The Great East of France

The Grand the East of France ( GODF ) is a maconnic Obédience known as liberal , or adogmatic, because it has as a principle the absolute freedom of conscience and thus does not impose belief in its members. She is opposed in that to the freemasonry of the English branch which imposes the belief in a god and the precepts known as of regularity created by the Plain Big room of England in 1929.

History

It was born in 1773 from the transformation from the '' Big room from France '' from the time.

It is frequent of reading that the freemasons actively prepared the revolution of 1789, which accredits already the idea of the plot. The truth is that there was in all the camps. However the cabins have by their operation in the former years, taken a certain independence screw-with screw of the State and Church, which probably facilitated the blossoming of new aspirations. The Grand Lodge of France of France contrary with fire the Big room of France, elects his Officers democratically, which will cause the departure of many Freemasons and the creation of a transitory Big room of Clermont. Among the active freemasons of the revolutionary age let us quote Mirabeau, Choderlos de Laclos. The national anthem " Marseillaise" was composed besides by a freemason: Mullet of Isle.

In 1785, Fleury Mesplet is established in Montreal and founds cabins with the service of the Great East. January 5th, 1792 the Grand Lodge of France of France publicly approves the Revolution in progress, which does not mean therefore an adhesion of the totality of its members to this political upheaval, institutional and social major of the French history. Indeed, during Terror the GODF was put in sleep of 1793 to 1796. Rare are the workshops which maintained an activity during this period.

Starting from the coup d'etat of Bonaparte the 18 Brumaire, freemasonry will live 15 years extraordinary, by multiplying the cabins. Bonaparte includes/understands all the benefit which it will be able to draw from a flexible masonry. It invests this one with right-hand men, and this maconnic expansion will result in a servility without fault. Roettiers of Montaleau and Cambacérès were the talented craftsmen of this setting to the step.

However continuous masonry even controlled to carry (in all Europe) the philosophical values resulting from the Age of Enlightenment. The Grand Lodge of France is invested by all that counts as a policy, family of Bonaparte, marshals, generals, ministers and civils servant. The number of the Cabins passes from 300 to 1220 in 10 years (1814) the fall of Napoleon involved that of freemasonry. The freemasons showed in the years which followed, political opportunism.

Since 1877, date on which - on a report/ratio of Pasteur Frederic Desmons (1832-1909) relative to an emanating wish of a cabin of Villefranche-sur-Saône - was removed of its constitution the sentence Freemasonry has as a principle the existence of God and the immortality of the heart , the Great East of France is placed as a leader of Freemasonry " libérale" or " adogmatique". The Plain Big room of England which still does not recognize this principle of " Absolute freedom of conscience" reject this incipient liberal masonry. The discussion on the Regularity does nothing but start.

In 1913, some cabins wanting to return to a maconnic practice obligatorily theist leave the Great East and create the French national Big room (GLNF) under the name of National Big room Independent of France and the Colonies.

During the Second world war, Freemasons of the Great East of France engaged in resistance, in particular in the network Patriam Recuperare and in various movements. In same time, the Régime of Vichy persecuted the freemasons severely. The GO lost the majority of its members there. Among them Jean Zay, Pierre Brossolette. With the Release the GODF counted less than 7000 Members. They were 30.000 in 1939. For a few years, manpower of the Great East of France have progressed much: its members passed from 30.000 (1990) to roughly 45.000 (2005) for approximately 1080 cabins.

Since 2004, members of the direction of the GODF between-tear on questions of identity, of liturgy, power struggles and supposed distributions of public benefit. The democratic and autonomous structure of the GODF protects and saves the majority of the cabins " basic " , which continues to work peacefully.

Principles

Thus, the Great East of France occupies an original position in the world Franc-Maçonnerie on three particular points:

  • its refusal to require an unspecified belief, in particular in a God revealed (what does not mean absolutely the obligation of atheism)
  • his attachment with the Laïcité
  • its republican values and social

As a maconnic obedience, the Great East of France is a federation of cabins which constitute the basic structures of association. It is an association which gives itself for principle the respect of a Tradition inherited the founders of Freemasonry as well as the research of progress and states to work for the improvement of the Man and the Company.

As for Freemasonry in general, the GODF practices the passage of the world " layman " in the world maconnic by " Initiation". Thus initiated, the layman becomes " apprenti" , first degree of a course towards the 2 other following ranks: Companion, and Master. The work method suggested to the masons is original and facilitates individual and collective work. The respect of the tradition goes hand in hand with the futurology, and the symbolism of ritual is supposed to bring other manners of perceiving the world. Most known of these symbols are: the square, the compass and the rule which return the masons to values elementary symbolic systems facilitating philosophical research as far as the search for a better humanity. This method symbolic system takes strictly personal ways, which can make believe - wrongly - that it cultivates a doubtful secrecy. The followers of the great East of France declare that the research of progress is an engine in their reflections and their actions, so much so that this principle appears in their constitution.

The Great East of France sets up thus in a defender of the principles contained in his currency which is also that of the Republic: “Freedom, Equality, Fraternity”. The masons of the Great East of France declare being attached to the absolute freedom of conscience, which they regard as guarantees by the secularity of the institutions. Whoever professes racist, xenophobe opinions or is declared in favor of totalitarian modes cannot be received to the Grand Lodge of France de France. The seat of GODF is 16, rue Cadet in the 9th district of Paris.

Constitution

Article First

Freemasonry, institution primarily philanthropic, philosophical and progressive, has as an aim the research of the truth, the study of morals and the practice of solidarity; she works with the material and moral improvement, with the intellectual and social improvement of humanity.

She has as a principle the mutual tolerance, the respect of the others and oneself even, the absolute freedom of conscience.

Regarding the designs metaphysics as exclusive field of the individual appreciation of its members, she refuses with any dogmatic assertion. She has as a currency: Freedom, Equality, Fraternity.

Large-Masters

source: '' Quid '' (consulted 3/14/2007)

Practical of the “high ranks maconnic”

August 1st Within the Great East of France, the management of the High ranks maconnic is entrusted to a named particular structure “Large College of the Rites”.

With the Scottish Rite old and accepted, in the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council of the Great East of France, one initiates with 4th and 14th ranks in Cabin of Perfection, then directly with 18th, then 30ème (which constitutes the highest initiation, the 31,32 and 33 èmes ranks being known as " administratifs").

Appendices

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