Charles Alex Varn

The Fourth Grand Master

There are many characters in the legends of masonry that we have become familiar with:
King Solomon of Israel appears in a great number of degrees and is the anchor of many
appendant bodies. King Hiram of Tyre is also featured in many degrees, generally in a
supporting role to King Solomon. Hiram Abiff also appears repeatedly, usually as an integral
character. The temple is used so often as a symbol it becomes a character unto itself. One
character, while not appearing in the Craft degrees, appears in many of the appendant bodies:
Adoniram ben Abda, the successor of Hiram Abiff.
Adoniram is mentioned 5 times in the Scriptures by name:
● 2 Samuel 20:24 “Adoniram was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was
recorder”
● 1 Kings 4:6 “Ahishar-palace administrator; Adoniram son of Abda-in charge of forced labor.”
● 1 Kings 5:13-14 “King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel--thirty thousand men. He
sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in
Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor.”
● 1 Kings 12:18 “King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, but all
Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and
escape to Jerusalem.”
● 2 Chronicles 10:18 “King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor,
but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his
chariot and escape to Jerusalem.
There may be other instances of the scripture referring to him by the names Hadoniram,
Adonhiram, or other variations, but from these 5 verses we see that Adoniram served in the
courts of King David, Solomon, and Rehoboam as a high-ranking vassal. He was charged with
receiving the levies and tributes and he was stoned to death by the people after the King
increased the levies against the advice of his council. It has been proposed that there was a
second Adoniram, perhaps his son to explain the length of his service. It is uncertain which tribe
he belonged to or if he was even an Israelite. In a paper written by Rev. CJ Ball, published by
Lodge Quatrour Coronati, he theorizes that Adoniram may have a foreigner, and based on the
structure of his and Abda’s name some biblical scholars believe he would have been a
Canaanite.1 In each of these 5 verses it indicates that Adoniram was over the forced labor which
is a reference to Deuteronomy chapter 20 verse 10-11 “When you approach a city to fight
against it, you shall offer it terms of peace. If it agrees to make peace with you and opens to
you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you”
making Adoniram the overseer of all the people conquered by King David in their labors both
for the temple and other public works.2

1
Ball, Rev. C.J. n.d. "The Proper Names of Masonic Tradition; A Philological Study." Ars Quatuor Coronatorum Vol. 5:
136-141.
2
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. 1915. "Adoniram." Bible Study Tools. Edited by James Orr. Accessed
March 21, 2018. https://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/adoniram.html.
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Moving on from the scriptural character to the masonic traditions he is found as the primary
character in Adoniramite Masonry, a branch of freemasonry that was primarily practiced in
France. Mackey writes that there were three schools of Masonry during the 18th century. Those
who believed Hiram Abiff was the chief architect of the temple and Adoniram was a separate,
less important character; Those who believe Hiram Abiff was the chief architect of the temple
and King Solomon bestowed the title “Adon”, meaning exalted, on Hiram and that Adon Hiram
Abiff and Adoniram were the same person, this can be refuted by Masonic lore to the
description of the length of service Adoniram provided to the several kings of Israel in scripture
as well as their respective deaths, and the possibility that Hiram Abiff was actually married to
Adoniram’s sister3; and those who believed Hiram was a secondary character to Adoniram, and
Adoniram was the primary architect based on scripture stating Adoniram was over the labor
and Hiram Abiff was merely a skilled craftsman. The first Adonhiramite Masonry originates in
and is primarily seen in France sometime in the early 18th century. Albert Mackey posits that this
is due to a poor translation of Hebrew texts into French and a lack of biblical knowledge. In this
version of Freemasonry, Adoniram takes the place of Hiram Abiff as the chief architect of the
temple. The Adonhiramite Masonry had twelve degrees4:
● Apprentice
● Fellow-Craft
● Master Mason
● Perfect Master
● Elect of Nine
● Elect of Perignan
● Elect of Fifteen
● Minor Architect
● Grand Architect or Scottish Fellow
● Scottish Master
● Knight of the Sword, Knight of the East, or of the Eagle
● Knight of Rose Croix
Scottish Rite Masons of the Southern Jurisdiction will notice a striking similarity in the names of
several of the Adonhiramite degrees and the degrees of the Lodge of Perfection. This is likely
due to the origin of both the Scottish Rite and Adoniramite Masonry being of a French nature
and one may have influenced the other. The Knight of the Eagle appears in some later texts in
reference to the “Select of 27” which could be a reference to the Select Master degree in the
Cryptic Council, but this may be a coincidence.
In the present landscape of Freemasonry, Adoniram is most important to the Scottish
Rite, particularly the Southern Jurisdiction. Adoniram may appear in every version of the
Southern Jurisdiction’s Lodge of Perfection in at least one version of the degrees5:

3
Mackey, Albert G. 2014. "Encyclopedia of Masonry and its Kindred Sciences." Phoenix Masonry. Accessed
February 12, 2018. http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/mackeys_encyclopedia/index.htm.
4
Dafoe, Stephen. 2008. Adonhiram. Edited by Stephen Dafoe. Accessed April 5, 2018.
http://masonicdictionary.com/adonhiram.html.
5
McClenchan, Charles. 2014. "The Book of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (1884)." Phoenix
Masonry. Accessed April 6, 2018. http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/AASR_1884_/table_of_contents.htm.
 Varn 3

• 4°: Secret Master: Venerable Master

• 5°: Perfect Master: Senior Grand Warden
• 6°: Intimate Secretary: Does not appear by name, but due to the parallels between this
degree and the Select Master it can be assumed he is present.
• 7°: Provost and Judge: The Senior Warden and one of the Judges
• 8°: Intendant of the Building: Appointed the Superintendent
• 9°: Elu of the Nine & 10° Elu of the Fifteen: The Junior Inspector and leads the expedition
to hunt down the ruffians
• 11°: Elu of the Twelve: One of the officers of the court
• 12°: Master Architect: represented by the candidate
• 13°: Royal Arch of Solomon: The Junior Warden or Brother Inspector6 7
• 14°: Perfect Elu: Along with the candidate learns the Sacred Word from King Solomon
and King Hiram
The person credited with bring the Scottish Rite, and many high or haut degrees to the new
world is Etienne Morin. Morin first becomes involved with the haut degrees in Bordeaux around
1744. In 1747 he travels to Haiti and founds a Scottish Lodge, Scots Master being one of the
several Haut Degrees. By 1761 he has returned to France and is issued a patent by the Grand
Lodge at Paris which grants him jurisdiction over Craft Lodges in the new world. He then returns
to Haiti and uses this patent to form both craft and haut degree lodges across the Caribbean,
although his jurisdiction over the haut degrees is nebulous. In 1764 a Loge de Parfaits D’Ecossais
(Scottish Lodge of Perfection) is founded in New Orleans, and another is founded in Albany in
1767. This is the watershed moment where other Lodges of Perfection and Councils begin
forming across the American Colonies ultimately leading to the formation of the Supreme
Council (SJ) in 1801 and the Supreme Council (NMJ) in 1813.8
The inclusion of Adoniram in the York Rite degrees is exclusive to the Council. In the Royal
Master he is represented by the Candidate, and in the Select Master he is represented by the
Captain of the Guard. This is likely due to the intimate connection between the Scottish Rite,
particularly the Lodge of Perfection, and Cryptic Masonry. There are a few competing theories
on how this happened, primarily the Baltimore Theory, the Scottish Rite Theory, the Stuart
Theory, and the Berlin Theory.9 The Baltimore Theory deals primarily with the Select Master and
states the first Councils and Grand Councils began to form in Baltimore around 1810. Many
think that this means the Select Master was first practiced in Baltimore at this time, however
there is evidence that it was received in Baltimore from a brother from Charleston. However,
many councils and Grand Councils do trace their lineage back to Baltimore through Cross. The
Scottish Rite Theory also primarily deals with the Select Master. The theory states that the
Cryptic degrees were originally associated with Morin’s Rite of Perfection or one of the other
organizations associated with the formation of the Scottish Rite. This is supported by the Cryptic
6
Waters, Layne. n.d. Education on Adoniram ben Abda.
7
de Hoyos, Arturo. 2009. The Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide. Washington, DC: Supreme Council, 33°.
8
Wikipedia. 2022. Scottish Rite. 05 07. Accessed 06 08, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Rite.

9
Hinman, Eugene E, Ray V Denslow, and Charles C Hunt. 1930. History of the Cryptic Rite. Tacoma: The General
Grand Council R.&S.M.U.S.A.
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Council being listed as a detached or side degree of the Scottish Rite in 1802 and the fact many
early instances of the degrees include it being conferred by an Inspector General. There is also
the Stuart theory which states that the cryptic degrees come from a system of masonry
originally used to promote the cause of the house Stuart in reclaiming the Throne. This theory is
a favorite of conspiracy theorists, but the evidence is not as strong as the other theories. It is
based on the influence the Stuarts had in France and Scotland and that many of their
supporters would have been freemasons. The idea that a system of Freemasonry was
developed for this purpose is largely disputed but there are some interesting correlations such
as it is believed a certain expression in the one degree was changed to reference Bonnie Prince
Charlie, the Young Pretender, who was a widow’s son. The Berlin Theory is similar to the
Scottish Rite theory except includes the additional step that the degrees were originally
developed in France, then were transferred to Berlin. There they were modified and improved,
some say under the direction of Frederick the Great, and from there they are returned to
France. They are then brought to the New World, perhaps by Morin, where they make their way
to Charleston, SC and find themselves under the control of the Princes of Jerusalem in 1783.
The Princes of Jerusalem was one of the other groups that contributed to the formation of the
Scottish Rite as we know it today. This theory is disputed, mostly because of the invocation of
Frederick The Great as a Patron, but other portions are supported by documentation.10 South
Carolina’s Grand Chapter Proceedings to make mention of it coming to Charleston from an
Inspector General of the Ancient and Accepted Rite in 1783 and being deposited by the newly
formed Grand Council of the Princes of Jerusalem.11 Regardless of the origins of these degrees
The Royal Master and Select Master degrees were listed as “detached” degrees of the Scottish
rite allowing them to be conferred outside a Scottish Rite Valley in 1802. In 1818 after a falling
out between JJJ Gourgas and Joseph Cerneau, Cerneau brings the Cryptic Degrees to the York
Rite where they are incorporated.12 13
There is at least one other Masonic Organization where Adoniram may be represented:
The Tall Cedars of Lebanon. This is entirely speculation based on understanding of who
Adoniram was and in no way is he referred to in the works of the Tall Cedars. 1 Kings 5:13-14
reads “King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel--thirty thousand men. He sent them off
to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and
two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor.” Looking at 1 Kings 5:13-14
an assumption can be made about the Tall Cedars of Lebanon’s Prologue Degree There are

10
Hinman, Eugene E, Ray V Denslow, and Charles C Hunt. 1930. History of the Cryptic Rite. Tacoma: The General
Grand Council R.&S.M.U.S.A.

11
Grand Royal Arch Chapter of South Carolina. 1880. "Proceedings of the Most Excellent Grand Royal Arch Chapter
of South Carolina." Charleston.

12
Hinman, Eugene E, Ray V Denslow, and Charles C Hunt. 1930. History of the Cryptic Rite. Tacoma: The General
Grand Council R.&S.M.U.S.A.

13
Ohio Council Masons.
http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=cryptic+council+and+the+scottish+rite&d=5019134834639362&mkt=en-U
S&setlang=en-US&w=pP6y4qfYOQXqcA60Resfhltd7TymItvz.
 Varn 5

several master overseers identified only by the type of workers they supervise. One of these
overseers may be Adoniram, perhaps the Master Overseer of Workers in Wood since the
timbers of the temple were prepared in Lebanon. Again, this is just speculation, but it would
draw this organizations degree system closer into the rest of the masonic family.
The service of Adoniram spanned the reigns of three Kings. Through his service to King
David, he became a trusted advisor to King Solomon. Under King Solomon he rose from a tax
collector to an overseer of workmen, and from there he steadily rose in rank and status until he
became a Grand Master and succeeded Hiram Abiff. Adoniram may be one of the most
interesting figures in Masonry despite not appearing in Craft Lodge Masonry. He plays an
integral role in the Scottish Rite traditions and is one of the most important characters in the
Cryptic Council. His important position in the courts of King David and King Solomon may have
him represented in other degrees as well, albeit unintentionally. He was even the subject of a
competing brand of Freemasonry. Given the importance of this man to Masonic tradition, there
are doubtless many other instances of Adoniram influencing Masonic ritual and side degrees.
 Varn 6

References
Ball, Rev. C.J. n.d. "The Proper Names of Masonic Tradition; A Philological Study." Ars Quatuor
Coronatorum Vol. 5: 136-141.

Dafoe, Stephen. 2008. Adonhiram. Edited by Stephen Dafoe. Accessed April 5, 2018.
http://masonicdictionary.com/adonhiram.html.

de Hoyos, Arturo. 2009. The Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide. Washington, DC: Supreme Council,
33°.

—. 2010. The Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide. Washington, DC: The Supreme Council, 33°,
Southern Jurisdiction.

Grand Royal Arch Chapter of South Carolina. 1880. "Proceedings of the Most Excellent Grand Royal Arch
Chapter of South Carolina." Charleston.

Hinman, Eugene E, Ray V Denslow, and Charles C Hunt. 1930. History of the Cryptic Rite. Tacoma: The
General Grand Council R.&S.M.U.S.A.

Hutchens, Rex R. 2010. A Bridge to Light. Washington, DC: The Supreme Council, 33 Degree.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. 1915. "Adoniram." Bible Study Tools. Edited by James Orr.
Accessed March 21, 2018. https://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/adoniram.html.

Mackey, Albert G. 2014. "Encyclopedia of Masonry and its Kindred Sciences." Phoenix Masonry. Accessed
February 12, 2018. http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/mackeys_encyclopedia/index.htm.

McClenchan, Charles. 2014. "The Book of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (1884)."
Phoenix Masonry. Accessed April 6, 2018.
http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/AASR_1884_/table_of_contents.htm.

n.d. Ohio Council Masons.

http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=cryptic+council+and+the+scottish+rite&d=501913483463936
2&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=pP6y4qfYOQXqcA60Resfhltd7TymItvz.

Valley of Sioux City, AASR. 2021. Degrees of Freemasonry. Accessed 03 29, 2022.
https://www.scottishrite-siouxcity.org/Degrees.

Vally of Chicago, AASR. 2022. The System of Degrees. Accessed 03 29, 2022.
https://www.scottishrite-siouxcity.org/Degrees.

Waters, Layne. n.d. Education on Adoniram ben Abda.

Wikipedia. 2022. Scottish Rite. 05 07. Accessed 06 08, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Rite.