Chapter 21 - Albert Pike
One of the Masonic writers frequently cited in this study as being an expert on Masonic affairs has been Albert Pike, the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry from 1859 to his death in 1891. So it might be helpful to know a little about his past.
He has been described by fellow Masons in a rather flattering manner. Carl Claudy has written this: "Pike was... one of the greatest geniuses Freemasonry has ever known. He was... a teacher of the hidden truths of Freemasonry. 466
Manly P. Hall has written: "Albert Pike, who has gathered ample evidence of the excellence of the doctrines promulgated by the mysteries..." 467
And Dr. Robert Watts, a fellow 33rd degree Mason, made some very complimentary comments about him as well. He said that he was: "... the world's greatest Masonic scholar."
And he praised: "... the tremendous genius of Albert Pike." 468 Perhaps Pike's finest accomplishment for the Masonic cause was his book entitled, MORALS AND DOGMA, published in 1871 by the Supreme Council of the Thirty-Third Degree for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States.
There is some disagreement as to whether or not this book is to be read by all Masons seeking higher degrees inside the Masonic Order. This author was told by members of the Masons in Tucson in 1985 that the book was still given to all Masons for their perusal. However, Rex Hutchens, a 32nd degree Mason, and the author who wrote a new book entitled, A BRIDGE TO LIGHT for the Masons in 1988, said this in his book: "MORALS AND DOGMA was traditionally given to the candidate as a gift upon his receipt of the 14th Degree." 469
His use of the word "was" implies that it is no longer given to the Masonic candidate.
However, Mr. Hutchens had words of praise for it. He wrote: "Contained within its pages are some of the most profound teachings of the Rite." 470
Henry Clausen, one of Mr. Pike's successors as Sovereign Grand Commander of the Masons, also praised his book: "... an inspired and classical compilation of Pike's own research..." 471
Other Masonic scholars who have come after him have revered his name. This comment came from Albert Mackey: "His standing as a Masonic author and historian... was most distinguished, and his untiring zeal was without a parallel." 472
The Masonic Order as a body must have thought highly of Mr. Pike as well because they permitted him to rewrite the Scottish Rite rituals.
But perhaps the greatest example of the influence of this man was reported by General Gordon Granger, who had an occasion to meet with both Mr. Pike and then President Andrew Johnson, a fellow Mason. This event occurred in March of 1867, and was later testified to by General Granger in front of the House Judiciary Committee. They were investigating charges that President Johnson should be impeached, and they felt that the General's recollections of that meeting might be helpful.
The General told the committee: "They talked a great deal about Masonry. More about that than anything else. And from what they talked about between them, I gathered that he [meaning Pike] was the superior of the President in Masonry. I understood from the conversation that the President was his subordinate in Masonry. That was all there was to it..." 473
But that wasn't all there was to it. On June 20, 1867, the President received a delegation of Scottish Rite officials in his bedroom at the White House where he received the 4th through the 32nd Degrees of the Scottish Rite.
But the important revelation is that the General had testified that the President of the United States was the subordinate to Albert Pike in Masonry!
And the importance of that fact can be gathered from the oath the initiate takes during the third degree, called the Master Mason's degree, inside the Blue Lodge. The initiate takes the following oath: (emphasis by author)
"Furthermore, I DO PROMISE and swear THAT I WILL OBEY ALL regular signs, SUMMONSES, or tokens GIVEN, handed out, sent, or thrown TO ME FROM THE HAND OF A BROTHER MASTER MASON or from the body of a just and lawfully constituted lodge of such..." 474
The capitalized words when taken together read: "I do promise that I will obey all summonses given to me from the hand of a brother Master Mason."
That means that the President of the United States had to take orders from Albert Pike should he order him to do so!
The significance of that startling proposition will become more evident as additional evidence of just what Mr. Pike believed in is presented in further chapters of this study.
There is a hierarchy in the United States!
And Presidents who are Masons take orders from other Masons!
One of the Masonic writers frequently cited in this study as being an expert on Masonic affairs has been Albert Pike, the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry from 1859 to his death in 1891. So it might be helpful to know a little about his past.
He has been described by fellow Masons in a rather flattering manner. Carl Claudy has written this: "Pike was... one of the greatest geniuses Freemasonry has ever known. He was... a teacher of the hidden truths of Freemasonry. 466
Manly P. Hall has written: "Albert Pike, who has gathered ample evidence of the excellence of the doctrines promulgated by the mysteries..." 467
And Dr. Robert Watts, a fellow 33rd degree Mason, made some very complimentary comments about him as well. He said that he was: "... the world's greatest Masonic scholar."
And he praised: "... the tremendous genius of Albert Pike." 468 Perhaps Pike's finest accomplishment for the Masonic cause was his book entitled, MORALS AND DOGMA, published in 1871 by the Supreme Council of the Thirty-Third Degree for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States.
There is some disagreement as to whether or not this book is to be read by all Masons seeking higher degrees inside the Masonic Order. This author was told by members of the Masons in Tucson in 1985 that the book was still given to all Masons for their perusal. However, Rex Hutchens, a 32nd degree Mason, and the author who wrote a new book entitled, A BRIDGE TO LIGHT for the Masons in 1988, said this in his book: "MORALS AND DOGMA was traditionally given to the candidate as a gift upon his receipt of the 14th Degree." 469
His use of the word "was" implies that it is no longer given to the Masonic candidate.
However, Mr. Hutchens had words of praise for it. He wrote: "Contained within its pages are some of the most profound teachings of the Rite." 470
Henry Clausen, one of Mr. Pike's successors as Sovereign Grand Commander of the Masons, also praised his book: "... an inspired and classical compilation of Pike's own research..." 471
Other Masonic scholars who have come after him have revered his name. This comment came from Albert Mackey: "His standing as a Masonic author and historian... was most distinguished, and his untiring zeal was without a parallel." 472
The Masonic Order as a body must have thought highly of Mr. Pike as well because they permitted him to rewrite the Scottish Rite rituals.
But perhaps the greatest example of the influence of this man was reported by General Gordon Granger, who had an occasion to meet with both Mr. Pike and then President Andrew Johnson, a fellow Mason. This event occurred in March of 1867, and was later testified to by General Granger in front of the House Judiciary Committee. They were investigating charges that President Johnson should be impeached, and they felt that the General's recollections of that meeting might be helpful.
The General told the committee: "They talked a great deal about Masonry. More about that than anything else. And from what they talked about between them, I gathered that he [meaning Pike] was the superior of the President in Masonry. I understood from the conversation that the President was his subordinate in Masonry. That was all there was to it..." 473
But that wasn't all there was to it. On June 20, 1867, the President received a delegation of Scottish Rite officials in his bedroom at the White House where he received the 4th through the 32nd Degrees of the Scottish Rite.
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But the important revelation is that the General had testified that the President of the United States was the subordinate to Albert Pike in Masonry!
And the importance of that fact can be gathered from the oath the initiate takes during the third degree, called the Master Mason's degree, inside the Blue Lodge. The initiate takes the following oath: (emphasis by author)
"Furthermore, I DO PROMISE and swear THAT I WILL OBEY ALL regular signs, SUMMONSES, or tokens GIVEN, handed out, sent, or thrown TO ME FROM THE HAND OF A BROTHER MASTER MASON or from the body of a just and lawfully constituted lodge of such..." 474
The capitalized words when taken together read: "I do promise that I will obey all summonses given to me from the hand of a brother Master Mason."
That means that the President of the United States had to take orders from Albert Pike should he order him to do so!
The significance of that startling proposition will become more evident as additional evidence of just what Mr. Pike believed in is presented in further chapters of this study.
There is a hierarchy in the United States!
And Presidents who are Masons take orders from other Masons!
100
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