Conference of GRand Masters of Masons in North America 2022

Grand Master's Letter: March 10, 2022

Ever since its creation on October 2018, the Grand Lodge of the F & AM of Lebanon (GLL) has been subjected to systematic attacks and false allegations, the latest of which was a joint statement sent out by the Grand Lodge of Scotland, Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia and the Grand Loge Nationale Française this past January.  

GLL responded very respectfully but the negative campaigning against it has not stopped.  

“Seeking the truth” is a path that all Masons are expected to walk.  

This walk is not restricted to Master Masons but also to Grand Lodges.  

This past February, GLL submitted a presentation to the Conference of Grand Masters of North America and its “Commission on Information for Recognition”. 

The Grand Lodge of New York, Grand Lodge of Scotland, Grand Lodge of District of Columbia and the Grand Lodge Nationale Française also did the same. 

The Commission listened to all presentations and found that the Grand Lodge of New York (GLNY) chartered the Grand Lodge of Lebanon from 3 Regular Lodges and that at the time, only Grand Lodge of Scotland, Grand Lodge of District of Columbia and Grand Lodge of New York had Lodges in Lebanon. The Grand Loge Nationale Française placed a Lodge in Lebanon after the formation of the GLL. The report also stated that GLNY’s not consulting with the other Grand Lodges was not a requirement. The report also stated that there is no other regular grand lodge to the GLL organized within Lebanon and that the doctrine often expressed as exclusive territorial jurisdiction has been fulfilled by the GLL. The Commission urged that, for the sake of Universal Freemasonry, the regular grand lodges with lodges in Lebanon and the Grand Lodge of Lebanon consult together to allow Freemasonry to flourish in Lebanon. 

https://www.cogmna.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-Commission-Report.pdf  

The Grand Lodge of the F & AM of Lebanon was and will always be the home for regular Masons in Lebanon. It stands ready to consult with the Regular Grand Lodges who have Lodges within Lebanon to coordinate their presence on Lebanese soil.  

Always on the Level, 

Raffy H Timonian   

Grand Master  

Grand Lodge of the F & AM of Lebanon  

GLL's Response and Presentation:  February 21, 2022

On January 27th, 2022, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia and the Grand Loge Nationale Française distributed a letter attempting to challenge the Regularity of the Grand Lodge of the Free & Accepted Masons of Lebanon, (GLL) to all the Grand Lodges with whom they share amity.  

Freemasons are supposed to be distinguished from the rest of Mankind by the uniform unrestrained rectitude of their conduct. We are to restrain our passions, because they cannot be indulged without injuring our neighbor or ourselves. 

The “Basic Principles for Grand Lodge Recognition” are not a matter of opinion, nor can they be subjected to false and erroneous allegations. They are clearly listed in the Constitutions of the UGLE, as accepted on September 4th, 1929. These principles were very well observed and maintained by the GLL, as well as the other Regular Grand Lodges across the world. 

Our Grand Lodge retains Exclusive Sovereign Power over our subordinate Lodges by virtue of them working under charters issued by the Grand Lodge of the F & AM of Lebanon. 

Ever since its creation and consecration on October 2018, the GLL has been firmly growing in membership and Lodges. We are proud and inspired by our 7 Craft Lodges and a Lodge of Research who continue to strengthen our foundation while we currently share amity with 96 Regular Grand Lodges from all over the world. 

GLL is proud to announce that it will continue to work with all Regular Grand Lodges and Masons in or outside Lebanon to promote the true Masonic culture that is much needed in rebuilding Lebanon.  GLL

 will always keep its arms extended, ready to hug any Brother who wishes to join the collective work in the quarries of Lebanese Freemasonry.   

We truly believe that armed with the Principles and Teachings of Freemasonry, expressing Equality, Freedom, Respect, Tolerance, Acceptance, Faith and Love of Family and Country, the GLL and Freemasons of Lebanon can play an integral part in rebuilding Lebanon, One Sold Step at a Time.   

The sole motive of our Regular Grand Lodge is to practice the tenets of our gentle Craft in the Spirit of Harmony and Fraternalism.

Always on the Level,  

Raffy H Timonian   

Grand Master 

Grand Lodge of the F & AM of Lebanon

BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR GRAND LODGE RECOGNITION , UGLE

Accepted by the Grand Lodge, September 4, 1929 

The M.W. The Grand Master having expressed a desire that the Board would draw up a statement of the Basic Principles on which this Grand Lodge could be invited to recognize any Grand Lodge applying for recognition by the English Jurisdiction, the Board of General Purposes has gladly complied. The result, as follows, has been approved by the Grand Master and it will form the basis of a questionnaire to be forwarded in future to each Jurisdiction requesting English recognition. The Board desires that not only such bodies but the Brethren generally throughout the Grand Master’s Jurisdiction shall be fully informed as to those Basic Principles of Freemasonry for which the Grand Lodge of England has stood throughout its history  

1. Regularity of origin; i.e. each Grand Lodge shall have been established lawfully by a duly recognized Grand Lodge or by three or more regularly constituted Lodges.  

2. That a belief in the G.A.O.T.U. and His revealed will shall be an essential qualification for membership.  

3. That all Initiates shall take their Obligation on or in full view of the open Volume of the Sacred Law, by which is meant the revelation from above which is binding on the conscience of the particular individual who is being initiated.  

4. That the membership of the Grand Lodge and individual Lodges shall be composed exclusively of those who were made Masons as men; and that each Grand Lodge shall have no Masonic association of any kind with bodies which make women Masons.*

5. That the Grand Lodge shall have sovereign jurisdiction over the Lodges under its control; i.e. that it shall be a responsible, independent, self-governing organization, with sole and undisputed authority over the Craft or Symbolic Degrees (Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason) within its Jurisdiction; and shall not in any way be subject to, or divide such authority with, a Supreme Council or other Power claiming any control or supervision over those degrees.  

6. That the three Great Lights of Freemasonry (namely, the Volume of the Sacred Law, the Square, and the Compasses) shall always be exhibited when the Grand Lodge or its subordinate Lodges are at work, the chief of these being the Volume of the Sacred Law.  

7. That the discussion of religion and politics within the Lodge shall be strictly prohibited.  

8. That the principles of the Antient Landmarks, customs, and usages of the Craft shall be strictly observed. 

* Amended wording of paragraph 4 adopted 12 September 2018. 

Report on Lebanon:

                                                                               The Grand Lodge of Lebanon  

There has come before your Commission a request that a finding be made that this Grand Lodge meets the Standards of Recognition adopted by this Conference. 

A presentation was made to the Commission by the Grand Lodge of Lebanon and the Grand Lodge of New York who spoke in favor of the request. Presentations were also made by the Grand Lodge of Scotland, the Grand Lodge of Washington D.C. and the Grande Loge Nationale Française, all of whom stood in opposition to a finding that the Grand Lodge of Lebanon met those Standards.  

We decline to make findings at this time. An explanation is in order.   

The Grand Lodge of New York constituted the new Grand Lodge of Lebanon from at least three regular lodges in 2018. No grand lodge had been constituted in and for that nation before that time.    

At the time this new Grand Lodge was formed by the Grand Lodge of New York, there were lodges working in Lebanon under the Grand Lodges of Scotland, New York, and Washington, D.C. It appears the Grande Loge National Française allowed a lodge to work there after the formation of the Grand Lodge of Lebanon.  

It has been pointed out to the Commission that there was no consultation with the other Grand Lodges working in Lebanon before the Grand Lodge of Lebanon was formed.  We agree that the well established custom and practice in Europe is to consult with other grand lodges working in a jurisdiction. This is the fraternal course that would be expected.  Indeed, the failure to do so in this case has led to discontent between brother masons and actions that are inappropriate amongst masons. It is most disappointing that the consultation failed to occur.  However, that need for consultation, while a custom, and even a well recommended custom, is not a requirement for forming a grand lodge.    

More particularly, it has been argued that because lodges of other jurisdictions continue to work in the country, a grand lodge cannot be formed without a treaty between the various chartering grand lodges, as there would be a lack of exclusive territorial jurisdiction.    As a source to resolve the dispute, we would draw your attention to Grand Lodge Recognition, The Commission on Information for Recognition (Macoy, 1956).  The inestimable Roscoe Pound, a Deputy Grand Master of Massachusetts and a legal scholar still studied by U.S. law students, cited with approval Dr. Mackey’s statement:    [I]t is competent for any Grand Lodge to grant a warrant of constitution and establish a Lodge in such unoccupied territory….And this right of granting warrants inures to every Grand Lodge in the World and may be exercised by as many as choose to do so, as long as no Grand Lodge is organized in the territory. 19-20, citations omitted.     

There is no other grand lodge organized in Lebanon. 

The doctrine often expressed as exclusive territorial jurisdiction has been fulfilled: there is only one grand lodge formed for this jurisdiction. Those who have a policy of only recognizing one grand lodge in a jurisdiction have not seen a departure from that policy.   

Grand Lodges for whom we hold the greatest respect are in sharp disagreement regarding the activities and other conduct that have occurred in Lebanon. We are informed that action is being taken to remedy some of the mis-steps that have occurred. We urge that for the sake of Freemasonry Universal that the regular grand lodges in Lebanon and the Grand Lodge of Lebanon consult, allowing Freemasonry to flourish in that country.     

To read the complete report, click on the link below:

https://www.cogmna.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-Commission-Report.pdf