"Of Memphis And Of Misraïm
or the Oriental Silence Of The Winged Sun"

The Antient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Misraïm ~ a detailed history of the Egyptian Rite of Freemasonry, of its rites, rituals and mysteries By Milko Bogaard

"Though no longer regarded as a ritual in Freemasonry, the Egyptian Rite is available and all who read it will recognize its author to have been no more a charlatan than was Plato.” - Manly P. Hall, Rosicrucian and Masonic Origins

At last a truly comprehensive book has been written on the Rite of Memphis-Misraim. The ANTIENT AND PRIMITIVE RITE OF MEMPHIS- MISRAÏM is an amalgamation of the RITE OF MISRAÏM (1814) and the RITE OF MEMPHIS (1838), two Masonic rites which were united in 1881. This book ‘Of Memphis and of Misraim’ covers the histories of both rites, the amalgamtion into M.M and to the present time. The primary rites involved are the ANCIENT & ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE of 33 degrees, the RITE OF MEMPHIS of 95 degrees and the RITE OF MISRAÏM of 90 degrees. Since its creation Memphis and Misraim has provided a major influence upon so many masonic, rosicrucian and esoteric bodies it is hard to imagine its far reaching consequences. This book, ranging over 300 pages ‘Of Memphis and of Misraim, the Oriental Silence of the Winged Sun’ will capture and inspire your imagination.

Occultists and Mystics like Martinez de Pasqually, baron De Tschoudy, Dom Antoine Joseph de Pernéty, Louis Claude de Saint-Martin, Joseph de Maistre, Savalette de Lange, Comte de Cagliostro, Rudolphe Salzmann, Court de Gebelin and many others, were involved in the development and promulgation of the rites of High Grade Masonry. Their influence resulted in a philosophy which combined the visions of Swedenborg and Martinez de Pasqually’s theory of reintegration, together with the Hermeticism of the Platonic Academies of the Renaissance. The result was a kind of ‘Platonic-Hermetic Christianity, a philosophy which was propagated within the exalted degrees of Freemasonry at the end of the 18th century &133 In order to explain all influences, Milko Bogaard has cross referenced and provided histories of every other Rosicrucian and Templarist Order that stamped its influence upon the Rites of Misraim and Memphis. Included are the Illumines of Avignon, Pasqually’s Elu Cohens, Swedenborg Rite, Order of African Architects, Rite of Narbonne, German Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross, Rosicrucians of Toulouse, Egyptian Secret Society and litterally hundreds of others!

The history of the rite is generally considered to be a selection of fantastic tales and glorious myths. Many Masonic authorities have criticized its historical inaccuracies and accused the rite of being ‘irregular’. But the rite was not irregular as long the Lodges did not confer the three Masonic Craft Degrees. The rite also allowed the admission of women, thus violating the basic Masonic guidelines which are known as 'Landmarks'. The rite also worked degrees beyond the third. Therefore the term ‘fringe Masonry'’ is often used by its opponents and critics. Today the Memphis-Misraïm Rite is practised all over the world both by separate and unified organizations, divided amongst various so-called Sovereign Sanctuaries. Many of the modern obediences of the rite were established with charters of a dubious origin, to put it mildly. Through conflicts, schisms, and incidents the rite has been scattered all over the world like once the scattered body of Osiris, led by obediences which all claim to be the successors of the founders of the rite.

"Many Schools of varied Zeal, many hopes and dreams, many forms of faith in science, religion and philosophy gathered under the Masonic banner”, above all in France and Germany. Many of these rites referred in its degrees to 1) the philosophy of the Magi, the Antique Priesthood; 2) the origin of the Instituted Mysteries as practised in Ancient Greece and Egypt; 3) the science possessed by their Hierophants, something which had no word of reference in ‘Operative/ Emblematic Masonry’. High Grade Masonry advocated itself as representing in its degrees the 'real' essence of Masonry and &133 its ‘real’ origin, thus implying that the Craft-Degrees represented an imperfect system. Or as John Yarker stated : "Besides the feeling, engendered by members of the old Operative Guilds, that Modern Masonry was an imperfect system, various other ideas operated in the development of a system of "Masters Degrees,” at a later period termed 'High-grade Masonry'.

Contents of Memphis and of Misraim, the Silence of the Winged Sun :

1. Franc-Maçonnerie -
   • The development of High Grades in French Masonry during the 18th century
   • Masonry, Mysticism and Templar-degrees
   • Swedenborg Rite, Illuminated Theosophists and Illuminates of Avignon
   • Chapter of Clermont, Emperors of the East & West and the Antient & Accepted Scottish Rite
   • Baron Von Hund, Unknown Superiors and the Stricte Observance
   • Elus Cohen, Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte and R.’.E.’.R.’.
   • Order of African Architects and the Crata Repoa
   • The Primitive Rite (Philadelphes) of Narbonne
   • Rite of the Philalèthes
2. On the origins of Egyptian Masonry, Cagliostro
   • The Divine Cagliostro
   • Rite de la Haute Maçonnerie Égyptienne
   • Arcana Arcanorum
   • Origin of the ‘Secreto Secretorum’
   • Composition of the ‘Arcana Arcanorum’
   • The Egyptian Rites and the Arcana Arcanorum
   • The A.’.A.’. and the Inner Orders
3. 1814 - Rite de Misraïm, Le Rite Oriental
   • Origin of the French Rite of Misraïm
   • 1814 Ordre Maçonnique de MISRAÏM
   • The Rite and its Degrees
   • The Oriental Rite of MISRAÏM after 1830
   • 1899 - The end of ‘la Grande Loge Misraïmite’
   • Neo-Misraïm Rites of the 20th century
4. 1838 - Rite de Memphis
   • 1815 Les Disciples de Memphis
   • 1838 J.E. Marconis and the Rite of Memphis
   • The Rite of MEMPHIS abroad
   • E:.M:.R:. of MEMPHIS 96°
5. The Carbonari and the Oriental Rite
   • Origin of the Carbonari
   • Pierre Joseph Briot
   • Filippo Giuseppe M.L. Buonarroti
   • Charles Teste and Le Charbonnerie Democratique Universelle
   • Lodges, Rites and Degrees
6. John Yarker and the Antient and Primitive Rite
   • The masonic career of John Yarker
   • The Sovereign Sanctuary of the A & P Rite
   • 1881 - The Antient and Primitive Rite of Memphis- Misraïm
7. Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882)
   • Memphis-Misraïm : The developments after 1881
   • Alte und Primitive Ritus von Memphis und Misraïm
   • Reuss and the Rite of Memphis-Misraïm
   • 1908 Grand-Orient du Rite Ancien et Primitif de la Maçonnerie
   • pour la France
   • 1919 -1939 Memphis-Misraïm during the Interbellum
   • Freemasonry during the Second World War
   • 1960 Robert Ambelain
   • Gérard Kloppel and the ‘Rite Ancien et Primitif de M:.M:.’ today
   • The Egyptian Rites in France
8. 1934 - The Egyptian Rite of the F.U.D.O.S.I.
   • Memphis-Misraïm in Belgium
   • The Convention of the F.U.D.O.S.I. in 1934
   • The Belgian MM between 1934 and 1965
   • Egyptian Masonry in Belgium 1965 - 2002
9. Memphis- Misraïm - The Order Worldwide
   • Europe : The Development of the MM in Italy
   • Memphis Misraïm in the U.K.
   • Memphis Misraïm in Switzerland and Germany
   • Latin-America : The Development of the MM in Argentina: Guerino Troilo
   • Appendix : Chili, Brazil, Peru
   • The United States and Canada
   • Australia and New Zealand
   • General Appendix
10. MM ; Its Symbolism & Degrees
    • The value of Mythology
    • Memphis Misraïm : some Egyptian concepts
    • The Officials within the Egyptian Rite
    • Memphis-Misraïm : Its Degrees & Doctrines
    • Appendix: THE EGYPTIAN RITE OF THE THEOSOPHISTS

Appendix

To purchase a copy of 'Of Memphis and of Misraïm' please contact the author Milko Bogaard here c.boogaard2@chello.nl Or visit our forum Rosicrucian Garden for questions.
We also invite you to:
See the Degrees of Egyptian Masonry.
Read a Letter from the Author here.