Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-18
THE CASUS BELLI REVEALED.
Secret Constitution of the South
ern Jurisdiction Scottish Rite.
REVELATION BY A CONTRIBUTOR.
An Edict Issued by the Grand Master
of south Dakota Masons-Breth-
rem Ordered to Withdraw
From Cerneau Bodies.
Communication From "sunshine."

United States of America their territories
and dependencies, was first framed at Bor-
deaux, France, September 81, 1862, and
| though amended to some extent since, have
ever remained the essential law Of our su-
preme council They have been published
| to the world and nothing has ever been kept
secret as to their powers and purposes;
| there mo hidden hand in that instrument,
no autocratic power, no secret constitutions
| to control or override the voluntary will,
but under it the brethren are free to express
| their WILL TO make their preferments, and
| to do such voluntary acts as the genius OF
| Freemasonry and of free institutions will
| permit and approve. The constitutions of
the so.caled southern jurisdiction claim to
| have been promulgated by Frederick the
| Great, of Prussia, May l, 11S6, or nearly
| tweuty-four years later than the former.
| We adhere to the original constitutions OF
| 1862, which are duly authenticated, and deny
| the authority of those of 1855, which are not
genuine.
| Albert Pike says, in lecture delivered
| before the grand lodge of Louisiana, Febru
| ary, 1858: "The constitutions of 1IS6 were
| first promulgated at Charleston, 5. O., which
| gave the law of the rite, and had for their
| author, Frederick H., king of Prussia. l
| believe that as Minos claimed Jove for
| the author of the laws that he enacted for
| Crete, as Numa pretended to have received
his from the gOuucSS EgtTlas us NldHOHi5b
assigned the authorship of his to Gabriel; as
| these and all the ancient law-givers sought
| to procure for the codes they enacted higher
| and generally divine sanctions; SO these
| constitutions referred to the year 1855 were
credited to Frederick the Great, that they
| might seem more imposing, and be more
readily submitted to. The laws of Minos,
| of Numa and of Mahomet became quite as
binding, when accepted by the people for
| whom they were respectively enacted, as
thnuUh nrntpnln6 origin had been real
| and certainly as much so as IL no such origin
| had been claimed for them. And so these
constitutions of 1855 became the law OF the
| Scottish rite because they were accepted as
| such by all who became members of that rite.
| 1t was, indeed, from that acceptance, that
| they derived their whole authority, for If
| Frederick really framed and created them he
| had no power to make the law for the rite."
These constitutions of 1856 are the law of
| the northern and southern jurisdictions and
| the proceedings" of their supreme councils
| are overhowing with references and illusions
| to the "secret constitutions" all showing
| that there Is an unrevealed and secret power
behind that which is expressed and that this
| power is SUBTLE far-reachIng and dangerous.
That these ''secret constitutions exist is not
generally known to MaSons even of their
own obedience and since our constitutions
! do not have nor ever had secret constitu-
| tions binding on their sthirty-thirds, we
| violate no obligation in giving quotations
| from the arrogant "secret constitutions" 0f
the illegal southern lurlSulCllOn, tnaJ nave
come into our possession.
"Article /. A sovereign grand inspector
| general thirty-thrd degree, has the power to
| make Masons in lodges, colleges councils,
chapters, sovereign grand council, consistory,
and senate. He possesses the prerogative OF
| being sovereign commander for life of all
Masonry; but he can transfer that right only
| to sovereign grand inspector-general,t thlr-
| ty-third degree, like himself, and whom he
shall deem capable of exercising and giving
fnll effect IN the mowers Dlaped in his hands.
| To that end, he should be assured that such
| brother hath a fixed resolution to cause
punctually to be executed the secret consti
tutlons, and that he take care to report what
| is so done to the nearest sovereign grand in-
spector- general"
sArticle 8. The Sow. Cd. ms. Gen.. or
| grand commander has the same powers as the
grand orient or senate. He may suspend
interdict, Quash, or annul everything con,
trary to the regulations. He cannot exercise
| too strict supervision over the Blue lodges.
| 1t Is chiefly in them that the greatest abuses
occur. Many of them set at naught the pow
| ers of many brethren who are in possession
| of the highest dlgnities. The masters of
| those lodges cannot take too much care TO
| avoid these misdemeanors, which many Ma
sons allow themselves to commit, who though
| they have attained no high degree, think
| themselves absolutely their own masters.
| For which reason it is that the sovereign
grand inspector general have been consti-
| tuted for life and armed with unlimited pow
| cr, TO DG CUaDlcu 10 UueSU eTTOTS anu
stay the progress of such misconduct.n
"Artce 10. All lodges, colleges councils,
chapters, etc. which shall not conform to the
present secret constitutions, that is to say in
| the three rites Ancient Modern and Scottish,
are liable to be definitely suppressed. More
over, if Mason of one of these three rites
should undertake to disown the authority of
| sovereign grand inspector-general grand
| commander of the order, there will be shown
| to him only the Article that condemns hun,
without making known to him the whole
Of the present secret constitutions, which
are to be exhibited only to grand COM
| mander of the order; and If he cannot be
convinced of his unlawful course bv the eX-
| hibition of tne present title and Article the
| arguments of moderation will be employed;
and if he persists in his obstinacy he will be
expelled from Masonry and forever cash
| Iered."
! How do brethren like this autocracy of
| the southern Jurisdiction with their pre-
tended authority over Blue Lodge Masonry.
and is not the recent so. called Edict No. OF
| the grand master IN accordance with their
intention of ruling and controlling all
| Masouryl How humilating to the great
body of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masonsl
Brethren, now see why an attempt was made
| TO introduce legislation into our grand lodge
ut the last session, and uncer their obliga-
| tons of the secret constitutions to carry
| into usurpation the powers they claim. 1t is
| enough TO raise the Indignation of every
| Mason, not previously sworn to these secret
| when we read:
"Article 20. No person in the world has the
| right to institute proceedings against
| Sow Ips.'. Gen.. Gr.'. Commander, nor
| even cause him TO submit to any penance."
| A few years ago Brother Enoch T. Carson,
| deputy for Ohio, attempted to make
| an amendment, in line with his
obedience, as a Master Mason,
| so that thirty third degree
| member would be amenable to discl-
| plne for unmasonic conouct. The committee
in supreme council of northern jurisdiction
| reported such conduct mot only unwise hut
in direct violation of the fundamental princi-
| Piles of the rite"
In commenting on this. in 1882, the deputy
| said, III the Ohio Council of Deliberation:
"As the law now stands. a Sow. Gr. Ins.l
Cen. of the thirty.third degree is quite be-
| yond the reach of discipline of any subordi-
| nate body of which he may be member. He
| can violate the civil, moral, or Masonic law
with perfect lmpunity, so far as his lodge of
| perfection, council, chapter, or consistory, Is
concerned" The infection seems to be con-
tagious Grand masters of grand lodges are
used, willingly, perhaps, as instruments to
illuminate orders, or edicts, overriding the
voluntary will and trampling upon the sol
emn assurances given b. grand lodges. and
| blue lodges, of non-interference with duty to