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Article MASONRY IN FRANCE. ← Page 9 of 9
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonry In France.
tions that xx'ere made to him against the abnormal acts of Bro . Hubert ' s poxver . Things have arrived at a point that is intolerable ; the G . 0 . is reduced to a nonentity , and all the measures that are xvished to be carried xvithout difficulty are taken in the name ofthe Council ofthe G . M ., which is a violation of the Order . The finances are distributed without control , and the receipts , xx'hich in 1851 were the largest knoxvn , since they exceeded 48 , 000 fr ., have been frittered away by the expensesnotwithstanding the opposing efforts ofthe Committee of Finance .
, To crown their work , and possibly to have larger funds to play with , it has been suggested to the mind of the Prince to found a Temple in Paris for the G . 0 . and the Lodges of the capital . " Under this pretext , dues hax'e been levied on the Initiations , on the Degrees on Masons , of which the Provincial Lodges , xvith reason , complain , and which a large portion of them xvill refuse to pay . The dues ofthe G . O . are triple xvhat they xvere under the empire , xvhen Masonry reckoned men of wealth and influence amongst its members .
They are about to send , xvithout consulting the G . 0 ., and from the sole illegal decisioix ofthe Council ofthe G . M ., txventy-five salaried inspectors , at S fr . per diem , to visit all the Provincial Lodges , and to engage them to take shares in the nexv Temple . It is certain that fexv Masons xvill come into the proposition , and that the scheme xvill be abortive . The site wdiich it is xvished to obtain for the Temple is a house , No . 10 , Hue Cadet . The contract for the purchase is signed , provisionally , by the Prince and txvo or three members of the G . O . ; the price is fixed at 450 , 000 fr ., but a further of 150
outlay , 000 fr . will be necessary to fit it for the purposes of the Lodges and the G . O . If in the month of February next 150 , 000 fr . are not paid doxvn , the contract is to be annulled , and the oxvner to receix-e 10 , 000 fr . indemnity . They speak of overturning the Constitution , of suppressing the Deputies of the Lodges , and of governing solely by the Council of the G . M ., of which Bro . Hubert will be the soul and movement . If this take place , it is probable that the greatest number of Lodges xvill withdraxv their adhesions to the G . O ., and this xvill introduce a fresh schism into French Masonry .
The Prince is endowed with excellent qualities ; he wishes to act rightly , but it is mortifying that , placed in an Order of xvhich he can knoxv neither the importance nor the necessities , he should not have endeavoured to surround himself xvith men xvho could have offered guarantees , such as Bros . Desanlis , janin , Bertrand , De St . Jean , Moraud , Garon , Piquenot , Boisson , Portalier , Mongenot , "Wenty , Fauiltnier , Jobert , Chilerot , Veixer , Bailly , d'Arragon , Clement d'Anglebert , Maubane , Contro , Leraller , and many others , xvho would at least have given him advice as advantageous as disinterested . Had he inquired of the competent authority about persons who feed from the police manger , it is not probable that he xvould have become their dupe ; for one may make use of spies without making them into friends .
Such is the state of matters in France ; and I have supposed that these details xvill be interesting to the Masons of a country , the friend of legality and its Masonic government , so prudently directed by honourable Masons at its head .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonry In France.
tions that xx'ere made to him against the abnormal acts of Bro . Hubert ' s poxver . Things have arrived at a point that is intolerable ; the G . 0 . is reduced to a nonentity , and all the measures that are xvished to be carried xvithout difficulty are taken in the name ofthe Council ofthe G . M ., which is a violation of the Order . The finances are distributed without control , and the receipts , xx'hich in 1851 were the largest knoxvn , since they exceeded 48 , 000 fr ., have been frittered away by the expensesnotwithstanding the opposing efforts ofthe Committee of Finance .
, To crown their work , and possibly to have larger funds to play with , it has been suggested to the mind of the Prince to found a Temple in Paris for the G . 0 . and the Lodges of the capital . " Under this pretext , dues hax'e been levied on the Initiations , on the Degrees on Masons , of which the Provincial Lodges , xvith reason , complain , and which a large portion of them xvill refuse to pay . The dues ofthe G . O . are triple xvhat they xvere under the empire , xvhen Masonry reckoned men of wealth and influence amongst its members .
They are about to send , xvithout consulting the G . 0 ., and from the sole illegal decisioix ofthe Council ofthe G . M ., txventy-five salaried inspectors , at S fr . per diem , to visit all the Provincial Lodges , and to engage them to take shares in the nexv Temple . It is certain that fexv Masons xvill come into the proposition , and that the scheme xvill be abortive . The site wdiich it is xvished to obtain for the Temple is a house , No . 10 , Hue Cadet . The contract for the purchase is signed , provisionally , by the Prince and txvo or three members of the G . O . ; the price is fixed at 450 , 000 fr ., but a further of 150
outlay , 000 fr . will be necessary to fit it for the purposes of the Lodges and the G . O . If in the month of February next 150 , 000 fr . are not paid doxvn , the contract is to be annulled , and the oxvner to receix-e 10 , 000 fr . indemnity . They speak of overturning the Constitution , of suppressing the Deputies of the Lodges , and of governing solely by the Council of the G . M ., of which Bro . Hubert will be the soul and movement . If this take place , it is probable that the greatest number of Lodges xvill withdraxv their adhesions to the G . O ., and this xvill introduce a fresh schism into French Masonry .
The Prince is endowed with excellent qualities ; he wishes to act rightly , but it is mortifying that , placed in an Order of xvhich he can knoxv neither the importance nor the necessities , he should not have endeavoured to surround himself xvith men xvho could have offered guarantees , such as Bros . Desanlis , janin , Bertrand , De St . Jean , Moraud , Garon , Piquenot , Boisson , Portalier , Mongenot , "Wenty , Fauiltnier , Jobert , Chilerot , Veixer , Bailly , d'Arragon , Clement d'Anglebert , Maubane , Contro , Leraller , and many others , xvho would at least have given him advice as advantageous as disinterested . Had he inquired of the competent authority about persons who feed from the police manger , it is not probable that he xvould have become their dupe ; for one may make use of spies without making them into friends .
Such is the state of matters in France ; and I have supposed that these details xvill be interesting to the Masons of a country , the friend of legality and its Masonic government , so prudently directed by honourable Masons at its head .