XV. issued an edict forbidding the

nobility to take part in the society, and threatened with the Bastile any who should have the temerity to accept the Granl Mastership. Notwithstanding the inconvenience attending a residence in the State Prison, und the continued activity of the police, the Craft held its own, and even increased in numbers. The Grand Lodge now cast off its alle- giance to the English Grand Lodge, and became the Grand Lodge of France, preserving, however, the
usage which prevailed in the parent body of giving warrants to Masters for life, who considered the lodges established by them as personal property. They even sold warrants to other Masters in Paris and the provinces, and these, in turn, con- stituted other bodies, which s.et up a rivalry against the Grand Lodge, and produced the utmost degree ol confusion, which was more con- founded by the Chevalier Ramsay, whose system is credited as the base of all the rites which have since been peddled around the world. The Grand Lodge fell into a state ot anarchy on account of the inatten- tion of the Grand M.ist-er, who, to rid himself of the direction of affairs appointed proxies: the first was a banker named Baure, who did no better than his master, and he was removed to give place to Lacorne, a dancing master, who took the degrees of Perfection to fit himself for his new dignity. The members of the Grand Lodge, however, re- fused to associate with him, and he was removed, and succeeded by Chaillon de Joiuville, whereupon a sell ism arose, and the two parties made war upon each other with reat bitterness. Each party grant- ed warrants, and a faction under the leadership of Lacome did likewise; tavern-keepers bought the right to hold lodges; rituals and consti- tutions were made merchandise, md anarchy reigned supreme. In 1777 the two parties in the Grand Lodge united, but Lacorue and his adherents kept aloof, .and caused much trouble, even going so far as to descend to acts of violence, in consequence of which the govern- ment closed all the lodges. Secret meetings were, however, held, and charters granted till 1771, when the Jount de Clermont died and the Duke de Chartres succeeded to the Grand Mastership. The edict ol revocation was withdrawn, and aU .he charters granted during the iuspeusion were canceled. In 1772 lie Grand Lodge changed its title to hat of Grand Orient; and March 5, inder the gavel of the Duke de Lux- embourg, substitute of the Grand . Master, adopted "The Statutes "I
GENERAL HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.
the Royal Order of Freemasonry in France," in which the life Master- ships were abolished, and the annual election substituted. Some dissatis- fied Masons continued the Grand Lodge of France, and the quarrel went on as before, until both parties were silenced by the terrible events of the Revolution. In 1799 Brother Montaleau being Grand Master, a concordat was signed, and the va- rious factions were united under the direction of the Grand Orient. In 1802, however, new troubles arose with the Philosophical or Scottish rite, which refused obedience to the Grand Orient, and claimed the right to govern and direct the high de- grees. Many Masons of distinction, among others the famous Stephen Morin, took part in this movement, and in 1803 the banner of the oppo- sition was fully displayed, and the body took the name of "Scottish General Grand Lodge of the Ancient and Accepted rite; " but in 1804 they united with the Grand Orient. There was, however, still in existence, another body founded in 1802 by the Count de Grasse-Tilly, with the title "Sovereign Grand Inspectors General of the 33d and last degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scot- tish rite," claiming to have derived authority from the Supreme Council at Charleston. In 1805 the previous concordat was broken, and thus there were again three governing bodies in France. In the same year Joseph Bonaparte was named Grand Master, Cambaceres accepted the position of first assistant, and many persons of distinction were thereby attracted to the Fraternity. In 1814, owing to political events, the Grand Orient found it difficult to maintain its organization, and the bodies of the Scottish rite ceased their meetings altogether. Advan- tage was taken of this state of affairs by the Grand Orient to assume jurisdiction over all degrees and rites. In 1815, April 9, a new claimant of Masonic authority ap- peared in the Rite of Misraim, in- vented and propagated by four brothers, Bedarride by name. This rite applied to the Grand Orient for •recognition, but in 1817 was refused,
and finally became so disorderly that the police interfered and closed its halls and operations. At a later period (1838), the Rite of Memphis made its appearance and pursued its labors with varying fortunes — none of them very brilliant — until, on the application of the Grand Hierophant Marcorius de Negre, it was finally absorbed by the Grand Orient (1862), and its vast system of ninety-six degrees cut down to thirty-three, the dimensions of the Scottish rite. In 1852 Prince Lucien Murat was chosen Grand Master, who proved inefficient, and conferred no honor on the Craft. At the meeting of 1861 violent disputes arose, the majority of the represent* atives being anxious to get rid 01 Murat and elect Prince Napoleon iu his stead, and the adherents of Murat, as well as himself, being equally anxious to retain the power they had exercised for years to the evident detriment of the society. The clamors reached such a bight that the civil authorities interfered and closed the session before an election was held. The Prince then appointed a committee of five to supervise the affairs of Masonry until the following October, when the Grand Orient v/as again to be called together for the purpose of electing a Grand Master. The Craft at large, however, refused to ac- knowledge their authority, and ad- hered to the council of the Grand Master, who were, in fact, the legal successors of the defunct func- tionary, and thus, for a time, the Fraternity had two heads. January 11, 1862, Napoleon put an end to this disgraceful state of affairs, and by "the grace of God and the national will" appointed Marshal Magnan Grand Master for three years. At the time of his nomination the Marshal was not a Mason ; but he received the whole thirty-three de- grees the following day, by commu- nication, in the presence of five Masons, led by Rexes. The whole proceeding was entirely illegal ; but there was no help for it, and the Marshal was subsequently in- stalled, and signalized his entrance into official station by decapitating
GENERAL HISTORY OF FREEMASOXRY.
Rexes and removing those who, with him, had for years mismanaged the affairs of the Grand Orient. He found the Fratemity overwhelmed with debt, and its affairs generally in a state of disgraceful confusion. By the adoption of vigorous meas- ures he reduced this chaos to order, and, at the end of his first term, had succeeded in paying off the floating debt amounting to about $40,000. In 1861 he announced that the Emperor, at his request, had with- drawn his appointment, whereupon the Grand Orient, with unanimity and good taste, elected him for a new term of three years; an honor of which he evidently felt proud, as he signed his edicts thereafter "Elected" Grand Master, etc. May 29, 1865, he died in office, in the 74th year of his age, honored and regretted by the Fraternity he had well and faithfully served. At the succeeding meeting of the Grand Orient General Mellinet, the present Grand Master, was elected. He has appointed on his staff some of the best known and respected citizens of Paris; and we hazard nothing in saying that Masonry in France is at present in a better condition, and its affairs in better hands, than at any time since its introduction into the Empire. • At the annual commu- nication for 18G5 a new constitution i was adopted, which is apparently ! modeled upon that of New York, | and which is decidedly better than any of its predecessors. It recog- j nizcs the sovereignty of the lay members, and the great principle | of Grand Lodge jurisdiction, for j which we have always contended, [ and which is the subject of dif- 1 fei ence between the Grand Lodges i of America and that of Hamburg. The subject of Masonic reform, by •triking out the high degrees, is at present obtaining great considera- tion in France and throughout Europe, and it is a noteworthy I fact that at the adoption of the | new constitution a proposition to ignore them entirely only failed by three votes. It is claimed in France that the continuous difficulties which have imp jded" the progress nf the Craft, and brought so much
disgrace upon it, are due to the pitiful intrigues growing out of the many systems of superior degrees which have from time to time been invented and propagated there, and those who are well informed enter- tain no doubt of the near approach of the day when Masonrj' in France will return to its primitive organi- zation, and practice only the sym- bolic degrees. It is also a subject of remark that the lodges in France are gradually falling into the hands of the middle and working classes, and that its social status is likely to be thereby endangered — a fear in which we, on this side of the Atlan- tic, are not likely to participate ; on the contrary we see in it the indi- cation of a healthy growth and a true progress toward the great end of the association — the brotherhood of man.
GEORGIA. The earliest his- torical record of Freemasonry in Georgia may be found in Preston's Illustrations, during the Grand Mas- tership of the Earl of Strathmore, in 1733, and is in the following lan- guage: "The history of the society at this period atFords few remark- able instances of record. Some con- siderable donations were collected, and distributed among distressed Masons, to encourage the settlement of a new colony, which had been just established at Georgia, America." The next allusion we find by the same author in 1735, who says: "He (Lord Weymouth being then Grand Master) also issued warrants to open a new Lodge at Lisbon, and another at Savannah, in Georgia." Thomas Smith Webb, in his Freemiisoii's Monitor, edition of 1805, says: "The Grand Lodge of Georgia is hokleu by virtue, and in pursuance of the right of succession, legally derived from the Most Noble and Most Worshipful Thomas Thyue, Lord Viscount Weymouth, Grand Master of England, A. D. 1730,* by his war- rant, directed to the Right Worship- ful Roger Lacey; and by the renewal of the said power by Sholto Charles
*This is evidently an error, because Lord Weymouth was Grand Muster in 1735, and was (ucceeded by the Earl o London iu 1736.
GENFRA.L HISTORY OF FKEEMA8ONBT.
Dcniglas, Lord Aberdour, Grand Master of Scotland, lor the years 1755 and 1756; and the Grand Mas- ter of England for the years 1757 and 1758 ; as will appear in his warrant directed to the Right \Yor- shipful Grey Elliot. Dec. 16, A. D. 1786, a convention of the several lodges holden in the State assembled at Savannah, when the permanent appointments, which had been there- tofore made by the Grand Master of England, were solemnly relin- quished, by the Right Worshipful Sam'l Elbert, Grand Master, and the other officers of the Grand Lodge; and certain regulations adopted by which the Grand Officers are now elected annually by the Grand Lodge." At this convention, 1787, William Stephens was elected Grand Master. This Grand Lodge so con- stituted was afterward incorporated by the legislature of Georgia. The warrant of Solomon's Lodge, as originally issued, was destroyed by fire, therefore its precise date and authority cannot, at this time, be definitely settled.
GERMANY. The earliest history of Freemasonry in Germany is sup- posed to be closely interwoven with the history of the building associations of the Middle Ages: "as we may easily recognize a strong similarity in the usages, cus- toms and peculiar terms of the Fraternity of Freemasons of the present day, and the ' titem-Metzen ' (stone-cutters) of Germany. 1. The classification of their members into Masters, Fellow-Crafts, and Appren- tices; 2. The government of the society by a certain number of offi- cers; 3. The exclusion of the unin- itiated from their meetings; 4. The peculiar qualifications for member- ship; 5. The equality of all the members of the Craft; 6. Their mutual obligations to relieve suffer- ing; 7. Their peculiar laws, juris- diction and general regulations ; 8. The ceremonies of initiation; 9. The manner of opening and closing their assemblies; 10. The privileges of a Mason's son; 11. The examina- tion of foreign brethren, etc. Taking all these circumstances into consid- eration, and combining with them
the results of historical invest! gation, it must be conceded thai the modern society is the direct descendant and successor, in an unbroken line, of the operative Fraternity of Masons of the nz ddle ages. "* In 1733, Preston says, eleven German Masons applied for author- ity to open a Lodge at Hamburg, under the patronage of the Grand Lodge of England, for which pur- pose the Grand Master, Lord Strath- more, granted a dispensation to establish a permanent Lodge, con- cerning which but little is now known. December 6, 1737, a Lodge was established in Hamburg, by authority of the Grand Lodge of England, which, in 1741, assumed the title of "Absalom." August 11, 1738, a deputation of this Lodge was convened at Brunswick for the purpose of initiating the Crown Prince, afterward Frederick