Wow, what a weekend! When I arrived at the lodge on Friday afternoon, I was surprised to find it packed to the gills with white and red hats. Being (at the time), a fresh but on the level Master Mason, I didn’t realize the significance. The white-hats were 33°s, and believe me, there aren’t many of them. They had all just gathered in one place. What I also didn’t know at the time was that the Taipei body of Scottish Rite encompasses Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Thailand, as well as Taiwan, and all the top guys from those myriad countries had all come for the conferral.

After the first night of lectures and rituals, mind spinning from a high-speed download of 4°-18°, a whopping 14 years of study in the old days (and in its modern condensed form like taking a shot of foam insulation directly into the frontal lobe), I returned to the hotel expecting to read my newly acquired copy Bridge to Light. I cracked open a cold one, but as soon as my head touched the pillow I promptly lost consciousness (TKO!) and my hand somehow knocked the beer bottle over right onto the book! :(

In any case, the damage wasn’t too bad, and I tried to get into it the next morning, but as tedious as it is, I sort of feel like I should go directly to Albert Pike, if I’m going to pound my head against the massive tower that is masonic symbolism, I might as well go to the source. I do intend to understand it though, what’s the point otherwise?

The next morning, as I arrived at the lodge, I bumped into a really friendly brother with a purple hat, and had a short, pleasant conversation with him. Again, not realizing what’s what, I’d just met the Supreme Grand Commander, of whom there’s a massive photograph in the offices of the lodge. You see, there’s only one of those purple hats. One. At least, only one person qualified to wear it.

Our further 19°-32° rituals and lectures went by rather well, and I felt my friend Lynn did a fantastic job as Acting Master in the 32°, since he was told only the night before that he was nominated for the job.

Afterward the Supreme Grand Commander booted everyone else out and sat down with us candidates and gave us a private talk about the meaning of the Royal Secret and the real purpose of the Scottish Rite. I was really impressed with the man, and am happy to call him my brother.

Now, although the rituals and lectures can be crammed into a weekend, I’m afraid I’ll have to spend the next 32 years trying to understand them! Any brothers out there reading this willing to donate a copy of Morals and Dogma? I’ll give it back after I read it (though it will undoubtedly take me a while…)