Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sketch Of The History Of The " Loges D'Adoption."
refuse to admit , but were most anxious to receive , the injured party . What could be done ? The Masons found themselves within the horns of a dilemma , for they must either admit , with their antagonists , that there was some great corruption in Masonry , or they must openly prove their Order to be pure by at once making them Masons : they preferred the latter . x
Another reason was this ; many persons saw through the flimsy gauze which veiled the disgraceful mysteries of most of the new societies from eyes profane , and naturally enough confounded them with Masonry , as being also a secret association ; for it is to be observed , that all the modern orders had imitated Masonry externally as much as possible It was determined by the French Masons to give a substantial answer to all objections , by admitting to their mysteries that portion of human hemes hitherto excluded
, and laches were in future to be Freemasons Vet here some difficulties arose of a nature which will be well understood by the Brotherhood , and which must here , for obvious reasons , be only alluded to ; how were they to be overcome ? A new order of Masonry was instituted—new ceremonies , framed purposely for the reception of ladies , and approaching , as far as was consistent ( that is if any such institution could be consistent ) ivith the established rules to genuine The ceremonies of
Masonry . this order are very beautiful and its morality unquestionable . In 1774 '" ' the Grand Lod ge of France acknowledged and took under its special protection these new-born Lodges ot Adoption , on condition , hoivever , that no Brother should be present at any such Lodge where any but regular Masons attended ; and also that every Lodge of Adoption should beheld under the sanction of some regular craft Lodge , and governed b y its W . M ., or , in his absence , by his proper substitute . These adoptive orders soon extended throu ° -hout trance Germany , Italy , Holland , and Russia ; England rejected them and still continues to do so . In France thev fWisb . till nJS
, greatly fallen from the splendour ivith which they began . The first Grande Maitresse was the Duchess of Bourbon , who was installed 7 n U 7 o , with great pomp . At a meeting in 1777 , at which the G M nrebonlT ^ f f ^ f ? illustl j P ° ns . The Duch esses of Bourbon and Chartres , the Princess Lamballe , and Madame de Genlis & c \/ e have records of several other meetings of this Lodge at which kr-e sums were collected for charitable purposes . The ffrstt French Re ! Lodd from 193 to i 8
t ; K ^ ? ' , T os no - *<* I * the year 1805 the Empress Josephine presided over the " Lo <* e Impenale d Adoption des Francs Chevaliers , " at Strasburg . We ° J ^ from tb ^ PageS TT We t 0 I " 6 "' " a 11 the Lod S « ™ re Cned rom that period down to the present day ; suffice it to say , that they daily increased , and numbered among their members tlie * S OB ? distin
^haceres was among the illustrious visitors . ^ ££££ ssir & ss * * mfi T \ ° fi ? d T £ lleyran < l mentioned as having been present at thf . Loge des Chevaliers de la Croix . l at the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sketch Of The History Of The " Loges D'Adoption."
refuse to admit , but were most anxious to receive , the injured party . What could be done ? The Masons found themselves within the horns of a dilemma , for they must either admit , with their antagonists , that there was some great corruption in Masonry , or they must openly prove their Order to be pure by at once making them Masons : they preferred the latter . x
Another reason was this ; many persons saw through the flimsy gauze which veiled the disgraceful mysteries of most of the new societies from eyes profane , and naturally enough confounded them with Masonry , as being also a secret association ; for it is to be observed , that all the modern orders had imitated Masonry externally as much as possible It was determined by the French Masons to give a substantial answer to all objections , by admitting to their mysteries that portion of human hemes hitherto excluded
, and laches were in future to be Freemasons Vet here some difficulties arose of a nature which will be well understood by the Brotherhood , and which must here , for obvious reasons , be only alluded to ; how were they to be overcome ? A new order of Masonry was instituted—new ceremonies , framed purposely for the reception of ladies , and approaching , as far as was consistent ( that is if any such institution could be consistent ) ivith the established rules to genuine The ceremonies of
Masonry . this order are very beautiful and its morality unquestionable . In 1774 '" ' the Grand Lod ge of France acknowledged and took under its special protection these new-born Lodges ot Adoption , on condition , hoivever , that no Brother should be present at any such Lodge where any but regular Masons attended ; and also that every Lodge of Adoption should beheld under the sanction of some regular craft Lodge , and governed b y its W . M ., or , in his absence , by his proper substitute . These adoptive orders soon extended throu ° -hout trance Germany , Italy , Holland , and Russia ; England rejected them and still continues to do so . In France thev fWisb . till nJS
, greatly fallen from the splendour ivith which they began . The first Grande Maitresse was the Duchess of Bourbon , who was installed 7 n U 7 o , with great pomp . At a meeting in 1777 , at which the G M nrebonlT ^ f f ^ f ? illustl j P ° ns . The Duch esses of Bourbon and Chartres , the Princess Lamballe , and Madame de Genlis & c \/ e have records of several other meetings of this Lodge at which kr-e sums were collected for charitable purposes . The ffrstt French Re ! Lodd from 193 to i 8
t ; K ^ ? ' , T os no - *<* I * the year 1805 the Empress Josephine presided over the " Lo <* e Impenale d Adoption des Francs Chevaliers , " at Strasburg . We ° J ^ from tb ^ PageS TT We t 0 I " 6 "' " a 11 the Lod S « ™ re Cned rom that period down to the present day ; suffice it to say , that they daily increased , and numbered among their members tlie * S OB ? distin
^haceres was among the illustrious visitors . ^ ££££ ssir & ss * * mfi T \ ° fi ? d T £ lleyran < l mentioned as having been present at thf . Loge des Chevaliers de la Croix . l at the