November continues to be the month for Masonic revolution, apparently.On November 21st, it was announced that St. John's Lodge in Dayton, Ohio had been formed as a new member of a group calling itself the Grand Lodge of All England (which should not be confused with the United Grand Lodge of England). The Grand Lodge of All England, in spite of its claims of great antiquity, appeared in 2005.
Their website is registered by someone named Daniel Scherr, who also shows up around the web as a member of Morning Star Lodge #38, of the Most Worshipful Benevolent Grand Lodge of Ohio, Inc. The MWBGLofO, Inc. is unrecognized and considered to be a "bogus" GL by MW Prince Hall Afiliated GLs. (Not my term, it comes from the Phylaxis Society's Commission on Bogus Practices).
As a side note, several years ago, someone named Dan Scherr listed himself as a member of something called Eureka Grand Lodge, which is a Prince Hall Origin (formerly National Compact) GL, also considered bogus by PHA GLs (as all PHO GLs are). If you think mainstream recognition gets complex, you haven't lived until you start digging into Prince Hall history from the 1800s.
My apologies if, due to the vagaries of the Internet, I have erroneously associated two different Daniel Scherrs with this story.
The Grand Lodge of All England was reponed according to Masonic law in an act of constitutional restitution which is protected by English Law and Acts of Parliament. It works under the Charter of York (926 A.D.) and the original Constitutions of Masonrie which remain extant. It is, therefore the original Ancient and Honourable Society and Fraternity of Freemasons meeting since time immemorial in the City of York and is registered as such with all legal authorities here in England.
ReplyDeleteWe are very fortunate and extremely proud to have Brother Daniel Scherr as the first Master of St John's Lodge at Ohio.
Peter Clatworthy
Grand Secretary
Grand Lodge of All England
www.grandlodgeofallengland.org
Great News --growth of Free Masonry..
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that all of those who are members of larger Masonic bodies always call the smaller once "fake" or "bogus". Sound like the new Pope speaking of non Catholic Christians...
No matter, the average age of the larger bodies is almost 80 years old and more and more young masons are forming their own Lodges...
The sands of the hour glass will not be stopped for the large masonic bodies.
Free Mason
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI loved your book...
Thanks
M.A.
My congratulations and best wishes to the new lodge. I hope and pray that they are able to continue to work in a manner best fitting to their needs as Masons.
ReplyDeleteI toast to their success.
Brandt
Yes, congrats Brothers. All the best
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIts great to hear of success. Bro. Peter I wish the Lodge in Dayton well and hope the Grand Lodge of All England will flourish here in the states. Craft Masonry is a breath of fresh air badly needed.
ReplyDeleteI'm rather tired of the name calling from the American system.
Dear Brothers,
ReplyDeleteYes, as you have read I have belonged to other Grand Lodges in my Masonic lifetime, but like most young men being brought to light we know or understand very little of legitimacy, regularity or recognition. I have tried to continually improve myself Masonically and to such ends I believe that the Grand Lodge of All England holds to a higher standard that is much more in line with our ancestors traditional practices. I do not weigh the legitimacy or regularity of one Lodge versus another. A good Brother is a good Brother. I simply am pursuing a course that feeds my Masonic hunger. I hope that by opening a traditional Anglo-Saxon Lodge here in the United States many other individuals will get to enjoy the rich tradition that we as Masons all share.
Sincerely,
Brother Daniel Scherr
QUOTE (Brother Daniel Scherr)
ReplyDeleteYes, as you have read I have belonged to other Grand Lodges in my Masonic lifetime, but like most young men being brought to light we know or understand very little of legitimacy, regularity or recognition.
UNQUOTE
Mr. (or possibly Brother) Scherr,
Freemasonry, if we are to believe historical accounts and Masonic Tradition, has at its very foundation the question of "recognition". Why would we have signs, words and tokens if this were not true. If you know or understand little of these issues does not change this fact.
The ancient operatives relied on these modes of recognition to insure their livelihood. We, as speculative Masons are not in so critical a position. But, just as a stone mason who traveled to a foreign country to assist in building the great castles and cathedrals was required to prove himself a brother to the master, so should a 21st century Freemason be willing to be tried and proven a regular Mason.
The Masonic succession has not always been a perfect one, but it is, arguably, one that is accepted by the vast majority of Masons and their Grand Lodges across the world. That is not insignificant and needs to be addressed by anyone claiming the mantle of a Freemason.
You stated, "A good Brother is a good Brother." True enough. A simple statement that would seem to require a simple acceptance. What makes it complicated is the question, "How shall I know you to be a Mason?"
George the 3rd
George 3
ReplyDeleteThe answer is on our website my Brother. It's free, and you are most welcome to access and read it at any time.
www.grandlodgeofallengland.org
We try to keep it up to date, interesting and educative and from your question I feel sure that you will benefit from the experience.
S&f
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDear George the 3rd,
ReplyDeleteI see your point. So let me first say that I did not mean to minimize the very necessary modes of recognition with such a simple statement. When I said a good Brother is a good Brother, I thought those things would just be assumed. When I comment on recognition, I am not speaking of the actual process of one Brother trying and verifying another, but rather the political and or public side of the issue. I am sure you can appreciate the situation of which I am speaking. The verbal recognition of one Lodge towards another does not make that Lodge or any of its members automatically regular. Yet it seems to happen all the time here in the States. Just because on one website someone claims that someone else is legitimate, that is good enough. There is no real trial or examination going on. It is a power move to either minimize one Lodge or jurisdiction, or expand the same. All I was saying is that on a one to one basis I will qualify a Brother. It does not matter to me which internet site has decided his Lodge is bogus.
Sincerely,
Bro. Daniel Scherr