William G. Sizemore, 33°, Grand Cross
Grand Executive Director
1733 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC, 10009–3103

Preparations for celebrating the 200th anniversary of the "Mother Supreme Council of the World," during the period September 30 to October 3, 2001, are gathering steam. As of this writing, 2,562 hotel rooms have been reserved in 32 hotels in the Charleston, South Carolina, metropolitan area. More are available.

This issue of the Scottish Rite Journal, pages 22 to 49, lists the K.C.C.H. and 33° elects recently approved by the Supreme Council. These honors will not become effective, in the case of K.C.C.H., until the October 3, 2001 Investiture, and for the 33° Elects, until conferred on or after October 3, 2001. The primary purpose for the earlier-than-normal honors elections is to allow these Brethren sufficient advance notice for making travel plans to receive their honors during the bicentennial celebration in Charleston, the birthplace of the first Supreme Council. The Investiture Ceremony for the K.C. C.H., which will be open to the public, is planned for 10:00 am, Wednesday, October 3, 2001, in the North Charleston Coliseum. The dress for the K.C. C.H. Elects will be tuxedo with black bow tie, other men, coat and tie, and appropriate attire for ladies. The 33° Conferral, open only for 33° members and the 33° Elects, is scheduled for 3:00 pm, Wednesday, October 3, 2001, in the Performing Arts Center. The dress for all Elects and 33° members will be tuxedo with black bow tie.

A gala banquet will follow at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, October 3, at the Convention Center. The dress, again, will be tuxedo with black bow tie for men and evening dress for ladies.

The Coliseum, Performing Arts Center, Convention Center, and adjoining Embassy Suites Hotel are conveniently located in one complex of structures in North Charleston, about 20 minutes drive from downtown Charleston and five minutes from the airport. All are less than one year old with the exception of the Coliseum which was completed in 1993. There is ample parking nearby for private automobiles at a special rate of $3.00 per day. However, for those staying at hotels/motels where blocks of 20 or more rooms are reserved by members, there will be bus service (no charge) from the hotel/motel to and from these events. Also parking of private vehicles will be possible at the Scottish Rite Center with bus service to and from events.

At its recent meeting in August, the Supreme Council Finance Committee enacted a registration fee of $100 for each attending member, other than K.C.C.H. and 33° Elects and special guests of the Grand Commander. The fee entitles the member and his wife to lunch on Monday and to the gala banquet on Wednesday evening. Also, all who register will be given a commemorative medallion and a personal gift from Grand Commander Kleinknecht.

Other memorabilia will be available for sale including a beautiful pictorial history of the Supreme Council containing rare pictures covering the past 200 years and a very unique commemorative plate rimmed with portraits of the 17 Grand Commanders, from Dalcho to Kleinknecht.

The bicentennial celebration begins on Sunday, September 30, 2001, with an ecumenical church service in the Coliseum, under the direction of Grand Chaplain Ill. W. Kenneth Lyons, Jr., 33°. The worship service will last approximately one hour. Then at 2:00 pm in the Coliseum, the Sovereign Grand Commander will formally welcome Masonic dignitaries, both foreign and domestic. This interesting and colorful event will be open to all. We are expecting good representations from foreign Supreme Councils as well as Grand Lodges.

The formal opening and ribbon cutting of the Scottish Rite Exhibit at the Charleston Museum in downtown Charleston is planned for 5:00 pm Sunday. Unfortunately due to space restrictions, attendance must be limited. However, the exhibit will be open to the public on Monday and several days after, so you will want to fit in a visit to the Museum.

The formal opening of the Supreme Council will be at 9:00 am, Monday, October 1, in the Coliseum. At the opening, only 33° members with current dues cards can be present. However, within 15 minutes or less following the opening, the Sovereign Grand Commander will invite into the session all Scottish Rite members holding current membership cards.

The dress for formal meetings during the Session will be business suit. Sovereign Grand Inspectors General will be in formal attire and robes for the opening.

At the noon break on Monday, lunch will be available in the local area, at no cost for ticket holders.

On Monday evening at 8:00 pm in the Coliseum all those who have registered, and their guests, are invited to attend the Mel Tillis show. Bro. Mel Tillis, 33°, Grand Cross, is bringing the hit show from his theater in Branson, Missouri, for this one night in the Coliseum for our special entertainment.

The Supreme Council Session will reconvene in the Coliseum on Tuesday morning at 9:00 am if necessary. If not, the morning is free for touring or relaxing. At 11:00 am members of the Scottish Rite Research Society will meet in the Coliseum. Scottish Rite members are invited to join Society members to hear the presentation. At 2:00 pm on Tuesday, for those interested, buses will proceed from designated locations in the city to Saint Phillips Church in downtown Charleston for a ceremony at the grave site of William Moultrie, one of the founding members. Attendees will then walk from the church cemetery two blocks to the corner of Church and Broad Streets, the location of the former Shepheard's Tavern and where the Supreme Council originated. A bank is now at that location. A monument commemorating the occasion will then be unveiled. From that site, it is another block to Saint Michaels Church and Cemetery for a commemorative occasion at the grave site of Supreme Council founder, Frederick Dalcho. The streets utilized for these occasions will be closed to traffic to allow our safe passage. Following the ceremony at Saint Michaels Church, buses will proceed to the Jewish cemetery on Comings Street for a commemorative ceremony. Four of the original founders were Jewish and are buried in this cemetery. Their names were Israel De Lieben, Emanuel De La Motta, Abraham Alexander, and Moses Levy. Recently, a large granite plaque was mounted on the front inside wall of the cemetery in their honor.

Buses will then proceed to the Charleston Scottish Rite Center where a monument honoring the founders will be unveiled. This will conclude the afternoon events. The evening is left open for those Orients who wish to have dinners for their members.
The Gala Banquet on Wednesday evening will conclude the Bicentennial/Biennial celebration.

Charleston is a very picturesque city, especially the downtown area, with friendly citizens who welcome visitors. As Chief of Police Ruben Greenberg put it, "We want them to want to come back to Charleston again and again."

A future Scottish Rite Journal issue will report on available tours for visitors in Charleston.

Now is the time to make your plans to join us in Charleston, South Carolina, next year.

William G. Sizemore, Grand Cross served on active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1982. Since 1989, he has served the Supreme Council as Grand Executive Director. He has been a Master Mason since 1948 and a member of the Scottish Rite since 1955. He is a Past Master and Past High Priest, R.A.M., and an active member of several Appendant Bodies and Masonic organizations.