Post by Tamrin on Sept 27, 2008 13:02:52 GMT 10
Freemasonry and Politics
What are all political and social institutions, but always a religion,
which in realizing itself, becomes incarnate in the world?
Bro. Edgar Quinet
(1803 / 1875)
What are all political and social institutions, but always a religion,
which in realizing itself, becomes incarnate in the world?
Bro. Edgar Quinet
(1803 / 1875)
The prohibition on political associations involving the Craft is somewhat problematic: As Carol Hanisch said, "The personal is political." In a sense, we could not even decide on plans for the festive board without making "political" choices. At one time the Inquisition appeared to be especially concerned by the manner in which lodges elected their own officers, rather than having them appointed in the time-honoured feudal way. We are still criticised for following a Cult of Liberty!? At different times and places, especially where the Brethren have not shared our good fortune in living under a relatively benign government, the Craft has been associated with espousing equality; the separation of church and state; opposition to communism; etc., etc., where the prohibition seems to have been more honoured in the breach than in the observance.
The charges of masonic involvement in the American and French Revolutions cannot be lightly dismissed and elsewhere they are, as we shall see, well established, although discountenanced by the mainstream.
We begin by considering a masonic "call to arms" circulated to all Sicilian lodges in July 1862 by Giuseppe Garibaldi, in his capacity as Sovereign Commander Grand Master (E.E. Stolper, "Garibaldi: Freemason", AQC, v.102, pp.1/23):
Worshipful Master
The present moments are supreme ones for our beautiful Italy, still trampled upon by foreigners and soiled by false priests of Rome. It is necessary that at last all the limbs of this poor sufferer should be united, and that on the [Roman] Capitol the glorious national banner should be unfurled, securely and gloriously.
All men with an Italian heart must in every way concur in the fulfilment of this sublime thought. He is a fool and a scoundrel who does not hasten to the defence of his own mother,
Our dear Brethren surely realize that the cause of Italy is the cause of all oppressed nations; the cause of mankind.
Therefore our Brethren, as citizens and as Masons, must cooperate so that Rome will be an Italian city, and the capital of a great and powerful Nation. And it is their duty not only to help the patriotic undertaking with every means at their disposal but also to persuade the non-initiated that without Rome the destiny of Italy will always be uncertain and that with Rome all sorrows will end and there will be a free and wise government.
You, Worshipful Master, will explain these my sentiments to the brethren Master Masons, members of this Lodge, in order that at the right moment they will be ready to assemble under the banner for which so much Italian blood has been shed.
That occasion will certainly not be far off and it is therefore necessary that from this moment all good men prepare themselves to be ready for the call that the Fatherland will make upon them. Therefore not only you but whoever has an Italian heart must provide himself with arms and be ready for the great undertaking. It is therefore especially up to you to preach the fulfilment of this sacred duty, by word of mouth and by example.
And because secrecy is the kernel of all important feats of arms, you, Worshipful Master will communicate the present letter in Lodge, and without visitors present, recommending to the brethren the silence to which they have more than once sworn.
The present moments are supreme ones for our beautiful Italy, still trampled upon by foreigners and soiled by false priests of Rome. It is necessary that at last all the limbs of this poor sufferer should be united, and that on the [Roman] Capitol the glorious national banner should be unfurled, securely and gloriously.
All men with an Italian heart must in every way concur in the fulfilment of this sublime thought. He is a fool and a scoundrel who does not hasten to the defence of his own mother,
Our dear Brethren surely realize that the cause of Italy is the cause of all oppressed nations; the cause of mankind.
Therefore our Brethren, as citizens and as Masons, must cooperate so that Rome will be an Italian city, and the capital of a great and powerful Nation. And it is their duty not only to help the patriotic undertaking with every means at their disposal but also to persuade the non-initiated that without Rome the destiny of Italy will always be uncertain and that with Rome all sorrows will end and there will be a free and wise government.
You, Worshipful Master, will explain these my sentiments to the brethren Master Masons, members of this Lodge, in order that at the right moment they will be ready to assemble under the banner for which so much Italian blood has been shed.
That occasion will certainly not be far off and it is therefore necessary that from this moment all good men prepare themselves to be ready for the call that the Fatherland will make upon them. Therefore not only you but whoever has an Italian heart must provide himself with arms and be ready for the great undertaking. It is therefore especially up to you to preach the fulfilment of this sacred duty, by word of mouth and by example.
And because secrecy is the kernel of all important feats of arms, you, Worshipful Master will communicate the present letter in Lodge, and without visitors present, recommending to the brethren the silence to which they have more than once sworn.
Health and Brotherhood!
The Potent Sovereign Commander Grand Master
G. Garibaldi 33:.
The Potent Sovereign Commander Grand Master
G. Garibaldi 33:.
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Garibaldi — the mason
[Grand Lodge of British Columbia & Yukon's Site - Excerpt - Linked Above]
Once stripped of esoteric and ritual trimmings, which Garibaldi openly depreciated, Freemasonry was for him, especially after 1860, a meeting place and a means of organisation which he more than once tried to make use of to carry out his own political and cultural plans.
"The masonic organisation," wrote Mola, "was thought of by Garibaldi as a network able to unite the otherwise dispersed forces of the Italian renewal: from the inside, by forming new leaders able to look to the boundless horizons opened up by progress in the sciences (medicine, chemistry, physics, anthropology etc.) rather than become small minded through the petty struggles for power, and from the outside by placing those leaders in an intellectual circuit whose Pillars of Hercules, once Italy was unified, were a European federation, the formation of great ethnic-linguistic systems (Anglo Saxon, Latin, Slav etc.) and finally "worldwide"' unity of humanity kept together in a brotherly way by constructive ideals".
It is worth underlining that Freemasonry, in its turn, used Garibaldi both before and after his death as an exceptional testimonial and promotion of their ideals.
"The masonic organisation," wrote Mola, "was thought of by Garibaldi as a network able to unite the otherwise dispersed forces of the Italian renewal: from the inside, by forming new leaders able to look to the boundless horizons opened up by progress in the sciences (medicine, chemistry, physics, anthropology etc.) rather than become small minded through the petty struggles for power, and from the outside by placing those leaders in an intellectual circuit whose Pillars of Hercules, once Italy was unified, were a European federation, the formation of great ethnic-linguistic systems (Anglo Saxon, Latin, Slav etc.) and finally "worldwide"' unity of humanity kept together in a brotherly way by constructive ideals".
It is worth underlining that Freemasonry, in its turn, used Garibaldi both before and after his death as an exceptional testimonial and promotion of their ideals.