The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-02-21 00:00:00

ENGLISH AND FRENCH FREEMASONS.

Another stage has been reached in the controversy,
L between the English and French Freemasons respect-
ing the recognition of the Deity in the constitution
of the Order. It may be remembered that in
1877 the assembled Council of the Grand Orient
of Franco eliminated the affirmation of the exist-
ence of the Deity as a necessary declaration to
be made by candidates for admission. In 1878
the Grand Lodge of England passed a formal
resolution, in which it declared, regarding the
belief in the existence of the Great Architect
of the universe as one of principle upon which
Freemasonry is founded, we cannot allow to
pass an express negation of this principle, and we
cannot recognise those who deny it.' In consequence
of this, since 1878 all Freemasons, practically members
of lodges holding under the authority of the Grand
Orient of France, have been in effect excommunicated
by English lodges. Immediately after the council
meeting of the Grand Orient in November a formal
letter was addressed by M. Cousin, Grand Master du
Supreme Conseil of the Grand Orient, to his Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales, Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of England, in which the statement was
made that the ostracism of French Freemasons could
only be explained by a deplorable misunderstanding,
which it was necessary to get rid of in the interest of
universal Freemasonry. The Grand Orient of France,
therefore, addressed the communication to the Grand
Lodge of England, stating that "the Grand Lodge of
England seems to believe that the Grand Orient
of France, in revising the terms of the articles
of its constitution, wish to make a profession of
atheism and materialism. That interpretation of
the vote of the assembled council of 1877 is
absolutely inexact ; in fact, the modification
was proposed by the Frere Desurous, pastor of
• a reformed church, and lecturer to the special com-
mission named to examine the question. French
Freemasonry remained what it always had been, a
tolerant association, respecting the religious and
political faith of its adepts; it left to each those deli-
cate questions, and the fullest liberty of conscience ,
• working with the object of the moral and intellectual
improvement of men and of their well-being, it only
demanded from those who wanted to be admitted in
its temples that the sentiments of honesty and love of
good should permit them to-operate usefully in the
work of progress and civilisation." That communica-
tion was considered by the Grand Lodge of England,
and was formally replied to on Jan. 12 in a letter
signed by Colonel Shadwell H. Clarke, Grand Secre-
tary of the Grand Lodge of England, written by
direction of the Prince of Wales. The letter was
addressed to the Illustrious Brother Cousin, Presi-
dent of the Council of the Grand Orient of France,
and says:
"I am commanded by the Prince of Wales, Grand
Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter to him of Nov.
28 last, on the subject of the relations at present
existing between the Grand Orient of France and the
Grand Lodge of England, and to state that his Royal
Highness has considered the communication from
your Grand Orient upon this important subject, with
the sincere hope of finding that distinguished body had
restored to that constitution the ancient and essential
landmark of the Order, the obliteration of which in
the year 1877 led to the painful severance of the
fraternal relations between the Grand Orient of France
and the Grand Lodge of England. . • The Grand
Lodge of England has never supposed that the Grand
Orient of France wished to make a formal profession of
atheism or materialism, but the Grand Lodge of Eng-
land holds, and has ever held, that belief in God is
the first great landmark of all true and genuine
Masonry, without professing which as the cardinal
principle of its existence no body can rightly claim
to inherit the traditions and practices of pure and
ancient Masonry. . . . This principle, though
strongly held by the Grand Lodge of England,
appears to be still unrecognised by the Grand Orient
of France. . . . Under the present circumstances,
however, his Royal Highness feels that, as Grand
Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, he
cannot ask that body to revoke its former decision,
and thus to become a party to the destruction of
what it and the Freemasons of England have
from time immemorial regarded as the first and
essential condition of their Masonic existence?
This communication was submitted to a special
séance of the Supreme Council of the Grand Orient
on Jan. 26, and has been the subject of very serious
discussion. The Council of the Grand Orient, it is
said, feel pained at the line taken by the Grand
Lodge of England. They declare that Freemesonry
is not a religion, and that it has not, therefore, to
affirm in Its constitution any dogmas or doctrines,
but that absolute liberty of conscience should be
allowed, no one being excluded for his beliefs. It has
been decided by the Grand Orient to publish the full
correspondence, and that an appeal will be made to
Freemasons throughout the world to decide between
the positions of the two conflicting bodies. This will
probably involve a great meeting in London, which
an important delegation from the Grand Orient will
attend;