Lodgeroom International Magazine Volume 2 - Issue 4 - April 2007 brought to you by Lodgeroom International Magazine Between The Pillars An Editorial Lodgeroom Let’s Talk About International the Other Freemasonry Magazine of the Masonic world considers the Grande Oriente Published by: William McElligott, P.M., United Grand Lodge of England d’Italia to be regular and the R. Theron Dunn, Grande Loggia Regolare d’Italia Grand Lodge of California to be irregular. By. R. Theron Dunn Due and timely notice: Regularity then is an enigma, Neither the editors, publishers or writers of this magazine This month, Lodgeroom wrapped in a conundrum, represent themselves as speaking FOR any Grand Lodge International Magazine surrounded by a puzzle. We all or official Masonic body. The material presented in this examines Regularity, use the same standards for publication is intended solely for informational purposes. what it is, what it takes, determining regularity, but they are applied The opinions presented herein are solely those of the and examines several differently, and sometimes for political purposes. authors, editors and publishers unless otherwise noted. groups that are considered In case of Italy, Grande Oriente d’Italia is the irregular. In providing the oldest Grand Lodge, but it was recognized by Questions or Comments: [email protected] information on these pages, the Lodgeroom UGLE in 1972 only, then UGLE in 1993 International Magazine takes no position on the withdrew recognition, extending it to the Grande regularity, or irregularity, of the lodges Loggia Regolare d’Italia, a relatively new grand Volume 2 - Issue 4 - April 2007 considered. That is an issue best handled by your lodge. Featured Articles Grand Lodge Committee on Regularity. United Grand Lodge of America .............................3 As a result of these two issues, arising as they did Interview with Aaron Peevey, Grand Master, By providing information on these pages, we are so close together, that we chose to dedicate the United Grand Lodge of America ....................3 not supporting the claims, statements or positions April issue to an examination of differences in what The Aims and Relationships of the reported here. The information offered is is considered regular. This month, we look at a Craft Freemasonry - RGLE ...........................4 unfiltered, and is, in most cases, taken directly very controversial new lodge, the United Grand The Commission on Information on Recognition from papers and web sites promulgated by the Lodge of America, and include an interview with Report of the 2006 Finding ............................5 various groups. This has been done deliberately, Grand Master Aaron Peevey, the first Grand Master About The Commission ..................................5 to allow you, our readers, to interpret as you will, of the United Grand Lodge of America. The Standards of Recognition ........................5 and so as not to insult, demean, degrade, or wrong UGLE Position Statement Regarding Women and Co-ed Masonry ........................................6 any person or group. We also look at the Regular Grand Lodge of The History of Women’s Freemasonry ..................6 England, the Grande Oriente de France, the issue Fringe Masonry 1870-1885 By Ellic Howe ................. 7 Regularity is a very sensitive issue, obviously so. of the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy and Grande Determining Recognition ........................................7 In our January issue, we took a look at Prince Oriente d’Italia, Le Droit Humaine and the Hon. Miss St. Leger and Freemasonry .................15 Hall Masonry, which is, for the most part, History of Women’s Masonry, and the Most The Moderns and the Antients ..............................16 considered regular by all Grand Lodges... with Worshipful National Grand Lodge Free and The Premier Grand Assembly of the exception of 12 Grand Lodges in the southern Accepted Ancient York Masons Prince Hall English Freemasons 1705 .............................16 parts of the United States. Prince Hall is regular Organization - National Compact U.S.A. Regular Grand Lodge Of England .......................17 RGLE Responds To UGLE on Regularity ...........17 freemasonry in every sense... or is it? After Grande Oriente De France....................................18 publishing the January issue, we were contacted LRIM offers no editorial comment on these History of the Relationship of the Grand by Most Worshipful Cedric Lewis, Grand Master systems. In all cases, information on each system Lodge of the District of Columbia of the M.W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge of is offered in the words of the group in question, with Masonic Grand Bodies in France Mississippi, noting that we had not covered the and it is left to the reader to make his own By Paul Bessel ......................................................... 18 Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge Free and judgements. Included in this issue is information Grande Oriente D’Italia ........................................19 Accepted Ancient York Masons Prince Hall from the National Committee on Recognition, a UGLE Statement on External Relations ..............19 Organization - National Compact U.S.A. grand master’s committee that examines issues of National Compact Grand Lodge...........................19 regularity and offers recommendations to the Grand Regular Features As we were researching this, we were asked if Masters and Grand Lodges upon request. And of Between The Pillars .................................................2 the Grand Lodges in the United States consider course, no examination of Regularity would be Tim Bryce On... the Grande Oriente d’Italia or the Regular Grand complete without looking at the standards for Montana 3-7-77 ...............................................8 Lodge of Italy to be regular and in amity. This recognition used by the Committee on Recognition Featured Publication - Masonic Magazine...........13 magazine does not speak to the issue of regularity, and by the United Grand Lodge of England. Other Masonic Publications ..................................14 that is up to each grand lodge to determine. Masonic Humor .....................................................34 Recognition of these two Grand Lodges is split. As always, if you have any comments, please send The Last Word .......................................................66 The United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand them to me via [email protected]. I will To Receive this Magazine every month free: Lodge of Scotland, and the Grand Lodge of publish the comments starting in the May issue http://www.lodgeroomuk.net//phplists/ Ireland, as of this writing, consider the Grande unless you tell me otherwise, and please, pass public_html/lists/ Loggia Regolare d’Italia to be regular and the this magazine on to anyone you think would be Grande Oriente d’Ialia to be irregular. The REST interested, its offered free for the benefit of freemasonry worldwide. 2 Freemasonry: Its not about me changing them, Its about me changing me. 2 Lodgeroom International Magazine and that no institution can judge this sublime act of the Creator. Every man and Free-Mason must be judged by his own individual merits as a brother and a fellow human being. Our vision of the future is the brotherhood of all humankind, and we strive to exemplify this ideal before all of humanity. United Grand Lodge of America The United Grand Lodge of America was founded on December 27th, 2005 and “...man conceives a human character much more stable than his own, and sees that there is constituted in 2006 by Masonic representatives no reason why he should not himself acquire such a character. Thus he is led to seek for from several states who perceived an urgent means which will bring him to this pitch of perfection, and calls everything which will need to return to the ideological roots of the serve as such means a true good. The chief good is that he should arrive, together with Craft. other individuals if possible, at the possession of the aforesaid character. What that character is we shall show in due time, namely, that it is the knowledge of the union existing being the Statement of Purpose mind and the whole of nature. These are the beliefs to which we strive: 1. The Universal Brotherhood of Humankind. This, then, is the end for which I strive, to attain to such a character myself, and to endeavor 2. The Spiritual Nature of Humanity. that many should attain to it with me. In other words, it is part of my happiness to lend a 3. The Knowledge to Further Human helping hand, that many others may understand even as I do, so that their understanding Understanding. and desire may entirely agree with my own. In order to bring this about, it is necessary to 4. The Inalienable Rights of All Humankind. understand as much of nature as will enable us to attain to the aforesaid character, and also to form a social order such as is most conducive to the attainment of this character by the Mission greatest number with the least difficulty and danger.” Free-Masonry is a doorway through which one —Benedict Spinoza can pass that leads to a Speculative Science that teaches a Peculiar System of Morality The United Grand Lodge of America of Accepted Free-Masons represents a return to the principles through the use of allegory and symbol. This, of the Grand Lodge of 1717 and the true spirit of “Modern” Speculative Free-Masonry. It is an however, is not its ultimate aim. A man who assembly of sovereign Lodges composed of