THE HISTORY OF THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS GRAND COUNCIL OF
ROYAL AND SELECT MASTERS, JURISDICTION OF MISSISSIPPI
PRINCE HALL AFFILIATED
BY
RIGL RICHARD L. HUDSON JR., KYCH

 

Illustrious Companions have been on a journey since 1998, seeking to join the Royal and Select Masters. There were several Illustrious Companions from the state of Mississippi that petitioned the state of Florida and was greeted as Royal and Select Master under the direction of C. P. Randolph Council No.9, located in Crestview, Florida. Other Illustrious Companions joined Councils under the leadership of the Grand Council, Charles F. Williams Royal and Select Masters, State of Tennessee and Its Jurisdictions. Although there were two different Royal and Select Masters jurisdictions in Mississippi, their goal was to eventually form a Grand Council in Mississippi.

On 3 June 2006, a charter was issued from Florida to the State of Mississippi, establishing a Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters. A letter was written to the Most Illustrious Grand Thrice Master Earnest B. Daniels of Florida about the Grand Charter of the Royal and Select Masters. The letter from the Most Worshipful Grand Master Maurice F. Lucas Sr. explained that Florida and Tennessee jurisdictions were permitted to confer degrees and establish councils within the Jurisdiction of Mississippi. The scope of this permission was only to confer degrees and establish councils. Grand Master Lucas issued an order on 29 May 2006, through the Grand Attorney for the M. W. Stringer Grand Lodge, to the only Council established under the Jurisdiction of Florida (Andrew Stewart Council No.11). To inform the Council that when the combined requisite number of Royal and Select Masters councils had been established, the State of Tennessee would be allowed to establish the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters. The State of Tennessee had been operating under Mississippi’s Jurisdiction for over seven years. It was only fair to let Tennessee be the Jurisdiction to Charter the Most Illustrious Grand Council of Mississippi.

It took a letter from the Grand Counselor and Legal Advisor Melvin L. Pace, Esquire, 33o, to establish a dialogue to resolve the issue of what Jurisdiction would be invited to Charter the Most Illustrious Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters in Mississippi Jurisdiction. Upon the approval of Maurice F. Lucas Sr., Grand Master of the State of Mississippi, Tennessee Grand Council was selected to establish Mississippi Grand Council.

On 13 April 2007, the Most Illustrious Royal and Select Grand Council, Jurisdiction of Mississippi, Prince Hall Affiliated, received its Grand Charter from the Most Illustrious Charles F. Williams Grand Council of Royal & Select Masters Jurisdiction of Tennessee Prince Hall Affiliated. The Grand officers of Mississippi that the Tennessee Grand Council had listed for the Mississippi Grand Council were as follows:

M.I. Grand Thrice Illustrious Master – Fredrick Wilson
R.I. Grand Deputy Master – Stacy Taylor
R.I. Grand Principle Conductor of the Works – Bill Smith
R.I. Grand Treasurer – Melvin Butler
R.I. Grand Recorder – Jason Fisher
R.I. Grand Assistant Recorder – Shannon Briggs
R.I. Grand Captain of Guard – Vincent Barnett
R.I. Grand Conductor of the Council – Lonnie Lloyd
R.I. Grand Steward – Cedric Beal
R.I. Grand Marshall – Curt Collins
R.I. Grand Chaplain – Luther Steele
R.I. Grand Sentinel – Michael Wheaton
R.I. Grand Lecture – Richard Hudson
R.I. Grand Historian – James Boyd
R.I. Grand Trustee – Dion Porter

Several Illustrious Companions traveled to Nashville, TN, to receive the Charter, which completed the York Rite side in Mississippi and brought the Cryptic Rites of masonry home.

On 9 June 2007, the Most Illustrious Grand Council Royal and Select Masters of Mississippi Jurisdiction Prince Hall Affiliated held its first Grand Assembly with the following Councils and Grand officers present for roll call:

Bodi Kareem Council #1
Andrew Stewart Council #2
Wiley M. Booth Council #3
Gulf Coast Council #4
Magnolia Council #5
David J. Hilton #6
Columbia Council #7

M.I. Grand Thrice Illustrious Master – Fredrick Wilson Present
R.I. Grand Deputy Master – Stacy Taylor Present
R.I. Grand Principle Conductor of the Works – Bill Smith Absent
Freddie Wynne III (Acting Principle Conductor of the Works)
R.I. Grand Treasurer – Melvin Butler Present
R.I. Grand Recorder – Jason Fisher Present
R.I. Grand Assistant Recorder – Shannon Briggs Present
R.I. Grand Captain of the Guard – Vincent Barnett Absent
John Morris (Acting Captain of the Guard)
R.I. Grand Conductor of the Council – Lonnie Lloyd Absent
Samuel Cyrus (Acting Conductor of the Council)
R.I. Grand Steward – Cedric Beal Present
R.I. Grand Marshall – Curt Collins Absent
Hosea Hollis (Acting Marshall)
R.I. Grand Chaplain – Luther Steele Present
R.I. Grand Sentinel – Michael Wheaton Absent
James Williams (Acting Sentinel)
R.I. Grand Lecture – Richard Hudson Present
R.I. Grand Trustee – Dion Porter Absent
R.I. Grand Historian – James Boyd Present
R.I. Grand CCFC – Melvin Pace Present

The Most Illustrious Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters Jurisdiction of Mississippi Prince Hall Affiliated has been in operation for fifteen (15) years. It is now presided over by the Most Illustrious Grand Thrice Master DeJohn K. Hampton, KYGCH.

WHAT IS CRYPTIC RITE?

Cryptic Masonry has come into its own as the series of degrees known as the Cryptic Rite, also known as the Cryptic Masons. Its popularity is well deserved, for there are no more beautiful or meaningful degrees in all Freemasonry as those conferred in the Council of Cryptic Masons. The Cryptic Rite or degrees originates its name from the setting of the Royal Master and Select Master, but let us not ever forget the betrayal of friendship taught in the Super Excellent Master degree in the underground crypt beneath King Solomon’s Temple. The word cryptic means hidden; thus, it describes these degrees.

Not until a few years ago, the Cryptic Rite was not a series of degrees that one had to take to meet requirements to join the Commandery of Knights Templar. However, in recent years, many Grand Commanderies of Knights Templar have made the Cryptic degrees a prerequisite for the Temple orders. Even more, Grand Commanderies will adopt this policy in the years ahead.

Every degree expresses a lesson; the question is, do we take notice of the rewards presented to us as faithful Craftsmen of Masonry? The Royal Master’s degree teaches a lesson of patience, fortitude, and integrity. The Select Master degree teaches devotion, zeal, and the failing of those who may overstep the bounds of respectability through ignorance or curiosity. The Super Excellent Master’s degree emphasizes the values of loyalty and faithfulness. Therefore, man will always build, but the permanent temple is that spiritual temple erected within himself.