17th Degree - Knight of the East and West

The 17° presents a picture of the conflicts which confronted one man, King Herod the Great, as he labored with the whimsical actions within his family, his court and his kingdom. Although the scene itself is fictitious, the facts relating to the intrigue within the court and King Herod’s renovation of the Second Temple, which had been erected by Zerubbabel, are historically correct. The attitudes of the three factions of the Jewish religious population reflect the conflicts which continue, even today, as we try to understand our places in the plan of the Grand Architect. This degree teaches that we must seek truth in our path through life, and that we should learn from, and avoid repeating, the errors of the past.

18th Degree - Knight of the Rose Croix of H. R. D. M.

The Rose Croix Degree teaches that the new Temple is in the heart of man where God is worshiped in spirit and in truth. The new Law is a law of love which all men everywhere may understand and practice. The Word is found and the Sealed Book is opened.

The Rose Croix Degree bears the impress of its deeply religious background. It is not concerned with theological or ecclesiastical controversies. It is not dogmatic. It uses events from the life of Jesus of Nazareth to teach the lesson of this degree. It affirms the broad principles of universality and tolerance — principles which were confirmed by the Nazarene as He taught both Jew and Gentile that they were children of the same Heavenly Father.