Post by Tamrin on Sept 13, 2008 11:25:26 GMT 10
In an address, as President of the London Grand Rank Association, Roy Wells spoke in support of the topic Freemasonry a Male Exclusive. In his address he described the fate of a Provincial Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge who had dared to break ranks and support the admission of women as Freemasons. In 1783 Captain George Smith, Provincial Grand Master for Kent, published a book entitled, The Use and Abuse of Freemasonry, which Smith described as, ‘A Work of the Greatest Utility to the Brethren of the Society, to Mankind in General and to the Ladies in Particular.’ In it, Smith concluded (p.365): ‘From what has been advanced, not one doubt remains but the ladies may, and have an undoubted right to be admitted as members of the most ancient and most honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons.’ Two years later he was expelled. Wells described Smith’s treatment at the hands of his brethren, as follows:
George Smith’s outstanding career as Provincial Grand Master, indeed even as a Freemason, ended ignominiously in 1785 when he was expelled from the Craft for issuing what was purported to be a Certificate of Grand Lodge recommending two distrssed [sic] brethren for relief. One might be led to think that there had been an accumulation of offences, not the least of which was his book and its chapter on women and Freemasonry including the recommendation to follow in the paths of Germany and France; but the official reason for his expulsion was falsification of an official Certificate.Wells had argued in support of the ‘No Women!’ rule, so his opinion on reasons for George Smith’s expulsion has the credibility that only a concession by a hostile witness can claim. Moreover, I could report a similar experience in my case.