The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, commonly known as the Scottish Rite, is one of several appendant groups of the worldwide fraternity known as Freemasonry.

Each Valley has up to four Scottish Rite bodies, and each body confers a set of degrees. In the Southern Jurisdiction these are the Lodge of Perfection (4deg-14deg), Chapter of Rose Croix (15deg-18deg), Council of Kadosh (19deg-30deg), and the Consistory (31deg-32deg). The Supreme Council confers the 33rd Degree of Sovereign Grand Inspector General.

The Scottish Rite is one of the two branches of Freemasonry in which a Master Mason may proceed after he has completed the three degrees of Symbolic or Blue Lodge Masonry. The other branch is known as the York Rite, consisting of Royal Arch Masons, Royal and Select Masters and the Knights Templar.

The degrees are dramatic presentations of Masonic history, morality, and philosophy. Many degrees are presented in costume.

The teachings of Masonry are not to be taken lightly. Learning far outlasts physical monuments. Duties are not to be performed expecting reward - but expecting personal satisfaction. One honors relationships to God, family, country, and Masonry through duty, reflection and study. The teachings are secrecy, obedience and fidelity.

Life is uncertain; death may call at any time. The noblest portion of humanity is virtue for virtue's sake. Honesty and trustworthiness are the cornerstones of Masonry and these virtues should be in all of our undertakings with mankind. The teachings are honesty, sincerity, and good faith.

In this degree one should expand his knowledge of duty, charity and toleration. We are instructed to reshape ourselves, improving our self-control, and being a peacemaker. We are to be zealous, faithful, disinterested, and benevolent, and act the peacemaker.

We learn that impartial justice protects person, property, happiness and reputation. All actions have consequences; so let justice be the guide of all our actions. Be just in judging other's motives, and judge with patience and impartially.

We should strive for perfection by using the great principles of "God's inherent love, charity, morality and kindness." Benevolence and charity demand we correct our own faults and those of others. That which a man knows dies with him; therefore, transmit your knowledge. Labor is honorable if done with sobriety, temperance, punctuality, and industry.

Truth, candor and generosity; the foundation of Scottish Rite Masonry is most reflected in this degree. We should use these truths to shape our lives and conduct. Ignorance is the principle enemy of human freedom. A free press is indispensable to true liberty. Remorse and guilt are God's punishment and more severe than that of man's.

This degree teaches us to be tolerant and respect the opinions of others. Freedom of political and spiritual ideologies should be shared by all. Ambition creates tyranny and despotism; fanaticism creates intolerance and persecution. We should fight against fanaticism and persecution with education and enlightenment.

Life is a school and Masonry is work. Be earnest, true, and reliable, and be the champion of the people. This degree teaches sympathy; we should be compassionate to our brother Masons and to all mankind as well.

This degree teaches faith in morality and virtue and in God. Life is what each man makes of it; the optimist turns a trial into a blessing. Wisdom is a gift from God and should be preferred over riches. Wisdom and knowledge bring honor, discretion, and understanding.

Moral character is a habit, not formed in a moment, and liberty in our mind and our hearts is motivated by duty and honor.

Perfect Elus are both bound and free: bound by their obligation and free from prejudice, intolerance, and envy We should assist, encourage and defend the Brethren, enlighten the people, protect the oppressed, relieve want and distress, and strive to be true to ourselves and our God.

Fidelity to obligations and perseverance of purpose under difficulties and discouragement are the lessons of this degree. We should build the Masonic temple of liberty, equality, and fraternity in the souls of men and of nations.

We learn heroism of patience, the nobility of self-sacrifice, and compassionate judgment, along with charity, fidelity, and brotherhood. We are to judge equitable and fairly, keep faith in the justice and beneficence of God, and press forward with hope for the persecuted and oppressed.

The wisdom of this degree is that loyalty to God is man's primary allegiance and the temporal governments not founded upon God and His righteousness will inevitably fall.

This degree emphasizes that life and its strength come from God. We are taught to practice virtue, labor to eliminate vice, and be tolerant of the faith and creed of others.

19° - Grand Pontiff

We strive to endure, produce, and improve the world. We learn from the past and how it affects the present, and we labor with patience and industry for the future. We seek to destroy error, falsehood, and intolerance with truth, honest, honor, and charity.

20° - Master of the Symbolic Lodge

Truth, justice, and toleration are indispensable qualities for a Master of the Lodge. We are to dispense light and knowledge, but example is the best teaching method known, so we are to practice Masonic virtues both inside and outside the Lodge.

21° - Noachite or Prussian Knight

The lessons to be learned from this degree are that arrogance, defamation, and cowardice are unworthy attributes of a Mason and that humility, modesty, courtesy, and trust in God are the true virtues of men and Masons.

22° - Knight Royal Axe, Prince of Libanus

This degree emphasizes the work ethic: By doing good work, we improve character and become better citizens.

23° - Chief of the Tabernacle

We learn in this degree that the man who forgets his duty to God, family, country, and himself will be in danger of moral and spiritual destruction by thoughts and unworthy ambition. We learn about the virtues of faith - "aspiration toward the infinite;" hope; charity; fortitude - "victory over rage and anger;" prudence; temperance; and justice.

24° - Prince of the Tabernacle

In this degree a Mason learns that he must show evidence of compassion, piety and justice. After initiation he may "manifest faithfully the social virtues in order to receive the rewards," and serve humanity through our brotherhood.

25° - Knight of the Brazen Serpent

This degree speaks to the concepts of celestial purity and the eternal soul of man. The apprentice is driven to look within his faith, life, and God and to get a clear look at his inner self. We are to fulfill our destiny and re-create ourselves by reformation, repentance, and enlarging our knowledge.

26° - Prince of Mercy or Scottish Trinitarian

The trinity of Deity belongs to no single religion; the truths of Masonry are contained within the religions of the world. In this degree we explore "the rewards of the trinity of Gods attributes - wisdom or intelligence, force or strength, harmony or beauty."

27° - Knight Commander of the Temple

We learn in this degree that our love for God manifests itself in our love for truth, justice and nobility of soul.

28° - Knight of the Sun or Prince Adept

Masonry is practical and requires its members to be actively involved in life. This degree teaches the apprentice to scorn selfishness, and to uphold the knightly virtues of charity, truth, honor, loyalty, justice, and humanity. We always should strive to assist the poor, helpless and infirm.

29° - Scottish Knight of Saint Andrew

The virtues taught in this degree are "Love of God, loyalty to superiors, faithful adherence to promise and active resistance to unfair judgment." We serve the truth, protect virtue and innocence, and defend the people against tyranny

30° - Knight of Kadosh or Knight of the White & Black Eagle

Knightly virtues are not obsolete in the modern world. We are to arm ourselves with faith in God, love toward our fellow man, and knowledge. The lesson of this degree is to stand for what is right and to be just in our lives, with a belief in God, country, and oneself.

31° - Inspector Inquisitor

In this degree the apprentice learns prayerful self-examination. We learn that justice and mercy are two opposites which united in the great harmony of equity and that we must judge ourselves in the same light as we judge others - considering both actions and motives. We learn that true wisdom is to aim at the best, but be content with the best possible. We also learn that the good man should be able to point to positive actions and not simply to assert the absence of wrong in his life.

32° - Master of the Royal Secret

The lessons taught in this degree are that genuine brotherhood requires mutual regard, esteem, and charity. We look for the good in everyone and make allowances for others' shortcomings, but most of all, we trust the Supreme Architect to lead us to friendship, morality and brotherly love.