Morals and Dogma has been described as "a collection of thirty-two essays which provide a philosophical rationale for the degrees of the
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. The lectures provided a backdrop for the degrees by giving lessons in comparative religion, history and philosophy". The original printing had 861 pages of text, while a 218-page
Digest-Index was added by Trevanion W. Hugo, 33°, in 1909. Its thirty-two chapters discuss the philosophical symbolism of a degree of Scottish Rite
Freemasonry in extensive detail. In Pike's original Preface, he noted: He continued: Though the text does not explicitly describe
Masonic ritual it offers a context by which they can be better appreciated. In his
allocution of 1947, Pike's successor, Grand Commander John Henry Cowles, noted that some Masonic publications had used large extracts from the text, which practice he sought to curtail by adding the following words to the title page: 'Esoteric Book, for Scottish Rite use only; to be Returned upon Withdrawal or Death of Recipient' (
Transactions of the Supreme Council, 33°, S.J. (1947), p. 38). Although
Morals and Dogma is an esoteric book, it was not a secret one; Pike's original preface was clear that any Mason could own the book, but only Scottish Rite Masons would be encouraged to own one. There are 32 chapters, one for each of the degrees in the Southern Jurisdiction, except for the 33°. These chapters generally consist of comparative religion, philosophy, comparative etymologies, symbolism, and numerology. The primary themes are the "Secrets" or the "Great Mysteries" and their symbolism and rituals. It is stated that nothing in the book is meant to unveil any of the secrets of Freemasonry but to simply hint or shed light. An emphasis on religious and cultural tolerance is shown throughout the work, emphasizing that religions strive to enlighten mankind and encourage a belief in the something greater. By comparing and contrasting religious beliefs and practices, Pike's compilation is similar to James G. Frazer's
The Golden Bough, and fits within the broader context of cultural anthropology. Pike, who was a Christian, avoids synchrotism. He rather saw similarities in religion as a means for mutual understanding and fostering brotherhood. A copy of
Morals and Dogma was given to new members of the Southern Jurisdiction from the early 1900s until the mid-1970s. In 1974, it was replaced by ''Clausen's Commentaries on Morals and Dogma
, written by Henry Clausen, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander, which in 1988 was itself replaced by A Bridge To Light
, by Rex Hutchens, 33°, G∴C∴, which book continues to be available to initiates into the Scottish Rite in the Southern Jurisdiction. With the release of the authorized edition of 2011, Morals and Dogma'' is once more being given to new Scottish Rite Masons in the Southern Jurisdiction. During Pike's lifetime the
Northern Masonic Jurisdiction based many of their degrees upon Pike's rituals, although they subsequently revised them many times, and never presented initiates with
Morals and Dogma, nor any of the subsequent commentaries. ==Influences and plagiarism allegations==