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Feminine Grand Lodge of Romania

Marea Lojă Feminină a României

On March 1st the Feminine Grand Lodge of Romania celebrated the 92nd anniversary of its founding. In 1922, Colonel John T. Ulica 33 ° 99 °, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Romania granted full autonomy to women to form a Grand Lodge of Feminine Freemasonry. The Feminine Grand Lodge of Romania thus became, an organization exclusively for women and was the first Feminine Grand Lodge anywhere to practice the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.

Best wishes to the sisters for another 92!


http://www.mlfr.org.ro/


Thanks to FenixNews and

Venerable Sister Olga Vallejo Rueda
Suprema Comendadora at Sublime Consejo del Rito Moderno para el Ecuador

The Lausanne Congress: A brief Primer

I am posting this recorded history of the Lausanne Conference, recognizing that it may be a bit dry, and for those unfamiliar with any Brazilians, a bit difficult to follow. However, it provides some valuable information, albeit a bit conservative in its slant, on an important event in the history of the Scottish Rite in the world.

Since North Americans tend to be all but totally ignorant of this history, I figured it would not hurt to offer it here. It dealt with many things more important than the issue of the GAOTU, which is perhaps the only issue from its agenda of which North Americans are aware.

Whether it provides new information to you or not, and whether you agree with the perspective here, it's worth a listen. Learning more about any aspect of Masonry will only make for a better masonic body.

The speaker is William Almeida DeCarvalho, a Past Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Brazil, and a member of their research lodge.

The Lausanne Congress from WEOFM on Vimeo.

New Masonic Titles

Yes, I know these are not in English. The problem is all of the good books, especially the new ones, are in a language other than English. Our goal over the next number of years is to make North Americans aware of the rich trove of books in other languages, notably French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Beyond that, will come the effort to identify a select number of the best and see what can be done to make that information available to an English speaking audience. Here are two worthy of note. More notices will follow.


Two new Masonic titles will be released in November.

Atanor in its Square and Compass collection is planning to launch two new Masonic titles this coming November. These two works are by Freemasons, two  Masters, one of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite and one of the French Rite.

José Luis Cobos offers "Master Manual. The third of the four steps" and Ignacio Merino "Words Union. Tour and evolution of Freemasonry." Both are members of the GLSE. The essential and updated "Manual for the Master's Degree" takes a practical and philosophical point of view . This book is the third of four steps of every Mason in his endless search for the Truth. Providing a tour of historical sources and outlining the evolution of Freemasonry from its operative beginnings as cathedral  builders through its current speculative and philosophical dimension, it begins by analyzing the historical causes and political circumstances that led to the great crossroads of modernity in the seventeenth century and reaches through centuries, bringing us to the constitution of the current United Nations.

Thanks to John Slifko.

The Illustrious Role of Haiti in the Freemasonry of the Western Hemisphere

In many ways, the geographical cradle of our history of initiation, the foundations of some of the most important aspects of Freemasonry in the New World is Haiti. 

Without question, some of the most important moments in the development of American Freemasonry, (US citizens please note: America is a continent and not a nation) began in Haiti. With that in mind, it is shameful that there has not been a greater response among US Freemasons to the recent natural disasters that have befallen our island neighbors. Masons should be more active in forming a chain of union for Haiti and its people.

Haiti, the Caribbean country so recently devastated by a terrible earthquake has a long history of unattained possibilities and all too material misfortune. It was the scene of important historical events and developments decisive in the evolution of Masonic initiation including  being the original site for the introduction of Ecossaisme, the Elus Cohen and Primitive Martinism to the Western Hemisphere.
On December 5, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on a Caribbean island which he named Hispaniola. The western portion of this island was in 1697, ceded to the French who named the island with the name of Saint Domingue.

In the eighteenth century, Saint Domingue was the most successful French colony due to the export of sugar, cocoa and coffee. The region seemed to evolve with the impetus of new ideas and swiftly took the intellectual and Freemasonic movements further than did those of France.

The desire for freedom flourished in the hearts of the enslaved, and in 1794, Haiti was declared a nation and became the first country to abolish slavery. The Haitians had to struggle until 1804 to assure independence. The Haitian Declaration of Independence was a far more radical and true attempt at freedom than was that of the United States, as it guaranteed freedom to all men and women regardless of color or ethnicity and it totally abolished slavery. The US granted voting rights regardless of race, color or previous condition of servitude to its citizens 66 years after Haiti did and suffrage to women 116 years after Haiti. Without exception, all people on Haitian soil were free. For that, Haiti was a made a pariah state and has suffered until today, to all of our shame.

The Masonic Personalities of the 18th Century in Saint Domingue

Estienne Morin

A French trader, by the name of Estienne Morin, had been involved in high degree Masonry in Bordeaux since 1744 and, in 1747, founded an "Ecossais" lodge (Scots Masters Lodge) in the city of Le Cap Francais, on the north coast of the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). Over the next decade, high degree Freemasonry continued to spread to the Western hemisphere as the high degree lodge at Bordeaux warranted or recognized seven Ecossais lodges there. In Paris in the year 1761, a Patent was issued to Estienne Morin, dated 27 August, creating him "Grand Inspector for all parts of the New World." This Patent was signed by officials of the Grand Lodge at Paris and appears to have originally granted him power over the craft lodges only, and not over the high, or "Ecossais", degree lodges. Later attempts to disparage the validity of this Patent calimed, without material evidence that it appeared to have been embellished by Morin, to improve his position over the high degree lodges in the West Indies.  The political equivocations of the Bordeaux Lodge provide little to support such claims.

Early writers long believed that a "Rite of Perfection" consisting of 25 degrees, the highest being the "Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret", and being the predecessor of the Scottish Rite, had been formed in Paris by a high degree council calling itself "The Council of Emperors of the East and West". The title "Rite of Perfection" first appeared in the Preface to the "Grand Constitutions of 1786. It is often argued that this Rite of twenty-five degrees was compiled by Estienne Morin and is therefore more properly titled "The Rite of the Royal Secret", or "Morin's Rite". Whether that is to bolster the claims of legitimacy for Charlston is unclear. Regardless, in the person of Morin, Haiti's central role in the advancement of Higher Degree Masonry in the Americas is unquestionable.

Morin again returned to the West Indies in 1762 or 1763, to Saint-Domingue, where, armed with a new Patent, he assumed powers to constitute lodges of all degrees, spreading the high degrees throughout the West Indies and North America. Morin stayed in Saint-Domingue until 1766 when he moved to Jamaica. At Kingston, Jamaica, in 1770, Morin created a "Grand Chapter" of his new Rite (the Grand Council of Jamaica). Morin died in 1771 and was buried in Kingston.  On July 21, 1802 the Supreme Council of the French West Indies in Haiti was formed out of the older 1836 Supreme Council of Saint Domingue.

The Caribbean History of Martinez Pasqually

More or less the same time, Jacques de Livron Joachim de la Tour de la Casa Martinez de Pasqually also a Mason from the French city of Grenoble, inherited a property in Saint Domingue and traveled to the place which was within the modern territory of Haiti. He had plans to establish the Chevaliers de l'Ordre de Masons Elus Coens (Order of the Knights Elect Priests of the Universe) which he had previously founded in France. There are still echoes of this Order in the Americas, but despite romantic claims to the contrary, they all appear to derive from the late 19th and early 20th Century based upon the romantic reinventions of Gérard Encausse (Papus) and Robert Ambelain.

Martinez's father Pasqually,  was said to have been issued a patent by King Charles Stuart granting him the title of Grand Master and authorizing him to transmit his powers to his firstborn son. This rank and power was transferred to Martinez when he was 28 years old. Martinez subsequently wrote a treatise on the Reintegration of Beings and a commentary on the Pentateuch from the point of view of the philosophy of the High Masonic Degrees.

On September 20, 1774, a little less than two years after his arrival Martinez died in Port-au-Prince.  It is said that he named Armand Cagnet Lestère as his successor. However, Armand had little time to devote to the Order and Martinism was silenced. Current claimants to the Martinist banner all derive their origins from the aforementioned 19th and early 20th Century French reinventions.

Martinez Pasqually left students and followers in Europe including the Masons Willermoz and Jean-Baptiste Louis Claude de Saint-Martin. At first they intended to adopt the principles of the Lodge of Saint-Germian-en-Laye and practice the Seven High Degrees. However, internal disputes led Saint-Martin and Willermoz to create independent institutions. Abandoning Enlightenment ideals they sought inspiration from the controversial "speech of the Knight Templar of Ramsay," creating a Senior Corps in Europe. Jean-Baptiste Willermoz founded his own Masonic Lodge, "La Parfait Amitie", which began to conduct studies of alchemy. While the Elus Cohen and Martinism may have ultimately been silenced, Willermoz' efforts, which more truly may be said to have retained the seed of Martinist thought survived through its evolution into what is today called the Rectified Scottish Rite and Swedish Freemasonry.

Out of these origins, according to some authors, the structure of the Scottish Rite has established itself in seven traditional categories:

1) Symbolic Degrees of Apprentice, Fellow and Master;
2)  Degree of development of the Universal Symbolic Degrees
3) Degrees based on Enlightenment
4) Jewish and biblical Degrees
5) Templar Degrees
6) Alchemical and Rosicrucian Degrees
7) Administrative and Higher Degrees.

Joseph Cerneau

One more significant player in the History of Freemasonry in the Western Hemisphere emerged from the cradle of Haiti. Although much controversy and a great deal of unjustified slander was leveled at him by that autodidact and self appointed revisionist of Scottish Rite Masonry, Albert Pike, Joseph Cerneau, an unassuming, and apparently quite sincere Freemason and Jeweler from Villeblevin in Central France, became involved in Freemasonry while living in Pre Revolutionary Saint Domingue. At the time of the Haitian Revolution he, like quite a few Frenchmen living in Haiti escaped and went to Cuba. He is remembered for having founded the first Masonic Lodge in Cuba in about 1804 or 1805 before having been deported, as far as can factually be discerned, for the triple crimes of having been French, formerly living in Haiti, and being also a Freemason.

The Spanish authorities at the time lived in terror of the French contagion and Cerneau appeared dangerous to them for these reasons. It seems that their suspicion, if misplaced was not totally unwarranted, as a few years after the innocent Cerneau left for New York, an Afro-Cuban freemason, named Aponte, was caught and executed for attempting to lead a rebellion modeled upon that of Haiti.
Although Cerneau himself did nothing that the "Gentlemen" of Charleston did not themselves do, his form of Scottish Rite, although having much if not more to recommend it, fell victim to the savage attacks of Albert Pike and his southern "Gentlemen" after Cerneau himself had already returned to France, disgusted by the corruption and petty politics of North American Freemasonry in the early 19th Century.

Cerneau did not leave however, until after he has successfully spread his vision of the Higher Degrees to much of the Caribbean and Latin America, having personally granted the 33rd degree to none other than Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Blanco, known to those devoted to short and unimaginative names as Simón Bolívar, the liberator of much of Latin America.
Today, Joseph Cerneau is recognized in most of the Americas as the father not only of Cuban Freemasonry, but of the Scottish Rite, and Freemasonry in general in their part of the globe.

This is but a brief introduction to the interaction of Haiti and Freemasonry, a subject to which we will return again.

A Cerneau Rite Research Yahoo Group

The Cerneau Rite Yahoo Group: Masonic Education for the Rest of Us!

For those of you who might not be familiar with the name of Joseph Cerneau, he was the victim of the nastiest smear campaign probably ever launched in the United States. To read what the illustrious but sometimes problematic Albert Pike had to say about him, one might be forgiven for thinking he was the demon seed. Unfortunately, Pike was as wrong and as biased about Cerneau as was humanly possible. This is particularly unfortunate as he has become practically the only viewpoint permitted in polite company on the subject here in the U.S.A.

But don't take Pike's word on the subject, and don't take mine, either. I may be right, but in the service of healthy discussion, and because while to pit myself against Albert Pike as the source of masonic truth may in this case be justifiable, it is far and away too immodest. I certainly wouldn't compare myself to Albert Pike, even after several single malts and the best Cuban Maduro.

In all honesty, while I think that to say that Pike was factually challenged about Cerneau is an understatement, I am not writing this blog entry to blast Pike, whom I find a fascinating figure in his own right. Rather, my intent is to raise a little attention for two subjects of which I am fond.  They are interrelated. That is to say, they are both part of my fascination with Joseph Cerneau, the Freemason who is almost more despised in North America than Morgan.

Masons really ought to think twice about Cerneau and his role in the Development of Freemasonry in the Americas, because he was every bit as important as Pike, and perhaps even a little more so. At any rate, his influence during his own lifetime extended geographically much further than did Pike's. And, Pike's spleen not withstanding, he was a pretty good Mason. One who died, by the way, penniless and disenchanted by the ugliness of Masonic politics, back in his native France.

That brings me to the main focus of this entry, the work of another good Mason.  Pat King is a thoughtful and studious mason. He founded a Yahoo group 9 years ago, back in May of 2003 to discuss research and other information concerning Cerneauism and the history and memorabilia of the Cerneau Rite. His approach was to let the actual history speak for itself, rather than to further promote the vindictive chatter of the Goliath who slew David, or in this case, Joseph. Bro. Pat actually is much more even handed in discussing the subject than I am being in this post, and he welcomes any and all opposing viewpoints. My approach here, is of course, intended to bait my readers and maybe get them curious enough to check out Bro. Pat's quiet and more objective little group. The serious scholarship that this group hosts, thanks in large part to Pat King, deserves a lot more attention.

Bro. Pat has taken the rational view that since all of the principles in the original debate are moldering together in the clay, perhaps it is time to take an honest look at some old masonic history.

He notes, in one of the earliest posts in the group, what the original fight was all about.

"The crux of the battle between the NMJ and the Cerneaus was a "control issue". The NMJ (and all other current SR Supreme Councils)functions on an autocratic or hirerarchical system. The Actives select the new Actives and no one has a say but Actives. Its a "closed shop". The Cerneau Supreme Grand Council (1880's) was a representative body composed of delegates from every chartered body. It met in the 32' so all could attend. It was representational like our Grand Lodge. The Supreme Council 33' was an appendant body which only controlled thatdegree and had no say in governing the Rite in general.

Bringing it closer to home, ET Carson wanted to keep the AASR in Ohio "under his thumb". There were Lodges of Perfection, Councils P of J and Chapters Rose Croix around Ohio.....but only one Consistory 32' - in Cincinnati (his home). This accounts for the disparity in charter dates around Ohio between the bodies 4-18 and those 19-32. In fact, there was not another AASR NMJ Consistory chartered in Ohio until after the "Cerneau wars" broke out. (Which was in Cleveland, btw).

To put it simply....you could not be a 32nd unless you travelled to Cincinnati and got Carson's approval. That's the way he wanted it. (Talk about "anal-retentive" !!)

The Active 33rds (NMJ) of that era styled themselves "Sovereigns of Masonry" and God Forbid someone introduce democracy into their little kingdom. It was, indeed, "a tempest in a teapot" for the percentage of SR members to blue Lodge membership was quite small (smaller than that ratio today).

The Cerneau Supreme Grand Council, on the other hand, regularly chartered all four bodies in one location at a time. They also got closer to the people in that places like Newark, Felicity, Bucyrus and Upper Sandusky had bodies as well as Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Toledo.

It is interesting to note that at one time the Cerneau SR outnumbered the NMJ SR in Ohio. Carson was desperate and resorted to desperate (and dishonorable) methods. Had he not succeeded in his perfidy, we would all be Cerneau SR Masons today.

Now there's an interesting thought.......

- Pat"

It should further be noted that in the rest of the Americas, Joseph Cerneau is viewed as a father figure for Freemasonry in general. He founded the first Lodge in 19th Century Cuba, and in spite of the absurd suggestions of Pike and his masonic offspring, he was exiled from Cuba for no other reason than that he was French and had been active in Haitian Freemasonry. At that time, no more was needed for the Spanish authorities to banish you, a fate he shared with many other innocent fellow nationals. Today he is viewed with respect as the father of not only Cuban Freemasonry, but of masonry in much of South America. He actually initiated Simon Bolívar and made him a 33° Mason.

Pat King typifies what is best about any variety of Freemasonry. He is thoughtful, fair, and unafraid to speak the truth, which he does with gentleness and usually with more diplomacy than the subject deserves. If this has whetted your appetite, go visit Pat King's quiet Kingdom in Yahoo Groups. You have to be a Master Mason to join, but I don't think it matters whether you are a member of the Southern Jurisdiction, the Northern Jurisdiction, or a Cerneauite or only a local blue lodge. He's a good man and a better mason. Go on, support him! The group is simply called "Cerneau - Cerneau Masonic Research."

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cerneau/

Scottish Rite Symposium in Havana, Cuba

International Symposium

"Freemasonry and Integration in Contemporary Society"

Sept. 12 - 15, 2012  Hotel Meliá Cohíba – Havana - Cuba

The Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree for the Republic of Cuba and its subordinate bodies, with the collaboration of the Grand Lodge of Cuba, AL and A.M., is creating a space for dialogue on strategic topics to ensure the relevance of Masonry in contemporary society, calling on all Regular Masons of the Globe and scholars of cultural, social, scientific and environmental disciplines who engage issues related  to the tenets of Masonry.






THEMES

I. Current and future perspectives of Masonry in the context of culture.
                 a. Mission and vision in the cultural debate.
                 b. Role of Freemasonry as an expression of  cultural identity.
                 c. Position in defense of diversity and cultural influence.
                 d. New challenges for the enrichment of the Traditions.II. Guidelines and priorities in the forefront against the challenges of scientific and technological development.
                  a. Computer and internet.
                  b. Biology and biotechnology.
                  c. othersIII. Freemasonry and Society.
                 a. Global socio-economic problems.
                 b. Financial crisis. Its impact.               
                 c. Imbalance between developed and developing countries.
IV. Masonry against the deterioration of the environment.                 
                  a. Urgent measures to global population growth.
                  b. Global warming and its consequences.
                  c. Preservation of flora and fauna.Basis of the Symposium
1 - Topic: no more than 15 (fifteen) and not less than 6 (six) pages A4 type, 12 point Arial, single spaced and one-half (1 1/2), margins: 2 cm (left) and 1 , 5 cm(top, right and bottom). The paper should express the theme or sub theme, title and author (or authors). The structure must conform to the following academic format: introduction, development, conclusions and recommendations, as well as the literature consulted (in standard form: author last name and initial-name, title, publisher and year, chapters, headings and pages). Must be sent in digital format (Word), in the author's original language and in Spanish.
2 - Summary: No more than 250 words, written in Arial 12 point, 1.5 spacing (1 1/2 lines.) The abstract should include the objective of the work and keywords. Be sent in digital format (Word), the author's original language and Spanish.
3 - Presentation time: 15 (fifteen) minutes of presentation and 10 (ten) of debate. 4 - Format of work: plenary.5 - can be presented original papers have been published.Additionally include as an attachment the following:
A. Name of author (s).
B. Nation, Masonic Obedience and highest grade reached.
C. If not a mason: Personal data, synthesis of the academic curriculum and countryD.Logistical or technical requirements for exposure.E. Language to be used in the exhibition.Deadline for paper submissions is July 10, 2012 at 24:00 hours. 
All submissions or requests for further information should be sent to the event's official address:

 simposio.supremo33.cuba@gmail.com

The working languages ​​of the event will be Spanish and English. Depending on the participation of large delegations other working languages may be incorporated.
Papers will not be returned to the authors and the Organizing Committee reserves the right to publication. The Scientific Committee is not responsible for the opinions of the authors and will not consider papers reflect partisan positions on political or religious matters.

Les saluda Fraternalmente                                                                 
I.P.H. Lázaro Faustino Cuesta Valdés
Soberano Gran Comendador
Supremo Consejo del Grado 33° para la República de Cuba

The Story of the Scottish Rite Lodge of New Orleans

The Story of the Scottish Rite Lodge of New Orleans
Edited by Gerry L. Prinsen
Introduction by Michael R. Poll
http://cornerstonepublishers.com/lodgeno.html

For many years in the mid to late 1800's, and in all of the classic Louisiana Masonic history books of the time, it was believed and written that no Freemasonry existed in New Orleans before the creation of Perfect Union Lodge #1 and Etoile Polaire Lodge #1 in the 1790's. Then came a startling discovery in an old lodge in France. Records of an unknown Freemasonry in New Orleans much earlier than the 1790's changed the known history of Freemasonry in Louisiana. This is The Story of the Ecossais Lodge of New Orleans.

Unlike other editions, this edition contains a photographic reproduction of the original handwritten French text, a French transcription and an English translation. Published in association with the Louisiana Lodge of Research.

Part of the Cornerstone Scottish Rite Education Series

Published by Cornerstone Book Publishers under the dedicated eye of Bro. Michael R. Poll.

A sample chapter can be viewed at http://www.cornerstonepublishers.com/lodgeno.pdf

The Hedge Mason believes in giving recognition where it is due, and I believe few have done more to advance the publication of thought provoking and worthy Masonic titles in the US in the 21st Century than has Bro. Michael Poll. Let it be duly noted that the Hedge Mason gets no favors nor remuneration for highlighting any title or work. I haven't even gotten a free copy of any book I mention here, and I have bought most of them.

Lázaro Cuesta Valdés appointed Cuba's new Sovereign Grand Commander

An announcement in Havana has indicated that the new elected Sovereign Grand Commander of Cuba is Lázaro Cuesta Valdés. Mr. Cuesta has previously served on the Commission for External Relations of the Supreme Council of Cuba with Adalberto González Concepción who is the new Lieutenant Grand Commander. Mr. Cuesta occupies a position of importance in the Abacuá society of Cuba and is a founder of "Organising Commission of the Letter of the Year," one of two annual meetings of Babalawos in Cuba to determine the "letra" or letter which indicates the spiritual forces that represent the dominant influences for the year, according to the Afro-Cuban religious community.

It is an auspicious decision for several reasons. This choice unequivocally demonstrates that participation in the religious life which is the dominant faith of the island nation no longer represents an impediment to achieving recognition and positions of authority in the broader institutional life of Cuba. It can only be good for Freemasonry in Cuba, as a man who has the depth of familiarity with the practice of various Afro-Cuban religious institutions that Lázaro Cuesta unquestionably possesses will be uniquely aware of the important role that Freemasonry has played in the evolution of the popular religion and culture of Cuba, and of its historical role in the cause for Cuban independence.

The Hedge Mason is pleased to extend its congratulations and sincere respect to Baba Lázaro from Liberal Freemasonry in the United States.