A brief history of the Scottish Rite in Rochester, NY

“On the twenty-fourth of February, 1866, there was held the first meeting of Petitioners for a Lodge of Perfection in Rochester.” so say the early records. There is ample reason to suppose that an attempt was made much earlier to establish the Rite in Rochester, and that the degrees from the fourth to the thirty-second were conferred by communication.

According to a letter of Hubbard S. Allis, and there is evidence in the records of the bodies at a later date to prove this, he received the degrees in the four bodies of the Rite on September 1,1853. Jarvis M. Hatch, 32nd Degree held the dispensation, but as this was before the union of the two Supreme Councils in 1867, it is not definitely known from which Supreme Council it originated. It is presumed, however, from the evidence available, that it came from the Northern Supreme Council, the Council recognized by the Supreme Council at Charleston.

While some meetings were held of the few who were attempting to establish the Rite, the undertaking did not develop into much of a success and quickly died out. The early records of this original group were turned over to the Lodge of Perfection in April, 1873, but there is no further reference to them anywhere, nor can they be located. They were doubtless lost in the fire which destroyed much of the property and records of the Bodies, in 1892.

On February 24th, 1866, then, so far as the present organization is concerned, the Scottish Rite was established in Rochester. In addition to Ill. Brother Orrin Welch, 33rd Degree, Deputy for New York State, and three other Illustrious Brothers, who were authorized to confer the Sublime and Ineffable Degrees upon the petitioners, there were twenty-two petitioners. After the degrees had been conferred, the petitioners received a dispensation to confer the degrees, elected their officers, who were installed by the Deputy, and the Scottish Rite was launched in the Valley of Rochester.

On April 30th, 1866, "twenty Ancient and Accepted Masons met and drew up a petition to Orrin Welch, 33rd Degree, Deputy Grand Inspector General of New York, for a Consistory in Rochester." At a subsequent meeting, held in Masonic Hall on May 28th, a dispensation was presented from the Deputy, empowering this group to meet together as a regular Consistory.

The first minutes of the Council of Princes of Jerusalem were destroyed by fire. The first minutes of the Chapter of Rose Croix bear no date. Apparently the original members of both bodies were the same as those of the Lodge of Perfection, and both bodies were established at about the same time as the Lodge.

While there is practically no reference in the minutes of any of the bodies to the receipt of charters, we know that all four bodies were chartered on May 15th, 1867. Unfortunately all four of the original charters were lost at the time of the fire in 1892. It is believed that they were not destroyed but that they were removed, badly damaged, and sent to be cleaned up and framed, but no trace of them has been found. Eventually, after hope of their recovery had been given up, duplicate charters were obtained.

The original meeting place of the four bodies of Rite was in Masonic Hall, an old stone building on the corner of Main and Exchange Streets, where the Wilder Building now stands. Apparently, the Bodies moved to the "Butts Block," on State Street, about the first of the year 1867. On October 26th, 1884, the bodies approved a resolution to move to 'Odd Fellows Temple' on West Main Street; purchasing the furniture and equipment of Odd Fellows, and issuing five hundred certificates of indebtedness at ten dollars each, bearing interest and payable in five years, to cover the necessary expense. The move to the new location took place some time between this date and February 9th, 1885.

During the Spring Reunion in April, 1892 (April 27th) fire destroyed the quarters in Consistory Hall, as the building was then known. The stage and scenery, the room above the Lodge room, and the roof of the building were entirely destroyed. All of the records and Charters of the bodies were saved from the fire but much of this material was lost elsewhere in the confusion attending the fire and moving to new quarters. During the time until November 9th, when the building was again fit for occupancy the Bodies met in the Masonic Temple, the top floor of the building on Exchange Street for many years occupied by Weed's Hardware Store. This building was razed in 1956.

During the morning of the fall reunion on November 5th, 1900, fire again destroyed the quarters of the bodies in Consistory Hall. The 15th and 16th degrees had been conferred the evening before, these were the last degrees worked in the Hall. The work of the reunion was completed in the Masonic Temple on Exchange Street. A note in the minutes of the Consistory, between the dates of the 15th and 16th, states that the fire completely destroyed the properties on the upper floor of the Hall, and badly damaged the costumes and properties on the floor below. The records of the bodies were also badly damaged, very little outside of the minute books of the Lodge, Chapter and Consistory being salvaged.

In December 1900 new quarters were rented from Damascus Temple in Reynolds Arcade. The robes and equipment saved from the fire were repaired and a few small items were purchased, but no general replacement of the properties destroyed was made. At this time plans were under way for a new Masonic Temple to house all of the Masonic bodies in the city.

The new Masonic Temple, on North Clinton Avenue, was completed in 1903. The first meeting of the Scottish Rite bodies was held there on the 13th of October. The bodies remained in this building until it was abandoned upon completion of the Masonic Temple on East Main Street, in 1928.

The early minutes of the bodies show that the path, which they took, was not all smooth and even. There were financial difficulties at different times. Naturally enough, there were differences of opinion. At times there was dissension among the four bodies, with regard to proportionate expenses. Prior to 1893, when Buffalo Charter of Rose Croix and Buffalo Consistory were chartered, the only bodies conferring degrees beyond the 16th in the western part of the State were the Rochester bodies. Many of the members of the Rochester bodies came, therefore, from Buffalo and its surrounding towns. After the first fire it was found necessary to assess the membership to recoup part of the losses. There was opposition from the brethren from the Buffalo area to the assessment. The organization was not, by any means, the smooth working one it is today. Eventually matters were adjusted to the satisfaction of all. From 1903 on there has been an entirely friendly feeling among the various bodies of the Rite, and with the other branches of the Masonic Fraternity. This feeling of friendliness and cooperation, to the credit of all branches of the Fraternity and its allied organizations, exists today, more than ever before, and it is evident that it will continue.

The Valley of Rochester continued to meet at the Masonic Temple building on East Main Street until 2002. At that time the Masonic bodies agreed to not renew their lease and move out of the building. Upon leaving the building the bodies of the Valley met at various Lodge buildings in the surrounding Masonic District. The degrees were presented in Webster Lodge building, Webster Thomas High School and Rush-Henrietta High School. In 2004 the Valley entered into a lease agreement with Damascus Shrine Center to rent the building for meeting, degrees and other functions. This is where most of the Valley meetings, activities and degrees are held.

On March 29, 2003 the Valley of Rochester participated in the Scottish Rite One Day Class for the State of New York. The degrees were conferred on candidates at Webster Thomas High School with the valleys of Buffalo and Jamestown participating.

In 2006 the Valley instituted the College of Freemasonry. This program brings noted Masonic scholars to the Valley for a day of talks and discussion on Freemasonry and related subjects.

Germania Lodge of Perfection

From 1873 to 1973 the Valley of Rochester, NY was unique in that it was the only Scottish Rite Valley in the jurisdiction where there were two Lodges of Perfection in the same locality. At first glance such an arrangement appears unnecessary, perhaps, senseless, but when we look back to its origin it becomes completely reasonable, and understandable.

Some time before June, 1873, a group of German speaking citizens, mostly members of Germania Lodge, No.722, F. & A.M., decided to try to establish an additional Lodge of Perfection in Rochester. In the minutes of Rochester Lodge of Perfection, dated June 16,1873, there is this note, "On the motion of Brother Otis Cole, Germania Lodge of Perfection was allowed the use of the A.& A. rooms free of rent for the present. The Thrice Potent Master gave his permission for Germania to confer the degrees of this body upon such candidates as may be elected to receive or have received a portion of the degrees in this body, such work however to be credited to this body. Brother Cole announced that tomorrow (Tuesday) evening, Germania Lodge of Perfection would be instituted in this building, and invited all to attend."

In the minutes of Rochester Lodge of Perfection, dated Feb. 2, 1874, there was the following: “on motion of Brother Cole the following resolutions were unanimously adopted. Resolved, that the thanks of this Lodge of Perfection be hereby fraternally tendered to the officers and members of Germania Lodge of Perfection, U.D. for their unremitting labor as well as contribution of properties, that so greatly assisted in making the Eighth Annual Reunion an unparalleled success. Resolved, that Rochester Lodge of Perfection earnestly requests the State Council of Deliberation at its next session in Albany, February fourth, to recommend the Supreme Council to grant a charter to Germania Lodge of Perfection.”

Germania received its charter on August 19,1874, and worked the degrees of the Lodge of Perfection, in complete harmony with Rochester Lodge of Perfection. The best of fraternal relations existed between the two bodies.

Until World War I, the decrees conferred by Germania Lodge of Perfection were worked in the German language, with the exception of the obligations, which in many cases were given in both German and English. Even when conferring degrees for Rochester Lodge of Perfection, the degrees in the early days were in German. With the passing of many of the older, and the addition of new and younger members, and a change in the work to the English, the original purpose of Germania was past. However, it retained its Charter, its traditions and activities, and had an important place in the Rite in the Valley of Rochester. Many of the members of Germania were members of Rochester Council, Chapter, and Consistory, and there was a close relationship between Germania Lodge of Perfection and the Rochester bodies of the Rite.

In 1973 a resolution was passed by the members of Germania Lodge of Perfection to merge with Rochester Lodge of Perfection. The reason given was a drop in membership and the inability of conferring all the Lodge of Perfection degrees with the current membership. The resolution was passed. Germania Lodge of Perfection ceased to exist after celebrating its Centennial Year as a Scottish Rite Body. The charter is on display in the Valley of Rochester office.