Scottish Rite Freemasonry: Defining the Word "SEE"

Scottish Rite Freemasonry: Defining the Word "SEE"

Upon the request of our Degree and Ritual Master, I have been tasked with seeking out an accurate definition for and the historical use of the word "See," which is commonly used in our Scottish Rite ritual.

As the word is not commonly used in the same way within our daily life, the request makes sense; for we continue to use it within the craft, and we have surmised its definition, but honestly we are simply guessing.

Before doing the etymology of the word "see" most people may have thought it simply meant to rule or a source of power.

And essentailly, if one had that definition in mind, he would not be wrong; however, there is far more to its meaning.

Simple research discovered that the word dates back to the 12th century, and it meant a "seat of a bishop's office, power, or authority" or "Cathedra, a bishop's official throne, his chair."

And further research discovered it also came to be used as the authority or the jurisdiction of a bishop.

As such, the word has a religious overtone to its meaning of authority.

Thus, as Albert Pike said numerious times in his book Morals and Dogma, Freemasonry is, but at the time time, not a religion. Let me explain.

In truth, he discussed the words religion and religious no less than 250 times in his book.

Here are but a few of his many many references to this subject matter: he wrote...

"Books, to be of religious tendency in the Masonic sense, need not be books of sermons, of pious exercises, or of prayers. What-ever inculcates pure, noble, and patriotic sentiments, or touches the heart with the beauty of virtue, and the excellence of an up-right life, accords with the religion of Masonry, and is the Gospel of literature and art" (p. 224). again he wrote...

"The ministers of this religion are all Masons" (p. 231). and yet again...

"The religion we teach is therefore as really a principle of things, and as certain and true, as gravitation" (p. 208). and again...

"The religious faith thus taught by Masonry is indispensable to the attainment of the great ends of life" (p. 207).

Nevertheless, as mentioned previously, Pike also maintained that we are not a religion in the communly used sense, this is what he wrote.. "Masonry is not a religion. He who makes of it a religious belief, falsifies and denaturalizes it" (p. 171).

Therefore, according to Pike, we should look upon our Scottish Rite as, "The best gift we can bestow on man is manhood. It is that which Masonry is ordained, of God to bestow on its votaries: not sectarianism and religious dogma; not a rudimental morality, that may be found in the writings of Confucius, Zoroaster, Seneca, and the Rabbis, in the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes; not a little and cheap common-school knowledge; but manhood and science and philosophy" (p. 30).

As such, for our purposes, the word See refers to The Supreme Council (Mother Council of the World) of the Inspectors General Knights Commander of the House of the Temple of Solomon of the Thirty-third Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America, which filters its authority down to each valley under its jurisdiction.