THE BUILDER JUNE 1925

New Jersey and the Grand Orient of France

INSPIRED by a desire to have Freemasonry become a united and
universal brotherhood, a desire accentuated by the disrupting
influences of the World War, and willing to go more than half way,
three or four American Grand Lodges entered into fraternal
relations with the Grand Orient of France during the war period. A
further step in that direction was taken when certain of our Grand
Lodges took membership in the International Masonic Association,
the grand purpose of which was world-wide Masonic duty. It was
hoped by those Grand Lodges, and by many brethren in Grand
Jurisdictions not participating, that some basis of unity could be
found on which all Grand bodies of the world might have common
footing without sacrifice of principle or regularity.

One of the obstacles in the way of this approchement, so far as
many American Grand Lodges were concerned, was the fact that so
many of them had long before severed relations with the Grand
Orient of France: first, because it had invaded American
territorial jurisdiction; second, because of its position on belief
in God; and the Grand Orient had to be reckoned with because of its
influence in Europe, and because of its membership in the
International Masonic Association. The American brethren who led in
the movement toward unity, and who hoped to have the International
Masonic Association become the nucleus for a future association of
Grand bodies of the world, tried to find a way out of the religious
difficulty and hoped the Grand Orient might come to a better
understanding of the American principles of religion and the
American system of territorial jurisdiction.

It now transpires that the Grand Orient has no thought of
co-operating with regular American Masonry at all--at least so one
gathers from its Compt Rendu, issued during 1923.

These official records show the Grand Orient deliberately
undertaking to enter into fraternal relation with an irregular
Masonic Grand body, the Region Grand Lodge of France (italics
ours):

"Bro. Mille, President, recalls the conditions of the covenant that
is to be made with the Regional Gr. Lodge of Pennsylvania, which
has requested the patronage of the Gr. Or. of France. He states in
what circumstances that important group has applied for our
patronage. He thinks that it is our duty to answer the call of our
American Brothers. The Council, desirous of cultivating good
relations with the Masonry of the whole world, has examined at
length this question. We are not accustomed to trespass on the
jurisdiction of other Obediences, and therefore, it is only after
mature reflection and a careful study of the facts that we have
taken a decision. Our right is unquestionable. We are not in
relations of amity with the official Gr. Lodge of Pennsylvania. The
question of territorial jurisdiction is not raised.


"The Council gives full powers to its Board to pursue this affair
and make the necessary covenants.

"The Past Master of the Atlantide (in New York City) our Bro. Biny,
has sent us, with a kindness for which we cannot thank him too
much, documents concerning the Gr. Lodge of Pennsylvania. In a
first statement, he shows us the attempts made by the York Rite,
especially in 1906, to suppress the Lodges of the Gr. Or. of Spain.
A second statement gives us a real summing-up of the history of the
Gr. Lodge of Pennsylvania. A last one explains the origin of the
Lodges of the Gr. Or. of Spain in the United States. All this is
very intertesting to us at the moment when we are going to form a
close connection with the Regional Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. *
* *


"Bro. Delauney, Secretary of the Council of the Order: 'It is owing
to the desire of the Council of the Order, to develop our
international influence, any time an opportunity occurs that the
parleys entered into with the Regional Gr. Lodge of Pennsylvania
are due.'

"The Gr. Lodge of Pennsylvania, which comprises thirty five lodges,
several Chapters and Councils, was founded in 1893 under the
auspices of the Grand Orient of Spain and remained subject to it
until 1922. The separation took place under the following
circumstances: When the Supreme Council of Spain asked to be
admitted to the International Meeting in 1922 of the Supreme
Councils at Lausanne, the American Masons required before all, that
the Grand Orient of Spain should give up the lodges which were
under its dependency in American territory. The Supreme Council for
Spain acceded to them and later advised its lodges to become
afflliated with the York Rite (in America).

"The York Rite Masonry did not correspond to the philosophical
ideal of the Regional Gr. Lodge of Pennsylvania which, on the other
hand, saw with chagrin the manner in which it had been treated by
the Gr. Or. of Spain. In order to have a definite explanation with
the Spanish obedience the Gr. Lodge sent its Gr. Commander, Bro.
Gould Lawyer to Madrid. In Europe he received confirmation of the
abandonment in Lausanne. He was then put into communication with
the Gr. Or. of France through Bro. Biny, Past Master of our Lodge
'l'Atlantide' of New York City. * * *

"Now we have only to read you the main lines of the projected
Convention between the Regional Gr. Lodge of Pennsylvania and the
Gr. Or. of France:

"1. The Regional Gr. Lodge of Pennsylvania shall pay every year to
the Gr. Or. of France the sum of ten dollars for each active lodge.

"2. The Regional Gr. Lodge shall buy all the third degree diplomas
which they may need at a price which shall be fixed immediately.
These diplomas shall be on parchment printed in English and in
French from a model furnished by the Grand Lodge (That model is a
diploma in use at the time when the Gr. Lodge was subject to the
Gr. Or. of Spain).

"3. The Constitution of the Gr. Or. printed in English shall be
furnished to the Regional Gr. Lodge at a price of 500 francs for
100 copies.

"4. All the communications between the Gr. Or. of France and the
Regional Gr. Lodge shall be in English.

"5. The Gr. Or. of France shall furnish (for a price to be fixed)
letters patent, printed in English and in French, for the lodges
which belong actually to the Gr. Lodge or may be created later.
Those letters patent shall bear the actual names and numbers of the
lodges already in existence.

"6. The Gr. Lodge shall have the right of working according to the
Scottish Rite.

"7. The Gr. Lodge shall have the right of recording all legislative
acts concerning the regulation of the lodges of its obedience.

"8. The Gr. Lodge shall have the right of establishing new lodges
in the United States when it shall deem it proper, it will receive
for them letters patent from the Gr. Or. of France. 

"9. The Regional Gr. Lodge requests that every time a lodge or a
member of its obedience shall write directly to the Gr. Or. such
letters be communicated to the Gr. Lodge before the adoption of any
solution.

"The matter is not concluded. We trust in our Lodge l'Alantide of
New York City, which knows that Gr. Lodge well and which has asked
to keep us informed; as, being on the ground, it knows better than
we do all the precautions which should be taken.

"On the other hand if most American Grand Lodges ignore us there
are some with which we are in relations of amity. Such are the
Grand Lodges of Alabama, of Iowa, of Louisiana of Minnesota, of New
Jersey and Rhode Island.

As the Regional Gr. Lodge of Pennsylvania asks to be granted the
right of establishing new lodges in the United States it would be
proper on our part to tell them not to establish any in the States
with which we are in relations of amity. There are hardly any
besides two obediences, very small ones, New Jersey and Rhode
Island, which might become mixed up in this affair on account of
their relative nearness to Pennsylvania. * *

"Our L. the Atlantide, Or. Of New York, gives us the following
information concerning the 'Loyal Order of Moose,' which had
manifested a desire to enter into a connection with us. As many
other American secret societies of the same kind, the Loyal Order
of Moose is interested in one of those things which form the aim
and ideal of Masonry; it is in itself an honorable society, but its
object is before all--mutual aid and assistance; a member is
entitled to benefits in case of sickness, death, etc. Our lodge
earnestly entreats you to avoid all connection with the Loyal Order
of Moose, or any other society of the same kind. We would run the
risk, the lodge says, of becoming the laughing stock of all America
and of the European Masonry. It does not seem as if we should
hesitate; we must adopt the line of conduct pointed out to us by
the Atlantide.

"Adopted.

"Our Lodge the Atlantide, Or. of New York, writes us another letter
concerning the 'Loyal Order of Moose'. The details which it
contains confirms the information previously furnished by the
Atlantide and specify this fact that the 'Loyal Order of Moose'
presents no Masonic character. In the latter part of the letter our
lodge from beyond the sea tells us to be on our guard against
certain portentous manceuvres:

"'We can only urge you to refrain from forming any connection with
that Order which would never even have dared put such a question as
it dared put to you in Paris. We repeat it, beware of the snares
which the Americans lay for you, and remember well that Americans
do not come for nothing and without purpose to the European
Masonries and especially to the International Masonic Association
in Switzerland in which they did not take any interest at all
before 1920. On the day when something disagreeable will happen to
you (bear well in mind that just now we only indulge in guesses)
you will regret very much the advances that you shall have made to
the Americans.

"'The United States are, for such as have not lived here, the most
incomprehensible, the most unlike people in the world. Study well
the English and you wiil know somewhat their Anglo-Saxon brothers
called the Americans.'

"We must thank that devoted lodge, the Atlantide."
*   *     *    *   *

"19th. The lodge L'Atlantide, Orient of New York, requests the
Grand Orient to give to Brother Felix Levy 18d the necessary powers
by which to effect the conferring of the Chapter degrees, for the
purpose of forming a Chapter, on some brethren of the lodge
L'Atlantide.

"That project being justified by the importance of our lodge in New
York, your committee proposes that you render the following decree:

" 'The Council of the Order.

"'In view of Article 70 of the Constitutions and the paper of the
lodge L'Atlantide dated Aug. 2, 1923, and the favorable advice of
the Grand College of Rites.

"'Decrees.

"'Article first:--Delegation is given to Brother Felix Levy, 18d
member of the lodge L'Atlantide, to effect the conferring of the
Chapter degrees on the Brothers who shall be designated by that
lodge:--'

"Adopted."

An interesting sequel to all this will be found in Bro. Frank C.
Sayrs' Grand Master's address, delivered to the Grand Lodge of New
Jersey, April 16, 1924, the relevant portions of which are here
quoted from the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey, 1924,
page 91 ff:

Our relations with all other jurisdictions with which we are in
fraternal communication are undisturbed, but I am constrained to
bring to your attention correspondence with the Grand Orient of
France, which may prompt your consideration of the propriety of the
continuance of our present friendly relations with that
organization. Let it be understood that the Grand Lodge of New
Jersey has never formally recognized the Grand Orient of France;
that the interdict laid against it in 1871 at the request of the
Grand Lodge of Louisiana, because of the alleged invasion of
territorial jurisdiction of the latter was in reciprocation of New
Jersey's request of all American Grand Jurisdictions to support it
in interdicting the Grand Lodge of Hamburg for invasion of our
jurisdiction by warranting a Lodge in Hoboken.

The interdict continued until its rescission in 1918. Perhaps the
controlling reason being that during the war, members of New Jersey
Lodges in the American Expeditionary Forces had reported the
welcomes, the kindnesses shown them by their brethren in France and
had suggested the removal of the interdict against Masonic
communication with them.

Since then, the Grand Orient has occasionally written requesting to
be informed of the regularity of spurious organizations which had
applied for recognition, such as the American Masonic Federation,
the Memphis Rite of Chicago, and have been left in no doubt of in
what "regularity" consists in the United States of America.

Our attitude regarding the exclusive territorial jurisdiction of
American Grand Lodges has always been governed by Standing
Resolution No. 1, adopted in 1840:

"1. Resolved, That the Grand Lodge of New Jersey regards the Grand
Lodges of the several States and Territories of this Union, which
have been heretofore recognized, as holding exclusive jurisdiction
within the limits of those States and Territories; and will regard
any attempt to violate this principle in this or in any other State
or Territory as an innovation in the established regulations of the
Fraternity, tending to its destruction."

It was therefore surprising to have received the letter which t
follows:

(Translation)

"Paris,

"July 17th, 1923. "To the Grand Lodge of New Jersey:

"VERY DEAR BRETHREN--Our Lodge L'Atlantide of New York informs us
that a certain number of your Lodges receive as visitors, French
Masons who come from France, and who are passing a limited time in
your State, but they refuse admittance to those of our Masons who
are residents in America, and in particular, those members of our
Lodge L'Atlantide of New York.

"However, these last are Masons of the Grand Orient of France with
the same title as the others.

"We are convinced that you will think, as we do, that your Lodges
misinterpret your instructions.

"We shall be grateful of your good will if you will give thought to
the foregoing and we hope you will direct by the very next advices
that all the Masons of the Grand Orient of France shall be
fraternally received as visitors in your lodge-rooms.

"Receive, very dear brethren, the assurance of our devotedly
fraternal sentiments

"One of the Secretaries of the Council of the Order.

"Delaunay."

To which answer was made as follows: 

"Dr. Delaunay, 
"Secretary, Grand Orient of France,
"Paris, France.

"DEAR SIR AND BROTHER--I acknowledge receipt of your letter of July
17th, 1923, in which you advise the Grand Lodge of New Jersey, that
members of your Lodges in France, who may be temporarily sojourning
in New Jersey, are received as visitors in our Lodges, while
members of a lodge of your obedience, L'Atlantide, situated in the
city of New York, are denied the like privilege of visitation, and
requesting that our Lodges be instructed to receive them.

"A Lodge of any foreign obedience, situated within the territorial
jurisdiction of an American Grand Lodge, in defiance of its
sovereignty, is an irregular Lodge and its members cannot be
recognized as regular Masons.

"The Grand Orient of France cannot be ignorant of the long
established principle of exclusive territorial jurisdiction,
maintained by the Grand Lodges of North America, violation of which
principle was the reason for the interdiction of Masonic
communication with the Grand Orient of France for so many years.

"The Grand Lodge of New Jersey annulled its interdict in 1918,
under a resolution to be found recorded in its Proceedings of 1918
on page 146, and you are aware of the fact that in 1921 the Grand
Lodge of Louisiana suspended its recently resumed fraternal
relations with the Grand Orient for the explicit reason that the
latter still maintained two Lodges in North America, one in San
Francisco, Cal., and another in New York City.

"Under date of July 21st. 1920, it is of record in the Proceedings
of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, that the Grand Orient had
considered the existence of the Lodge L'Atlantide justified, but
that it was disposed to order the dissolution of the Lodge Jerome
Lalande (California). If the latter was considered irregular or
offensive to the interests of fraternal amity between the Grand
jurisdictions, then also will the former be, while it continues to
exist within the jurisdiction of an American Grand Lodge.

"The annual proceedings (Comptes Rendu) of the Grand Lodge of New
Jersey are regularly sent to the Parls office of the Grand Orient,
and if you will refer to the volume of 1918, page 146 and then to
the volume of 1922 you will find in the appendix (pages 46, 47, 48)
a full explanation of the attitude of the Grand Lodge of New Jers
in regard to the principle involved, and particularly in relation
to the Lodge L'Atlantide.

"Since Masonic communication with the members of an irregular Lodge
cannot be tolerated in New Jersey, I be leave to suggest, in the
interest of undisturbed fraternal relations, that you formally
withdraw your letter, as otherwise its subject matter must be
officially communicated the Grand Lodge at its Annual
Commmunication in April 1924, and I have reason to assume that
suspension of amicable relations with your Grand Orient would
probably result from its legislative action.

"I trust this greatly to be regretted conclusion can be averted, by
your further consideration of the subject, and your adoption of the
suggestion I have offered. Accept an expression of the fraternal
sentiments with which I subscribe myself, your friend and brother,
"FRANK C. SAYRS,
"Grand Master."

Evidence that the Grand Orient of France willingly continued to
request information regarding suspiciously irregular bodies in
America is afforded by the following letter:

(Translation)
"GRAND ORIENT OF FRANCE,
"16 Rue Cadet, Paris,
"November 7, 1923. 
"Grand Lodge of New Jersey:

"VERY DEAR BRETHREN--We have received a communication of which the
following is a copy:

"'We, brethren of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey, make a request for
the foundation of a Council and desire you to send us a Patent, so
that we may be recognized under and by the Rites of the Grand
Orient of France. 
"'Will you send us a charter under which we shall be able to work?
We form a Council of nine members under the name of the Supreme
Council of the United States.
"'The names of the brethren of the Council are the following: A.G.
Wilkes, Robert M. Ford, William Bull, W. Williams, C. C. Holoway,
Forest Pitts, Nattian Pitts, Robert Calhone, W. H. Matthews
Thanking.
"'Will you address your reply to A. G. Wilkes, 458 No. Franklin
Street, Philadelphia, or to Robert M. Ford, 209 Taylor Ave. Camden
(N. York)

"'We shail pay for the charter after reception. Put on it the
French seal. We pay you all charges.'

"I shall be obliged if you will kindly tell us what you think of
the contents of that letter and of its authors. We wait your reply
(before) for writing to the interested parties.

"Accept, very dear brethren, my thanks and the assuance of my
devoted fraternal sentiments.
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL,
"ARIES. "

Which was answered as follows:

December 5th, 1923.
"V. Fr. Aries, Secretary-General, Grand Orient of France:

"T. C. F.--Your letter of November 7th, 1923, containing the
translation of a letter requesting the issue of a Patent for a
'Supreme Council for America' to certain persons named therein
asserting themselves to be members of the Grand Lodge of New
Jersey, has been read with astonishment at the impudent mendacity
of the writers, and at the display of their ignorance in presuming
that the Grand Orient of France would consider such an overture
upon a mere demand, without a careful consideration of the reasons
which had prompted such a request. Your prudence in desiring an
expression of our opinion on the subject is an appreciated Masonic
courtesy to the Grand Lodge of New Jersey and it is only with an
earnest desire to reciprocate that courtesy and to render you a
real service, that we advise you that the persons named in the
letter are not members of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey, nor of the
Lodges of its obedience. We have reason to suspect the names to be
of persons identified with the irregular and clandestine groups
which had been operating in the State of Pennsylvania, under the
pseudo-authority of the Grand Orient of Spain, and which had been
renounced by that body at the instance of the Supreme Council of
Spain, because of their known irregularity.

"To these outcasts have been added other irregular and clandestine
survivors of the so-called American Masonic Federation, of which
the organizers, Matthew McBlain Thompson and his associates, are
now under sentence of conviction in a Federal Court to pay fines of
$5,000.00 and suffer two years' imprisonment for their fraudulent
use of the United States mails in solicitation of their dupes.

"It may be of ultimate and important service to the Grand Orient of
France to be reminded that American Masonic theory and practice,
well justified by long experience, imparts a very serious meaning
and consideration to 'regularity'--for every Mason in America by
the obligations which alone make him a Mason is thereby prohibited
from Masonic communication with an irregular, spurious or
clandestine Mason, and the regularity of any individual Mason is
determined by his making in a just and lawfully constituted Lodge
of the obedience of a Grand Lodge possessed of sole territorial
jurisdiction within its own State lines.

"Therefore, nothing could be done or authorized by any Masonic
authority outside of the United States of America to establish
within its geographic boundaries any kind of a Masonic body and
invest it with fundamental regularity. This applies equally to
Grand Orients and Supreme Councils of any or all degrees of
legitimate Masonry.

"In this connection, and perhaps of even greater relative
importance, your attention is called to the subject matter set
forth in your Compte Rendu of March 25th, 1923 (soir), pages 156 to
159, inclusive, by which it appears that the same 'irregulars' had
overtured the Grand Orient to take an exaggerated number of
so-called Lodges, chapters and philosophical (?) councils under its
protection and thereby identify itself with a so-called Regional
Grand Lodge for North America.

"It would seem impossible that such an association could be
seriously considered, but giving all credence to the story and
complimenting the Illustrious brethren participating in the
discussion, upon their almost extreme courtesy, as reported, we
feel that we would be gravely derelict did we not renew and
emphasize the advice tendered herein, and offer for your most
serious consideration the view that your official cognition of the
parties thus soliciting your protection and assimilation could have
but one result; namely, the immediate termination of friendly
relations with the Grand Orient of France by the Grand Lodges of
the United States.

"Accept our fraternal assurance that this invited expression of
opinion is based on the facts and is offered solely in your
interests and in behalf of the continuance of the friendly
relations now existing between the Grand Orient of France and
several of the American Grand Lodges.

"With high consideration and fraternal esteem, I am "Sincerely
yours
"FRANK C. SAYRS,
"Grand Master."

The reply to this letter embodies the French understanding of
American exclusive territorial jurisdiction:

"PARIS, January 29th, 1924. 
"To the Grand Lodge of New Jersey:
"DEAR BRETHREN--We desire to again state the point of view of the
Grand Orient of France regarding our relations with the Masonic
Powers which have formed a friendly connection with us, and
especially our relations with your Grand Lodge.

"Allow me to remind you of the facts that our Lodge. 'The
Atlantide' Orient of New York (City), having called to our
attention that while you accept as visitors our brethren who pass
through the United States, you strictly forbid to our brethren of
'The Atlantide' entrance to your temples. We wrote you July 17th,
1923, requesting you not to make such an arbitrary distinction
between regular Masons of our Obedience. Your answer of August
31st, 1923 advised us to formally withdraw our letter lest your
Grand Lodge should suspend its relations with us. You founded your
demand on the fact that a foreign Masonic Power cannot have a Lodge
on the territory of a friendly Power.

"Can this principle, which we entirely accept, apply to our case?
No, most evidently. The United states is, politically, a federation
of many states, but Masonically it is not so. Each one of these
states is, indeed, a Masonic Power, and so far as we know these
individual Powers do not constitute one effective group, regulated
by one constitution and working as one regular Masonic
organization. Therefore, to us, the fact that we have Lodges in one
state does not seem to place an obstacle in the way of our having
relations with another state.

"Article 21 of our Constitutions reads: 'The Grand Orient of France
does not establish Lodges in those countries where there exists a
regular Masonic Power with which it is in fraternal relations.'
Nothing is changed in the situation of those Lodges that are in
actual existence. Which means to us that should we form a friendly
connection with the Grand Lodge of New York we would bind ourselves
not to create Lodges on the territory of the Grand Lodge of New
York, but the Grand Lodge of New York would have to recognize the
regularity of the Lodge which already exists there.

"With still more reason and especially as the existence of our
Lodge, 'The Atlantide,' was previous to the forming of our friendly
connections with your Grand Lodge, it seems to us inadmissible that
you should refuse to recognize our New York Lodge, which is outside
of your territory, and to deny the right of visitation to such of
its members as might visit your Lodge.

"Under these conditions you will understand that we cannot do
otherwise than maintain the point of view just stated.

"On the other hand allow us to thank you for the information which
vou gave us in answer to our letter of November 7th, 1923. That
information corresponds with a request which has reached us from
the so-called Brother Robert M. Ford, of Camden (New York), who
pretends that he and the other eight signers are members of the
Grand Lodge of New Jersey.

"The question therefore did not implicate the Regional Grand Lodge
of Pennsylvania, with which we are in negotiations and concerning
which we take the liberty of offering you some fraternal
explanations.

"When the Grand Orient of Spain, which had granted its Constitution
to the said Grand Lodge, severed its connection, the Grand Lodge
requested us to become its patron, that is, to take the place of
the Grand Orient of Spain, as its warrantor and to furnish its
Constitution and the diplomas for its members.

"A definite decision has not been taken on the matter, for our
Grand Orient has, first of all, requested the Regional Grand Lodge
of Philadelphia to show proofs of its Masonic regularity. The Grand
Lodge gave us these proofs consisting in its previous Constitution
granted by the Grand Orient of Spain, and a decision of the High
Court of Philadelphia by which its legal existence was recognized
with the exciusion of the other groups of the same kind.

"The negotiations continue and no definite decision has been
reached. You may be sure that in this order of ideas also our Grand
Orient will not swerve from its ancient line of conduct and be
inconsistent with the principles of its Constitution or the
agreements it has entered into with friendly Powers.

"Accept, dear brethren, the assurance of our devoted and fraternal
sentiments.
"DELAUNAY
"One of the Secretaries of the Council of the Order."

The statement that the Grand Orient had not yet decided to
afliliate the Pennsylvania clandestines, might reasonably serve to
delay action on the part of this Grand Lodge, were it not for the
utter misunderstanding of American practice, evinced in this
correspondence, and which alone may justify at least a temporary
severance of our friendly relations.

The extracts from the current Proceedings of the Grand Orient of
France, translations of which have been sent me by the Chairman of
your Committee on Foreign Correspondence, presents such curiously
erratic details as would justify a suspension of friendly relations
until our French brethren realize the gravity of their proposed
action.

This portion of the Grand Master's address was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Correspondence which recommended (its
recommendations were adopted by Grand Lodge) as follows:

To the M. W. Grand Lodge:

Having duly considered the subject matter contained in the printed
address of the M. W. Grand Master, under the caption "Foreign
Relations" (pages 15-23) which was referred to this committee, we
respectfully report:

In reference to the suggestion that the existing relations with the
Grand Orient of France be terminated because of its attitude in
regard to the American practice of exclusive territorial
jurisdiction as set forth in the letter dated Jan. 29, 1924, which
traverses and ignores the practice of this and all other American
Grand Lodges, we agree that entire justification is found in the
correspondence, but we are of the opinion that the decision to
terminate our relations may with propriety await final action by
the Grand Orient as to its affiliating the Pennsylvania irregular
and clandestine groups with which it is in negotiation, and
therefore recommend that the M. W. Grand Master be empowered by his
declaration to terminate the existing relations between this Grand
Lodge and the Grand Orient of France when by such action it shall
appear to be expedient. * * *  *

ROBERT A. SHIRREFS 
WILLIAM VAN EERDE 
CHARLES W. GARMAN
Committee on Foreign Correspondence.
Trenton, N. J., April 17th, 1924.

