Past Master
5th Degree

The (Actual) Past Master degree was inspired by the Constitutions of 1723 which set forth the installation ceremony of a new Lodge Master. The degree celebrates the coronation of a ruler and his placement in the “Oriental Chair” of King Solomon. It was never a part of the legends of King Solomon’s Temple which surround the other craft degrees, but was originally an honorary degree conferred on the Worshipful Master of a symbolic lodge. Since the Royal Arch was originally restricted to Actual Past Masters of Lodges, the ceremony was made into a degree and conferred in Royal Arch Chapters attached to Lodges by other Actual Past Masters Only. The Past Master degree entered the system of Freemasonry to facilitate the growing popularity of the Royal Arch Degree during the mid-18th century era. Because the government of the Royal Arch degree was assigned to Chapters rather than Lodges, the old rule that a candidate had to 1st be installed as a Master of a Lodge became unworkable and unsustainable with very little turnover at those positions. To accommodate the growing popularity of the Royal Arch, a system was devised which would allow a man to “Pass the Chair” of Worshipful Master without having actually served in that capacity. He was made a "Virtual Past Master." This ceremony eventually found its form in what we know today as the Modern Past Master degree...

The Modern Past Master Degree and System was devised to fix the Actual Past Master Degree conundrum... It was designed to allow a Master Mason seeking More Light in Masonry to be made a Virtual Past Master without ever being voted and serving as an Actually Master of a Blue Lodge. This ceremony eventually found its form in what we know today as the Past Master degree. The (Virtual) Past Master Degree also teaches the candidate that he must first learn to obey before he can rule, to govern himself before he can govern others, and to govern in moderation and propriety. Remember this degree came into being because, originally, the degree of Holy Royal Arch Mason was conferred by the symbolic (“blue”) Lodges only upon actual, installed Past Masters. As Grand Lodges determined from time to time that more men should receive the knowledge imparted in the Holy Royal Arch degree, the Grand Master would dispense a brother to “Pass the Chair,” some say "Oriental Chair," meaning that the brother would be summarily installed as Worshipful Master of his lodge, perform one or more ceremonial, pro forma acts (calling for the vote on a motion, recognizing a brother, etc.). The degree of "Virtual" Past Master was instituted to make it possible for all worthy brethren to receive the Holy Royal Arch Degree and to standardize the process for its eligibility. It serves as an Honorary degree and a passing of the Gavel.