French Masons.

tion , ancl , perhaps , it will mako it comparatively easy to judge of the extent and importance of what is sought to be obtained from , or enforced upon the authorities of tho Supremo Council by those sixteen refractory Lodges , and tho awkward position into which thoy havo likewise dragged their parent Lodge , and out of which , however , there must bo fonnd some satisfactory issno for both parties ,

without infringing the rights of either , nor hurting tho feelings of any . It must hero bo added , to tho particulars abovo given of tho constitution aud government practice of the Supremo Council , that thero now exists in that rito a kind of Grand Lodge , under tho denomination of First Section of the Central Grind Lodge of Franca . It is composed of the delegates of the Lodges chartered by

that jurisdiction , aud it is presided over by tho Supremo Council , or somo of its members , to which . Supremo Council must bo submitted for ratification or confirmation all resolutions passed , aud also to which alone , it would appear , belongs tbo privilogo of determining tho nature of tho business that may bo transacted , and tho questions that may be discussed by that Grand Lodge when it is called npon to meet .

This being understood , tho facts referring to tho present discord can thus be briefly stated : — In April last somo members of tho Lodge Justice , holding office as delegates of this and other Lodges to the First Section of tho Central Grand Lodge , set clown for discussion , at the next meeting of tho latter , a proposal for decentralisation of tho rite ; and , to this effect , addressed

a circular to all the Lodges of tho obedience , which advocated tho immediate creation of a Grand Lodgo composed of the Deputies only , and entirely invested with the power of governing all Lodges of symbolic degrees . Of course tho Supreme Council , startled by tlio action , struck out of the order of tho clay , by a well-seasoned decree , so obnoxious a subject

for discussion , which consequently terminated by some very un-Masonic and reprehensible proceedings . And eventually the Lodge Justice and its five officers , signatories of that circular , were by another Decree of tho Supreme Council suspended from all Masonic rights and privileges . Thus far it might have been thought that the authors of tbe

agitation , having been suspended , and the Lodgo from which it had emanated being closed , it would have been easy to wipe out the traces of that character of effervescence assumed at first , ancl to consider coolly aud calmly what was best to be done to avoid similar outbursts of an intemperate cry for reform , by giving at once somo satisfaction to reasonable demands . But whether tho authorities in

the Supremo Council did or not show tact in striking promptly at the agitators , or whether they overrated tho offence against Masonic discipline , and failed to show , in tho first ' placo , a little forbearance is , perhaps , what no ono outside their Standing Committee can positively assert . However , one thing is certain , —the infliction of punishment has not yet produced the effect that might have beeu

looked for in prompt severity : as the sentence does not now appear to hold good against tho condemned Masons and the shut up Lodge , Indeed , it seems , on tho contrary , that they have derived from that sentence a more countenanced attitude against the Supremo Council , so far as can be judged from the number of protests issued , tho publication of pamphlets with narratives more or less reliable , tho

printing of circulars more or less un-Masonic in their form and tenor , the insertion of articles in one of our contemporaries , to be annotated and reprinted hero for circulation in the Lodges , and so on . Yet , the worst feature of this lamentable conflict is not there , nor is it in tho public charge of untruth brought , against the Supreme Council by those suspended Masons who—in reply to an official

statement declaring them unauthorised as Lodge delegates in their contention against—boldly published fresh confirmation of their powers and rati , fication of their recent acts , by tho Lodges of which they were , and would consider themselves to be , still the lawful delegates . Nor is it again , in the mere act of affixing their names to pamphlets against the Supreme Council , the rank and title which they held in the G . L . just as if they had never beeu suspended by any regular authority .

But surely it is tho more apparent , we should say rebellious , countenance given them at the elections in the Grand Lodge Centralc , in July last , by the votes they polled in three successive ballots for the vacant offices , notwithstanding their open hostility against the Supreme Council , and the decreo of tho latter making known to all that they wero suspended from all Masonic rights and privileges for tho term of two years , ancl therefore were , to all intents and purposes , ineligible to any Masonic Office for that period .

Of course the votes so polled were declared to bo null and void , foi reason of evident ineligibility or informality . Now , in whatever light one looks at the proceeding of tho electors in the Central Grand Lodge , we cannot help declaring it something moro than unseemly . One would havo thought that , out of simple deference to the authority of tho Supreme Council , the Brethren

¦ would have refrained from recording their votes for those whom they know to be regularly suspended for an offence against Masonic discipline , or rather for their hostility against the governing body of the jurisdiction under which they all were , and to whose decrees they were bound to show , in true Masonic spirit , complete submission . Bnt is thero not a warning to bo found in so open an opposition ,

that sets , as it were , at complete defiance the responsible authorities of the rite ? At any rate it looks very much like it . For we find almost at tho same time of those strange elections sixteen Lodges combining together to issue to all tho Lodges a circular , whereby they affirm that any deliberative assembly has a right to make its own order-of the day ; declare that tbo mandate of delegate cannot

exist , unless it be allowed to be freely exercised ; contend that they are fully authorised by the Lodges to vindicate their rights against the Supreme Council ; ancl , protesting against its last decree , o-j Vc notice "to the authors of the rite" (?) of their determination to bring forward for discussion in the First Section of tho Central Grand Lodge , — " the only competent authority" upon the matter , —that very same question— " which ia of the greatest importance for the de .

French Masons.

velopment here of Scottish Masonry , and which , by Supreme Council s decree , had beeu struck out of the Grand Lodgo Centralo ' s agenda . As a reply to that hostile circular , tho Supreme Council , ou tho 28 th of July last , and through its Great Chancellor , issued a communication to all the Lodges of its jurisdiction , asking pointedly thoso Lodges whoso delegates aro siguitories of tho circular to inform

tho Supremo Council whether it had been by tho express wish or special power of the Lodge that its Deputy had attached his namo to a document giving , as it were , to tho brethren "the signal of tear against the fundamental principles of our association . " What answers have the Lodges mado ? what suooort do thev thereby

afford to the Supreme Council ? is what wo cannot positively say , as there has not been , since that timo , any official publication mado by the authorities ( save an appeal to Concord ) , nor any meeting of the first section of the Central Grand Lodge called . But , if wo take for truthful the various statements that havo been mado here and

thero , and judge from what has transpired , it would seem that tho Appeal of the Supreme Council to tho Lodges under its jurisdiction has not proved altogether beneficial to its authority ; and that many of thoso Lodges that had remained silent havo seized upon the occasion to mako replies which are not entirely free from blame , couched in expressions moro or less respectful , when they were not

strong monitions and protests , expressing at tho samo time bittor feelings and hostile views . Wo have before ns a copy of the letter sent in by the Venerable of the Lodge " Prevoyance , " one of tho most flourishing of the rite . In that Lodge sit brethren of distinguished ability ancl great Masonic zeal and moderation ; yet that letter does not refrain from accentuating the principles and

asserting strongly the views of tho members of tho Prevoyance , which are , by no means wo should think , at all in harmony with thoso of tbo Supremo Council . And as regards those among the sixteen Lodges that have taken the lead in the movement , and which are aimed at in the official communication , it is said that they havo all maintained tho attitude assumed by their delegates , ancl have , even

by many , been joined iu their manifestations and protests against the decrees of tho Supreme Council , and thoir cry for reform—by tho immediate formation , with or -without the sanction of tho authorities , of a Grand Lodge , with sovereign power in the administration and \ jurisdiction of the three symbolic degrees . If it is a sign of weakness to show alarm , it is surely a worse sign

to disregard timely admonitions around us . Should all that is said above prove true—which wo sincerely hope will not—we could not then , with truly Masonic sentiments , escape feeling uneasiness about the ontcome of it all . Much as wo stand for principles and rights , wo must , however , deprecate and strongly too , any means of advocating or pushing them that may tend to produce warfare , discord ,

disunion , aud to end afterwards ( let us mako use of tho word ) iu SCHISM . For , of all people in ( ho world , Masons should be the last to disagree and fight , and tho first to pay respect to just rights and principles as enforced by thoir own laws . It must not be overlooked that , to all rank and file iu tho brotherhood , there aro Masonic obligations that mnst be fulfilled , contracts

and ties that cannot be broken without penalty , promises of oath of allegiance to parent Lodgo that must bo adhered to so long as tho Mason wants to bo acknowledged everywhere as a brother , so long as ho wishes to enjoy all those rights and privileges that aro tho common : ; rock of tho fraternity wherever extant . Unhappily , most of the strifes and troubles in our Order havo come precisely from a

disregard , either from high or low , of those just rights and principles ; and not seldom , too . from a certain tendency to bolicvo that Masonry might bo capable of being assimilated to a kind of " state , " wherein vanity , according to honours and degrees , could fancy and try with the " selected few , " a mode of government upon the old pattern of " royal will and pleasure . "

Looking seriously at those matters relating to the Supreme Council and its Lodges , all true Masons , we doubt not , would cordially deprecate any solution that should not conciliate the rights ancl interests of all concerned , so far as those interests and rights concur with tho guiding spirit of the principles of our fraternity . It is useless to speculate upon tho possibility of a secession of the subordinate

Lodges from tho parent power by persistent hostility . No such thing should be contemplated ; indeed , as far as we are concerned , wo decline to beliove in that severance , nuless some tangible proof or support be given . Tho Initiative Committee , composed of tho Venerables of the fivo Lodges that -will establish the Grand Lodge , shall meet with insuperable difficulties , even " financial . " Besides seceders , if any there should be , would havo to labour under the double

disadvantage of being branded as illegitimate ami rebellions , and deprived of any chance whatever of recognition by Masonic powers by the Grand Orient ol * Franco . It is also equally useless to consider , through an improbable rigidity of the Supreme Council , its remaining still unmoved and firm to the purpose of not giving way to tho wishes of the Lodges , and to resist , by all means , tho demanded forms .

All rights and interests must , of course , be taken into consideration , alt privileges and authority must not be ignored . It is through their adjustment alone that wc must arrive at a satisfactory settlement of tho present lamentable dissension . But then arises this question : — " Is it uossiblo for the Supreme Council to grant a Charter of

Grand Lodge to its subordinate Lodges , or rather permit them the formation of a Grand Lodge , with exclusive and sovereign poioer over the administration and , jurisdiction over the Symbolic Degree , and , if so , could it advisedly do so , or allow snch a thiug to be done . Wc frankly say that , in our humble opinion , wo do not think it at all possible for the Supreme Council to charter a Grand Lodge , with the

rights and privileges demanded , without committing itself to a suicidal course . And , among various reasons wc have for so believing , wo will simply state we do not think its Capitular anil Cryptic elements , as now extant , at all important enough to allow it to suffer such a loss of members of the ri- 'o , and yet maintain itsolf as Supreme Council alone ; unless a great adjunct from without be mado at the same time