The 19th through 30th Degrees comprise the Council of Kadosh. Of the four Scottish Rite Bodies, the Council contains the most degrees. They are all mystical with respect to the lessons conveyed and the symbols employed. They are as follows:
19th Degree: Grand Pontiff. The lessons of the 19° teach us that good will triumph over evil, that the human intellect cannot measure the designs of God and that if lived properly, this life is a bridge to eternal life. In the context of this degree, the word pontiff does not refer to the leader of the Roman Catholic Church but derives from two latin words: ponti, meaning ‘bridge’ and facere, ‘to make’; hence, pontiff means ‘bridge builder.’
20th Degree: Master Of The Symbolic Lodge. The lessons of the 20° teach us that truth, justice and toleration are indispensable qualities for a Master of the Lodge and that example is the best teaching method known.
21st Degree: Noachite, Or Prussian Knight. We learn, in the 21°, that the downfall of evil is certain. A free and independent judiciary is necessary to human progress and that journalism should be fair, just and responsible.
22nd Degree: Knight Royal Axe, Prince Of Libanus.
The lesson of the 22° is simply that work is the mission of man.
23rd Degree: Chief Of The Tabernacle. The lessons of the 23° teach us that simple faith is wiser than vain philosophy and that a society’s concept of the Deity and the universe are consistent with its development.
24th Degree: Prince Of The Tabernacle. The lessons of the 24° teach us of the power of faith in the Deity and his promises. They teach us that the soul is immortal and that there is one, true God, who is pure, absolute intellect and existence.
25th Degree: Knight Of The Brazen Serpent. The 25° teaches us that man is composed of the flesh, the soul and the intellect. Man is a reflection of the Divine and that we should not weary God with petitions.
26th Degree: Prince Of Mercy. In the 26° we learn that the trinity of Deity belongs to no single religion. The truths of Masonry are contained within the religions of the world.
27th Degree: Knight Commander Of The Temple. We are taught in the 27° that Masonry is practical and requires its members to be actively involved in life. We also learn that virtue and duty have been the same in all times.
28th Degree: Knight Of The Sun. The lessons of the 28° teach us that nature reveals a power and wisdom and continually points to God, that the visible is the manifestation of the invisible. We also learn that, in the universe, two opposite forces provide balance, and that there is no death, only change. We also learn that Philosophy is a kind of journey, ever learning, but never arriving at the ideal truth and that the moral code of Masonry is more extensive that that of philosophy.
29th Degree: Scottish Knight Of Saint Andrew. The 29° teaches us that ideals and institutions wax and wane in the great cycle of time which is but change.
30th Degree: Knight Kadosh. The lessons of the 30° teach us that we should arm ourselves with faith in God, love toward our fellow men and knowledge. We also learn that great examples are the noblest legacies from the past; they enrich a nation more than wealth or power.
