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Notes and Queries

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"French Masonry Today"

As a Grand Officer of the regular National Grand Lodge of France, I was
pleased to see an article in the February issue [See "French Masonry
Today," pp. 19-20, Ed.] of your magazine on French Freemasonry, but it was
written by a member of the irregular Grand Lodge of France and, a,as, it
contains several inaccuracies.
It is true that to be recognized, a Grand Lodge must, amongst other
requirements, have been established by a as duly recognized Grand Lodge or
by three or more regularly constituted lodges, but those basic principles
were not accepted by the United Grand Lodge of England until, September
1929, and so could not possibly have applied when the National Grand Lodge
of France was founded in 1913 . Thus England was quite in order in
granting recognition then. After a,l, the Grand Lodges of New Jersey,
Georgia, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island were each founded by two lodges
and I have never known them to be declared irregular because of that.
Another requirement is that the discussion of religion and politics within
the lodge shall be strictly prohibited and it is incorrect to state that
the National Grand Lodge of France politically is moderately right-
leaning.
Further the author admits that the Grand Orient of France is quite irregu-
lar, but the Grand Lodge of France has a treaty with it that permits
inter-visiting and on these grounds alone, it is incorrect to state that
the Grand Lodge of France is regular land representative of the oldest and
most regular Masonic tradition.
Finally, the articles of Union of 1813 stipulate that ". . . pure Ancient
Masonry consists of three degrees and no more, viz., those of the Entered
Apprentice, the Fe,low Craft, and the Master Mason, including the Supreme
Order of the Holy Royal Arch." It is therefore incorrect to state that the
other Masonic bodies are recognized "by UK Masonry. '
Yours sincerely and fraternally,
Cyril N. Batham
17 Romeland Waltham Abbey
Essex EN9 lQZ
England.
Bro. Batham is a full member of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, London,
England, "The Premier Lodge of Masonic Research "-- Editor

More on
"French Masonry Today"

". . . I do not know which obedience Segall belongs to, but from the
general tone and tenor of his remarks, it appears to be the irregular
Grand Lodge of France (G.L.F.). Much of his article has merit, such as the
portions of the Grand Orient and women in Freemasonry. Unfortunately, when
he deviates from historical accuracy and permits personal bias and
philosophy to enter into the article with resultant mis-statements of
fact, the article becomes misleading and a public relations/propaganda
ploy for the G.L.F.
He says little is done in the way of Masonic charities, which is untrue.
The [National Grand Lodge of France] G.L.N.F and the Supreme Council for
France, the only two regular French Masonic Obediences, both have
important charitable endeavors, both inside and outside France.

He states French Masons pay little attention to being "recognized," yet
another fallacy. Regular French Freemasons pay the utmost attention to
traditional Masonic rules, maintain their status accordingly, and permit
no irregular deviations such as exist in the G.L.F or the [Grand Orient]
G.0.

Contrary to Segall's statement, the G.L.N.F. was founded in complete reg-
ularity, in 1913, in accordance with criteria of the era, a regularity
which has never been in question. In fact, in the mid-1960's over 1,000
brethren left the irregular G.L.F, including many senior officials, and
joined the G.L.N.F. to obtain a Masonic regularity they could not have in
the G.L.F.

Attempts have been made for a fusion of Obediences, but the G. L.F. has
steadfastly rejected such, preferring instead a treaty of alliance with
the irregular Grand Orient....

Segall gives our G.L.N.F. membership as 13,000 while, in reality, it is at
the 20,000 level, virtually on a par with the G.L.F. Our Obedience is a
dynamic one and has steadily grown ....

I spent the month of September [ 1993 ] in Paris. Regular Freemasonry is
showing significant growth, yet maintaining the quality of membership at
an outstanding level. It is not numbers alone that we seek. It takes
dedication to be a French Freemason and one is expected to participate
fully in the life of the Craft.

I can assure you, and American Masonry, of the continued dedication and
adherence to true Masonic principles of regularity of the G. L . N . F.
and Supreme Council for France.

William E: Parker, MPS
Past Senior Grand Warden, G.L.N.F.
819 N. Arch Street
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Masonry in Films and Television

I have just read and greatly enjoyed Brother Norman Lincoln's "References
to Masonry in Films and Television" [April, 1994, pp.50-51]. There was one
reference to Freemasonry in the popular television series M*A*S*H that was
missed.

In one episode, Corporal Walter "Radar" O'Reilly (played by Gary Burgoff,
who reprised the role from the film) receives a letter from his widowed
mother. She wrote that she had been keeping company with a gentleman.
Radar is concerned and goes to his friend, Dr. B. F. "Hawkeye" Pierce
(played by Alan Alda). Hawkeye asks what kind of a man this boyfriend was.
Radar describes him as being a bank teller, a Sunday School teacher, and
a third-degree Mason." Hawkeye responds, "He sounds like a very shady
character."

The character Hawkeye was noted for wisecracking irony, just as Radar was
noted for innocence. It seems that Hawkeye did not regard being a Freema-
son as really being "shady," anymore than being a bank teller or a Sunday
School Teacher.

Jonathan M. Jacobs, MPS
2037 Bonnafon Street
Philadelphia, PA 19142