Saturday, March 04, 2006

Renounce the Rose Cross of Gold or face banishment, says the Grand Lodge of Georgia


On October 26, 2005 certified letters demanding renunciation of association with the Rite of the Rose Cross of Gold went out from the Grand Lodge of Georgia to Georgia Masons who were known members of the RRCG. [Click on the image to the left to enlarge, then click on the enlargement to make it big enough to read]. The membership list of the RRCG had been given to the Grand Lodge of Georgia in good faith, and with the assurance that the list would never be used as a means of enabling a pogrom or witchhunt against the members. Two members of the RRCG renounced their affiliation and maintained their status in their Blue Lodges; the rest of the RRCG brothers refused to sign, and by the first of the year, their names were simply stricken from the rolls of their regular Blue Lodges at the order of the Grand Lodge, with no opportunity for them to speak in their own defense. These men treated with such disrespect were not non-attending Masons; most of the RRCG men were also active members or even officers of their lodges.

The right to a Masonic trial was not allowed these good Brothers. Their names and their Masonic histories simply went down an Orwellian memory hole.

A second round of letters began arriving in mailboxes of Georgia Masons who are suspected members or associated with the RRCG on March 1, 2006.

The text of the Grand Master's Edict 2005-1 is as follows:
Edict 2005-1

Any organization(s) within the State of Georgia (to include any Internet organization(s)), or individual members or affiliates of said organization(s), purporting to be Masonic or purporting to confer or exemplify any type or resemblance to a present or ancient Masonic degree or degrees, that is (are) not recognized or accepted by this Grand Lodge is (are) hereby declared clandestine.

So ordered this 30th day of July, 2005.

s/ Albert F. Garner, Grand Master
Please note that in Freemasonry, as in most disciplines, certain words have specific meanings. In Freemasonry, traditionally a "clandestine" organization means a group of people who aren't, but claim to be, Free-Masons, that meets in secret for some nefarious purpose such as political or religious subversion. These groups are not Masonic and have the potential to be dangerous.

The Rite of the Rose Cross of Gold is a voluntary organization composed of regular Masons who seek further Masonic education than is offered through Georgia's Blue Lodges, or in the York or Scottish Rite.

Declaring something "clandestine" is simply playing games with words. Calling a group of regular Masons "clandestine" doesn't make them clandestine any more than calling an apple an orange makes it an orange. But apparently in the 21st century, the word clandestine is being used as a synonym for "heretic."

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12 comments:

  1. The Gradn Lodge of Georgia surrended its authority to the Supreme Council in Washington. What happpened to those young men is a disgrace to Georgia Masonry.

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  2. Amen! The Supreme Council in Washington aka Scottish Rite is controlling Grand Lodge bodies all across North America. Ask yourself this question; Why were SGIG's from the Supreme Council in attendence at the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America last month? No one was allowed to attend except Grand Masters so why was the Scottish Rite SGIG's there? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm???

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  3. Are you saying that you believe Scottish Rite doesn't want any competition, and, being powerful enough to influence Grand Lodges, has pushed this issue in order to scare people away from the RRCG? Just want to be clear. Thanks.

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  4. I would say that, yes, the SC in Washington DC doesn't want ANY US GL to allow their members to join any other degree granting body. Look at the Grand College of Rites: one of its AVOWED purposes is to maintain the rituals of so-called defunct or extinct Rites, in order to prevent them from being revived by anyone. Many members of the GCR are 33rd degree AASR members, who have sworn an oath to the SC that they will not countenance any Body that puports to give degrees of a higher number than the AASR. For example, Memphis -Misraim. Never mind the fact that there is no legitimate explanation for how the 25 degree Rite of Perfection gained an additional 8 degrees . . . Etienne Morin transmitted 25, not 33.

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  5. Actually, the Conference of Grand Masters was not limited to just GMs. Even unrecognized Masons were in attendance for some of the meetings.
    At least one SGIG was in attendance because he has a committee position as a PGM.

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  6. You are correct that words have specfic meanings in specific contexts, especially in Freemasonry. It is therefore, important to make clear that "clandestine" in a Masonic sense does not mean what you say it does.

    It means "not legal". Or, as Mackey put it in his Lexicon of Freemasonry (1869), "A body of Masons uniting in a lodge without the consent of a Grand Lodge, or although originally legally constituted, continuing to work after its charter has been revoked, is styled a 'Clandestine Lodge' and its members are called 'Clandestine Masons.' With clandestine lodges or Masons, regular Masons are forbidden to associate, or converse on masonic subjects."

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  7. Obviously the United Grand Lodge of America disagrees with Bro. Mackey's interpretation, and as a Grand Lodge they have the authority to interpret Masonic language as they feel most accurately represents its true and intended purpose.

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  8. Actually, Mackey's usage was correct in the 19th century when he wrote his Lexicon, but recent reseach from both London and the Netherlands indicates that the original Grand Lodge of London (1717) used the term 'clandestine' quite literally to mean 'hidden' or 'secret' and usually assocaited with some form of subversion. It appears that many of the early lodges were involved in political and/or religious intrigues, and that to keep from being imrisioned by the Crown, the Grand Lodge officers of the Grand Lodge of London determined these lodges to be "clandestine." From a historical perspective the UGLA is much more accurate than Mackey.

    The situation that took place recently Georgia is an abuse of power and authority by the Grand Master. He declared the brothers to be "clandestine made Masons" which is an absurdity. All of the brothers in question were either raised in lodges under his juridiction or had transferred from other jurisidctions recognized by the Grand Lodge of Georgia. It is equally as absurd to declare an appendant/concordant body to be clandestine, even by Mackey's definition. As all Masons know, appendant and concordant bodies don't make Masons.

    The brothers in Geogria were railroaded by a political coup led by Albert Garner, Clarence Horne, Ed Tante and Leonard Buffington. I have no doubt that the Supreme's Council's hand are dirty with this affair as well.

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  9. These Grand Lodges act the same all over.. I talked to the senoir grand warden from PA. last year and he and some of his officers seemed to understand the problems in masonry today. The main question I have is this.. how can we accept men of all faiths but not men of all masonic practices?
    sounds backwards to me?
    hypocritical to say the least.. And I'm sure the grand officers from Ga. won't respond to an educated articulate free thinking man like jeff peace. The grand lodge officers usually are'nt the brightest bulb in the bacth.
    Small minded men in control of a huge organization.
    Bad mix and bad Karma.

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  10. Dear Brother,

    You might wish to investigate what happened to Bro. Matthew Dupee. The court found in his favor...wink!

    S&F

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  11. Mr. Anonymous,

    Please enlighten us as to the issues surrounding the case of Matthew Dupee.

    —Widow's Son

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