A French Invasion.

A FRENCH INVASION .

IN another part of this issue we publish a report of a meeting at Swansea , of the Tawe Lodge , recently established in that town under a Charter granted by the

Grand Orient of France , and the particulars given therein will no doubt attract attention wherever they are brought under the notice of English brethren .

Bearing in mind the fact that English and French Freemasons are not on terms of friendliness with each

other at the present time , England not considering French Freemasonry to be conducted in accordance with the true principles of the Craft , we suppose it must be conceded there is no obligation on the part

of French Freemasons to recognise the ordinary principles of jurisdiction , which prohibit one Grand Lodge from creating subordinate bodies on territory already

occupied ; and that being so we must at once admit that the Grand Orient of France has not exceeded its powers in thus creating a Lodge in England , although its action is open to the severest criticism , as being contrary to the

teachings of the Craft , and wholly at variance with existing customs and established precedent , even when , as is here the case , the two governing powers are not in friendly intercourse with each other ; but in recognising the right of the French Masons to act as they have

acted we have gone as far as we can go in their behalf ; they may have the right , on a strictly legal basis ; but their action is wholly indefensible when viewed from a moral standpoint ; and the continuance of such practices would probably lead to undesirable results .

We have from time to time referred in our pages to various points of divergence between the working of Freemasons in England as compared with the actions of those who call themselves Freemasons in France , and

it will readily be admitted that even the little we have published has been sufficient to cause regret at the introduction of the French system into this country . We sincerely hope the French Lodge now working at

Swansea will only adopt the best features of what goes under the name of Freemasonry in France , leaving its political and socialistic teachings to the brethren of the home country . But the members must , in any case

bear in mind that they are joining a branch of Freemasonry quite distinct from that practised in this country , and recognise that the mere fact of their being admitted in this Tawe Lodge will not open the doors of

English Lodges to them ; in fact , it will be an effectual bar to their admission , in view of the prohibition against French Masonry which our Grand Lodge has lightly found is necessary to enforce . Eeferring to the report in question we find that the Lodge at Swansea has been established to suit the

convenience principally of the higher class of working men

A French Invasion.

and to attract them the fee for admittance has been considerably reduced . This , we may point out , is really an advantage to Freem asonry in England , for if this

Lodge confines itself to teaching the true principles of Freemasonry it will be of service to the class for whom it has been established , while if its founders attempt to

make it a hotbed of dissention , under a time-honoured name , the " higher class of working-men " for whom it has been founded will not be slow to disassociate

themselves from it ; for we do not believe that the political intrigue and scheming which find favour across the channel are appreciated by the better class of English working men .

Except that it is contrary to the ideas of English Freemasons there does not seem to be any tangible objection to be urged against the system of cheapening

Freemasonry m this country , with a view of attracting a class lower in the social scale than the present supporters of the Order ; but although we see no actual objection to such a course we should be very sorry indeed

to find anything of the kind attempted . We should rather endorse a proposal to raise the status of the Craft , and are staunch supporters of the rule in our Constitutions which limits the minimum fee of admission to the Order . Further than this , and zealous as we are

in singing the praises of Freemasonry , we are yet of opinion that the ordinary working man would find little in it to induce him to support it in preference to his Club or Benefit Society . One great feature that will always keep Freemasonry

—as practised in England—out of favour with the class which this French Lodge is striving to attract is the fact that it is not a Benefit Society , from a mere monetary point of view . The ordinary worker wants to see something more than sentimental benefits for his subscriptions .

If he pays monthly or quarterly dues he will desire to secure sick benefit , death grants and other returns which it is very unlikely will ever be available for him in

connection with Freemasonry in this country , whether established under our own or any foreign Constitution . Taking all these points into consideration we may really regard the Lodge at Swansea rather in the form of an experiment than as a serious attempt to establish a rival

system of Freemasonry , and accordingly , while regretting our neighbours from across the channel ( even though we

are not on speaking terms with each other ) should have violated the principles by invading our territory , we are really of opinion that they will not do English Freemasonry any great harm , even if that were the wish or

intention of the promoters of this new Lodge . It may be that they are anxious to extend the best principles of Freemasonry , and have erred through being ill advised or misinformed as to the facts on which they have acted , rather than actuated by a spirit of opposition ; but in