14246 Old Courthouse Way, Newport News, Virginia 23602, United States
History
Benaiah Sovereign Grand Lodge is the official keeper of Masonic Charters, providing Masonic lineage with hundreds of years of Masonic history. Within these Articles of Incorporations this Organization has legitimate Masonic authority to confer degrees 1-33, Benaiah Sovereign Grand Lodge has the Masonic and legal right to Charter Grand Masonic organizations provided by the Supreme Council 33rd and Last Degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of the Independent State of Ohio, the United States of America, its territories and dependencies (Degrees 1-33) Charter. This process was ratified in August 2014, and concluded in December 2014.
An update to reinstate this historical Masonic Charter document was completed on August 20th 2014, with final updates ratified on August 4th 2015. The legal incorporation of the documents in which Benaiah Sovereign Grand Lodge has dates back to the mid 1700’s and was ratified in the years of 1902 and 1910, in Ohio and New York. The history of this Masonic Rite is in line with the Joseph Cerneau Rite. Historical research provides evidence that the Joseph Cerneau Rite has a significant and prominent history in the United States. In accordance with an excerpt from New Edition of the brief history of the ancient and accepted Scottish rite of Freemasonry, together with a historic sketch of the so-called revival of Freemasonry in 1717, states the following: “Joseph Cerneau in the city of New York in the year 1807, and (is) the only legitimate power over the degrees of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the United States of America, its Territories and Dependencies; and they propose to continue the good work.” In addition to the information to give a brief description of this Rite is from The Condensed History of The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry From Its Introduction into the United States To The Present Time Issued by the Grand Consistory of the State of New York 1903, As Organized by T.I. Joseph Cerneau, M.P.S.G.C October 27th, 1807 states the following: “It is conceded by all the authorities on Scottish Rite Masonry, at the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite was established by the Ancient Council of the Emperors of the East and West, an organization created in Paris in 1758, having a Chamber in the old Grand Lodge of France….
In 1761 that Council of Emperors of East and West appointed Stephen Morin as Grand Inspector, giving him certain powers over the then known twenty-five degrees. At this time the ‘Council of Emperors of the East and West’ and the Grand Lodge of France were under the direction of the same Grand Master, Count De Clermont, prince of the royal blood, and shortly thereafter all the Masonic organizations in France were merged in the Grand Orient of France. On the 17th day of August, 1766, Morin was removed for cause, his powers revoked and annulled, and Bro. Martin, of St. Fredericks Lodge, was appointed and commissioned to establish Perfect and Sublime Masonry in all parts of the then New World. At this period the 25 degrees existing when Morin was commissioned in 1761 had been increased by the Grand Orient to 33 and it was decreed by the Grand Orient that the 33rd should be the last degree of Free and Accepted Masonry and govern them all. The first body to work the 33rd degree under this decree was the Primitive Scottish Rite at Naumur, France, 1770….
Joseph Cerneau, born in France in 1765, immigrated to San Domingo, and became the Master of La Reunion Desiree Lodge; was invested by Bro. Martin with the degrees and appointed Deputy Grand Inspector, with power to confer the degrees and establish bodies in America. In 1801 he established a Supreme Council in San Domingo. In 1806 he came to the United States, and on the 27th of October, 1807, he organized The Sov Grand Consistory for the United States of America, its Territories and Dependencies.” This is just a small sample of the rich history of Masonic process and Rites that will continue to be in Masonic historical reviews forever.
Benaiah Sovereign Grand Lodge is proud to be a part of the growing legacy of Masonic Rites and will continue to build upon solid ground with all Masonic organizations dedicated to Brotherly Love and Fellowship globally
