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Le Droit Humaine

by John M. Boersma, MPS

Onc Picturc is worth a thousand words.

The Government of France this year
issued a 3.40-Franc stamp commemo-
rating the 100th anniversary of Le Droit
Humaine (the Human Right), a group
of initiates, made up of both male and
female self-styled Freemasons. Featured
on the Stamp are its founders, Maria
Deraismesl and Dr. Georges Martin.

Maria Deraismes (1835-1894) was
born in Paris on August 15, 1835. The
daughter of a music teacher, she studied
both painting and music; but because of
frail health, was forced to abandon her
studies. She started writing short plays,
which in 1863 were gathered together
under the title Le Theater Chez Soi (The
Theater at Home). Encouraged by fa-
vorable critique, she took up Greek and
Latin and published more: Le Droits de
l'Enfant (The Rights of the Child). By
1891 Maria De Raismes was well-to-do
and in a position to dedicate herself to
activities which did not provide mone-
tary remuneration. Not unlike many
wealthy persons of character, the plight
of the working class got her attention, as
well as the inferior position of women in
Freemasonry.
Flrst Contact wlth Freemasonry

In 1866 the editors of Opinion
Nationale instituted the so-called Con-
ferences of the Grand Orient the France.
Messieurs Jules Labbee, Leon Richter,
and Charles Fauvet asked Maria
Deraismes for her support. Her debut as
a speaker proved a resounding success
and launched her on a path of involve-
ment in a contemporary endeavor to
solve social, moral and philosophical
problems . Ever proclaiming the " Rights
of Woman, " her sharp pen and tongue
drew dire warnings from government
sources. She was an outspoken anti-
monarchist and pro-republic. Her house
at Te Pontoise became a gathering place
of well-known politicians, and she
started a daily paper, Le Republicain de
Seine-et-Oise. Many members of the
Grand Orient of France were also anti-
monarchists, and the outcome of the
French-German War caused France to
become a republic. It is well to remember
that Freemasonry in those days was al-
most confined to the affluent society and
that Maria De Deraismes was an activist
for the lesser blessed members of society.

Initiation

Maria Deraismes was initiated on the
14th of January, 1882, in a regular Ma-
sonic Lodge, Les Libres Penseurs in
Pecq. Prior to the initiation, the master,
Brother Hubron, introduced her as
follows:

"Brethren, we are about to make a sacrifice to
one of the greatest human principles, which is
respect for all those who are worthy of human
distinction, the uery essence of equality. Driuen
by that powerful spirit of Masonic progress,
which seeks light whereuer light can be found,
we shall continue to cease all prejudice. Conse-
quently we will today initiate in our Masonic
labor, Miss Deraismes, the outstanding
woman, whose intellect, talet, knowledge, and
fortitude make her worthy to be admitted into
our socicty.

By initiating a woman in our mysteries and
making her our Masonic companion, we pro-
claim the equality of the two human genders,
who, physically speaking, keep humanity aliue.
We wish--on Woman's behalf--to push for
'Her' spiritual and moral emancipation, a pro-
cess ignored by 'Man, ' who appears mainly
guided by the axiom "Physical Strength about
Moral Right. "

Maria Deraismes (after the usual nice-
ties) replied: "If it only concerned the
admittance of my insignificant person
into Freemasonry--if it only concerned
the minimal contribution I can make--
then this occasion, by itself, would be
insignificant and minimal. However, its
real meaning is quite different.

"The door which you have opened to
me will never be closed behind me and a
veritable legion will follow me.

"You have given proof, Brethren, of
Wisdom and Willpower. Through you,
prejudice has been conquered. You are
without doubt in a minority, but what a
glorious minority. You brethren, have
therefore committed a great deed in
breaking with old customs which are up-
held by those who lack true knowledge.
You have had the courage to face Ma-
sonic orthodoxy head-on. You will reap
the fruit of this. You are considered trai-
tors because you are reformers. Eventu-
ally you will conquer. "

The Lodge was promptly threatened
with closure if it were to admit the newly
initiated lady to its labors. Maria
Deraismes did not attend lodge for 11
years, so as not to endanger its existence.
No record exists of her having been
passed or raised. Despite many pleas, the
Grand Orient refused to admit women
to its ranks.

Dr. Georges Martin (1844-1916) is the
other person on the stamp. He was the
son of a pharmacist. His professors at the
Jesuit secondary school warned his par-
ents that his independent and free spirit
bode ill for his future. Even his father
objected to Georges' revolutionary ideas
and cut off his allowance. Georges joined
the Legion of Garibaldi4, and with him
marched to Venice in 1866 in the libera-
tion of Italy. Georges Martin was
wounded in this campaign. He subse-
quently financed and completed his
Medical studies in 1870, with a thesis on
circumcision. Immediately afterward he
enlisted as a volunteer in the Franco-
Prussian War, was an ambulance assis-
tant at Fort Ivry, and freely undertook
the most difficult assignments.

In 1874, Dr. Georges Martin, the ar-
dent defender of liberty and now 30 years
old, met Maria Deraismes. She fasci-
nated him with her spirituality in the
struggle to secure equal rights for
women. Almost two decades later their
mutual feelings on the subjects of Justice,
Liberty, and Equality would culminate
in an attempt to give their concept of
democracy a Masonic form.

In 1879 Georges Martin became a
Freemason. He was initiated on March
21 in the Union and Bienfaisance Lodge
of the Central Grand Lodge.5 Some
members protested against what they
thought was an abuse of power by the
Higher Degrees to supervise the Blue
Lodges. Consequently, they left the Cen-
tral Grand Lodge and created the Scott-
ish Symbolic Grand Lodge in 1880.
Within a year, Dr. Martin became its
president. Denslow states that Martin
was present at the initiation of Maria
Deraismes, and Mackey refers to him as
a member of the Lodge La Jerusalem
Ecossaise. In 1874 he became Municipal
Councilor of Paris, and in 1885, was
elected to the French Senate.

Democracy In a Masonlc Form?

On March 14, 1893, Brother Georges
Martin and Maria Deraismes initiated
16 women as entered apprentices. There
is no record of any involvement of a
regular lodge. Among the women so in-
itiated were Maria Deraismes's sister

The Philalethes, April 1994
Therese; Marie Bequet de Vienne,
foundress of the Society for Breast Feed-
ing and Homes for Pregnant Women;
Dr. Marie Pierre; Louise David, a seam-
stress; Maria Martin, wife of Dr. Mar-
tin; his sister, Maria Martin; and Clem-
ence Ryer, an authoress.

On April 4,1893, the first Co-Masonic
Lodge, the Symbolic Grand Orient of
France became operational. It was later
renamed Le Droit Humain (The
Human Right). Within seven years it
would confer the 33rd degree of the
Scottish Rite. In 1896 the Grand Council
of Co-Masonry was created. Maria
Georges Martin became president with
the title of Grand Mistress. Dr. Georges
Martin bought a plot of land and built a
home for the Order on the Rue Jules
Breton. After the death of Marie
Deraismes, he became the guiding light
of the Order. Contrary to his expecta-
tions there was no line-up for admission
to the new Order, not even from mem-
bers of the feminist movement.

Mrs. Maria Martin died shortly after
the first World War broke out. Georges
suffered immensely from his loss. Only
one thing seemed to matter: for the tem-
ple to be finished and paid for. To that
end he sold all his possessions.

His temple stands today as a testimo-
nial to his efforts. It is the headquarters
of Le Droit Humain, which is now estab-
lished in 58 countries. In France alone it
counts 12,000 members. Annie Besant,
the famous theosophist, joined the Order
in the early 1900s. Through her efforts,
the Grand Architect of the Universe and
the Volume of the Sacred Law were in-
troduced6. It marked the turning point
from which the Order spread rapidly.

An English woman, Francesca
Arundale, introduced Co-Masonry into
England. In the early 1920s, two differ-
ent offshoots in England said, "Thank
you, but no thanks" to the men. They
ceased to admit men and thus became
strictly woman-only Freemasons. Their
numbers probably number upwards of
15,000. A number of schisms took place
in Le Droit Humaine. Consequently,
many other Orders of C o-Masonry exist,
e.g., "Catena" in Holland.

In May 1940, the Nazis overran the
Netherlands. The Co-Masonic Lodges
in the Hague suffered a fate similar to
that of the regular Dutch Grand Lodge.
Their building was emptied by the in-
vaders. The enemy treated both orders
with equal contempt.
Above the entrance to the Headquar-
ters of Le Droit Humaine at 5 RueJules
Breton, 75013 Paris, is chiseled in stone:
ORDO AB CHAO (Harmony out of Chaos) .

Notes

1. Also spelled Desraismes and Desraimes.

2. Or perhaps 1928.
3. "The Free Thinkers" of the separated Grand

Lodge at the Orient of Pecq.

4. Garibaldi was a Mason.
5. An organization that "directed" the Blue

Lodges of the Supreme Scottish Council.
6. Georges Martin was a rationalist. He did not
have a high opinion of religion. In this regard
his views were direcdy opposite those of Annie
Besant. Sources

Coil 's Mo~onic Encyclopcdia.
Dutch Grand Lodge Mixed Freemasonry, Re-

membrance Meeting 1982.
International Bulletin "Lc L)toit Hutnainc, " 1st se-

mester, Paris, 1992.

Mockcy 's Encyclopcdia of Ftcctnosonty.

MasonicPhilatelist #49,January 1993.
