The Royal Arch
Since 1853, Washington Chapter No. 5, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been a group whose purpose is to deepen the Masonic life of Brothers in amity with the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, F. & A.M.
About Us
We meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Our Tabernacle is located at 315 Convention Street on the third floor.If you are a Royal Arch Mason, please join us at our stated convocations. If you are not a Royal Arch Mason and are interested in becoming one, contact the Chapter and see what the process entails.What is Royal Arch Masonry?
Above all, Royal Arch Masonry is a fraternity of men interested in bettering the world by bettering themselves. In the American Rite (the variety of Freemasonry practiced in the United States), traditional Craft Masonry consists of three degrees: Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason. These three degrees teach all of the basic tenets of our ancient craft using ritual and symbol. Royal Arch Masonry, also called “Capitular Masonry,” is traditionally the next set of degrees in the Rite, which also teaches the basic tenets of Freemasonry using ritual and symbol. Washington Chapter No. 5, Royal Arch Masons, confers four degrees: Mark Master, Virtual Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and the Royal Arch. These degrees elaborate on the teachings of the first three degrees of the American Rite, using different stories, symbols, and rituals. Much of the Royal Arch’s degree work is as old as the first three degrees, and carries with it the wisdom of the many generations who worked to ensure its survival and health.What are the requirements of membership?
In order to become a Royal Arch Mason, one must be a Master Mason in good standing with a regular Chartered Lodge, either under the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, Free and Accepted Masons, or under the jurisdiction of a Grand Lodge that is in fraternal intercourse with the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, Free and Accepted Masons. If you are not a mason and are interested in becoming one, visit the Grand Lodge’s web site to find more details.Do I have to belong to a particular religion to join?
At no point do we ask what your religious affiliation is. Even though there are some who might view the Royal Arch as belonging to a series of Degrees that lead to the Christian-based Knights Templar as the capstone of the Masonic experience, the Degree of the Royal Arch is in fact the capstone degree of York masonry. Outside of the Royal Arch, one can take other Degrees and Orders in numerous other organizations. Regardless of whatever Degrees or Orders one might take, the Royal Arch concludes Traditional Craft Masonry, and as such there is no requirement to be a Christian or to be of any other particular faith to become a member. We merely require that you continue the belief in a Supreme Being you affirmed in your petition to become an Entered Apprentice.How is the experience different from that of my Lodge?
Largely, there is a similar feeling of fraternity within Capitular Masonry, but due to the differences in teachings, the brothers use different terms and are have different understandings than in the Lodge. In terms of word differences, instead of a Lodge, a group of Royal Arch Masons is called a Chapter. Instead of Brothers, we refer to each other as Companions. Instead of Communication, our meetings are called Convocations. Instead of a Temple, we symbolically meet within a Tabernacle. All of these terms reflect the understandings and images within the rituals of the body.What are the financial obligations of membership?
Our dues are exceptionally low—really only as much as pays for the use of the facility. Each companion pays only $18 per year to participate in our activities ($8.50 of that goes to the Chapter, $7 goes to the Grand Chapter of Louisiana, R.A.M., plus $2 to offset the costs of the Annual Grand Convocation, the total being rounded up to the nearest dollar). The Chapter asks for a one-time degree fee of $40 when petitioning the Chapter for membership.
Want to join us?
If you are a Master Mason living in or near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this is a printable and fillable petition you can use to solicit membership in this organization.
Contact Us
Drop us a line! If you are curious about joining or in visiting, please leave us a message here, and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.
Thank You
There is always more to Freemasonry!