| Thrice Illustrious Master | John Banning |
| Deputy Master | Jack Ruby |
| Principle Conductor of the Work | Steve Dennis |
| Recorder | Eric Read |
| Chaplain | Bill Duncan |
| Captain of the Guard | Daniel Albin |
| Conductor of the Council | Kevin Wightman |
| Sentinel | Jack Smith |
Cryptic Masonry, the second part of the York Rite of Freemasonry, emerged in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, primarily in the United States. Its history is marked by a period of separate and sometimes competing degrees before a unified system was established. The two core degrees, Royal Master and Select Master, were initially conferred by different Masonic bodies, including Royal Arch Chapters, Scottish Rite bodies, or independent Councils. The Select Master degree is generally considered the oldest. The degrees derive their name from the reference to a “crypt” or secret vault beneath King Solomon’s Temple, which forms the central theme of their allegory.
The process of combining the Royal Master and Select Master degrees into a single, cohesive system is largely attributed to Jeremy Cross, a prominent traveling Masonic lecturer in the early 1800s. The Royal Master degree seems to have developed primarily in New York, while the Select Master degree was vigorously promoted in Baltimore. Cross’s efforts helped standardize the ritual and the practice of conferring both degrees as a single rite, which was rapidly adopted across most US jurisdictions as the degrees spread beyond the Eastern seaboard. This unification created the basis for the Council of Royal and Select Masters as a distinct Masonic body.
Cryptic Masonry’s enduring appeal lies in its function as a vital narrative link within the broader Masonic story. Symbolic Freemasonry (the Blue Lodge) teaches of the loss of the Master Mason’s Word, and Royal Arch Masonry teaches of its recovery. The Cryptic degrees complete this circle of perfection by detailing the initial preservation and concealment of the Master’s secrets in the subterranean vault, bridging the events between the third Craft degree and the Royal Arch. In addition to the Royal and Select Master degrees, the optional Super Excellent Master degree was also introduced, centering on the destruction of the First Temple, though its origins and early adoption were somewhat controversial.
The formal organization of Cryptic Masonry accelerated in the mid-19th century with the establishment of state-level Grand Councils. In 1880, the General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons International was formed, providing an umbrella organization for the majority of US Grand Councils and some in other countries. Today, Cryptic Masonry remains an integral part of the York Rite, with membership generally requiring prior completion of the Craft Lodge and Royal Arch degrees. The Councils continue to confer the degrees, preserving the allegories of the Secret Vault and providing the “Circle of Perfection” for those seeking a deeper understanding of the Temple’s history.