The Chapter and Council Manual : A Ritual of the Mark, Past, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Degees, Royal and Select Master Degrees, and the Order of the High Priesthood.

" Also, Ceremonies upon Constituting, Dedicating and Installing Officers of Chapters and Councils, and Installation Ceremonies of Grand Chapters and Grand Councils." Red blind stamped leather with gilt lettering/ / Masonic emblem to the front. All page edges dyed red. PRESENTATION COPY of William Hacker, perhaps the most noted of Indiana Masons to a friend on the FFEP in pencil. Hacker accumulated more than 2000 books on Masonry, which he presented to the Scottish Rite in Indianapolis in 1883. This collection was completely destroyed in a fire in 1894, including a history of Freemasonry in Indiana written by Hacker in longhand. Hacker's offices are too numerous to mention, including his being conferred a 33rd degree in the Scottish rite through special authorization of the Supreme Council. The book itself is VG. There is modest rubbing around the outside edges, but still rich. Gilt is bright. There is a 1/2" closed tear to the upper front about midway. Inside has brown EPs. The FEP and FFEP are loose, but present. The rear FFEP has a few penciled notes. There is a secondary gift presentation by Hacker's recipient under Hacker's signature. Hacker's portrait is tipped in between pages 72 and 73 and is credited with being the "Compiler and Arranger" of "A Monitorial Ritual for the Order of the High Priesthood." beginning on page 73. This is a truly unique and SCARCE part of Masonic history. No other copies in current commerce: certainly none with such provenance. Rare indeed.…