour. The number
on whom the Knighthood might be conferred was limited to sixty-three, but in later years, owing to the large number of worthy Freemasons that coveted this honour, the Grand Lodge of the Order, when it found it necessary to establish Provincial Grand Lodges elsewhere than Scotland, granted each Provincial Grand Lodge permission to promote sixty-three Freemasons of the Degree of Heredom to the honour of Knighthood under the Grand Lodge. In some Provincial Grand Lodges where the members of Heredom number many hundreds, special powers have been given to increase the number of Knights of the Rosy Cross. This degree, as its name implies, deals more with the subject matter of the Rose Croix Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite than with that of Craft Masonry. The Degree of Knighthood can only be conferred in the Grand Lodge of the Royal Order, which has its seat in Edinburgh, or by special authority by a Provincial Grand Master or his deputy. This authority is purely personal to a Provincial Grand Master, and cannot be transmitted by him to his successors.

By the Constitution of the Royal Order, the King of Scotland is its Hereditary Grand Master, for whom at every meeting of the Order, wherever held, a vacant chair or throne must be placed at the right hand of the presiding officer. The Acting head of the Order is the Deputy Grand Master and Governor, who appoints a Deputy Governor.

There are no reliable records in existence tracing the history of the Order from its alleged revival in 1314 to the middle of the eighteenth century, when it appears to have flourished in France about the years 1735-40 under the adherents of the Jacobite Cause, who being refugees from Scotland practiced these Degrees no doubt for the purpose of maintaining a common bond of union among them in a foreign land. It is stated that in 1747 a Charter, which was in existence in 1840, granted by Prince Charles Edward Stuart to the Masonic Lodge at Arras, he described himself as Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of "Rose Croix de Heredim de Kilwinning."

The ceremonies of the Degrees are peculiarly interesting, being markedly different from those of other Degrees of Freemasonry, and part of the Ritual is rendered in an irregular versified rhyming form. The original French manuscript of the Ritual, rendered in that language, is in possession of the Grand Lodge of the Order in Edinburgh.

From France the Order seems to have taken up in England, where it flourished for a few years, probably from 1741 to 1750, and on the 22nd day of July of that year the Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of Scotland was re-constituted in Edinburgh, where it has ever since had its headquarters.

Originally, membership of the Order was limited to Scotsman or those of Scottish descent, but later the privilege was extended to Master Masons of other nationalities. The Order has now, besides Provincial grand Lodges in Gibraltar, in New Brunswick, in the Open Ports of China and Hong-Kong, in Western India, in Ontario, in Vancouver, in the United States of America, in the Philippine Islands, in Natal and Zululand, in Cape Colony, in The Transvaal, and in Geneva. In the United States of America the Degree is very highly prized, and is not conferred on anyone who has not received the Thirty-second Degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite.

The Order is one which is, from its historical associations, peculiarly interesting to Scotsmen, and each year on the 4th of July (old style), the anniversary of the day on which the Battle of Bannocknurn was fought, the Grand Lodge of the Order, as well as some of its Provincial Grand Lodges, continue the ancient custom of the Order by holding a festival, at which the Toast of Immortal Memory of King Robert the Bruce, the hero of Bannockburn and Restorer of the Order, is proposed in an oration by one of the Brethren, and honoured in silence. The Degrees of the Order are most beautiful and impressive, and inculcate the three great principles of Freemasonry, viz; ---Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP

by Sir Marvin E. Fowler:
"Each Applicant MUST HAVE BEEN A MASTER MASON FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS and MUST BE A TRINITARIAN CHRISTIAN and a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason. All applicants must be entitled to honor in Masonry because of services performed for the Craft, the Church or the public. Offices held in Masonic Bodies are considered as evidence of service performed to the Craft. Also honors already received in the fraternity, such as K.C.C.H., the 33rd degree, The Red Cross of Constantine, The K.Y.C.H. and etc. Also considered are services such as offices held in Churches; activity on Boards and Committees. Active work with the Boy Scouts, DeMolays, Community drives and etc., are other types of evidence of service performed for one's fellow-man. Each application is judged on its own merit, and not on rigid requirements. The concern is that applicants meet the basic requirements and are also worthy of the honor of membership as a reward for services that they have performed."