The Great Priory of America, Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte (C∴B∴C∴S∴)

The Great Priory of America (G∴P∴A∴), is the custodian of the Rectified Scottish Rite (R∴E∴R∴) in the United States and is therefore a concordant body operating under its full and formal title of Great Priory of America (G∴P∴A∴) but esspecialy known as the Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte (C∴B∴C∴S∴) the highest 'official' grade of the the Rectified Scottish Rite (R∴E∴R∴), it constitutes one of the most exclusive and historically significant bodies within the complex landscape of American Free-Masonry. It defines itself as an "independent Sovereign Body", a status that underscores its autonomy and self-governance. The organization's legitimacy and "regularity" in the Masonic world are derived from its charter, granted on August 27, 1934, by the specific "authority of the Grand Prieuré Indépendant d'Helvétie"—the Independent Grand Priory of Switzerland.

This lineage is not merely a historical footnote; it is the source of the body's entire philosophical and ritualistic framework. The GPA's identity is defined by its exclusivity; it is not a body that Masons can simply petition to join. Its own materials, and those of allied organizations, confirm that it "remains an invitational order of Free-Masons". This "invitational" and "elite" nature is central to its function as a concordant body (since it is part of a full rite, Rectified Scottish Rite (R∴E∴R∴)).

The Great Priory of America is not as a simple concordant organization, but as a deliberate and scholarly 20th-century transplantation of a specific, 18th-century European esoteric and chivalric system known as the Rectified Scottish Rite (R∴E∴R∴).

Its modern identity has been forged by three primary forces: its unique philosophical heritage, its claim to an exclusive and "regular" lineage, and its practical function as a "capstone" organization for the recognized leadership of mainstream American Free-Masonry.

The conjunction of its status as an "independent Sovereign Body" and its 1934 charter from Helvétie represents a nuanced political declaration. It suggests the Great Priory of America was established not as a subordinate colony of its Swiss parent, but as a sovereign peer, granted autonomous standing to propagate the Rite in the New World. Its founding during the interwar period was the result of a concerted effort by a group of American Masonic researchers known as "The Innovators," who sought to acquire and install what they considered to be one of the purest and most ancient high-grade lineages.

Historical & Philosophical Foundations

The Syncretic Genius of Jean-Baptiste Willermoz

To understand the Great Priory of America, one must first understand the 18th-century French mystic who created its philosophical DNA: Jean-Baptiste Willermoz. The Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte (C∴B∴C∴S∴) is the sixth highest official and most prominent order within the Rite Écossais Rectifié (Rectified Scottish Rite, or R∴E∴R∴)., a system reformed and codified by Willermoz – Although two more ‘secret degrees’ exist within the R.E.R. the 7th and 8th degree, the Professed Knight & Grand Professed Knight but the Great Priory of America does not have jurisdiction to confer these.

Willermoz's genius was not in invention, but in synthesis. He masterfully combined three distinct currents of 18th-century esotericism into a single, cohesive structure:

• The Theurgy of Martinez de Pasqually: Willermoz was a high-level initiate of Pasqually's Ordre des Élus Coëns (Order of Elect Priests). This system provided the RER's secret, mystical core—a complex theosophy and a set of theurgic operations intended to help the initiate regain their original divine state and attain the "beatific vision" while living.
• The Chivalry of the Rite of Strict Observance: From Baron von Hund's German-based, Templar-revivalist system, Willermoz adopted its chivalric structure, its militaristic-sounding degrees, and its hierarchical governance (e.g., Priories, Preceptories).
• The Mysticism of Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin: From his friend and fellow Élu Coën, Willermoz incorporated the contemplative, mystical Christian path known as the "way of the heart," which tempered Pasqually's complex ritualism with inner spirituality.

This synthesis was born of necessity. The Rite of Strict Observance, which had dominated continental high-grade Masonry, was facing a crisis of legitimacy. Its leader, von Hund, claimed authority from mysterious "unknown superiors" and a direct, unbroken succession from the original Knights Templar, but he was ultimately unable to provide any tangible proof. This failure caused the Rite to "unravel" at the Convent of Wilhelmsbad in 1782.

Willermoz seized this opportunity to "rectify" the system. He provided a solution that saved the Rite's chivalric framework by completely pivoting its philosophical purpose. He persuaded the delegates to abandon the "unproven Templar origins". The goal, he argued, should not be the restoration of the temporal Knights Templar, but the spiritual self-perfection of its members. The "Holy City" was thus redefined not as Jerusalem, but as a symbolic, internal, and spiritual state of being. By grounding the failing chivalric structure in the profound esotericism of Pasqually and the mysticism of Saint-Martin, Willermoz gave it new life and a new, unassailable purpose.

The Convents

This new doctrine was formally adopted at two critical 18th-century conventions.

• The Convent of Gaul (Lyons, 1778): Held at Willermoz's instigation, this meeting saw the French branch of the Strict Observance formally adopt its new identity and name: Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte (C∴B∴C∴S∴), or "Beneficent Knights of the Holy City".
• The Convent of Wilhelmsbad (1782): This was Willermoz's definitive triumph. He successfully persuaded the German mother branch of the Strict Observance to adopt his reforms, including the new name and purpose. This act effectively dissolved the old Strict Observance and established the Rectified Scottish Rite as its legitimate, reformed successor across Europe.

The Swiss Bastion and The Grand Prieuré Indépendant d'Helvétie

The survival of the RER, and thus the very possibility of a 1934 American charter, depended on its persistence in one country: Switzerland. The French Revolution "curtailed the activities of the CBCS in France," effectively decapitating the Rite in its homeland.

While the French branch lay dormant, the Swiss branch endured. The Grand Prieuré Indépendant d'Helvétie (Independent Grand Priory of Helvetia) was established as early as 1779. Records show that lodges in Geneva, such as L'Union des Coeurs, were operating under the Grand Directoire écossais rectifié de l'Helvétie in 1815. While this Swiss body remained "marginal" for much of the 19th century, history "was to reserve the first role for it in the early 20th century".

This historical isolation is the sine qua non for the Great Priory of America. The collapse of the French branch and the survival of the Swiss branch made Helvétie the sole "ark" that preserved the authentic, unbroken 18th-century Willermozist lineage. By the 1930s, when American Masonic researchers sought to import this Rite, their scholarly quest inevitably led them to Switzerland, the only remaining source with the undisputed, "regular" authority to issue a charter.

The 1934 American Charter

The "Innovators": J. Ray Shute and the 1934 Journey

The establishment of the Great Priory of America was the direct result of a small, dedicated group of American Masonic researchers known as "The Innovators". This group, which grew from the North Carolina Lodge of Research (founded 1930), was driven to acquire and establish obscure and elite Masonic systems in the United States.

The GPA's creation was the "exclusive... brainchild" of one of its key figures, J. Ray Shute. In his own account of the period, Shute documents the mission: "we set sail for Europe in the summer of 1934". This journey was not a vacation; it was a carefully planned diplomatic mission "to meet personally" with European contacts and secure the charters for the systems they had researched.

The mission was a success, culminating in the charter granted by the Grand Prieuré Indépendant d'Helvétie on August 27, 1934.

However, Shute's own writings reveal a fascinating political complexity to this founding. He admitted, "I could not become the Great Prior... for about two years... (this will answer the question... why I was not the first Great Prior in an Order that was exclusively my own brainchild!)". He explains this was due to the necessity of acquiring a "waiver" from other European Masonic powers, specifically naming the "Supreme Council A.A.S.R... of France". This admission demonstrates that the founding of the GPA was a delicate diplomatic maneuver. Shute, the architect, had to temporarily sacrifice his own leadership position to ensure his new body would be accepted and recognized within the intricate political landscape of international Masonry.

The Schism

In recent Masonic history, the Great Priory of America's identity has been strongly defined in opposition to a "usurper" body with a confusingly similar name. Understanding this schism is critical to understanding the GPA's claim to legitimacy.

• The Regular Body: "The original old 'Great Priory of America' which received a charter in 1934 is THE regular Great Priory of the Order in this country". This is the body chartered by Helvétie.
• The Irregular Body: A different, now-dissolved group, was named the "Grand Priory of the Scottish Reformed and Rectified Rite of the United States of America". This body was associated with Wm. H. Koon II and drew its charter from the "Grand Priory of the Scottish Reformed and Rectified Rite of Occitania (a Province in France)".

The entire controversy hinged on "regularity"—a concept of legitimate political lineage in the Masonic world. The Occitania body was declared "irregular" by the "established and recognized Great Priories of Europe". Its fatal flaw, in the eyes of American Grand Lodges, was its list of bodies with which it was "in amity." This list included organizations considered irregular by mainstream Masonry, most notably the Grand Orient of France, which "admits women and atheists".

This distinction is the crux of the GPA's political identity. Joining the Koon/Occitania body was seen as a grave Masonic offense, with one Grand Lodge commission warning it would place a Mason's "Masonic membership at risk". In sharp contrast, the 1934 Great Priory of America is not only considered regular, but "A number of Grand Masters and Past Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of Texas have been and still are members of the G.P.A.".

The 1934 Helvétie charter is, therefore, the GPA's foundational "proof of regularity," allowing it to exist as an elite body within the established, "regular" American Masonic world, while its rivals are relegated to the "irregular" outside.

This complex situation is best summarized in the following comparison:

Doctrine, Ritual, and Structure

The Esoteric Doctrine and the Reintegration of Beings

The Rectified Scottish Rite is not just a chivalric order; it is a "mysterious Order" consecrated to the preservation of a "sacred doctrine". That internal, secret philosophy is explicitly "la doctrine de la réintégration" (the doctrine of the reintegration).

This doctrine, derived directly from the Élus Coëns of Martinez de Pasqually, forms the "mystical Christian cosmology" of the Rite. It is a Gnostic-influenced form of esoteric Christianity, teaching that humanity has "fallen" from a primordial, divine state and that the purpose of initiation is to reverse this fall, purify the initiate, and achieve a "reintegration" with the divine.

The entire degree structure is a meticulously designed curriculum to slowly impart this doctrine. The "secret" final degrees (Professed and Grand Professed) are, by invitation only, and "included a summarization of the esoteric principles of the original Order of the Élus Coëns". Thus, the 8-degree system is a pedagogical journey that guides the candidate from the symbolic morality of Craft Masonry to the "mystical teachings of the Inner Order", culminating in the full "sacred doctrine" of reintegration.

The Hierarchical Path of the Rectified Scottish Rite

The Rite Écossais Rectifié is a structured, 8-degree system, though the 6th degree, CBCS, is the highest degree conferred in most regular contexts. The full hierarchy is as follows:

A unique and severe feature of this system is the 5th degree, Ecuyer Novice. This is a true "probationary period" that can last up to two years. Critically, "If this degree is not completed within the specified timeframe, it may be revoked. Once revoked, the Mason is permanently ineligible to receive this degree again". This mechanism is a profound departure from nearly all other Masonic bodies, where failure to advance is a passive choice. In the RER, failure is an active, permanent judgment. This suggests a rigorous vetting process designed to "weed out" candidates deemed morally or philosophically unsuited for the Inner Order, reinforcing the elite and serious nature of the Rite.

Ritual, Regalia, and Symbolism

The rituals of the Great Priory of America are explicitly chivalric. A 1969 ritual book for the "Supreme Degree of C.B.C.S." of the Great Priory of America describes the "Decoration of a Chapter Room". The setting is dominated by "Red hangings with white bands bearing large red crosses," a "scarlet canopy (dais)," and a "Preceptor's armchair". The ceremony is led by officers titled "Preceptor" and "Dean". A central action has the Preceptor and all Brethren "again take their swords in the right hand, holding them point upwards".

This illustrates the central syncretism of Willermoz's work. The form of the ritual—the swords, the crosses, the title "Preceptor"—is a direct inheritance from the Templar-focused Rite of Strict Observance. The primary symbol of the Rectified Scottish Rite, however, is the Phoenix. This is not a Templar symbol, but a paramount alchemical and mystical emblem of death, purification by fire, and rebirth. This symbol perfectly encapsulates the Rite's "sacred doctrine" of reintegration, demonstrating how Willermoz layered his deep, mystical philosophy directly onto the pre-existing chivalric structure.

The Great Priory of America in Practice

Governance and Organization

As an "independent Sovereign Body", the Great Priory of America is a national organization. It is governed at the national level by the "Most Reverend Great Prior" and a "Directorate" of elected officers. The "Great Chancellor" serves as the national contact and secretary.

The national Priory is divided into regional bodies called "Prefectures," such as the "Northeast Prefecture" and the "Western Prefecture". The local bodies that confer the CBCS degree are known as "Preceptories". The transitional 4th degree (Maître Ecossais) is conferred in "Lodges of St. Andrew".

This 18th-century nomenclature (Priory, Prefecture, Preceptory) is a deliberate and public demonstration of the GPA's fidelity to the original Willermozist tradition.

An Invitational Only "Concordant Body"

The GPA is a "concordant body," meaning it is an optional, high-grade order available only to Masons who have already completed their initial Craft degrees but is part of another rite that does contain the first three degrees. Its defining characteristic is its exclusivity: it is "strictly invitational". A Master Mason cannot petition to join; he must be "invited."

The GPA is entirely distinct from the two main systems of high-grade Masonry in the US, the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (A∴A∴S∴R∴) and the York Rite . While the CBCS degree is sometimes conferred as an "invitation-only secret degree within the American York Rite," this practice is noted as a "controversy" as the degree is not "officially a part" of that Rite as it is part of the Rectified Scottish Rite but its prestige as caused it to be introduiced within the structure of the York Rite while not being part of it. The GPA is the sole "regular" body in the US that confers the full RER system as a coherent whole.

This invitational nature positions the GPA as one of the ultimate "capstone" bodies in American Free-Masonry. Its membership lists are a "who's who" of the Masonic establishment. Members are often Past Grand Masters, Sovereign Grand Inspectors General (33°) of the Scottish Rite, and leaders of other invitational bodies like the Red Cross of Constantine, the Allied Masonic Degrees, or Societas Rosicruciana. This creates a powerful feedback loop: to be invited, a Mason must already be a recognized leader. Once a member, he is part of an elite "inner circle" of those leaders. The GPA's carefully guarded "regularity," based on its 1934 Helvétie charter, is what makes this entire structure possible, allowing it to function as a de facto Senate for the American Masonic world, all under the 18th-century banner of a mystical-chivalric order.

Contemporary Activities and Presence

The Great Priory of America is not merely a historical artifact; it is an active, living body.

• Events: It maintains a formal presence in the Masonic world, holding an annual "Reception and Dinner for the Great Priory of America" during "Masonic Week," a major national gathering of invitational orders. This event is "Open to C.B.C.S. members only".
• International Amity: The GPA's leadership is active in Masonic diplomacy, upholding its international lineage. The Great Prior "has interacted with Masons from Switzerland, Germany, France, Greece, Portugal," and other nations.
• Masonic-Political Activity: The GPA is highly protective of its "brand" and jurisdiction. A report from November 2023 indicates the "Grand Priory of America (C∴B∴C∴S∴) Tries To Halt Texas Educational Lecture".

This 2023 Texas incident is perhaps the most compelling evidence of the GPA's modern self-perception. This is the behavior of a "Sovereign Body" actively "policing" its intellectual property and doctrinal purity against what it presumably viewed as an unauthorized or incorrect presentation. This action, combined with its high-level diplomatic activities and its central role in "Masonic Week", paints a picture of a small, elite, but highly active and self-aware organization, fully engaged in its own governance and the protection of its unique, 200-year-old lineage.

The Enduring Legacy of Willermoz's Vision in America

The Great Priory of America, Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte, occupies a unique and rarified position. It is the sole "regular" and legitimate authority in the United States for the full, eight-degree chivalric and esoteric system of the Rectified Scottish Rite, a lineage it secured with its 1934 charter from the Grand Prieuré Indépendant d'Helvétie.

Its "brainchild," J. Ray Shute, and "The Innovators" successfully transplanted an 18th-century European mystical tradition into the 20th-century American Masonic landscape. The organization has survived and thrived by carefully navigating the complex politics of Masonic "regularity," positioning itself as an exclusive, "invitational" capstone order for the most dedicated and elite Masons, while simultaneously fending off "irregular" rivals.

Ultimately, the Great Priory of America functions today exactly as Jean-Baptiste Willermoz intended his "mysterious Order" to function. It is a chivalric "Holy City" in symbolic form, dedicated to the preservation and selective, "invitational" transmission of its "sacred doctrine"—the Martinist "doctrine of the reintegration".

Article By Antony R.B. Augay P∴M∴