Royal Order of Scotland
Encyclopedia
The Royal Order of Scotland is an honor society linked to Freemasonry
. Membership is an honour extended to Freemasons by invitation.
, with a total of 88 Provincial Grand Lodges in several locations around Britain, and in a number of countries around the world. The order claims the King of Scots as hereditary Grand Master. The Deputy Grand Master and Governor of the order is currently Sir Archibald Donald Orr-Ewing, 6th Baronet (b. 20 December 1938). Orr-Ewing is the eldest son of Sir Ronald Archibald Orr-Ewing, 5th Baronet and was educated at Gordonstoun and Trinity College, Dublin. He was the Grand Master Mason of the The Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland, until 27 November 2008, a post he held since 2005. He previously held the post between 1999 and 2004, being the only person to hold that office twice. He was installed as Deputy Grand Master & Governor (the administrator) of the Royal Order of Scotland at Edinburgh on 3 July 2009. In times in which there is no King of Scots, the Deputy Grand Master and Governor is the worldwide leader of the Order.
The ROS Grand Lodge and the Provincial Grand Lodges confer two degrees:
, with a further charter being granted in 1750 to work the degree at The Hague
. The holder of that warrant, William Mitchell, moved to Edinburgh around 1752/3, using the charter to establish a Provincial Grand Lodge there. In 1767 this body became the Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of Scotland.
Activity appears to have dwindled with the Order nearing extinction in the early 19th century but a resurgence culminated in the establishment of further Provincial Grand Lodges by 1843.
The legends of the order date its origination to the reign of King David I in the 12th century in the Heredom degree, with the Rosy Cross degree originating in 1314 following the Battle of Bannockburn
.
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
. Membership is an honour extended to Freemasons by invitation.
Organization
The Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of Scotland is headquartered in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, with a total of 88 Provincial Grand Lodges in several locations around Britain, and in a number of countries around the world. The order claims the King of Scots as hereditary Grand Master. The Deputy Grand Master and Governor of the order is currently Sir Archibald Donald Orr-Ewing, 6th Baronet (b. 20 December 1938). Orr-Ewing is the eldest son of Sir Ronald Archibald Orr-Ewing, 5th Baronet and was educated at Gordonstoun and Trinity College, Dublin. He was the Grand Master Mason of the The Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland, until 27 November 2008, a post he held since 2005. He previously held the post between 1999 and 2004, being the only person to hold that office twice. He was installed as Deputy Grand Master & Governor (the administrator) of the Royal Order of Scotland at Edinburgh on 3 July 2009. In times in which there is no King of Scots, the Deputy Grand Master and Governor is the worldwide leader of the Order.
The ROS Grand Lodge and the Provincial Grand Lodges confer two degrees:
- Heredom of Kilwinning
- Knight of the Rosy Cross
History
The order has existed since at least 1741, based on records in the archive of the Grand Lodge demonstrating activity in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, with a further charter being granted in 1750 to work the degree at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. The holder of that warrant, William Mitchell, moved to Edinburgh around 1752/3, using the charter to establish a Provincial Grand Lodge there. In 1767 this body became the Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of Scotland.
Activity appears to have dwindled with the Order nearing extinction in the early 19th century but a resurgence culminated in the establishment of further Provincial Grand Lodges by 1843.
The legends of the order date its origination to the reign of King David I in the 12th century in the Heredom degree, with the Rosy Cross degree originating in 1314 following the Battle of Bannockburn
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...
.
Membership
Qualifications for membership vary by provincial jurisdiction but typically include: being proposed by an existing member (this is an invitational body), having been a Master Mason for a minimum of five years, and the profession of a Trinitarian Christian faith. Other restrictions may include, but are not limited to:- Active membership of the 18th degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish RiteScottish RiteThe Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry , commonly known as simply the Scottish Rite, is one of several Rites of the worldwide fraternity known as Freemasonry...
and at least one other Christian Order. OR - Membership of the Holy Royal Arch and at least one Christian Order. OR
- In the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
the candidate should hold the 32nd degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, although this may be waived if the Petitioner is a Knight Templar (York Rite). The candidate must also be a Trinitarian Christian by faith. They also require that all applicants must be entitled to honor in Freemasonry because of services performed for the Craft, the Church, or the Public. The R.O.S. considers offices held in Masonic Bodies as evidence of service performed to the Craft. Also, honors already received in the fraternity such as the K.C.C.H., the 33rd degree, the Red Cross of Constantine, the K.Y.C.H., etc. The R.O.S. also considers services such as offices held in Church, activity on Boards and Committees, active work with the Boy Scouts, DeMolays, Community drives, etc., or other types of evidence of service performed for one's fellow-man. The R.O.S. will judge each application on its own merit.