The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite has announced the names of the Brethren who have been elected to receive the Rank and Decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH). They are: Christopher R. Briley of Joplin, Donald L. Greenlee of Joplin, Ronald G. Hawk of Lebanon, Patrick R. Hill of Republic, W. David House of Springfield, G. Max Norman of Joplin, Gregory J. Walker of Springfield.
KCCH is an honor, which the Supreme Council bestows on deserving Brethren for signal service to the Rite. It is not a degree but is a rank and designation. In order to receive the designation, a Brother must have been a 32° Mason for a minimum of 46 months. Selection for the KCCH designation is strictly limited, and a maximum of half of all KCCH Brothers advance to the 33rd Degree. The Supreme Council, at the insistence of Grand Commander Albert Pike, created the KCCH rank on May 5, 1870. Its purpose was and remains to honor those Brethren who have shown significant achievement, without diluting the 33rd Degree by increasing its number of chosen members. It is in and of itself one of the greatest honors in the Southern Jurisdiction to hear the Sovereign Grand Commander say at the investiture’s culmination, “I dub and create thee a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor and may our Father in Heaven make thee a good Knight in the service of our fellow men.”
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite has also announced those Brethren who have been elected to be receive Inspectors General Honorary 33°. They are: Jonce B. Chidister of Malden, Robert P. Gephardt of Carl Junction, J. Neal May of Sparta.
The Thirty-Third and last Degree is conferred by the Supreme Council upon members of the Rite in recognition of outstanding service to the Rite, or in public life, to the principles taught in the Degrees. These men were among the few Scottish Rite masons from the Southern Jurisdiction who received this honor world wide which includes 35 States, Japan, South Korea, Guam, Taiwan/China and Puerto Rico. The 33rd degree cannot be asked for and if asked for will be denied. At its biennial session the Supreme Council elects members of the Rite to receive the Degree. The 33rd degree Masons are Inspectors General Honorary and honorary members of the Supreme Council. The active members of the Supreme Council are chosen among them.
