formal reading (in French, of course) of campment was forbidden by the Grand the charter for the American body. Sir Encampment Constitution, because the Knight William H. Koon, II was then duly C.B.C.S. is a Templar Order. Templar meminstalled by the group of international bership in the Grand Priory of America Knights as the Master of the Grand Prio- (G.P.A.) was determined to be in conflict ry of the Scottish Reformed and Rectified with Section 3 of the Constitution of the Rite of the United States of America. Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of The Knights then adjourned to a nearby the United States of America. This created dining facility for yet another celebratory a problem which was resolved when the banquet. At the banquet, Sir Knight Koon Grand Priory of the Scottish Reformed conferred the honor of Knight Commander and Rectified Rite of Occitania (in the of the Temple on some of the participating south of France) issued a new charter to European Knights who had been instru- the Grand Encampment of Knights Temmental in facilitating this historical event. plar of the United States of America to form a new “Grand Priory of the Scottish Reformed and Rectified Rite of the United States of America.” This enabled American Templars to become a member of the Rectified Rite under the jurisdiction of the Grand Encampment and not be in conflict with the Grand Encampment Constitution. I would refer you to Chris There had been previously established Hodapp’s web site http://freemasonsin the United States the Grand Priory of fordummies.blogspot.com/2010/12/ America Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité grand-priory-of-scottish-reformed.html Sainte (C.B.C.S.) in 1934 under a charter for a more detailed explanation of the granted by Grand Prieuré Indépendant history of how this unfortunate circumd’Helvetie (Great Priory of Switzerland), stance evolved. but it was subsequently determined by This web site explains that by widethe Jurisprudence Committee of the spread agreement, even though it posGrand Encampment and previous Grand sesses its own degree rituals for the Masters that membership in the C.B.C.S., Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and in the United States, of Knight Templars Master Mason degrees, like the Scottish under the jurisdiction of the Grand En- Rite systems in the United States and knight templar
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