Emblem of the “Most Excellent Master” degree in Duncan’s book about the York Rite. Obviously a construction to lift rocks. The “Mark Capstone” can be held by a “lewis“, so this image combines several symbols.
Category Archives: York Rite
Square, Triangle, Circle
“Super Excellent Master” is a “Cryptic Degree” within the York Rite. Its emblem is a square, a circle and a triangle, either arranged as above, or like below. The figures can also have colours.
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Mitre
The is the emblem of one of the “Allied Degrees” (of the York Rite?). The mitre also features in the/some Royal Arch degrees.
general officer jewel
Unknown
Apparently this is the jewel of on of the “allied degree” (of the York Rite?). Would it be a temple or something?
Compasses, Trowel, Protractor
Jewel of the Past Master in the “Cryptic” degree of the York Rite.
general officer jewel
Triangle, Trowel, Sword
“The Royal & Select Masters’ Emblem. (Found with or without the sword)” (Wikipedia)
Royal & Select Master is a degree in the “Cryptic” part of the York Rite.
Wikimedia Commons
Breastplate
The breastplate of the High Priest features in the Royal Arch and in the Royal Arch degree of the York Rite.
general officer jewel
Cross, Staff and Star
The “Missouri Masonic Family” tree below shows the bewildering number of rites and degrees in America. The White Shrine of Jerusalem appear on the bottom left.
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Shell
The “Missouri Masonic Family” tree below shows the bewildering number of rites and degrees in America. All the way on top of the York Rite (left) you see “St. Thomas of Acorn”.
Also the Swedish Rite knows a shell. Here it is on an 8th degree (“Most Illustrious Brother, Knight of the West”) apron.
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Triangle and Crossed Swords
The “Missouri Masonic Family” tree below shows the bewildering number of rites and degrees in America. As a branch to the York Rite (left) there are three degrees that appear to have crossed swords in a triangle without a star as emblem: Super Excellent Master, Secret Master, Royal Master. To the right you see the same image, but within a star which says “Knight Masons” below.
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In Hoc Signo Vinces
This Templar themed image appears in several places. You see a crown, crossed swords, a Templar cross and the text ‘in this sign we will conquer’. Below you can see it as the emblem of three degrees in the York Rite. Order of the Temple, Order of the Knights of Malta and Order of the Red Cross.
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Triple Cross and Triangle
The “Missouri Masonic Family” tree below shows the bewildering number of rites and degrees in America. As a branch to the York Rite there is an order called “Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priests”.
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Triangle and Compasses
The “Missouri Masonic Family” tree below shows the bewildering number of rites and degrees in America. As a branch to the York Rite there is an order simply called “Allied Masonic Degrees”.
The square is also sometimes replaced by a triangle in French and German Freemasonry. It also happens that there is both a square and compasses and a triangle.
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Square, Compasses and Trowel (?)
Royal and Select Masters (a.k.a. “cryptic” degrees) breast jewel.
(“Cryptic Masonry is the second part of the York Rite system of Masonic degrees”.)
general officer jewel
Triple Tau
Three connected T (Tau) crosses, a Royal Arch symbol used in various Royal Arch degrees.
When unconnected, the triple tau can be found on aprons of Worshipful Masters in some lodges.
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Cipher
There are many different ciphers in use in the various systems of Freemasonry. The “pigpen” above is the most common, but there are many, many more. There are even books with a different cipher for ever degree, such as can be seen in the material of the Gold- und Rosencreutzer. Here are a few varieties for you.
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Pickaxe, Crowbar, Shovel
Working tools of the Royal Arch Mason either in the Ancient And Accepted Scottish Rite (13/14th degree), York Rite (Royal Arch degree) or the Royal Arch.
Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor (1866) by Malcolm C. Duncan
Ark of the Covenant
An old Masonic symbol that nowadays is mostly part of systems of additional degrees such as the York Rite (“Royal Arch” degree) and the Royal Arch.
The Ark of the covenant is -of course- a symbol of the covenant of the Jews with their God.
Les Plus Secret Mysteres (1820) says of it:
The Ark of the Covenant, which contained the Tablets of the Law, the Rod of Aaron, &c.
Interestingly, the image can also be found on an image (of a tracing board) of the oldest known ‘high degree’ ritual from 1747. See here.
The other ‘ark-like’ image is the table with showbread.
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Compasses and Protractor
A “Past Master” is a Freemason who has been Worshipful Master of a lodge. Some “craft” lodges have the emblem above for the Past Master. Later “Past Master” became part of systems of additional degrees, such as the York Rite and the French Rite higher degrees (2nd order). The sun in the middle is not always part of the Past Master symbol. The fifth degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (“Perfect Master”) also has this symbol without the sun. In the rite of Memphis-Misraim the Compasses and Protractor with sun are the emblem of the 14th degree (“Grand Elect”).
Interestingly, the image can also be found on an image (of a tracing board) of the oldest known ‘high degree’ ritual from 1747. See here.
Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor (1866) by Malcolm C. Duncan
Setting Maul
In soms systems a third “craft” / “symbolic” / “blue” degree symbol.
Duncan’s Masonic Ritual and Monitor (1866) by Malcolm C. Duncan