THE BUILDER MARCH 1919

Freemasonry in Czechoslovakia

By BRO. JOSEPH S. ROUCEK
(Continued from February)

IN or about the year 1680, a young Bohemian nobleman, Francis
Anthony Count de Spork (born 1662), visited the Netherlands, and
joined the Society of the Friends of the Cross, which, most
probably, was already united with the operative Masonic Lodges. De
Spork is said, in records of the time of Joseph II, to have been
initiated into Masonry in Holland; although this may have happened
on the occasion of his later visit to Holland, which took place
about 1717. As there existed at that period no Masonic Lodges in
the same sense as those that came into existence after 1717; and
as, on the other hand, it is an undoubted fact that he joined the
Friends of the Cross and afterwards founded the first Prague Lodge;
these matters can hardly be explained except in some such way as
above indicated. Another tradition tells us that Spork was
initiated into Masonry in 1717 by Anthony Sayer at London, and
accepted from him the power of founding Lodges in his native
country; an assertion which, however, lacks probability, although
Spork had really been visiting England about that time. However
this may be, it is certain that Bro. de Spork founded, on his
return home, the very first Masonic Lodge at Prague, on June 26,
1726. This was named the Three Stars. From this fact it is more
probable that his initiation had taken place on his later visit to
Holland and England, in one or other of these two countries. Its
jewel exists yet. It consists of a Maltese Cross (brass) enameled
blue; the upper limb exhibits the cypher 3, the center the letter
S (Stern; Star), and in the other three limbs, cherubs' heads lock
with four wings, all in silver. There exists also a medal struck in
commemoration of the foundation of the Lodge. Obverse, a portrait
of Bro. de Spork; reverse, the New Jerusalem of the Apocalypse
(square with 12 gates, in the center the Lamb on a mound, above
all, the name of God in Hebrew letters irradiated).

The seal of the Lodge, however, seems to have been lost. As for the
members, they belonged for the greater part to the nobility; among
them were the Counts Vrbna, Paradis, and Kaiserstein; but there
were also many of the upper commoners, especially authors and
scholars. Among them is also to be noted, Gottwald Fr. Stillenau,
Spork's private secretary, a very learned man, who later went to
Holland in order to maintain a continuous intercourse between the
Dutch and the Prague Lodge. He afterwards wrote, under a pseudonym,
a biography of Spork, in which the proceedings of the Jesuits were
sharply scourged. Another member of the Lodge was Charles David,
secretary to Count Gallas and afterwards to Count Bubna, who later
was appointed an Imperial Chancellor, and was ennobled in
consequence. On that occasion he applied for, and received, three
stars in his coat-of-arms.

Bro. Spork himself, who was the Master (then styled Grand Master)
of the Lodge, had been made a Chamberlain in 1690, previous to the
formation of the Lodge. In 1691 he had been appointed Governor of
Bohemia, and a Privy Councillor in 1692. He did a great deal in
propagating enlightenment and culture as well as laboring for the
common welfare and interests of his fellowmen.

He became the Maecenas of a great number of artists and scholars.
He cared for the poor and miserable. He raised very considerable
foundations for charitable purposes. He was an indefatigable
champion of light and progress. As was but natural this proceeding
soon rendered him an object of hatred to the fathers of the Society
of Jesus. They succeeded in rousing the suspicions of the Emperor
Charles VI concerning him. They accused him and his friends of
fighting, not only against the Church, but against the state also.
An inquiry was ordered. At the head of the Commission stood a
Jesuit named Konias. On the proceedings of this Commission some
light is thrown by the fact that the Count's library was
confiscated, and the whole contents, instead of being examined, was
burnt unread. A charge of high treason was brought against the
Count, and he was tried. The trial lasted seven years. No one knows
what the end of it would have been had it not been for the
intercession of Francis, then Duke of Lorraine (a personal friend
of Spork, who in 1731 had been himself initiated a Mason), with his
imperial father-in-law. So the trial was closed, and soon after
Spork was re-established in his former dignities. But his sorrow
had entirely shaken and broken the old man, so that only a short
time after the conclusion of his trial, he entered the eternal
East, on March 30, 1738.

Now to return to the Lodge. Before going further, it may not be out
of place to describe where the meetings of the Brethren were held.
This was in Spork's palace situated in the so-called "Angelus
Garden." In the newly-rebuilt palace and the gardens adjoining it
the Brethren of the "Three Stars" Lodge met for a long period. At
present the Palace of the Directory for Posts and Telegraphs stands
on the spot.

Other Lodges were subsequently constituted from Prague, in Galicia,
Hungary, Luxembourg, Styria, and Moravia.

THE SUPPRESSION OF MASONRY IN AUSTRO-HUNGARY

The first Lodge in Vienna, Zu Drei Kanonen, was founded in 1742.
The first Lodge in Hungary is known to have existed at Pressburg
(now the capital of Slovakia) in 1766. A Grand Lodge for Austria
and its dependencies, ruling over 45 Lodges, was established in
1748. An Imperial Edict in the following year ordered that not more
than three Lodges should exist in any single town, while those that
were at work in any place which was not a "Seat of Government" were
summarily suppressed.

The consequences may be supposed. The newly formed Austrian Grand
Lodge, together with its Provincial Grand Lodges, passed off the
scene; and the general discontent of the Craft betokened the
beginning of the end.

Then came the French Revolution. The Freemasons were regarded with
suspicion. The Austrian Lodges voluntarily closed in 1792, and
those in Bohemia during the following year. Masonry in Hungary had
a somewhat longer life, but by an Edict of 1795, all secret
societies in the Austrian dominions were ordered to dissolve. Since
then Freemasonry in Austria has been prohibited, except for one
short period, till the year 1918. In 1867, after the Civil War,
Masonry was revived in Hungary, nevertheless in Austria it still
continued to be forbidden.

THE REVIVAL IN THE HUNGARIAN KINGDOM

The Constitution of Hungary of 1867 did not prohibit Masonry. A
Lodge, Unity in the MotherLand, was founded at Budapest in 1868,
and this, with six daughter Lodges, formed, on Jan. 30, 1870, the
St. John's Grand Lodge of Hungary. The three Craft degrees only,
were recognized or tolerated by this governing body.

In 1869, however, a Lodge, Matthias Corvinus, established under the
auspices of the so-called Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (after
a vain application to the Grand Lodge of Scotland) obtained a
warrant from the Grand Orient of France. This likewise warranted
daughter lodges and they in November, 1871, founded the Grand
Orient of Hungary. Ultimately the Grand Lodge and the Grand Orient
amalgamated under the title of the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Hungary,
on March 23, 1886. "Freedom of Conscience" was acclaimed by this
Grand Lodge, and the preamble of its Statutes follows rather
closely that of the Grand Orient of France. There are nominally 83
Lodges, with a total number of members of over 6,000; but in 1920
the Government closed them all. The furniture and property was
seized and the funds distributed in other directions. The Masonic
officials were imprisoned; The chief reason, probably, was the
newly-aroused antiSemitism, which was directed against Freemasonry
chiefly because the great majority of the members of the Lodges,
with but one or two exceptions, were Jews.

THE SITUATION IN AUSTRIA

In Austria, after 1867, when more liberal legislation had been
passed by the influence of liberally-minded Germans, old Masons,
who were members of Lodges in Bavaria, Saxony, and Prussia, hoped
that they would be allowed to establish Lodges within the scope of
the new law concerning societies, or according to the law for
political societies, the members of which had to be named to
political and police authorities. The meetings were attended by
police officials, who had the right to stop any speaker if,
according to their judgment, he had violated existing laws. These
officials even had the right to stop all proceedings of the
meetings, to forbid further activity; and they were obliged to make
an official report, which ended very often in subpoenas. Where
state officials were concerned the treatment was more severe than
with civilians. Very often the state employee was transferred,
without any reason being assigned, to places where he received a
smaller salary, where there were no schools, and where there was a
lack of communications, doctors, etc. It was in fact - exile.

Consequently after 1867 the Austrians became members of foreign
Lodges. Many Lodges performed their work of initiation, etc., in
Hungary, in such places as Neudorfel, Pressburg, situated near the
frontier. It took only a half hour from Vienna to Bratislava (the
Czechoslovak name for Pressburg, the present capital of Slovakia)
by train. In Bratislava the Lodge remains until the present time.
It still has the archives and property from the pre-war time.

INDIRECT MASONIC ACTIVITIES

In Bohemia, especially in Prague, Masons formed mutual benefit
societies, only occasionally devoting their meetings to ritual
work. In order to secure the possibility of meeting on the Austrian
territory for purposes of administration, instruction, or social
intercourse, each of the Lodges formed a parallel society with a
profane name and character, publicly maintaining a social,
cultural, educational or charitable purpose. Most of the Lodges
also maintained special benevolent institutions.

Many other Bohemian societies had the same tendencies and interests
as Masonry. Such was the well known society even in America - the
Sokol, which, however, put more emphasis on physical training than
on intellectual activity. The main task of the Sokol is the
physical and Slovak people. In this endeavor the Sokols recognize
no differences in regard to age, rank, wealth, and religious or
political convictions, for they address one another as "brother"
and employ the second person singular. Similar principles are
followed also by the female Sokols, whose members address each
other as "sister." The Sokols have grown into an organization of
national education. A recent manifesto expresses their aims in
these words:

We wish to train our members so that they may reflect on their view
of life, their religion, and their efforts towards a high moral
standard, and act according to the results of their reflections.
Thus, free of all hatred, and not knowing in our midst any
political, class, religious or party conflicts, we advance like one
single powerful body, united by true brotherhood, and work with
good spirit on the tasks allotted to us; A life. Another
interesting watchword is: We will eliminate the weak by helping
them to become strong.

The Sokol organization is well disciplined despite the fact that it
is based on voluntary activities.

In 1914 Austria-Hungary was quite out of touch with the spirit of
nationalism and democracy. Because the old Empire could not satisfy
the Czechoslovak idea of freedom, a man appeared who was to lead
his people to freedom. Thomas Garigue Masaryk, the first President
of the Czechoslovak Republic, began his career as a locksmith's
apprentice in Vienna, but the protests of his former schoolmaster
persuaded his parents to let him be a teacher as he desired. He
spent a year in Leipzig, Germany, where he became acquainted with
Miss Charlie Garigue of Brooklyn, who later became his wife. His
family relations with America continued when their son, John,
recently married the daughter of Charles R. Crane, former U. S.
ambassador to China. John is an ardent Mason.

In December, 1914, Prof. Masaryk fled from Austria and went abroad
to become the leader in the work of national redemption. He became
the chief apostle of the Czechoslovaks among the Allies; he
inspired the Czechoslovak legionnaires in Russia, Italy and France.
In 1915 he had been joined by Dr. Eduard Benes. The story how these
two statesmen brought about the creation of Czechoslovakia is well
known today. It is discussed in daily newspapers and magazines. It
is of great interest to Americans to notice that Masaryk reached
America on May 5, 1918, and was welcomed enthusiastically by his
fellow countrymen. With the consent of Wilson, on Oct. 18, 1918, he
proclaimed Czechoslovak independence. The document was written in
America, in Washington, D. C., in the houses at 3620 Sixteenth
street and 1125 Fourteenth street. On Oct. 28 the Czechoslovak
State was formed.

Czechoslovakia never forgot this fact. Subsequent aid given to
Czechoslovakia in the form of loans and food-stuff by Mr. Hoover
still increased the sympathy of that country for America. Last
year, on July 4, 1928, to be exact, a monument to Wilson was
unveiled in presence of the Czechoslovak Government and
distinguished Americans as a token of appreciation. These little
facts might explain why the Czechoslovak Masons are so anxious to
receive recognition from their American brethren and establish
fraternal contacts as soon as possible.

INSTITUTION OF THE FIRST CZECHOSLOVAK MASONIC LODGE

When it was evident that Austria would fall, fourteen Czechs met in
a private house and decided to create a Czech Lodge. It happened
two days before the fall of the Empire, which was sooner than
expected. Thus Czechoslovak independence was proclaimed two days
after the foundation of the first Czechoslovak Masonic Lodge, viz.,
on Oct. 26, 1918.

Among the first members of the independent Czechoslovak Lodge are
brothers who in 1927 have been wearing the Masonic apron for thirty
years, and one even for thirty-five years.

Freemasonry has been placed under the ban in Russia, Hungary and
Italy. In Germany a hostile campaign is being waged against it. In
almost every part of Continental Europe a relentless anti-Masonic
propaganda is kept up to discredit and suppress it, since the
closing of the War. An unsettled economic and political situation
furnishes perhaps the chief explanation. Settled prejudices offer
another. Atmospheric conditions, that is the pervading something
which has been called post-war psychology, may no doubt be also
considered a contributory cause. The general public in Continental
Europe knows next to nothing about Freemasons, who they are, what
they are, and what they are trying to accomplish. This may be
accounted for by either the exclusiveness of the Lodges, general
lack of interest on the subject, current misconceptions, or a more
or less deep-seated prejudice among the members of the public at
large.

I remember very clearly my school days; the compulsory Catholic
education was assiduously directed towards influencing our minds
against anything connected with Freemasonry. Quite skilfully the
ministers were trying to impress us psychologically that everything
connected with this Fraternity is morally degrading, antireligious
and anti-social. In fact the general idea among my fellow-men and
students was that the Mason was a man armed with a dagger and ready
to commit any sort of murder. This psychological conviction still
remains in the Central Europe of today, as I had the chance to
convince myself last summer.

Furthermore, in Central Europe the state is looked upon as the
highest interest. Not only from the political and economic point of
view, but also intellectually and spiritually; philosophy as well
as politics, religion as well as literature should serve the needs
of the state. There is not space to discuss it here, but it has had
an overwhelming influence upon the whole people, and especially
upon religious life. It is the chief explanation of the attacks on
Freemasonry, for it is assumed that it does take no account of the
state, but thinks first, or only, of internationalism, pacifism,
and the spiritual agencies of life. Thus, in summary, may this
prejudice be accounted for. Arguing with an enemy of Freemasonry
has always been a futile undertaking. Freemasonry is an experience;
it cannot be explained adequately in a set of phrases, least of all
to one who is prejudiced against it to begin with.

This general introduction is necessary in order that the reader
might realize the several limitations of the Order in Europe, as
well as understand popular feeling toward it. It will also explain
why an American Mason, who is not well informed about conditions
does not get any opportunity to visit the Lodges, unless by
accident.

THE ANTECEDENTS OF CZECHOSLOVAK MASONRY

Czechoslovakian Masons received the light from the French brethren
of the Grand Orient of France. When they learned that the Grand
Orient was not of the Scottish Rite, they asked to be released; and
they were successful in obtaining their request. They received
authority from the Great Orient of Switzerland, situated at
Lausanne.


Czechoslovak Masonry follows the so-called Scottish Rite. The third
degree is worked four times a year only. At all other meetings the
lodges open in the first degree and Masons of all grades are
present. The forms of initiation are in accordance with the
ecossats rituals, which differ in detail from those practiced in
America; but recently it has been decided to conform the ceremonies
to those used in America.

Brethren of unusual merit receive their degrees at five-month
intervals. This is the minimum. Ordinarily it takes much longer
than this, the usual period between initiation and receiving the
third degree is about two years.

Today there are ten lodges of Czechoslovak brethren, with five
hundred members; and in addition there are eighteen German lodges
and one Magyar lodge with a membership of one thousand and fifty-
three brethren. The greater number of the German lodges is due to
the fact that there were German lodges, and in Bratislava, Magyar
lodges, before the war, when there were no Czechoslovak lodges in
existence.

The oldest lodge, as previously mentioned, is named Jan Amos
Komensky, after the famous Bohemian philosopher of the seventeenth
century, better known by the Latin form of his name, Comenius. The
other Czechoslovak lodges are named as follows: The Nation; The
Twenty-eighth of October; this is in allusion to the date of the
signing the Declaration of Czechoslovak Independence. Then there is
one named Work; and Bolzano. As a disciple of Kant, Bolzano was a
rationalist, and, in the spirit of John Hus, demanded that religion
be a moral code of love and progress, while at the same time he
condemned everything that he considered superstitious and opposed
to reason in Christian dogma. Another lodge is named, Truth Will
Win, and yet another is named after Dobrovsky. Dobrovsky, though he
had been a Jesuit father, was an enthusiastic Freemason, and
throughout his work he put science, reason and humanity above
everything else. It is impossible not to be struck by the
similarity of his character to that of Hus, or Masaryk, especially
in regard to his frankness, love of truth and the unselfishness and
kindness of heart that distinguished him, to which all hatred and
jealousy was quite foreign. He was one of the Bohemian patriots of
the nineteenth century. The lodge named for him is in Plzen
(Pilzen), famous for its Pilsen beer, and the Skoda steel works. In
Bratislava (Pressburg) is the Jan Kollar Lodge. Kollar was the
first Czech poet, but his chief claim to greatness lies in the
enthusiasm with which he inspired the Czechs for Pan-Slavic ideals,
founded on the idealization of the past and the future mission of
the Slavs to world progress. The Pavel Joseph Savarik Lodge is in
Kosice. Savarik, with Dobrovsky, remains to this day an authority
on questions of Slav philosophy. His work on Slav antiquities, his
history of Slav literature and his work on the origin of the Slavs
have made him known among all the Slavic peoples, and well fitted
him to be the President of the Slav Congress held in Prague in
1848. The Road to Light Lodge is situated in Brno, Maravia. The
name was taken from the title of one of the philosophical works of
Komensky, written in 1642, and which had much influence in the
foundation of the Academy of Science in Paris in 1666, and the
Royal Society in London in 1663.

The German speaking lodges are situated in Prague, Liberec,
Karlsburg, Marienbad, Zatec, Jaclonec and Brno. The one Magyar
lodge is in Bratislava.

According to the Annual Year Book of the International Masonic
Association for 1928, Czechoslovakia comes tenth in the proportion
of membership per capita to the population of the country. It holds
twelfth place in respect to the number of lodges, and is
seventeenth in regard to the actual number of members.

(To be concluded)
