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Article THE FREEMASONS' LEXICON. ← Page 2 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Lexicon.
to take them under my especial inspection and protection , under the following regulations , viz : — " I . In future there shall only be one or two , or if there is not room for all the fraternized , at most , three Lodges in the capital . In the circle , or provincial towns , where there is no governor , no Lodge shall he allowed to be held , and in those which have governors , there shall , at
most , be one , two , or three , permitted . All others which do not come under those acknowledged Lodges , shall , in case they are discovered , together with the landlord who allows them to assemble in his house , be liable to the same punishment as for frequenting , or keeping , private gaming houses . "II . The list of the whole Lodges , ancl of their members , shall be given to government , together with an account of the Lodge
nights , and every quarter the increase or decrease in the numbers of the members , and also their names and stations , with the exception of their titles , or rank in the Lodge . "III . The name of the AV . M . shall be annually reported to the government . " IV . On those conditions , the government will allow to the Freemasonseverywherethe most full acknowledgmentprotectionand
, , , , freedom , in their Lodges , which are left entirely to themselves , and shall never be forcibly entered , but shall be protected from any meddlesome . spies or intruders . In this manner the society of Freemasons , which consists of many just men , who are known to myself , may become more and more useful to the state , and to their fellow men , and these my orders are to be made known to all governors of cities and
provinces , by circular . " After this regulation , many of the Lodges of the Austrian Empire were closed , or joined others in the neighbourhood , that according to the command of the Emperor , there might not be above three Lodges in any large town . These Lodges continued to work in perfect peace until the outbreak of the French Revolution , which gave rise to suspicious and malignant reports about them , so that they voluntarily closed
themselves . The Lodges Zur Gekronten Hoffnung , and Zum Heiliger Joseph in Vienna , handed the Emperor a memorial in which it was written , " At the present time , when the terrific appearances in the political horizon are calculated to arouse all the evil passions of the masses of mankind , and to make it the duty of every good citizen , and the double duty of every good Freemason , to exert all their energies to preserve the public peace , to maintain the supremacy of the law and order , and carefully to remove every thing calculated in the remotest degree to strengthen the widely spread seeds of fear , suspicion , envy ,
and hatred , among the uninstructed portion of the public , who have formed such unhallowed and confused opinions of a society which from the very nature of its constitution ancl laws cannot be generall y known , and wliich by continuing its meetings , might be the means of bringing injury to the innocent . In these evil times , impressed with the purest feelings of gratitude to your Majesty for your truly paternal care of your people , we , although the smallest portion of your Majesty ' s subjects , beg leave freely and voluntarily to return to your Majesty
your most gracious permission to hold our Lodges , and declare that our assemblies and labours are closed for a time , " & c , & c . In the year 1801 , on the 23 rd of April , after the Lodges had voluntarily closed themselves , appeared an ordinance from the Emperor , by which all secret
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Lexicon.
to take them under my especial inspection and protection , under the following regulations , viz : — " I . In future there shall only be one or two , or if there is not room for all the fraternized , at most , three Lodges in the capital . In the circle , or provincial towns , where there is no governor , no Lodge shall he allowed to be held , and in those which have governors , there shall , at
most , be one , two , or three , permitted . All others which do not come under those acknowledged Lodges , shall , in case they are discovered , together with the landlord who allows them to assemble in his house , be liable to the same punishment as for frequenting , or keeping , private gaming houses . "II . The list of the whole Lodges , ancl of their members , shall be given to government , together with an account of the Lodge
nights , and every quarter the increase or decrease in the numbers of the members , and also their names and stations , with the exception of their titles , or rank in the Lodge . "III . The name of the AV . M . shall be annually reported to the government . " IV . On those conditions , the government will allow to the Freemasonseverywherethe most full acknowledgmentprotectionand
, , , , freedom , in their Lodges , which are left entirely to themselves , and shall never be forcibly entered , but shall be protected from any meddlesome . spies or intruders . In this manner the society of Freemasons , which consists of many just men , who are known to myself , may become more and more useful to the state , and to their fellow men , and these my orders are to be made known to all governors of cities and
provinces , by circular . " After this regulation , many of the Lodges of the Austrian Empire were closed , or joined others in the neighbourhood , that according to the command of the Emperor , there might not be above three Lodges in any large town . These Lodges continued to work in perfect peace until the outbreak of the French Revolution , which gave rise to suspicious and malignant reports about them , so that they voluntarily closed
themselves . The Lodges Zur Gekronten Hoffnung , and Zum Heiliger Joseph in Vienna , handed the Emperor a memorial in which it was written , " At the present time , when the terrific appearances in the political horizon are calculated to arouse all the evil passions of the masses of mankind , and to make it the duty of every good citizen , and the double duty of every good Freemason , to exert all their energies to preserve the public peace , to maintain the supremacy of the law and order , and carefully to remove every thing calculated in the remotest degree to strengthen the widely spread seeds of fear , suspicion , envy ,
and hatred , among the uninstructed portion of the public , who have formed such unhallowed and confused opinions of a society which from the very nature of its constitution ancl laws cannot be generall y known , and wliich by continuing its meetings , might be the means of bringing injury to the innocent . In these evil times , impressed with the purest feelings of gratitude to your Majesty for your truly paternal care of your people , we , although the smallest portion of your Majesty ' s subjects , beg leave freely and voluntarily to return to your Majesty
your most gracious permission to hold our Lodges , and declare that our assemblies and labours are closed for a time , " & c , & c . In the year 1801 , on the 23 rd of April , after the Lodges had voluntarily closed themselves , appeared an ordinance from the Emperor , by which all secret