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Article A CENTURY OF FREEMASONRY* ← Page 10 of 15 →
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A Century Of Freemasonry*
sides this movement , ive have only to note one more work against Freemasonry , which appeared at Brussels , in 1752 , and Avas entitled Les vrais Jugeinens sur la Socictedes Francsmacons . A supplement Avas added in 1754 . Probabl y the nobility of the new Grand Master , AA'IIO obtained a sanction from the king
for the Society in 1747 ( indirectly , it ivould seem ) , acted as a shield of protection against any farther aggression . * I may here mention an abuse , bitterly complained of at the time , ancl as much regretted by far-seeing Masons , as it was a subject of laughter with the opponents of Masonry . This Avas the mode b y . which certain Masters became the owners , as it Avere , of the Lodges over which they presided . Lalande certainly gives a reason for such institutions , which is Avorthy of attention , for he states that ,
"Masters perpetual and immovable ( perpetuels et inainovibles ) were named in Paris for the Lodges , in order that the frequent transmission of the administration of the power in Grand Lodge at Paris , from one hand to the other , might not render the Order too unsteady and lame . The Masters of Lodges in the provinces are annually elected . "
But it is very sad to find so much dissension in the Lodges and their administrations at this time . Hear the words of Thory , before ive see how the evil itself arose : f" Masonry was then in such disorder that there were no minutes or protocols taken at the meetings . There was no organized body , similar to those of England and Scotland , assembled in Grand Lodge . Every Lodge in Paris , or in the kingdom , was the property of an individual ,
named the Master of the Lodge ; this person governed tho Lodge of which he was the representative , according to his own heart . The Masters of Lodges were independent of each other , and acknowledged no authority above their own . J They granted permission to establish new Lodges to whosoever presented himself , and thus new Masters were added to the old ones . It might be said , that up to the year 1743 , Masonry in Prance , under the Grand Masters Derwentwater , Harnouster , and Antin , presented nothing but the most frightful scene of anarchy . "
Nor ivere there persons Avanting who scrupled to attribute the falling off ancl confusion to carelessness on the part of the Grancl Masters , AA * 1 IO appointed substitutes for themselves , and neglected eA'ery dut y that more intelligent men ivould have
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Century Of Freemasonry*
sides this movement , ive have only to note one more work against Freemasonry , which appeared at Brussels , in 1752 , and Avas entitled Les vrais Jugeinens sur la Socictedes Francsmacons . A supplement Avas added in 1754 . Probabl y the nobility of the new Grand Master , AA'IIO obtained a sanction from the king
for the Society in 1747 ( indirectly , it ivould seem ) , acted as a shield of protection against any farther aggression . * I may here mention an abuse , bitterly complained of at the time , ancl as much regretted by far-seeing Masons , as it was a subject of laughter with the opponents of Masonry . This Avas the mode b y . which certain Masters became the owners , as it Avere , of the Lodges over which they presided . Lalande certainly gives a reason for such institutions , which is Avorthy of attention , for he states that ,
"Masters perpetual and immovable ( perpetuels et inainovibles ) were named in Paris for the Lodges , in order that the frequent transmission of the administration of the power in Grand Lodge at Paris , from one hand to the other , might not render the Order too unsteady and lame . The Masters of Lodges in the provinces are annually elected . "
But it is very sad to find so much dissension in the Lodges and their administrations at this time . Hear the words of Thory , before ive see how the evil itself arose : f" Masonry was then in such disorder that there were no minutes or protocols taken at the meetings . There was no organized body , similar to those of England and Scotland , assembled in Grand Lodge . Every Lodge in Paris , or in the kingdom , was the property of an individual ,
named the Master of the Lodge ; this person governed tho Lodge of which he was the representative , according to his own heart . The Masters of Lodges were independent of each other , and acknowledged no authority above their own . J They granted permission to establish new Lodges to whosoever presented himself , and thus new Masters were added to the old ones . It might be said , that up to the year 1743 , Masonry in Prance , under the Grand Masters Derwentwater , Harnouster , and Antin , presented nothing but the most frightful scene of anarchy . "
Nor ivere there persons Avanting who scrupled to attribute the falling off ancl confusion to carelessness on the part of the Grancl Masters , AA * 1 IO appointed substitutes for themselves , and neglected eA'ery dut y that more intelligent men ivould have