Why Join the Scottish Rite?

Why did you seek admission to the Lodge? Perhaps you had heard about the good work Masons do in the community. Maybe the men in your family have a Masonic history. You might even have been intrigued by the aura of mystery surrounding the Masons and their degrees. Whatever the reason, you applied, and were initiated, passed, and raised to the degree of Master Mason.

Why did your Lodge vote to admit you? Because, after due examination, they made a unanimous declaration that you are a good man and true.

Now what?

Masonry is a brotherhood of men who seek to live by the precepts of brotherly love, relief, and truth. Masonry strives to make good men better, in part through the interaction of members with each other. Through brotherly love, the imperfections each of us have as rough ashlars are gradually removed to reveal the smooth ashlar within.

A second way good men are made better is by watching and participating in the three Blue Lodge degrees again and again. Men change over time so that each time a degree is witnessed, it is seen through new eyes and heard through new ears. We grow and mature. The man who sees the Master Mason degree today is not the man who saw it 20, 10, or even 1 year ago. 

Each time a Mason sees a degree, something can be seen or heard that puts the entire degree in a new light. And that light can be carried out of the lodge to more clearly illuminate his path in life.

This is where the Scottish Rite can help.

If three degrees can help teach the ways a good man can be made better, imagine the difference 29 more degrees can make!

Like the three Blue Lodge degrees, the Scottish Rite degrees teach lessons, and like the Master Mason degree, they teach them through allegories or stories. 

The Scottish Rite degrees boost a Master Mason knowledge and understanding of how to be a better man. They accelerate his learning by presenting Masonic principles from various perspectives and letting him see the principles in action through good and bad examples of living.

And, like the Blue Lodge degrees, Scottish Rite degrees are best savored through repetition. 

Each time a degree is seen, something new can be learned. The post-degree discussions in the Valley of the Firelands add to the learning by letting you hear what other men have taken from the degrees. This shared perspective amplifies the learning and helps make each degree a personal learning experience you can carry into your daily life.

The Scottish Rite is an investment that will pay dividends in your personal life for years to come. 

Click here to view videos from the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction library.

Why Join the Valley of the Firelands?

The Valley of the Firelands, chartered in 2018, is the newest Scottish Rite valley in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. And we were created just for you!

We see every Mason we meet as an opportunity for Fellowship, Enrichment, and Growth. We want to express the Masonic ideals of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth with genuine, heartfelt warmth. 

We're eager to get to know you, and we're excited to let you know the many ways we are exploring the Scottish Rite experience.

You'll soon discover that the Valley of the Firelands is a true brotherhood of men, rich in the relationships that matter most. Through our frequent opportunities for fellowship, we connect, we learn, and we grow. 

We invite you to apply for membership. You can receive the initial 4th degree at any one of our degree days and locations, generally scheduled once a month and located in many Masonic lodges scattered throughout the Valley. You are also welcome to register for any of our non-degree functions scattered throughout the year. Come visit us and see what part of your Masonic journey we can build together.    

Valley of the Firelands Events Calendar