French Masonic History

[Tamrin]

French masonic history and its historiography

Presented at Canonbury Masonic Research Centre by Pierre Mollier on 9 Jun 1999

(Excerpt)

When I start giving a lecture about masonic history in France, I usually quote, as a precious advice, this wonderful sentence of the great French historian Marc Bloch: There is a mortal sin for historians: anachronism. Being a Freemason in France is of course a quite different thing at different times — 1760, 1830, 1905 or 1999. When, in circumstances similar to this one, where I am giving a public lecture in France, I tell those present “Please, if you want to understand this lecture, forget what you know as a Freemason living in Paris in 1999”. Of course anachronism is a danger in all fields of historical research, and it is worth noting that Marc Bloch never dealt with masonic history. But I do think that masonic historians are, more than their colleagues in other branches of historical research, exposed to this “mortal sin”… especially in France. There is another difficulty which we face here today — I have heard that here in Britain, there is an organisation which is also called Freemasonry even if it appears to be quite different from what we, the French consider Freemasonry to be! So the word Freemasonry could be a concept that the French and English do not agree about. Of course, I am teasing the audience — but scholars should be careful about the differences which exist between the various masonic traditions. So, what could be the origin of interest for a British scholar to study French masonic history? I will try to convince you that there are some good reasons for you to look at French masonic history.

1848 Compagnonnage illustration (T.B.?)
Note Cybele, accompanied by three men (G.M.s?), in her chariot drawn by lions
(the goddess Cybele was known as Asherah in Israel)

[Tamrin]

We owe a huge debt to the French for the Freemasonry we know today. Bear-in-mind that the result of the masonic revolution of the early eighteenth century was what subsequently excited the interest of the world and spurred on the Age of Enlightenment. Tracing that revolution, involving the establishment of the premier grand lodge, the changes to the first two degrees and the creation of the third, with its Hiramic Legend, we find that, according to our Rev. Bro. Neville Barker Cryer (pp.87/91), the premier grand lodge had a significantly disproportionate number of Huguenot émigrés among its members (including the main mover and shaker, Desaguliers) as well as other Calvinists, mainly Scottish (consider the auld alliance).

Indeed, there is an aspect of its early history whereby the grand lodge may be thought of as a joint French and Scottish venture on English soil, something perhaps played down with the rise of Francophobia in the wake of the French Revolution and with the subsequent reign of Napoleon.

Reference:

Neville Barker Cryer, 2005, "Huguenot Freemasons" in Did You Know This Too?,
Lewis Masonic, Hersham, Surrey

The Masonic Marianne

[Tamrin]

One sometimes reads of the split with the Grand Orient of France (GOdF), established in 1736, being attributed to the participation of women: Not so! Women had participated to various extents for well over a century before the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) withdrew recognition in 1877, purportedly because the GOdF removed the requirement that its members have a belief in Deity. Some American grand lodges later removed recognition due to issues over territorial exclusivity. The issue of female participation was not an issue until an issue was required.

A French Lodge of Adoption

[Tamrin]

On one hand, appreciating the role of Huguenot and other Calvinists in the changes wrought by the premier grand lodge, may give some an insight into the source of the newly introduced content of the rituals while, on the other hand, one may be not be so exasperated and ready to dismiss the proliferation of degrees on the Continent, when Brethren there took-up and further unfolded the theme introduced by Desaguliers and others. Meanwhile, Freemasonry in the U.K. was diverted by the appearance of the Antients and the controversy over the role of their Royal Arch degree (a theme which conflicted with that introduced by Desaguliers, et al.).

Proliferation of Degrees

[Tamrin]

Huguenots in London and their Influence on Freemasonry
David Peabody, October 1999

(Canonbury Masonic Research Centre)

The Huguenots & Their Influence On Early Freemasonry The Huguenots were French Protestants following the doctrines of John Calvin, the French Reformer of the early 16th century. After the suppression of religious liberty in France, in 1685, many of the Huguenots sought refuge in England, where they entered fully into the commercial, social and intellectual life of their adopted country – including Freemasonry. This lecture sets out to explain how second-generation Huguenots may have played a significant role in the organization of early Freemasonry. It also considers the possible links between John Calvin’s theological teachings and the effect they may have had on the structure of Freemasonry in those early days.

[Tamrin]

Aug 10, 2008 8:07:13 GMT 10 Tamrin said:

Indeed, there is an aspect of its early history whereby the grand lodge may be thought of as a joint French and Scottish venture on English soil, something perhaps played down with the rise of Francophobia in the wake of the French Revolution and with the subsequent reign of Napoleon.

Yes Minister / Francophobia:

Humour illustrates many truths. Turning to an episode of the TV series Yes Minister, entitled "The Challenge." we find the following exchange between the Minister, the Rt. Hon. Jim Hacker, and his Department head, Sir Humphrey Appleby:

'But after all, Humphrey,' I added, 'the Americans will always protect us from the Russians, won't they?'

'The Russians?' he asked. 'Who's talking about the Russians?'

'Well, the independent nuclear deterrent ...'

He interrupted me. 'It's to protect us against the French.'

I could hardly believe my ears. The French? It sounded incredible. An extraordinary idea. I reminded Humphrey that they are our allies, our partners.

'They are now,' he agreed. 'But they've been our enemies for most of the past nine hundred years.'

It only needed a few seconds' thought to realise the profound truth of what he was saying. Suddenly it didn't seem at all incredible—just common sense, really. If the bomb is to protect us from the French, that's a completely different matter, obviously we've got to have it, you can't trust the Frogs, there's no room for discussion about that!

Jonathan Lynn & Antony Jay (Editors), 1983, Yes Minister: The Diaries of a Cabinet Minister by the Rt. Hon. James Jacker MP, Volume Three, BBC, London, p.47.

Similarly, I was disturbed by legitimate protests against nuclear testing at Mururoa and Fangataufa atolls, in the 1990's, seemingly being directed more against 'the French,' than against their government of the day. I doubt that, had the testing been by the UK, that the British people would have been collectively blamed.

[Tamrin]

Théroigne de Méricourt

While French and American Freemasons have been known to promote the idea of their Craft’s involvement in their respective revolutions, other Freemasons, especially English Freemasons, have expended many words ‘disproving’ such allegations (e.g., see Reply #9, below). Usually their arguments have depended on the indisputable fact that there were Freemasons on both sides of both conflicts. However, I suggest this fact does not entirely debunk the possibility of there being a revolutionary tendency within Freemasonry. In promoting its cause, the revolutionary side in both conflicts more particularly appeared to appeal to Masonic principles, using Masonic allegories. For example, the ferment which gave rise to the French Revolution and maintained its momentum, was concentrated in a number of political clubs, the best known of which was the Jacobine, after which the others were generically termed and in which masonic allegories were fashionable. Théroigne de Méricourt founded one such club, “Les Amis de la Loi” (“the Friends of the Law"). We read:

But her finest moment came when towards the end of February 1790 she made an appearance at the Club des Cordeliers. It was described by Camille Desmoulins in his newly founded paper Les Révolutions de France et de Brabant:

“I was about to retire,” he wrote, “… when the usher announced to the president that a young woman demanded to enter the Senate. It was the celebrated Mademoiselle Théroigne, who had come to ask to take the floor and to propose a motion. She was unanimously admitted to the bar. One member, overcome with enthusiasm on seeing her, exclaimed: ‘It is the Queen of Sheba, come to see the Solomon of the Districts.’ ‘Yes,’ replied Mademoiselle Théroigne, taking her cue from the words with great aplomb, ‘it is the fame of your wisdom which has brought me to your midst. Prove that you are indeed Solomon, that it is your prerogative to build the Temple, and that you will lose no time in building the Temple of the National Assembly.’”

Her proposal—to build a Temple of Liberty on the foundations of the Bastille—was received, wrote Camille, with a “fury of applause” and the assembly voted her the honours of the session.

Source:

Linda Kelly, 1989 (org. 1987), Women of the French Revolution, Hamish Hamilton, London, pp.23/4

Théroigne de Méricourt

[Tamrin]

Qu'est-ce que la Franc-Maçonnerie ?

(Video Clip / No English Subtitles / Under 15 Minutes)

[Tamrin]

The French Revolution and the Bavarian Illuminati

Excerpted from "The Romances of Robison and Barruel" by the Rev. W. K. Firminger.
F.M. Rickard, editor. Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, being the
Transactions of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, London." vol. l. 1940. pp. 31-69.

(Excerpt)

Conclusion

Barruel and Robison fail to provide any conclusive link between the Bavarian Illuminati and French Free-masonry, much less find a cause of the Revolution in Paris lodges. They display a great ignorance of the actual and documented workings of Freemasonry at the time, and, in support of their arguments, have made many demonstrably false statements.

Although both Barruel's and Robison's claims have been discredited, many, more contemporary, writers who rely on their books are still accepted as authorities.

Although the list of freemasons who espoused liberty and equality, republicanism and constitutional monarchy, is a long one (Jacques Millanois, Pierre Marie Bruyset, Jean Andre Perisse du Luc, the Chevalier Gaspard de Savaron, and the Compte Henry de Virieu, to name a few), there is no documentation to suggest that the Lodges or Grand Lodges in France took any active role in politics. Many freemasons (such as Adrien Nicolas, Deleutre, Louis Daniel Tassin, and the Abbé Bartolio) were active in maintaining civil order during the riots. Many freemasons were sent to the guillotine or were massacred by the mobs; most Lodges ceased meeting during the Revolutionary period.

[Tamrin]

Napoleon I and Freemasonry

Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, vol. viii (1895). ed. G. W. Speth.
Margate: Lodge Quatuor Coronati, No. 2078, London. pp. 188-89.

THE question whether Buonaparte was a Freemason or not has never been decided. Rumour says he was made at Malta. Some writers incline to the belief that he was only "historically instructed." The only matter of certainty is that he countenanced the institution and astutely made it subserve his own purposes.

A recent letter to us from Bro. E. T. Carson, of Cincinnati, throws a little additional light on the question. This distinguished brother, whose Masonic library is as remarkable, or rather more so, for the priceless rarities it contains as for its size, is the fortunate possessor of a fine copy of Thory’s History of the Grand Orient of France. A MS. note in it (French) describes it thus:—

"A textual copy of an autograph of Brother Thory, which was found in a copy of his work, "History of the Grand Orient of France," with his portrait. Bought at the sale after his decease."

The translated text of the letter is given in the linked article.