Resolution 48-05: Preamble and Landmarks
Resolution 48-05: Preamble and Landmarks
Proposed by: DAVID A. GRINDLE, PGIM, ID; WILLIAM G. SNYDER, PGIM, MO; G THOMAS TAYLOR III, PGIM DE
PDF of Full Proposal
PDF of Sponsor Statement
STATEMENT OF THE SPONSORS FOR RESOLUTION 48-05
Background: In the past decade, we discovered that a significant number of our Grand Councils that had been chartered on the International front outside of the United States of America had been subjected to undue influences and domination by other elements of the Ancient York Rite System.
These Grand Councils were being forced to operate as much less than co-equal branches of the American York Rite System within those international jurisdictions.
The lessons, legends and principles of the Cryptic Rite were deemed of little value and disregarded by those in the dominant body. The finances and the elections of the Cryptic Rite leadership were not being controlled by the voting membership of that Grand Council, all contrary to the basic principles and landmarks of the American York Rite System.
This Amendment to the Constitution memorializes the basic principles and landmarks upon which the General Grand Council was formed in 1880 as well as the practices of all versions of the Cryptic Rite operating within the United States of America. If our Companions outside of the United States of America desire to have the full measure and benefit of the American York Rite System, the Solomonic Rule of Three co-equal elements of that System must be preserved. Necessarily, the basics of justice, mercy and equity revolve around the reward of merit and effort rather than entitlement or tyranny.
With adoption of this Amendment, all future charters of Grand Councils that will operate outside of the United States of America will be conditioned upon these essential steps for the preservation of Ancient York Masonry. This will ensure fairness in the administration of the American York Rite System throughout the World and the balance that Solomon, King of Israel, Hiram, King of Tyre and Hiram Abif worked so diligently to achieve in the building of the First Temple.
CHANGES
The following text would be added to serve as a Preamble and set forth the Landmarks of Cryptic Masonry:
Proposed to Read:
PREAMBLE
In peace, love and unity, the General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons, International, is established to promote, preserve and protect the principles and Landmarks of Ancient Freemasonry and of the Cryptic Rite in particular as an essential and co-equal part of the American York Rite System throughout the Masonic World. To that end, we encourage adherence and preservation of those principles and Landmarks in the Cryptic Rite within the United States of America, and we require the establishment and continuation of those principles and Landmarks in the Cryptic Rite outside the United States of America, thereby ensuring the betterment of Freemasonry in all of Creation.
LANDMARKS AND MAXIMS OF CRYPTIC FREEMASONRY
The essential Degrees of Cryptic Masonry in the Universal or American York Rite are the degrees of Royal Master, Select Master, Super Excellent Master, along with the invitational Orders of the Silver Trowel or Thrice Illustrious Master and the Order of the Secret Vault.
All Degrees of Cryptic Masonry are held in trust by any chartered Council or Grand Council.
Concomitantly, any Council or Grand Council chartered by the General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons, International, is issued that charter as a trustee of the Universal or American Cryptic Rite and, as such, must conform to these Landmarks and Maxims to retain recognition by the General Grand Council and the issued charter.
All the Degrees of Cryptic Masonry may only be conferred by a chartered Council or Grand Council.
No Grand Lodge, Grand Chapter, Grand Commandery, Scottish Rite or other Appendant Body of Freemasonry of any jurisdiction may control, supervise, or confer the Degrees of Cryptic Masonry.
No Grand Lodge, Grand Chapter, Grand Commandery, Scottish Rite or other Appendant Body of Freemasonry of any jurisdiction may control, supervise, or dictate the governance of a chartered Council or Grand Council.
The governance of a chartered Council or Grand Council includes the maintenance and determination of membership data, financial revenues and obligations, conduct of elections and installations, and all regalia of the Cryptic Rite.
By affirmative vote of its membership, a Chartered Grand Council may enter into cooperative trust arrangements with either or both the Grand Chapter or Grand Commandery of its jurisdiction for joint administration of clerical services, accountable transfers of payments for necessary expenses including per capita due and owing to the chartering authorities of the General Grand Chapter, General Grand Council or Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America, provision of expenses for physical locations for use, records storage, or meeting sites, and membership database software systems, provided that the governance of that trust arrangement includes representation of the Chartered Grand Council selected solely by the Chartered Grand Council.
A chartered Council or Grand Council is required to hold elections to fill the offices from qualified individuals as specified in a Constitution and Bylaws that has been approved and accepted by its chartering authority.
All chartered Councils or Grand Councils must be governed by the Solomonic Rule of Three, being the elected Cryptic Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master and Grand Principal Conductor of the Work and any action by its governing board must include the affirmative vote of at least two of those three officers.
Beyond these Landmarks and Maxims, a chartered Council or Grand Council is to follow the customs and usages of the recognized Grand Lodge or recognized Grand Lodges with joint authority by recognized treaties over its territorial jurisdiction.