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The
Degree of Elect of Pérignan
Eric Serejski, 32° and S. Brent Morris, 33°
Translators'
Note: Les Plus Secrets Mystères des Hauts Grades de la Maçonnerie
Dévoilé [The Most Secret Mysteries of the High Grades
of Masonry Unveiled], edited by M. de Bérage, was an exposé
published in 1766 and was the first printed book to give the rituals
of the hauts grades, or "high degrees," of Masonry.1 It
may be the most important book for understanding the origins of
the degrees of the Scottish Rite from the many rival hauts grades
in France in the eighteenth century.
We present
here, with little comment, the "Second Degree of Masonry,"
Elu de Pérignan [Elect of Pérignan]. The translation
of the "First Degree of Masonry," Parfait Maçon
Elu [Perfect Elect Mason] was published in Volume 1 of Heredom.
Note that the Elect of Pérignan is a much more primitive
degree than that of Perfect Elect Mason. There is no drama, no scenery,
and no excitement. The ceremony consists only of the obligation;
the history and symbolism is contained entirely in the lecture.
The analysis of these degrees is helpful in appreciating the origins
of themes, characters, and words that ultimately found their way
into the Scottish Rite.
It should be
emphasized that these ceremonies are not those of the present day
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. They are the alleged practices
of hauts grades Masons in France in 1766. We have taken no account
of the enormous changes, both organizational and ceremonial, that
occurred as the hauts grades eventually coalesced into their modern
form in 1801 in Charleston.
Les Plus Secrets
Mystères has the rituals for seven degrees which match very
roughly with more developed ceremonies in the Scottish Rite: Perfect
Elect Mason, Elect of Pérignan, and Elect of Fifteen, corresponding
to the 9°, 10°, and 11°; Little Archi--tect, and Grand
Architect, corresponding to the 12°; Knight of the Sword and
of the Rose Croix, corresponding to the 15° and 16°; and
Noachite or Prussian Knight corresponding to the 21°.
There is indeed
little honor among thieves (or exposers of anti-Masons), as Bérage's
text has been plagiarized in many different rituals and exposés.
Two examples demon-strate its pervasiveness. In 1781 Louis Guillemain
de Saint-Victor published Recueil Précieux de la Maçonnerie
Adonhiramite [Precious Compendium of Adon-hiramite Masonry], which
was a copy of Les Plus Secrets Mystères with just a few additions.2
Light on Masonry was an exposé published by David Bernard
in 1829 fol-low-ing the Morgan Affair. In addition to the degrees
of the York and Scottish Rites, Bernard included seven "French
Degrees" which he explained "are conferred in France and
in this country as honorary degrees."3 Bernard's degree of
"Elu de Perignan" is almost indistinguishable from Bérage's
second degree.
Our translation
of Les Plus Secrets Mystères is based on the 1981 reprint
by Gutenberg Reprints of Paris and is not verbatim, as the original
French is convo-luted and often difficult to understand. Our goal
has been readability while being faith-ful, but not slavish, to
the original. The clauses in some sentences have been rearranged,
lengthy sentences have been split into two or more shorter ones,
and long paragraphs have been broken up, especially when speakers
change. We have tried to note those places where the original text
is unclear or ambiguous to us.
Second
Degree of Masonry
Elect of Pérignan
The Most Respectable
Grand-Master raps loudly, and asks the Junior Warden:
Q. What is
your duty?
A. To see that we are covered.
"Tell
a brother Master Elu to see to it and to inform us of it,"
says the Most Respectable. This order is executed and the Master
is informed that all is in order. He immediately asks the following
questions, before opening the lodge.
Q. Venerable
Senior Warden, do you know, as an Elu, any other mysteries than
that of the letters N.N.M.?4
A. Yes, I know the letter P.
Q. What does this letter signify?
A. It is the initial letter of the name of the stranger who informed
Solomon of the hiding place of Abiram, and who offered to conduct
the nine Master Elus there.5
Q. When does the lodge of this grade open?
A. At the beginning of the night, or at dusk.
Q. What time is it?
A. The day has ended.
The Most Respectable
than raps twenty-seven times by three times nine, makes the sign,
and says, "Venerable Senior Warden, do your duty by informing
your columns that a Lodge of Second Elus is open." The Senior
Warden does this. Afterwards the usual acclamations are made. Then
the Most Respectable says, "Venerable Junior and Senior Wardens,
do any Elus in your columns have something to propose?" The
Wardens do this.
Then the Master
of Ceremonies rises and says, "There is a Master Elu of the
First Grade who wishes to know the mysteries of the Second Grade."
The Most Respectable asks "Was the ballot in his favor at the
preceding assembly?" Then he orders the Master of Ceremonies
to introduce the candidate after examining him on the grades he
possesses, especially on that of Elu.6
The examination
completed, the Master of Ceremonies conducts the candidate, clothed
and with his sash, and places him between the two Wardens. The Most
Respectable asks him what he desires, to which he answers, "To
know the Second Grade of Elu."
Q. My brethren,
do you believe him worthy?
A. The Second Warden and the Master of Ceremonies answer yes.
The candidate
travels over the four compass points twice, starting from the west
where he stands he goes to the east by way of the South and returns
by the same way. Thus he goes over the west twice, while going and
coming.7 He does the same in the east, then in the north, and comes
back to the west, from where he crosses the lodge to take his obligation.
This crossing makes nine trips.8 It is necessary when making them
to salute the throne nine times.
Obligation
I swear and
promise upon my word of honor, with the faith of an honest man,
in the presence of the Grand Architect of the Universe, and in front
of this assembly, to keep and observe the mysteries of the Second
Grade of Elu which will be imparted to me, not only with respect
to laymen, but also with respect to the brethren who are in the
grades inferior to this one. To all of this I promise under the
penalties of my first obligation and further consent to have my
tongue torn out and to be deemed infamous. May God preserve and
help me. Amen.
*
* *
This excerpt is from Heredom, the
transactions of the Scottish Rite Research Society
Volume II, Year 1993
©1993-2002, Scottish Rite Research Society
All Rights Reserved
Scottish Rite Research Society
1733 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20009-3103
202-232-3579 voice, 202-383-1847 fax
srrs@srmason-sj.org, www.srmason-sj.org
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