Correspondence

CORRESPONDENCE

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of ow Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . AU Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , "but as a guarantee of good faith .

BRO . HUGH H . RIACH'S FANCIES AS TO OUR MASONIC INSTITUTIONS .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I had many reasons for concluding that Bro . Hugh H . Riach bad lost all interest in our Masonio Institutions , bnt it seems that he has discovered a " more excellent way" than having buildings set apart for the instruction of tho children , and has come to tha conclusion that the present establishments are mainly

supported by certain brethren , because of ensuring them a Uvmg it : A more absurd and , in fact , nn-Masonic lot of fancies than are to be found in Bro . Riach ' s letter I never met with since the first days of Masonio journalism , and , almost feeling assured that some one has made free with his name ( the letter in all probability being a forgery ) , I prefer waiting to see if the authorship is denied before in any way seeking to answer it . I may , however , make bold to say , and to

challenge contradiction , that there is not one of our officials but who could have done better in some business or profession , in a financial point of view , than in connection with our Institutions ; hence , the imputation on their characters is most undeserved , and palpably carries with it its own refutation . " Hercules " himself could have earned moro in a year , were he in a profession or business , than all his petty biting flies put together . Yours fraternally , P . M .

COMPLETION OF THE INSTALLATION ENGRAVING-.

To t ? ie Editor 0 / THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAK Bin AJID BKOTHER , —I have much pleasure in announcing the completion of the Installation Engraving , as by the time this letter appears in your columns I shall have returned to London with tbe finished plate ready for the hands of Messrs . McQueen , the eminent

printers . I have for nearly the last five weeks been incessantly occupied with the engraver here in revising , & c , & c , and I sincerely hope that the result will receive the favourable approval of the brethren generally . If all goes well , in your next issue , I trust the Craft will have an opportunity of reading your verdict on the work .

J am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , EDWARD J . HAUTY . Paris , 17 th September 1877 .

Doings In Paris.

DOINGS IN PARIS .

1 UUiU . UUlM * JAlJ ! iUi J GENERAL ASSEMBLY OP THE GRAND ORIENT OP PRANCE .

THE Generate Assemblee du Grand Orient closed its annual meeting on Saturday last , with a sumptuous banquet , at which there were present the delegates of the Lodges nuder its jurisdiction , and many distinguished visitors . This session was at first . thought to be one that would have been forbidden by the Government , which has already closed many Lodges

in tho Province on account of the character of the business transacted therein . But this has been conducted with tho utmost care and Masonic dignity , and has terminated without having been at all interfered with , though many anti-Masons have endeavoured to avail themselves of the occasion to inflict a hnmiliating blow npon the Fraternity

The first meeting took place on Monday , the 10 th instant , nnder the presidency of the M . 111 . Bro . Do St . Jean , who was once more re-elected Chairman of the " Conseil do l'Ordre , " by 103 votes . Bro . De St . Jean is well-known as a most industrious and highlyesteemed Mason , who bri » gs to the discharge of his high and onerous duties all tho qualities of an experienced chairman , and seems , indeed

to be destined by his re-election each successive year to revive , as it wero , the abolished " Grand Maitrise . " Eleven retiring members of the Conseil de l'Ordre were also re-elected , and Bro . Dr . Collineau , by 136 votes , was called upon to fill the chair left vacant in the Conseil by the lamented death of Bro . Armand , to whose Masonic memory the Grand Lodge then drew an impressive and heartfelt " batterie de

deuil . It is quite unnecessary to follow the General Assembly through all its work , which consisted of the appointment of Graud Officers , examination of accounts , both of tbe Board of General Purposes and the Board of Benevolence , or " liaison de Sccours , " the Budget for the ensuing year , and so on . All these are mere formalities , which

absorb much time , and aro uninteresting almost to all , save those whose duty it is to supervise the business part of Freemasonry . The important feature of the Convent of tho year A . L . 5877 is thi decision arrived at , and the resolution passed by tho General Assembly almost unanimously , by which the words of Art . 1 st 01 the Constitution have been amended . Known as the Veen IX ., 01 motion for changing tbe first article of tiie Constitution , this vexed

Doings In Paris.

question , after having been simply dismissed at many previous Convents , was last year allowed to stand over ; and it was then resolved , in order to ascertain tho feeling of the Lodges upon the ad visibility of maintaining or repealing the Constitution of tho so-called " ambiguous , " if not obnoxious article , tho matter should bo discussed by every Lodge under this " Rite , " and the resolutions passed thereon should be forwarded to Grand Orient assembled in Convent .

This sort of polling , or rather Masonio plebiscitum , had taken place in and out of France , and a majority of more than 200 Lodges had pronounced for tho revision or repeal of tho said article . It was therefore for the solemn discussion of this important motion , the only ono upon the order last Thursday , that the meeting was so largely attended , and that so much earnestness was exhibited . AVoll knowing

that a majority of the Conseil de l'Ordre proper , that is , the authorities of G . L ., was not altogether favourable to the motion , its prometers did all in their power to secure the best means of elucidating their views and if possible to convert their brethren . The Assembly was divided into nine bureaux or committees , each bureau appointing a delegate to make known its opinions and

advance its arguments . These committees had to elect one of their number to make a general report , and propose a formal resolution to the vote of the General Assembly . The resolution as proposed and carried , almost unanimously , ran as follows : — " Whereas Freemasonry is not a religion , and has therefore no doctrine or dogmas to affirm in its Constitntion , the Assembly

adopting the ' Vceu IX . ' has decided and decreed that tho second paragraph of Art . 1 st of the Constitution shall be erased , and that for the words of the said article the following shall be substituted . —1 . Being an Institu ' . ion essentially philanthropic , philosophic , and progressive , Freemasonry has for its immediate objects—sear h after truth , study of universal morality , sciences and arts , and tho practice of

benevolence . It has for its principles—utmost liberty of conscience and human solidarity , and its motto is—Liberte , Egalite , et Fraternite . " Now , to understand the import and appreciate the tendency of this change , one must recollect that the second paragraph thus expunged waa in the following words : — "Freemasonry has for its principles , the existence of God , the

immortality of tho soul , and the solidarity of mankind . This sort of declaration of faith , placed as it was npon the first lines of the book of Constitntion , has been the subject of great controversy , as well as the cause of many regrettable decisions in the admission bf candidates . Some W . M . 's wonld see in it a binding and obligatory rule for strictly examining the latter upon their

religious belief or persuasion , while others , availing themselves of Art . 2 of the same Constitntion—which says that : " Freemasonry respects all religious and political beliefs whatsoever , and excludes no one because of his opinions , " —would , on the other hand , bo disposed to allow tho candidate to ventilate , in his answers , should he choose , his unbelief in open Lodge . On ono side religions , and perhaps orthodox

opinions would be insisted upon for admission , while on the other quito the reverse might be required from the candidate . Surely such a state of things is most lamentable , and altogether against Masonic tenets and law . The root of such abuse of tho letter and the spirit of the Book of Constitntion could be particularly traced in the injudicious practice of having , as an essential part of the ceremony ,

the candidate examined and questioned before being admitted to light by any ( and as many who may choose to do so ) of those present in Lodge , upon his general belief ; and his duty to God , his neighbour , and himself . To obviate this evil it would perhaps have been better simply to adopt from tho English ritual tho form of admission , and thus do away with those moral trials and confessions

which , often protracted , become moro vexing , if not more dangerous than anything else . But still tho inconsistency in tho words of the Constitution wonld have nevertheless remained , as a protest against the reform . Hence , therefore , tho resolution passed to meet those abuses , a resolution which , whatever may be now said about it , cannot fail at first to be misunderstood , and even condemned by a portion of tho fraternity ,

espeually those who havo but hfct ' e or no knowledge of French Masonry , its rites and ceremonies . Perhaps many brethren will be so far mistaken in their appreciation of tho decree of this last Con . veution as to pronounce it to bo a subversive encroachment npon the ancient landmarks of the Order , aiming at nothing else , as has unfortunately been already insinuated in some high Masonic quarters

in England , than the instant suppression ot tho G . A . O . T . U . from French Masonry . Admitting fully that the matter is one requiring a complete explanation , and a thorough investigation of its Masonic bearing and consequences , it is evident that it will bo desirable subsequently to examine all details and considerations which , in true Masonic comprehensiveness , may tend to justify or condemn the step taken by

the General Assembly of tho Grand Orient . Meanwhile , let the brotherhood know at once that no anti-religious motives could be found in the Committees , not even among those where the original supporters of the motion were in a majority . And they thought it , on the contrary , wise , prudent , and dignified to elect as " rapporteur " a brother who professionally belongs to " religion . " Thus , " Nuper

sub modis , nunc super , " it was the Ilev . Bro . Desmons who , as chairman , made the report and framed the resolution passed by tho General Assembly . Bro . Pasteur Desmons , of the Lodge St . Genies cle Magoire , with marvellons lucidity and Masonic force of reasoning , refutes , in his report , all objections , all extraneous reasons thatmight even prevail upon tho Assembly , aud without the least difficulty

proves that prior to the Constitution of 1854 the ambiguous paragraph never existed , and that such a declaration of faith does not exist in many foreign Masonic Constitutions . His report carried the vote of even those members who , for " local and niometitons " motives only , systematically were opposed to tlie motion . Tho clerical

character of tho chairman , his undoubted Masonic sincerity nnd faith , bis great honesty of purpose , aud his liberal c imprehensive views , all these , coupled with his natural modestyand eloquence , ten led co give an immense weight to tbe resolution . Surely our esteemed Bro . Andre Rousselle , one of the Conseil do l'Ordre , and a great sup . portei oJ toe motion , could not liaye done so mush . Jot it ,