Masonry is a succession of allegories, the mere vehicles of great lessons in morality and philosophy. We more fully appreciate its spirit, its object, its purposes, as we advance in the different Degrees, which we have found to constitute a great, complete, and harmonious system. 

Imagine not that you will become indeed a Mason by learning what is commonly called the "work", or even by becoming familiar with our traditions. Masonry has a history, a literature, and a philosophy. Its allegories and traditions will teach you much; but much is to be sought elsewhere. The streams of learning that now flow full and broad must be followed to their heads in the springs that well up in the remote past, and you will there find the origin and meaning of Masonry. 

A few rudimentary lessons in architecture, a few universally admitted maxims of morality, traditions whose real meaning is unknown or misunderstood, will no longer satisfy the earnest inquirer after Masonic truth. Let whosoever is content with these; seek to climb no higher. He who desires to understand the harmonious and beautiful proportions of Freemasonry must read, study, reflect, digest, and discriminate. The true Mason is an ardent seeker after knowledge, and he knows that both books and the antique symbols of Masonry are vessels which come down to us with the intellectual riches of the past that sheds light on the history of Masonry, and proves its claim to be acknowledged the benefactor of mankind. 

The Scottish Rite is a system of Masonic degrees, which elaborate and supplement the content of the three craft degrees. It recognises the supremacy and exclusive jurisdiction of Grand Lodges over the first three degrees of Masonry. It greatly strengthens and extends their teachings by ritual, drama and allegory. 

The Scottish Rite holds that no degree has a higher value than that of Master Mason. The candidate however, seldom grasps the instruction given in the Craft degrees. He needs further instruction and enlightenment to understand the great truths, which Freemasonry teaches. 

The first three degrees are but the wonderful entrance to the great Temple of Freemasonry. He would seek more light, more knowledge of the mission and symbolism of Freemasonry, a more complete interpretation of the teachings of the Craft degrees, as well as acceptance into a very special fellowship and Brotherhood, can obtain these within the Scottish Rite. The Craft degrees are the ground base of Masonry. Without them, Freemasonry would not exist.

The Scottish Rite builds a superstructure on this firm base, and so provides a means whereby the earnest seeker after truth may receive further and deeper knowledge and understanding of the same great truths.  

The Scottish Rite evolved in France and dates from about 1754 when a Chapter of Clermont was founded in Paris with seven degrees. There is an earlier record of a Rose Croix Chapter in France, said to have been chartered in 1747 by Charles Edward Stuart. By 1758 the system had become a Rite of twenty-five degrees known as the Rite of Perfection, whose Grand Constitutions were issued in 1762. 

In 1761 Stephen Morin was designated to introduce the Rite into the New World. He first established the Rite in Kingston, Jamaica and in San Domingo. On the main land, bodies were set up at New Orleans in 1763, Albany, N.Y. in 1767, at Philadelphia in 1782, and at Charleston, S.C. in 1783. 

In 1786 "Grand Constitutions" were enacted in an attempt to bring order out of the chaotic condition of the degrees in Europe. It was these Constitutions which brought "The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite" into formal existence, enlarging the number of degrees to thirty-three, with the 33rd degree as a governing Supreme Council. 

Under the Grand Constitutions of 1786, Frederick the Great of Prussia was the titular head of the Rite, but, as he was suffering from terminal illness at the time, the extent of his participation must be questioned. Nevertheless, his motto," God and my right" has become the motto of all Supreme Councils. It may be noted that this is the same motto as that of the British Royal House. 

No degree of the Scottish Rite seems to have had its actual origin in Scotland. The term "Scottish" is a translation of the French "Ecossais" in the French titles of some of the degrees of the Rite of Perfection. There may well be a traditional connection here. One or two of the degrees were long supposed to have been devised by the Chevalier Andrew Michael Ramsay, a learned Scotsman, tutor to Prince Charles Edward, the Young Pretender. These degrees seem to have afforded a meeting place for those in exile in France, who were adherents of the Stuarts and who were plotting for the restoration of James II and his son to the throne of England. 

In 1801, a Supreme Council was opened in Charleston, S.C., under the 1786 Constitutions, absorbing the previously existing Rite of Perfection.

This Supreme Council subsequently issued warrants for other Supreme Councils. All other regular Supreme Councils of today are descended, directly or indirectly from this, the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction, United States of America. 

In 1813 the Southern Jurisdiction established the Supreme Council 33rd degree for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States. In 1845 the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction warranted a Supreme Council in England and Wales which, in 1874, authorised the formation of the Supreme Council for Canada. At the time our Supreme Council was chartered, Scottish Rite Bodies were already operative in Hamilton, Ont., 1868; London, Ont., 1868; St. John, N.B., 1868; Halifax, N.S., 1870; Toronto, Ont., 1873, and Montreal, Que., 1873. Our Supreme Council is in amity with some 32 other Supreme Councils throughout the world and four National Grand Lodges in the Scandinavian countries.

The whole of Canada constitutes a single Scottish Rite Jurisdiction. Here I use the term "Scottish Rite", Which is the short form of the full name, "The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Freemasonry of Canada".

1965 began a new era in Scottish Rite involvement, and has continued to dominate our charitable activities, one of our great principles. A group of outstanding Scottish Rite Masons organised and founded The Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation of Canada, with the approval of Supreme Council. This Foundation was registered with Revenue Canada, and is now classed as a Private Foundation. Supreme Council donated $100,000, which was the beginning of our capital fund. This Capital Fund has grown substantially each year and currently sits at $4.5 million.

Revenue from the Capital Fund has been distributed each year to conform to the regulations of Revenue Canada. In the early years this revenue was used to assist students in the form of bursaries, in research into the causes, prevention and treatment of Mental Retardation. These last few years the Foundation has funded major research projects in various institutions across Canada, still in mental retardation, and recently expanded into research for the causes and treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. Both of these fields of research have shown encouraging results. These major projects are thoroughly screened by an Awards Committee to verify they fulfil the guidelines as laid down by the directors. The Directors receive no financial remuneration, and Supreme Council assists in many ways to minimise expenses. 

All donations to the Foundation are tax exempt, and may be made at any time and in any program convenient to the donor. Increasing amounts are being received in bequests from Estates of deceased members, and many donations are in the form of memorials. 

We recently have seen funding locally into further research into the causes and treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. 

The Edmonton Scottish Rite Grand Almoners Fund for the past five years has offered lodgings and food for a period of up to three days for victims ravaged by fire. No questions or applications to fill out, the Red Cross handles the details and we take care of the bills.

 Application for membership in the Scottish Rite is open to members in good standing in any Canadian Craft Lodge who have been Master Masons for not less than six months. Continued membership in a Craft Lodge is required to maintain good standing in the Scottish Rite. 

Acceptance for membership is subject to the usual Masonic conditions of residence, sponsors investigation and ballot. Physical impairment is not a disqualification. Belief in a Supreme Being is, as in Craft degrees, an essential requirement. 

The government of the Scottish Rite in Canada resides in the Supreme Council 33rd degree, which selects and elects its own membership. It is composed of Sovereign Grand Inspectors-General, Active Members and Past Active Members. Associated with them are Honorary Inspectors-General, 33rd degree, these are distinguished Brethren selected for their service to their country or to humanity. 

Subordinate Bodies are, separately and independently, responsible to Supreme Council for certain degrees. 

These Subordinate Bodies are three: 

1st. Lodge of Perfection confers the 4th to 14th degrees, inclusive. The degrees continue the story of the building of King Solomon's Temple, and amplify and conclude the legend of the Master Mason degree. It is to one of these Lodges that a Master Mason applies for membership.

2nd. Chapters of Rose Croix confer the 15th to 18th degrees inclusive. The 15th and 16th degrees relate to the rebuilding of the second Temple by Zerubbabel.

The 17th degree is an approach to, and the 18th degree recognition of the Christian ethic, but in universal terms, thus assisting in the building, in our hearts, of the Third Temple, not made with our hands. 

3rd. Consistories confer the 19th to the 32nd degrees inclusive. These degrees, often elaborate and highly dramatic, cover a variety of approaches to Masonic teaching. Some have the Crusades as a background. The 30th, 31st and 32nd degrees culminate the teachings of the Scottish Rite, and must be conferred in full ritual form. 

A candidate is not required to commit to memory any lectures or questions and answers. There are a few passwords, signs and tokens in the senior degrees of Lodge, Chapter, and Consistory which may be advisable to know in order to prove a member's standing. 

It is for each individual Mason to discover the secret of Masonry, by reflection upon its symbols and a wise consideration and analysis of what is said and done in the work. Masonry does not inculcate her truths. She states them, once and briefly; or hints them, perhaps, darkly; or interposes a cloud between them and eyes that would be dazzled by them." Seek and ye shall find", knowledge and truth ”. 

The practical object of Masonry is the physical and moral improvement and the intellectual and spiritual improvement of individuals and society. Neither can be effected, except by the dissemination of truth. 

The Scottish Rite is a unique teacher of universal Masonic truths inspired by the wisdom of the ages. We first admit the candidate to the Temple of Solomon in the period inherited from the third degree. We renew the work toward the completion and realization of the Temple, and recover for the Master Mason that which was lost.  

In later degrees we portray events of universal significance associated with the building of the Second Temple. Still later, we are shown a way to erect the Third Temple - that Temple of Truth and Love which exists in the hearts of man when he strives to identify himself with that which is highest and best, and to which Jesus alluded in the words, "Destroy this Temple and in three days I will build it up". In a final series of degrees the history and philosophy of Masonry are developed in ceremony and drama, so the zealous Brother has an unequalled opportunity to acquire a deeper knowledge and understanding of Masonic symbolism and dogma. 

This is the opportunity, the challenge, and the reward, which the Scottish Rite presents to the Master Mason.

Thank you, Brethren.

W. Bro. Wm. David Maddin