Theodor Reuss, in addition to being the head of his revival of the
Bavarian Order of Illuminati, was also the Grand Master of the
Swedenborgian Rite of Freemasonry in Germany (charter dated July 26, 1901
from W. Wynn Wescott), Special Inspector for the Martinist Order in Germany
(charter dated June 24, 1901 from Gérard Encausse), and Magus of the High
Council in Germania of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (letter
of authorization dated Feb. 24, 1902 from W. Wynn Wescott). With Kellner's
assistance, Reuss applied to English Masonic scholar, John
Yarker (1833-1913), to purchase charters to operate three systems
of high-grade Freemasonry known as the Antient and Primitive Rite of Memphis
of 97°, the Ancient Oriental Rite of Mizraim of 90°, and the Ancient and
Accepted Scottish Rite of 33° (Cernau Council of New York, 1807).
Reuss received letters-patent as a Sovereign
Grand Inspector General 33° of the Cernau Scottish Rite from
Yarker dated September 24, 1902. According to a published
transcript, Yarker issued on the same date a warrant to Reuss,
Franz Hartmann and Henry Klein to operate a Sovereign Sanctuary
33°-95° of the Scottish, Memphis and Mizraim rites. Yarker
issued a second charter confirming Reuss's authority to operate
said rites on July 1, 1904; and Reuss published a transcript
of an additional confirming charter dated June 24, 1905. Reuss
commenced publication of a masonic journal, The Oriflamme,
in 1902.
These rites, along with the Swedenborgian Rite, were adopted as
integral elements within the overall scheme of the Order. The Swedenborgian
Rite included a version of the Craft degrees, and the Cernau Scottish
Rite and the Rites of Memphis and Mizraim provided a selection of
the workable "high grades" as nearly complete as had ever existed.
Together, they provided a complete system of Masonic initiation
at the disposal of the Order. With the incorporation of these rites,
the Order was enabled to operate as a completely independent Masonic
system. Reuss and Kellner together prepared a brief manifesto for
their Order in 1903, which was published the next year in The
Oriflamme. Kellner died on June 7, 1905, and Reuss assumed full
control of the Order. With the assistance of co-founders Franz Hartmann
and Heinrich Klein, Reuss prepared a Constitution for the Order
in 1906.
