A Message From the Most Illustrious Grand Master

Companions, Brethren and Friends:

For those who may not know about the Council of Royal and Select Masters, we fill two places within the family of Freemasonry. With the Masonic Lodge and the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, we form a Circle of Perfection; the degrees we confer complete the allegorical stories and lessons taught by those two bodies. With the Chapter and the Commandery of Knights Templar we form the York Rite side of the Masonic Pyramid. Membership in both Lodge and Chapter is a prerequisite for Membership in a Council. Membership in a Council is now a requirement for the membership in a Commandery. A more detailed description of these degrees is elsewhere on this website.

We are referred to as "Cryptic" Masons, from the place where our degrees are deemed to take place. A crypt is a vault, either wholly or partly underground, that is usually used as a tomb or mausoleum. This implies that what has been placed in the crypt has served its purpose, and is being given an honored place of rest. A thoughtful understanding of the lessons taught in our degrees, especially when taken in context with the other degrees of the Circle of Perfection, will bring you to the realization that what is found in our crypt was placed there for safekeeping, to be found and shared at a later date.

Ours is a lesson of the merits of forethought and planning, of the value of thinking of those who will follow us. Everything each of us does, or fails to do, will affect everyone around us. No act that you reach take affects only you. The ripples from the stone you toss into the water reaches all the way to the other side of the lake. If too many people unthinkingly throw pebbles into the lake it will fill up with pebbles, and no longer be a lake.

What was sheltered in the crypt, when found by worthy men, will make the world better for all who have searched for it. It is the manner in which we search and the purpose for which we use the treasure that we find, that improves us as men and as masons.

Our Grand Council was founded on November 26, 1860 and we will shortly be celebrating our 150th anniversary. I hope to see you there and a special thanks to John Barnes PGHP for his input.

Fraternally,

Herbert R. Wood,
Most Illustrious Grand Master, 2007-2008

Latest update to this page: Wednesday, March 14, 2007.

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