Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry

Contains the Lectures of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and is specially intended to be read and studied by the Brethren of Masonic obedience, in connection with the Rituals of the Degrees. It is hoped and expected that each will furnish himself with a copy, and make himself familiar with it; for which purpose, as the cost of the work consists entirely in the formatting, printing and distribution, it will be furnished at a price as moderate as possible. Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, or simply Morals and Dogma, is a book of esoteric philosophy published by the Supreme Council, Thirty Third Degree, of the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction of the United States. It was compiled by Albert Pike, was first published in 1872 and was regularly reprinted thereafter until 1969. Morals and Dogma has been described as "a collection of thirty-two essays which provide a philosophical rationale for the degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. The lectures provided a backdrop for the degrees by giving lessons in comparative religion, history and philosophy". The original printing had 861 pages of text, while a 218-page Digest-Index was added by Trevanion W. Hugo, 33°, GC, in 1909. Its thirty-two chapters discuss the philosophical symbolism of a degree of Scottish Rite Freemasonry in extensive detail. In Pike's original Preface, he noted: "In preparing this work, the Grand Commander has been about equally Author and Compiler; since he has extracted quite half of its contents from the works of the best writers and most philosophic or eloquent thinkers. Perhaps it would have been better and more acceptable if he had extracted more and written less." He continued: "Everyone is entirely free to reject and dissent from whatsoever herein may seem to him to be untrue or unsound." Though it discusses the minutiae of Masonic ritual at length, it is written so as not to reveal the Masonic secrets. Ritual motions and objects are named and elaborated upon, but not described.