He presides over a network ofĩ1 Provincial Grand Lodges around the world five in Scotland and 33 inĮngland, with the remaining spread across the rest of Europe, Canada, the US,Īustralasia, Africa, East Asia and the Caribbean. The honour is held today by Brother Ewan Rutherford. The Head of the Order and chairman of the Grand Lodge has the title ofĭeputy Grand Master and Governor. The Grand Lodge is unusual as it is one of the few Grand Lodges to admit new members itself, and is unique in the fact that it has no local lodges. Today, the Headquarters of the Royal Order of Scotland is in Edinburgh, as it has been for over 250 years. We will always have it at heart to maintain and increase the honour and dignity of Free Masonry, as the Advocate and Defender of civil and religious liberty to elevate and ennoble it, and make it worthy of the respect of men of intellect and scholarship and to prevent the removal of the ancient Land-marks.The Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of Scotland

We have desired to create an association of worthy Masons and gentlemen, of all of the States and Territories, to assemble annually, not for dry discussions or for display, but for social intercourse and festive enjoyment, to the end that each may become richer at every meeting, by the acquisition of new friendships, and the strengthened ties of old ones wiser, by learning to set a higher estimate on human nature truer and nobler by self-correction, and the communion of wise and proud men. We do not propose to create Chapters, for we neither desire to levy taxes, nor to govern subordinates, nor to add to the legislation or jurisprudence of Masonry. The Provincial Grand Lodge has been established with a limited membership, to make impossible the cheapening of our degrees, and that the admission to it might be, as it is in England and Scotland, a high honour. Sir Albert Pike’s Vision for the Provincial Grand Lodge, USA 3Īnd now you understand the founding of the Provincial Grand Lodge and what makes it worthy of Freemasons’ attention. The Provincial Grand Lodge has been established with a limited membership, to make impossible the cheapening of our degrees, and that the admission to it might be, as in England and Scotland a high honour.

He stated “… only by having one Provincial Grand Lodge for the United States could the Order remain in any way selective …” 2Īlbert Pike explained what he believed to be the role of the Provincial Grand Lodge stating in pertinent part: The question was asked of Josiah Drummond some twenty years after the fact. Over the years, it has been difficult to understand why the Grand Lodge granted a charter for the whole of the United States. At the Annual Meeting of the Grand Lodge, John Whyte-Melville, Deputy Grand Master of the Royal Order of Scotland moved and “… it was unanimously agreed that it was desirable the Royal Order of Scotland should be established in the United States of America … A charter was issued on the 4th of October 1877 … The first meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held on the 4th of May 1878.” 1 Its first two Provincial Grand Masters were Albert Pike and Josiah Drummond.

Royal order of scottland