The Charter of STONECUTTERS LODGE No. 169

Understanding Masonic Charters

In Freemasonry, a charter (also known as a warrant or patent of constitution) is the official document issued by a governing Masonic authority that grants permission and legitimacy to establish and operate a lodge or body. It serves as the foundational legal and fraternal authority, empowering the named officers and members to form the lodge, confer degrees, hold meetings, and conduct all Masonic work in accordance with the traditions and regulations of the issuing body.

For Craft (Blue) Lodges, charters are typically granted by a Grand Lodge. In the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, subordinate bodies—such as Lodges of Perfection, Chapters of Rose Croix, Councils of Kadosh, Consistories, or in this case, a specialized Lodge like STONECUTTERS LODGE No. 169—are chartered directly by the Supreme Council of the jurisdiction. This charter confirms the body's alignment with the Rite's ancient landmarks, its lineage of authority, and it's right to work the degrees from the 4th onward.

The charter represents an unbroken chain of Masonic heritage and legitimacy. It traces back through historical documents, such as the foundational charters of Supreme Councils worldwide. For STONECUTTERS LODGE No. 169, our charter derives from the Supreme Council of Italy, established in Milan in 1805 under the authority granted by Count Alexandre Francois Auguste de Grasse-Tilly, who carried forward the lineage from the Mother Supreme Council in Charleston (1801). This places our Lodge within one of the oldest and most respected continuous traditions of the Scottish Rite outside the United States.

Displayed here under the Information tab, the charter is more than a historical artifact—it is the living proof of our Lodge's regular constitution, our commitment to the principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth, and our place in the global family of Scottish Rite Freemasonry.

We are proud to labor under this sacred document, continuing the noble work begun centuries ago.