The Grand Orient Of France, And The Supreme Council Of England And Wales.

THE GRAND ORIENT OF FRANCE , AND THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF ENGLAND AND WALES .

The following correspondence between the Supreme Council of England and Wales , and the Grand Orient of France , has been forwarded to us for publication : —

Grand Orient de France O . de Paris le 5 Octobre , 1 S 72 , ( E . V . ) Au- 111 . F ., J . M . P . Montague , Grand Seen ' taire du Supreme Conseil d'Angleterre . Cher Monsieur et T . 111 . P ' rcre ,

Ayant e ' te ' : consultc par 1 'III F . John Hervey Grand Secretaire de la Grande Lodge if Angle terre , sur les agissements du F . Harry J . Sey mour , je lui ai n ' pondu a la elate du , ; o Septem bre , 1871 , dans les termes suivants .

"J ' ai la faveur de repondre it votre lettre du 22 tie ce mois , eu regrettaiit ele ne Pavoir pas pu faire plutot . " Ni en 1866 , ni a aucunc opoque le Grand Orient de France , n ' a n ' wnnu le Rile Anc ' ien ft

Primitif tie la Macoii / icric , dont vous m ' entretenez , et qui se serait recemment introduit dans le Lancashire . Aim moment domic , et dans le but ele faire disparaitre la pluralite de rites , le Grand Orient tie F ' rance , s ' est annexe ' et a absorbed

le rite de Alempbis , sous la condition expresse que les Ateliers de ce rite , qu'il admettait sous son obedience , ne pourrait conferer , el ' aprcs leurs rituels speciaux que les trois premiers grades symbolique d ' apprenti , de compagnon , et de

maitre , ne reconnaissant aucun autre grade 111 aucun litre de ce rite . ' ' Nous avons vu a Paris le f . Harry ] . Seymour , 1 ' epoqiie de ce traite passe avec le Chel Supreme de ce rite , le' f . Marconis ele Negre , mais

aucun pouvoir no lui a etc donne par le Grand ( ) rient de ^ France coneernant ce rite . Du reste le Grand Orient ele France , ne elonne , et n ' a jamais domic a une personne isolee le droit de faire des Alacons 011 de de crier des Ateliers .

" Pius tanl et par la mauvaise foi du f . Alarconis de Negre , qui pretentlait n ' avoir cede' son rite au Grand ( ) tlent ele France , que pour la France settlement , le f . Harry J . Seymour s ' entitula Grand Maitre du rite de Memphis en Amerique ,

et fonda ii New York tin Smivcrtiin SaiiiUuairc ele ce rite . Des correspondences furent e-changees entre ce nouveau pouvoir et le Grand Orient de France : le nom de ce Souverain Sanctuaire ligura mi'iue a noire Calendrier ele 186 7 . Alais

lorsqne le Grant ' . Orient ele France apprit que ce pouvoir depassait les trois grades symboh ' ques , etqiiesa bonne foi avait cte surprise , il rompit avec ce pouvoir et personellement aveclef . Harry J . Seymour ; depuis cette cpoqtie , en etl ' et , on

ne trolive plus au Calendrier Maconnique du Grand Orient de France , nile nom du f . Harry J . Seymour , comme Grand Alaifre , ni la puissance Mai ; onnique qu'il avait fontle ' e . Votre lettre me porte ii croirc que le f . Harry J . Seymour

cherche , je ne sail dans quel but , a introduire 1111 nouveau rite en Angleterre , dans ce pays ele la primitive et setile vrai Mac ; onnerie , une des plus respectables que je connaise . Je consielere ce fait comme un inalheur . Le Grand Orient

ele France a fait les plus grands efforts pemr aneantir le Rite de Memphis ; il y est parvenu , les ateliers de ce rite qu'il avait d ' abord acceuillis out tous abandonne le Rite de Memphis pour travailler au Rite Fran <; ais . Je fais ties vaux pour

i ] U n en soil ainsi dans Se Royaume Cni , et vous me trotivere / . toujours dispose , a vous seconder . I Ale referaut it cette lettre , jeu ' ai ,-T . 111 . F . qu ' tin mot a vous ajoufer . C ' est que la Constitution du Grand Orient de France lui interdit ele fonder des Ateliers dans les pays on il y a deja

une puissance Ma <; oiinique rcguliere ; et s'il ne Jieut y fonder des Ateliers , a plus forte raison il ne saurait donner des chartres pour fonder des Gramies pouvoirs maijoi . niques ; en d ' autres termes , jamais le Grand Orient tie France n ' a donne au 1 . Harry J . Seymour , ni it aucun autre , pouvoirs ele constituer soil un ateliersuit de creer u \ i

rite , 011 d , . |'; , ; ,-, . . , ] ,.,, I , ; , I ;; . I . . j , < . i . Harry j . Seymour pent parfaitement bien avoir sur tin Di plonie les signatures du Grand Maitre et du Che ! du Seeretaniit du Grand Orient de France , a litre de r ' na fralcniv /; mais a coup sur / ' / n ' a

The Grand Orient Of France, And The Supreme Council Of England And Wales.

ui une Ckarlre , ni un Pouvoir . Aussi vous prierais-je de faire tons vos efforts pour avoir la eopie textuelle des documents dont se prcvaut le f . Harry J . Seymour . C'est sur le vu de cette p iece qu'il faut juger la question , et j' attends , a ce sujet de votre ' fraternelle bienveillance des

nouvelles communications . Agree / ., cher Monsieur et T . 111 . Frcre , Passurance de ma haute consideration et de mes sentiments fraternels . Le Chef du Secretariat , THEVEXOT .

Grand Orient of France . Paris , 5 th October , 1872 . To the Very Illustrious liro . J . AL P . Montague , Grantl Secretary ofthe Supreme Council of England . Dear Sir anel Brother , —

Having been consulted by tiie Illustrious Bro . John Hervey , Grand Secretary of the Grantl Lodge of England , concerning the proceedings of llro . J . Seymour , I replied to him , in the following terms , on the , 50 th September , 1871 .

" I have the pleasure to reply to you > - letter ol the 22 nd of this month , and regret not having been able to do so sooner . Neither in 1866 , nor at any other period , has the Grand Orient of France recognised " the Ancient and Primitive

Rite of Alasonry , concerning which you ltiqiiue , and which has been recently introduced in Lancashire . " At a particular time , and with the intention of causing the plurality of rites tojdisappear , the Grand Orient of Frane'C annexed anel absorbed

the Rite of Memphis , under the express condition that the loelges of that rite , which were received under its jurisdiction , should confer only the Three Symbolic Degrees of Apprentice , Fellow Craft , anel Alaster , according to its special rituals , and refused to recognise any other degree , or any other title , belonging to such rite .

"At the period when tins treaty wasnegociateel with the Supreme Chief of this rite , Bro . Marconis ele Ne ' gre , Bro . J . Seymour was at Paris , and seen by us , but no power was conferred on

him by the Grand Orient of France , concerning this rile , anel what is more , the Grand Orient ot France does not give , and has , never given , to any single person , the ri g ht to make Masons , or to create lodges .

" Afterwards , and in consequence of the bad faith of Bro . Marconis de Negro , who pretended he had cedeel his rile to the Grand Orient of France , for France alone , Bro . Harry J . Seymour assumed the title of Grand Alaster of the Rite

ot Memphis 111 America , anel touiieled 111 New York a Sovereign Sanctuary of this rite . A correspondence ensued between this new power anel the Grantl Orient of France , anel even the name of this Sovereign Sanctuary appeared in our

Calendar for 1867 . But when the Grand Orient of France learned that this power went beyond the Three Symbolic Degrees , and that its confidence had been deceived , the Grand Orient broke oil" all connection with this power , anel

personally with Bro . Harry J . Seymour , and in fact , since thai period , neither the name of Pro . Harry J . Seymour , as Grand Master , nor the Masonic power which he founded , have any longer appeared in the Alasonic Calendar of the Granel Orient .

" Your letter leads me to believe that liro . Harry J . Seymour is endeavouring , I elo not know wilh what object , to introduce a new Rite into England , in that country of the primitive anel only true Alasonry , one ot the most respectable tli . it 1 know of . J consider this event as a misfortune .

"l'he Grand Orient of France litis made the strongest efforts to destroy the Rite of . Memphis , it has succeeded . The lodges , of the Rite , which it at lirst received within its jurisdiction , have

all abandoned the Rile of Alempbis to work according to tlie French Rite , I sincerely desire that it nitty be the same in tlie United Kingdom , and ' / ott will ever find me ready to seeo . " your

CliOi'lS . Referring to this lei tor , i have , very Illustrious Brother , but one word to add , and that is that the Constitution ofthe Grand Orient of France interdicts its foundiii" loile . es in countries where

The Grand Orient Of France, And The Supreme Council Of England And Wales.

a regular Masonic power already exists , and if it cannot found lodges , a fortiori , it cannot grant charters to establish Grand Masonic ; Powers , in otherterms . the Grand Orient of France never has given to Bro Harry J . Seymour , nor toany other

person , powers to constitute a lodge , or to create a rite , or to make Masons . Bro . Harry J . Seymour may perfectly well have the signatures of the Granel Master , anel of the Chief of the Secretary ' s office of the Grand Orient of France on a diploma , as a fraternal visa , but certainl y lie has

neither a Charter nor a jmirer . I also beg you to make every effort to obtain the textual copy of the documents of which Bro . Harry J . Seymour takes advantage . It is by the inspection of this document it will be necessary to judge the question , and I await new communications on this subject from your fraternal kindness . Receive , dear Sir , Sec .

Masonic Tidings.

Masonic Tidings .

BRITISH , FOREIGN , AND COLONIAL The Doric Chapter ; f Instruction , which has hitherto been announced in our columns as meeting at the Rising Sun Tavern , Bethnal

Green Road , will on and after Thursday evening , October 17 th , assemble at Comp , Yetton ' s , the Three Cranes Tavern , Mile End Road , at S o ' clock precisely . Comp . Thomas Barnes , Preceptor .

The foundation stone of a new building fot ' the Watt Institution and School of Arts in Edinburgh was laid on Wednesday by the Right Hon . the Earl of Rosslyn , Grand Alaster Alason of Scotland , the old building having been removed connection

m witli tlie city improvements . The Grand Master was accompanied b y the members of the Grand Lodge and upwards of 1 , 000 brethren from the various Alasonic lodges in Edinburgh and other parts of the country . The proceedings were completely successful in every respect .

The Freemasons in the province of Kent have have eleterwiineel upon raising a memorial to their late Provincial Deputy Grand Alaster , Bro .

Dobson , of Gravesend , and , having discrrded proposals for a monument anel a stained window , have resolved to found a scholarship at Cambridge University at the cost of jfi . ooo , to be given for ever to a Kentish lad from the Masonic school .

l'he Aden Conclave , No . Sy , of the Red Cross Order has been formed at Aden , Arabia . Colonel S . AV . lV-nn , C . B ., Commanding the Royal Artillery at the Station , is the lirst M . P . S .

AV ' e are informed that the Alpha Crucis Conclave , No . 86 , recently established at Wellington , New Zeahmel , is progressing favourably . Grand Councils of the Order have been organised in Illinois and New York .

'The marriage scene of the Princess Louise and the Marquess of Lome , exquisitel y carved on an enormous nine bowl , has just been

imported by I ' m . Po .-. eiier , of the Upton Lodge . So unique a work ol art is not often seen , every figure is solid and ihe likenesses of tin- various lvayal anel other personages are niaiw Housl r accurate . Bro . Posener wiii be very 1 . leasee ! to

exhibit it to any brother who may take interest in such matters , at his warehouse in Alansells-. reet , Alilgatc , before it is forwarded to its destination .

• ' 1-iw ,-c \ u . i | jears I h . e . e -aidcrcd from repeated and severe attacks of luinbnii ' o . and 1 can trul y say that 1 haw- never found such effectual relief as ! > vi ,-r recently Irian the use of your Vegetable Pain ICiittr . its effect ' -, ate truly niaru-llnus . —John l . iin ; , ; lcy , i (> , Ch ;> . | ic ! -s , t . London , Jan ., 1 H . 70 . _ T 0 j ' eiij IJ . nis vv Sun . London , W . C