Prince of Jerusalem
Prince of Jerusalem is the sixteenth degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. It continues the fifteenth degree's account of rebuilding the Temple at Jerusalem. Charles T. McClenachan's 1885 version places Zerubbabel before the Persian king Darius and makes truthfulness in the presence of power a central concern.[1]
The mission to Darius
In the degree's legend, opposition and uncertainty threaten the work permitted by Cyrus. Zerubbabel and his companions seek support from Darius so that rebuilding can continue. Their mission brings the interests of their people into a royal court where persuasion and favour carry considerable weight.[2]
The title of prince is associated in McClenachan's narrative with recognition of Zerubbabel's conduct and service. The account treats the honour as something earned through his actions on behalf of the community.[3]
Truth and service
A discussion at court contrasts the power of a ruler and the influence of beauty with the enduring authority of truth. McClenachan's explanation makes truth the basis of trustworthy agreements, just action and law. The point has an immediate setting: a person addressing a powerful ruler must decide whether to offer flattery or speak honestly.[4]
Zerubbabel's obligations to his people also govern his response to personal advancement. McClenachan presents public service as a claim that continues even when a more attractive position is offered. The two concerns, truthfulness and fidelity to a common undertaking, give the court episode its moral purpose.[5]
The scales shown in the degree's regalia are explained as an emblem of justice. They connect the honour of the princely title with a continuing obligation to judge and act fairly.[6]
Organisation and interpretation
McClenachan places the fifteenth and sixteenth degrees in a Council of Princes of Jerusalem. The present Northern Masonic Jurisdiction retains that grouping.[7][8] The Supreme Council for Australia's public description also links the two degrees with the return from captivity and the rebuilding under Zerubbabel.[9]
Related pages
Overview of degrees 4° to 17° · Previous: 15° Knight of the East or Sword · Next: 17° Knight of the East and West
References
- ↑ Charles T. McClenachan, The Book of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, revised and enlarged edition (New York: Author's Edition, 1885), pp. 196, 203-211. Digitised copy.
- ↑ Charles T. McClenachan, The Book of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, revised and enlarged edition (New York: Author's Edition, 1885), pp. 196, 203-208, 210-211. Digitised copy.
- ↑ Charles T. McClenachan, The Book of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, revised and enlarged edition (New York: Author's Edition, 1885), pp. 196, 207, 211. Digitised copy.
- ↑ Charles T. McClenachan, The Book of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, revised and enlarged edition (New York: Author's Edition, 1885), pp. 204-207. Digitised copy.
- ↑ Charles T. McClenachan, The Book of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, revised and enlarged edition (New York: Author's Edition, 1885), pp. 207-208. Digitised copy.
- ↑ Charles T. McClenachan, The Book of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, revised and enlarged edition (New York: Author's Edition, 1885), pp. 209. Digitised copy.
- ↑ Charles T. McClenachan, The Book of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, revised and enlarged edition (New York: Author's Edition, 1885), pp. 9. Digitised copy.
- ↑ Supreme Council, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, Our Degrees. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Supreme Council for Australia, AASR Degrees. Accessed 23 September 2026.