This glass is a souvenir from the masonic group "The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite". The A.A.S.R. Grand Consistory of Kentucky produced a glass on the first day of every year to commemorate their New Year's celebrations. "Spes Mea in Deo Est" translates into "My Hope is in God". The number "32" refers to the 32°, or the final step in the quest for Masonic enlightenment.The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite had its origins in Europe. Its immediate predecessor was The Order of the Royal Secret, which consisted of 25 Degrees under the Constitutions of 1762. Masonic history suggests that Lodges of this Rite migrated from Bordeaux in France, through the West Indies, and onto the American mainland. Lodges were first established in New Orleans, LA (1763), then Albany, NY (1767), Philadelphia, PA (1781-82), and Charleston, SC (1783).
The name Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite first appeared in an 1804 agreement between the Supreme Council of France and the Grand Orient of France. Beginning with the administration of Grand Commander Albert Pike in 1859, it came into general use in the Southern Jurisdiction and elsewhere. Many Scottish Masons fled to France during political upheavals in the 17th and 18th centuries, at a time when the Degrees of the Rite were evolving in French Freemasonry. This has caused some to think mistakenly that the Rite originated in Scotland. Actually, however, a Supreme Council for Scotland was not established until 1846.
More information of the history of this organization can be found at the www.phoenixmasonry.org
