in freemasonry, statute (Rite) represents a set of degrees, a unity, which follow each other in a certain sequence, growth and are considered a single system, managed by an independent administrative body. There are many different such charters that govern Masonic work around the world. The most important of them are statutes that are very common in our time Yorkie or english Ancient and Accepted Scottish Statutes and the French statute or “Modern statutes".

The "York Charter" is widely used in the United States of America, and no one calls it the "English" charter nowadays. In the US, the Scottish Charter is a center for various social activities, while the York Charter is more of an internal system of Masonic enlightenment. It should be remembered that the USA is quite a religious state, with different Christian denominations, therefore, the York charter is based on the brothers of the Christian confession, its system is built on biblical stories and faith in God. The Charter of York combines a number of English Masonic "superstructure" systems and degrees, but unlike in England, these degrees and orders are united in one common system, in a single line, in the form of a charter. They are numbered accordingly as in the ancient and accepted Scottish charters. Despite the differences in the rituals, their basis and content are similar to the "equivalent" degrees in Europe and England. The York Charter consists of three main 'Sections' which are led by various sub-structures, the Masonic Workshops. The first such section is – Royal Arch And unlike England, where this system is literally part of symbolic Freemasonry, in the US it represents the first four degrees of the York Charter. In the U.S.A., Royal Arch conferment was originally permitted only to Worthy Masters of Lodges. A Master Mason could only receive the "Mark" degree. To these four degrees was later added the fifth degree of "Prior Worthy Master", so that the mentioned rule would not be abolished, but at the same time, the trust in the fifth degree of the charter was considered equivalent to the "trust" of the knowledge that the worthy masters of the lodge received. The sixth degree is "Extremely Perfect Master", which is already managed by the "Crypt" Council in England. The "Royal Arch" itself, as a degree, is considered the seventh degree of the York charter in the US, the rite being quite different from the English variant. The United States retains a number of elements of royal archery that originated in Scotland and that have disappeared in England. Former Principals of the Royal Arch also become members of the society beyond the York Charter, they are called "First Priests". The second large section of the York Statutes is the "Crypt," which is the basis of the English "Crypt," since this system was introduced into England from the United States. The third section – the highest class of degrees, is represented by the temple commandery. It includes the Order of the Red Cross, the Order of St. Paul and the Order of Malta, the Order of the Temples. These degrees, as in England, are open only to brothers of the Christian denomination. The Crusader Knights Order is a separate knightly order that exists independently of the York Charter, but admits only those who were members of the York Charter Templars and led the Temple Commandery.

Some of the other statutes that were known in the past or come across in modern times should be mentioned Fessler's Charter, from Hamburg Schroeder's Charter, the Statute of Strict Obedience, the Statute of Swedenborg, and the Statute of Perfection or Heredom.

The first three degrees - apprentice, fellow and master - belong blue or symbolic Lodges, moreover, are a legal and integral part of all the mentioned statutes. In these degrees, the French charter, the ancient and received Scottish charter, or the charter of perfection also begin with the chant.

The lodge is called "blue" in the Anglo-Saxon Masonic world, i.e. England, USA, Ireland, Scotland or Australia. The lodge is called "symbolic" in continental European Masonic families, South America and Africa.

There are some differences between how US and English charters work, as well as between York and Scottish charters. It can be said that there are more ideological similarities and similarities between the Scottish charter and the modern or French charter.

Statute of Perfection consisted of 25 degrees, among them the highest of the supreme prince of the royal secret quality was This statute was created and developed in continental Europe, namely in France, even before 1762. Based on it, it was created and developed Ancient and Accepted Scottish Statutes, by adding several steps to the system of perfection statutes and making some cosmetic changes to statutes in the late 18th century.

The modern charter - Rite Moderne, was founded at the end of the 18th century, in 1786, by the French Grand Order of the East, and it consists of 7 degrees, of which the first three are symbolic lodge degrees, the fourth degree chosen one The fifth is called Scottish, on the sixth Knight of the East, and for the seventh - Knight of the Rose and Cross. This seventh degree corresponds Statute of Perfection in modern times - Ancient and Accepted Scottish Statutes 18th grade. The governing body of the French charter is called the Grand General Chapter.

The ancient and accepted Scottish charter consists of thirty-three degrees, the first three degrees here also belonging to the symbolic lodge. The charter is headed by an administrative body, which Supreme Council is called Among the existing high councils, the oldest is the High Council of the Southern Jurisdiction of the USA, St. in Charleston. It was founded on May 31, 1801, and it is from it that all other supreme councils of the world originate. In 1804, the second Supreme Council in the world and the first on the European continent was created – the Supreme Council of France, however, there are now two Supreme Councils in France, as in 1815 the Eastern Duchy of France created its own Supreme Council. The Supreme Council of the Northern Jurisdiction of the USA was founded in the city of New York in 1813. At first he He settled in Charleston, and later St. He moved to Boston.

The Supreme Council of France, its Colonies and Dominions was founded by Count Alexandre Auguste de Grasse, who Mother of the Supreme Council The founder was St. In Charleston, and later with his participation, the Supreme Councils of the West Indies, San Domingo and the French islands of Windward and Leonard were created. He established the Supreme Council of France in 1804 and later, around 1815, reestablished the Supreme Council of the West Indies, which later joined the Supreme Council of France.

The High Council of Belgium was founded in 1817, under the authority of the French High Council; The High Council of Ireland was established in 1826 under the authority of the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, the High Council of Scotland was established by the High Council of France in 1846, and the High Council of England and Wales was established after the High Council of Scotland, also in 1846, under the authority of the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States.

Rituals of the "Scottish Charter" have existed since ancient times. At the end of the 17th century - the beginning of the 18th century, these rituals (their number  then it was 25) got to France from Scotland, through the Bordeaux Lodge. Its name is due to the Scottish emigrants who fled the English in France. The system of rituals as a unified structure did not exist then. Andrew Ramsey Through this, the system of "high steps" gradually became established in many French lodges. And in the 18th century - Scottish rituals in the French colonies with Etienne Morin Entered together when Chevalier Morin was appointed "Grand Inspector of the New World". He established the "Order of Perfection" working with the 25-step charter on San Domingo, and it was from this Caribbean island that the Scottish rites spread in AD. on the American continent and then around the world. In 1765, the Order of Perfection was founded in New York, and in 1783 in Charleston, South Carolina. It was in Charleston that the Scottish Rite developed and took shape as a structure. In 1799-1801, the charter is reformed, when they arrive in Charleston King Frederick the GreatSubmissions of - Frederick Dalko and John Mitchell, "Order of Perfection" is changing its name and structure. They brought a new charter of the order, in which 8 additional steps were provided and the name was changed - the order was called "Ancient and Accepted Scottish Charter". Both English and French Masons participated in its foundation. There is a legend that these rites were brought from the Holy Land to France by the Templars, and after the raid of the Templar Order, the rites from France found their way to Scotland. By the same hypothesis, in 1314, the support of the temples is clearly visible in the battle of the Scottish king Robert Bruce against the English. During this period, a Masonic lodge was created, in which Scotsmen and Knights Templar from France became members. The temples had complete autonomy within this lodge and as many researchers claim, the lodge preserved (up to the first half of the 18th century) ancient Masonic traditions based on mystical-hermetic and Rosicrucian values and wisdom. In the 1730s, representatives of this lodge(s) moved to France, including stands out Andre – Michel de Ramsay (1686 – 1743) – Scottish writer and public figure. Ramsay has been associated with Freemasonry since its introduction [of modern Freemasonry, based on "ancient" traditions] in France in 1725. Count Charles Radcliffe, who, since 1736, had acted as Grand Master of France, attended Ramsay's funeral. It is assumed that Ramsay and John Theophilus Desagulier There were also members of one [French] lodge in England [London]. In 1737, Ramsay, in Paris, gave his famous public speech, in which he defined four things - what it took for a neophyte [candidate] to become a French Freemason. These four characteristics differed from the English "standards" and included the following: the candidate had to be a philanthropist, he had to have moral values, he had to be able to keep secrets, and he had to be sympathetic to science and the fine arts. In the same year, Ramsay wrote his discourse to be delivered at a meeting of the Freemasons [Grand Lodge of France] as Grand Orator of the French Masonic Order. In this discourse, he connected [provided evidence for] Freemasonry with the Crusader Knights [Templars]. Ramsay thought that his speech deserved the attention of the prevailing Catholic Church and sent the text to Cardinal Fleury of France. In the accompanying letter, Ramsay stated: "The obligations imposed upon us in Freemasonry bind us to protect our brethren by our authority, to enlighten them by our knowledge, to develop them by our virtue, to assist them in their wants, and to strive for all that will promote the peace and unity of society." Ramsay asked Cardinal Fleury to "bless" the moral and ethical principles of Freemasonry and peaceful coexistence, but received Fleury's cold refusal and the Cardinal's ban on Freemasonry in France... Ramsay, in his appeal to French Freemasons, emphasized the superiority of Scottish Freemasonry, its "traditionality" and authenticity. During this period, "Scottish Freemasonry" was formed in France in the form of lodges, they were given the right to work and develop separately, Frenchmen were also members of the lodges. It was introduced in these lodges. It is the rites that later form first the "Perfection" and then the "Ancient and Accepted Scottish" statutes. Ramsay urged masons [maçon is a French word and means stone, stonemason] not to take the term "stonemason" in a literal sense, because it was not about practical stonemasonry, but about the development of one's own "I", an individual, a person. French Freemasons actively joined "Scottish Order" lodges because they saw much common ground in their own traditions and the esoteric and occult traditions of these Scottish Order lodges. In the traditional degrees of the "Scottish Charter" you will find many hidden or overt references to various mystical or occult teachings, e.g. Kabbalah, Alchemy, Sacred Geometry and Hermeticism.

Let's return to the history of the creation of the structure of the charter. On May 31, 1801, the world's first supreme council of inspectors-general of the thirty-third and last degree of the ancient and accepted Scottish charter (called the "Southern Jurisdiction") was founded in Charleston. in 1802, the US "Southern Jurisdiction" of the charter issues a patent (a written authorization to ordain) which arrives in France and is issued to French Masons. Thus, the ancient Scottish rites that left France returned to France in the form of a new system, a charter. In 1804, the second in the world, and the first in Europe, the Supreme Council of France was founded. The ancient and accepted motto of the Scottish charter is "Ordo ab Chao", which is interpreted as "order out of chaos" or "order out of chaos". This motto first appeared in a patent issued by the Southern Jurisdiction in 1802.

Unfortunately, for political reasons (King James and the Jacobins) England did not accept the Scottish roots of the origin of the charter and only called the system "Ancient and Accepted Charter". Also, the old rituals remained almost unchanged only in France (the Supreme Council of France – Suprême Conseil de France) and in the patent jurisdictions issued by it, the rituals in the USA and English colonies changed their face.

High councils have been established and exist in Canada, Portugal, Italy, Hungary, Greece, Switzerland, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, New Granada, Uruguay, Mexico, Central America, Chile, the Argentine Confederation, Egypt and Cuba (West Indies).

Everywhere except Great Britain, Canada, Chile and the USA, supreme councils administer all degrees and inspectors Supervise the conferral of symbolic degrees and the establishment of Master's Lodges - issuing patents and coordinating their work. In the USA, the Supreme Councils have never indulged in such power, and in order to maintain general harmony, the operation and supervision of symbolic lodges is left to Grand Lodges, which issue patents for the creation of lodges.

Initially, the number of members of the Supreme Council was determined by nine members, but in almost all Supreme Councils this number is exceeded. Currently, the membership of the High Council in the Southern Jurisdiction of the USA is set at thirty-three members. All members are elected and hold the title of Grand Sovereign Inspector General in perpetuity. The positions of officers in the Supreme Council are also permanent.

The US Southern Jurisdiction includes all states in the country except Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. These fifteen states were ceded to the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States at its founding. All other states in the US territory of the Southern Jurisdiction – Mother of the Supreme Council Under cover and in the bosom.

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Charter is the most common of all other Masonic charters and systems. For example, in the Roman countries of continental Europe and in the Americas, work is carried out mainly only with this system of charters and rituals.

Legally, this statute is governed by: 1) the Constitution and Regulations of 1762; 2) after 1762, by statutes, regulations and rules adopted at different times; 3) True secret codes or the Grand Constitution of 1786, adopted by the Supreme Council of the Order of the Thirty-Third Degree, at Berlin, and approved and authorized for execution by Frederick the Great, who was "Grand Patron of the Order, Grand Commander, Grand Master of the Universe, and True Guardian of the Order"; 4) Statutes and constitutions adopted by various Supreme Councils. Most of them were adopted in the 18th century and published by the Southern Jurisdiction of the USA (the originals, in translation), along with their own constitutions and statutes. The original text of the Constitution of 1786 was drawn up in Latin, while the Constitution of 1762 and the original texts of the other mentioned documents were drawn up in French.

Within 2-3 years of the publication of this work by Albert Pike, the first World Assembly of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Statutes was held. 1875 Congress of Lausanne There was a historic attempt by eleven High Councils to review and reform the Great Constitution of 1786, an ancient and accepted Scottish charter. The World Congress was held September 6-22, 1875, and represented the High Council of England (and Wales), Belgium, Cuba, Scotland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Peru, Portugal, and the host country, Switzerland. The representative of Scotland, who also represented the High Council of Greece, left the Congress before the final conclusion for personal reasons. On the closing day the representatives of the nine High Councils signed the Final Declaration and Treaty of the World Assembly of Ancient and Accepted Scottish Statutes. Many different aspects were discussed at the meeting, including the deistic approach to belief in a creative principle on the one hand, and the theistic approach to belief in a Supreme Being on the other. The discussion took the form of an ideological dispute, and only in 1877, through the mediation of the Swiss Supreme Council, a conciliatory position was reached on this issue.

The proceedings and decisions of the Lausanne Congress, as well as the events leading up to it, both on the European mainland and in the United States, are either unknown or not studied in depth by many Freemasons. No, an in-depth analysis of the whole thing gives an excellent insight into the foreign policy of the Grand Lodges.

Confessions in the twenty-third degree are carried out solely by the Supreme Council and by its authority. No petition or demand shall be entertained, but upon the unanimous vote and decision of the members of the Supreme Council itself, the Thirty-Third Degree shall be conferred upon all meritorious, worthy, and few brethren, from every state. This degree is honorary for them and they become honorary members of the Supreme Council.

The charter degrees from the first to the twenty-twelfth degree are divided into six companions, classes, temples, each of which is headed by a special administrative body, which represents the body of the leading officers of the highest degree of this or that class.

The first order, class is represented by the first three degrees:

1. Apprentice (in French - Apprenti)
2. Co-brother (Fr. – Companion Compagnon)
3. Master free mason (Fr. Maitre)

Confessions in these degrees are made by the Sovereign Inspector General or his Deputy or by the Worthy Master of the Symbolic Lodge. For example, in the USA, only a symbolic lodge and its head carry out ordination in these degrees.

Second class degrees are:

4. Secret Master
5. A perfect master
6. Secret (Private) Secretary
7. Supervisor and Judge
8. Building (or construction) supervisor
9. The chosen knight out of nine
10. The chosen knight of the fifteen
11. The most chosen knight of the twelve
12. Great master architect
13. Knight of the Ninth Arch or Royal Arch of Solomon
14. Great Chosen, Perfect and Superior Freemason

These qualities bear the name "unspoken" and trust is made in them In the Lodge of Perfection, the governing body is the fourteenth degree.

There are two degrees in the third class:

15. Knight of the East (or Sword).
16. Prince of Jerusalem

Trust is implemented in these degrees In the Council of the Princes of Jerusalem, which is the autonomous governing body of these degrees in the Sovereign Chapter of the Rose and Cross.

There are two degrees in the fourth part of the classification:

17. Knight of East and West
18. Knight of the Eagle or Knight of the Cross or Knight of the Rose and Cross

These degrees are administered by the Chapter of the Rose and Lamb, the governing body of the 18th degree.

The fifth class of the system includes:

19. Grand Pontiff or Exalted Master of Scotland
20. Grand Master of all Symbolic Lodges
21. Noachite patriarch or Prussian knight
22. Knight of the Royal Ax or Prince of Lebanon
23. The head of the skin
24. Prince of Skinia
25. Knight of the Brass Serpent
26. Prince of Mercy or Scottish Knight of the Trinity
27. Knight Templar Commander (Commander)
28. Sun Knight or Prince Adept
29. Knight of St. Andrew of Scotland
30. Holy (Kadosh) Knight or Knight of the Black and White Eagle

Entrustment in these degrees is made either to the Council of Holy Knights, the governing body of the 30th degree, or in the consistory, by the governing body of the 32nd degree.

31. Grand Commander Inspector Inquisitor
32. Supreme Lord of the Royal Secret

Confessions in these degrees are carried out in the Grand Consistory. Initially, only the Supreme Council or persons to whom the Supreme Council granted such power had the right to entrust in these degrees. Currently, the US Southern Jurisdiction delegates these rights to state consistories. In addition, the Supreme Council reserves the right to conduct a trust in any of the above-mentioned degrees, even if there is a governing body of this or that degree in a specific territory (state) - an acting member of the Supreme Council or a special representative appointed by him, has full right and power to conduct a trust in any in degrees, from the fourth to the twenty-twelfth degree inclusive.

The Grand Consistory of a charter, based in a particular state (territory), is the highest governing body of that particular charter in a particular state (territory). Grand consistories are subject to the Supreme Council. The Consistory can issue patents with permission to carry out work on the structural units under its auspices and also collect the corresponding membership fees from them. It has legislative and judicial powers, and any decision of the Consistory can be appealed to the Supreme Council.

In the "unspoken" degrees (in the Lodge of Perfection) and all subsequent degrees, incl. Any Master Freemason, up to and including the Twenty-Third Degree, belonging to the Legal Charter, Masonic Obedience, and Symbolic Lodge, who is not in arrears of dues or notes of any kind, is admitted to the Excommunication. There are no other restrictions. Degrees 4-14 are overseen by a Lodge of Perfection, opening work in that Lodge is considered opening work in all those degrees. However, there is an opportunity to work in any of these degrees separately and in full. The same rule applies to works in degrees 19-29. All these degrees are considered part of the Council of Holy Knights (Knights of Kadosh). However, the work can be carried out separately in all these degrees, fully and since the 28th degree is considered Philosophical To complete the class of degrees, it is wise to transfer the oversight and governing authority of degrees 19-27 to the governing body of that degree.

No one has the right to attend properly and lawfully opened work, in one degree or another, without the proper apron and harness—the quality bowtie and jewel.