A quotation from an English Co- Freemason

[whistler]

Thought this may be of interest to those who wonder about such things.
On behalf of the British Federation of the International Order of Co-Freemasonry Le Droit Humain, I will endeavour to clarify some pieces of misinformation and misconceptions that appear to have arisen. I did post a detailed response to similar and other issues in 2002.
· Article 8 of the International Constitution of our Order states that our lodges throughout the world " work to the Great Architect of the Universe and/or to the Perfection of Humanity". In other words, lodges may choose to work to either or both.
· The British Federation has always worked to both. We will continue to work to the GAOTU and to the perfection of humanity as we have done for more than 100 years. The Constitution allows us to practise our (British) form of Masonry using rituals approved over the years by our Supreme Council. The British Federation's General Regulations contain unchanged Principles, as laid down by our founder Annie Besant, that "affirm the existence of a Creative Principle, under the title of the GAOTU and the maintenance of the open VSL in every Lodge". These Principles, incidentally, are no different from those previously affirmed by what is now the Eastern Order of International Co-Freemasonry and I would be surprised if they have changed them.We haven't
· Asserting the existence of a Creative Principle means that the British Federation asserts there is a plan for this planet and humanity that occupies it. We are free from dogma (another statement in our Constitution) and do not attempt to define who or what devised and implemented that plan. Individuals will have or will arrive at their own definitions. Without defining what He, She or It might be, we ascribe the title of TGAOTU and our obligations are taken on the volume(s) of the sacred lore. I say volume(s) because, whilst invariably it is the Bible, some faiths do not recognise that so an alternative would be used, such as the Koran.
· We have not changed anything in our rituals and, contrary to some claims, there are no plans - and there have never been any plans -to change them.
· All rituals approved for use in the British Federation either are the same as, or like our Lauderdale ritual, are more complex versions of those in use with United Grand Lodge of England, Grand Lodge of Scotland or Grand Lodge of Ireland.
· In Britain, we work the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite with degrees from 1° to 33° and we also work the allied degrees of Mark, Royal Ark Mariner, Holy Royal Arch and Knights Templar (the latter professing the Christian faith). None of these rituals has been, or will be, changed to delete or omit reference to the GAOTU.
· It is correct that some Federations within our Order, particularly but not exclusively those in Europe, work to the perfection of humanity and not to the GAOTU. As you will have seen from the above, Federations may work to either or to both, as the International Constitution permits them to do.
· The International Order of Co-Freemasonry Le Droit Humain has its own Supreme Council and does not derive its authority from the Grand Orient of France or any other body.
· The International Order of Co-Freemasonry is not French. It happens to have been founded in France, and the international headquarters are in Paris, but there are over 60 member countries and the Grand Master is Icelandic.


Everyone is welcome to visit our website at www.droit-humain.org/uk

Fraternal greetings.

Brian Roberts 33°
Grand Commander
British Federation

[whistler]

Hubert,
I posted this topic as it seems to nicely explain some of the queries some non Co-masons wonder with regard to ritual used.

Best Regards

[ingo]

Whistler and Hubert,
I do not understand the struggle between LDH and EO either.... What is the problem?

Best fraternal regards from the other side of the world

[corab]

Ingo,

ingo said:

Whistler and Hubert,
I do not understand the struggle between LDH and EO either.... What is the problem?

I am not aware of any struggle with the Eastern Order, however I do know the British Federation does not recognise Grand Lodge of Freemasonry for Men and Women - in Brian's words:-

The Grand Lodge of Freemasonry for Men and Women did not break away from LDH. It was formed by, amongst others, four senior members who were expelled from LDH, after their expulsions. We therefore regard it as a clandestine organisation and do not recognise it. Please also see my posting at 3471.
Brian Roberts
Grand Commander
British Federation
The International Order of Co-Freemasonry
Le Droit Humain

Hope that helps,

Cora

[Hubert (N. Z.)]

There is as such no struggle between The Eastern Order, and LDH.
Those that belong to the Eastern Order were all LDH originally, but separated from it in 2000, when certain proposed rule changes were mooted that would have changed the 100 yr old methods by which we had opperated.
Possibly because of that action many of those changes did not then proceed.
However I hear rumblings that they are again being discussed~ i cannot verify this as I no longer belong to LDH.
To all intent and purposes both groups follow the same Rituals, degrees etc, save that in the Estern Order, Each FEDERATION (country) has one vote on the national body, whereas in LDH
votes are held by the 33rd degree Officers, of which France outnumber the rest of the world, so whatever they want they get!
Another irritation, with LDH, is that that the regular 5 yearly International governing conventions are always held in Paris, and if you don't speak French, you don't get to put your view, or have informed discussion of what the french speakers are saying. So how could one vote with any understanding?

cheers, Hubert, who does speak french & has attended an International convention in Paris, even from little old New Zealand.

[jmd]

Looking at it from the outside, it seems to me that the key factors that were at odds are that, on the one hand, French Freemasonry appears to be very affected by two currents (the liberal and secular in the first place, and the Guénonian in the second), and on the other hand, English Co-Freemasonry (especially) appears to be affected by likewise two currents (Besant & the Theosophical Society in the first instance, and Leadbeaterian views in the second).

For instance, there was for a long time an image claimed to be of an ascended master (à la TS) hanging within a LDH Lodge of Co-Freemasonry in Melbourne. This has, since the episode referred to, been removed. Such an image is just plain totally against the predominant impulse of LDH as it works out of Paris, but quite consistant with the views of Leadbeater and Besant.

Another is the wording of some of the 'Adyar' rituals used in English speaking Co-Freemasonry, and even the set-up of the Temple - quite distinct and different to French workings.

One of the forces that LDH in Paris has had to face (or so it seems to me - again working from outside) is for a consistent approach and direction across its various international Lodges. By LDH being a partner in a confraternity of other French GLs, it has, as other GLs within the confederation, had to face various questions and thereby provide answers as to how it works.

I suspect that these are some of the various workings that have impacted on the overall strain of various 'local' orients (in India, N.Z., etc).

_____

It is interesting (to me at least!) that a note I had only recently sent to another forum brother is precisely how useful it would be to be able to discuss some quite sensitive and deeply felt issues of influence of Freemasonry - including the impact of such characters as Leadbeater and Guénon.

To be able to discuss these, however, knowing it would undoubtedly be touching quite raw areas for some, really requires a strong Forum able to handle differences of opinions without locking threads. Such, given more recent decisions regarding the Masonic qualifications of women in general, appears to continue to at this stage be beyond our range.

[Hubert (N. Z.)]

Thanks, jmd, for that succinct analysis of the situation.
Whilst the new (1997) Grand Master Nordur Njardvik of Iceland had ideals of standardising the ritual & workings, most of the Commonwealth members were rather fond of the Besant/Leadbeater workings, which had been sactioned for over 100 years.
That was only part of the changes, together with the way Europe in particular imposed their requirements. EG correspondence sent out late to this part of the world and then only in French.
That is all now history and we continue to work in our own individual ways, with the hope that one day we ~ Men & mixed will ALL be united.

Cheers, hubert

[ingo]

Hubert
We will be united when we can meet each other in every lodge we want to.