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Extracts from the Great Constitutions and General Regulations, reviewed and approved during the Grand International Conference of 1933, held in Brussels, and defining the constitution and prerogatives of:

THE GRAND SCOTTISH TRIBUNAL OF THE 33^rd DEGREE

Article 14. – It will act as Grand Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Final Arbiter. As Grand Tribunal, it presides over offenses of the 2^nd Category (art. 334) attributed to Brothers invested with the 30^th and 89^th Degrees.

Article 18. – Moreover, it delegates its administrative and judiciary powers to the Supreme Council of the 33^rd Degree for everything concerning the administration and surveillance of Lodges of the 1^st to the 33^rd Degree. This Supreme council also forms the Scottish Tribunal, which presides over offenses attributed to Members of Lodges from the 1^st to 29^th Degrees (art. 334).

Article 334. – Offenses are of two categories. The first class includes: intemperance, coarse or inappropriate conversation held in a loud voice, Masonic insubordination accompanied by serious circumstances, and regular lapses of discipline in the Lodge room. The second class includes: all which might degrade Masons or Freemasonry, such as violation of Masonic obligations, clandestine conferral of Degrees, illegal retention of metal objects, books, registers, documents, collars and other objects belonging to a Lodge or to the Order, duels (brawls) between Masons on being witnessed, attempts as schism, leading to the disorganization of a lodge, the formation of a clan, cabal, and all secret machinations intended to influence a ballot, falsify testimony, etc., deliberate prejudice brought against the reputation of another, calumny directed against a Brother, and finally, anything which is considered infamous to the social order.

Moreover, article 208 of the Interior Regulations of Lodges says that: “In the case of a Brother forming secret connections, either to form a party, or to influence a ballot, or to encourage division, he is to be excluded in perpetuity, with the Higher Lodges being notified and their advice obtained.”

RITUAL OF MASONIC “DEATH”

“The Crime does not know how to remain unpunished..”

(Ritual of the IX^th Degree) The Ceremony takes place in the Mother Lodge of the Condemned. The Temple is hung in black. The East and the Worshipful Master’s place are hung in red. The Inspector-Inquisitor is clothed in a Templar Mantle. He sits in the Orator’s place.

In the West is placed a Funereal Urn, between the Columns “J” and “B”. All the lights are extinguished, with the exception of the luminous Delta in the East. The

Brothers are seated on the Columns in the usual manner. If the Meeting is mixed, the Sisters occupy the seats in the North, and the Brothers those in the South. The Masters and Mistresses wear their collars and aprons turned to the side of “mourning.”

The central altar is covered with a black cloth, on which are placed two Masonic crossed swords. Between the cross guards is a human skull turned towards the West.

Between the cross points is a censer with coals, on which burns Myrrh, incense of ancient funerals.

The stations of the 1^st and 2^nd Wardens are both occupied by a Knight Kadosh, dressed in black coats of arms, and wearing the sheathed Masonic sword of the Grade on the belt. The Inspector-Inquisitor and Worshipful Master are similarly attired, as they are also Knights Kadosh. The Gavels are replaced by Swords or Daggers for the ritual knocks. The Expert takes the name of Terrible Brother¹¹⁰; in principle, he should at least be of the Grade of Master Elect of Nine. In the body of a Feminine Lodge, the Expert is replaced by as Brother. A white wax candle is lit at his station.

The Rough Ashlar is placed in the East, below the first step and in the center of the Temple. Beside it is a Heavy Gavel.

The President, as a Knight Kadosh, is called Grand Master; the Wardens are called Illustrious First Grand Judge and Illustrious Second Grand Judge respectively.

At the appointed hour, the doors of the Temple are closed, and none may then enter before the end of the Ceremony. The usual Tiler must inform them in a low voice, without announcing their request for entrance to the President.

OPENING

Grand Master: - My Brothers, draw swords! (this is done. He gives a knock with the pommel of his sword.) Illustrious First Grand Judge, why have we assembled?

Senior^t Grand Judge: - To execute sentence upon one of the murderers of Hiram, according to our Obligation, Grand Master, that treason might be punished and crime chastised.

Grand Master: - Illustrious Junior Grand Judge, at what hour does the Tribunal of the Holy Vehm¹¹¹ proceed to execute this sentence?

110 Frère Terrible – I tried a number of translations, including ‘Dread Brother’ and ‘Fell Brother’, but somehow nothing catches the awe of ‘Terrible Brother’! – PV.

111 “The League of the Holy Court, Vehmgericht, or just the Vehm was a secret tribunal of Westphalia during the Middle Ages, the principal seat of which was in Dortmund. The members of the Vehmic courts were called francs-juges or Freischöffen ("Free Judges"). The Holy Vehme took cognizance of all crimes in the lawless period of the Middle Ages, and those condemned by the tribunal were made away with by some secret means, but no one knew by what hand. Being dispatched, the dead body was hung on a tree to advertise the fact and deter others” (www.wikipedia.com).

Junior Grand Judge: - At daybreak, Grand Master, when the morning star rises at the East of the World, and illuminates our spirits, chasing from our hearts both blind hatred and enfeebling weakness.

Grand Master: - Illustrious Senior Grand Judge, what time is it by the Hourglass?

Senior Grand Judge: - Dawn is near, Grand Master, and it is time to draw the Sword.¹¹² Grand Master (gives three knocks with the pommel of his sword): - Please rise my Brothers (and Sisters). Brother Inspector-Inquisitor, you have the floor for the reading and the sentence.

Inspector-Inquisitor: - Extract of the Great Constitutions and General Regulations of the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Mizraïm, reviewed and confirmed at the Grand International Conference of September 1933, held in Brussels.

Article 334. – Offenses are of two categories. The first class includes: intemperance, coarse or inappropriate conversation held in a loud voice, Masonic insubordination accompanied by serious circumstances, and regular lapses of discipline in the Lodge room. The second class includes: all which might degrade Masons or Freemasonry, such as violation of Masonic obligations, clandestine conferral of Degrees, illegal retention of metal objects, books, registers, documents, collars and other objects belonging to a Lodge or to the Order, duels (brawls) between Masons on being witnessed, attempts as schism, leading to the disorganization of a lodge, the formation of a clan, cabal, and all secret machinations intended to influence a ballot, falsify testimony, etc., deliberate prejudice brought against the reputation of another, calumny directed against a Brother, and finally, anything which is considered infamous to the social order, such as offenses against the common good.

Article 335. – If a Brother (or a Sister), without written permission of the Lodge, approved by the Powers of the Rite, asks and receives grades from or affiliation with a Lodge in another Rite or another Obedience, he is excluded in perpetuity with nominative mention and a copy of this communication set to all Lodges.

Article 336. – The penalties pronounced against the guilty party are to so proportional to the offenses. Those of the first class are punished by suspension of rights and Masonic functions for a time which should not exceed one year or be less than one month.

Article 337. – The penalties for the second class are punished by the loss of Masonic rights. This decision will be brought to the attention of all the Lodges of the Rite.

Attenuating circumstances may be entertained and, in this case, the penalty will be suspension of Masonic rights for a period which may not be less than one year.

Article 338. – The definitive loss of Masonic rights results in expulsion for life. In the gravest case: murder or attempted murder of a Mason without attenuating circumstances, betrayal of the secrets of Masonry, attempt to destroy Masonry or one or several of its

112 “A knife was stuck in the tree on which the person had been hanged, to indicate that he had suffered death at the hands of the Holy Vehm” (www.traditionalwitchcraft.org)

Lodges, forgery, use of forgeries, calumnies against the legitimate authorities of the Rite, et., the penalty of Masonic Death may be pronounced.

Article 339. – The Masonic penalties applicable to offenses can only be pronounced by a judgment rendered following the prescribed forms by the present Regulations.

Article 343. – When the accusation concerns a president of a Lodge (or a Sister) possessing a Grade superior to that of the Master, it is sent to the president of the Lodge of the Higher Degree to which this Brother (or Sister) belongs, there to be deliberated in conformity with the procedure fixed in articles 328, 329, 330, 333, 344.

Grand Master: - In consequence, Terrible Brother, fulfill your office, without hate as without weakness.

The Terrible Brother goes to the East to receive the name of the Condemned from the Grand Master, written in reverse in red letters on a white paper triangle, each side a hand span in length.

He places it beneath the lit Candle, which he stands upon the Rough Ashlar, and destroys it with the blow of the Gavel. Then he goes and throws the paper and candle in the Funereal Urn, between the Columns in the West, seeing that the paper is completely consumed. When this is ended, he returns to his station and says:

Terrible Brother: - Justice is done, Grand Master.

Grand Master: - As it was thus in ancient Egypt to the Principle of Evil, so may it also be done today and at this instant to his frame¹¹³: N… May his name exist no more! My Brothers (and Sisters), starting from this instant, this name shall never more be pronounced in this Temple and in our Rite. My Brothers (and Sisters), please be seated.

CLOSING

Grand Master: - Illustrious Senior Grand Judge, what time is it by the Hourglass?

Senior Grand Judge: - Day is growing dim, Grand Master, night begins, the Powers of Darkness are climbing up the Valleys of Below, and the evening star sinks in the West.

113 Comme il en fut dans l’antique Égypte pour le Principe du Mal, qu’il en soit ainsi e ce jour et en cet instant pour son véhicule : N… : Que son nom n’existe plus ! As this is an important sentence I have reproduced it here in case my translation is not completely accurate. The troublesome words are in bold. I checked with a Francophone friend of mine and they agreed if it meant body, the term corps would be used: véhicule tends to indicate body, soul and spirit. This is worrying because it surely indicates that this is a curse, in that as the person’s name and spiritual light is extinguished, so shall it be done to their person.

While Masonry is not exactly a powerful magical vehicle, it is now evident why there is a frequent insistence in the ritual of not doing this with any hate in the heart, else this could turn into a most ugly rituals. I would certainly not commend this ritual to anybody to practice in real life. – PV.

Grand Master: - Since the day is growing dim, night begins, and the Powers of Darkness are climbing up the Valleys of Below, the first phase of Justice has been accomplished, the second phase is in train, and the Tribunal of Holy Vehm can retire. Let us then prepare to leave this Temple, to carry Justice and Light to the shadows and iniquity of the profane world.

He gives three knocks: OO__O.

My Brothers (and Sisters), justice is done, without hate and without weakness, so let us depart in peace. But first, sheathe your swords.

The Knights Kadosh leave the Temple, the Worshipful Master in title oversees the rearrangement of the Temple into its normal state for the regular Meeting, if there is one.

Complementary Note. – In all Rites and Observances, the Grand Master or the Grand Commander, by tradition and in conformity with the Constitutions, can transmit the three first Degrees of Masonry to a profane, or the High Grades to a Mason, by virtue of their function and under their sole responsibility. Likewise they may, each in his own purview, pronounce a suspension or exclusion, by applying the inverse privilege, and that from the instant that an offense is demonstrated without possible contestation. The is no lack of examples of this being done in the several Masonic obediences.

PART II