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regulation of which had fallen into great disorder . Although it laboured to correct abuses , the Count de Ciairmont , who was still nominally Master , disgusted with the Brethren , and seeing no hope of uniting the malcontents , retired , and chose for his representative a dancing-master named La Come . This contempt of all decency caused new discussions : the Lodge refused to acknowledge the appointment , and La Corne was dismissed . But he contrived to
found another , composed of persons of inferior condition . This bold act formed the basis of bitter quarrels , La Corne was turned off , and Chillon de Joinville took his office . A reconciliation took place
between the rivals , but it was a hollow truce . The Brethren once more quarrelled . The original members despised those introduced by La Corne , and when the day arrived for electing officers for the Lodge , none of the new ones were chosen : this so enraged them
that they immediately left , and employed themselves in publishing scandalous libels against the Freemasons . About this time government , taking advantage of these schisms , peremptorily ordered the Grand Lodge to cease its meetings ; and it was not until several years after that it was allowed to be reopened .
At a solemn meeting convened on this occasion the rivals met , but their hatred was not extinguished . In 1772 , those brethren who had been banished , and were attached to the Count de Ciairmont , met at the Hotel de Ohartres to deliberate on their future proceedings . After a noisy debate , it was finally agreed that the old Lodge should
cease to exist , and that a new one should be formed , to be called the National Lodge , and that it should issue laws for the regulation of all others , and administer the Order under the title of Le Grand Orient . At its first meeting the Due de Chartres was nominated Grand Master . This Lodge preserved the supremacy which it had usurped , and resisted all the attacks of the Revolution .
It is not surprising that these mysterious associations , composed of men of all ranks , of all countries , and of all religions , "kept together by symbolical contracts , and engaged by an oath to guard inviolably the secrets of their interior existence ; and although
submitting to the most lugubrious tests , and occupying themselves with a series of ceremonies , yet practising universal benevolence , and considering all men as equals—it is not surprising , we say , that they should have inspired with a vague terror a weak and suspicious government . Their mysterious meetings , and above all , the high rank of many of their associates , had raised so much alarm , that they
were considered by the authorities as so many revolutionary societies . The people had been so systematically oppressed that , being almost degraded into slaves , they allowed their oppressors to enter their places of meeting , from which they were ,, as formerly , often ejected ,
and their property confiscated . But although they suffered patiently , while patience was a necessity , they seized the first moment that offered to emancipate themselves from the yoke . The tyranny under which they had suffered roused them at length , and the Masonic Lodges , which had been first founded to ameliorate the condition of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Untitled Article
regulation of which had fallen into great disorder . Although it laboured to correct abuses , the Count de Ciairmont , who was still nominally Master , disgusted with the Brethren , and seeing no hope of uniting the malcontents , retired , and chose for his representative a dancing-master named La Come . This contempt of all decency caused new discussions : the Lodge refused to acknowledge the appointment , and La Corne was dismissed . But he contrived to
found another , composed of persons of inferior condition . This bold act formed the basis of bitter quarrels , La Corne was turned off , and Chillon de Joinville took his office . A reconciliation took place
between the rivals , but it was a hollow truce . The Brethren once more quarrelled . The original members despised those introduced by La Corne , and when the day arrived for electing officers for the Lodge , none of the new ones were chosen : this so enraged them
that they immediately left , and employed themselves in publishing scandalous libels against the Freemasons . About this time government , taking advantage of these schisms , peremptorily ordered the Grand Lodge to cease its meetings ; and it was not until several years after that it was allowed to be reopened .
At a solemn meeting convened on this occasion the rivals met , but their hatred was not extinguished . In 1772 , those brethren who had been banished , and were attached to the Count de Ciairmont , met at the Hotel de Ohartres to deliberate on their future proceedings . After a noisy debate , it was finally agreed that the old Lodge should
cease to exist , and that a new one should be formed , to be called the National Lodge , and that it should issue laws for the regulation of all others , and administer the Order under the title of Le Grand Orient . At its first meeting the Due de Chartres was nominated Grand Master . This Lodge preserved the supremacy which it had usurped , and resisted all the attacks of the Revolution .
It is not surprising that these mysterious associations , composed of men of all ranks , of all countries , and of all religions , "kept together by symbolical contracts , and engaged by an oath to guard inviolably the secrets of their interior existence ; and although
submitting to the most lugubrious tests , and occupying themselves with a series of ceremonies , yet practising universal benevolence , and considering all men as equals—it is not surprising , we say , that they should have inspired with a vague terror a weak and suspicious government . Their mysterious meetings , and above all , the high rank of many of their associates , had raised so much alarm , that they
were considered by the authorities as so many revolutionary societies . The people had been so systematically oppressed that , being almost degraded into slaves , they allowed their oppressors to enter their places of meeting , from which they were ,, as formerly , often ejected ,
and their property confiscated . But although they suffered patiently , while patience was a necessity , they seized the first moment that offered to emancipate themselves from the yoke . The tyranny under which they had suffered roused them at length , and the Masonic Lodges , which had been first founded to ameliorate the condition of