Summary: the Grand Master of Masons in North Carolina, Indiana and Georgia (THREE jurisdictions!), issued edicts forbidding their members to join the so-called "Modern Rite of Memphis" under penalty of suspension from Freemasonry (February, 2002, August, 2002, and March, 2004 respectively).

Those who are familiar with Freemasonry at a Grand Lodge level understand that an Edict is a 'major' act by a sitting Grand Master. Only a Grand Master, the highest-ranking person in the jurisdiction, is allowed to issue such a document and it is fully and completely binding on all Masons in his jurisdiction. It can only be issued during his term of office (one or two years in nearly all of the United States). An edict is of such weight in Masonic protocol that many Grand Masters will never issue a single one. Nothing rises to the level that they feel compelled to speak out in such a forceful manner during their entire term in office. That THREE Grand Masters did so - about this organization - speaks volumes in terms of Masonic protocol.

Because a number of accusations about inaccuracy of the remarks made here have been leveled, this page's prior commentary was removed based on assertions by the (former?) Grand Hierophant that we had much incorrect material. At that time we noted that we would await truthful and unambiguous answers about this and related organizations. Over four years later and we're still waiting although he's had time to form his own Grand Lodge....

A late-2005 visit to the Grand Lodge of Georgia website shows that the subsequent Grand Master of Masons was even more emphatic in condemning groups like the "Modern Rite of Memphis" and its successors. Because a couple of years has passed since the edict was written, it has since been removed from the web.

You can read a more detailed explanation of current things by clicking on the 'up' link just below.

Bottom line to ALL of this: if you want to join regular/recognized Freemasonry, don't stop at these groups!