Morals and Dogma of The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. Prepared for the Supreme Council of the Thirty-Third Degree, for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States.

[PIKE, Albert].

Item Number: 127909

Charleston: Southern Jurisdiction of The United States, 1871.

First edition of Pike’s original compilation of the Masonic Rites. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles and vignettes to the spine and front panel, in-text illustrations, headpieces and tailpieces. In near fine condition. Rare.

Compiled by prominent member of the Freemasons and senior officer of the Confederate States Army, Morals and Dogma was first published in 1871 and was regularly reprinted thereafter until 1969. The book has been described as "a collection of thirty-two essays which provide a philosophical rationale for the degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. The lectures provided a backdrop for the degrees by giving lessons in comparative religion, history and philosophy". Though it discusses the minutiae of Masonic ritual at length, it is written so as not to unveil the Masonic secrets. Ritual motions and objects are named and elaborated upon, but not described. Although Morals and Dogma is an esoteric book, it was not a secret one; Pike's original preface was clear that any Mason could own the book, but only Scottish Rite Masons would be encouraged to own one.