John M. Karnes, 32°, KCCH

The Royal Order of Scotland is an invitation-only organization that preserves the legend of Knights Templar helping Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn.

Throughout its history, Free-masonry has had numerous degrees that have attributed to themselves the title “Royal.” Among them is one that because of its history stands out above all the others, one that is claimed by some to be practically as old as the Craft Degrees themselves—some say even older. Whichever may be true many Masonic historians, including noted writer, William James Hughan, agree that the Royal Order of Scotland is one of the oldest continuous Masonic Orders.

Many of the early writers agree that the Order was known in England around 1741 (and in some versions 1743) while others say it came into existence much earlier, by legend as early as 1314 under the leadership of King Robert the Bruce of Scotland. It is said that Knights Templar, who had fled the persecution of French King Phillip IV and Pope Clement V, took refuge in Scotland and assisted Bruce in the Battle of Bannockburn. In appreciation Bruce conferred upon them the Royal Order of Scotland. Because of this tradition Bruce is referred to in the ritual as the Order’s first Grand Master, and to this day the “King of Scots” is considered the hereditary Grand Master of the Order, a vacant chair being left for him next to the presiding officer at every meeting.

This Royal Order of Scotland jewel belonged to Albert Pike, who served as the organization’s first Provincial Grand Master from 1878-1891. Photo: Elizabeth A. Williams, The Scottish Rite Journal; Item courtesy the Archives of the Supreme Council, 33°

Regardless of its various claims of antiquity, a Provincial Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of Scotland was chartered at The Hague in 1750 and was later removed to Edinburgh where it was destined to become the Grand Lodge of the Order. Some writers have suggested that the Order had originally existed at Kilwinning, but there is no conclusive evidence to support this claim. The first of the two degrees that the Royal Order of Scotland confers, however, is entitled “Heredom of Kilwinning.” It may be of interest to note that the several suggested definitions of the mysterious and almost exclusively Masonic word Heredom includes one claiming it to have been a mountain (non-existent) on the Island of Icolmkil, off the coast of Scotland.

The second degree of the Royal Order of Scotland is called “The Rosy Cross.” It has no apparent connection with the Scottish Rite’s Degree of Rose Croix nor to any of the various groups, Masonic or otherwise, that call themselves Rosicrucians. A member of the Royal Order who has received this degree is referred to as a “Rosicrucian Knight.” Both of the degrees of the Royal Order of Scotland are notably Christian in nature and according to Masonic historians have remained largely unchanged for over two hundred fifty years.

There are records that suggest a Provincial Grand Lodge was chartered in the U.S. at Norfolk, Virginia, around 1752, but, if these claims are true, it was short-lived, and the charter of this Grand Lodge cannot be found. The charter for the current Provincial Grand Lodge was dated October 4, 1877, in Edinburgh; the first or constitutional meeting was on May 4, 1878, in Washington, D.C., at the old House of the Temple on D St. The then Grand Commander, Albert Pike, was installed as the first Provincial Grand Master of the United States. The Provincial Grand Lodge still possesses Pike’s hand-written copy of the rituals. Among other charter members of the organization were noted Masons Albert G. Mackey, James C. Batchelor, Enoch T. Carson, and Josiah H. Drummond.

Membership in the Royal Order of Scotland is by invitation only and is restricted to Trinitarian Christians. It is given in recognition of a Mason’s service to Freemasonry, the Church, or the community in general. Membership was originally limited to 150, all of whom were required to be Royal Arch Masons. These requirements were later modified, and currently there is no restriction as to the number of members. Today a Candidate must have been a Master Mason for five years and either a 32° Scottish Rite Mason or, if the Provincial Grand Master waives the 32° requirement, a Knight Templar. The Order meets several times a year around the country to confer the degrees. There is traditionally a meeting in conjunction with the sessions of the Supreme Councils, alternating each year between the Southern Jurisdiction and the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction—this despite the fact the Royal Order is not officially connected with the Scottish Rite.

For more information, visit the official web site of the Royal Order of Scotland: http://www.yorkrite.com/roos/ or write to the Provincial Grand Secretary at P.O. Box 11, Charleroi, PA 15022 or roos2@verizon.net.

References

Bernheim, Alain. “The Order of Kilwinning or Scotch Heredom, the Present Royal Order of Scotland,” Heredom, vol. 8 (1999–2000), pp. 93–130.

Coil, Henry Wilson. Coil’s Masonic Encyclopedia. 2nd ed. Richmond, Va.: Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co., Inc., 1995.

Denslow, Ray V. “Masonic Rites and Degrees.” Transactions of the Missouri Lodge of Research, vol. 12, 1955.

Schmidt, Alvin J. The Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Institutions: Fraternal Organizations. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1980.

Stevens, Albert C. The ’Cyclopedia of Fraternities. 2nd ed. New York: E.B. Treat & Co., 1907.
Voorhis, Harold V.B. Masonic Organizations and Allied Orders and Degrees: A Cyclopaedic Handbook. N.p.: Press of Henry Emmerson, 1952.

John M. Karnes is a Real Estate Appraiser employed by Dockins Valuation Company in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He was raised in Murray Lodge #105, Murray, Kentucky, in 1989. He is a dual member of St. Mark’s Lodge #93 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and a member of the Scottish Rite bodies of Louisville, Kentucky, and St. Louis, Missouri, and a Life Member of the Scottish Rite Research Society. Contacts: P.O. Box 189, Cape Girardeau, MO 63702-0189; karnes@charter.net.