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2. In 1756, Carl Friedrich Eckleff, an employee of the Swedish Foreign Office, with 6 other
brethren, formed the ‘Scottish’ Lodge L’Innocente in Stockholm, working the so-called
Scottish St. Andrew’s Degrees. Eckleff is said to have held a foreign Patent authorizing him
to form Lodges. The next step was again taken by Eckleff in 1759, when he established a
Chapter (Stuart Lodge) (Not to be confused with a RA Chapter) in Stockholm. The GL of
Sweden was established in 1760, and recognized as such by the GL of England in 1770.
Eckleff established a system of Freemasonry with a strong Christian basis, and this was
further developed by Duke Karl (late King Karl XIII). Two major revisions – in 1780 and
1800 established a logical Masonic system consisting of 10 degrees, known as The Swedish
Rites (SwR). The exact date of inception of the SwR cannot be pip-pointed precisely, as
Lodges existed in Sweden, and many Masonic styles influenced this system.
FM in Sweden has continued to remain a State institution, under the leadership of their
GMs, all of whom belong to the Royal House, ever since its inception, more than 200 years
ago.
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3. The SwR was brought to Germany by Johann Wilhelm Kellner von Zinnendorf, a Medical
Officer in the General Staff of the Prussian Army. (In Germany, the SwR is also known as
the Zinnendorf System). He was initiated in 1757, and late became a Prefect in the Strict
Observance system of Masonic Templarism. Not satisfied with the pompous working of this
system, he searched for more light, founded a new Lodge, and tried unsuccessfully to obtain
a Warrant from the GL of England. He turned to the GL of Sweden, where the SwR was
already established, and was able to found the first SwR Lodge in Germany in 1768. The
Grand Land Lodge of Freemasons in Germany was established in 1770. Interestingly, this
Grand Body was recognized by the GL of England in 1773, but by the GL of Sweden later
in 1776. The SwR worked today in Germany, varies but slightly from the system worked in
Sweden.
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4. Only the second GL – i.e. The Grand Land Lodge og Freemasons of Germany work the
SwR and SwR alone.
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5. The SwR has 10 degrees, and forms a continuous system without any break, which cannot
be divided. They all fall under the same governing Grand Body, unlike other Rite, where
different Grand Bodies govern different degrees of the same system. The Order has three
Departments – St. J’s Lodges, St. A’s Lodges and Chapters. (Chapters are not to be confused
with our RA Chapters)
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6. These work the first 3 ‘Craft’ degrees – EA, FC and MM. There is a minimum period of 9
months between each degree, which cannot be shortened under any circumstances
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7. Actually, the 4th and 5th degrees are strictly a double degree, worked in the same Ritual.
A 3rd Degree MM from St. J’s Lodge can petition for his initiation in a St. A’s Lodge 9
months after he has been a MM. He gets his 4th/5th degree and then after a period of 12
months for his 6th degree. After his 6th degree, a brother has to wait for 24 months until he
can join a Chapter, and he can do nothing to get this moving any earlier, not even a
Dispensation!
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8. Between the 7th and 8th degree there is a gap of 21 months. Between the 8th and 9th degree,
the gap is 27 months and between the 9th and 10th, the gap is 36 months.
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9. This is conferred to only a few distinguished brethren. There is no specific ritual for this
degree. All 11th Degree Masons form the Council
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10. The Grand Lodge is headed by the Grand Master. Next to the GM is another Officer –
Vicarius Salomonis (VS – or the Vicar of Solomon). Then there a Council of 11th Degree
Masons, and a ‘Highest Chapter of the Order’ – consisting of all the 11th Degree Masons in
Germany, never more than 80.
The GM is directly in charge of the St. J’s and St. A’s Lodges, and the finances and
administration of the Grand Lodge. The VS is in charge of the Chapters, and all the Ritual
working in general.
The ruling pair, i.e. the GM and the VS may be compared to the King and the High Priest of
Biblical times. The GM is elected by all the WMs of St. J’s and St. A’s Lodges for a term of
3 years. The VS is elected only by the Knight Commanders. This used to be a lifetime
appointment till 1998, when it was changed to a 4 year term.
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11. These are, in essence, the same as craft degrees worked elsewhere.
All brethren wear fencing swords. The Wardens knock their hammers on the pommels of their
swords, not on the tables, as tables for the wardens were a later day additions to the Lodge furniture.
They used to stand in earlier years. Both the Wardens sit in the West, and perambulation is unknown,
as nobody should walk into the triangle formed by the WM and the Wardens.
After the candidate has taken the oath of the first degree, he is initiated as a Masonic Knight, a very
typical feature of the SwR. He is led to the Altar a second time, and the WM gives three blows on the
compasses pointing at his heart, while the Master of Ceremonies holds a ‘Blood Chalice’ filled with
red liquid under the ‘wound’ of the candidate. He is told that his blood has been mixed with the
blood of his brethren. The chalice is also called the ‘Unification Chalice’. It reappears in the 10 th
degree, and completes and closes the circle of Degrees. In old times (before AIDS) this symbolic act
was made real in the 10th Degree, when the candidate is cut in the finger and gives his blood into a
chalice of wine.
The EA apron is a simple white apron, and a silver unpolished trowel on a white leather strap on the
lapel. The FC has a white apron with three white levels on it and a silver polished trowel suspended
on a white silken band with a cross-shaped ribbon. The MM apron is white with a light blue rim.
And three light blue levels on it and a golden trowel on a light blue silk cross-band, and a key made
of bone on a narrow blue collar.
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12. This is the tracing board of the EA Degree.
The TBs are made of cloth and lie in the middle of the lodge, on the floor of the Lodge and is surrounded by the three columns of Wisdom,
Strength and Beauty in the northeast, southeast and southwest corners respectively.
It is said that the fourth column is Religion, and that it is already
there, but invisible to the blue lodge brother.
The TBs of all Degrees are square, except the Third Degree, which is oblong.
The Symbols on this TB are:
- Cable Tow with a special knot, called Lemniscate, which is also the
symbol of Infinity.
- Square and Compasses, building a square.
- Sun and Moon.
- Rough and smooth ashlars.
- Gavel and Trowel.
- Balance and Plumb.
- The columns J and B, with only the J showing on the left column
- 5-pointed blazing star with the letter G.
- mosaic pavement in triangles instead of squares.
- The drawing table (as symbol of the MM) with the letter X as the
roman number 10 for the 10 commandments.
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13. The symbolism of the X is widened in the higher degrees. In a St. Andrew’s Lodge (4 th to 6th Degrees) it symbolizes St. Andrew’s Cross.
And in the Chapters (7th to 10th Degrees) it represents the Greek letter ‘Chi’ being the initial letter of Christ.
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14. This is the Tracing Board of the FC Degree.
The 5 pointed star is replaced by a six pointed star.
The right hand column has the letter ‘B’ on it.
There are 7 steps in the foreground, symbolizing the progress in the 7 Liberal Arts and
Sciences.
There is very little change in the set up of the EA and FC Lodge. The MM Lodge is
drastically different. The Walls and the furniture are all black, and the blue Altar is changed
to a black Altar.
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15. The Tracing Board is 3-Dimensional. Actually, it is blank board, with a large black coffin,
resting on tiers (or ‘flames’ when seen in fluorescent lights) placed on it. A twig of acacia, a
silver triangle with the old Master’s word (m-b) in the middle, and skull and cross bones are
placed on it. The coffin stands between the Square in the East and the Compasses in the
West.
Pictures of the Skulls, with dark sentences – ‘Memento Mori’ (meaning ‘Remember Death’)
hang on the North and South walls
This is the only oblong TB in the SwR.
In all degrees, which show the perfect, spiritual world, the TB is
square. That is in 1st. 2nd, 4th and further. During the destruction of the
material world (body) in 3rd (and during the chaos of transition from the 4th
and 5th the TBs are oblong squares.
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16. This shows a picture of an old St. Andrews Temple (ritually called the Silent Hall). This is
the temple in Berlin, about 1934. The photograph is taken from the East facing west across
the TB.
This also shows the fourth column – called ‘Religion’ which is invisible in a Craft member
of a St. John’s Lodge
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17. The Regalia of all the 10 Degrees
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18. A view from the Museum of the GLL. Here on display are all the Regalia and Jewels of the
officers in the several Degrees.
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