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Article PROPOSED CONVENTION. Page 1 of 2 Article PROPOSED CONVENTION. Page 1 of 2 →
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Proposed Convention.
PROPOSED CONVENTION .
THE GRAND ORIENT OF FRANCE AND THE SCOTCH SYMBOLICAL GRAND LODGE . A FEW weeks since we gave , at some length , the purport of an article on this subject from Le Monde Magonnique for the month of June . The writer , Bro . A .
Grimaux , expressed his intention of noting sundry objections to the project , and in the July number of the same journal he has carried his intention into effect . Be it our present task to reproduce in general terms , and in their
English garb , these same objections of Bro . Grimaux . Having noted in the first place his unwillingness to wound the feelings of brethren who express it as their opinion that the Grand Orient may reckon on the
symbolical Grand Lodge to aid it in bringing about the unification of French Freemasonry , and that their confederation was created for no other purpose than to realise that grand idea , Bro . Grimaux points out that , in December last , he laid it down that such a result would be
quite possible when the Scotch Symbolical Grand Lodge recognised that the surest and easiest method of securing a unification was to enter purely and simply into the Confederation of Lodges holding under the Grand Orient
of France , without pretending to claim privileges which did not belong to the old Lodges . While believing that the proposal for ; unification was honourable to those from whom it emanated , Bro . Grimaux points out tbat other
Scotch Masons , fully comprehending that , in spite of its goodwill , the Supreme Council would never be in a position to give full effect to its democratic aspirations , had regularl y and in a friendly spirit separated themselves
Jrom that body , and had ranged themselves under the banner of the Grand Orient of France . There they had found Lod ges which had received them most cordially , and jn a spirit of rejoicing at the influx of so many excellent
brethren . No distinction was made between the old and the new members of the Order . The most perfect equality , BO far as was possible in accordance with the democratic traditions of the Grand Orient , was established between them . Why , then , asks Bro . Grimaux . have not the
members of the Symbolical Grand Lodge followed this wise example ? Why , if they were so desirous of bringing about the fusion of the two bodies , did they create a fourth Masonic power ? Why , in short , did they and do they still refuse R eflect a union on a footing * of equality with the French
ijodges ? We know not , adds our worthy brother , though We deplore that , in lieu of adopting so natural and so raternal a course , they should have thought it possible to ctate terms which , in the form in which thev were
presented , appear to be wholly inacceptable . Is it the Wme of the Grand Orient which is at fault , and does not Sc M * ^ e 8 u ® c ^ ent ' y democratic in the eyes-of those . ., ° " . Lodges and brethren who have separated
themfor 6 S m *^ Supreme Council , only after having been been ? 88 ub J to the aristocratic Scotch system . It has oW BO maintained , but invariably without proof , for u ! jous reasons . Ii 0 n ^ . many vouner Masons who . from constantlv
everv ^ ¦ S & ^ * season an ( ^ ou * ° f season , and under ab 80 i T anet y ° f expression , that the Grand Orient is an c ° ucW power » and ought to be reformed , arrive at the ^ intent * " ^^ SUcl 1 acCTlsafcions are weI 1 founded , and , wonall y make common cause with the clever
Proposed Convention.
adversaries of the Grand Orient of France . It may not , therefore , be out of place to set before such brethren clearly and succinctly , some idea of the organisation of that distinguished body . In the first place , its Lodges nominate all their officers for one year . Such officers must be
Master Masons , and must have belonged to the Lodge for the space of at laast six months . The President or Venerable—our Worshipful Master—must have been a member for at least a year , and a Master Mason of two years' standing . These are the only restrictions imposed on Masons in
making their choice , and no one will venture to say they , are not necessary . As in all other Societies , the chiefs or Veuerables are the legal representatives of the Lodges which have elected them by ballot for their annual term of office . The bond which holds the Lodges together is the
Grand Orient , which is composed of the Masters of all the Lodges in the jurisdiction , and of the Council of the Order . Every year the Grand Orient holds a General Assembly , comprised of ( 1 ) all the Venerables , or , in case of necessity , delegates from the Lodges , and ( 2 ) the Council of the
Order . The Assembly nominates its President , and for the future , will also elect its other officers in the same manner as is provided in the subordinate Lodges . This system , which is absolutely unobjectionable on the ground of principle , involves no other inconvenience than the loss of
some valuable time . The Assembly , albeit truly representative of the Masonic Lodges , is unable to sit permanently , though it did so when the Provincial Lodges were represented by Parisian brethren . Hence its administrative powers are entrusted to a permanent Commission of thirty-three members , who constitute what is known as the Council of the
Orderone-third being elected every year . This Council , in its turn , elects its Officers annually . It is the official representative of French Masonry , renders accounts of all its acts to the General Assembly , and is the defender of the principles and statutes of the Institution . The judicial
power is distinct from the legislative and administrative powers . The Lodge decides cases in the first instance , and the Provincial or local Chambers , composed of juries chosen by the Lodges , in all cases of appeal . The Worshipful Masters and Orators of Lodges can be provisionally
suspended by the Council of the Order , but judgment in first and last instance is passed upon them by the Chambers or Courts of Appeal . As regards the Lodges , the disciplinary powers belong to the Council , subject to the approval of the General Assembly . Such is the
organisation , which is attacked as being the reverse of democratic , though everything depends on the system of election , while all the Officers are temporary and all the powers vested in the Masters of Lodges , and in the Council of the Order , are distinctly limited .
But there is something further to take into consideration than the organisation of the Society , and that is the spirit which animates it and the ideas it propagates . Moreover , without speaking here of what is distinctive of the Grand
Orient in common with all other Masonic bodies , we can judge for ourselves , without difficulty , what it has done for the development of liberal and democratic ideas . A few instances will suffice . The Grand Orient of France
signalised its birth by abolishing the privileges of the Masters of Lodges , who were in truth owners of the charters , by virtue of which those Lodges existed . The watchword was "No more Privileges , No more life offices , " and periodical election by the free and unbiassed
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Proposed Convention.
PROPOSED CONVENTION .
THE GRAND ORIENT OF FRANCE AND THE SCOTCH SYMBOLICAL GRAND LODGE . A FEW weeks since we gave , at some length , the purport of an article on this subject from Le Monde Magonnique for the month of June . The writer , Bro . A .
Grimaux , expressed his intention of noting sundry objections to the project , and in the July number of the same journal he has carried his intention into effect . Be it our present task to reproduce in general terms , and in their
English garb , these same objections of Bro . Grimaux . Having noted in the first place his unwillingness to wound the feelings of brethren who express it as their opinion that the Grand Orient may reckon on the
symbolical Grand Lodge to aid it in bringing about the unification of French Freemasonry , and that their confederation was created for no other purpose than to realise that grand idea , Bro . Grimaux points out that , in December last , he laid it down that such a result would be
quite possible when the Scotch Symbolical Grand Lodge recognised that the surest and easiest method of securing a unification was to enter purely and simply into the Confederation of Lodges holding under the Grand Orient
of France , without pretending to claim privileges which did not belong to the old Lodges . While believing that the proposal for ; unification was honourable to those from whom it emanated , Bro . Grimaux points out tbat other
Scotch Masons , fully comprehending that , in spite of its goodwill , the Supreme Council would never be in a position to give full effect to its democratic aspirations , had regularl y and in a friendly spirit separated themselves
Jrom that body , and had ranged themselves under the banner of the Grand Orient of France . There they had found Lod ges which had received them most cordially , and jn a spirit of rejoicing at the influx of so many excellent
brethren . No distinction was made between the old and the new members of the Order . The most perfect equality , BO far as was possible in accordance with the democratic traditions of the Grand Orient , was established between them . Why , then , asks Bro . Grimaux . have not the
members of the Symbolical Grand Lodge followed this wise example ? Why , if they were so desirous of bringing about the fusion of the two bodies , did they create a fourth Masonic power ? Why , in short , did they and do they still refuse R eflect a union on a footing * of equality with the French
ijodges ? We know not , adds our worthy brother , though We deplore that , in lieu of adopting so natural and so raternal a course , they should have thought it possible to ctate terms which , in the form in which thev were
presented , appear to be wholly inacceptable . Is it the Wme of the Grand Orient which is at fault , and does not Sc M * ^ e 8 u ® c ^ ent ' y democratic in the eyes-of those . ., ° " . Lodges and brethren who have separated
themfor 6 S m *^ Supreme Council , only after having been been ? 88 ub J to the aristocratic Scotch system . It has oW BO maintained , but invariably without proof , for u ! jous reasons . Ii 0 n ^ . many vouner Masons who . from constantlv
everv ^ ¦ S & ^ * season an ( ^ ou * ° f season , and under ab 80 i T anet y ° f expression , that the Grand Orient is an c ° ucW power » and ought to be reformed , arrive at the ^ intent * " ^^ SUcl 1 acCTlsafcions are weI 1 founded , and , wonall y make common cause with the clever
Proposed Convention.
adversaries of the Grand Orient of France . It may not , therefore , be out of place to set before such brethren clearly and succinctly , some idea of the organisation of that distinguished body . In the first place , its Lodges nominate all their officers for one year . Such officers must be
Master Masons , and must have belonged to the Lodge for the space of at laast six months . The President or Venerable—our Worshipful Master—must have been a member for at least a year , and a Master Mason of two years' standing . These are the only restrictions imposed on Masons in
making their choice , and no one will venture to say they , are not necessary . As in all other Societies , the chiefs or Veuerables are the legal representatives of the Lodges which have elected them by ballot for their annual term of office . The bond which holds the Lodges together is the
Grand Orient , which is composed of the Masters of all the Lodges in the jurisdiction , and of the Council of the Order . Every year the Grand Orient holds a General Assembly , comprised of ( 1 ) all the Venerables , or , in case of necessity , delegates from the Lodges , and ( 2 ) the Council of the
Order . The Assembly nominates its President , and for the future , will also elect its other officers in the same manner as is provided in the subordinate Lodges . This system , which is absolutely unobjectionable on the ground of principle , involves no other inconvenience than the loss of
some valuable time . The Assembly , albeit truly representative of the Masonic Lodges , is unable to sit permanently , though it did so when the Provincial Lodges were represented by Parisian brethren . Hence its administrative powers are entrusted to a permanent Commission of thirty-three members , who constitute what is known as the Council of the
Orderone-third being elected every year . This Council , in its turn , elects its Officers annually . It is the official representative of French Masonry , renders accounts of all its acts to the General Assembly , and is the defender of the principles and statutes of the Institution . The judicial
power is distinct from the legislative and administrative powers . The Lodge decides cases in the first instance , and the Provincial or local Chambers , composed of juries chosen by the Lodges , in all cases of appeal . The Worshipful Masters and Orators of Lodges can be provisionally
suspended by the Council of the Order , but judgment in first and last instance is passed upon them by the Chambers or Courts of Appeal . As regards the Lodges , the disciplinary powers belong to the Council , subject to the approval of the General Assembly . Such is the
organisation , which is attacked as being the reverse of democratic , though everything depends on the system of election , while all the Officers are temporary and all the powers vested in the Masters of Lodges , and in the Council of the Order , are distinctly limited .
But there is something further to take into consideration than the organisation of the Society , and that is the spirit which animates it and the ideas it propagates . Moreover , without speaking here of what is distinctive of the Grand
Orient in common with all other Masonic bodies , we can judge for ourselves , without difficulty , what it has done for the development of liberal and democratic ideas . A few instances will suffice . The Grand Orient of France
signalised its birth by abolishing the privileges of the Masters of Lodges , who were in truth owners of the charters , by virtue of which those Lodges existed . The watchword was "No more Privileges , No more life offices , " and periodical election by the free and unbiassed