FREEMASONRY IN THE SOUTH.

I. SWITZERLAND.

Between the years 1785 and 1789, the credit of the Grand Orient of France seemed to be in the ascendant, and several Lodges in French Switzerland joined it, as for instance Carouge, Nyon, &c., but more especially ten from Geneva, because of the divisions which had manifested themselves in 1786 in the Grand Lodge there. Those seven which remained faithful to the English Rite, formed an independent Grand Orient de Genève1 independent of the London Grand Lodge. Almost simultaneously those Lodges of the Waadtland which, in 1782, had been repressed by the Government of Berne, recommenced operations, and with them, too, the Directoire Helv. Roman.

Political events, here as elsewhere, crippled the energies of Freemasonry. The meetings were less numerously attended, many Lodges formally discontinued their operations, and others ceased for want of sympathy. Under such circumstances as these, there was nothing left for the Directoire Helv. Roman to do but to suspend their work in 1792; and the Scottish Directory, under which

1 See Asträa, 1849. The lecture of Zschokke. Rebold, Histoire, Page 187, &c. Latomia, Vol. V. Page 176, &c., and Lenning Encycl.

only the Lodge Modestia in Zurich worked, followed their example in 1793.

Thus then all Masonic life in the whole of the Confederation of the period was completely extinguished, and remained thus during the whole of those stormy years between 1793-1803. In Geneva a few Lodges worked on uninterruptedly, as did also the Lodge la bonne Harmonie in Neuenburg, which worked under the Grand Lodge “zu den drei Weltkugeln" in Berlin.

I

Scarcely had the agitated waves of the Revolution abated somewhat of their fury, when the consecrated halls of the Brethren of the Royal Art were reopened; and in that very place whence in the last century persecutions had perpetually commenced viz. in Bern. The reason of this is most likely that during the occupation of Switzerland by foreign troops, some French officers founded three Lodges. Thus in 1803 the Lodge "zur Hoffnung" was formed in Bern, under a French constitution, the members of which rapidly increased, so that in 1805 she was joined by one of those Lodges founded by French officers. In the same year, the Lodge Amitié et Persévérance was consecrated at Lausanne.

When the principality of Neuenburg and the republic of Geneva were ceded to France, the Grand Lodge of Geneva ceased to exist, and the whole of the Lodges had to place themselves under the Grand Orient de France, which founded new Lodges in Locle, Lyon, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne, and Solothurn. Besides these there were several in Waadtland, which had been formed without having any regular constitution, and on this account were not recognised; these therefore joyfully accepted the proposál made to them in 1810 by the Lodge Amitié et Persévérance in Lausanne to erect an independent Grand Orient, with the name of Grand Orient National Helvétique Roman. The rectified Scottish system of this com

1 Asträa for 1856. Page 187. &c.

munity was a new one, which had been elaborated by Br. Maurice Glaire, and the only one which ever had a Swiss for its author.1

Peter Maurice Glaire, born in 1743, and distinguished for the most splendid gifts of intellect, had in 1764 arrived at the court of King Stanisl. Poniatowski in Poland, where he soon became his most intimate friend. While Stanislaus was king, he confided to Glaire his most important diplomatic missions to Petersburg, Berlin, Vienna, and Versailles. To Freemasonry in Poland Glaire held out a helping hand, for he assembled the brethren, and with them he constructed a modified Scottish Rite, having seven degrees, all of a moral tendency. In 1788, on his return to his native town, he was appointed to the highest offices in his Canton, and subsequently to the executive directory of his native country. In Paris, in which capital he had formerly occupied the post of ambassador, he once more defended the rights of Switzerland from the aggressions of the first Consul. When in 1819 Masonry awoke to new life in Waadtland, he, then at the age of 67, founded with others likeminded with himself the Grand Orient Helv. Roman, which adopted his Rite and bestowed on him the dignity of Grand Master, first of all for three years, then in 1813 for life. He died May 29, 1819.

In 1809, the Lodge of "Vollkommene Freundschaft" in Basel was once more in active operation, and in 1811 joined the Lodge of "Freundschaft und Beständigkeit", which worked under a French constitution. In 1811, there arose again in Basel the Directory of the rectified Scotch Masonry and received the constitution and the records of the Lodge in Zurich, which had ceased to exist in 1773. The Swiss governor, Br. Peter Burkhard, was made Grand Master. By degrees several Lodges in German

1 Lenning writes, (after "Akazienblüthen", &c.) Glayre, Rebold Glaire and Zschokke, L. c. Glaise, which must be a fault of the press.

Switzerland placed themselves under this directory, first the Lodge "Modestia cum Libertate", re-opened in Zurich in 1811, and the newly founded one of "Wilhelm Tell" in Aarau, which, however, in consequence of the war, was necessitated to close its temple in 1812, but which, under the appellation of "zur Brudertreue" again arose in 1815.

Many brethren of various Orients in Switzerland ardently longed for a union of the Swiss Lodges, and sometimes this wish was expressed in propositions for a general Widows' and Orphans' Fund, and sometimes in agitating the propriety of a general fund for the support of poor but talented young men. An attempt made in 1812 to unite all the Lodges in Switzerland under one superior body, was shipwrecked owing to the obstinacy of the Scottish Directory, which made the acceptation of the rectified Scotch Rite the irrevocable condition of an annexation. The Lodge "zur Hoffnung" in Berne would not agree to this, for she found this system opposed to the pure, unadulterated teaching of the Brotherhood, and their constitution unfavorable to liberty. After the political transformation France had undergone, the Grand Orient there gave up her affiliation with foreign Lodges, and the Brethren in 1816 considered it advisable to repeat their attempts to bring about a union, and were indeed even prepared to accept the Scottish Rite, it the Swiss Directory, who in the place of the Grand Master (deceased) had elected in 1817 Br. Casp. Ott, and had in 1818 removed to Zürich, declared their complete independence of foreign jurisdiction. Under these circumstances the Lodge "zur Hoffnung", which was almost entirely isolated, turned to England in 1818, and received from the Grand Lodge there not only a constitution but also a warrant to constitute herself an English Provincial Grand Lodge. Br. Peter Ludw. von Tavel of Kruvningen was installed as Prov. Grand Master in 1819. In 1820 19 Lodges were working in Switzerland, some under the Scotch Directory, or else under the Grand Orient Helvét. Roman, some

under the English Provincial Grand Lodge, and others under the Grand Orient of France; two of these Lodges soon united themselves into one. In 1821, the masonic. swindlers the brothers Bedarride travelled through Switzerland, to smuggle in their Rite Misraim with its go degrees, and actually founded two Lodges in Geneva and Lausanne, declared by the Grand Orient Helvét. Roman to be irregularly constituted. In consequence disputes arose in the Grand Orient, and it came out that unfortunately the Grand Master Bergier himself had been initiated into these 90 degrees. 1 He declared the Grand Orient to be dissolved, and sought to appropriate to himself the power they had enjoyed, whereupon the Grand Orient had recourse to the English Provincial Grand Lodge in Berne, who joyfully seized this as a pretext for laying the foundation of an independent Grand Lodge of Switzerland. But on the other hand, after the death of the Grand Master R. Ott, the Scottish Directory in Zurich, wishing to preserve to herself certain privileges and her present system of working, declared itself against this proposal. However, in 1822, a treaty of union was agreed upon between the Grand Orient Helvét. Roman and the English Provincial Grand Lodge, in consequence of which both communities were dissolved, and became blended into one Grand Lodge of Switzerland, which then declared itself independent: it worked according to the ritual of the Grand Lodge of England, and refused to acknowledge the High Degrees, but tolerated all systems. Br. von

Tavel was elected Grand Master for life. This Grand Lodge was only founded by eight Lodges, but she received additional strength, as many Lodges in western Switzerland joined her, and new ones were formed.

"Silently and undisturbed", says Br. Zschokke, “did these Swiss Lodges continue to work till about 1829. But

1 See Asträa 1850, Page 186 and 207 etc. Latomia. Vol. V Page 178. Rebold Histoire Page 190.