The Grand Lodge Of France.

In effort to secure definite information your committee addressed a letter to the secretariat of the Grand Lodge of France , which received prompt , courteous and illuminative reply . From this we extract : " As to faith in God , we go by the formulated principles of the Ancient Charges of Freemasonry and adhere to the

statement of the Book of Constitutions , which is of the following language : ' A Mason is obliged , by his tenure , to obey the moral law ; and if he rightly understands the art , he will never be a stupid atheist nor an irreligious libertine . But though in

ancient times Masons were charged in every country to be of the religion of that country or nation , whatever it was , yet it is now thought more expedient to oblige them to that religion in which all men agree , leaving their particular religions to themselves ; that is , to be good men and true ,

or men of honour and honesty , by whatever denominations or persuasions they- may be distinguished ; whereby Masonry becomes the centre of union and the means of conciliating true friendship among persons who would otherwise have remained at a perpetual distance . ' "

The reply we have received thus continues : " We do not consider it wise nor necessary to examine a candidate as to the forms of his belief , or to ascertain what

are his ambitions in matters of ontology and metaphysics . We are convinced that it is not important for our purpose that the candidate shall accept such-and-such definition of the Creator , but rather that he should be determined to search in all sincerity for the truth . He will and must discover the truth for himself if he be taught well to understand

the art of Masonry . Then he will not and cannot be a brute who does not recognize God , nor an irreligious libertine . To make our candidate understand this art of Masonry it is for us to teach him how to penetrate and perceive the meaning of our symbolism , for these are the hieroglyphics of a most

sublime philosophy . Meditating upon these each of us should be led to solve for himself the eternal problems which present themselves to the human mind . These are the problems of the Sphynx : Whence do we come ? What are we ? Whither do we go ? The Freemason , properly

taught , may answer these three questions from study of the three degrees . It is true that these give answer only by allegories , as do the gospels , and not by dogmas . But the aim of Masonry is not to make men believers in dogmas , but to make them thinkers , showing them how to extract the

truth , by the powers of intellect , from the images which nature places before their eves . This is the whole programme of what we call initiation .

" It is important to insist that if we of the Grand Loclge of France are free thinkers and Free Masons—that is , men free from prejudice—we are not and cannot be atheists . For the atheist is to the full as dogmatic and prejudiced as the most intolerant and narrowest-minded believer . We are opposed to all dogmatism , whether it be affirmative or

negative , and hold the unprejudiced mind to be a correct Masonic attitude . That which we admire most in Masonry- is its symbols , because these do not force a rigid faith , but can be interpreted freely ; each one having the right to discern , as in a mirror , the ideas which his mind brings up as the

result of meditation . And among our symbols the most important ones are those connected with the Great Architect of the Universe . The ideas thus formed we do not need nor do we attempt to define , but each one is obliged to arrange them for himself according to his faith or his philosophy . "

It would seem that this is sufficiently clear for our purposes . Brethren of the Grand Loclge of Iowa , it is not within the province of Masonry to define theologic beliefs ; it is not for us to judge whether the ideas and opinions of other men in things which are controversial are erroneous .

It rests with us only to consider , and that with calm , unprejudiced judgment , whether these , our brothers , are imbued with Masonic ideals and whether they- are holding to the essentials of the craft . If so , this Grand Lodge should hold out to them the hand of fraternal welcome .

Let us remember that the social , political and racial conditions obtaining in the country from which this appeal comes are different from those in our own land . The genius of that people has gone through a different process of development , and the habits of thought , forced by environment and the body of tradition , will account for different

standards . In oui analysis of the situation we find the Grand Loclge of France holding before its initiates and members the highest ideals of Freemasonry , and that its affiliates are earnestly working for the betterment of men . And upon these findings made y our committee recommends :

That the edict of non-intercourse pronounced against the Masons of France by this Grand Lodge be withdrawn in so fatas it applies to the Grand Loclge of France , but that it remain in full force and effect as to all other so-called Masonic bodies of that country ; and we do extend to the Grand Lodge of

France recognition as a regular Masonic body . Jos . E . MORCO . MBE , Committee on Correspondence . Brother Morcombe ' s report was ordered to be printed and the matter was referred back for one year for further information .

An announcement was made by the Grand Master of the Grand Loclge of New South Wales , at the Sixth Annual Dinner , given by him to the officers of Grand Lodges , on the ist July , that on 13 th June next , the end of the present Masonic year , he would have the honour of proposing

Sir Harry Rawson , who is a Past Grand Warden of England , for election as Grand Master of the United Grand Loclge of New South Wales .

At the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Loclge of Hants and the Isle of Wight , held at Gosport , on Wednesday , July 26 th , it was stated that the Province has now a membership of 4 , 888—an increase of 150 over the previous year , and 1 , 010 during the seven years Commander H . G . Giles , R . N .,

P . G . D ., has been Prov . G . Secretary , and had the preparation of the returns . Sir Augustus F . Webster , Prov . G . M ., presided at the meeting , supported by his Deputy , Bro . Edgar Goble , P . G . D . A presentation was made to Bro . G . F . Lancaster , P . G . P . ( 1901 ) , who during his forty years'

connection with Freemasonry has devoted all his leisure to the interests of the Order . Ladies were present at a conversazione in the evening . © © ©

Lord Zetland , in the course of an interesting speech , reviewed the chief masonic events during the past year . They intended , he said , to have the triennial festival of the Educational Fund next May , when they hoped that that noble Charity Association would receive such assistance as would enable it to continue its most excellent work . It was

scarcely necessary , continued his Lordship , to call attention to the long and happy connection which he and his family had enjoyed with the Province , seeing that he himself had presided over it for upwards of thirty years . His father and grandfather had also acted as Provincial Grand Masters of

the Province , and it was an especial pleasure to him to see present in that room that clay his two sons—Lord Ronaldshay and Lieutenant George Dunclas , both of whom took an active interest in Freemasonry .

© © English Freemasonry has recently lost an old servant in the person of Bro . T . N . Webber , who died at Axminster at the advanced age of ninety-one . He was organist of his loclge for nearly sixty years , and was a Past Provincial Grand Organist of both Devonshire and Dorsetshire .

© © © South Africa may shortly be expected to be the scene of an interchange of Masonic courtesies between English and Colonial brethren on the arrival there of the British Association Committee , many of whom are well-known members of the Order .