Freemasonry In Peru.

FREEMASONRY IN PERU .

WE have received certain documents , which enable us to place before our readers some very interesting particulars as to the rise and progress , as well as the present position of the Craft in the Republic of Pei'u . The regular Session of the Grand Lodge was held at Limn , on the 2 Gth July , when the officers for the ensuing year were elected

Bro . Arthur M . Wholey being appointed Grand Master , Bro . Charles Elizondo Deput y Grand Master , Bro . Roman S . Perez Senior , and Bro . L . Murguia Junior Grand Warden , Bro . Marian Arias G . Treasurer , Bro . Charles Princo Grand Secretary , and Bro . Jos . Navarro Grand

Orator . Among the other documents is the first instalment of a histoi'y of the Craft from its earliest appearance in the country to the year 1857 . This sketch has been compiled and translated into English , from orig inal documents , and may therefore be accepted as the authoritative record of

Peruvian Freemasonry . So long , of course , as the country remained under the domination of Spain , the Fraternitv had no existence in the country ; bub when , in 1821 , the Declaration of Independence was made , free intercourse with other countries was at once opened , and Freemasonry

quickly found itself extending among the inhabitants . Four years later—that is in the year 1825—when Peru had succeeded in achieving its complete independence , Bro . General Valero , a member of the Grand Orient of Columbia , visited Lima , and having full authority from that Grand

Orient , proceeded afc once to regulate the different Masonic bodies ho found working in the new Republic , and to organise and found others under the letters patent issued to him . All his proceedings appear to have received the sanction of the Grand Orient of Columbia , so that Pern

is indebted to this Grand Body for the organisation of its Masonic powers and privileges . The following were the Masonic bodies in existence in 1825 and np to the year 1830 , namely , four bodies in Lima : —No . 1 . Paz y Perfecta Union , founded in 1821 ; No . 2 . Orden y Lihertad , 1822 ;

No . 3 . Vistud y Union , 1823 ; and No . 4 . Constancia Peruana , 1824 ; a Lodge afc Cuzco , with the st yle and title of Sol de ILuaynaCcapao , founded inl 82 G ; oneat Lembeyequo , known as the Union Justa ; the Constancia Ileroica atPiura , and the

I ' uosojiu Peruana afc lea , both of which were chartered in 1829 . Other five bodies likewise existed at this time in Arequipa , Trujillo , Cajamarca , Puno , and Huamachues , but their several names and dates of Warrant are lost . In addition

were three chapters of Rose Croix , 18 ° , namely , the Regeneration Peruana at Lima , founded in 1826 , the TJetievnlencia Universal at Lambayeqne , in 1827 , and the Fidelidad Peruana at Piura , in 1829 . A Supreme Council of the 33 ° , A . and A . Rite , was founded in Lima , on the 27 th of

November 1830 . A consistory of the 32 ° was founded in tho same city on the 2 nd of November 1831 , and the same year , at the same place , an Areopago of the 30 " . There were present at the foundation of this Supreme Council nine brethren of the 33 ° , and it was established as above ,

under the Presidency of the senior member of tho degree , IU . Bro . Jose Maria Monson , Roman Catholic Chaplain in the Army of Independence , and afterwards a Canon of the Cathedral in Trujillo . On its constitution , III . Bro . General Domingo Tristan was obligated and installed Sov .

Grand Commander ; Bro . Juan Elizalde , Lieut . Grand Commander ; Bro . L . B . Cabillos , Grand Treasurer ; Bro . Jose Salzar , Grand Chancellor ; and Bro . D . Castaneda , Grand Secretnry . Five other brethren in possession of the degree were afterwards elected members of Council , and

Freemasonry In Peru.

subsequently four others were elected to the degree , and again four incorporated as members . When the Fraternity was thus established and duly organised , it soon became apparent that the constitution of an Independent Peruvian Grand Lodge must follow sooner

or later . The distance from Bogota , the seat of the Columbian Grand Orient , was such as to make communication with it very difficult . Accordingly , on tho 23 rd of June 1831 , the Masters and Wardens of the Symbolic Lodges , as well as Deputies Elect from the Supremo Council , the Consistory , and Rose Croix Chapter in Lima , together with representatives from the other Masonic bodies in other cities and towns , met in Lima , under the presidency of the 111 . Grand Commander Bro . Don Jnan Elizalde , and constituted themselves a Grand Lodo-e of Freemasons

for Pern , Bro . T . Ripley Eldrerlge being chosen Grand Master , Bros . Manuel Bosco and Dr . D . Luciano M . Cano Grand Wardens , and Bro . Pablo Romero Grand Secretary . In due time tho Grand Orient of Colombia recognised this action of the Peruvian Lodges . On the 11 th August

following the Grand Lodge met , and commenced the task of preparing Constitutions for the Order , and also agreed to change their title from Grand Lodge to that of Grand Orient of Peru . Unfortunately no long time had elapsed after these proceedings when political disturbances broke

out in the country . Men obtained the reins of Government who were opposed to progress , and who exerted themselves to the utmost to drive Masons and their Societ y out of tho country . It was only , indeed , by closing the Lodges that the members managed to escape the violence with

which they were threatened . In lieu of Lodges , secret political societies were established , but these , in turn , were extinguished , and as they died out Freemasonry again raised its head . In 184-5 , after a dormancy which had lasted some twelve years , several of the more enthusiastic

members of the Lodge Orden y Lihertad , and the Rose Croix Chapter , L'eijeneracimi Peruana , recommenced their labours , and continued to work regularly till 1848 , when , on tho 1 st November in that year , a general assembly of the brethren was held , and the Grand Orient reopened , by

the deputies elect and the representatives of the Lodge and Chapter above mentioned . On the 30 th January 1849 the Supreme Council 33 ° was reconstituted by the M . P . Sov . Grand Commander , Don Juan Elizalde , having been in rece .-s from 1833 . The Council obligated and installed

Bro . Dr . D . Matiasacon as Sov . Grand Command" ! - , Bro . l ' r . J . Mariategui Lieut . Grand Commander , Bro . Bias Jose Alzamora Grand Secretary , and Bro . Ant . do Sauza Perreira Grand Treasurer . In 1850 three Sov . Grand Inspectors-General were installed bv the Council ,

ono in 1851 , and in the year 1852 , General Jose Rufino Echenique , tho then President of the Republic . On 13 th July 1852 , the Grand Orient of Peru was re-constructed , as the National Grand Orient of Peru , with Bro . Dr . D . Matins Leon as Grand Master , BrofvMariatep ; iii and Qm ' ros as Grand

Wardens , and Bro . Miguel Saldivar as Grand Secretary . There were present afc this meeting twenty-five brethren , representing various Masonic Lodges , among which must be enumerated the Lodge '" Orden . y Lihertad , " one of the Lima Lodges , Lodge Estretla Polar , also of Lima , warranted

by the Supreme Council of Peru , on 28 th May 1855 , and Lodge Concordia Universal of Callao , founded b y the Grand Orient ; of Peru , when Bro . San Roman was Grand Master .

In the same year a Royal Arch Chapter was warranted , af Callao , by the Supremo Grand R . A . Chapter of Scotland , but its existence was ignored by the Supreme Council and National Grand Orient . In 1855 , a Lodge Viiitul y Union