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  • July 12, 1862
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, July 12, 1862: Page 1

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    Article THE SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL OF FRANCE AND MARSHAL MAGNAN. Page 1 of 2
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The Supreme Grand Council Of France And Marshal Magnan.

THE SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL OF FRANCE AND MARSHAL MAGNAN .

ZOXDOS " , SATURDAY , JULY 13 , 1803-.

Our readers are well acquainted with the unfortunate position of Freemasonry iu France consequent on the quarrel between Princes Napoleon and Lueien Murat . The Emperor stepped in and appointed Marshal Magnan Grand Master , and he , imagining- the appointment gave him authority over all other rites ,

has endeavoured to suppress the Sites Ecossais , with what success will be best seen from a summary of the whole case which we have condensed from our

contemporary Le Monde Magonnique , the acknowledged organ of Freemasonry in France , of more than forty years' standing . On the 30 th of April , Marshal Magnan , having not long previously been made a Mason , by order of the Emperor , and appointed Grand Master by the same ,

issued a proclamation to all the lodges in France , signed by himself , and Bro . lieullant , D . G . M ., to the following effect : — -He stated that , until that time there had been , what he was pleased to term , a schism in French Masonry , but on that day , and , as he said , "for

the first time , French Masonry had been so honoured , " by order of one high in authority , the direction of all the lodges , and rites in France , had been placed under him .

His manifesto expatiated on the beauty and value of Masonic unity , and urged that the success of Masonry in France , depended upon one chief centre , and reckoning that centre to be himself ; stated that he hoped to govern as Grand Master , without employing means repugnant to his feelings , resting assured French

Masons were too enlightened for him to need any other language of appeal to them than that of persuasion . He also expressed his confidence that all Masons would rally round , and support him by their good wishes , and , significantly added , that the Supreme Grand Council did not mistake what it had heard of

his power , for in him , the Grand Orient of France asserted its supremacy ; and if those who held under the Supreme Grand Council , really loved Masonry , they would attach themselves to that body , and become reconciled to that state of things without passion , having no other desire but the glory and

splendour of the Order . To those under the Grand Orient he addressed himself , reminding them that they had felt the inconveniences of different Masonic , jurisdictions , and that he expected them to set an example , as by their aid , he especially hoped to realise that Masonic unity which was so important to all . He also invited them to give in their adhesion

The Supreme Grand Council Of France And Marshal Magnan.

to the Grand Orient , to state their desires , and present their views , informing them that he , as their Grand Master , was always accessible and willing to hear and consider all propositions submitted to him . Such was the gist of the first manifesto issued by the Emperor ' s nominee , which has raised a perfect

hurricane of indignation amongst the French Masons . They contend that the document is , in effect , a reproduction of the rivalry that has , for forty years been lost sight of . It is asked how Masons who prefer an allegiance to the Supreme Grand Council , in preference to the Grand Orient , could render it necessary for this

call to union , seeing that they have m no way interfered with each other . The disunion is clearly set on foot by this manifesto , which without forewarning gives to an old decree , an interpretation not to have been looked for at the present day . In issuing the mandate it appears that the

new-Grand Master has acted with a total disregard of the advice of his Grand Officers , who were opposed to this arbitrary change . Moreover , with a want of courtesy almost unprecedented , he promulgated his commands without condescending to make the

Supreme Grand Council acquainted in his intentions , thereby involving the Masters of lodges , who might come in under the proclamation , with a breach of their

obligation , and fealty to their mother lodges , as well as repudiating the good offices of the Supreme Grand Council , who they have hitherto looked upon as their recognized head , and have made them Masons , a character of which no state law , or edict can ever deprive them .

Some lodges under the Supreme Grand Council have , in deference to authority , gone over to the Grand Orient , and , perhaps , this course may have been a prudent one in a country like France , but the majority have remained true to their allegiance in the general interest of the Order and their own .

The astonishment has been great amongst all classes of Masons by the Grand Master's statement that disunion existed ; they deny it , and the members of the Grand Orient lodges declare the } ' have always been received with delight by the lodges holding under the

Site Ecossais . Eoth the general regulations of the Grand Orient and the statutes of the Supreme Grand Council are equally known to the civil authorities , which , without having officially sanctioned them , has , by a long experience , been assured that they eouldnot

be a cause of trouble to the state . The same spirit animated the brethren under both rites , and no one , during the last twenty years , lias perceived any signs of the want of unity alluded to in the Grand Master's decree .

Enquiries are made as to the crime of those who will not declare their adhesion to the Grand Orient . "With what pains and penalties are they to be visited ?

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1862-07-12, Page 1” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 24 March 2023, www.masonicperiodicals.org/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_12071862/page/1/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
THE SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL OF FRANCE AND MARSHAL MAGNAN. Article 1
MASONIC FICTIONS. Article 2
KABBALISM, OR THE RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY OF THE HEBREWS. Article 3
AN ORATION, Article 5
MASONIC SAYINGS AND DOINGS ABROAD. Article 8
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 9
EXHIBITION OF MEDLÆVAL ART AT THE SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM. Article 10
NOTES ON LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART. Article 12
NOTES ON MUSIC AND THE DRAMA. Article 12
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 12
THE MASONIC MIRROR. Article 13
METROPOLITAN. Article 13
PROVINCIAL. Article 13
SCOTLAND. Article 15
INDIA. Article 15
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. Article 15
MASONIC FESTIVITIES. Article 15
Obituary. Article 16
Poetry. Article 16
THE NYMPHS' LAMENT FOR THE TITANS. Article 17
THE WEEK. Article 17
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Supreme Grand Council Of France And Marshal Magnan.

THE SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL OF FRANCE AND MARSHAL MAGNAN .

ZOXDOS " , SATURDAY , JULY 13 , 1803-.

Our readers are well acquainted with the unfortunate position of Freemasonry iu France consequent on the quarrel between Princes Napoleon and Lueien Murat . The Emperor stepped in and appointed Marshal Magnan Grand Master , and he , imagining- the appointment gave him authority over all other rites ,

has endeavoured to suppress the Sites Ecossais , with what success will be best seen from a summary of the whole case which we have condensed from our

contemporary Le Monde Magonnique , the acknowledged organ of Freemasonry in France , of more than forty years' standing . On the 30 th of April , Marshal Magnan , having not long previously been made a Mason , by order of the Emperor , and appointed Grand Master by the same ,

issued a proclamation to all the lodges in France , signed by himself , and Bro . lieullant , D . G . M ., to the following effect : — -He stated that , until that time there had been , what he was pleased to term , a schism in French Masonry , but on that day , and , as he said , "for

the first time , French Masonry had been so honoured , " by order of one high in authority , the direction of all the lodges , and rites in France , had been placed under him .

His manifesto expatiated on the beauty and value of Masonic unity , and urged that the success of Masonry in France , depended upon one chief centre , and reckoning that centre to be himself ; stated that he hoped to govern as Grand Master , without employing means repugnant to his feelings , resting assured French

Masons were too enlightened for him to need any other language of appeal to them than that of persuasion . He also expressed his confidence that all Masons would rally round , and support him by their good wishes , and , significantly added , that the Supreme Grand Council did not mistake what it had heard of

his power , for in him , the Grand Orient of France asserted its supremacy ; and if those who held under the Supreme Grand Council , really loved Masonry , they would attach themselves to that body , and become reconciled to that state of things without passion , having no other desire but the glory and

splendour of the Order . To those under the Grand Orient he addressed himself , reminding them that they had felt the inconveniences of different Masonic , jurisdictions , and that he expected them to set an example , as by their aid , he especially hoped to realise that Masonic unity which was so important to all . He also invited them to give in their adhesion

The Supreme Grand Council Of France And Marshal Magnan.

to the Grand Orient , to state their desires , and present their views , informing them that he , as their Grand Master , was always accessible and willing to hear and consider all propositions submitted to him . Such was the gist of the first manifesto issued by the Emperor ' s nominee , which has raised a perfect

hurricane of indignation amongst the French Masons . They contend that the document is , in effect , a reproduction of the rivalry that has , for forty years been lost sight of . It is asked how Masons who prefer an allegiance to the Supreme Grand Council , in preference to the Grand Orient , could render it necessary for this

call to union , seeing that they have m no way interfered with each other . The disunion is clearly set on foot by this manifesto , which without forewarning gives to an old decree , an interpretation not to have been looked for at the present day . In issuing the mandate it appears that the

new-Grand Master has acted with a total disregard of the advice of his Grand Officers , who were opposed to this arbitrary change . Moreover , with a want of courtesy almost unprecedented , he promulgated his commands without condescending to make the

Supreme Grand Council acquainted in his intentions , thereby involving the Masters of lodges , who might come in under the proclamation , with a breach of their

obligation , and fealty to their mother lodges , as well as repudiating the good offices of the Supreme Grand Council , who they have hitherto looked upon as their recognized head , and have made them Masons , a character of which no state law , or edict can ever deprive them .

Some lodges under the Supreme Grand Council have , in deference to authority , gone over to the Grand Orient , and , perhaps , this course may have been a prudent one in a country like France , but the majority have remained true to their allegiance in the general interest of the Order and their own .

The astonishment has been great amongst all classes of Masons by the Grand Master's statement that disunion existed ; they deny it , and the members of the Grand Orient lodges declare the } ' have always been received with delight by the lodges holding under the

Site Ecossais . Eoth the general regulations of the Grand Orient and the statutes of the Supreme Grand Council are equally known to the civil authorities , which , without having officially sanctioned them , has , by a long experience , been assured that they eouldnot

be a cause of trouble to the state . The same spirit animated the brethren under both rites , and no one , during the last twenty years , lias perceived any signs of the want of unity alluded to in the Grand Master's decree .

Enquiries are made as to the crime of those who will not declare their adhesion to the Grand Orient . "With what pains and penalties are they to be visited ?

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